Bristol, Burgers, Brunel, Britannia and Banksy

The Curious Man is Off to Wales!

But first,  Bristol, where he and his NW will be collected from the airport by the Curious Man's Nice Friend and his Nice Friend's Nice Wife. (henceforth to be referred to in the Welsh Gaelic form: Cmnff and Cmnffnw).(2 "f's" make a "f' sound)

Cmnff is very interested in Bristol's examples of the works of engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. So is the CM, but his burgers take precedence.

After a multisensory experience at Brunel's ship Britannia (complete with shipboard sounds and smells of baking bread, horse manure and vomit from seasick passengers),

CM and Co track down a genuine Banksy:

then head for the hills of Wales, Blackthorne Lodge in Coed Y Paen, where there's no internet but plenty of reading material.

Flowers, Fotos and Fantasma

 Flowers, Fotos and Fantasma

With the sounds of crunching peanut shells underfoot, the Curious Man and his Nice Wife leave Raffles and depart for 'Gardens by the Bay' using Singapore's excellent rail system.
 CM's enthusiasm for photography and NW's passion for gardens means that this will be a win -win situation. They arrive at 2pm - perfect timing to explore the air-conditioned conservatories, take photos, ride the Garden Explorer, take photos, eat some cake, take photos, climb up to the SkyWay bridge and take photos, then relax back on the lawn to be dazzled by the light show (and take photos).
No more needs to be written,  the photos will speak for themselves..

2. Food, Flowers, Flings and Slings in Singapore

Food, Flowers, Flings and Slings in Singapore

The Curious Man is staying in a nice hotel,  but no way is he going to pay $30 for breakfast. The Nice Wife has researched where the locals eat, so an hour later, after a train journey and a longish, but pleasant, trek through the suburbs, 

they have arrived in Tiong Bahru and are feasting on rice cakes, vegetable concoctions and coconut juice for the princely sum of $5..

Curious man looking very pleased with his bargain breakfast.

Then it's off to Raffles Hotel for a couple of Singapore Slings (invented by a barman in the olden days so the ladies could secretly imbibe alcohol without appearing brazen) and a chance to munch on peanuts and carelessly fling the shells onto the floor.  (Ironically for the Curious Man, this little adventure will cost him almost as much as the spurned hotel breakfast!)

Enjoying a life of decadence before the bill hits