The latest taxi-driver wisdom is in relation to the new Singapore Flyer (local equivalent of the London Eye)- no good he said, too expensive - much better to go and have a drink on the top floor of the tallest hotel, much better view and longer to watch it as you linger over your drink at half the price. He's probably right!
The talk locally is all about the pressure on space. The population is now around 6 million - up from around 4.5 million when we left, largely through additional labour to man the new construction activities and service industries - one third of the labour force is non national now. The result is that there are just a lot more people about and the locals are complaining -but how else to expand the economy says the government. In addition the pressure on numbers has led to much less green space as new buildings are constructed in previous patches of green in the centre of the city.
The Botanic gardens though remains untouched and we left the hotel early to wander round them for a couple of hours this morning. Lots of early morning birds - and joggers! 
We found two Australians gazing up a tree at this Banded Woodpecker. Many of the shrubs were in full flower and the orchid gardens were as well kept as ever. In the VIP section of the gardens they have orhids 'created' for visiting dignatories. We went looking for one of our favourites - the one named after Margaret Thatcher which was always rather straggly and unattractive, but alas it would seem to be no more and we could not find it.
We found two Australians gazing up a tree at this Banded Woodpecker. Many of the shrubs were in full flower and the orchid gardens were as well kept as ever. In the VIP section of the gardens they have orhids 'created' for visiting dignatories. We went looking for one of our favourites - the one named after Margaret Thatcher which was always rather straggly and unattractive, but alas it would seem to be no more and we could not find it.
We strolled back down the length of Orchard Road and wondered yet again how so many shops could do business and how they could fund so many new ones. All were decorated for the Year of the Tiger. We stopped at our favourite one, Tangs, for a little shopping and for lunch which was a special Chinese new year one featuring - tiger prawns....
In the evening we met up with our old cell group - despite the passage of years all but one are still around - and the absentee is a missionary to China. It was a lovely time of sharing what God was doing in people's lives and closed with my favourites - curry puffs.....
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