Day 32: Monday, last day in Singapore and flight to Abu Dhabi

Ooh I hate this Blogger tool. I was almost done with today's post, but not saved, and it crapped out on me. Now I have to start over.

Late start in preparation for shifting four timezones to the west tonight. 

Kopi (cold) and kaya toast at Toast Box for 2nd cuppa. Excellent! Reminds me of cinnamon toast as a kid. And the iced coffee is like Vietnamese iced coffee, a dessert!

On our way to the National Gallery of Singapore we stop to look for gifts. Wrong building, we end up in a little music store village. A whole floor is guitar shops, instrument shops, vinyl record stores and places to buy concert wear (black t-shirts mostly).

Kathy tells me an economics lesson. Where's the best place to put your ice cream shop at the beach? Next to the already successful ice cream shop. Soon... ice cream village.

By 11 we make it to the national gallery. Yikes, two buildings, many floors, more than a dozen galleries. We must specialize. So we look for Singaporean art -- we'll come back to see some millennia of Chinese art another year.

With a sixty year old country there are just a few phases of art. Early tropical paradise and marketing flyers to promote trade in the Asian Tiger location. 

Then nation building following WWII and the country's founding. Commerce, education, forging a multicultural society. 

Liu Kang (刘抗), After the Fire II, 1951

These works reflect Liu Kang's interest in post-Second World War reconstruction in the 1950s, particularly through subjects of industry and labour. 

In Working at the Brick Factory, smoking factories in the distance indicate the scale of production, while Liu brings the viewer's attention to the workers in the foreground. 

After the Fire II appears to reference the devastating fire at Aik Hoe Rubber Factory in 1950.

At the fish market

Workers having lunch reminds me of the hawker markets.

Then a Chinese influenced painting of monkeys in the trees. 

Maybe it is art? A display of weed whackers in the lobby of the supreme court building. Huh??

Sense big city, bustling riverfront, great food. So much to love about Singapore! 

Ordering dumplings for lunch as we walk back towards the hotel. We're get an array of all five kinds. Yum yum yum!

In the last few blocks to the hotel we realize this riverfront eatery area is just blocks from our hotel and woefully under explored by us. So much more food to try! Aiyeee! We must return some day.  And the walk back takes us pay now familiar places like Amoy Hotel with Chinese temple, pedestrian street with hundreds of cafe seats full at lunch and after work. Subway stop just steps from our hotel. We are liking it here 

You are here, with coffee. Ohhh yeah!

There is even a kaya toast outlet in the airport. I am liking this place.

Finally we MRT Metro to Changi airport, do the security shuffle, and board our massive Airbus 380-800. It holds perhaps 600 pax, including all advanced tiers upstairs, plus ~500 pax on the main deck. So huge we wonder how it will get off the runway. 

Also noteworthy are the many Etihad upgrades we are offered. Aisle seat. Seat with empty neighbor. Seat with empty row!  Keeps the plane lighter too? 

Kelsey and Kyle's driver Chong picks us up at the AUH airport about 11pm local time, about 3am for us. Some massive spotlit buildings flash by as we head to our 5-star deluxe hotel Bab Al Qasr. Wow.