Visiting Guests - Raffles Long Bar, Swisshotel Equinox high-tea

On the Sunday we took our friends to the Long Bar at Raffles, THE singapore tourist spot for anyone who enjoys a bit of the decadent colonial past.
The Long Bar is famous for being the birth-place of the Singapore Sling (mostly premixed now, with gin and a cherry brandy base, but apparently if you ask for a fresh cocktail they’ll oblige). Raffles Hotel was founded in a beach-front bungalow in 1887 by the Armenian Sarkies Bros. and saved from modernisation by being raised to historic monument status on Singapore’s centennial. The hotel is the epitome of colonial grandeur, shining marble floors, sparkling brass light fittings and it even comes complete with a front-drive manager in bright, white colonial uniform and turban.

The Long Bar is the only place in Singapore where you are encouraged to litter, it’s a cheeky hook to bring in the supremacists who enjoy acting guilt free, although the harm done by asking a cleaner to clean and then creating more mess by throwing peanut shells on the floor in a  society where the gap between top and bottom is ever widening is yet to be quantified. It’s a crunchy affair walking between the tables of expats and tourists who sip away merrily on their $30 cocktails and $30 half-yards of Tiger beer.

To be honest, while it’s a part of Singapore that everyone knows, it wouldn’t be in my top-five choices of location or clientele to take a friend for anything more than a beer and a photo-opp.


So, with one Singapore icon down, we trotted our way merrily out of the bar, through the wonderful open courtyard and around to the five star Swisshotel for high-tea on the 70th floor’s Equinox restaurant.

Singapore has some wonderful views when you can get above the high-rise, concrete, steel and glass. Taking a seat in the simple but naturally decorated panoramic venue, we were indeed blessed with a sunny and clear day. Singapore’s Padang and cricket field were laid out directly beneath us and Marina Bay and the marina barrage a little further off. Stretching east and west was the coastline, natural and man-made, prickled with trees in one direction and stippled with condos and buildings in the other. Two of my favourite past-times came together this weekend; marvellous sights and good food and drink and we shared them with the best friends.
Singapore has some great facets to show off, you just need someone to show them off to.
Shovel