Saturday ? our second day and another lovely morning. The early mornings are quite the best time of day, there is a freshness in the air which is soon taken over by immense heat and humidity.

Mark and Lisa came over and we set off for a trip to Little India.

But first ? a bus ride? using the same cards as we were given for the underground ? it is a wonderful system ? it just takes off the amount you have used when you leave the bus or train and can easily be topped up when the money is running low.

Our first stop was an art shop, Liz wanted to buy some Chinese brushes and it turns out that Mark dabbles with painting too ? something else they have in common ? apparently Mark used to draw when he was young but now does ?Abstract? paintings.

After there we went to Bugis Street, called after a sailing ship from long ago and it was around here we heard the haunting sound of the ?call to prayer? from one of the mosques.

It was Saturday, the world was out selling Lottery tickets and the good people of Singapore had wheeled out their Buddhas and opened up their temples to pray for a big win and pray they did patting the buddhas with their tickets and feeding other Gods in the hope that they would win.

Liz and I patted this guy

But we didn?t buy flowers ? or a lucky ticket ? the flowers were beautiful though!!

Then it was time foe an iced lemon tea in a street cafe

And some fresh fruit ? it was delicious!

Then off to Little India ? not the little shop houses of my rather old guide book- at least, not all of it?.

But if it could be sold ? it was there and fascinating to see..

I bought a string of elephants and two tiny Buddhas ? it was explained to me in great detail what each Buddha meant and what they signified ? so they were carefully chosen.

The Hindu temple was very pretty both outside and in?.

But the thought of samosas led us down a side street to an Indian hawker shop?

Not the most up-market of establishments

But their samosas were delicious, as big as cornish pasties!

Followed by keema curry and naan bread

And washed down with tiger beer..

Very nice!

Then it was off to Mustafa?s the biggest emporium in Little India ? a huge store ? so out of character really but there you can buy anything ? although you can?t take your bags in ? you have to check them at the door. The place was enormous and seething with people, floor after floor of everything you would need to survive!

By the time we had finished in the store it was 7 p.m. and we fell into a taxi and went back to Orchard Road.

Mark and Lisa stayed a little while and then went home.

Liz and I went over to TGI?s for dinner around 9 and after an hour people watching we we went home to bed!!!

Another very full day!!!

Singapore breakfast and a bit of pampering next??….