HAVE JUST CHECKED OUT OF THE REGENT HOTEL SINGAPORE....  AM  GOING TO CALL IN TO "A BEAR PLACE"  AND HOPEFULLY CATCH UP WITH URENDA...  HAVE BEEN MISSING EACH OTHER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS!!!  THEN OVER TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO ANGE AND ROBYN...

AND THEN WE'LL BE ON OUR WAY HOME...  

SEE YOU IN THE MORNING....

LOVE TO ALL xxx

Another glorious day exploring Orchard Road...

Some of us were good...

Whilst some of us were "naughty"...

 

The views from the Sky Park observation deck on the 58th floor of the Marina Bays hotel were breathtaking

...and the infinity pool up there "for hotel guests only" was spectacular...

I know where I will be staying the next time we visit Singapore!!!

Had dinner with Angelo and Robyn at Newton Circus -- but unfortunately battery ran out so I don't have any photos :(

We had a feast of local seafood and dishes prepared especially for us -- what a pig out!!!

(PS:  This place was our surprize for Angelo -- and he loved every mouthful of  it!!!)

ONE SLEEP TO GO.....

The stop-over in Singapore has been the icing on the cake...  Staying at the luxurious 5-star Regent Hotel located only steps away from Orchard Road...  What a way to end a busy busy holiday...

We decided though that we were going to spend the day relaxing and relax we  did!!!

In the evening we took a short taxi drive to the new Marina Bays casino, hotel and shopping complex -- WOW I wish I was a millionaire...  I found consolation in some yummy cakes and a gigantic latte after realizing I couldn't afford to buy the $4000.00 pair of shoes that I had fallen in love with...

Catching up with Angelo and Robyn tomorrow as they are scheduled to arrive in Singapore at around 5.00 pm...  Boy have we got a surprize planned for Angelo!!!

...ONLY 2 days to go now before coming home :)

Lena and Lenny we are missing you :(   Wish you were here too...

HAVE JUST LEFT LENA AND LENNY BEHIND IN DUBAI WAITING TO BOARD THEIR FLIGHT FOR MELBOURNE -- THEY WILL BE HOME TOMORROW MORNING.....

ON THE OTHER HAND JOE, SANDY, SHARON AND MYSELF BOARDED OUR FLIGHT TO SINGAPORE AND HAVE JUST ARRIVED SAFE AND SOUND...

MY HEART IS ACHING FOR MY HOME, FAMILY AND FRIENDS...  CAN'T WAIT!!! (3 DAYS TO GO)

When In Rome...

So sad saying good-bye to all our family in Vizzini... but on the other hand it was so good catching up again with Lena, Len, Sharon and Joe in Rome!!!

We've had a wonderful 3 days touring Rome and now tonight we will be boarding our flight bound for Singapore via Dubai...

Won't be long now!!!

A Day Out With Lilianna...

Well we're now back at Vizzini for a couple of days  to pick up our luggage and organize ourselves for the start of homeward journey...

Lilianna is making the most of our return and wants to take us out for the day...  Firsrt stop the post office -- not getting slugged with excess baggage charges again...

Next stop " P:orte Catania" a shopping complex (one of only a handful in Sicily)...

Dani  wish you'd told us whether we're having a boy or a girl -- there's nothing neutral here!!!

Last stop lunch with Salvatore (Lilianna's boyfriend) at a 5-star seafood restaurant by the sea -- the oysters were as big as dinner plates!!!

"Grazia" Lilianna for a "belissima giornata" -- you really do spoil us xxx

A Day Exploring the Blue Grotto...

As mentioned earlier Taormina sits on a cliff top and at its base lies the deep blue sea.  Over the years the pounding of the waves has eroded the base of the cliff and formed many caves -- this area is called the Blue Grotto...

Together with Franca and Joe we commissioned this young "Italian hunk of a spunk" to take us out on his boat "Davide"

It was a beautiful trip but the sea was a little rough, AND Franca refused to move from the floor of the boat -- her screams could be heard all the way around the coast :)

Inside the caves the sun managed to shine through crevices in the rocks and this made the water appear fluoroscent blue... hence the name "Grotti Azzuri"  (Blue Caves)...

We had yet ANOTHER MAGICAL DAY...

On the road again...

We left Vizzini yesterday and have travelled to the ancient seaside town of Taormina, precariously perched on a cliff top...

We're staying sat the Hotel Diodoro overlooking the crystal blue sea and have caught up once again with Joe and Franca...

It has been so much fun exploring the tiny streets and alley ways of this historic town filled with boutiques and restaurants...

Sandy and I had lunch in the cutest restaurant which was set up on the "Scali D'Amore" (Staircase of Love) -- we tried to keep it lite and healthy but traditionally Sicilian!!!

Via Manzoni No.43

Speaking to my mum yesterday, she was sooo excited about us being in her hometown...  she chatted and chatted and then asked if we could try to find the house where she was born!!  She gave me some very rough directions over the phone and this morning as the temperature hit 38 degrees, Sandy and I set off in search of her house -- I wasn't coming home until we had accomplished our mission!!!.

We walked along some very narrow cobblestone streets, up bluestone stairs, stairs and more stairs and we finally found it...  No. 43 Via Manzoni!!!

I pictured my mum playing there in the 30's and 40's and it was both beautiful and overwhelming at the same time!!!