By Golden Goose To Fat Duck

[9V-SIA]

After the garden tour, it was time to enter the cellars. Nice and cool



Big group but highly entertaining thanks to Gillian



Wonder how old these bottles are?



For that unique angle!



My own pic..



Finally, wine / balsamic vinegar / olive oil tasting

[9V-SIA]

We took our lunch break in the piazza of Greve. The only piazza in Greve..



In this restaurant



Liver on polenta



Black truffle pasta



Wild boar pasta



Quite good. My only complaint is that I like pasta al dente. And this was fresh pasta

Hometown of Amerigo Vespucci. America was named after him



Walking only village



Why would he leave this paradise to America?



Could it be that they have better malls in USA?



This is Sting's country estate in Tuscany



A pity we didn't have time to see Siena. Next time I plan to stay longer in a Tuscan villa..

[Kyo]

Could it be that they have better malls in USA?

Leccio? Didn't realise we went to the same place!

This is Sting's country estate in Tuscany

That's the one you can see from The Mall, right?! Didn't realise Sting liked his shopping close by...

[CarbonMan]

Haha! Remembering wasting a whole half day at this mall zoned out while my better half was sidling from one shop to another . Personally, I think the US malls give better value but then again the brands are different.

[jhm]

Black truffle pasta

Lots of pasta I see but the vital ingredient seems missing altogether!

[9V-SIA]

Leccio? Didn't realise we went to the same place!

Haha! Remembering wasting a whole half day at this mall zoned out while my better half was sidling from one shop to another .

Is this the mall you guys were at?

Lots of pasta I see but the vital ingredient seems missing altogether!

It was a cheap restaurant

[9V-SIA]

Good Bye Florence

All too soon it was time to return to LCY.

This is the L-shaped layout of FLR:
6 = check in counters. Take an escalator to..
3 = security
2 = shops leading to food outlets upstairs, departure gates downstairs
5 = arrival hall



Under renovation, this is what it'll look like from the car park when complete



This is what it looks like now



Check In Counters



Having a pizza while waiting for our flight. Buses waiting to take PAX from departure gate to planes



An opportunity to plane spot



Quite a common sight in Europe. Unlike Asia. Ansett & JL used to fly them but they're gas guzzlers



The departure gates



Our flight was delayed 90 mins due to technical problems.

BAe HS146s!!! Some wag said BAe stands for Bring Another engine

[CarbonMan]

Lots of pasta I see but the vital ingredient seems missing altogether!

But that's just the primi ... and it ensures the taste of the truffle stands out. Seriously though, I think truffle is way over hyped as shark fin. Give me some good moderately-priced porcini anytime!

[9V-SIA]

FLR-LCY

We were bussed the short distance to the aircraft. This plane was in AF livery.



The plane wasn't full so I managed to get more pictures of the engines



Try as I may, could only get one engine from the front of Y cabin. Carfield in J could get both



If I had one wish on regional flights it's for air map to look at our progress. Here we are, over the English Channel, approaching England



One of the unusual sensations of flying this plane is a left / right "skidding motion" in addition to the up/down & left bank / right bank



No go around this time but still a "hairy landing"



Disembarked from the back this time



Final look at the BAe HS146



Clearing CIQ was quick but took awhile to link up with the limo driver. The drive to the West End is long...

Next, the flight home...

[9V-SIA]

LHR-SIN

What a difference a day makes. After spending the night in London, time to head home on SQ 77W 9V-SWS.

The little Japanese girl standing next to me ( you can see her reflection in the window ) was waving at her daddy...

... who happened to be flying my plane home. Her mummy was hurrying her to catch their flight to NRT..



I hurried to the plane to try and get a shot of her from my seat.. but she had left



First time I see the truck that does the push back!



Long queue to take off. I have a whole bunch of photos of planes taking off before us...

..but this is the one I never grow tired off looking at: SQ 77W in flight, GE90, blended wings



Dinner service soon started. My drink.. half Perrier, half OJ



CANAPES
Satay
With onion, cucumber and spicy peanut sauce





APPETISERS
Chilled malossol caviar
With melba toast and condiments

Gotham chilled melon mint salad with lime vinaigrette, radish, duck proscuitto and smoked paprika



SOUPS
Cauliflower-leek soup with seared diver scallop and lemon oil

Oriental thick soup with tofu and seafood

SALAD
Rucola lettuce with assorted cherry tomatoes, shaved parmesan cheese
Basil vinaigrette
Creamy beetroot dressing

MAIN COURSES
Roasted loin of veal with asparagus, peas, pearl onions and garlic mashed potatoes

Dtir fried pork with black peppercorn sauce, vegetables and fried rice

Chicken stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach, roasted herbs vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes

Rainbow fettucine with rocket, porcini and chanterelle mushrooms in basil-tomato sauce

Ikan assam padas
Malay style fish in sour sauce and stir fried vegetables and steamed rice



DESSERTS
Coconut panna cotta with tropical soup and tuile

Warm apricot tart with caramel sauce



CHEESES
Camembert, blackstick blue, amber mist with whisky and black bomber with quince paste, grapes, nuts and crackers

FRUITS
Fresh fruits in season

FINALE
A selection of gourmet coffes & fine teas served with pralines



Those courses with no pictures, I skipped

Over Ukraine, I go to sleep

[9V-SIA]

Since 2010 I've made 7 round trips to London. It's hard to write a TR on what's become a routine.

But these are my highlights from past trips..

In June 2011, we were roaring down the runway when I caught sight of SQ318 taxiing to the gate. By the time I whipped my camera out, I got this rushed shot..



I had great views of London as we headed west..



Anyway to finish this TR..

As usual, I wake up over the Bay of Bengal for breakfast



Breakfast menu..



Had the fruit..



.. and my BTC duck rice. I'm a creature of habit!



Sitting in 2F, I flew along the northern coast of SIN. Tuas Second Link..



Sunoko power stations red & white chimney stacks by the coast



Johore Bahru & Causeway..



Approach into Changi..



Thank you 9V-SWS. And thanks for following my TR



Anyone on SQ26 tonight?

And A Merry Christmas to all SQTalkers. Peace.

[Flyerfly]

very nice trip report ... thanks for sharing !

i had recently been to florence too .. will share that shortly : )

[kan148]

Excellent write up. Thanks for sharing.

[CarbonMan]

Excellent pics and report 9V-SIA. I can almost taste the food.