Our time in Europe had ended and we flew from Madrid to Singapore to begin FOUR birthday celebrations.  My mum, dad and brother had already arrived and were well into the shopping, eating and catching up with family.  Thank goodness we had bought some new clothes, jeans for Cleave, dress for me in Madrid, because in less than 24 hours of arriving we were scrubbed up and presentable*, ready for the first one off the rank.  And this one was pretty special.  It was my Mum’s 60th birthday.  Happy Birthday Mum!

My Auntie Susan had organised a traditional Chinese banquet at Peach Garden at Hotel Miramar and we all got assigned roles from decorations, speeches, emceeing, and party photographer.  Soon the room was buzzing with arrivals, laughter and waitresses laden down with steaming teapots and platters full of whole suckling pig.

The party actually landed smack on Cleave’s 32nd birthday and as a surprise for him the party was actually a joint celebration.

Complete with a second cake.  Mum’s was Lycée Martini, Cleave’s was Black Sticky Rice.  Extra cake is never a bad thing.

We also had fun instructing the parents on the art of a selfie.

Our stomachs had a few days of rest before it was time for my and Auntie Susan’s birthday.  We celebrated with, what else?, more food and cake!

It was a party atmosphere all round as we had arrived at the tail end of SG50, Singapore’s Jubilee of 50 years of independence as a self-governed state.  Billboards, posters, buses, flyers, everywhere you looked were traces of national pride, right down to the lanterns in Chinatown.

We said goodbye to my parents and brother as they flew back to Australia, leaving us ready for a relaxing simple detox…

Ha! Ha-ha!  Just kidding, this is Singapore – the eating never ends!

*No seriously.  The last time we saw my parents was in Cornwall and we were living out of a tent.  The first thing Mum said to me when she walked into the party was “I didn’t recognise you!”.  Thanks?