Only the air is free, pay for everything else.

The Equinox @ Swissotel, Singapore.

It was the Thai beef broth I had for lunch. Their custom of using sugar, salt, spicy and sour in their cuisine had left my throat slake the whole afternoon. Even the two cups of Cappucino at Cedele Raffles City wouldn't quench my thirst. I desperately needed water by the time I arrived at the Equinox with my dinner date.

We arrived just as the restaurant opened and apparently they had just turned on the air-conditioning. It was still stuffy and warm inside, adding to my discomfort.

" Could I have a glass of water please?"
"Will that be still or sparkling?"
" Tap will be fine"
"I am sorry, sir, we don't have tap water."
" You wash your dishes with sparkling water?
Ok, nevermind. Could you tell me where I can find the Gents please?"

Despite what you hear about the waters here being recycled from the sewers, tap water in Singapore exceeds WHO standards and is safe to drink!

The Equinox is located on the 70th floor of the Swissotel complex, which was once the tallest hotel in the world, but now only holds the title for South East Asia. It was my 2nd visit in as many months there.

Personally, I think the place is overrated and is not value for money for the food. I was there only because I owed my dinner date a treat and she had not been up to the top level before.
Dinner was Black Angus steak and Coconut Chicken Soup with Cloudy Bay wine to complement the meal. And yes, we did order still water later, after all.

What makes the dining worthwhile is the view you get from the 70th floor. Go early before dark and you get to see the sky and city lights changing before your eyes.

click on any picture for a larger image

For the curious, the round thing sitting on top of the building seen clearly in the bottom left photo is rumoured to be the getaway spacecraft in case of an alien attack on Singapore. It's reserved for the Men In White who curiously all work within the vicinity of that building. You can read more of that alien technology rumours at this satirical website.

But caveat emptor!
(wow, this word sure is being abused these days with the banking guys having to find excuses for the big debacle in the financial crisis.)
And I use this here because while you are taking in the view at the Equinox, they are laughing all the way to the bank!

You have to pay to see the view from the top. At $20 a pop!
This is entered into your dining bill.

At the top of the bill, it says "Window seat $20"! @$*#%#!
Hey, I sat facing inside the restaurant, doesn't that mean I should get a discount??

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