Trip to London (and Greece) in June 1974 - 5 months before the PSLE !

 

Trafalgar Square June 1974

The month and year was June 1974. I was 11 going on 12 years of age. My Dad (Papa as I called him) had this brilliant idea of bringing me to experience life in Europe. My plane ticket was still considered as a child seat, so it was economical for him to take me along to see his Auld England or his 'motherland'. He was a real Anglophile, so thought the world of the British Empire of Winston Churchill and the rest of them.

London Tower Bridge in the Background - June 1974.

We headed to Greece first, and I recall sitting beside my father atop one of the columns with pride beside the ancient Parthenon in Acropolis, Greece. We spent something like 1 week in Athens before spending another week in London.

I was doing pretty well in Primary 6, it was the Primary School Leaving Examination year (Nov 1974) and in June, during the mid year holidays of one month, had the privilege of taking 2 weeks to fly to Greece and England - just like that. The year end PSLE exams were just around the corner, and no parent of today would dare allow their children to enjoy 2 weeks in Europe - I am sure. 

I was a privileged and an extremely fortunate son. 

Feeding Pigeons June 1974

I believe, this was probably my first or second time I was taking a plane. Perhaps the first was in 1973, maybe to Thailand, though I couldn't be absolutely sure. To be clear, in those days, practically no one took flights overseas, Singapore was still a pretty poor and backward country. Most of our Sanya Samaki trips overseas, (like to KL, Penang, and even Bangkok) were all by coach, and the trips those days took easily 1 to 2 days.

With the Bobby in the Background

England was a revelation for this young impressionable kid. I recall my Papa bringing me to see some of his old friends from Uni days, as well as I think we watched a classic play called, "No Sex Please we are British !" which ran at the West End for years and years. We also were invited to some of his friends estate houses and ate some peculiar curry which his wife made for us. I think we also watched another famous play by Agatha Christie called "The Mousetrap" which was also world famous.

Outside St Paul's Cathedral

We stayed a few nights at the Bed and Breakfast and had the last 2 nights at a hotel called "The Strand" which my father had insisted on taking me. He wanted me to try all the different levels of British hospitality from warm English simple houses rented out to tourists and the last few nights we were to stay in a 5 star ambience.

11 Year Old Me at St Paul's Cathedral 

The final memoery I had was that I liked the European experience very much and when I returned home, I remember telling my mother than the peas she made in a dish reminded me of Jolly Old England !

Carpe Diem