Now with over a month and a half of Singapore in my veins, I am finding it a bit challenging to come up with something to do on the weekends.
There's always the Malls, which are in full Christmas swing.Or some other ideas......................
Malls on both sides as far as you can see on Orchard Road
Candy Canes in 85 degree weather
Buy fresh fish at the grocery store
Start a delivery service
Look at buildings around town
Ride the bus around town all day
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Or I could finally go to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, one of the recommended tourist and local things to do on weekends. So, Lewis & Clark move over. I'm now officially "Botanical", at least in my mind. Play the video and see the grass.
It is a great reminder that walking around in Singapore is more about glowing with perspiration than enjoying a leisurely stroll. In fact, a leisurely stroll induces perspiration, so you basically just sweat. The nice thing is, so does everyone else. Somehow being in the calming green of the Gardens made it more tolerable.
-Exeunt-
Singapore has so many unique aspects to it, that everyday seems to provide a gutsy look at world governance and dealing with success. This country has been forced to be inventive, collaborative, staunch and visionary because it has no natural resources, borrows water from it's neighbors and sports a thriving and growing population, who view all people as equal and deserving of respect. Singapore also takes on tough questions and rules in favor of sensible decisions.
Take owning a car, for instance.
Here, the roads are in perfect condition, beautifully landscaped and designed so you can easily make your way around the country in a variety of directions. So, who wouldn't want a car to take in all the vistas and causeways provided? Well......maybe it's not a question of what YOU want, but what the government has figured out to keep the country from choking on increasing traffic congestion. They put their foot down. Public transportation is everywhere and superb. But how do you force people to use it? Watch this.
So, scooters for everyone!
A couple of additional points. The C.O.E. is an actual bi-monthly bidding function. You basically sign up for a lottery on your new car purchase. In addition, it is only good for 10 years. No hanging on to the old Mercedes 190. If you want to keep your favorite beater, after 10 years, pay more....again. Then that little device stuck on your windshield, sends a signal to automatically pay your daily road tolls, parking and whatever else, all of which just keeps adding to your costs.
Will driving be elitist in Singapore in a decade or so? Only for the most wealthy? Perhaps. But already I pick up in conversation from people at all levels, owning a car in Singapore is not a necessary lifestyle fixture. Yes, it's great for showing off your wealth, if that's your "thing". But other than that, save an immense wad of money and just use public transportation. Walking, subways, buses and taxis are an ingrained part of Singaporean life. Cars. Well, not having one is not the end of the world.
Think of how much spending green you'd have in your pockets each year without payments, insurance, maintenance, gas costs. But, I live in L.A., so forget that model.
There just are no bad areas in Singapore. Especially in the City portion where I'm located. Literally you can walk outside, spin around and just start moving and I guarantee you'll find a park, Mall, Hawker Center, forty 7/11's (all the size of a phone booth here), fruit stands, and whatever. It's safe no matter what time and where you are. No begging allowed. Relatively zero bugs. But always humid.
So, I walk around on weekends and explore. My biggest concern here is forgetting they drive on the other side and I'll forget to look before I walk. Wipe Out !!!!!
Here are some random shots from all around.
The famous "Singapore Sling" at Raffles Hotel
The "Long Bar" at Raffles where they serve the $30 Singapore Sling
These two bartenders made me the best drink at a restaurant called Bacchanalia
These are my worker friends Wai Loon and Audrey at an "American Burger" restaurant.
Interesting clouds outside my hotel window
Sushi layout at a super market. Food is expensive here.
Massive indoor garden called Gardens by the Bay
This is across the courtyard and it's called the "Cloud Dome" You walk around up on those ramps.
Simply because it rests in every tourist brochure, airline magazine and Singapore Guidebook, I suppose I succumbed to a visit to Sentosa Island out of pure Caucasian curiosity.
Sentosa Island is a reclaimed land mass island adjacent to the Singapore Harbor, which has been put together as a convention spot, casino, theme park and high-end mall.... with a beach attached.
It stands as the singular spot for a family visiting with children to let off some steam, hit some rides, and to do so in a clean and organized fashion. And like the rest of Singapore, it's safe. Although I took some shots of three Chinese women from Singapore who had never been there. So locals are a strong market as well.
Since it is an "island" there are a couple of ways to get there....one was just to tempting to not try.
So there's a quick look at Sentosa Island. The amazing thing in addition to spending all day around food, shops, and shops and food.... when you arrive back on the mainland, you'll be at Vivo City, a action-packed, gigantic super mall, with food, shops, and shops and food. The astounding thing, after my first month here I 'm beginning to differentiate the Malls. I actually know which ones are the must sees, and which to avoid. It must be the Singaporean water!
There. I've done Sentosa Island. Now onto the less familiar areas of Singapore and the heart and soul of this adventure.
I thought I was Mr. Singapore "go anywhere, no problem"! Eating my words today.
I wanted to put a little travel log together on the Chinatown here in Singapore. I've done Little India, now Big China. However, I had my directional lunch handed to me yesterday. A wrong exit out of the MRT and I got a little lost, didn't have my map, wasn't on WiFi for my phone and just walked around hoping to find Chinatown.
By the time I found it......I was tired, hot and dehydrated. I frankly did not do it justice. However, looking for the silver lining, I probably found some streets I wouldn't have ventured otherwise.
Bottom line however.....there is a tourists Chinatown and a Chinese Chinatown. I touched both.
Since this is my first sojourn to Asia and I admit being a complete apprentice, perhaps some good observations, based on information from locals, might be worthy of sending along.
This week the phrase "Singapore, Asia for beginners" really struck home. The moment I heard it from my luncheon guest Sylvia, a woman from the Netherlands who has lived here for 9 years with her husband and son, I understood the concept. There is a reason I have found Singapore to be so welcoming and appealing. This country is set up to handle the world. I'll detail this in a moment.
But first, I found prior to my departure, many of us had little if any idea just exactly where Singapore is situated geographically. If I had polled most of us, I bet "somewhere in China" would have been the most common guess.
So I put this little geography lesson together on just where exactly is Singapore.
Hope it helps. Why is Singapore Asia for beginners?
Simply put, if you're trying out Asia for the first time.....start here! Everything works!
They speak English as the official National language
The people are incredibly friendly
The transportation system is fantastic and easy to use
It is squeaky clean and prides itself on good citizenship
Every food is well represented here (you can have Kaya toast for breakfast, Bat Kut Teh for lunch and KFC for dinner)
It is small and moving around is manageable and quick
They have cool places to visit for tourists like a fantastic zoo and futuristic waterfront
Their airport (Changi) was just named the best in the world this week
Their financial business economy was just named best in the world this week
They have more shopping malls than you can imagine, all spotless and air conditioned
Their films are released at about the same time as in the U.S.A.
It is safe, safe, safe. Walk anywhere, anytime.
They don't try to rip you off
It's beautiful with lush vegetation
No potholes
Incredible hotels and upscale restaurants
Their currency is called a "dollar" and the fellow portrayed looks like Walt Disney
You get the point. No disrespect, but.....go to Thailand......crowded, dirty, bad traffic. Go to Cambodia, temples, crowded, dirty, mixed food situations....go to Vietnam, backwater, crowded, pollution......Indonesia, security concerns....Malaysia, security concerns, etc. China,....try breathing! Japan, crowded, congestion. All totally interesting and fun to visit, should you be so lucky.
