We went to Singapore a few years ago, with our friend Mike and his son, Matt. It was our first and only trip to this unique, and clean place. On the map, Singapore is an island just south of Malaysia, toward the southern end of SE Asia. In 1819, the British East India Company (remember reading about that in grade school history?) established a strategic trading post for the many spices first, then as a military and commercial center for the British Empire. It was actually occupied by Japan during WW2, then reverted back to British rule. It became an independent republic in 1965, though it retains much of its British roots and culture.
This small island nation is the 6th wealthiest country per capita in the world. Its citizens enjoy a high standard of living, and a representative democracy, with English as the official language. However, ethnic Chinese make up the bulk of the population. It is also only one of three city-states in the world. But don’t be fooled, it is a busy and vibrant city, with great shopping, multi ethnic foods, and some famous landmarks.
First, when we landed, the Singapore airport looks more like a hotel lobby than an airport. Even the baggage claim areas have fresh flowers and soft music. Though we landed late at night, the drive into the city was remarkable for its clean streets, and lack of blighted areas. It was almost hilarious at our hotel, part of the well known, and nicely appointed Meritus chain. We checked in and Sheri and I got twin beds!!! Mike’s son, Matt, got a king size bed for himself, as did Mike. It turns out that we were travelling under different last names. They said they give twin beds to “single” travelers. I spent most of the night trying to keep from falling onto the floor.
Naturally, the next morning we took a tour of the city. We spent a good deal of time at their famous botanical garden and orchid farm. We also visited the many ethnic areas of the city, like Chinatown, and Little India. We visited the heart of the business district, as well as the government sponsored apartments or condos. Even the architects and city planners here practice feng-shui. Their system allows newlyweds to buy homes at a reasonable price. They also allow families to live in close proximity to each other. For an elderly parent, an apartment or condo in the same building is almost mandatory.
We ended up having lunch in Chinatown, perhaps the cleanest Chinatown we have ever seen. We had some noodles and dim sum, which reminded us of home. But the highlight of the tour was seeing the famous Raffles Hotel, the place where the Singapore Sling drink was first concocted. I knew we just had to go back there on our own for a drink and a walk through perhaps the most famous hotel in all of Asia.
That night, we made plans to see the famous Singapore Safari Night Zoo. The uniqueness lies in the animal habitat without bars or cages. The zoo utilizes moats and natural barriers to keep animals as close to their natural home as possible. There is just enough light to spot the animals and their offspring. They were also fed their evening meal around the time we went on our tour. This was portayed as a must see here. But the animals appeared rather sedate, even the nocturnal predators.
Now, the next day was rather unpleasant. It started out great, as Sheri and I took a cab to the famous Raffles Hotel for our Singapore Sling, invented by Ngiam Tong Boon between 1910 and 1915. It was founded in 1887 by the famous Sarkies brothers, and named for Sir Thomas Raffles. Famous guests include: Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor, Charlie Chaplin, Rudyard Kipling, Joseph Conrad, George H.W. Bush, Jean Harlow and QE2.
But they would NOT let us inside with our bermuda shorts (even though it is hot). Then I fell ill while walking the outer grounds there. I laid down on a bench, but managed to buy a souvenir baseball cap. Sheri hailed a cab for us, so we headed back to the hotel. I am sure the cab driver was not happy with me, as I was pretty sick. I spent the rest of the day in bed, drinking and eating very little. I don’t know what is was other than a 24 hour bug. And I was so dizzy that I had difficulty staying on the twin bed!
I managed to get out of bed the next day, very weak and tired. I managed to make my way down famous Orchard Avenue, the crown jewel of shoppers in Singapore. We were expecting high fashion, but found that electronics were the main draw. But, we finally got to partake in the famous Singapore food courts and hawker stalls. Though my apetite was not fully back to normal, we marveled at the food choices and the reasonable prices. It is truly a foodies dream come true. We tried some steaming hot noodles, a rice dish, and the best rice pudding we had ever encountered. Just my luck to have an entire day go to waste.
Singapore is a nice place, but a little too organized and sterile for us. It lacks a soul or a charm, if you know what I mean. People, though friendly, do not exhibit the same warmth as in places like Laos or Thailand. It would be a safe and clean place to live. The school system is among the best in the world. The economy provides lots of jobs and social programs. What is there not to like? It just seemed too good to be true.
