A Touristy Day

Sunday was a lot of fun, and filled with touristy activities. In the morning we explored the Botanic Gardens, which is a pretty famous Singapore landmark. It is a lush, tropical environment, in contrast with the urban buildings and asphalt right across the street. We took a bus from right outside our apartment and within half an hour arrived in this paradise...

The main attraction of the Gardens is the Orchid Garden. There are many rare breeds and hybrids of the orchid flower. Many new varieties are bred and dedicated to various heads of state. There was one dedicated to Laura Bush! It wasn't very pretty though, so I didn't take a picture of it. Others, however, were absolutely gorgeous.

I love the colors of this flower below! I got to try out the macro settings on my camera, which aren't too shabby.

I took so many photos because I know my mom will appreciate them! She loves flowers, and if she ever visits Singapore she should come to this place.

Unfortunately it was so hot and humid that we couldn't stay in the Gardens for too long. For lunch we went to this restaurant in one of the malls called Bugis Junction. I got this set, in which I got a bowl full of steaming soup and lots of little ingredients to throw into it. The waitress told me to first put in the eggs and the fish so they would cook properly. Other ingredients included noodles, preserved vegetables, and mushrooms.

At nighttime we went to the Marina Bay Sands, which is a combination of resort, hotel, casino, shops, and a museum. There are three enormous towers, 55 stories high, with a ship straddled on top. Here's a view from below...

And inside the lobby...

We got to go onto the rooftop infinity swimming pool. The views were absolutely breathtaking. The pool is on top of the boat balanced on top of the 3 towers. It overlooks the entire cityscape.

The water was perfectly cool and refreshing because the day was so hot and humid.

Then we found out that there was a nice changing room with a sauna, steamroom, and hot tub that overlooked the other side of the city! The room was completely empty as well, so it felt like a private suite. There was a nice view as well.

A great relaxing day before the work week begins! It's been a great first week here in Singapore, and I'm excited for the next two months. On Friday, we leave for Bangkok for the weekend, so I'm sure we will have lots of exciting adventures there! To be continued...

Four Views of Singapore from One Street Corner

Singapore has incredible architecture. I haven't seen one plain or boring building. Everything is either in the old-fashioned colonial style, the modern sleek skyscraper style, or some crazy feat of artistry that defies gravity. I noticed that when walking back from work yesterday, at the intersection by the City Hall MRT, there were four different styles of building. They could have been located in completely different sections of the city!

One corner of the street was this cute complex of shops and restaurants in a Spanish-style (?). There are palm trees lining the walk.

Then turn 90 degrees, and suddenly you are faced with a high-rise modern hotel.

Another quarter turn and you see one of Singapore's many famous malls, Raffles City.

Finally, on the last corner is the Raffles Hotel Arcade, which is in the British colonial style.

What these places have in common is the consumerism, despite the various facades. But just down the street is the Parliament building as well as a stunning white cathedral. Singapore has many faces.

Busy Days, Busy Nights

It's been a busy two days, with me starting work and getting use to the 9-6 schedule. I haven't gotten over jetlag yet, so for the past two mornings I have woken up around 5 or 6. I get dressed for work and make some breakfast. In order to save a little money, we bought some bread, oatmeal, and yogurt to stock our fridge. I don't think we really saved any money though. Food prices are pretty high because everything is imported into Singapore.

My workplace is located a bit far from where I live. I either take the subway or the bus, and both ways take about 30 minutes. The transportation systems are pretty efficient here, even during rush hour. The office where I am interning is located high up in this modern building in a neighborhood filled with malls and offices. Upon reaching work, I usually settle into my station after making some coffee. We're on the 23rd floor, and my desk actually is against a window which showcases a beautiful view of the Singapore skyline. Below is the building (right side tower).

At noon we break for lunch, though there isn't a set lunch time. There are numerous eateries in the neighborhood, and today we wandered into an underground mall with a food hall. Various eateries and food stands lined the air-conditioned pathways. I saw everything from fried shitaki mushrooms on a stick, fish ball noodles, and kaya toast, to shaved ice and greek yogurt.

Here's a "tornado potato," which are thick potato chips on a stick.

Fried chicken cheese balls on a stick...

"Street sausage," which seems to be covered with french fry bits...

And lots of other street food! I promise not everything is fried and on a stick, but it seems to be all I've taken pictures of!

Then it's back to work! At six the office begins to empty out and I head back to the apartment. I really love our street. It has a quaint, historic feel, shops and restaurants take up the first floor, and flats are on the second and third.

After everyone reconvenes, we decide upon a place to eat dinner. By the time we pick at place, meander to the location, and eat, usually it's around 8 or 9. We've discovered a few good places around the area and we are going to try new restaurants everyday. Yesterday, after dinner we took a walk to the beautiful riverside, where we enjoyed the warm breeze and the far-off echoes of an orchestra concert playing across the water in the Marina Bay Sands. It was after 10 when we made it back, and being so exhausted from the jetlag, I did a little research and planning for our time here, then showered and went to straight to bed.

I have no idea when I will have time to do laundry, cook, or even shop! I realized that we still need to buy basics such as salt before we can do any real cooking. But we are actually pretty spoiled, as I learned that we have maids that will be coming in once a week to clean, change sheets, and even wash the dishes. Our weekends are completely booked with fun activities and international travel. I'm definitely still running on energy from the excitement of being in an amazing place and doing new things.

First Day

I have arrived safe and sound in Singapore! My flight landed around 6:30AM on Saturday morning, so I took a taxi to the apartment, located in the Colonial Quays District, which is the historic heart of the city near the riverfront. The buildings are remnants of the British colonial era, though there are new malls everywhere.

I took a few pictures of my home for the next nine weeks. It is located on a very cute street dotted with various restaurants. We are on the 3rd floor. The apartment is loft-style, with enormously high vaulted ceilings. Luckily, there is internet access as well as air conditioning. There's also a flat-screened TV, though as far as we can tell, we only have six channels, only three of which are in English.

Here's the what you see when you enter. We have a cute little kitchen that we hopefully will be utilizing.

Our dining table/work space...

And bedroom! The window is gorgeous and lets in lots of natural lighting, though the view outside isn't the best.

On the food front, I've been exploring some of the city's specialties, such as thick toast for breakfast. I got this from a place called Toast Box in the airport when I arrived early in the morning. It was spread with yummy peanut butter!

Delicious desserts! These are mango snowy ice with tapioca pearls, mango with bean curd, and an almond and black sesame paste.

And a beautiful green tea snowy ice! It was really refreshing during the hot and humid night.

I've also enjoyed sushi, a red bean steamed bun, frozen yogurt, and Thai food. Unfortunately I probably won't eat out all the time and therefore will have to do some cooking. There are so many restaurants here. It is said that food is Singapore's national obsession, and I can believe it!

We are starting a bucket list of activities we want to do in Singapore. It includes going on the nighttime safari at the Singapore Zoo, visiting the Little India and Chinatown neighborhoods, and exploring the Marina Bay Sands, a tourist destination, museum, and casino on the riverfront. Check out the amazing architecture! It's a ship balanced on top of the three towers.

Tomorrow I start work and I hope to get over my jetlag by then. Wish me luck!

Pre-Departure Thoughts

Hey everyone,

I leave for Singapore in less than two days! These past few days have been so stressful, with packing, paperwork, and last minute details to sort out. I'm flying out on Thursday from Richmond to JFK, and from there I'm taking Singapore Airlines to the Changi Airport in Singapore. It is a 22-hour flight with a stopover in Frankfurt, Germany, so I'll need lots of entertainment. If anyone has suggestions for music, books, or magazines, please let me know!

During the past few days I have learned so much about Singapore, its culture and history. It is an incredible place with a unique past. The city-state was once a British colony, and it gained independence in 1965, breaking away from Malaysia. It is one of the most developed post-colonial societies - some attribute this to the rather strict control the government has over the people. From the articles I have read, there are two sides to the story.

Singapore is an economic miracle. Think about it - the tiny city has basically no natural resources. It even relies on neighboring Malaysia for its daily water supply. It is surrounded by nations with different political, religious, and cultural environments. In a speech to Columbia University (found here), the Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Shanmugam describes Singapore's geopolitical situation by using an analogy with the United States. He states,

"Assume the US is shrunk to the size of Connecticut, and with a population of about 20 million; (2) To the North, replace benign Canada with Russia; and (3) To the South, replace Mexico with China. (4) And assume you have to get water everyday from Russia."

Singapore has many bragging rights; it is one of the largest financial hubs in the world, its citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world, its students excel in math and science, it is clean and safe. There is low unemployment. Everything is efficient and technologically advanced. There is social stability, despite the diverse ethnic groups and languages that make up the national identity. These achievements occurred in the past four decades against all expectations.

In order to raise society to such a standard, the government had to make sacrifices at the individual level. The rule of law is severe - selling chewing gum, littering, and spitting are all outlawed. Narcotics offenses are punishable by the death penalty. The freedom of the press is restricted. The People's Action Party (PAP) has been in control since the founding of the country, though some argue that this is due to the successes of the party rather than manipulation or corruption.

I wonder if there always exists a tension between societal good and individual freedom. It's true that with less checks and balances in the Singapore model, the government can take action in a speedier fashion and avoid the gridlock that so often plagues the American system. I agree that Singapore may not be at its current economic point had it been a liberal democracy from the beginning. Singaporean officials argue that we cannot hope to apply the same liberal western standards to every developing society. China is attempting to follow Singapore with its free economy/closed political system.

Assume, for the time being, that societal well-being and individual rights are at odds. The second point: I suppose the question should not be, "Is it okay for a country to sacrifice personal freedoms for the sake of economic well-being?" but, "Are the citizens of the country willing to sacrifice certain rights in return for a higher standard of living?" Therefore, what is right is not what we as Americans think the Singaporeans should do, but what the Singaporeans (who are highly-educated and knowledgeable about the rest of the world) think is right for their country. Are they happy enough with their great healthcare, low crime rate, clean streets, successful education system, to grant the government a greater degree of control over their lives?

I hope that throughout the next nine weeks, as I work, eat, shop and explore Singapore, I will be able to gain some insight into these questions. On a lighter note, I will be traveling on the weekends to nearby countries with my fellow Bulldogs. We are tentatively going to Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. I'm probably going to be posting at least 3 times a week, so be sure to check back often!