Sitting in the famous Raffles Long Bar. It's not all that - maybe it was way back when... But I will say that the Raffles Hotel does look like what you'd imagine Singapore would like like - or looked like once. I did not, probably to my father's dismay, order a Singapore Sling, but instead stuck with one of my favorite flavors, Tequila. When I heard it was "gin-based," I passed. Don't like the gin. And once it really didn't like me.
Singapore is definitely a weird plae. When I first got here I thought I'd like it much more than I imagined I would. I thought it would be cold and sterile - both the city and the people. But immediately I found the people to be friendly and warm - cab drivers, hotel staff, shop owners, people on the street, in restaurants. And because I'm staying in China Town, even a bit gritty, which I like.
After a long trip getting here, a late night hotel arrival, some computer time, shower.... neeed food. Went down the street, Keong Saik, where there were a few places. If you saw these places in the states, or New York, you'd walk by thinking.. 'i don't think so'. Neon bright, tacky, pictures of the food (generallhy, standard for Asia). It's 1am already so a big bowl of soup doesn't appeal to me - although it looks damn good. I got some dumplings, which were just ok and some grilled (barbeque they call them) chicken wings - which were amazing! The hot sauce and the little limes they serve with them made it killer. I had to get more. As I paused after my initial wolf down, I realized I was the only Westerner in the place. All kids - probably on their way home - or on their way out for drink, clubs... who knows.
Originally had thought I'd stay one more night - get in a day and a half. But woke up so late Saturday that I decided to extend by one more night. Was a bit slow and commose, although I think it was more from that ambient I took to ensure sleep than the travel and time difference. A friend of a friend called me at noon & got me up. As did the two cups of Singapore coffee I had. Thick, mud-like, super sweet... but certainly gives a powerful kick.
The swine flu is taken very seriously here. In the airports there are heat sensors that take everyone's temperature as you enter passport control. And at the hotel, they took my temperature when I checked in. The friend of a friend, Noel, wasn't feeling great, so needed to lay low - but he gave me a list of "to-do's for the day and night and introduced me to a few co-workers of his, one from Sydney and the other from Tokyo. I took his advice and did the hour bus tour. He said it wasn't so cheesy and worth it. As he's an ex-New Yorker, I trusted him... It wasn't great, but it was quiet sweet not to have to walk or think. And it gave me a good general sense of the city. It's so small, an hour pretty much gave you what you needed to know.
Then on his suggestion headed to Orchard Street - the big shopping strip. Because of the weather, I guess, It's not encouraged to shop outside like most cities - it's all inside malls. Let me say this -I loathe malls. I guess being a suburban kid, I liked them back then. But not since. I can't breathe in them. There's always a certain point where I need to find the exit, and inevitably can't. It's amazing how they set it up like that. Yuk. The only good thing in these malls... the food! I was told to check out Wisma Atria and go to the Food Republic. Literally, it's a food court. Little individual "stalls" of everything Singapore is - Malaysia, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai. A little overwhelming, so I went for some Dim Sum to start. Then the co-worker called and asked if I wanted to meet them for dins in a few hours. I said sure and passed on getting more food.... for now.
Met these folks on the Riverfront for dinner. Unfortunately they picked some god awful place to eat - which is shocking considering the number of amazing places to choose from. But what the hell, one meal. At least there was alcohol.. And this is where my opinion started to change - and it wasn't because of the meal or the company. Sitting there watching this Riverfront scene, Singapore feels like a Disneyland version of itself. Then today, I was in Chinatown, and felt the same. Lame. It didn't feel like people live there, it felt like it was set up for the tourists. (Although I did go to the Chinese Heritage Museum which was really interesting & well done) Little India, also the same. Except for a few side streets and markets, it felt like it was all set up for people to see, not to live in. And the walking thing here, bizarre. Theoretically, you can walk here. Until you can't. People stand for minutes - very long minutes - waiting for lights to change, even when no cars are there. And not enough cross walks to cross over, hence the no jaywalking thing. The rules here would kill me. After 24 hours they already pissed me off. And this, after Istanbul where there are zero rules about where or when to talk. Painful.
There are essentially two things to do in Singapore - shop and eat. They are having their big 2 month Singapore sale, so people seemingly are inspired to purchase (I imagine that's the point.) but I'm not. Although I did buy a pair of new headphones for my ipod - actually two pairs, in fact. The first at the 24-hour mall in Little India, Mustafa. But they sucked so bad, when I happened upon the electronics mall later in the evening, I had to buy another pair... The food thing, I must say, really really good. I had Dim Sum today in China Town that were excellent. And for dinner had Fried Prawn Noodles. Not sure why there were called that as there was nothing fried about it. Just spicy noodles with steamed shrimp and calamari with hot sauce and the little limes again on the side. Delicious! Then, naturally, had to have some ice cream. Anderson's from Belgium... Super good.
Two days, that's all you need here. It's not bad. It's just, well, sort of bland. But at least the food is spicy...
