More Singapore

Singapore Day 2: Walking and Sweating

Irene kindly picked us up at the hotel early in the morning and chauffeured us around for the day. We did a lot of walking outside in hot muggy weather. The zoo was the first stop. We were reminded that we were not in a western country when en route, a sizable wild monkey ran across the road in front of the car. Monkey roadkill would have been a novel sight - but was not to be this day. Highlights of the zoo were the white tigers and the orangutans. If I remember correctly, the white tigers, not albino, are a species that is extinct in the wild now. The orangutans are very popular with the Singaporeans; the zoo's mascot used to be an orangutan. There was a collection of about 5 orangutans sitting on the lower branches of a tree out of the enclosure for photo ops while we were there - for a fee, of course. They were happily munching on fruit.

A local hawker center was our next stop. A hawker center is a large open air area with lots and lots of food stalls. Irene helped us order, and we enjoyed what I still remember as the best meal I ate during all our time in Asia! My favorite was a noodle dish with dumplings.

Chinatown was next. There was some great shopping at the market there, and the kids enjoyed some bubble tea. We briefly visited a Hindu temple. At our request, Irene took us into a low income apartment building so we could see what that was like. It looked like it was mainly populated by the elderly. Some of the apartment doors were open so we could peek in and see the rooms, which were quite small. Things generally seemed neat, though quite old and a bit run down.

The last stop of the day was at a stall selling . . . durian. Durian is a fruit, prickly and hard on the outside but oh so very mushy on the inside. Since it is quintessential Singaporean fare, we couldn't leave the country without trying it. (Well, actually we could have. . .) The taste was odd, not fresh and fruity but not too bad, actually. The biggest obstacle for me was the texture. The kids weren't thrilled; I think the girls never even tasted it. It didn't help that we knew beforehand that durian is banned on subways and in hotels due to its strong smell, which resembles rotten fish.

Irene told us some interesting things about Singapore while driving us around. For a while, Singapore was an undeveloped city in the country of Malaysia. The government, however, becoming increasingly concerned about Singapore's high Chinese population, expulsed the island city in 1963. This was a problem for the Singaporeans since they didn't have the resources for viability as an independent nation. Forced to turn to the resources of other nations, they figured out how to attract foreign investors, a practice which made them one of the most modern and industrialized countries in Asia today - and still an Asian financial hub, I believe.

For better or worse, the Singaporean government seems to have a strong say in citizens personal finances. There is a mandatory savings program; I think Irene said that 20% of one's salary is automatically put into a personal fund used mainly for retirement. And there are income level parameters, high and low, on the sorts of housing one is allowed to buy.

Yes, Singapore seemed generally clean and safe, but it didn't strike me as unusually so. Or maybe I just didn't pay attention. It has all the trappings and bustle of a big busy city and an interesting mixture of old and modern architecture. I did notice some large beautiful trees lining some streets, rain trees I think, and beautiful garden areas.