Singapore
新加坡

singapore/singapore_stairs_slide

Stairs, Singapore — September 17, 2004


singapore/singapore_dragon

Dragon for the Autumn festival, Singapore — September 18, 2004


singapore/singapore_museum

Asian Civilizations Museum, Singapore — September 18, 2004


singapore/singapore_red_orchids

Red orchids, Singapore — September 17, 2004


singapore/singapore

Masjid Abdul Gaffoor mosque, Singapore — September 17, 2004


singapore/singapore_museum

Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore — September 18, 2004


singapore/singapore

Skyline, Singapore — September 18, 2004


singapore/singapore_pig_organ_soup

Yum, Pig’s Organ Soup, Singapore — September 16, 2004


singapore/sinapore_orchids

Orchid Garden, Singapore — September 17, 2004


singapore/singapore_airlines_boeing_747-412_9V-SPB

Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-412 (9V-SPB), Changi Airport, Singapore — September 20, 2004


singapore/hindu_temple_ceiling_1

Hindu temple ceiling — September 18, 2004


singapore/singapore_building_022

Nifty building, Singapore — September 17, 2004


singapore/singapore_watch

Shopping in Singapore — September 16, 2004

This diamond embedded watch sells for more than $1 million

singapore/singapore_airlines

Singapore Airlines, Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore — September 20, 2004


singapore/singapore_birds_of_paradise

Birds of paradise, Singapore — September 17, 2004


singapore/singapore_dragon_head

Dragon’s Head, Singapore — September 18, 2004


singapore/swissotel

Swisotel at night, Singapore — September 17, 2004


singapore/hindu_temple_ceiling

Hindu temple ceiling — September 18, 2004


Singapore Journal Entries
guidebooks/singapore

16 September, 2004

After four months on the Indian subcontinent, coming to Singapore is like falling off a 40-story building and landing in a pile of goose down. This place is the most modern and orderly country/island/city I have ever been to and is EXACTLY what I need right now. The metropolis is planned and built for ease of use and pleasant feng shui feelings. Public transport is abound and they practically carry you on the subway. There are shiny high rises, crowded temples, green gardens, pristine streams, plentiful shopping malls and outdoor eating stalls everywhere. Watermelon juice is cheap and the weather is perfect all year round. Horn honking, hassling, gum chewing, littering, spitting, nose-picking and peeing in public are all banned and if you dare try and scribe some graffiti on a wall or window they will flog your little arse 20 times. As a result, Singapore is squeaky clean and shines. (See, some good planning and a little bit of well directed fascism can go a looooong way.) Even Little India, which locals say is the dirtiest part of town, is cleaner than most parts of San Francisco. My hostel is located in the heart of Little India and as I stroll home at night, I wander through streets of— you guessed it; only men. But the rest of the time in the country, I am greeted by friendly Chinese and Malay people whom seem to be happy and living good lives. I visit a well illuminated museum filled with Asian treasures and wander through a sublime orchid garden that brings me Alice in Wonderland. I can live here.

Unfortunately, my fever has worsened and this hacking cough is beginning to scare the locals. After all, it wasn’t too long ago that SARS took its tool on the economy. I pop some Tylenol and pray.

singapore_route_map
Singapore map
local_airport