Welcome to Singapore (Asia Lite)

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So finally back again on this thing, it has been nearly a year since I have been on the travel trail, so happy to be back. I am currently on a 6 week trip through southeast asia, this will be the first of many entries. Thanks to all who read and comment, questions and criticism are always welcome. If you got this mistakenly or no longer wish to read my ramblings, simply click " unsubscribe" at the bottom....
So 3 days ago, me and my friend Erin got on a flight in Denver, CO to minneapolis, where we had a 3 hour layover, then a flight delay, before getting on a 12 1/2 hour flight to Tokyo. Due to the delay, we only had 5 minutes in Tokyo-barely enough time to clear security and literally sprint through the airport to our next gate, where we boarded the final 8 hour flight to Singapore. Upon arrival, we got our stuff and headed outside to get a taxi to our hotel. Taxis in Singapore are Mercedes limos, and we immediately knew that we were out of our league, financially and culturally. Our first impression was that singapore is a VERY clean and high class city/country. We arrived at the hotel Meridien at three in the morning and simply passed out. We knew that we would have the next 3 days to explore, so we caught some z's while we could. We woke up the next morning and set out to check out the city. WOW. Orchard road is the main drag, and it is a dazzling series of supermalls and high end retailers spread among skyscrapers and glitzy hotels. It is so hot and humid that the preferred method of transport is to walk the length of the streets by staying inside the AC of the malls. There is no way I would be purchasing anything, as a normal mall consists of Rolex, Gucci, and other high end designers that cater to Corporate executive's wives and the Asian elite. Singapore is the financial and corporate capital of southeast asia, and it shows. The superstores and high rises are interestingly enough contrasted by underground hawker stalls (cheap, often portable asian food stands) and tacky knock-off gadget carts, as well as more tailor shops than you can imagine. Most people are dressed very nicely and in cue with the latest fashion trends. I, on the other hand, cruised the streets in boardshorts and a baseball cap...I think it was for this reason that every tailor I passed grabbed me, greeting me with the same tired line-"hello, excuse me, sah, yo suit is ready for your liking". Despite their persistence, they are extremely polite, and to say that you are met with a smile is the understatement of the century.
Once we grew tired of the noise of Orchard road, we decided to hit the MRT(subway) and explore the city. The MRT system is second to none. The cleanliness and effectiveness of the system allows even the greenest of tourists to gain a quick grasp on the system. We first hit up Chinatown. I felt like I had stepped into another world altogether when we reached the top of the escalator and stepped outside. A marketplace comprised of eateries, silk shops, and statues sprawls across 10 city blocks. We wandered around here for about an hour, visiting Buddhist temples, muslim mosques and the oldest chinese pagoda in the city. Very cool. After Chinatown, it was down to Clark Quay, the riverfront section that is highly westernised, where it is not uncommon to see Hooters, McDonalds, and 7 Elevens all within a stones reach. In between, there are touches of Chinese architecture and Malay food stalls. Our first thought was-Disneyworld. We both found it fun and easy to navigate, yet highly contrived. The only saving grace was drinking a raspberry beer at a microbrewery overlooking the river. It would be the only time on our visit that we weren't the only 2 people with blond hair in a 100 meter radius. Oh well, is is what it is. Afterwards, back to the pool for some much-needed downtime.
We went to Little India last night, and once again, felt like we were in a distant country. Gone was the high tech gadgetry and bright lights of Orchard road, replaced by crowded markets and obviously, predominantly Indian people. We ate at a restaurant that had no menu and no prices, and we were definitely the only westerners in the entire area. Awesome experience, it really felt like a nice portrait of typical indian family life-shared entrees, most people ate with their hands, and washed hands in a community washpit with no paper towels. Apparently it is normal for people to wipe their hands on the sleeve of complete strangers in line. Huh.
Today, we explored the Singapore zoo and the residential suburbs of the city. I can't stress enough how clean this place is. No wonder why, there is a 1000 dollar fine for litering, 500 for drinking or eating on a bus or subway, and long jail times in addition. The sidewalks and alleys are impeccably clean, and even the zoo was in excellent repair. The prices, as aforementioned, are way out of our budget, but this has been a great place to ease into this trip. There is definitely a reason why people refer to it as "Asia Lite". Most people speak English due to the fact that there are so many nationalities represented and it is the common business language. It has one of the lowest crime rates in the world due to the harsh penalties, and begging is completely nonexistent. Poverty, if it is here, is nowhere to be seen.
Tomorrow we board a train to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-very excited to step it up a little bit and see some prices drop. We will be there for a few days, then, it is on to Thailand. More to come...

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Comments

[Dylan]

Envy
Brian, you are now my true hero, doing everything I wish to do in my life. I can't wait to read more. Live it up!