Singapore

What a contrast, going from Bali to Singapore. I like this well-ordered nation of 5.8 Million residents, but I wouldn’t want to live here. I am not bothered by the strict policies on public behavior. Plainclothes officers patrol the public areas and are empowered to demand a fine on the spot for several offenses like littering, spitting, playing loud music, eating or drinking on MRT (Mass Rapid Transit), not flushing a public toilet, not cleaning up after yourself. I notice that more restaurants, even snack bars and fast food, serve on real plates.

This city, like San Francisco, is constantly under construction. Singapore adds fill to the Singapore Strait and makes a new island and a new shoreline. So we’ve gone from chaotic grubby Bali to clean skyscrapers in Singapore. 

Singapore means “Lion City.” It has a long salad bowl history, tossing together Han Chinese, Malay, Indian and European. Most Singaporeans are of Chinese descent. I appreciate that there are four official languages in Singapore: English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. A few times while shopping, I’ve asked the clerk, what languages do you speak? And the answers, with pride, have been English, Malay, and Chinese. 

We have gone from Balinese Hinduism to a Buddhist and multi-religious city.  It’s quieter about religious practice. 

Most people live in high rises. They shop in the basement level of the building. I have seen no bicycles. The only runners I saw were within the Botanical Gardens. Where Bali teemed with sculptures, spirits, people, motorbikes, and shouting, Singapore seems modern.  People are siloed in tall buildings. S. asked about the nice tropical beaches on Bali. Second-hand I can tell you that you can rent a chaise longue and a sun shade, have frosty umbrella drinks brought to you, and constantly engage with trinket vendors and other hustlers unless you hire your own personal hustler to tell the others to back off. In neighboring Singapore, you will probably not haggle, not even in the stalls of the Chinatown street market.  Taxi drivers are forbidden to cut side deals or take tips. People follow the rules or face fines, caning, or imprisonment. 

Curious about the swank casino many Aussies were visiting, I looked up the requirements for entry. Foreigners must present a passport. Singapore residents must pay S$150 per entry or S$3000 per year. Those on public assistance may not enter. Table games like blackjack have a S$25 minimum. Smart casual dress is required. It’s different from the loose rules in Las Vegas.