After my Hong Kong experience, I made my way out to the spectacular Hong Kong airport, and hopped on a flight to Singapore. As is par for the course, my route planning for Southeast Asia was less than rock-solid. However, being this close, it seemed wrong not to make a quick stop through the fabled port city. For me, Singapore is conjures up the most exotic of images.
To be honest though, it was a bit boring. In many ways, it’s like a very hot version of San Diego (minus the wildfires). The infrastructure, facilities and transportation systems are all absolutely amazing. It’s clean, calm, and thoroughly modern.
There really isn’t a lot to see though. Even the area around my hostel was relatively benign. Outside of the dozen requisite full-body and foot massage houses, there were a handful of local restaurants serving boiled bull frog legs, and various assortments of seafood which defied description. Interestingly, most of the tables had large built-in burners in their centers, allowing patrons to cook their tentacles and appendages to their liking.
A moderate-sized downtown home to several tall sky scrapers, a pretty lame city “icon” called the “Mer-Lion” spewing a stream into the harbor, and some old British architecture which has been transformed into posh hotels constitutes the bulk of the sights.
There was one pretty cool feature – “The Esplanade – The Theaters on the Bay.” Like a pair of spiny beetles, two massive oval shells covered with a skin of triangular sun shades, sit on some prime land right next to the water. They form the country’s performing arts center, with a concert hall and a theater. From every angle they are impressive.
Singapore was fine – I’m not complaining at all. In 95-degree heat and 99% humidity, I truly enjoy walking through a few air-conditioned shopping malls and riding on an ultra-smooth metro system. It was just a bit removed from the “Southeast Asia” one would expect.
