Singapore - a camera with no flash at night

As I've mentioned before, the camera on my cell phone has no flash. This makes pictures come out especially poorly when the light is low, and makes it not as useful at nighttime. These couple shots, though - one of a huge statue of a pigeon, and one of a huge snail on the sidewalk - look particularly ominous because of the lack of detail, even though they're both quite harmless. So I thought I'd share.

It's said the human brain is wired to have special functions at night to help caveman quickly determine whether that noise that woke him up was the wind or approaching danger. It also has an innate ability to zero in on the shapes of living things. My mind tracks the snail as living but not dangerous, but has mixed feelings about the first picture - it's large and looks to have some sort of eye, so even though I know that statue isn't alive, my mind says - hey, maybe it's getting about time to head back to the cave?

Singapore - neon

One thing I've noticed in Asia in general and in Chinese-influenced areas in particular (e.g. Singapore, Taiwan) - folks know how to use neon. As I'm like a crow and am especially attracted to shiny things, neon fascinates me. If I ran the world every bridge and building of import would be required to make full use of neon when considering its nighttime lighting needs.

Singapore - nighttime around town

Some various scenes from along the river at night in Singapore.

Singapore is a very clean place

If I had to choose three things to sum up Singapore, I'd probably choose a food vendor, a shopping mall, and this sign.  Singapore is one of the most spotlessly clean towns I've ever been in, and the idea of having a sign in a public restroom instructing one on how to scrub up in preparation for venturing out (or to perform open heart surgery) entirely fits with the rest of the town.  

While I was visiting Singapore in early May, folks there were concerned about swine flu, so the building I was working in was taking everyone's temperature and doing thermal scans of each person to walk in the door.

Singapore is a very interesting town to visit.  It feels more Western than most Western cities I've visited.  It is efficient, rational, and clean.  Its citizens are focused on progress, in both a personal and national sense.  It mixes different cultures and cuisines in remarkable harmony.

I'm glad I live in Bangkok, in part because of how organic, unplanned and chaotic it can be, but I'm glad I get to travel to such an orderly place as Singapore for business - the contrast is very enjoyable.

Drinking from the bucket of joy

A sign at a great vendor selling soy products.  I didn't try the soy milk, but I did try the soy bean ice cream, and it did indeed fill me with joy overflowing.

More food from Singapore

Some roast chicken and 'four seasons beans' at a place famous for roast chicken (it said 'spicy', but I'm so used to hot Thai food by now I added some chili to make it as spicy as I hoped), and some spicy Japanese ramen noodles with the local brew.

One of the best things to do in Singapore is eat!

Last day in Singapore - tomorrow, Bangkok!

Today was our last full day in Singapore - tomorrow we'll fly to Bangkok.  It will be the fourth time we'll have moved since I accepted the Microsoft offer - first we moved in with my brother after we sold our house, second we use our full luggage allowance to bring most everything we own to Seattle, third we did the same to Singapore, now fourth we'll do the same to Bangkok.  We'll be staying in temporary housing for around the first 60 days, and then we'll move a fifth time to our 'permanent' apartment in Bangkok, but that will be an easier move because we don't have to calibrate each of our four check-in luggages to 50 lbs or less - we can just throw whatever we want into whatever bag.  It will also be nice to get to use a laundry machine again - we didn't really have that in Seattle or Singapore, so you might notice that a few of our clothes tend to repeat a bit often in the pictures we've taken the past few weeks.  We've been able to launder in the sinks in the hotels we've been in, but some of those threads could use a proper washing at this point. 

But enough logistics - after so much preparation and 'pre-moving' we're finally relocating to our final destination, which feels good.  I've also gotten to cut my teeth on a lot of what my job entails, and get started on a lot of the projects I'll be working on, so I should be in good shape to start in the Bangkok office on Thursday - no jetlag (already had a week to adjust) means I can start the day after I get there.  The coworkers I've met so far have been great; I expect I'll feel the same about the people I'll work with in Thailand, too.

We'll also be able to begin building our new life - getting work permits and bank accounts and cell phone plans - things that will be needed for more than a week or two.  We can get needed stuff that happens to be bulky, because we won't have to fit it into luggage.  We can shop at the market and cook from scratch.  We can establish routines that can last.  

So - once again - looking forward to a plane flight and a new beginning.  Hope you've liked the pictures so far - we'll try to post more once we've settled in a bit over the next couple weeks.

At the Singapore office - what a view!

The Singapore office is in a tall building in by the old docks, and it has a great view.  I wonder how anyone gets any work done at all with that vista (get it?) right out the window.  

It should be noted that there are many other sorts of boxed and canned drinks in Asia - most quite good.  They also have Coke and such, but I thought a pic of a few of the Asia-specific drinks might be fun.  Long live tea and soybeans!

Last of the Singapore food pictures

Here's what we've been eating our last two days in Singapore.  Our stomachs will always fondly remember this town.  

Oh - by the way - mangosteen is the best fruit ever, so imagine my joy when I found out this can of mangosteen drink is made in - you guessed it - Thailand.  Sweet.

Chili Crab at 'Jumbo' Seafood

Tonight we ate chili crab at 'Jumbo' Seafood restaurant.  Jumbo is a restaurant that became famous for it's restaurant on a boat in Hong Kong - now they have other branches in Singapore and Japan, too.  We went to one on the shore on the east side of Singapore.

The signature dish here is the chili crab - so we made a beeline right for that.  They use Sri Lankan crabs, which are a good size and have extra large claws.  As you can see, we made short work of it.  It's true, though - we both needed bibs - chili crabs are messy!

Nasi Lemak - it's what's for breakfast

Went to a Malay-style breakfast nook this morning for breakfast - had some kopi-o (coffee with sugar - dark, strong, and sweet!), kaya toast (sweet toast with butter), and nasi lemak (rice, spice, and dried fish wrapped in a (banana?) leaf.

The kopi was great, the kaya toast ok, but the nasi lemak was good enough we got another one!  Spicy rice and salty fish make a really great start to the day.  And I've resolved to drink my coffee sweet for the rest of my time in Singapore.

(note - the picture doesn't show my kopi-o - it's Sam's iced coffee - also sweet and strong, but cold instead of piping hot)

Claypot rice - it's what's for dinner

Tried the Lucky Plaza foodcourt last night - got some nice claypot rice (rice, sauce, and other tasty morsels cooked in a claypot - sort of like bim bim bap at a Korean restaurant - the pot keeps cooking everything as you're serving/eating it).  Here's a picture of Sam's.  Note the chili dipping sauce - it was spicy enough to bring a tear to even Sam's eyes!

Jurong Bird Park

Today we went to Jurong Bird Park.  We started the day fresh, and very much enjoyed all the colorful and exotic birds, but by afternoon the heat             and humidity had caught up with us.  It was definitely worth going to, though - we saw two bird shows, and more feathers than you can shake a stick (or a beak) at.

Din Tai Fung - it's what's for dinner

Sam had 'steamboat' (what they call 'hot pot' in Singapore) for lunch, and we had Din Tai Fung for dinner.  Din Tai Fung is a very famous steamed bun restaurant - they advertise that the New York Times called them one of the ten best restaurants in the world.  And they do have superlatively good steamed buns and dumplings.  These are the only steamed buns I've tasted that can approach the quality of the steamed buns my mother-in-law makes from scratch, and that's really saying something.

Folks in Singapore talk about food with the vigor people from other countries talk about politics or religion.  Everyone has a strong opinion about what to eat, and where to eat it.  Given the choice, food is a great place to focus one's attention and passion - I can definitely relate.

Beef noodle and Indian fried rice - it's what's for dinner

Last night we added Chinese style beef noodle and Indian fried rice to the list of food we've tried in Singapore.  One neat thing about Singapore is that there are a number of different ethnicities and cultures represented here, and, thus, a number of different cuisines as well.  Chinese, Indian, Malaysian - all have many dishes on offer, and there are a lot of fusion dishes that combine elements of each.  This state of affairs pleases my stomach very much.