I truly love Singapore. Yesterday was my first full day here this trip, and unfortunately I had to attend to some work related things which ate up most of the afternoon hours. Still, it is nice just to be here. Don’t ask me why, but this is my favorite place to be.
Shameless ,selfish, self promotion: If there are any Singapore employers out there reading this, please hire me! I’ll move here in a heartbeat.
In the morning I walked up and down Orchard Road , made a long leisurely stop at Borders Books, ate some chicken rice and dumpling soup in the hopes of killing my hangover, and read the Straits Times backwards and forwards. Back to the room for a combat nap, then saddle up and head out for night of revelry.
Thanks to Expat at Large’s tip, I went up to the Wine Company. I’m glad I did. Drank some good South African wine and ate bread and cheese. Got to sit outside and watch the evening come on. Sitting there by myself was very peaceful and gave me some good thinking time.
Then I began my usual circuit. Head off to Chijmes, to say confession at Father Flanagan’s. ( Father, forgive me for I am going to Orchard Towers and sin…). Very bummed to find out China Jump is closed. Truly sad news indeed since I always had a good time there and it was , in fact, one of only two places in Singapore where I picked up a girl and no exchange of currency was involved. Thank goodness Insomia is still open. Made a quick foray there.
Then it was in the taxi and off to the place on Orchard Road where the escalator does not work and spiraled down the path of intoxication again.
Walking around today was most interesting. Some random thoughts:
Its clear that the London bombing has folks here thinking hard. The police are out in force. The IOC meetings had everyone here security conscious as it was, but now its very visible and different then I have ever seen for Singapore.
They have some pretty cool advertisements for the Singapore Army on the trains of the North South line. Scenes of family life intermixed with soldiers stealthily getting ready to attack a position. The end of the commercial talks about “our” Army-the decisive force.
Seems to me that America could learn something from that. That one little word “our” means a lot. It gives ownership. It implies involvement. For too many Americans the armed forces are something that other people do. Maybe if we all realized we are in this together…..Its “our” armed forces.
I have to stop now and force myself out the door. There is a lot to see and no time to see it.
Skippy-san
