Singapore.
A police state? I have heard so much about how people are canned for chewing gum or executed for dealing drugs. About how life is regulated and controlled by the government.
Coming out of Changi Airport, I quickly get into a cab and head to my hotel. Singapore has the reputation of being an extremely clean country and I quickly realize that. The cab is immaculate. The driver pleasant and well groomed. As we drive through the streets, not a speck of garbage anywhere. Instead, the streets are beautifully landscaped with giant shade trees covered in birds nest ferns and wild orchids.
Wide sidewalks are separated from the curb by lush tropical,plantings.
Pedestrians cross most streets either by overpasses lined with pink bougainvilleas or via underpasses and subterranean shopping malls.
After I settle into my beautiful, freshly remodeled room at the JW Marriott, I make my way to a nearby "hawker center" for lunch. Back 60 years ago, the government consolidated street food vendors into the centers where they could be regulated. Since then, street food has been perfected into an art and it has turned singapore into a foodie haven.
Just like the population, Singaporean food is the result of a melting of different influences (Chinese, Malay, Indian/Pakistani...). Stalls specialize in one type of food, hand made noodle soups, Malaysian dishes, Cantonese barbecue, Indian curries, biryanis, fruit juices, coffees, soy based drinks or desserts.
Singapore is one of the richest countries in the world. Orchard Road, the main shopping district is a beautiful, tree lined boulevard with wide, lushly landscaped sidewalks. Well dressed men and women stroll past luxury good stores and large busy shopping malls. One of my favorites is Takashimaya, the Japanese department store. It houses on the third level, the most beautiful and best stocked bookstore I have ever seen. My favorite area is of course the cookbook section. Rows of cookbooks from every part of the world are displayed by regions and cuisine. I am in heaven.
Most of the stores on Orchard are linked by an extensive network of air conditioned tunnels and underpasses. A maze of stores, gourmet food markets and food stalls are laid out on 4 underground levels. One can easily spend several days browsing.
Since I am only spending about 4 days in Singapore, I decide to get out and explore the city. The city/country is easily navigated. Taxis are plentiful and inexpensive. Traffic is never an issue since the country tightly regulates the number of cars on the road. Before anyone can purchase a car, you have to purchase a permit to operate that car at the cost of $100000 for 10 years! As a results, most private cars are luxury brands.
The rest of the population gets around by taxis and by using the subway system. It is no surprised that the MRT as it is known, is one of the cleanest, safest and most efficient low cost public transit system.
A day is spent exploring the old Chinatown, little India and the Arab street areas. These "heritage" sections are quite a contrast from the modern, architecturally stunning newer skyscrapers that make up the downtown and most of the newer residential areas.
A particularly stunning new building is the Marina Bay Sands Hotel area. Located across the bay from downtown, the hotel complex consists of three towers linked with what looks like a giant boat sitting on top of the towers.
That "boat" houses a lush tropical garden, a restaurant/bar called Ku De Ta and the hotel's pool. That pool sits right in the edge of the building on the 57th floor. Bathers can swim right to the glass infinity edge and take in the view of downtown.
On the downtown side of the hotel sits a massive shopping center and casino complex. Luxury French and Italian good stores are housed on 4 levels either within the mall itself of in separate pavilions that float in the bay.
On the other side of the hotel is the amazing Gardens by the Bay. It consists of a lush tropical garden with futuristic massive metal flowers whose bases are covered in ferns and bromeliads.
These flowers are connected by a series of suspended bridges from where one can admire the grounds. A large Chinese garden, massive ponds and two stunning glass pavilions make up the rest of the gardens. One of these pavilions houses a collection of cloud forrest trees whereas the other one is planted with rare and interesting plants from various regions of the world; olives, geraniums and rosemary from the Mediterranean, kangaroo paws and other exotic plants from the Australian bush, rare palms from Chile...
My favorite area is the collection of desert plants and trees from South Africa.
On my last full day, I decide to explore the botanical garden. From our hotel on Orchard Road, we walk about 20 minutes through beautifully manicured neighborhoods. It is hot and humid but we don't really pay attention to the weather. We are too busy admiring the beautiful houses on the way. We walk under a canopy of massive tropical shade trees covered, like most trees in Singapore, with wild orchids and birds nest ferns.
The botanical garden was started over a hundred years ago from a donated parcel of farm land. It houses a beautiful collection of tropical trees, lush and exotic palms, gingers, heliconias, bromeliads and the national orchid gardens on several acres of rolling hills and peaceful ponds.
Wide lawns offer a place to lay down and relax. A small restaurant nestled amidst a lush ginger grove offers cool drinks or a delicious brunch.
Four days go by quickly. I reflect on those last four days and realize that Singapore is nowhere near a police state. I only saw a police car patrolling once. The constant cacophony of police and ambulance sirens so common in NYC is absent. People seem to take pride in their country, in its cleanliness, in its beauty and they seem genuinely nice and courteous.
As I embark on my cruise ship, headed to Thailand, I promise myself that I must come back to Singapore.
Heading to Asia
Fort Lauderdale to Singapore! I decided several months ago to take a trip to Asia. Never thrilled by air travel, I had been kind of dreading the moment. I got a business class seat as a way to make the voyage more tolerable.
Leaving Fort Lauderdale on a cool and windy Tuesday evening, I settle into American Airlines seat 4A headed to JFK. I am embarrassed to admit that I have very low expectations having used AA in the past. We take off in the comfortable seat of the 737 and start the 2hr 10 min flight! It is a good omen. I am welcomed by a very pleasant flight attendant who greets me by name! Wow! Is this the new AA? Soon we are served perfectly seasoned warm nuts which go very well with the excellent red wine I am poured. A delicious and healthy looking broiled chicken dinner follows. Even dessert is outstanding. A generous slice of fresh baked cheesecake. Before I know it, we've landed at JFK.
I head over to Cathay Pacific for my next 2 legs of the trip. I had read great reviews on Cathay but I am not looking forward to the scheduled 18 hour trip to Hong Kong. I was not picky about seat selection and find myself seated in 15A, just next to the door and the galley. Will the beehive of activity going on in the galley spell trouble for me?
We take off for what turns out to be the best flight I have ever taken. There is really no better aircraft than a 777 with flat beds. The ride is amazingly smooth. Service is impeccable. Flight attendants are available to cater to every whim but remain very quiet and don’t disturb despite my close proximity to the galley. The food is delicious and the entertainment is first class. I watch a movie, eat supper and go to sleep for more than 6 hours. When I wake up, I have a snack (available any time) of a warm bowl of Chinese noodle soup with roast duck. I watch another couple of movies before breakfast is served. Soon thereafter we are landing in Hong Kong.
Walking through this vast airport is a welcome exercise after seating so long. I make my way past scores of shops and restaurants (closed at this early hour) and head to gate 63 for the connection to Singapore. On the way. I make a pit stop at the Cathay lounge for a warm shower. The lounge itself is clean, modern and efficient. The shower stalls are large with powerful jets. I am invigorated and ready for the last leg of the trip.
It’s another 777!. I am again in seat 15A. The 3 and a half hour flight is smooth and quick. Finally I land at the world’s best airport, Changi. Within 15 minutes of landing, I have made my way past immigration, collected my luggage and gone through customs. I step outside in the moist tropical air, hail a clean, air-conditioned taxi and make my way to my hotel.
