Singapore
Heat is not your friend, when you are less than a 100 km above the equator. It's not the temperature of 90 plus (or 32C or more), it is the humidity that makes you sweat. With exception of that little annoying detail, Singapore or Asia Lite, as expats call it, because of its western feel with all Asian flavors you would look for, is one impressive metropole, well organized and so, so clean. With green lungs and lots of water views, with sky scrapers everywhere up to the maximum allowed height of 280 meters (918 feet).
We stay in the Scarlet hotel with gaudy red velvet and gold colors in China town, just outside the towering business district (A website review raves about the rooftop bar and suggests that if the "temperature" starts sizzling, one can at least retire downstairs to a "cool" room for a "few" hours) and marvel at the sounds and smells of China town, with dedicated food streets as well as streets lined with stalls selling anything you could imagine.
One of the changes government imposed, is dictating where food stalls are allowed and in doing so it is having clean empty streets with no clutter.
Singaporeans live and die for two passions: eating and shopping. 75% of all 4 million citizens are Chinese. They allow 1.5 million expats, most of them from poor surrounding countries to do the jobs citizens don't want to do, like street cleaning, maid services and construction jobs.
Everything is expensive in Singapore, especially booze. We found the cheapest wine for 20 dollars a bottle in a 7 Eleven, whereas the cheapest glass of wine anywhere was at least 15 dollars. These are Singapore Dollars at an exchange rate of about 75 US dollar cents each.
Here is, where one starts to understand the Singapore way of life as divined by their 92 year old leader mr Lee, who lead the city state to its present wealth, since Malaysia literally kicked Singapore out of their country around August 9, 1965, the Independence Day. In less than 60 years this country went from poverty, as Malaysia withdrew all support, to being the richest per capita country in South East Asia.
It took discipline (jail sentences are harsh, caning is common) and some behind the scenes people control systems such as:
The public TV, radio and newspapers are cleansed of info considered "improper", "offensive" or "incorrect" and some internet sites are not accessible.
We met up with Bram, a Dutch expat we met at a family wedding in the Netherlands this past July and he gave some examples: the dutch public major network NOS is blocked here, kindle e-readers cannot be bought here, because the books in the public library can be controlled and censored, but ebooks would shoot holes in that system. Bram bought a Eminem rap CD to only find out that all swear words in the rap songs were bleeped out. All in all Singapore is a fine "fine" country.
A taxi driver told us, that all ministers in this country are paid so much money, that there's no need for corruption. The told us that Obama is only paid 10% of what his prime minister is paid and suggested that here may lie the problem in US politics. Mr Lee's grandson is now prime minister and the next son is already in the pipeline.
(The zoo was laid out like this: no fences)
No crime in this country, no homeless, no obvious poverty. Our food tour guide Mindy explained some of the why's and how's of government support to the average Singaporean, who by the way is supposed to work till he/she physically cannot anymore, because retirement is frowned upon. At the hawker centers or food markets where you can dine for SGD 5 per dish, you see very old seniors peddling tissue packets to clean your hands for a dollar each to supplement their retirement income.
(White tiger's habitat was reasonably large)
The big support comes in the form of affordable "public housing". Not renting but owning apartments in government built towers, that contain each hundreds of apartments, owned by citizens, who can buy "family units" at prices ranging from SGD 300,000 in the suburbs to SGD 800,000 in the center of town. Bram for example was living in a private sector apartment valued at 1.4 million at the edge of the center.
The government will subsidize the first home purchase by a couple, with SGD15,000 pp. and provide mortgage loans from a pool to choose from.
Each Singaporean sees 20% of his/her salary withheld and the employer kicks in 16%. The individual account is pooled 3 ways for health insurance premiums, for an investment account and for a common expenses account accessible under certain conditions only.
The investment account generating 4.5% can be used to pay down on the home purchase too. You cannot sell the home for the first 5 years. And if you are unmarried you have to wait till age 35 before you can apply for a home.
(Many places are no entry and the signs are clear: take your life in your own hands)
Bram told us that if you google the happiness index for countries, Singapore always ranks low, despite all government imposed goodies.
This blog is long in text this time because of our fascination with the idiosyncrasies of Singapore. The government controls the car population with a maximum quota of certificates issued, which one needs first in order to buy a car.
500,000 certificates are sold/available at the purchase price of SGD 80,000 each, which then allows you to buy a car, which likely will costs just as much. Motorbike certificates cost SGD 20,000. A certificate is valid for 10 years, after which you must buy a new one. So 1 in 10 people can own a car if they can afford the certificate. That is how congestion is controlled.
The "rent" to the government to own a stall selling goods in designated places can be as high as SGD 6,000 a month, requiring at least SGD 20,000 in one or two dollar sales every month. Amazing since we saw so many stalls.
The casino had two entrances one for locals one for foreigners. We thought foreigners had to pay entry fees, but no, foreigners come in free, residents need to pay SGD 100 to gamble, since it is frowned upon.
Everywhere when you use services, you find a machine to grade that service. Even after you leave immigration, you are asked to grade the officer who just processed you.
To end this story, back to food: the national food is "chicken rice", to be found in any food market. Gordon Ramsey came here to study the recipe preparation and battled a local hawker (food stall owner) and lost. Lines are now forming in front of that stall, even if you can find the same meal at the neighboring stall.
Breakfast is kopi (coffee with condensed milk), kaya toast (crispy toast with coconut jam) and 2 soft boiled eggs
One raves here about the local chili crab literally disappearing in its sauce, stingray, satays in the proverbial peanut sauce, all accompanied with rice and sambal covered greens, washed down with SGD 7 or higher priced beer.
Well this was a more written blog with less pictures this time.
Next place is Tomohon Indonesia, the city I played in when I was 5 to 7 year old. I will find out how much familiarity I will find there.
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