The Lion City

Wanted to post some additional photos of Singapore, beyond the New Year's celebration. Because I arrived there about a day before my meeting's began, I was able to explore the city a bit, mostly with Chicago colleague Tristan. We had beautiful weather on that Sunday - sunny and low 90s by mid-day, without the oppressive humidity you can sometimes get with such tropical places, right along the equator.

The history of Singapore is moderately interesting, it being a strategic and commercial crossroads especially during British colonial times. Many centuries prior to the White Man, the city got its name as the Lion City - "Singa Pura" - based on a fable about a visit emissary who saw a lion emerge from the shores off the island. Thus, the city's emblem, a massive rendition of which is the first picture above. Fast forward to today, it's one of the wealthiest places on earth, with a friendly dictatorship in charge who keeps things safe, clean, and gum-free. In fact, Tristan and I popped into a 7-11 and can verify that no gum was sold. However, they did sell the chewy mints that are now so popular, so it's good to see merchants pushing things a bit.

Singapore is now a major financial center, with architecture and a skyline to match. One of its other nicknames is "Singabore" because it isn't known to be the liveliest place around (my New Year's celebration notwithstanding), especially in tropical Asia where Phuket, Bali, and other destinations aren't far away. There is a nice mix of the colonial and the modern, which makes it an interesting place to walk around and see how things have evolved. Chinatown and Buddhist Temples are nearly seemless with business and high-end shopping districts. I was able to spend a couple hours at the Asian Civilisations Museum, which I'd recommend to any visitors. I got a good feel for the history of the region and there was a special exhibit called "The Road to Nalanda" which detailed the history of Hinduism across South and East Asia. Pretty fascinating, but have to admit confusing. I really need a "South Asian Religions for Dummies" book, which I'm sure I'll have time to read any day now.