Exploring Singapore

The mini-USOC staff onsite at this YOG created quite an independent work environment (we were spread out all over), so I got to sneak away to see a lot of great sites in Singapore. I set my own schedule, and as long as I got everything done that needed to be done, nothing was stopping me from finding time to enjoy the country!

Singapore is a city-state of 5 million people on one little island. You can see Indonesia from the south and Malaysia from the north. It seems to resemble Disneyland meets Vegas meets a country club. And amidst all of the manicured greenery and perfectly lit roadways, the country is quite the ultimate melting pot, with people from all over.

I was able to visit a temple in Chinatown, enjoy a 25 cent steaming ginger tea out of a tin can near Arab Street, have a birthday drink at an old British monastery-turned-social spot in the Colonial District, and watch a snake charmer in Little India. I rented a bike on Pulua Ubin, the closest thing to authentic Singapore just a 20 minute ferry northeast, and rode through the island’s winding, tropical one-lane “roads,” with canopies of green on every side. I visited the southern-most tip in continental Asia, and took a night safari at the Singapore zoo.

The "cafe" where I bought ginger tea.

But, I have to say, even with all of the cultural diversity, Singapore is really a modern, fast-paced city. Like I mentioned earlier, everywhere has a hint of Disney, from the subways to the Botanical Gardens. Everything looks bleached to a sparkle, manicured with a tweezers. Life is very civilized. For example, you can’t hail a cab. You can’t even hop into a cab. Even if there are cabs driving by, you have to seek out a taxi queue and wait in line. In many instances, there will be 50+ people in the taxi queue and about 25 taxis lined up. But even then, you can’t go get into one. You have to wait for the person in the front of the line to get in, drive away, and then the next taxi move up six feet. Move forward three steps in the line. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. See, very civilized.

Also interesting about Singapore is the language. English is the official language, but most people speak a different language at home. On public signs, you’ll sometimes see messages written in up to four languages… English, Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian, Indian, you name it. So being in a foreign country, you’re kind of trained to seek out English speakers or humbly ask for help. And then every time I would be surprised that everyone knows English! But, in Singapore, the accents are SO thick – they call it “Singlish,” their own version of accented broken English, like “We go to event” or “No pay for taxi.” With the accents, the Singlish speak, and the cultural atmosphere all around you, you repeatedly forget you’re in a place where people speak your language! And even though they do, you frequently have trouble understanding what they’re trying to say!

One day toward the end of the event, I did my planning and advance work and snuck off to Indonesia. I took a ferry to Bintan, Indonesia, and bought a visa on arrival. It was such a relaxing treat! I left behind the sky-scrapers and concrete of Singapore for the clear waters of the South Pacific. After going through immigration I took a bus to a nearby resort, Nirwana Gardens, and bought a day-use pass. For quite the steal I got to wade in their beaches and swim in the infinity pool. I went kayaking and collected shells. I got a drink at the pool bar and ate homemade vanilla ice cream on the beach. I was able to see wild monkeys, a snake, a Komodo Dragon lizard and plenty of fish.

So as you can see I definitely took advantage of the opportunity to be in Asia! When I wasn’t racing from judo to rhythmic gymnastics, I was hustling to try out street luge on Sentosa Island or kiwi juice at a famous Hacker Center (Singapore’s version of open air food courts). I also had the chance to visit the Raffles Hotel, which is a famous, colonial mansion built by the British in 1887. It’s all white columns and palm trees and fans made from wood planks, right in the middle of the skyscrapers. It’s also famous for the Long Bar, where one of their bartenders invented the Singapore Sling sometime around 1910.

After reading this, it’s probably hard to imagine that I got much work done while in Singapore, but trust me, it’s possible! I’m a very determined tourist . My approach was one fun thing a day, and with two weeks on your own to roam, that gives you lots of opportunity for adventure!