June 06, 2004
A "Fine" City
Singapore is definitely interesting. With 4MM people within an island and country 23km by 40km I suppose structure and discipline is needed more so than most, which may explain the rather strict nature of the government and society in general.
Fines are liberally applied to help ensure said discipline:
And, until recently, I would have been turned away at immigration due to my "long hair". Needless to say, SG seems very different from its neighbors. While it's very clean, well manicured and green, the peeps are generally helpful and friendly, it's quite modern (you can buy soda with your cell phone in most places) and is the safest country in SE Asia it is a little too sterile for J and I.
So, we fought antiseptic with antiseptic (alcohol of course!):
Sipping a Singapore Sling at Raffles, the hotel that invented them back in the 20's
We also hit the Singapore Art Museum - Janet as seen through a nucleotide :-)
Little India may be the exception to the rule...it was chaotic, extremely crowded and the streets were almost exclusively populated (eerily so) with Indian men. The food was tasty tho...
Singapore is definitely interesting. With 4MM people within an island and country 23km by 40km I suppose structure and discipline is needed more so than most, which may explain the rather strict nature of the government and society in general.
Fines are liberally applied to help ensure said discipline:
o Public Urination: S$5,000
o Eating or drinking on the Mass Rapid Transit System: S$500
o Chewing gum: S$500
o Littering: S$5,000
o Gambling: S$1,000
o Failure to flush the toilet (apparently "if it's yellow let it mellow" does not apply): S$500
o Improper deposit of a cigarette butt: S$500
o Jaywalking (yes, they enforce this one): S$500
And, until recently, I would have been turned away at immigration due to my "long hair". Needless to say, SG seems very different from its neighbors. While it's very clean, well manicured and green, the peeps are generally helpful and friendly, it's quite modern (you can buy soda with your cell phone in most places) and is the safest country in SE Asia it is a little too sterile for J and I.
So, we fought antiseptic with antiseptic (alcohol of course!):
Sipping a Singapore Sling at Raffles, the hotel that invented them back in the 20's
We also hit the Singapore Art Museum - Janet as seen through a nucleotide :-)
Little India may be the exception to the rule...it was chaotic, extremely crowded and the streets were almost exclusively populated (eerily so) with Indian men. The food was tasty tho...
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