Singapore Time Lapse and Pledge

The Lion City from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

Keith Loutit is a filmmaker who lives in Singapore. "The Lion City" features those crazy new sky trees at Gardens By the Bay near the Marina Bay Sands casino. It also dwells at length on the city's ubiquitous shophouses and HDB towers with real affection for MRT trains. The public spectacles come the most recent National Day celebrations in August. Use the links above to see more of his work.

Scenes from National Day show the arrival of dignitaries, the trooping of armed servicemen and civil guards, and a large display of the stage as citizens recite Singapore's National Pledge, which reads:

We, the citizens of Singapore
Pledge ourselves as one united people
Regardless of race, language, or religion
To build a democratic society on justice and equality
So as to achieve happiness, prosperity, and progress for our nation.

Healthy Signage

Here's a photo one of our mates snapped while walking by Freshness Burger on the ground floor of the Central mall at Clarke Quay here in Singapore. An establishment that promotes its "healthy meals" will sell you a "Butter & Sugar Burger" plus coffee for less than S$2 (1.63 USD/1.00 GBP).

This is the Singapore outlet of the Japanese burger chain that is currently promoting a vinegar drink. I will have to stop in and compare their wares with their Nipponese competitors Mos Burger. If I bring a ten-dollar note to Freshness, I might be able to sample breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Hong Kong: There Be Dragons

And now for some regional humor. Time Out Hong Kong recently created an insightful map of the Special Administrative Region (SAR). This should explain a little of what-happens-where in one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities. Click to enlarge the image above.

The island at left, home of "Buddha, Buffalo and Boars" is Lantau, where a giant Buddha sculpture looks out from a hilltop. The Passengers visited in 2009. The island just above is the international airport. You get to the monastery and sculpture via a cable car that departs from the remote suburb of Tung Chung Town, the area of Lantau for "People Who Have Given up on Life."

Up north the Angry Villagers live next to the mainland boomtown of Shenzen. They are even further north than where more centrally located  Hong Kongers go to the racecourse – there be "Horses." For comparison, here's a map that's a little less atmospheric and names some actual districts. This comes from the local census department, where you can look up all sorts of other data and actual facts.

Urban Density of Singapore

If the entire population of earth was squeezed into a city as dense as [blank], how much land would it need Click the image to enlarge. Source: Per Square Mile.

I have been known to complain about the suburban nature of life in Singapore, especially when we lived near the malls of Novena. Among air-conditioned palaces of commerce complete with multi-story parking garages one misses the thrill of discovery that comes from strolling along the streets from neighborhood to neighborhood. Here in a wealthy city-state where many families own cars and the weather makes it unpleasant to walk too far outdoors pedestrians often get second-tier status. The island can seem like a boring, sprawling landscape to someone familiar with the walkable streets of Manhattan and Central London.

However, as the above graphic from Tim de Chant at Per Square Mile illustrates, Singapore houses a population of 5.35 million on less than 700 square kilometers, making it more dense than London or the five boroughs of New York City. As a modern city the urban fabric simply has better provision for automobile traffic, and the government tries hard to ensure that cars don't overrun the island.

Actually, the population density of Singapore is even more intense than expressed by Per Square Mile, as Tim de Chant acknowledges in comments below his post, because the island maintains a number of nature reserves, reservoirs, and military installations that have not been planted with the ubiquitous government-sponsored, tenant-owned HDB apartment towers. The map above from the CIA Factbook shows built-up areas in grey. The Factobook also provide this satellite view, which shows distribution of settlement.

"National Night" in Singapore, says Mentos

It's a viral marketing video fabricated to entice bloggers and news services, but it is funny. Family warning: This video does explain how babies are made. 

In fact, making babies is the entire joke because Singapore, which turns 46 years-old on 9 August 2012, has very publicly been wringing its hands about low birthrates for a while now. Last year after learning that the total fertility rate for 2010 stood at only 1.16 – nowhere near the replacement level of 2.1 – Lee Kuan Yew (Prime Minister of Singapore for its first 25 years) famously warned that an aging Singapore would face Japanese-style stagnation after the burgeoning economic expansion that marked the country's history since independence. Mentos has given the nation's adults a new civic duty.

Update (8 Aug 2012): James Fallows one of our favorite American writers about China and East Asia has picked up on the ad sensation for the Atlantic. Hat tip: The Dish.

Steaming Jungles (Video)

We Were Wanderers On A Prehistoric Earth from James W Griffiths on Vimeo.

Here's a view of the rainforest in neighboring Malaysia narrated by Heart of Darkness. It's compelling, despite the literary and geographic slippage.

You might also enjoy Griffiths's other video on the paradise islands of Langkawi.

Jolly Glee Pizza (from Pizza Hut)

Roast chicken, turkey bacon, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce make the Jolly Glee a festive pizza. Notice the cherry, too.

Pizza Hut has a new gimmick for Singaporean customers. Previous gimmick here. Instead of actually making tasty products, Pizza Hut now offers a Jolly Glee pizza. It has all the ingredients you might expect from a Christmas dinner – poultry, pseudo-pork, potatoes, cranberries – plus some you didn't know you wanted. Click the picture to see a larger image and guess what else lurks beneath the lattice of crust. I can spy red peppers and onions, but I am unable to swear that the yellow items are simply yellow peppers. The website says it's pineapple. Not satisfied? Apparently there is also cheese in the crust... and a glacé cherry! I knew this was missing something.

More Christmas Decor

Thidwick (YouTube link) the fiber-optic reindeer makes spirits bright along Marina Bay in Singapore.

As a complement to an earlier post about tropical Christmas decorations, check out the silver reindeer sculptures downtown in Singapore. These whimsical cervids are just outside the new Marina Bay Financial Centre (already colloquially MBFC), overlooking the same bay as the casino and the streets that host the Singapore Grand Prix.

I can see there is a silvery, tinsel-ly artistic attempt here, but on second glance the reindeer actually looks like a rabbit with an impossibly spindly neck and legs with an even more impossible silver lichen rinceaux spewing from his head.

Also it's been rainy in Singapore this month. Today it rained for more than twelve hours straight. Viewers might notice some damp, shiny streets.

Ho Chi Minh City Traffic (Video)

Traffic in Frenetic HCMC, Vietnam from Rob Whitworth on Vimeo.

As readers might know, one of the Passengers' favorite discoveries in Southeast Asia has been the walkable, optimistic, fast-changing Ho Chi Minh City. The automotive traffic in the former Saigon – dominated by small motorbikes – is emblematic of the vibrant urban life of modern Vietnam. The above video, as featured on The Dish, captures some of that energy. 

Penang Architecture

Art deco hotel along the market.

Part of the charm of Penang is its architecture. The urban core of Georgetown preserves many more traditional Straits shophouses than can be seen in Singapore. Penang escaped World War II with much less destruction. Today the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Courtyard of a Chinese temple in Penang, looking towards the street.

The urban fabric also includes a number of Chinese and Buddhist  temples. We made sure to wander by a few of those on our long Saturday afternoon walk in the broiling sun. Here is a selection of some of the city's architectural gems. There are plenty of pictures after the jump break.

Penang Hotel

The facade of the Eastern and Oriental Hotel on Farquhar Street, Georgetown.

While visiting Penang the Passengers stayed at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, a plush colonial pile dating back to 1885. In its heyday the E&O hosted luminaries like Somerset Maugham, Noel Coward, Charlie Chaplin, and Rita Hayworth. Eventually the place fell on hard times, but it has been restored to former splendor in recent years.

Overlooking a tropical paradise at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel.

We found our digs thoroughly enjoyable with a suite that had a balcony overlooking the pool and the sea.We had our own sitting room plus a deluxe bathroom entered through French doors with stained glass. Did I mention the outstanding breakfast, too? The hotel has an additional 17-story tower planned to augment the original historic building.

The view from our balcony at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel.

This hotel was one of the main reasons we chose to spend a weekend in Penang. The E&O in Malaysia peddles the colonial experience that is meticulously marketed by Raffles Hotel in Singapore, and was established by the same enterprising Sarkies brothers, but at less than half the price. High tea at Raffles: S$55 per person plus tax and tip. High tea at E&O's restaurant 1885: S$20 per person plus tax and tip. How do you know you've entered a colonial time warp? High tea.

Penang Market

The shophouses along the market streets of Georgetown, Pulau Pinang.

The Passengers have just returned from a weekend in Penang. We spent two days exploring with friends the multicultural Malaysian trading island in the Andaman Sea. The place has been a stopover point for traders from Southeast Asia, India, and China for many years, and it all combines into a potent mix.

Local coffeeshops sell food during the Saturday morning market.

For a bit of local flavor we spent Friday night sampling the hawker stalls along Gurney Drive. On Saturday morning we joined a batch of our traveling companions on a wander through the morning market in Georgetown, the island's main city. Here's a few photos from the day. We started at 8:00 AM, before the sun became nearly unbearable in the afternoon.

 Credit Passenger H with many of these photos. I was too busy looking at the Straits architecture. I'll try to do a separate post on that later in the week. There are more photos after the jump break. Click the link below left to see more of market life.

Peterhouse College, Cambridge

Facing the Peterhouse chapel. The formal hall is on the right.

I just finished attending a symposium at Cambridge University. I had a great time meeting fellow postgraduates in the history of art, and my paper was well received by Tuesday's audience. Of course, one of the highlights of being in Cambridge is the architectural scenery. The conference organizers put me up in a room in Peterhouse Collge, the university's oldest college.

The other side of the courtyard. The underpass in the center is known as "Noah's Ark."

The event included a formal hall dinner at Peterhouse, a day trip to nearby Ely Cathedral, and a good helping of many aspects of Cambridge life. One of my evenings included drinking sherry in the Pembroke College bar at £7.90 per bottle. It's an easy life here with stunning surroundings. More pictures of Peterhouse are after the jump; click on the link below left to see them. Soon I will be flying back to Singapore for more tropical adventures.

Inculcating the Needy

 

Chinese New Year begins this week, and Singapore will enjoy what counts for a long public holiday (Thursday and Friday).  The Passengers are going to Lombok for some tropical relaxation in Indonesia.  We will be sure to put up a couple of pictures.

As in many cultures, new-year festivities are a chance for new and better beginnings. Chinese traditions associated with the lunar new year include spending time with family, carrying out a massive cleaning of the home, and giving to charity. We received the above solicitation for donations to the Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society tucked inside our gas/electric/water bill from SP Services.

THKMS is a major good-works organization here. They run their own hospital and retirement homes.  We walked past one on Saturday while exploring the old Peranakan neighborhoods around East Coast Road. Donations to the charity are not only tax deductible, but the Inland Revenue of Singapore will automatically factor in the donation when they prepare your annual tax assessment.  Sometimes it helps to think of this island as a family business rather than a city-state.

Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society's appeal for donations.

Be sure to read the above appeal for donations written in English (Click the picture for a larger image.). It's a great example of written English as practiced in Singapore. It is generally technically correct, though occasionally a few articles and nouns get omitted where they would not be used in Chinese syntax. It reads very differently from copy written for British or American non-profits. Sometimes Chinese terms like "ancestor village" receive rather awkward direct translations. Other times older English usage has remained from colonial times: "Granny Yang is at peace too with her present lot..."

Singapore Turf Club, Gold Cup

The action along the final quarter of the Singapore Turf Club. 

A few weeks ago Passenger J went to the Singapore Turf Club to watch the ponies run for the Longines Singapore Gold Cup.  The venue is way up on the north end of the island but very accessible on the MRT.  As with so many places in Singapore, the venue is shiny and new and filled with all the latest amenities.

Tiers of tables in @Hibiscus overlooking the course.

We had a group of nearly a dozen gathered around a front row table at @Hibiscus, the mezzanine-level dining club.  We sat in the air-conditioning and watched the horses run in the warm mud on a rainy day.  The place offered adult beverages, but soft drinks and coffee were included in the ticket price, along with a big buffet of tasty Chinese and local dishes.  I plumped up on fried carrot cake, an honest-to-goodness savory dish here in Singapore.  Then, I had the apple crumble with vanilla sauce.

The starting barriers are wheeled into position for the 2200m Longines Singapore Gold Cup.

Oh, for the record, I am no good at backing a winner.  One win-place bet came good at 4-1, but I had to use that cash to repay the gracious organizer who purchased our tickets en masse.  The Turf Club is pretty good value provided one stays away from any high rolling antics. Admission, buffet, racing schedule, a S$5 betting voucher, and a tacky souvenir could all be had for one S$60 ticket (GBP 29/USD 46).  Not bad to watch a race meet with a S$1,350,000 (GBP 657,000/USD 1,037,000) stake. Actually for just S$3, payable with the same ez-link card that works for the MRT, one can watch on the non-air-conditioned lower level. Spend S$7 and one can sit in the air-con cool of the upper grandstand. Risky Business came on late and ran away from the Gold Cup field. 

More photos after the jump; click below left to see the parade ring.

Deck the Malls

Happy Birthday, baby Jesus, from your favorite brand names at United Square.

It's Christmastime, even here in Singapore.  It's 31 C (87 F) outside, but the festive spirit is in the air. OK, even if the holiday spirit isn't outside, it's definitely thriving inside the malls.  Singapore is the the land of malls, and right now they are all filled with outrageous Christmas décor and canned holiday music.  Here's a selection from our local bulwarks of commerce United Square and Velocity.

Inside United Square.

The kid-oriented mall United Square has a very large high voltage Christmas tree outside, and every day last week they hosted a show of carols sung by no one's favorite purple dinosaur.  I happened to walk through one afternoon while the performance was in progress.  The big, purple protagonist was accompanied by spritely adults wearing headset mics and bright, bright clothing.  Additional, smaller dinosaurs also participated, and I suspect the overly cushioned costumes were staffed by midgets.  the whole thing ended with a confetti cannon.  Go Diego Go! The Iguana Sing-along will be next.

Outside Velocity.  The parcel on the right simply reads "Glitz."

Across the street we have the sports-themed mall Velocity, home to our local gym California Fitness Jackie Chan Sport.  Seriously, Jackie Chan Sport. The venue has gone with a "white Christmas" sort of theme, mostly using purple.  More on their festivities after the jump; click the link below left.

Tokyo Food

A snack package of what appears to be hazelnuts in a Tokyo mini-mart.

The Passengers ate all sorts of goodness in Tokyo.  The Japanese take their food seriously in the same manner as do the French with serious refinement of standardized age-old recipes.  We didn't suffer a bad meal once during our travels. Here are some highlights, though they exclude our early morning sushi adventure.  That will be a separate post.

Ramen noodles with all the fixings.

We had ramen one evening at a small restaurant not far from our ryokan.  Diners are supposed to choose their dishes from a vending machine outside the front door.  After the customer pays money in, the machine spits out a ticket for his order, and he brings it inside the restaurant.  We tried our very best to match the Japanese labels on the selection buttons with the pictures in the window.  Finally we gave up, and we were kindly greeted inside with an English menu.  This bowl of ramen was as big as my head.  I could barely get through half of it.  Passenger H unwisely had her own bowl, too, which by the time she quit looked like she only managed to pick out the seaweed, the half-boild egg, and two pieces of scrumptious fatty pork.  The yummy noodles are underneath a big pile of extras that also includes corn, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts.  I think we paid JPY 950 per bowl (USD 11.25/GBP 7.10).  More dishes after the jump.  Click below left to keep reading.

Sushi-Dai, Tokyo

Early morning bustle around the Tsukiji Market in Tokyo.

Against our preferences for a leisurely holiday, the Passengers awoke early one morning in Tokyo to make the trip down the Hibiya line on almost the first train of the day to visit the huge Tsukiji Market, the wholesale outlet for fresh fish in Tokyo.  We wanted to see the market in action, but our prime motivation was to find ourselves the freshest sushi breakfast imaginable.

Patrons lining up for a seat at Sushi-Dai along a row of restaurants at Tsukiji Market.

Activity at the market begins in the wee hours of the morning so by the time we arrived in Ginza at 6:00 AM, a number of labors were already searching out lunch.  The rest of the city comes to Tsukiji for breakfast. Based on a friend's recommendation we headed straight for Sushi-Dai a fourteen-seat sushi counter with reportedly the best fish at the complex.  The place opens at 5:00 AM, and its reputation meant we found ourselves in a two-hour queue.

Come early; bring cash.

Once we got inside Passenger J opted for the full Omakase selection at JPY 3,900 (USD 46.25/GBP 29.25) for 11 pieces of sushi, miso soup, maki rolls, and a bit of omelet.  Passenger H decided that as the smaller member in the pair she needed the smaller option at JPY 2,500 (USD 29.65/GBP 18.75).  We did not go away hungry.

Marinated tuna with a dollop of wasabi.  Pickled ginger sits on the right.

We took our seats at the counter on a rainy August morning with the air-conditioner steaming up the view of the hopeful customers waiting outside.  After our early start to the day we were ready to eat.  All the sushi pieces were impeccably chosen and brilliantly crafted.  The three sushi chefs placed their offerings directly on the top-shelf counter.  Patrons ate using both their fingers and chopsticks.

Passenger H's set included mackerel braided over rice.  The omelet and the fish-based miso soup appear in the background. 

More pictures of sushi after the jump.  Click the link below left to keep reading.

Japanese Baseball

Hiroshima Carp batting against Yomiuri Giants at the Tokyodome.

Now an overdue entry on Japan.  During our time in Tokyo the Passengers took the opportunity to see a baseball game at the Tokyodome: Hiroshima Carp vs. Yomiuri Giants.  The Giants are Japan's equivalent to the New York Yankees, the nation's most storied and successful team, and they turned in a very good performance during our Sunday afternoon visit.  Starting pitcher Asai pitched 7+ innings of shutout ball, and the offense put in two home runs.  The quality of play was every bit as good as MLB in the US and Canada. The tickets I bought online cost about as much, or even a little less, than an MLB game in a major American city, too.

The right-field stands lead the cheers for the home team.  They rolled out this banner in the middle of the seventh inning.

None of that was too surprising.  What I really wanted to experience was the atmosphere of professional baseball in another country.  I was not disappointed.  The fans of both teams proved incredibly dedicated with organized cheers for their batters.  The Carp brought in a host of supporters wearing red in the left-field stands.  The Giants had the whole stadium on their side, all the fans chanted while waving around bright orange towels over their heads after scoring runs, but the right-field seats hosted the die hard supporters that led the cheers.  They even had two large flags waving in tandem.

In the foreground ladies sell beer and snack food.  Cheerleaders dance on the field.

Additional entertainment came from the ladies.  Beer and snacks were sold throughout the game by young women wearing brightly colored kit.  Beer was dispensed from pony kegs in insulated bags hauled up and down the stands.  All the usual staples could be found in the Tokyo Dome: beer, peanuts, soft drinks, cotton candy.  However, the concession windows offered bento boxes and outrageous ice creams.

The team also had cheerleaders dancing between innings, sometimes with the Giants' family of orange furry mascots.  After a Giants home run the dancers stream onto the field for a celebratory routine while one of the troop jumps up and down behind home plate waving a souvenir stuffed animal.  The Giants players all come out of the dugout and form a line to politely congratulate the batter after he circles the bases.  Once the last runner crosses home plate he is given the stuffed animal, shakes hands with everyone in the receiving line, and then tosses the orange plush toy into the crowd.  The whole affair seems designed to spread the success around to everyone.

Reporters and onlookers stream onto the field for the post-game awards.

The post-game press conference was another unusual moment because it takes place on the field with a horde of press reporters and photographers.  As seen in the pictures, the cheerleaders and mascots flank the stage as the day's outstanding player is awarded the game ball, which deservedly went to pitcher Asai.  He makes a few comments into the microphone for the benefit of the crowd and the media.  For some reason the onlookers included a giant Pikachu Pokemon.

There are a couple more pictures after the jump.  Click the link below left to view them.

Cafe Culture in Vietnam

The terrace and outdoor tables of L'Usine.

During our weekend in Ho Chi Minh City the Passengers discovered a great little upstairs cafe/shop.  L'Usine occupies an historic shophouse overlooking Dong Khoi street, but access is through a small lane lined with parked motorbikes.  Inside the cafe features a full espresso service and impeccably chosen teas from Mariage Freres of Paris.

The alleyway seen from the stairway leading up to l'Usine.

The interior has been fitted out with old hardwood sewing tables decorated with tall vases of cut flowers. The cafe does great salads and sandwiches, the latter using delicious French-style bread.  That baking tradition and the affection for bouquets counts as positive colonial legacies.  A stylish shop adjoins the eatery with a fabulously curated selections of boutique European and Asian designers, a real find.

The counter at l'Usine stands in front of a large window at the top of the shophouse staircase.