Singapore: Fun Facts

1) Singapore is littered (an intentional and ironic choice of words) with Starbucks. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I stocked up on Christmas Blend, and a new Black Apron Exclusive, Aged Sumatra, that comes in a cool tin with a Tiger head on it. Before I knew there was a Starbucks nearly literally around every corner, I was getting a tall iced coffee at each I saw. About an hour into exploring Singapore I was so cracked out on caffeine I thought I was going to pass out, so I had to abandon my resolve to give each and every franchise my business.

2) Singapore is terrifyingly clean. Its a huge fine for littering, chewing gum is illegal, and everything and everyone is monitored and controlled. There are cctv cameras everywhere. As soon as you notice them they are omnipresent. Unbelievably, even for someone coming from the chaotic mess that is India, Singapore is actually too orderly and clean for comfort. I actively searched for a single piece of litter to photograph my whole three days there and did not see a single piece.

3) Singapore dollars are plastic. They are flexible like a paper bill, but can't be torn, and are clear in the corners. Pretty cool.

4) Singapore is expensive. This isn't that perfect mix of super modern Asian city and affordability that is Kuala Lumpur, this is a super modern Asian city at super modern Asian city prices.

5) Singapore is a city constructed entirely of shopping malls. This is really not much of an exaggeration. I asked the concierge of the hotel I stayed at (a later post - awesome hotel) how to get to the monorail to go to Sentosa island (a later post) and the directions were: Go out the front door into the adjoining mall, the Marina Square. Walk through the Marina Square mall to the Millennium Walk mall, walk through the Millennium Walk mall to the Citylink mall, walk through the Citylink mall to the Raffles City mall. From the Raffles City mall, you take the tram to the Vivocity mall. The monorail entrance is on the 3rd floor of the Vivocity mall. On day two I tried to get somewhere without going through a shopping mall, and you actually can't do it. The only way to cross many streets is to go through a mall.

6) Singapore is fucking really hot and humid, but you wouldn't know it if the city planners control you as they intend, as you spend the whole time in air conditioned areas. And my God, they air condition like they are storing raw meat. Some places are so cold that it literally takes your breath away. Its like they are in competition to see who can make their mall the coldest.

7) Sushi sucks in Singapore. Alliteration intended. I tried three places, all googled as recommendations. All sucked. The rice is too dry and not properly vinegared. There isn't interesting variety to the fish selections. And two of the three places had those conveyor belts that just rotate around pre cut plates of sushi. Yuck.