SINGAPORE 

We have been on the go continuously since we left home nearly 3 weeks ago, and lately this has caused me to skip adding to the blog. It feels like I’m tired all the time, which is a good thing since I’m walking a lot. Today, however is the first day that Brian is as tired as I am. 

In spite of ourselves, we did get entry into Singapore. We had heard that Singapore is kind of boring and that there isn’t anything to do. We didn’t find that to be true at all. There is much to like in this city that is also a country. 

Although Malay is the official language, only about 13% speak it. English is the primary language and that’s a relief to those of us who struggled in Japan and Thailand. There are lots and lots of tall, pretty, and modern buildings, but there are also definite ethic neighborhoods like Little India, the Muslim section, and Chinatown. Orchard Road is an upscale shopping area, with one huge mall after another, but these malls aren’t like American malls. From the stores to the restaurants and food courts it’s like a miniature U.N.  This part of town Is near the areas where the wealthy have homes and these are definitely not the stores to look for refrigerator magnets and shot glasses. 

We found those in a neighborhood where the Muslims were next to Little India, in a store unlike any I’ve ever seen. The Mustafa Center has 3 or 4 floors of densely packed groceries and everything else you could possibly imagine. Many of the foodstuffs, and dry goods came from India and were not for tourists hunting trashy souvenirs. But they did have a section of souvenirs and we found exactly what we were seeking. The whole store was packed with Indians and Muslims and just listening to the conversations around me was anything but boring. There is also the whole Marina Sands area, a recreational island, and a huge tropical botanical garden. Nope, nothing boring about this place.