A year in Singapore: 2011

Almost 3 years later, I find myself back in Singapore – now on the flight back to Norway.
I am writing this final post in english in the happen-chance that english speaking readers might stumble upon the blog.
To all readers I have the following encouragement:
Come to Singapore! Just dont spend all your time in the shopping-malls (though thats a big part of Singapore society too I guess).
Experience the Hawker centers, the skateboarders that come out at night, the glitz (and depressiveness) of the Casino, experience marina bay sands (if just for the experience to have visited a boat placed on top of three ginormous high-risers).
I found the best museum by far to be ACM (Asia Civilization Museum) and if you want some beachtime, visit Sentosa to swim among the world shipping fleet anchored up just outside (if you are going to any other beach in Asia; this is well worth skipping) – but if you are a bit sensitive in swimming in petroleum products, you should probably just stay away. Windsurfing between oil tankers is also a very strange and cool experience, but mostly only possibly during the Monsoon in Jan/feb.
Even though half of the city has changed and ever more land is reclaimed, the core still remains. And when I walked my favorite route from Bugis to Little India and ending up in the Mosque off Arab street – I realized that at least here; nothing had changed.
So to sum up my love for Singapore, please consider doing some of the following when visiting.

WALK THE STREETS!
Skip Orchard road, instead roam the streets where you don´t walk heel to toe with other tourists; My best advice is to wallk the triangle of Bugis to Little India to Arab Street. In those 15 mins of walking you can taste, smell and experience Malay food and muslim religion, you will see Chinese majority areas with Chinese Buddhist temples, and 2 blocks later you will only see Indians and smell incense around you – drop by one of the Hindu temples, and watch one of the . Singapore is a melting pot of ethnic backgrounds, where all are united in being Singaporeans first and foremost. And this brings me to the second advice I want to give.

TALK TO PEOPLE!
Nowhere else in asia will you find the level of proficenncy of the English language. Whether it be hungry ghost festival, mooncake festival or just a question on hinduism, buddhism or christianity – when you see something you are wondering about, try asking anyone around, and most likely they will be open to talk.

I will not try to deny that some of the typical stereotypes of Singapore are in part correct – but go off-streets of Arab Street or wander little India, and you will find grafitti on the wall, go into a pharmacy and you can buy the chewing gum that is not illegal no-matter how often anyone claims it to be, and spit on the street and you will not be arrested (hmm... actually that DID get me in trouble once when I was out rollerblading, so I wouldnt try out that last one... not ALL stereotypes of Singapore are incorrect)

Finally, Singapore is a country of incredible change and continious transition. Even just being away for a week, a restaurant in your area will have shut down, and two more opened. Since I was away, Marina Bay Sands has opened (view from below... its basically three highrisers with boat on top) The HDB (public housing) project in TP (Tanjung Pagar, at the edge of the CBD) is a 50 story apartment building that also has been finished over the last 3 years – it looks like building out of Blade Runner, with bridges connecting the towers at 40-50 stories above ground. Across the street you can see the original HDB flats in 2 story – 2 family connected houses. My colleagues of 30-40 grew up in a Singapore that is almost unimaginable to us who visit it now.

So come again – and come often, because there is always something new, and always something old. Love this place!