First Impressions of Singapore

There is a clear totalitarian tendency. You feel a little like big brother is watching. There are slogans posted here and there: ‘Value Life – Act Responsibly’ ‘Recklessness Kills’ ‘Littering Carries $1000 Fines.’ On the station platform as you wait there was a video describing how to report someone acting suspiciously. There must be a right wing streak in me somewhere – after the unmannerly, selfish, disorganized behaviour of the Koreans I appreciate that in Singapore you are advised to behave for the benefit of the group… or else! I wonder what freedoms I’d be willing to give up for a clean city that runs efficiently and courteously.
On first impressions, I love Singapore. Walking through the city at night, the spot lit palm fronds that line the street make you feel like the whole city is some exclusive tropical resort.
I love the mix of colonial and hyper-modern architecture.
Passing the famous Raffles Hotel gave me a real and unexpected thrill. It just hit me that I had read about this place in books as a kid and never imagined I’d actually be there myself. I felt like I was in a Noel Coward novel, or something.
I love the mix of skin colour and clothing and ethnicity you see on the streets of Singapore. And all these different people seem to be coexisting peacefully and prospering together. Of course, I haven’t really been here long enough to judge. One thing I did get a sense of was that the darker skinned Indians and Malays seemed to be using the cheaper modes of transport (train and bicycle) and working in the more menial jobs. Whereas the lighter skinned Chinese and Westerners seemed to be using the more expensive forms of transport (taxi and car) and were dressed like white collar workers. But this is only a first impression – I can’t say for sure.
The nearer the equator you get the slower people walk. This is a dynamic city but the pedestrians sure move slowly. As a cold and speedy North European, I have had to resist the temptation a couple of times to kick the slow people in the back.
I got an even bigger totalitarian vibe walking home through the centre of the city. At a major intersection two motorcycle police stopped all pedestrians from crossing in order to let a cavalcade pass through. I mean this was a major thoroughfare at rush hour and everything came to a stop for some ambassador or other to pass through the city more quickly. I got the feeling this sort of thing happened a lot. A couple of Singaporeans beside me were chattering in Malay. What I could understand of their conversation was, ‘malay, malay, malay, ‘special person’ ‘nuh!’ malay, malay, malay.’ The police officer couldn’t’ have been more smiling or courteous though.