Majulah Singapura!

I've been living in Singapore for almost three months now, perhaps a very short time to get acquainted with everything there is, yet a pretty good time to come up with my observations. Before coming down here, I am loaded with very high expectations of Singapore, being one of the roaring 'tigers' in Asia in recent decades.

I was flown in by Tiger Airways from Clark Airport, my first take on a 'budget airline'. At the arrival, I was initially disappointed because I thought we were landing at the same terminal as when I came here last year for a transit to London. In no time I learned, from the huge graffiti on the walls, that we were inside the brand new Budget Terminal. Oh, alright.

But then I immediately got impressed as the entire complex was very modern and spacious. Only three months in operation, the terminal had glistening walls and floors, and the facilities looked polished and barely touched. Though not as big and sophisticated as the other terminal in Changi airport, it was far superior in every aspect than from where I departed. Certainly didn't hurt at all since I got only 8000 pesos to spare for the airfare.

Getting on to the taxi from the arrival was effortless, with the ride soon turning into a delightful treat for the eyes. The sight of the tree-lined boulevards, neatly mowed grasses in large open spaces, and the panorama of the towering skyscrapers that stood at the heart of the city is truly refreshing, and a welcome respite from the urban blight that I have been used to. Much to my liking, there are pockets of garden everywhere, which makes Singapore truly a garden city.

In just a few days I've learned how to get around through public transport. The trains are clean and fast but often too crowded. Efficient and fast too are the buses, but which I somehow find unfamiliar. The bus routes are coded by numbers, and finding the bus stop nearest to my destination requires some research on the internet. The bus stops are quite far apart and the waiting time just kills me.

Eating places are everywhere with food choices mostly Chinese, Indian and Malay. For the penny-pinching like me, I prefer to eat at hawker centers, which allows me to enjoy local dishes without paying a tidy sum. These resto joints, always packed and lively, are reminiscent of the 'turo-turo' but with wider variety and uhm, better quality. In up-scale malls, Thai, Korean, Japanese, and Western food are also common.

So much has been said and written about how clean, orderly and dynamic Singapore is. Sure it is, and there is no more need to expound. But perhaps I would underscore how life is made easy by the neatly built sidewalks, bus stop shelters and footbridges - structures that I use everyday.

Which brings me to the lingua franca - English, which is widely spoken in this multi-ethnic city. Singaporeans have an excellent command in English, in fact, it almost comes natural to them. I can see locals being interviewed in the news and they answer in straight English without faltering. Forgive me now if I must sound meanie, but despite their proficiency, it remains a challenge sometimes to make out the words spoken, because the intonation is still unmistakably Chinese.

Let me wrap this up with the weather, which so far has not been a problem apart from the rain that pours down in mornings, as it sets a very gloomy and lethargic mood, then makes me feel I can use some tissue. But no worries because Singapore does not experience devastating earthquakes and is not visited by destructive typhoons. How lucky can this tiny nation get?

In sum, I find Singapore very interesting that I intend to learn more about its famed tourist spots, the people and their way of living, and even their challenges and outlook into the future. Simply, this won't be the last time you'll hear about Singapore.