Singapore

I've just spent a week in Singapore. I love the place. It's a breath of fresh air; an oasis of civilization in South East Asia. It's reminiscent of Britain at least as much as Hong Kong is.

It's the first time I'm in a First World country that is so hot (in terms of temperature). At least, I can drink tap water now and I don't have to worry about what I eat. And speaking of food, Singapore is a gastronome's paradise. It has Chinese food, Malaysian food, Indian food, its own kind of food and food from all over the world. For two or three dollars, you can get tasty noodles with minced beef, pieces of pork and vegetables. Everyday, I try some new food and I'm always satisfied with what I get.

The variety in foods can be explained by the variety of the people of Singapore. About 75% are of Chinese descent; then there are many Malays and Indians. This mix has a strong British influence binding the parts together.

I haven't seen abjectly poor people in Singapore, which was a refreshing change from the previous countries I visited on this trip.

There are so many shopping centers in Singapore, it feels like one big mall.

The women here are very pretty. Ranging from the sophisticated, well-dressed business women (my ex-girlfriend, from Singapore, is true to her roots) to the casual girls wearing very short shorts or skirts. Singapore presents Shanghai with some serious competition with regards to fashion and beauty.

But, not all is perfect in Singapore. Housing is expensive and some weird laws are in effect in this city-nation.

As a visitor, the expensive housing mainly means that I have to pay a lot to get a decent place to sleep here. I spent my first night in what I read on the Net was a cheap hotel. It cost me 159 S$ (about 106$ US). The room wasn't great and I don't feel I got value for my money. Also, I was getting used to get decent rooms for 10$ because of Vietnam and Cambodia!

The second night, I paid 73 S$ (about 49$ US) for a decent room in a indecent neighborhood. The room was clean and functional, but the hotel was located smack in the middle of Singapore's red-light district. I thought that with Singapore's stringent rules, I wouldn't be bothered too much by the "action" going around, but I was wrong.

Singapore has legalized prostitution. To practice that profession, a woman needs to have a special work permit and undergo bi-weekly medical exams to make sure she isn't carrying any diseases. Pimping is illegal and so is street prostitution. So far, everything is fine, commendable, even. However, a bunch of illegals flock around the legal working places and bother people on the street to provide their services. The problem isn't with the legal workers, who are discreet and controlled, but with the illegals, who are in your face and probably full of diseases.

I think both the Singapore government and the legal prostitution establishments should work harder to get rid of the illegal workers (who are often in Singapore only for a few months on a tourist visa from Thailand, Burma, China, ...). For the government, they represent an image and health problem. For the businesses, they represent competition that drives the prices down.

The way I'd fix the problem is by having "find-an-illegal" prizes. Customers finding a prostitute working without a permit would be entitled to a cash prize. Illegals would be scared to work as their next customer could simply turn them in. Customers would find a way to make money while having fun. Finally, the legal prostitution businesses would get more customers and could charge higher prices (part of which would be used to finance the whole scheme). I need to find out where I can register to be on the ballot to be the next mayor!

The third night, I decided to go to a hostel instead of paying for crap. The hostel was the worst place. It had no private bathroom. And, before I got into the bed, I noticed the place was full of bedbugs. I freaked out, got a refund and went to another hotel (this time in the middle of nowhere - not accessible by metro). I paid 85 S$ (about 57$ US) for a room so noisy I had to request a change. The new room had footsteps printed with dust on the sheets and had breaker problems and no hot water.

Finally, the fourth night, I found something "acceptable" for 90$ S$ (about 60$ US) in Chinatown. The hot water wasn't really hot in the shower, but I was just tired of running around to save a few bucks. I hope I'll have better luck with accommodations in Australia and New Zealand.

Other than high housing costs, Singapore also has weird laws or ways of making sure they are followed. For instance, chewing gum is illegal in Singapore. So are Malaysian newspapers and publications by the Jehovah's Witnesses. Despite legalized prostitution, porn (even soft-core) is illegal in Singapore. Despite hosting a gay parade, homosexual behavior is illegal. Also, oral sex which does not lead to intercourse is punishable by law (that law has been upheld in a 1997 ruling). Media are subject to censorship. I saw a park with a speaker's corner in the center of the city. If you want to speak publicly in that park to a crowd (even without amplifiers or sound equipment), you have to request permission to the government first! Drug trafficking carries a mandatory death penalty. Many offenses are punishable by caning.

Honestly, I must admit that none of these laws affected me personally. But, by principle, I have to object to them.

Nonetheless, Singapore is overall a great place and I wouldn't mind living here for a while. It is one of my favorite places in Asia. Maybe I'll be back here one day.