Singapore Sojourn Part 3 by Roger Smith

SINGAPORE SOJOURN May 2007 – August 2007

Sentosa Roger Smith

Extracts from New Zealander Roger Smith’s Blog www.singaporesojourn.blogspot.com

Part 3 – 2007 COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

Moth Moments And Patriotic Fervour Saturday, 5 May 2007 I am on Saturday duty in the Library. This usual happens once a month with our current staff roster and means that I man the reception desk as 'sole operator' between midday and 7 pm. Student numbers using the library are picking up as assignments fall due so, unlike my last duty when there were no takers, today has seen a few hardy souls brave the heat to visit us. Our main doors have a sensor which allows them to open electronically. They did so shortly after noon and apparently of their own volition. I wondered why this should be so, until I spotted that a very large moth had triggered the sensor and flown in to take advantage of our air conditioning (see the Gallery image right). In a previous posting I enthused over the use of YouTube video in blogs. The video clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEcyAW3oQck&feature=player_embedded captures not only scenes of Singapore but also the patriotic fervour that grips the island from time to time. It would be fair to say that apart from an All Blacks win at rugby and the occasional success in international yachting, my country of birth rarely demonstrates such affection. Maybe we are not overly demonstrative, falling back on that well proven Anglo Saxon reserve. Singaporeans by comparison have no such reserve and the Government here openly encourages patriotic gestures. In New Zealand, the National Day is a time to throw mud at the country's leadership (both literally and figuratively), fill the newspapers with politically inspired belly aching and generally contribute to the overall sense of national malaise. Singapore's National Day is in stark contrast to the NZ variety with massed performances, speeches from leading dignitaries and a celebration of prosperous times ahead ‐ the sense of optimism is tangible. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

What A Difference A Chef Makes Sunday, 6 May 2007 One of my favourite eating places in Singapore is Zi Yean Restaurant in Redhill. It has both and indoor (air‐conditioned) and outdoor eating spaces and provides a very good Yum Cha lunch at reasonable prices. They have an excellent reputation built up over many years. It was therefore with great interest that we learnt that Zi Yean were opening a restaurant in the Hotel Grand Central behind Le Meridien, off Orchard Road. Full page advertising in the Straits Times announced that there would be a 50% reduction in prices for High Tea (after 2:30pm. So today being a Sunday we dutifully took the 111 bus into town and paid them a visit for lunch. The experience was salutary. After an auspicious and hi‐tech beginning, where our Dim Sum order was entered into a hand held PDA and "wireless‐ed" to the kitchen, matters deteriorated. I hope in the future they revert to writing the orders down on paper, as they still do at their Redhill operation. Half of our order arrived in reasonable time. The rest dribbled out of the kitchen over an hour as we sat expectantly. Orders were misplaced and re‐ordered. A neighbouring table had ordered the "special hotpot" (picture) and we watched bemused as the head waiter scalded himself with the broth. Staff attempted to move the dish from the at‐table flaming gas ring to the table, with a pair of spoons rather than using heat resistant tongs or gloves. Our Cheong Fun was anything but 'fun'. The dish had been forgotten about in the kitchen over steamed to a point that the wrapper resembled a mushy porridge. At the conclusion of the meal one of the staff politely asked us what we thought of the food and we felt obliged to tell her. In justification she responded that it was a "different chef" to that in Redhill. That was no doubt the case and proves just how important it is in the food business to employ the right staff. This chef's control of his kitchen was shambolic and food quality control as it was plated clearly did not exist. A great pity really as bad news travels quicker than good. I suspect they will have lost a lot of future business based on the experience that we and our fellow diners had. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

What‘s That You Say I Have Beans In My Ears? Wednesday, 9 May 2007 Most of the times I see people talking to themselves in total oblivion to passers‐by; I veer to the other side of the pavement, giving them a wide birth. This is no doubt a learned response from childhood, where I often encountered a man suffering from such delusions on way to school. Mental illness can be a most debilitating thing and as a small child the strangeness of the situation encouraged such a response. I was therefore with some consternation that I noted when I first arrived that a large proportion of the Singaporean population seemed to be suffering in a similar manner. As the streets here are somewhat more crowded than those in rural Taranaki there was no escape from being accosted by such unfortunates. A closer examination however reveals that it is technology that is driving this self obsession, not illness. Singaporeans of many generations have cables and plugs sprouting from just about every orifice. This is very much the 'wired generation' and they manage to maintain simultaneous conversations with multiple parties, with apparent ease. Most have an iPOD or similar, a mobile phone, a PDA or a combination device containing all of the aforementioned. Invariably they enjoy a cocooned life safe behind their headsets which, while not being completely anti‐social, makes discourse with other parties difficult. The other observation I have made is just how prevalent instant messenger (web based) communications are, especially amongst the young. Virtual networking is the social norm and the use of wireless, laptops, cameras and messenger software appeals to this generation because its immediacy. And what of "Beans In My Ears"? Well there are a few of us around who recall a group in the '60's called the Serendipity Singers who recorded a song with this title. The lyrics while humorous make the point that we seldom listen to others. An earpiece in place makes such endeavours doubly difficult. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

Sincere Mattresses And The Appellation Hinterland Wednesday, 9 May 2007 The sign said Sincere Mattress Company. It made me wonder just what a 'sincere mattress' actually is. I have possibly experienced an 'insincere mattress' in the past; one that pretends to provide a good night’s sleep and delivers not a jot, but a 'sincere mattress'...never. The moniker, 'Sincere Mattress' is just one of many titles that appear to the western eye to be an odd juxtaposition of English names. My all time favourite was a sign I spotted in Malaysia many years ago ‐ Ah Choo's Medical Centre. For non‐native speakers of English, the language is enough to give anyone an allergy. A close second in the 'believe it or not' signage stakes was the Swastika Piles Clinic, also seen in Malaysia. Here are some others I enjoyed, gleaned from various sources: •

Teeth extracted by latest methodists ‐ Hong Kong Dentist

•

Mickey Mouse High Fashion Apparel ‐ Beijing department store

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You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid ‐ Tokyo Hotel

•

Ladies may have a fit upstairs ‐ Hong Kong Tailor

•

For your convenience, we recommend courageous, efficient self‐service ‐ Hong Kong supermarket

The mistranslation of English can have a more serious side and in China (more particularly Beijing where the Olympics are being held) they are endeavouring to clean up their signage translation. Then of course there are signs in Asia, such as the one above that I photographed in the back streets of Calcutta (above), which do not fill one with confidence.

Sentosa Monday, 14 May 2007 Yesterday, we paid a quick visit to Sentosa Island. It has been nearly twenty years since I was last there and all I recall from the previous visit was the bike hire facility and dusty tracks. The Sentosa of today is a far more vibrant place with reclaimed, sandy beaches and escalators for those who feel disinclined to trudge up the steep gradient to the lookout. Getting to the island is also much easier and we opted for the monorail or Sentosa Express as it is known. A $3 return ticket provides a choice of options for transport as it allow you not only the monorail but also a range of free buses and the Siloso beach tram. I noted that the wrecking ball was already swinging in preparation for the Sentosa Integrated Resort. This is planned to open in 2010 but knowing Singapore's project efficiency I would not be surprised if a section of it opens earlier. Building sites here run 24 X 7 with no down time for public holidays. The night shift seamlessly makes way for the day shift in a never ending cycle. Singaporeans enjoy packing a picnic lunch and spending time on the Sentosa beaches and the place remains a tourist Mecca. We visited one of the attractions ‐ that is, we paid an entry fee. Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom was interesting and a good introduction to the wonderful array of 'bugs & butterflies' one sees in the tropics. Some of the live exhibits in the outside enclosure were a little 'moth‐ eaten' if you will excuse the pun. A good web site for Singapore butterfly identification is at this address . We will undoubtedly make a repeat visit to Sentosa in the near future. It is a breath of fresh air away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

A Day At The Races Saturday, 19 May 2007 "Don't do it..." "Don't go.........You'll find out why when you get there" This is common advice proffered to which I have now learnt to respond, " Have you been there or experienced this yourself?" Almost invariably the answer is "No... but a friend of mine........." And so it was when the subject of the Singapore races was raised with an acquaintance of ours. We had thought it might be interesting to go to Kranji and experience the wonders of the Singapore Turf Club. His endorsement was a luke warm at best. Fortunately we ignored this second hand advice. I should mention at this junction that my wife and I are not what you might term 'hardened punters'. We never place a bet unless it is on a racecourse and our visits to such places are very rare ‐ perhaps once in three years. When the fire siren in our neighbourhood signalled 11 am (as it does every Saturday) we packed our bottled water and newly‐purchased binoculars and headed for the Queenstown MRT station down the road. Our train took us to Jurong East junction where we changed to the green line and proceeded towards our destination. Kranji's more sobering claim to fame is the Kranji War Memorial which contains 4,000 graves of servicemen who died under Japanese occupation. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

Alighting at the station we confirmed that the racecourse was immediately opposite and linked by a covered way. No exposure to the hot midday sun which was a real plus. We had a choice of paying a $3 entrance fee or $7 for the air‐conditioned, covered stand. I don't have to explain which option we decided upon. Up the escalator and into air conditioned bliss. I had been concerned that smoking would be allowed in the 2nd storey area but this proved to be an unnecessary worry. We went through the electronic turnstiles and found ourselves seats with a good view of the winning post. Here we paused to do justice to a large bowl of noodles before getting down to studying the form in the race book we had purchased ‐ another $3 painlessly extracted by a smiling Singaporean vendor. The facilities were first class with large video screens providing commentary and analysis as well as results ‐ which seldom went our way! Not even a passing thunderstorm changed the odds in our favour and we went home a little lighter in the pocket than when we came. All in all it was most pleasant day out and an experience that I would recommend to others. "Have you been there....?" "Well yes, actually I have" COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

Coming Up Roses? Sunday, 10 June 2007 Readers of this blog will have noticed that it has been a while since I last made an entry. There is no element of sloth on my part; it is simply that life has been topsy turvy this past three weeks. I have been caught up in the debacle that is UNSW Asia. That is to say, my wife and I relocated to Singapore in September last year so that I could join the new university that UNSW Asia promised to be. I say 'promised' because this was exactly as it transpired and we were not alone in our decision. Close on 100 academic and professional staff and 150 students were similarly beguiled by the vision of being part of something new in Singapore, supported by the credibility of a leading Australian university, UNSW. It is now clear that the incoming Vice Chancellor of UNSW did not share this vision. Just three months into our first semester he arrived from Sydney with the news that he was closing the place down ‐ so much for the credibility of UNSW, especially in Asia and for many decades to come. My last day in the office is in late July but already there are other staff who have received their notice and left. Having bought a condominium here and obtained Singaporean PR status we have a few months breathing space, unlike others who are left paying large rents, supporting families and facing the prospect of no employment in the foreseeable future. Our first choice is to remain here and for me to secure alternative employment. My life is very focused on this at the moment. Second choice would be a location elsewhere else overseas (Middle East perhaps?). Failing all else we will aim for Australia. The UNSW Asia fiasco is big news both here and in Australia. The pull‐out was undertaken with indecent haste. Yes, UNSW was losing money in the venture but this is often the case in the first couple of years when one establishes a new business. What they clearly did not factor in, nor understand, was the financial impact of the loss of international students from Asia for the years to come. This is already happening with China warning students about studying overseas. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

The big question remains. Why, when they clearly had reservations about the Singapore venture mid 2006, did they still recruit staff and make promises to students? At best it is a "head in the sand" attitude. At worst it is living a lie and as usual it is the innocent who suffer.

Tiong Bahru Family Cook Out Competition COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

Einstein’s Folly Sunday, 24 June 2007 I was never 'Good at Physics' in fact I would go so far as to say that my results in this subject were less than marginal. However, I have a great admiration for scientific genius and in particular Albert Einstein, the theoretical physicist. His theory of relativity is well known but I cannot help but wonder what his output might have been had he lived in modern Singapore. I suspect that he too would have observed the social mores of Singaporeans, such as their propensity to hog the footpath and not budge an inch, even when faced with oncoming pedestrian traffic. Indeed, a whole new branch of physics might have eventuated ‐ Social Physics ‐ and I am not referring to a modern definition of this terminology which deals with an individual's digital identity. The 'Great Thinker's' new branch of Social Physics has spawned many new equations. For example: 1S=TF (One Singaporean equals the total footpath) This core equation could then be further expanded upon: 1SA+S=TF X2 (One Singaporean 'Aunty' plus her shopping takes up double the total footpath space) and 1SA+S+M=D (One Singaporean 'Aunty' plus shopping plus her maid equals disaster ‐ for opposing traffic) You may well ask on what are these observations based. To which I would answer, on personal experience. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

There is clearly not the same sense of personal space in public places as there is in the West. Europeans tend to fall in behind one another in the face of oncoming pavement traffic. Not so Singaporeans, although they are profusely apologetic if ever shoulder contact is inadvertently made. There is possibly another good reason for this behaviour as we Ang Mo tend to occupy more space than our Asian counterparts in the first place, especially if one has lived here a few months and put on extra girth thanks to all of the great cuisine! This leads me to surmise on final equation of which the "Great Thinker" would have been proud: 1AM X 2G=3S+TP (one Ang Mo with twice the girth equals three Singaporeans occupying an entire footpath)

Like A Goth To A Flame Saturday, 30 June 2007 Today I met Singapore's only Goth. At least I believe this species to be in the singular but I may be mistaken. His callow expression as he descended the concrete steps into Centrepoint's basement level was offset by a delicate touch of mascara smudged around each eye. He displayed enough steel body piercings to make him a danger in the proximity of any sizeable magnetic field. Slouching past me, he was quite oblivious to the contralto pleading of the young lady opposite as she attempted to sell Bread Talk's latest yeast creation. Bread Talk is an interesting phenomenon that has spawned many copycat franchises. Each tries to outdo the other with increasingly bizarre concoctions for fillings. Not content with a mere sausage in a roll, the bakeries now produce buns with encapsulated local delicacies. Most famous are the chicken or pork floss varieties. The same company has also successfully franchised kaya toast. Kaya is a very rich spread which contains (amongst other ingredients) duck egg, coconut milk and pandan leaf flavouring. Its green colour should not signal 'Go' but rather 'Stop' and think of the calories. Today Orchard Road was very crowded as it was the last day to buy big ticket items before the additional 2% rise in GST, which comes into force tomorrow. No doubt my friendly neighbourhood Goth was stocking up on his stainless steel finery before the price rise. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

You Sweet Thing Thursday, 12 July 2007 Signage on Singapore public transport and in public places is nothing new. This is a country where rules count and long may it remain so. It is my observation that some of these laws are more relaxed than they once used to be. Littering is one such example. When I first visited Singapore in the early '80's the thoughtless discarding of a chocolate wrapper or cigarette butt on the pavement brought a swift response, usually in the shape of an instant fine. As I walk to and from my bus stop each morning, near one of the city's MRT stations, it is not uncommon to step through or around discarded rubbish and old newspaper on the loose. This is a great shame and I hope the authorities will crack down on littering as they once did. I suspect that the culprits are either new immigrants or a younger generation brought up with different standards in such matters. There was some new signage on my bus this morning. Alongside the usual pictograms which spell out "No Smoking", "No Eating" and "No Durians" (which by the way I believe to be grammatically incorrect ‐ the plural of 'durian' is 'durian') there was another that said quite emphatically "No Sugar". No Sugar?! What do they think we are going to do on the bus ‐ set up a coffee outlet? I can only surmise that there has been a recent spate of burst sugar packets carried on board the bus, by Aunties pushing their wire frame shopping trolleys. Or maybe we are sweet enough the way we are.

Taking The Pisang Thursday, 12 July 2007 There are plantains aplenty in these tropical climes. It's not a question of 'going bananas' but rather deciding which of the many types one wishes to purchase. My favourite are the Pisang Manis variety ‐ a smaller variety with a compact texture and intense sweetness. They do not appear in any abundance in the local markets which seems to suggest there are few commercial plantations, unlike some other varieties such as Pisang Raja. All of which leads me rather nicely one of my favourite deserts, goreng pisang, which is a calorie‐laden fried banana and a local delicacy. The Malays have a penchant to create kerepek (chips) out of a variety of edible items and kerepek pisang is another use for the humble banana. 'Banana Republic' is a more derogatory term usually reserved unstable regimes in various parts of the Pacific and Africa. To this group I would add the entity known as UNSW Asia. Fortunately I only have another week in the employ of this now defunct university and I shall be pleased to terminate any association with the Sydney‐based UNSW. I count myself doubly blessed to have secured a more senior role at Singapore's most prestigious university ‐ the National University of Singapore, or NUS for short ‐ and to be able to remain in Singapore for a few more years at least, all going well. Many of my former UNSW Asia colleagues have not been so lucky and local Singaporeans caught up in this mess have probably suffered most. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

Join The Queue Sunday, 22 July 2007 If you want to find the best food in a food court, look for the longest queue. Singaporeans are very discerning when it comes to such matters and joining the back of a long queue is seldom a wrong move. Mind you, there are some aberrations ‐ the extraordinary lemming‐like activity at the Doughnut Factory in Raffles City being one. Apparently the owner had originally wanted to buy the franchise of a well known brand, couldn't afford to, and so developed his own. The secret to his success is innovation. Local flavours such as Durian, Chocolate and Durian or (presumably for the most jaded taste buds) Durian, Milo and Mango. Our queue experience today was at the Redhill Food Centre which is adjacent to the market. We were running late so didn't reach the Bak Kee Teochew Satay Bee Hoon stall until about 2 pm. Satay Bee Hoon is a yummy dish and the father and sons who run this stall are Bee Hoon artistes. Unbeknown to us another blogger had nominated this food outlet as the best for this local delicacy. I would happily second his opinion. Satay Bee Hoon is a concoction of satay sauce poured over sliced cuttle fish, liver, chicken etc. on a bed of rice vermicelli. 'Bee Hoon' is the name for rice vermicelli. I mention liver as it is something that seems to have disappeared off most western dinner plates in recent times. When I was a child my English‐born mother would often make use of sweetbreads, stuffed sheep's hearts, tripe and liver ‐ not forgetting kidneys on toast for breakfast. And quite delicious they were to. Perhaps contemporary western cuisine panders too much to the squeamish? The Chinese have no such qualms and their food offerings are the better for it. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

It could be also that having been born into a country where the sheep population was five times the human one; I was endeavouring to redress the balance but eating every part of the sheep possible!

Evening Storm Roger Smith COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

The Swinging Sixities Monday, 23 July 2007 A good friend of mine, a former museum marketer, lives in Liverpool. Although retired she still keeps her hand in by taking on projects, one of which is The Beatles Story. I am reminded just what an influence the group had on my adolescence and subsequently on my broader interest in music. Like many youngsters I was brought up on the knuckle‐ rapping schedule of convent piano lessons (even though I was not of the Catholic faith). The Nuns were strict, some more so than others. There were competitions to demonstrate one's skill and each year, examinations to prepare for. If I recall correctly I rose to the lofty heights of Grade 5, theory and practical, but I was never going to be a concert pianist. The value of a musical education is that it grounds one in musical theory and provides an ability to read music. Come the Sixties and the advent of bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Merseybeats, Searchers ...the list is endless, my musical tastes broadened considerably. The teens are naturally rebellious years and the music of the time matched those inclinations. When I got to boarding school I teamed up with a fellow boarder whose father owned a wood working business and therefore had some affinity with the manual arts. I by comparison, clearly did not. My previous attempts at producing kidney shaped coffee tables in the high school woodworking class drove my tutor to distraction. One of the three legs was always shorter than the rest and discretely cutting it down to size seemed to extenuate the problem. Motivation is a great thing and having heard the Merseybeat for the first time I determined that I wanted to build and play bass guitar.

The body of said instrument was cut out on the maintenance man's bands aw. The guitar neck was a piece of straight grained oregon hewn from an old rugby goal post. Most guitar necks have steel reinforcing rod down their centre. Mine did not. This was to cause problems later as the neck had a habit of bending alarmingly once the four guitar strings were tightened (a good friend of mine from those days, Max Hayton, is pictured above posing with the instrument in question). Quite by chance I discovered I was a good drummer. Using knives at the school dinner table enabled me to learn the rhythmic rudiments and the school music master Trevor Nalder noted that I had some talent in that direction. I was invited to audition for the role of drummer in the newly formed school dance band ‐ the rest is history as they say. The photograph of my first group clearly demonstrates the influence of The Beatles, right down to the haircut. One could buy a plastic Beatle wig if truly desperate but fortunately I blessed with hair that naturally resembled Ringo's and I had the nose to suit. Last year I finally got to hear one the Sixties groups I had idolised, The Searchers, perform live. The music was just as good as it ever was; a toe‐tapping beat and simple lyrics that epitomised that carefree decade. ..... and was it really 40 years ago today that we first listened to Sgt Pepper? COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

Flying South For Winter Thursday, 26 July 2007 In two days time we are heading south to Perth. I am currently a 'gentleman of leisure' as I take a couple of weeks off before starting my new job at the National University of Singapore, mid‐ August. Heading back into a winter climate was not our first choice. After all, one of the reasons for coming to Singapore was to escape the winter chills. Our selection options were a bit limited at this time of year and somewhat like Goldilocks's predilection for porridge: Taipei was too hot at this time of year, a cruise out of Shanghai too expensive and Perth was just about right for our budget. It's a short five hour flight and within the same time zone so the travel should not be too onerous. I have never lost the joy of flying and being a people‐watcher at heart, don't even mind the bustle of airports. Changi remains one of the best airports in the world so we are spoilt. Another plus about owning a condominium is that you can simply close your door and leave ‐ no one knows if you are in or not. Not like house ownership in New Zealand where you worry about the garden, cancelling the newspaper, informing the neighbours...the list goes on. I trust we will not be too jaded by our travels south as we intend spending the day after our arrival on the Margaret River wine trail. I've not been to Perth before so am looking forward to exploring the city and environs.

See Perth And Die Saturday, 4 August 2007 There is a much hackneyed phrase that refers to seeing a place before one dies. Unfortunately in the case of Perth it had died before I got there. I have just returned from what can be termed a bleak experience in all senses of the word. Heading to Western Australia in winter was probably not a good idea in the first place. But the holiday package was reasonable and so we went. My wife had visited Perth thirty years ago and dryly recorded that little had changed in the intervening time. Not that it didn't start promisingly enough. We made the main supermarket in the city our first port of call on the evening of our arrival. It was packed with people, all jostling their way to the check out. We soon found out why ‐ the supermarket in question closed at 5:30 in the evening. Having been spoilt with Singaporean shopping times and options it was quite flashback in terms of customer focus. The weather throughout our stay was drizzly and cold which did not improve my mood. On the second day of our holiday we joined Out and About Tours for a tour of the Swan Valley wine trail. This was enjoyable and a few good vintages were sampled. With the new anti‐terrorist regulations in place it is no longer possible to carry wine into aircraft cabins as we once did. This meant that we bought just two bottles and took the risk of breakage by packing them into our suitcases. The Burswood casino had just three varieties of pokie machines, in several graphic manifestations. According to one of our fellow wine trail participants it should be bulldozed and a new one built. Having visited the resort I can but agree and maybe Mr Packer Junior will do just that when he completes his Macau fantasy. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

I have made my first and last visit to Perth and can state that I much prefer the eastern seaboard of Australia, especially the tropical climes. A brief shopping trip in Johor Bahru, Malaysia this weekend seems the perfect antidote to what we have just experienced this past week. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

Patriotic Fervour Thursday, 9 August 2007 Today is Singapore's National Day ‐ August 9th ‐ and the Republic is forty two years old. The event known as the National Day Parade, or NDP for short, has been signaled well in advance, with media coverage of the 'world's largest floating stage' be plugged at every opportunity. Every possible angle has been covered by such pre‐ announcements. There have been close ups of local citizens enraptured by the knowledge that they have won free tickets and a 'goodie bag' of snacks and bottle water. A live web cast of the event will cater for those who are no longer domiciled in Singapore. Nostalgic footage of past parades at the old national stadium has also featured. Nostalgia though should not be misinterpreted as maudlin sentiment and the stadium in question is soon to be demolished. This is the Singaporean way ‐ growth and redevelopment are essential drivers of the economy. Far more interesting has been some of the documentary footage showing the role of the former Presidents in the fostering of arts and heritage activities. I recall when I first visited Singapore in the early '80's, the arts did not figure prominently on the radar of most Singaporeans. This is no longer the case. With active encouragement from the government the Republic is now blessed with world‐class cultural facilities. The populace is celebrating the day as a public holiday. In many cases this does not include the canny merchants who remain open in the hope of catching sales from the extra foot traffic through the malls. As I have been holidaying these past two weeks before starting my employment this coming Monday, this day is much like any other. I have however been noting the large number of national flags that festoon the HDB estates. Even our condominium is appropriately clad in similar livery. The level of patriotism is actively encouraged and promoted by the government. It is something that rarely surfaces now in my previous home of New Zealand, with the exception of a win by COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

the All Blacks. The nearest would have been in 1953 when the Queen visited 'the colony' and each school child was given a flag to wave and a medallion to mark the event. Small flags are still distributed to pre‐school children here in Singapore and their delight at receiving the bunting is quite endearing. Also in the media this week is a report on a group of disgruntled passengers who were meant to board the Pacific Star cruise ship for a Pacific adventure, only to find that the ships certificate had apparently expired! P&O has a reputation for such fiascos with its Antipodean operations. Another former vessel, the Pacific Sky was forever breaking down at the most inopportune times. We travelled on the Pacific Sun through Melanesia a couple of years ago and the experience was 'basic' to say the least. There have subsequently been reports of deaths and drugs aboard this ship. Compared to the Star Cruises that sail from Singapore, the P&O operation simply doesn't rate. Other cruise lines are now also beginning to make Singapore their Sth East Asian base which is good news for those of us who like cruising. In Singapore you feel that you are part of a dynamic entity surging forward. I am reminded of the Singaporean Prime Minister's National Day speech last evening when he concluded by saying "The global backdrop is favourable. The winds and tides are with us. Our spirit is high, and our ship is ready" P&O could clearly learn a lesson from this. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

Not Travelling In The Lap Of ‘Luxury’ Saturday, 11 August 2007 We made an early start this morning to ensure that we were on time to catch the bus to Johor Bahru for the Shopping and Makan (food!) one day tour. Having booked last week with Luxury Tours who are based at the Meridien Shopping Centre in Orchard Road we were looking forward to having a day out. Be at the bus stop behind the hotel at 10am they said and we duly were. Unfortunately the bus was not. A rather reticent and perspiring man was seen pacing to our left and we mistakenly took him to be a fellow passenger. It turned out he was a Luxury Tour company director and he ushered us back into the hotel office. It was at this time that he enlightened us to the fact that they had cancelled the tour and yes..... it was their fault for not having rung us to tell us well in advance. I am not a violent man ‐ in most circumstances I can take things in my stride but on this occasion the complete lack of thought (in not advising us the night before) made my blood boil! Two hours in the morning heat of Singapore while waiting for the 'omnibus mirage' no doubt also contributed to my mood. Having reclaimed our money I made a vow never to avail myself of the services of Luxury Tours & Travel Pte Ltd. Not even the offer of a free trip could tempt me. My advice to readers in Singapore is to stay well clear of Le Meridien's (now the Concorde Hotel) Luxury Tours & Travel (100 Orchard Road #02‐44/45). We will make any future bookings to Malaysia with someone else.

Prickly Delights Saturday, 11 August 2007 It's the 'prickly season' in more than one sense of the term. Prickly because the weather is hot and for that we have Prickly Heat powder. Prickly also because it is durian season ‐ a fruit resembling the head of a medieval mace. Given the weight of each fruit and the hard spiky exterior I would not want to be walking under a tree when one fell. About a 150 people a year are killed by falling coconuts but reports of fatalities from durians are rare. Some suggest this is because the fruit mainly fall at night? There are however accidents such as the 5kg durian falling on a granny's head. Much is made about the stench of the durian. Public transport in Singapore will not allow its carriage but the odd 'whiff' is still discernible on the buses. Personally the smell has never worried me. Having travelled in Asia over the years I find that the smell of the durian bears little resemblance to the open sewers that many Westerners claim. The fruit of the durian is delicious, with a capital "D" but is also very rich in taste and I find I can only eat two pieces at any one time ‐ and never with wine! The taste resembles as smooth Irish Cream liqueur without the alcohol. We bought our fruit for just $S1 on Friday. These were Thai durian, available at Redhill Market and of reasonably quality ‐ the best usually come from Malaysia and Penang in particular. It was in Penang that I first tasted durian many years ago. Tomorrow I start work at NUS and am looking forward to my new challenge. This afternoon will therefore be spent in rounding up all of the items I need to take on my first day. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

The Wet Fish Slap Friday, 17 August 2007 It's the end of week one of my new job so why do I feel why do I feel like I have been slapped between the eyes with a wet fish?! A new transport system to negotiate coupled with the need to adjust to a new work environment is always tiring. My routine sees me leaving the house just after 7am and taking the MRT (two stops) to Buena Vista. This leg of the journey is air‐conditioned comfort and takes 15 minutes at most. Then it's a brisk stroll across the overhead bridge to catch the 95 bus. It is here where the quality of the journey deteriorates markedly. The aforementioned '95' is invariably a clapped out vehicle with shabby livery and a malfunctioning air‐conditioning system. Cleanliness may be next to godliness but it is certainly not next to my clothing. Maybe the powers that be have figured that a large proportion of those onboard are university students on reduced fares, so they provide a reduced service to match? Either way, there is a definite need to get on board before the "breakfast crowd" arrives. This description identifies staff and students who breakfast at the university canteens before lectures or work. If I am running late and caught up in this group, it is standing room only on the 95. Usually it takes me half an hour from our condominium to our office door. I discount the additional quarter of an hour, post arrival, to freshen up after the sapping humidity that literally dampens the day. The NUS food outlets are very good and the pricing reasonable. As befits its stature as the pre eminent Singaporean university, NUS is well endowed with facilities. In April of next year our Alumni staff will be moving in to the new Shaw Alumni House. This complex has some exciting architectural features and should be a pleasure to work in. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

I have been made to feel most welcome by my colleagues and they also signed a greeting card and presented it to me. Today we all shared a Malay lunch brought in from outside caterers. I don't think that I shall be losing much weight here either. With several major projects ahead of us I suspect that time will pass quickly. There are others who are feeling the "wet fish slap" and I refer to investors with major share portfolios. At time of writing, the share market is similar to a rollercoaster and large sums have been lost in the process. Investing in shares is a popular Singaporean past time which no doubt explains why there are some fairly glum faces visible on the streets ‐ and not a wet fish in site!

Set Pieces And Set Lunches Monday, 20 August 2007 Two days ago we had the Prime Minister's National Day Rally message broadcast on all local channels. The video has been archived on the Web. The first thing that impressed me was Lee Hsien Loong's linguistic abilities and stamina ‐ he delivered the entire address in Malay before switching to the English presentation. When I asked a Singaporean colleague the next day what she thought of the speech she said that the PM has "broken the record". I was somewhat taken aback as I was not sure what she was referring to. "Well", she said "When the Old Man (meaning the Minister Mentor and father of modern Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew) was the PM he was known for lengthy presentations. His son's effort was even longer". Then she went on to add, "We liked Goh Chok Tong (PM from 1990 until the current incumbent took over) as his National speeches were short and to the point" This was not the sort of analysis I had expected. From my own perspective I found Lee Hsien Loong's address interesting as he set out the path the country needed to follow over the next decade or two. The information was clear and succinct and punctuated with well chosen multimedia presentations and the odd dash of humour thrown in. Certainly it is a carefully orchestrated 'set piece' for public consumption but I found it a profound contrast from the political doggerel we used to be fed in MMP‐ dominated New Zealand. At least with the Singaporean Government, when they say they are going to do something they do it! There is to be a lot of emphasis on addressing the realities of an aging population, including re employment opportunities for those who reach the official retirement age, which is currently 62. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

The HDB estates are to receive heavy investment and in our own area of Queenstown, the Dawson subdivision will become a fully fledged estate with all of the park and community facilities. This includes the ability to house an additional 10,000 people which will be a huge boost to our neighbourhood. No doubt land and property values rise still further. Education was the other piece of the jigsaw that received considerable prominence. A fourth university is to be built to cater for pent up local demand. In my opinion this makes far better sense than continuing to pursue often fraught partnerships with external providers, as typified by the ill fated UNSW Asia project. As I work in the tertiary sector this news has been well received. Colleagues bent on career progression no doubt foresee opportunities arising as a result. Today is the second day of my second week at NUS. You will note from the above that 'food' has not been mentioned once ‐ it is about to be now. Across the road from our offices is the student canteen and a good lunch of rice with two vegetables and a two meat option costs less than $3. Adjacent to this canteen is a Japanese 'fusion' restaurant and having decided to treat myself, I partook of their Chicken Cutlet Curry set. The "CCC" cost me just over $7 and included miso, a free lemon tea and a dessert. I hasten to add that this is my main meal of the day and we have a very light evening meal. Such dining preferences are a source of wonderment amongst my Singaporean acquaintances who cannot contemplate going without a substantial evening meal. We have however got used to this routine and make up for it with a hearty breakfast the next morning, something that many Singaporeans go without.

Power Napping Par Excellence Friday, 24 August 2007 The opossum is a canny creature and coming from New Zealand I know that there are millions of the critters destroying the indigenous forest. When accosted, our furry friend feigns slumber and adopts a deathly pose. In so doing it often escapes a confrontation and when danger passes, goes about its business in a self contented manner. I have observed that Singaporeans on the public transport have also developed this capability. No sooner have they found a plastic MRT seat than they descend into a trance‐like state. Any effort at engaging in a morning conversation with one of them is utterly futile. No matter that a canned voice intones "Please mind the platform gap" and "Please report any suspicious parcels under your seat". All such entreaties fall on deaf ears. The ears in question are strategically blocked by an array of iPOD cables. I have also noted that often if a young person is seated and an elderly person is about to board the public transport, the seated party's descent into sleep is all the more rapid ‐ no doubt to avoid having to give up their seat to someone more deserving. From conversations with Singaporean friends and colleagues it would appear that many of them travel long distances to and from work so frequently arrive back home late in the evening. After their evening meal they do not get to bed until 11 pm or later. With an early start the next morning, sleep deprivation is clearly a factor influences their transport behaviour patterns. So in the main, my morning ride into work on the MRT and bus are accompanied by a deathly hush ‐ 'vigour mortis' if you will excuse the pun. I've grown to enjoy this period of quiet contemplation where the observation of one's fellow passengers can surreptitiously take place through lowered lashes. After all they do say that power napping is good for you.

Beggars Can Be Choosers Saturday, 25 August 2007 There are two things that have stuck in my mind about today and both relate to the disadvantaged. We have just returned from Redhill, an estate not far away from our own. There is an old Indian man who can be found most days, strategically positioned at the corner of the building and adjacent to the Redhill MRT station exit. In this location he can hustle pedestrians as they make their way to the road crossing. He is begging. As people approach his hand will extend, palm upwards, seeking money. This is common place in cities such as Calcutta but was never publicly on view in Singapore when the current Minister Mentor was PM. Perhaps even more disturbing was a second old man in his late seventies, doing his rounds of the recently vacated tables in the Redhill Food Centre. When he thought no one was looking he would cast a furtive look around, sit down and finish the dregs of a soupy noodle bowl or munch on a cast aside chicken bone. He must have spent a good hour going up and down the tables in this fashion. Whether he was suffering from dementia or genuinely hungry I do not know. The old man's actions made me feel profoundly sad. In the first case, the law against begging should be strictly enforced. There is no need for it in modern Singapore as there are safety nets ranging from community charity to government assistance for the most needy. You cannot walk down a main thoroughfare without being propositioned by tissue sellers and that too is an activity akin to begging. No one needs to beg. The government is aware of the dire financial straits of some of the elderly and recent budgets have identified funding to support his group. What appears to be missing is sufficient policing of these regulations. I cannot help but wonder what the begging on the street situation will be when the two casinos come into action in 2010. There will need to be a crack down on this activity well before then and I am sure the authorities will do so. COPYRIGHT ROGER SMITH 2009

In the second case, I would hope that some of the Redhill hawkers will quietly refer the old man's plight to community workers. It's been a sobering afternoon all round.

Toilet Sign & Squat Seating