The Pool

In honor of my freezing Minnesota friends and family (weather.com reported -27 Fahrenheit when I checked last night/MN early morning), let me mention the pool.

It is simple, not too deep, and the coy statues spit into it.

But, it's fabulous to lie in the sun and read for class, and refresh myself with a dip in the pool when the heat becomes oppressive (generally in the 80s Fahrenheit).

The pink floatie made an appearance to the pool (life is so much better with a floatie!).

More often than not I find myself playing with my classmate, Nirja, and the instructor's three kids than reading.

And it's January!

Little India

Little India is a small part of Singapore with, you guessed it, a higher Indian population.

 It was a relief to get out of the mall district (somewhat of the Capitol from the Hunger Games) and find something less western more eastern.

The buildings were very colonial, there were temples with colorful gods who sometimes were animals or had multiple arms, and there were touristy markets (always fun to walk through, I bought a purse with elephants on it).

We found a market with fresh vegetables, fruits and fish (I avoided that part).

My favorite part was the chai tea.  It is served hot, and is basically black tea with condensed milk and various spices (I never knew this before coming here).  Very good!  And good for you.  (Probably not, I made that up.)

Arab Quarter

My favorite part of town, Kampong Glam, or the Arab quarter.

It is slightly hipster, has a giant mosque (The Sultan Mosque), and many little boutiques to window shop in (if you're into that kind of thing).

 The prices of touristy things are actually a bit cheaper, too.

One Giant Mall

Singapore is not built on the ground, but on malls.

Malls that put the Mall of America to not only shame, but disgrace.

Multiple stories into the sky AND the ground, these malls are absolutely everywhere.

I get off the MRT (the subway system), and find myself in an underground mall.  I take several escalators up, I'm still in a mall.  I finally make it outside, and across the street are two more malls.

 Do these people do anything but shop?

Malaysia Day Trip

City Center, old fort

The professor asked if anyone would be interested in a day trip to nearby Malaysia.

I said I was interested in going, whether the class was going together or not.

He got the hint.

And my roommates bullied the others to come, also, so UST would kick in some money toward this educational experience.

Mill wheel

We went to Melaka and enjoyed walking around the town, which even had a central plaza and the atmosphere reminded me of my Central American travels.

   ...I enjoyed being away from a westernized place like Singapore and chillaxing in a slightly third world kind of way.

A river tour

Malaysian countryside

Family style meal

Botanical Garden

Singapore is tropical, so it is full of spectacular greenery.





The luscious botanical garden is a near jaunt from our hotel, and has a well manicured appearance.





Of course, with the humidity you sweat as soon as you walk outdoors, so this was a warming January experience for us snowbirds.







This garden is the best place for peace in the busy Orchard Road area Singapore.  People are still everywhere, but it works out.





Sometimes I jog here (before the sun is up so I do not perspire too much) and and see people practicing fung shwei (I do not know how to spell that).  I'm debating if it is rude to join them.  

 

 

Zoo

As a class we went to the Singapore zoo!

My favorite were the pandas.

Diversity

Shrine on a street

The course is Diversity in Counseling.

Singapore is diverse.

The population is composed of:
Chinese (majority, Bhuddist)
Malaysians (Muslim)
Indians (Hindu)
Pernaken or Eurasian

All of which may be Christian, too.

Here are some pictures.

Bhuddist temple decor

Happy Bhudda

Christian church

Shoes off in temples and mosques!

Sultan mosque in Arab Quarter

Hanuman at Hindu temple (I think)

Bhuddist temple

Inside Bhudda tooth temple

Bhudda tooth temple

Hindu temple

Traditional Chinese Medicine (Very common in Singapore)

Kali, Hindu goddess of destruction

Mosque in Little India

Pastor Joseph Prince

Speaking of Pastor Prince, I found this church per request of Mom's friend Susan.  It was a mega church (if you didn't guess from the photo).  He does pod casts, but he also has four churches within Singapore (I lucked out and found the one he was speaking at).  It was held at a ginormous event center (The Rock), and I escalatored up stories and stories, packed with the predominantly Chinese crowd, and when I finally saw the doors of the hall the service was being held in I was stopped by a person asking for my ticket.  A ticket.  For church.  Not that you need to pay for it, as the helpful person quickly explained, but you're supposed to register for your seat.  So, I waited in a queue (as they call lines here) and when they figured out who had not come to church that day those of us without tickets received their seats.  I lucked out and was extremely close to the front in a hall that likely held a thousand plus people.  Full.  Pastor Prince was engaging and funny, the service went at least 2.5 hours, and I kind of doubt I'll make it back.

Singapore

Treetops Hotel with mammoth coy spitting in the pool

We started classes January 4th.

We're staying in a ritzy hotel meant for executives and their families, it's more for residential/transitional living, so we have two bedrooms, a shared kitchen and two bathrooms in each apartment.

Unfortunately, this fancy pants hotel does not have free general computers (there is a business room, but a whopping $5 Singapore (80 cents to one U.S. $) for 15 minutes).  When I consider how third world hostels can offer a shared computer for guests, this irks me.  This also prevents me from posting much, so I will be sure to post once I'm home (February 2nd).

Orchard Road with New Years lights

So I will post initial pictures to give you an idea of the city-nation and its architectural wonders and diversity.

Singapore's Marina Bay (the picture on my guidebook)

Orchard Road

The mighty Merlion of Singapore spitting into the bay

Government housing clothes lines

Getting ready for Chinese New Year

Bhudda Tooth temple toward the heart of the picture

Colonial buildings