I have been here for almost 3 months and have not had the famous singapore sling. Even when I have stopped over in the past I did not have one.
So far we have avoided all the tourist attractions.
I was also dissapointed to find that the Night Safari - is just Singapore Zoo at night. Apparently different animals come out though. Dam animals.
So far I have not started to learn Mandarin and have not gone to cooking classes - before I leave Asia I have to do this.
I am very much enjoing the vegatarian meals at Lau Pau Sat during the week. You only pay what you want to pay - they trust you etc... I normally pay $5 for a dosa. Very nice - not as nice as the amazing dosa that you get in the Oberoi in Mumbai - that is the best.
Nothing much else to report - still in trouble shooting mode at work - silly kids! But stuff is getting fixed.
Not much more to add - rained all the weekend. If there is rain there is always lightening here.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
ASEAN - National Day - Economy
The day before Singapore's National Day the PM - I think gave a rather glum vision for the next year to Singapore Inc.
Lets face it the country is a business - a good one - everyone here is a economist to some extent.
The vision was the rather than 5-6% expected growth for the year - we are looking at 5-6% - "we are in for a bumpy ride".
There were several problems talked about. One interesting one was regarding ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Vietnam
The problem is that foreign investment is focusing on opportunities in China and India - and possibly not so much on ASEAN. No doubt the instability in the member countries is not helping. And the "global credit crunch" is also not helping.
Lets take Malaysia - the somewhat self opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is determined to take control of the country. Sodomy allegation not withstanding! Anwar has a lot of charisma - loves the buzz of a big audience - he's a character for sure. So yeh - Malaysia is a mess. Interesting that the si in Malaysia comes from the time when Singapore and Malaysia were going to join.
Indonesia - muslim nation - endless nasty crap and corruption. Constant plots to blow up tourists - reported here - but not in international media. Interesting - also note that the US has lifted travel warnings but Australia hasn't.
Burma - nasty military regime;
Perhaps ASEAN needs a little restructure! Perhaps Hong Kong's reunification with China is also tipping the balance. The breaks are definately on - the finanical miners are moving on.
I didn't realize that Chinese Taipai (as it was referred to) is actually Taiwan. Those two countries are getting cosy - can't imagine Taiwan is going to maintain any sort of independence for too much longer.
Well the Olympic games have started - a brilliant ceremony (should be for $40 mill US).
Thats it for now.........
Lets face it the country is a business - a good one - everyone here is a economist to some extent.
The vision was the rather than 5-6% expected growth for the year - we are looking at 5-6% - "we are in for a bumpy ride".
There were several problems talked about. One interesting one was regarding ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
VietnamThe problem is that foreign investment is focusing on opportunities in China and India - and possibly not so much on ASEAN. No doubt the instability in the member countries is not helping. And the "global credit crunch" is also not helping.
Lets take Malaysia - the somewhat self opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is determined to take control of the country. Sodomy allegation not withstanding! Anwar has a lot of charisma - loves the buzz of a big audience - he's a character for sure. So yeh - Malaysia is a mess. Interesting that the si in Malaysia comes from the time when Singapore and Malaysia were going to join.
Indonesia - muslim nation - endless nasty crap and corruption. Constant plots to blow up tourists - reported here - but not in international media. Interesting - also note that the US has lifted travel warnings but Australia hasn't.
Burma - nasty military regime;
Perhaps ASEAN needs a little restructure! Perhaps Hong Kong's reunification with China is also tipping the balance. The breaks are definately on - the finanical miners are moving on.
I didn't realize that Chinese Taipai (as it was referred to) is actually Taiwan. Those two countries are getting cosy - can't imagine Taiwan is going to maintain any sort of independence for too much longer.
Well the Olympic games have started - a brilliant ceremony (should be for $40 mill US).
Thats it for now.........
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Coming up to national day
Well National Day is next week and team Singapore has being practising incessantly. Each Saturday there is practise fireworks, practise jet fighters going through their paces - and practise marching in town.
What does this say about - Singapore - certainly something about perfection - control etc...
Some of the fireworks last night formed an S for singapore - pretty clever. Did look like a big dollar symbol though which is also apt.
There seems to be a slight crisis of identifity here - as it is such a global melting pot - and local culture borrows heavily from Indonesia, Malayisia and China. Plus the expat pool of bankers - the older ones looking to secure young Singaporian wives. Plus the vision for Singapore is some sort of rich global city - stark contrast to the HDB dwellers living off $20K per year I guess.
I need to do cooking lessons - I have no idea what half the food in the supermarket is - and how it should be cooked.
We do not have a car here - and in some ways it limits exploration of the island. Taxis are so point A to point B - with no restless meandering allowed. Will look at renting car soon for a tiki tour. I have heard it is a bad idea to take a car into Malaysia. Car theft there, which is reportedly common, involves until waiting for the car owner to be out of sight - and then towing it with a pick up truck.
Lots of people go to Bintan - I always worry about expat spots in Indonesia - ripe targets really. There are endless plots - going on there - designed to target the european.
Starting to plan a couple of weeks RnR at the end of this year - picturing a nice island resort.
What does this say about - Singapore - certainly something about perfection - control etc...
Some of the fireworks last night formed an S for singapore - pretty clever. Did look like a big dollar symbol though which is also apt.
There seems to be a slight crisis of identifity here - as it is such a global melting pot - and local culture borrows heavily from Indonesia, Malayisia and China. Plus the expat pool of bankers - the older ones looking to secure young Singaporian wives. Plus the vision for Singapore is some sort of rich global city - stark contrast to the HDB dwellers living off $20K per year I guess.
I need to do cooking lessons - I have no idea what half the food in the supermarket is - and how it should be cooked.
We do not have a car here - and in some ways it limits exploration of the island. Taxis are so point A to point B - with no restless meandering allowed. Will look at renting car soon for a tiki tour. I have heard it is a bad idea to take a car into Malaysia. Car theft there, which is reportedly common, involves until waiting for the car owner to be out of sight - and then towing it with a pick up truck.
Lots of people go to Bintan - I always worry about expat spots in Indonesia - ripe targets really. There are endless plots - going on there - designed to target the european.
Starting to plan a couple of weeks RnR at the end of this year - picturing a nice island resort.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
So far so good
We have been here a month after living in Brisbane for almost 2 years. There are challenges i.e. the heat - changes in diet - cramped living space - expense of children's education etc.... But generally things have run smoothly.
We are moving into our new condo at Sanctuary Green which should be fun.
Be careful of the agents - we got a bad one - who agreed everything - then at the last minute gave the condo to someone else without bothering to ring. Fortunately I rang him!
We seem to spend lots of time at the malls - like Parkway Parade - very busy. It also has the best and cheapest super market on the top floor - an amazing array of food and fresh fish.
Its competitor is "Cold Storage" - a very unispired name - and hideously expensive. Very drab food indeed.
The other favorite is Kallang mall - its new and not too many people. It has an ice skating rink and indoor bowls. Plus a Subway down stairs.
The best meal so far has been at long beach - at the east coast seafood center. We sat outside - and ordered way too much. When you order fish - you get a whole fish on a platter - not a few pan fried fillets. We ordered two fish among lots of other things.
The boys (five year old twins) have had to go to a local "private school" until we have saved up for Eaton (international) and paid for the birth of yet another child!
We went to Sentosa the other day - it is a huge construction site - with overpriced attractions - which are ridicously over marketed - every attraction no matter how trivial will necessiate the taking of photos. The beaches were pretty crowded - and there was plenty of rubbish floating in the luke warm sea. Most of the rubbish no doubt coming form the hundreds of ships out to sea. The best ride was the simple gondala down to the beach. Though it was interesting to take the tower ride - only 400 meters above sea level - and the highest point in singapore. From the tower you can see the shores of Indonesia - which looked magical - you can also see islands that have had their entire land massed turned into refineries.
I'm working at Ogilvy on Robinson Road - in a beautiful old heritage building.
Being fro New Zealand - I've had to stop my self from laughing at some of the (to european ears) funny Chinese names.
Work is next to the Lau Pa Sat - a big hawker food market, fantastic variety of food and packed at lunch time.
Thats life for now.
We are moving into our new condo at Sanctuary Green which should be fun.
Be careful of the agents - we got a bad one - who agreed everything - then at the last minute gave the condo to someone else without bothering to ring. Fortunately I rang him!
We seem to spend lots of time at the malls - like Parkway Parade - very busy. It also has the best and cheapest super market on the top floor - an amazing array of food and fresh fish.
Its competitor is "Cold Storage" - a very unispired name - and hideously expensive. Very drab food indeed.
The other favorite is Kallang mall - its new and not too many people. It has an ice skating rink and indoor bowls. Plus a Subway down stairs.
The best meal so far has been at long beach - at the east coast seafood center. We sat outside - and ordered way too much. When you order fish - you get a whole fish on a platter - not a few pan fried fillets. We ordered two fish among lots of other things.
The boys (five year old twins) have had to go to a local "private school" until we have saved up for Eaton (international) and paid for the birth of yet another child!
We went to Sentosa the other day - it is a huge construction site - with overpriced attractions - which are ridicously over marketed - every attraction no matter how trivial will necessiate the taking of photos. The beaches were pretty crowded - and there was plenty of rubbish floating in the luke warm sea. Most of the rubbish no doubt coming form the hundreds of ships out to sea. The best ride was the simple gondala down to the beach. Though it was interesting to take the tower ride - only 400 meters above sea level - and the highest point in singapore. From the tower you can see the shores of Indonesia - which looked magical - you can also see islands that have had their entire land massed turned into refineries.
I'm working at Ogilvy on Robinson Road - in a beautiful old heritage building.
Being fro New Zealand - I've had to stop my self from laughing at some of the (to european ears) funny Chinese names.
Work is next to the Lau Pa Sat - a big hawker food market, fantastic variety of food and packed at lunch time.
Thats life for now.
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