Lion City

We spent a hot and humid day trekking through Singapore by foot. Singapore, its name derived from the Malay word "singha"= "lion", is one of the few true city-states in the world-a very small but rich country at the southern tip of Southeast Asia, only 85 miles North of the Equator. The whole place is only about 270 square miles in size, but it contains 4.8 million citizens whose average per-capita GDP is the fifth highest in the world. You can tell...most areas of the city consist of brand spanking new skyscrapers and expensive looking infrastructure. But then in the middle of it all you also find the authentic manifestations of the Chinese culture that has shaped a lot of the way of life here.

The people you meet are a blend of pretty Asians from all corners of the continent (Thai, Chinese, Indonesian...) who seem to float through the streets with smiles on their faces completely unphased by the buzz produced by all the European ex-pat bankers present.  The local financial industry is thriving as a result of Singapore's proximity to countries like China and Indonesia that have invested a lot of money here. But just like in Florida, the effects of the global real estate drama are being felt here as well, with prices dropping and financial institutions being rescued. 

I talked my dad into taking a flight on the world's tallest ferris wheel today, the Singapore Flyer, and we had a great time enjoying the views from way up there. Some of the pictures included herein are from that ride. Then lunch at a German restaurant called "Brotzeit" that served authentic German food and beer but was launched as a trendy urban joint filled with young hip Asians who all drank big beers and ate fatty sausage with kraut. Didn't expect that.

Tomorrow is our first day of driving. 250 miles North into Malaysia to the town of Malacca. The main event of the day will be the border crossing into Malaysia which requires a serious amount of paperwork and preparation. 

Take care y'all!