Looking at the flight map on the plane, not recognizing a single city name, we weren't sure where we had decided to move! Ahhh yes...in the middle of these big countries - Malaysia and Indonesia - lies a tiny speck of a country - Singapore!
18 hours was not so bad. Really. We thought it would be worse. And there was not constant chatter as you might expect! There wasn't a lot of sleep either (well there might have been but one of us kept waking the other up every hour - YOU DONT GET DVT just from an hour of sleep!). 12 hour time difference from NY - didn't have to change our watches!
Some of our expectations so far have proven true, and some false. Here's a quick summary of what we found in our first week:
1. Singapore is a sterile city - unnaturally clean. FALSE. It is clean, compared to New York City, but it's a city that real people live in. No gum on the sidewalks though!
2. The minute you step out of air-conditioning you sweat. IT DEPENDS. If you stay in the shade it isn't bad, the minute you hit the sun you start to sizzle!
3. Nobody in Singapore jay-walks. FALSE. People do it, but most wait for the lights to change!
4. Durian tastes and smells like hot garbage. TRUE (at least from the little we have tasted). Mo ate FIVE spoonfuls of durian pudding. At first, it tastes ok. Then you swallow and all hell breaks loose in your mouth.
5. Lobster dumplings are not amuse bouche - they need to be cooked. TRUE. We accidentally ate them raw - who knew they were supposed to be cooked in the hot pot! The waiter brought them before our cooking broth arrived. Don't ever eat them raw - totally disgusting!
6. The pepper and chili crabs are something you have to eat. TRUE. They are every bit as good as we had expected!
7. The MRT (subway) is clean and air conditioned. TRUE. Boy are we New Yorkers suckers-riding on such dirty subways in disgusting tunnels like rats! The subways here, dare we say it, are beautiful! (Okay beautiful may be a stretch, but they are a nice way to get around).
8. Apartments are really cheap in Singapore. FALSE!!!! Rents have been rising tremendously in the last six months and in fact in the last 6 weeks. Still a deal compared to NY though!
Favorite Invention of the Week: There are two: The Cup Bra
(Just slightly ahead of the ab machine that bucks you like a bronco!) Why dont we have pictures of that one?
And the line waterskiing! No boat required. That guy's being pulled around by a cable.
So far, Singapore seems to be a very easy city in which to live. Anything you could possibly want - including Kenny Rogers Roasters and Long John Silvers (who the hell wants Kenny Rogers Roasters or Long John Silvers?)- is here. There is a Starbucks on every other block and a 7-Eleven on every street. There are dumplings, fish head curries, and dragon fruit galore. Everything revolves around eating - we will fit in well! Singaporeans don't like to cook, and since eating out is so cheap, they eat three meals a day outside of their homes. You can easily eat a tasty and hearty meal for S$4 which is about $2.50 U.S. And you can find virtually everything. Singaporean food is mostly influenced by Chinese, Indian, Malay, and Indonesian culinary delights and not-so-delights (there are a lot of brightly colored gelatinous things). Somehow it doesn't bother her when they are called Jelly Beans.
ON THE APARTMENT FRONT: After seeing more than 30 apartments, we finally settled on one. It is a very sunny 3-bedroom located on the East Coast. Plenty of room for visitors! (hint hint) It has an enormous pool, 2 tennis courts, a squash court, a convenient store, a dry cleaner and a medical clinic! not in walking distance to anything, but cabs are almost as cheap as the subway and buses run frequently. It is a 5 minute taxi ride to Mo's office. Most importantly we will have a brand new washer and dryer in the apartment! A dream come true! We move in on Friday or Saturday. Our shipment from NY won't arrive until mid-September. (hint hint - dont turn up too soon, unless you bring your own air mattress).
Here's Mo's office. (yup its as old as it looks, but sure beats the warehouse we worked in in Jersey City)We have had a busy social schedule meeting all of the incredibly generous and nice people friends put us in touch with.
Oh, and we saw the Simpson's movie. Doh!
Week 2 highlights coming soon.... (don't hold your breath)
Love, L & M
