The Runcible Architect.: Singapore.

Singapore was supposed to be a "rest stop" for me, between research stops, and turns out, there's a lot to see and do in Singapore...

I went in search of some of the older city fabric in Little India and Chinatown, which by now, looked familiar: shophouses! They are all painted bright colors, which seems to be more of a function of their new life as gentrified retail shops. In Little India though, which was a former British quarter, the bright colors are right at home with the Bollywood soundtrack blasting from shop windows, the piles of flower garlands, and the bolts upon bolts of bright, patterned cottons.

We visited a few "bars at the tops of buildings with amazing views," including the gigantic Marina Sands [three towers with a boat shaped connecting piece at the top, with at least 50 restaurants in it] - and took in views of the city and the port, chock full of tankers and cargo ships. We also went to the famous Raffles Hotel, for a "Singapore Sling," invented here in 1915ish. All in all, Singapore is amazingly clean, expensive [$20 for a beer!], and safe, though walking down the famous Orchard Road, I was a bit disappointed. With its Louis Vuitton and Prada on every other corner, I could have been in any big city - that is, until I took notice of the number [and size!] of the street trees, or ducked down a small alley. I only hope that in Singapore's continued fancifying, it doesn't lose the things that make it a crazy crossroads of Asian and European culture.