Hi everyone. A quick note to say that I'm now Singaporecanary, having left Vietnam and started a new job in Singapore. I haven't posted much lately due to being busy changing job/home but also because I can't get to watch City very often now we're out the Prem. Interesting times now, though. Let's hope this guy from Hamilton can turn our season round.
You lucky fecker! I love Singapore, and long for the day when Thailand is even 10% as clean as that fantastic island.
It's all gonna get very foncusing if Posters keep changing their usernames P.S. Welcome back to the forum SC , what do you think of the new format ?
I've moved from longsight to whalley range- but couldn't face changing name to wally canary- reminded me too much of wally webb and I'd have to effect a constantly surprised look on my face.
Make sure you cross the road at proper crossings and don't J walk - Good luck with the new job and enjoy Singapore. I spent about 10 days in Singapore a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Two and a half years for me in the 60's at RAF Seletar on the north coast. Fantastic time in a fantastic place. But I hope you are on a good wedge SC, very expensive there now. Good luck to you, you seem to be working your way round me.
Thanks for your warm comments everyone. KIO - not keen on the new format personally. But I'm basically an old fart who always has trouble with changes in format. SN23 - the 'no chewing gum' rule i can cope with very easily; the other rule, however ... golden eadie - i'm working my way around you? where are you then? thai - yes, it is clean, almost abnormally so in places. it's quite a shock after vietnam to be able to walk and not be checking from which direction the motorbike is going to hit me. They have pavements here, you know! And people don't use them as parking space for their motorbikes or to have their lunch. Culture shock.
Just like NOT being in SE Asia! I lived in Singapore in the late 60's when it was like the rest of the region. Lee Kuan Yew began to introduce all the changes shortly after we left in 1971 and the transformation is stunning to say the least. Just goes to show what one man can do with true determination
you mean he sterilised the place- I was offered a post at the University and couldn't go thru with the post after spending a few days there- maybe I didn't give it sufficient time
I guess that is one word that could describe what he did, but when you compare it to the other countries in the region, it makes for such a wonderful change. Unless you have seen Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia etc, it is hard to understand just how dirty these place are, just how chaotic and lawless they are, not to mention corrupt. For me, Singapore is a shining beacon in a sea of grimness. I know many criticise it for being 'too clean', and strict in it's laws, but I see it as no bad thing tbh. Lee Kuan Yew was/is a communist but he knew he could not run Singapore under the Communism name, but his ideology is definitely communist, though not the sort you would associate with Russia. More Chinese but a little better if you like. It has worked, and continues to work, but then Singapore is such a small country/island, it has always been far easier to 'manage'
I substantially prefer all of the other places to visit, but couldn't live in any of them. my experience of the ex pat community when I visited coloured my view somewhat- bankers pontificating feck off- but hey ho whatever suits folk
I can understand that. Other than a handful of small business owners here, I do not bother with any ex-pats. Would rather talk with the locals, and most of them can barely string a sentence together
Best wishes singaporecanary! Singapore was my late father's first overseas posting in the RAF in 1964. His last spell was the pull-out in 1971. Indeed, it has changed so much. I recognise everything mentioned previously about this tiny country. I last visited in 2008 in his memory and my wife loved it too.
Longsight & Thai - I can see both of your arguments. I've spent about ten years in Indonesia and Vietnam, so trips to Singapore always brought out both of your reactions. Partly it was such a relief to be somewhere where people followed the rules, and partly it felt sterile and boring compared to the chaos of Indo/Viet. Now I am actually going to live here, who knows? I suspect (hope) it may be a better place to live than to visit.
