One of my New Year’s resolutions – besides improving my tennis swing – was to find something meaningful to sink my teeth into in Singapore. An acquaintance introduced me to Friends of the Museums (FOM). This volunteer non-profit society provides guiding and financial support to nine museums and cultural institutions, and training to guides to lead walks in heritage neighbourhoods. So I applied to the first course offered, a seven-week training programme to become a walk docent for the Kampong Gelam heritage walks. Together with fourteen other women from Singapore and beyond, I have been steeped in Singapore history and specifically, the Malay-Arab Muslim district of Kampong Gelam. Kampong Gelam (“kahm-pahng guh-lahm”) is Malay for “Village of the Gelam.” It is likely named for the […]

I have spent a fair amount of time lately in Geylang. Local friends may wonder what on earth I’ve been up to, as Geylang has long been synonymous with the Red Light District. To these raised eyebrows, I shrug. There are other things to do in Geylang, like eat — a lot, worship at one the many Buddhist/Taoist/Confucian temples, admire the historic shophouse architecture, or, as in our escapades last weekend, try one’s hand at martial arts. To be clear, Geylang (“gay-lung”) is indeed home to a number of police-regulated and monitored brothels in Singapore. I was as intrigued as anyone when a CNN report came out last November featuring a tour of this neighborhood where “sins and salvation collide.” Geylang has the highest concentration […]

February 26th marked the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year and end of the Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations. Now, I am the first to admit that my knowledge of this important holiday has been woefully limited to, “Um, I think it’s the year of the (fill-in-the-blank).” Fortunately, our friend Patrick, aka the Patron Saint of Educating Clumsy Americans, came to the rescue. Chinese New Year has been a time to honor both traditional deities as well as familial ancestors, with an emphasis on family togetherness. It is a time to usher in prosperity and good fortune in the coming year, something we could use a triple dose of this year. In typical years, Chinese families would jet off to visit relatives and enjoy […]

I counted 204 ships from my 62nd floor perch yesterday. Gazing at ships is how I spend a fair amount of time during these days of quarantine. Sometimes I grab my binoculars to identify the different types. Bulk carriers are merchant ships that transport unpacked bulk cargo, such as grain, ore, and cement. Tankers carry liquid cargo, such as oil. Container ships carry 20′ and 40′ containers that can be transferred to trucks and trains. I also watch the comings and goings of the Dream Cruise that takes passengers for two or three nights of “let’s forget there’s a pandemic” bliss around the island. According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, every two to three minutes a ship arrives or leaves Singapore. More […]

After a really good trip to visit our kids in the US, I’m back in Singapore serving my second round of mandatory quarantine (known here as SHN, or “stay at home notice”) at the Swissotel the Stamford. Tom is at the Shangri-La Singapore, as he returned a week earlier. At first I was assigned another hotel, but after appealing with documentation about my claustrophobia, I was able to transfer to a room with a balcony. If a claustrophobic is going to be confined to a room for 14 days, having access to fresh air really helps. A bonus to my new “velvet prison” room is a stunning view of the Marina Bay harbor and downtown cityscape. International travel in the time of COVID is anything […]

Nearly two years ago, an ambitious “30 by 30” goal was announced that Singapore produce 30% of its nutritional needs locally by the year 2030. Today the country imports 90% of its food. Countering food insecurity with such a lofty goal aligns with the kind of strategic and thoughtful planning that Singapore’s founding father and first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, implemented when the Republic of Singapore became independent in 1965. This is one of the factoids I learned on a recent bus tour of northwestern Singapore and has inspired me to learn more about what makes Singapore tick. Disclaimer: I do not purport this to be a thorough analysis; I’m just someone blogging about what she’s learning during a privileged stint living in Singapore. […]

The other day I was zooming with my friends Beth, Heidi and Donna. The four of us spent part of our youth in the late 70’s in Rumbai, a Caltex oil camp in Sumatra, Indonesia. Our fathers were engineers on the hunt for petroleum. We reminisced about our trips to Singapore, which occurred every six weeks or so. These were packaged as escapes from camp life and a necessity for those of us requiring orthodontics. We laughed at our memories: getting our braces tightened, shopping, dining at western restaurants when our teeth didn’t hurt, going to the movies (I’m pretty sure I saw every James Bond movie starring Roger Moore at Shaw Theatre, and on command, I can still sing the Brylcreem jingle from the […]

Here in Singapore, we live largely without fear of COVID19. Of course, it dominates the news cycle (together with the absurd aftermath of the U.S. presidential election) as the virus surges in Europe and the U.S. But here, business carries on and we enjoy relative normalcy. Yes, masks are mandatory the minute we step outside our doors. Yes, we have the Trace Together app running in the background, monitoring our entry and exit of establishments. Yes, our gatherings are limited to five. Yes, if we leave the country we must apply for re-entry, test negative, and quarantine for 14 days in a hotel. And yes, if we violate any of these, heavy fines could be imposed and/or our work permits revoked. These preventive measures have […]

I’ve been thinking about this word, generosity. According to the expert Google, it means the quality of being kind, plentiful, large. I have been on the receiving end of generosity these past five weeks in Singapore. New friends have welcomed me into their lives and shared their insider tips. Our quarantine balcony pals, plus spouses Tom and Danielle, got together a week ago at Steve and Danielle’s gorgeous Coronation Road home for dinner that stretched well past midnight. The American Women’s Club (aka All Women’s Club) has been a source of a gazillion activities, from arts & culture to nature and urban photo tours, high teas (a tradition fully embraced from British Empire days), running/hiking/tennis/mahjong groups, get your foodie on at various eateries, and more. […]

Most essential tool? Not surprisingly, my phone. The mobile phone is a lifeline for getting things done here in the Red Dot. Over the past ten days, I have used my phone apps to: scan into countless buildings and stores for contact tracing in the event of COVID exposure (Safe Entry); reserve tennis courts at our condo complex (iCondo); schedule housecleaning services (Send Helper); book a ride (Grab); purchase a lamp from a French expat (“Real Singapore Expat Wives” FB group – yes, it’s a thing and yes, I’m a member) and arrange contactless delivery from her doorstep to mine (Grab Delivery); pay the handyman (PayLah!); order groceries for delivery (Prime Now, part of Amazon.sg); and read the local news (Straits Times). But to dig […]