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| Image courtesy of posterize at freedigitalphotos.net |
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| Image courtesy of 2nix at freedigitalphotos.net |
It
was around this time of the month a few years ago that I traveled by bus to
Singapore from Kuala Lumpur. An air of suspense welcomed me at the immigration
office of the Lion City. I was held at the arrival area for about forty five
minutes.
Until
now I have absolutely no idea as to why I was held for questioning and
investigation. My Singaporean friend told me it was just a routine check.
Whatever it was it made my heartbeat rate a little faster than normal.
The
immigration officer, a lady in her thirties, was the one designated to
interrogate me. First thing she did was take my finger prints using a modern,
hi-tech equipment. She scanned my passport then she asked me to open my backpack.
She sensed that I was a bit perplexed and apprehensive so she told me that it
will be over soon enough.
As
I opened my bag, I prayed that no one put illegal items in it while I was in
transit to my destination. Silly me, I have watched too many movies/investigative
journalism on TV about scary scenarios at immigration centers. My imagination
was working overtime. It is a writer’s occupational hazard.
The
lady checked everything. And I mean everything. My clothes, travel papers, food
like the sandwiches I was given in the bus. I was asked about every detail of
my travel agenda. Thankfully, she was nice, pleasant and reassuring. She told
me that there was nothing to worry about. True enough, I was released when I
passed all the necessary security checks.
The
tourist bus driver was waiting for me by the exit. He was glad the incident was
over and that I could join the rest of the passengers in the vehicle. And the
tour continued.
The
initial appeal of the city was breathtaking. It was fully decorated with
Christmas trimmings. There were gigantic, lighted and opulently adorned
Christmas trees. Wreaths and garlands, winter- inspired ornaments gave the
place a festive and joyful atmosphere that tricked my eyes but the heat and
humidity reminded me that I was in a tropical country.
Majority
of the locals are of Chinese descent mixed with Malay people, Indians and a few
others. It was a British colony so it is a fusion of East and West. I was in a
group tour and we went to Little India, an orchid garden, some shops
specifically for tourists and other attractions. Not to be missed is the
Merlion. It is a big, concrete, white statue of a creature with a body of a
fish and a head of a lion.
Our
tour guide was an Indian lady. She oriented everyone in English. The bus driver
couldn’t speak any English to my chagrin. As a result, I had questions about
the tour that were left unanswered. Regardless, the tour was fun and gave
exciting, lasting impressions.
One
thing I noticed about the place was that it was actually very small. After a
few rounds I thought I was having a déjà vu but I realized I had been there
before. That is how small the concrete jungle makes one feel. However, the
greenery is amazingly incorporated in the design that makes up for that so you could
feel the oxygen filling up your lungs leaving your body invigorated in that
breathable city. The master blueprint of the city planners is first rate. They
make up for the lack of terrain by reclamation of land and construction of skyscrapers.
Singapore
at night is spectacular. The city luminaries come in many different colors: a
photographer’s dream subject. Sadly, the following morning was my departure
from the city. I have cherished memories from that trip and a few souvenirs as
reminders like a shirt with an “I love SG” printed on it. If you love highly
urbanized cities, you may want to include Singapore in your bucket list.