Gorgeous Women & Nerdy Men.
That's what my brother-in-law will remember about Singapore. I hadn't thought much about it or noticed anything about the predominant ethnic group in Singapore. I guess I was fixated on finding Blackness in an ocean of Asian skin, faces, culture. His observation was spot on. Even Paul Theroux would agree as evidenced by this entry in Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: "I was disarmed by the
feline good looks of Singapore women... in great contrast, the toothy men hurried clumsily after them... giggling into cell phones, pigeon-toed in their haste"
Very Western & Very Chinese.
It's an ultra modern commercial wonder, the mighty, tidy little Asian Tiger of SouthEast Asia, easily keeping pace with Japan & South Korea as economic power houses. My first trip to Asia. It was exhilirating. I flew 20 hours, got off the plane & saw... the exact same thing as the place I left. 7-11s. KFCs, Burger Kings, even a Hooters. There's something just not right about that.
Skyscraper shopping malls. Block after block of them. Black-skinned South Asians. Every time I turned a corner, I saw a "brother". And when I got closer, I saw he wasn't Black (as I define it) at all, only Black skinned. Don't spend much time here if you have any dreams at all of visiting Asia.
Although I'd read up and knew to expect a match in every way to Western modernity, the extreme lack of the exotic was such a let down.
My Biggest Question
I guess the biggest question I have after having completed the leg of a race I had no idea I would ever run... why did my father want to go there? really? My father always said he wanted to go to Singapore because they made nice clothes. I never saw my father in anything but white Tshirts and jeans and sneakers. Something about that didn't ring true. So what was Singapore during Vietnam? Did it have the reputation then that Bangkok has now? And which is more likely to appeal to a young 22 year old serviceman? Finely tailored hand made clothes? Or titty bars where sex can be purchased indiscriminately and with impunity.
That's what my brother-in-law will remember about Singapore. I hadn't thought much about it or noticed anything about the predominant ethnic group in Singapore. I guess I was fixated on finding Blackness in an ocean of Asian skin, faces, culture. His observation was spot on. Even Paul Theroux would agree as evidenced by this entry in Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: "I was disarmed by the
feline good looks of Singapore women... in great contrast, the toothy men hurried clumsily after them... giggling into cell phones, pigeon-toed in their haste"
Very Western & Very Chinese.
It's an ultra modern commercial wonder, the mighty, tidy little Asian Tiger of SouthEast Asia, easily keeping pace with Japan & South Korea as economic power houses. My first trip to Asia. It was exhilirating. I flew 20 hours, got off the plane & saw... the exact same thing as the place I left. 7-11s. KFCs, Burger Kings, even a Hooters. There's something just not right about that.
Skyscraper shopping malls. Block after block of them. Black-skinned South Asians. Every time I turned a corner, I saw a "brother". And when I got closer, I saw he wasn't Black (as I define it) at all, only Black skinned. Don't spend much time here if you have any dreams at all of visiting Asia.
Although I'd read up and knew to expect a match in every way to Western modernity, the extreme lack of the exotic was such a let down.
My Biggest Question
I guess the biggest question I have after having completed the leg of a race I had no idea I would ever run... why did my father want to go there? really? My father always said he wanted to go to Singapore because they made nice clothes. I never saw my father in anything but white Tshirts and jeans and sneakers. Something about that didn't ring true. So what was Singapore during Vietnam? Did it have the reputation then that Bangkok has now? And which is more likely to appeal to a young 22 year old serviceman? Finely tailored hand made clothes? Or titty bars where sex can be purchased indiscriminately and with impunity.
