Colorful Singapore

One of the many things that struck me in Singapore was how colorful everything was. While Tokyo is a very clean city, in Singapore, vibrant paint, decorations and buildings dot the landscape, something that is strictly limited to the bright neon signs in busy city centers like Shibuya and Shinjuku in Tokyo. I have always admired ordinary municipal buildings like fire stations, police offices, and metropolitan offices that are erected not solely in the name of economy, but also to beautify the city. In the age of ugly cookie cutter buildings, cities in the U.S. could learn from Singapore. The building with the rainbow-colored window shutters is the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts. Originally erected to house a police station and barracks, it now hosts the MICA and non-profit organizations like the Singapore Kindness Movement, whose mission is "to inspire graciousness through spontaneous acts of kindness, making life more pleasant for everyone."

The building on the top left is a fire station. Yes, a fire station. And the top right building is the Old Parliament House, which is now the home of an arts center. At the entrance of the Old Parliament is a bronze elephant statue given to Singapore by the King of Siam, King Chulalongkorn (son of King Mongkut, you know, the one played by Yul Brynner in The King and I) the first Thai monarch to leave the country. He went to Singapore and other Southeast Asian nations to study western lifestyle and colonialism.
























Clarke Quay is a pretty riverside walkway full of restaurants, bars, and a crazy bungy ride that throws thrill-seekers about 20-feet or so into the air. While a bit touristy, it's still a beautiful place to walk around at sunset or just sit and gaze at the little fishing boats paddling on by and reflect about this and that. The quay is a group of restored warehouses along the Singapore River. The mixing of vibrant yellows, teals, and dark pinks melds in perfectly with the setting sun and as the city finally begins to cool after hours of 95-degree heat.