Arrived at SFO and checked in at the Business Class counter at Singapore Airlines. I was super excited to fly with SQ in business, given their sterling reputation for service and comfort. And? I was a just a bit underwhelmed. Their lounge in SFO, while certainly better than the hellmouth that is the United lounge, was nothing to write home about in terms of decor. It was kinda cramped and rather tired looking decor. Selection of food and wine was fairly meager. Now, I get that complaining about sitting around in a lounge at the airport is grade A dickish behavior – but having visited the Cathay Pacific lounge at SFO, with their huge modern and comfortable lounge, offering tasty food, lots of wine – and champagne! – plus made-to-order noodle soup, Singapore’s lounge was a big letdown, particularly in light of how great an airline they’re reputed to be.
It was a very different story on board! The business class section is gorgeous and the seat huge and comfortable, with a giant monitor and a great selection of recent movies. Dinner – which I’d ordered ahead via SQ’s “Book the Cook” service was tasty: a decent steak with potatoes. The appetizer wasn’t great – a couple of past-their-prime scallops. I’d’ve rather just had something less “luxurious” that was a bit fresher. On the other hand, the champagne was tasty and free-flowing.
Once it was time for bed (I was on SQ1 which leaves SFO at 1:15AM), the seat flips forward and converts to a bed. Sadly, the seat which was great for sitting was not all that comfortable for sleeping. A hard, uneven surface and a somewhat awkward sleeping position. Again, though, it’s a bed and way better than sitting upright for 14 hours. I did manage to get a solid 7 hours of sleep, though it was a bit fitful thanks to a bumpy jetstream. And kudos to SQ for taking note of my request for extra pillows that I’d emailed them a couple of days before flying.
I had a two-and-a-half hour layover in Hong Kong and it was a much nicer wait. Took a shower and put on some fresh panties before getting a glass of champagne, in spite of it being 7AM locally (that’s 4PM back in SF, so it’s totes OK!). Food selection was pretty good and the place was modern and comfortable with a friendly group of folks working there.
Flight to Singapore was on another 777 – though this one was quite a bit older and equipped for regional flights, meaning just a big comfy chair, no luxurious pod. With that being said, the flight crew on this leg were a delight. Engaging, friendly, helpful – one of them even asking me about my back injury (the reason I’d asked for extra pillows). They were probably about the nicest crew I’ve ever had – and a marked contrast from the crew on the first leg, who were nice enough, but seemed a bit more standoffish. Maybe because it was an overnight flight and they knew people just want to get to sleep?
Anyway, it was a very nice flight and soon enough I was at Changi International Airport. After nearly 24 hours en route, I wasn’t especially interested in exploring what is considered the best airport in the world – I’ll have time enough for that next week on my way to Thailand. Getting through immigration was slow and there was sadly no VIP lane for business class assholes such as myself. But I made it through and soon enough was ensconced in a comfortable room at my home for the next five days, WANGZ Hotel – which I chose thanks to it’s excellent reviews, reasonable price and, obviously, the fact that it is called “WANGZ Hotel.” And now to explore Singapore!
Well, let’s be honest – despite the pleasant experience of flying business class, it was still a long trip and I was kinda pooped. But I did manage to walk up to Chinatown, in search of a char siu place I’d read about online at a hawker center. I didn’t have any luck finding this particular place, but found a place with char siu that turned out to be very tasty. Frankly, I was lucky to find anything at all, given Singapore’s practice of giving nearly identical names to places right next to one another – in this instance, I got somewhat lost in People’s Park Complex before realizing it was not the same thing as the People’s Park Center, a separate and equally confusing to navigate place right behind it.
I also did a bit of reconnoitering in my neighborhood of Tiong Bahru. It’s a quite lovely area, much more residential in feel than Singapore’s center. The older section is mostly low rise art deco style apartment buildings, with a nice selection of shops and little cafes. And most important of all, I met two cats, one of whom appears to be the unofficial mayor of Tiong Bahru, given his extremely friendly welcome.
Back to the hotel and did my best to adjust to local time. Got started early the next morning and got to do some sightseeing on my own at the National Museum of Singapore – and I must say it provided a fascinating introduction to this young country’s long history. I wandered a bit on my own and joined up with a guided tour offered by the museum. The guide was great and, as a San Franciscan whose city is in the midst of a housing crisis, I was particularly interested in learning just a bit about how the housing market works here. Fully 80% of the population lives in government-built and subsidized housing – and residents come from across nearly the entire economic spectrum. As it was described to me, workers and employers both pay into the system, so one’s starter apartment is modest but affordable. Within a few years, the value has appreciated sufficiently, that one can sell and move into a bigger place – and this continues, potentially resulting one day in sufficient proceeds to buy a condo on the free market, then re-sell that for a fortune, downsize back into a small government place after retirement and use the money you’ve made to travel and enjoy life.
While I’m sure not everyone follows this exact path, it certainly seems as though housing policy here is doing something right. And frankly, I’m ready to move! Though I don’t think the system is set up to benefit grizzled old foreigners such as myself.
There was also a cool video display in a sort of spiraled rotunda. I entered at the top and was treated to an immersive projection of flowers above, around and below me. After this, I walked down a spiral ramp and through a video forest with birds and animals frolicking about. I really enjoyed my visit – not just for the exhibits but also exploring this amazing old building, constructed as a museum and library at the end of the 19th century.
Headed back to the hotel to meet my friend Ak who was arriving from Thailand that afternoon. I did manage to squeeze in a pit stop to the hawker center I’d visited yesterday for a plate of char siu at the place I’d tried and failed to find yesterday. While it was tasty enough, the random char siu stall I’d chosen the day before was better, in my opinion.
After Ak got to the hotel, we spent some time catching up before we headed out for cocktails at Jigger & Pony. Really great drinks, though the vibe was a bit too “loud-mouthed Westerners” thanks to a large birthday party occupying a large table up front. However, our bartender was extraordinarily skillful and prepared me an excellent French 75 – plus he was genial and gregarious.
Now, this is the point where I have to point out my one real issue with my visit it to Singapore – the cost of booze here. Prices are ridiculous. This is apparently intentional, with alcohol imports taxed heavily in an effort to drive the socially desirable behavior of teetotaling. But seriously, prices are breathtaking: a can of Tiger at a local shop is nearly SG$2 and you’d be hard-pressed to find anything less than SG$11 on a menu – and that’s likely to be cheap beer. A glass of wine is likely to be SG$16 minimum, cocktails at least that much. And that French 75 I enjoyed so much? SG$22! That’s nearly US$16.
Anyway, that’s how they roll here, so it’s not really any of my business – but I guess if nothing else it ensure that I was able to wake up early every morning completely free of even the mildest of hangovers…
Dinner that evening was at Wild Rocket, a “modern Singaporean” place I’d discovered online. We liked our dinner here – though as I’ve learned in my several visits to Bangkok, as much as I enjoy going to a nice restaurant, I really do wind up preferring simpler local places and street food. But Ak and I ate a tasty meal in a nice atmosphere (and drank a bottle of wine!) while we discussed what sights we wanted to see (and, more importantly, what hawker stands we wanted to visit) over the next several days here in Singapore. First up tomorrow: dim sum and the Science Centre.
It's a Complete Outrage 