Thursday 6 October 2011

Fly me to the moon






Yes, I am in Singapore now. A transition that is almost impossible to describe. The trip already started in an unusual way. Once in the plane, we heard that the cooling system did not function well. The good news was that there was another plane waiting. However... (there is always a 'but' isn't there?) we were already cleared for security, so we were asked to get off the plane, were lined up in groups of 25, then escorted by 4 security guards through the terminal to the new gate. Quite a bizarre spectacle, that lasted for another hour to be completed. With 3 hours of delay I arrived.

Although I had already visited Singapore some 6 or 7 times, this time everything was different. The fact that I had burnt my bridges, left everything, to settle here for an new, surprising (probably), exciting (definitely) and happy (hopefully) life, changes my whole perspective.

This is where I will live. Singapore. Five million people on an island that has 45 kms as the longest distance. The Singaporeans, friendly, with their cute 'Singlish' accent (trust me, this deserves at least a few blogs by itself) are an interesting cultural blend of Chinese (for example they drink a lot of tea) and English colonial heritage (so they add milk to it).
Safe, clean, and HOT HOT HOT, in many different aspects (again enough ammo for some future blogs)

I arrive at my temporary place. A nice, so called 'serviced' apartment. Downtown, right in the middle of downtown. The 'serviced' part means that a cleaning lady will clean up three times a week and change the bedding.

Although a little renovation would not be out of place here, it has great facilities, like being DOWNTOWN (or did I mention that already?), has a pool, and, well, pool (like snooker). And of course a tennis court and a gym! It also has 2 bedrooms, a washing machine and a non-existing diswasher. I guess nothing is perfect.

The pool looks inviting, I can see it from my balcony at the 17th floor. I decide I need to take a dip. For me, swimming has always been somewhat associated with cold and shiver. "Come in the water, once you're in it is really kinda nice", is what the brave swimmers in the Netherlands usually shout at you while you are in doubt, standing at the poolside, wishing you had gone for a nice warm cappuccino instead. Not here. Not in Singapore! It is 9:30 pm. I take a cold (bwahaha!) shower first at the poolside, then dive into the lukewarm water, and do ten laps (25m I guess) And no, I am not a trained swimmer, I always saw it merely as a means to not drown. But the feeling of warmth and comfort is overwhelming. I get out of the water, the air is warm. I lay down with a magazine, I do not dry myself. Even then it stays comfortable. I get some Freudian associations with a whom.
I look up in the sky, there is a moon. The old song 'Fly me to the moon' starts playing in my head, the Frank Sinatra version. This is a good moment.

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