Day 1 To Singapore We Go

At the famed Merlion

October 26, 2009.

This trip to Singapore has long been planned. Since July of this year, Dr. Leonardo C. Canlas, the President of Mabalacat College had instructed me to communicate and establish possible linkage with the South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization - Regional English Language Center (SEAMEO-RELC). But because of my inefficient note-taking, I noted only the keywords ‘English Language Center’ which led me to the website of Centre for English Language Communication, National University of Singapore (CELC-NUS).

As a result, I have been communicating with the CELC-NUS for a while and even made arrangements for Dr. Canlas’ visit. In one of our later conversations, Dr. Canlas clarified that he wanted to visit the SEAMEO-RELC. Oops! Just when I thought I’m ready to fly to Singapore, it turned out that the institution we plan to visit is not aware of our coming. I’m back to square one.

I hastily communicated with SEAMEO-RELC for an audience and after few exchange, we settled on a date. The SEAMEO-RELC team will be at the lobby of their Center to meet us. To remedy the situation, the President decided to visit both institutions. It was a fruitful error, I would later on say, for it opened a lasting relationship with CELC-NUS.

And to Singapore we did go.

To make the trip hassle-free we signed up for a package tour with Creative Travel & Tours based at the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. We are in a group tour and frankly, I have no idea who will my companions be until the day we left. Early morning of 26 October 2009, I found myself in a van full of strange people bound for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Later, I became acquainted with each one and every one of them. Besides Dr. and Mrs. Leonardo C. Canlas, we are in a company of tourists from Mabalacat, Mexico, San Fernando and Macabebe, all in Pampanga. The tourists from Mabalacat are: Dr. and Mrs. Prospero T. Lagman, Mr. and Mrs. Eduardo Sotto, Mr. and Mrs. Tomas Manalo and Mrs. Myrna S. Ocampo; from Mexico, Dr. and Mrs. Telesforo Luna and Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Buan; from San Fernando, Dr. Eriberta T. Maglaqui and from Macabebe, Ms. Ruby Laquindanum.

The early morning breeze must have added to my excitement. It was my first time in Singapore so that every minor airport hassle seemed tolerable. This tolerance did not survive when we lined up at the immigration.

“Where do you work?” asked the immigration officer

“Mabalacat College,” I answered.

“A government school?” she asked.

“Technically, yes,” I affirmed.

And there she goes. She began to ramble about the Executive Order (E.O.) 459 which prohibits government employees from traveling without authority from the Malacañang Palace. I wanted to bark ‘I have a travel clearance from my President!’ But she didn’t give me a chance.

“Even if you’re using your own money!” she lectured almost shouting.

I explained that I am a lawyer in private practice by full-time profession and that I am teaching at Mabalacat College. She allowed me in but only after a really good lecture on the E.O.

“You are a lawyer, you should know that!” she pointed out with an air of victory.

Argumentum ad hominem! She must have been drop-out from some law schools somewhere. Indeed, some members of the immigration staff assigned at the airports lacked modesty. Reviewing E.O. 459 later, I found out she was wrong. I don’t need travel clearance from the Palace. I only need a travel order from the College President. I have a travel order from my president. Incidentally, he is traveling with me.

Soon, after a series of rituals involving frisking and prying on persons and belongings, we’re on the plane. Singapore Airlines, as always, is on time. Everybody must be in as scheduled. But the NAIA had a heavy traffic. This caused a 15-minute delay on our take-off. The airport traffic is a taste of Manila traffic –heavy! We left Manila before 9:00 a.m.

            It was a very nice trip up in the sky. I did not have the slightest fear of crash – something I always feel when flying and I hate it. The thought that I am 40,000 feet above the ground makes me shiver. Compared to my past flights, of which I only had a few, that was a relaxing one. The flight attendants were pleasing and dutiful. Their faces, curves and their classic Singaporean prints were delightful. Their English needs a little ‘come again?’ And I am always amazed by how airlines fit in a sumptuous meal in small space-saving trays.

I sat beside Councilor Eduardo Sotto. I wanted to know more about him and so I initiated a talk. Our buzz ran from politics, education, health, travels and his wife. During slack moments I glanced at the dailies. They say most of Southeast Asia, including Singapore will be sunny. Manila behind us was sunny but it was cloudy when we landed at the Singapore airport.

Lining up at the immigration, I feel like I’m going to be subjected to an interrogation again. The officer looked like a Tamil – a first glance of Singapore’s multi-ethnic society. He looked at me, looked at my passport, looked back at me and began to talk. I’m in trouble again.

“Do you know ‘Sad Eyes’” He asked.

“No I don’t.” I answered, puzzled, but noticed that this is going to be an amiable talk rather than an interrogation.

“What is it?” I asked back.

“It’s an old song of my favorite singer – Robert John.” He answered.

“Ah okay, but I don’t know him.” Hmmm, my name reminded him of artist who recorded one or two popular hits.

He scribbled the words ‘Sad Eyes – Robert John’ on a blank Visa Card and handed it to me. He told me to search for the artist on the web. Then he allowed me in.

Singapore Terminal 2 is a beautiful airport. Its indoor gardens are beautifully landscaped and crammed with colorful flowers mostly orchids. Red, yellow, orange, ‘go to my country oh flowers of Singapore!’ What a fascinating sight indeed, especially to a weary traveler! The gardens made the airport a happy place. This airport could easily be the most beautiful in Asia.

We were met by a Filipino tour coordinator, Ms. Jennie Naca Arboleda, from Platinum Holidays. Jennie gave us our Singapore itinerary and brought us to the Gold Coast Seafood, a local restaurant in downtown Singapore. Despite the nice meal from the Singapore Airlines, we are so exhausted that everyone is hungry. We were treated to a Chinese feast of seven courses. They first served the soup, then the vegetables, then the fish, then the chicken, and then the chili crab. As the guests become full, another dish is served and then another until the table seemed to be a cornucopia of food.

Chili crab is the specialty to Singapore as Peking duck is to Beijing. It was great and real hot! It is a cuisine of large crabs cooked red in rich delicious chili sauce. However, the crabs are thin. The red sauce gives an impression that the crabs are fat. Had they been fat, those red fats would have been mixed up with red chili to my awesome delight. That fish cooked in soy sauce was also great. And I finished the chicken, which were cut into easy bites. Everything tastes good to a hungry traveler!

However, the servers lacked refinement. They laid all the soup bowls for everyone and pour soup on each bowl hastily that some of it were spilled on the table. So hasty that they almost dipped their fingers into the soup! They also filled the glasses with water almost to the brim. All the dishes were served in such a hasty manner. The restaurant is literally a fast-food. The food were cooked in a rush and served in a rush too! It was our first taste of Singaporean hospitality. Welcome to Singapore!

In the afternoon, we went on city tour under the scourging sun. We toured around the City of Singapore. We visited the Raffles Landing Site, Merlion Park and other historic places. The Raffles Landing Site is near the mouth of the Singapore River. The district is replete with British colonial buildings. Across the river are old buildings which once served as warehouses of trade goods (including opium) for trading with China.

In this historic district, I saw a familiar picture on the tarpaulins hanged among the colonial buildings. It was that of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, a Philippine patriot. There was an on-going exhibit in tribute to the hero. But just like the mute statue of Sir Stamford Raffles, no one is interested on something biographical at the moment. The sun’s heat was tormenting and all we wanted was to be back to the air-conditioned bus and go to some cooler place.      

Our tour guide, Garry – a native of Singapore, is very energetic. If given a chance, he is more than willing to share everything he knew about Singapore, including his childhood experiences! Many times, he found himself talking without an audience. He is very talkative to a point of being annoying. I fell asleep as he talked about his neighbor on the microphone. I can infer from his unattractive face his pride and love for his native land. This could be the reason for his overzealousness.      

The dailies were right; it was a very hot day. Except for few spots, the city tour wasn’t really pleasant because of the scourging heat. The sun plus Garry means torture. The Merlion is under construction. And as what unscrupulous tour guides in China always do, Garry brought us to a jewelry factory. Thanks God it was closed when we arrived. We weren’t able to buy expensive jewelries and Garry did not have his commissions. We did not enjoy the sightseeing.

Singaporeans traced much of their country’s success to the political will of Lee Kuan Yew. The historic Singapore River, for example, was cleaned and all the polluting elements were transferred somewhere else. The British warehouses (reminiscence of the East India Company) lining up the river were preserved. Lee Kuan Yew made the city history-conscious.

Before nightfall, we were at the China Town for some cheap dinner. Then we went around sightseeing. The district is announced by an imposing Chinese temple. Behind the temple is a square and alleys lined with souvenir shops. It is a clean China Town. Garry said he missed the dirty China Town which he called ‘authentic.’ Garry, himself, had a Chinese blood.

At the food court, I went for a combo of fried chicken, rice, peanuts and whatchamacallits. The fatherly Dr. Telesforo Luna bought me a coke, which I didn’t refuse. Ice-cold Coca Colas are expensive in Singapore.

After a long and busy day, we went back to our hotel, exhausted. We were billeted at the Orchard Parade Hotel along Tanglin Road. What a lovely hotel! The room’s ambiance was so relaxing and the bed was so inviting. This hotel fits my travel style. I travel very light – lighter than the usual. And the hotel room services and complimentary toiletries fill in what I deliberately fail to do or bring.         

Though tired, I started writing this memoir. But no! I have worked like a slave this morning. Tonight, I must sleep like a king.