Friday, December 15, 2006

Singapore (Updated: December 17, 2006)

I did not expect to like Singapore very much but I did. It was way more expensive than any other country I have travelled to in the last six months but Singapore is quite amazing. Amazingly clean and orderly were my most prominent impressions.

If you like big buildings and fancy malls (ummm Laura), then Singapore is the place to be. The pace of business is hectic and people seem to be engaged furiously in buying.

I liked being there and found it easy to get around. And, I fell in love at least a hundred times in two days. Oh man, I do remember .... :0) ... and I'm going back!

Tis the season after all ... and all that Xmas music sure did make me sentimental. I took this picture in front of Raffles City.

After a walk around the malls and checking the womens I went to fix this building which seemed a little loose in the wind. It worked ... for a bit but then this huge storm started brewing ....

This is the monsoon season for Singapore and my pictures show the mood of the storm.

If there is a creative side to me then this picture expresses my attempt to blend form and structure. This is my absolute favourite picture I took in Singapore. The light, the mood, and me, we came together.

My brother Andre' I think you will really like Singapore and I recommend you make good on your intentions to travel there. And it is never cold since Singapore and Malaysia lie close to the equator ... think tropical with afternoon thunderstorms.



And if you like cool bikes like I do then Singapore is also the place for you. This retro-style little bike caught my eye.


This is the updated version of the bike that started my craze in the early 80's. It is a Honda 400 four cyclinder and is very popular in Singapore. I can still remember the day when a family friend stopped by our house on her new 1979 Honda 400 four. I was working in the garden with me moms. I had never ridden on a bike at that point. The friend offered me a ride on the back and I jumped at the chance. I can't explain how my soul exploded as I felt the power of that machine move us through the backstreets of my neighborhood (West End). From that day on I have been crazy about motorcycles, especially four cylinder bikes with carbs. There is nothing like a burbling carb beneath you as you kick through the gears. In fact, my next adventure is about riding a four cyclinder carbed motorcycle in the southwest US.


This is the bike I will be riding. It is an old-school Eddie Lawson Replica Kawasaki 1200 ZRX (in case you wanted to know specifics). I bought a new one in 2000 but sold it too soon. I still miss that bike. My last bike was also an old-school retro bike (Honda CB 750). I'm after all a retro-kinda guy in some ways. That is why Rosalita (who is in Hawaii as I write) used to call me "back-in-the-day-Ridi" ... well she may have called me some other stuff after that too ;0)

Now I have to find a Green ZRX (must be neon green if you are real Lawson Kwacker fan) somewhere in the US (they don't import 'em to the US anymore). There are some good used ones available from the 'mid-life crisis dudes' whose wives/partners won't let them ride the green beast. Wankers. Since I am not so ruled I will buy one in April 2007 and ride and ride .... Wanna come?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Professor Laher,


Singapore sounds like someplace

I'd like to visit in the future.

Thanks for the 401 on Malaysia.

Anonymous said...

Professor Laher,


Singapore sounds like someplace

I'd like to visit in the future.

It sounds exiting and alive!

I'll put Singapore on my list of

travel places. :-)


Andre'S.

Ridwan said...

Thanks for the comment my brother. I hope you have a great holiday ... with your family.

Peace,
Ridwan