SINGAPORE

August in New York City. Now add a thousand degrees, ten trillion people, a minimum of two shopping centers per block and you've imagined Singapore. Do I sound a tad cranky? I'm sorry to be so, and yet have trouble being cheery when every pore of my body is like a faucet left on. I haven't been this miserable from weather-related causes since, let's see...oh ya, that 2 weeks in August of 2002 that we spent in Manhattan.

Day before yesterday we went to a local indoor market in the section known as "Little India." It was like four floors (thankfully air conditioned) of knock-offs and glorified dollar store merchandise. It provided my biggest incident of culture shock: the restrooms had no TP (or towels) but rather a handy hose in each stall. Yes, a HOSE. So you get to clean off your wet parts with water...don't even THINK about going number two.

The heat has not prevented us from venturing out, but it has limited our wanderings. We frequently duck into an air conditioned space for respite, and that's where those ubiquitious shopping centers come in handy. We suspect this is how many Singaporeans spend their time---wandering the malls. Guess it's just another thing they have in common with the US.