The Boy Who Came to Singapore

In 2011, a boy came to Singapore. A bachelor and decidedly alone. Interestingly he was very happily a bachelor living out his last few days of freedom. And Singapore with its plethora of activities and a buzzing life seemed just the place to be.

In 2013, a married couple went back to Mumbai from a city they both have come to love as their own. And this is a post to celebrate the love they have for this city.

But let’s start with the boy – egoistic and childish when it comes to whose voice should this blog be in. So the boy when he landed in Singapore was first of all struck with the greenery all around. The city seemed to rise out of a forest. Huge trees lined the roads, the sea broke on the beaches and the rocks but what amazed him most were the people and the city itself. Disciplined, courteous, helpful but non intrusive, he began to appreciate what being Singaporean meant to a nation which was amongst the most successful. And the city of 5 million people moved like clockwork. Efficient, clean and ever striving to be the best in the world, Singapore clearly became the favourite city of the boy.

And the food – Oh the food! Paris may boast of her cuisine, Rome may boast of her cafes, London may boast of the world creating a potpourri of flavours, but to the boy nothing can beat the variety of Singapore. From Asia to America, from Russia to Australia, from the Middle East to South Africa, cuisines were made available to him. And while keeping a look out on his ever expanding waistline, he indulged.

It took him a good six months to cover the basics and then some more. But boy, did he love the food and the choices!

And then he got married!

Now don’t get him wrong. Being married did lots of good things to him. They conquered the highest peak in a country thrice; they went trekking all over the country and then cycled for 17 kms at a stretch.  And they continued experimenting with food and cooking. Thai and Italian became their favourite and Mustafa became their hunting ground for exotic spices. And they made friends beyond the ordinary. Friends who put up a barbeque for them to bid them bon voyage; friends who called them over to the office the evening before they flew to give them the last hurrah; friends who even cried a bit but tried to be bold enough to not show it.

In the last 2 months that the blog has been silent, they have been busy trying to rebuild their lives and while they have their memories and their fantastic Osim massagers (which incidentally are their only 2 material acquisitions during their stay in Singapore) they realize they have left a part of their selves behind in the city that made them from individuals to a couple.

So without a hint of regret, they would like to thank the city and her people who welcomed them with open arms.

Majulah Singapura! May you continue to be the example that every city must follow.