The Masters of Close Living

Friday, the 18th, we packed and took a cab from Value Hotel the 3 or 4 blocks up the hill to the beautiful Oasia Hotel where we were placed into two rooms on the 24th floor.

 Room with a View at Oasia.

Nice view of Mt. Elizabeth Novena Hospital and the cityscape. Next, we set off to visit some furnished residence apartments Aron had circled on a map. Several were near the MRT transit line one and two stops south of the hospital (ground zero for our purposes). We were able to take a hotel elevator down to a tunnel access to the MRT. Hapny and I bought rechargeable transit cards, but it's not clear how many uses or days we can go before recharging. Sofie can ride for free, but she needs an access card to use that is good until age 7.

Sofie rides free on the MRT.

The MRT is clean and efficient, not a bit of graffiti or litter to be found. Stiff penalties for violators. I have to confess to breaking a law that carries a $500 fine on my first day in Singapore and I also contributed to the delinquency of a minor when I put a piece of Dentine in my mouth and offered one to Sofie! Aron clued me in before I was reported to authorities, thank goodness! Gum chewing is strictly forbidden. It's one way this city stays so pristine.
Singaporeans seem to have mastered the art of close living. Respect, I think, is the essential element. Crowds are orderly, calm. Everyone seems to be in a zone with their thoughts or their smart phone. Even traffic is orderly. It is rare to hear a horn honk unlike some American cities. They drive like the British on the left side of the road and that takes some getting used to. I have no desire to drive here. Sidewalk traffic is similarly bearing to the left, so I'm having to be deliberate about where I walk. Singapore's orderliness is evident in the design of crosswalks and pedestrian bridges over the busiest roads.

Family on a pedestrian bridge over busy roadway.

Jay walking is a big no-no. Streets are clearly marked for pedestrian traffic, and vehicles actually yield and stop when a pedestrian is crossing properly. I am so impressed by these efficiencies and the cordial, respectful populace that has made Singapore the clean, comfortable, and safe city it is. Can you tell I'm liking it here?
As for our quest to find living quarters for us three girls, I can report that we liked what we saw and one in particular. But it's now up to Aron and his company to work out details. We hope to move to one of these sometime in early May. Until then, it will be close living in a hotel room. It's all part of the Singapore experience after all. Ich bin ein Singaporean!