We landed at about 1 a.m. at Changi International Airport. It was still quite hot & humid, despite being in the middle of the night. The good thing about this, though, is that traffic is non-existent at this hour so it's a smooth sail into town.

Singapore is all about one-upmanship and everyone is very proud of their country. There is a ferris wheel called the Singapore Flyer (like the London Eye), and while it's not much bigger than the next largest wheel, it's just enough that it can be declared the Largest Ferris Wheel in the World. The people boast that the best food in the world is also found in Singapore--everyone is concerned about out-doing their neighbor, so quality is not a concern. Also, our cabbie tells us, there are no homeless; there are rich and there are poor, "but everyone has a decent shot in Singapore." (My cousin, former Honolulu flack Celia Chu Lines, disputed this and said that the negative aspects of Singapore are simply not talked about.)

One in every five people is an ex-pat in Singapore. Because of this, it is probably the most cosmopolitan city I've ever seen. The advertisements around the city show an eclectic mix of ethnicities, and it doesn't seem to be forced diversity like the ads we have in the U.S. The down side to this is that it's common to have communication problems every day, with the mix of thick Indian, Chinese, and Malay accents. I'm sure most people here speak at least two languages, though.

All right, it's hot, I'm sticky, and it's time to get ready for a quick couple of days in Singapore. BTW, Cel said to tell you all hi.