In Singapore, its easy to get lost in translation

Image via Wikipedia

MARK D. MERUEAS, GMANews.TV
08-March-2010 07:32 PM




Since my childhood, I have learned a lot about Singapore from other people. Knowing that it was recently named the most livable country in the region, my family and I set our expectations high as we took the three-hour flight from Manila to the island-city state in late January.


As one columnist wrote in Singapores most widely circulated newspaper, Straits Times a copy of which I would later buy "rigid" is usually the most common word used to describe the country which is famous for its high-rise buildings, long stretches of paved roads, and a world-class business district.


The way Singapores roads and buildings were laid out seemed the perfect example of urban planning. With its wide and perfectly cemented roads, driving around the city would definitely be the envy of every Filipino driver.


Everything in Singapore seemed well designed from its corporate buildings to apartments and condominiums that have modern but classy architectural designs. These buildings seemed to be the preferred dwelling places of the locals. I was told typical residences, such as gated houses with a garage or a backyard and stuff, can only be found at the outskirts of the business district, far from the hustle and bustle of the city.


Huge double-deck buses and cars which all come with black plates, unlike our white and yellow ones, seamlessly dash through the streets. Theres none of the cranky noise emanating from engines in our beat-up jeepneys and dilapidated buses, or their toxic black smoke.


Not used to their right-hand drive vehicles, I made the mistake of trying to open the right side front door more than once, only to realize the seat already has an occupant the driver.


Its pollution-free surroundings and traffic-free roads more than make up for Singapores slightly hotter clime. I wouldnt mind turning the Philippines temperature a notch higher, if thats the only way (although we all know its not) to ease EDSAs heavy traffic, or unclog our sewerage.


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The world-famous, water-spewing Merlion is best photographed with Singapore's skyscrapers. Mark Merueas
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Although it was almost like a cutout of a Utopian society, at least to me, there was one big thing missing in Singapore. We were at a McDonalds chain at the Changi International Airport ordering food and, glancing at the menu behind the cashier, I was looking for that one staple meal I always enjoyed back home but could not seem to find it. Then my brother elbowed me and whispered: They do not have chicken here." McDonalds in Singapore does not have chicken?! Aside from iced tea, fried chicken is the only thing that makes fast food dining complete to me. And so, left with no choice, I settled for a burger and twister fries.


After eating, we spent the whole day going around the city until it got dark. In Singapore, the start of night time" would be between 7:30 and 8 p.m. Yes, you read it right. Go out at past 7 p.m. in Singapore and youd be surprised to see the sky still in bright daylight. This probably explains why shops and restaurants in the business district manage to stay open until the wee hours of the night.


Orchard Road, for instance, explodes in vibrancy at night. Similar to New Yorks famous Times Square, Orchard Road is the sight of towering department stores, huge glowing billboards, blaring sound systems, designer shops, party-goers and lots of shoppers. But theres a trade-off to this very late night life establishments open late the next morning.


Multi-cultural city


Singapores population is mainly composed of three races: Chinese, Indians, and Malays. When I was in college, I learned in one of my classes how these three races co-existed" something that tickled my curiosity at that time. When we went to Singapore, this co-existence unfolded right before my eyes.


On the streets, it was not uncommon to see a Malay woman jogging with a Chinese friend, or a group of Indians and Malays having coffee, or even an Indian and Chinese couple dining with their mestiza daughter.


Although multi-cultural, it helped a lot that most locals know how to speak English which means no need for translators or over-the-top hand gestures when speaking with a native.


Before leaving Singapore, we made our final stop at the Marina Bay home of the famous Merlion Statue. The Merlion Statue is to Singapore what the Eiffel Tower is to France, or the Taj Mahal is to India. You just cant fly out of Singapore without having your picture taken in front of what I think is its single, most definitive symbol.


Standing at 8.6 meters, the part-lion, part-fish statue one of only five of its kind in Singapore sits on the edge of the bay with jets of water gushing out of its mouth. On the adjacent viewing deck, tourists can pose for a shot with the merlion and - with the proper angling of the camera the skyscrapers behind as their backdrop.


Before heading to the airport, we dropped by Little India, a small district which is the Singaporean Indians answer to Chinatown. Basically, its the perfect place to buy affordable souvenir items and so, souvenir shopping we did.


Whats the ban?


Just when I thought I was going to leave Singapore without blunders in conversing with the locals, I got a taste of how their unique Chinese accent can leave me as the famous Hollywood film depicts lost in translation.


We were about to board the plane at the (I should say, overwhelming and state-of-the-art) Changi Airport to our next destination when I noticed that my camera was missing. Half the fun of going to a foreign land is returning with pictures to share to your relatives back home, and so I told myself I was not leaving Singapore without my camera. I rushed back to the inspection area, thinking I must have left it there during inspection, and asked one of the airport security personnel.


Oh, this one?" the man replied, producing my camera from one of their lockers. Can you tell me what ban?"


Im sorry. I didnt get that?" I replied.


Can you tell me what baaan?" he said, stressing the last word.


Resigned to the fact that I cannot connect the word ban" with a digital camera, I said: Im sorry, sir. I really dont understand. What do you mean ban?"


As though talking to a toddler who had just learned to speak, the security personnel repeated the word slowly and enunciated every syllable: Bbb-rr-aann-dd."


Oh, brand!" I exclaimed. It turned out he just wanted to know if I was the real owner of the camera.


And so when we reached Malaysia, I had learned my lesson well: Enjoy the scenery, but dont talk much. Instead of asking around, I would read signboards which, when in Malaysia, would turn out really fun.


Continue Reading: Highlands, caves, and Petronas on a postcard in Malaysia


YA, GMANews.TV




From GMANews.tv; see the source article and other pictures here.
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Girls on the move

Two travel authors dish the dirt on what it's like being a woman in a man's game

Christopher Toh

christophertoh@mediacorp.com.sg

WHILE many can probably easily name male authors who write travel literature - anyone from Michael Palin to Nicholas Sparks - few can name as many female writers who do the same thing.

One possible reason is the common - and often erroneous - perception is that men who strap on back packs and travel the world are bound on a journey of enrichment and discovery, whereas women who do the same thing are bound for trouble.

However, two female authors are hoping that perception will change with the publication of their debut travel tomes. Today took time out to chat with Adeline Loh and Janet Hsieh.

BUSH BABY: ADELINE LOH

Malaysian writer Adeline Loh ditched her career in magazine publishing a couple of years ago to take a trip to Zambia. Her first tome, Peeing In The Bush, is a recollection of highlights of the journey, which turned out to be a journey of self-discovery.
"I seriously never imagined that I would ever write a book because I possess a very short attention span," she told Today.

"I have trouble finishing books as it is let alone write one! But I was just so truly inspired by what I had seen and experienced that I just had to let it out one way or another."

According to Adeline, the book took "forever" to complete because she "transformed into this anal perfectionist".

"I needed every single page to be immensely readable, funny and engaging, so I would continually try to come up with new ideas and entertaining ways to relay information. I did not know when to stop," she said.

Two-and-a-half years later, she finally stopped writing and sent the manuscript to the publishers, although she kept wanting to work on it right up to the last minute. "It's like getting ready for a big date, you know? Every touch-up counts!"

You don't hear much about female travel writers. Do you wish there were more?

Actually, there are quite a number of female travelogue writers - they're just not as famous as the men. That's a low-down dirty shame because I think us females are much more funny, clever, wicked and adept at toilet humour than men!

What I wish is not for more female travelogue writers, but for more recognition for the existing ones. I don't think I'm setting the trend here; it's already begun.

Are you worried the public won't get it?

I know that the cool people I was writing for will get my book and those who have trees up their behinds may pooh-pooh it.

What's the biggest lesson you've gained from this experience?

I learnt to be appreciative of everything I have. Simple things - like food, money and shelter.

I hardly complain anymore and have become extremely easy to please. I also realised that the quest for materialism makes people miserable. The people in Africa had only the bare basics and they were contented, so why aren't we?

However, I also discovered burnout. I'm happy I did everything I did. Because I sure as hell ain't going to do it again!

What? No more books?

If I do write another book, I would want it to be 10 times better than Peeing In The Bush. And frankly speaking, that book is pretty hard to beat!

BITTEN BY THE TRAVEL BUG: JANET HSIEH

Better known as the vivacious host of Discovery Travel & Living's Fun Taiwan, Janet Hsieh has been to more countries than the entire Plus team put together.

Born and raised in Texas, the Taiwanese lass has visited over 30 countries, including Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, France, Palau, India, Singapore and, of course, Taiwan. She says she was bitten by the travel bug as a girl, and she's about to reveal all in her first travel tome to be published later this year.

It's not just a travelogue, she said. "It's like a biography told in a series of travel stories ... Whenever I go anywhere, I write in my journal. Of course, now I have my blog. I've always liked sharing stuff," Hsieh said. "Even the simplest things like the first time I used a squatting toilet, I didn't know which way to face. So it kind of made sense that I would put it in a book."

But first, she needs a title. "We do have a couple of ideas," she said. "One of them is Janet Revealed. But we're debating about what kind of cover to use."

Said cover ideas included one of her wearing nothing but a map, and a more familiar one of her carrying a back pack. (Personally, I'd go for the one with the map.) "We'll see how it goes," she said.

What was the most challenging about writing this book?

I've been writing it for a long time - two years -but sporadically, because I'd be busy filming for six months at a stretch sometimes. That was challenging. I didn't use a ghostwriter because I wanted it to be me. Everything down to the photos and themes and the style. The book is chronological, but location-based, and about what happens to me there ... But if you're looking for factual information like when to go, how to get there - then my book is not the book to buy!

Are you worried about the reception to your book?

I am a little worried because this is like my baby and I'm almost afraid to release it - what if people don't like it?

Any plans for another one?

We're already working on the second one, which is about my last four years on Fun Taiwan. It's based on the people we have interviewed on the show and not just the Taiwanese.

You don't hear much about women travel writers. Do you wish there were more?

Well, Beyonce had an all-woman band (at F1 Rocks). That is so cool! When you think "hard rocker", you automatically think "male". But it doesn't have to be that way. There are a lot of talented women out there, and I think Beyonce brought that point across.

I was reading an article which said that the people who are going to bring the world out of the recession aren't the Indians or Chinese - it's women. So why not? There should be more female travel writers!

The new season of Fun Taiwan with Janet Hsieh (left) begins Nov 27, 8pm on Discovery Travel & Living (StarHub Channel 16).

From TODAY, Plus – Tuesday, 29-Sep-2009

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In the Halls of the ancients

SPIRITUAL HOURS
With heritage sites and vibrant festivals, Tamil Nadu is a trip into southern culture

The world had a taste of what the Indian state of Tamil Nadu had to offer when Slumdog Millionaire composer A R Rahman walked off the Oscar stage in February with two gold statuettes.

One of Chennai’s most famous sons, the prolific musician and singer even performed his rousing, award-winning song Jai Ho for the Hollywood audience. Bollywood appeared in a posse of pink as Rahman made the Kodak Theatre his thumping ground.

That he’s a product of India’s song-and-dance culture is obvious. More than that, he hails from the capital of Tamil Nadu, a state known for its festive traditions.

Said Dr S Bakthavatchalam, the deputy director of department of tourism in Tamil Nadu: “In this land of fairs and festivals, every day is a celebration. Festivals are the high points of life where the spirit of worship is combined with joyous activity — song, dance and music – to unwind.”

The biggest festival of the year, the Pongal, takes place over four days in mid-January. It is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, when the Sun God is thanked and invoked for prosperity and a rich harvest.

The state has about 15 major festivals a year, says Dr Bakthavatchalam, adding that “the frescoes and the sprawling corridors in the cities of Chidambaram and Mamallapuram come alive during the classical and folk dance festivals every year”.

For shoppers, the Silk Festival in Kancheepuram in October is one of the major draws. The city situated 75km south of Chennai has “one of the finest textile traditions in the country”, according to Dr Bakthavatchalam.

“In Kancheepuram, silks are not simply woven, it’s an entire tradition, an art form. So much so that a trip to Tamil Nadu is considered incomplete without shopping for a Kancheepuram saree,” he said.

Lamps are the other signature product of the state, to be found in the towns of Swamimalai and Nachiarkoil. Here, visitors can see some of the most exquisite lamps crafted from brass or a combination of five metals.

“In Tamil Nadu, the art of brass and bronze casting is still strictly governed by the canons of iconography,” said Dr Bakthavatchalam.

Indeed, history and heritage distinguish the aesthetics of the southern state from those of the north. Where Mughal art and architecture — think the bulbs and towers of the Taj Mahal — dominate landmarks in the north, it’s ancient Dravidian designs that reign in Tamil Nadu.

Temples sport gopurams, or tiered, conical roofs that are meticulously carved and decorated to represent scenes from Hindu mythology. Think the lush depiction of images a la Little India’s Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple compared to the restrained, subtle art of the Taj Mahal.

Having escaped the Mughal influence that swept the north, the south is a fitting place to explore Hindu culture. One of the best examples is the group of monuments at Mamallapuram, a Unesco World Heritage Site situated 60km south of Chennai.

The village overlooking the Bay of Bengal served as the port city of the Pallava kings in the 5th to 9th century. Rock is the canvas here for artists to carve intricate depictions of Hindu stories.

Further south in the cities of Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholisvaram and Darasuram are the Great Living Chola Temples, world heritage sites built by the Chola kings in the 11th century. The monuments feature life-size sculptures and wall murals.

“For centuries, Tamil Nadu has been a centre of Dravidian art and culture,” said Dr Bakthavatchalam. “It’s waiting to be discovered.”
Jennifer Chen


From TODAY, Traveller
Thursday, 02-April-2009