Singaporeans flocked, surging the doors,

While malls are jammed every month of the year,

It’s Christmas where retail is specially dear.

In the tropics, you know, it’s hot, damp and green,

Not an icicle or snowflake is normally seen.

But they pull out the stops at the Yuletide grows near

With a serious dedication to creating that cheer.

Orchard Road, for example, is brilliantly lit,

With gigantic decorations and electrical kit.

24 hours a day, it’s a fantasy place

So bring and so twinkly, you can see it from space.

Girls dressed as Santa, in minis – so pretty

Have invaded the streets and taken the city.

And snow globes so big, for a dollar or two,

You enter inside – and a snowstorm ensues.

It’s funny, these icons that come from cold climes,

And how they’re interpreted – on occasion, sublime.

But Christmas is more than a man with a sack;

The end of the year is a time to look back.

Like most, I suppose, it’s been good, sometimes tough -

With travels and friends and professional stuff.

All grist for the mill, the highs and the low

Twelve months just flew by; where the hell did it go?

If you’re managed to read through my short little ditty,

You are a true friend, as this poem’s a pity!

But aside from my stories and the occasional bad rhyme,

It brings you my love for a great Christmastime.

1. Get up super early. That means you might need a nap mid day.
2. Give up routines.
3. Try to do nothing (try).

And a bonus suggestion:
4. Take the battery out of your Bberry or phone.

And then it’s time to hit the gas, turn a corner… and the open road stretches in front of you.

Any of you from outside Canada may not be familiar with this rather strange vegatable. It’s officially known as the “ostrich fern”. It tastes like mild asparagus with a “wild” earthy undertone. Similar I suppose to the gamey taste you get from wild animals as opposed to the cleaner taste of cultivated vegetables.

Wikipedia says – For the Maliseet, a native tribe from the area where the ostrich fern grows, fiddleheads were considered to be medicinal as well as a foodstuff and were gathered in quantity during the relatively brief season before they unfurl.

Have always loved ‘em and had the chance while in Canada this week to catch the end of the fiddlehead season. Cooked up a huge plate, was a funny homecoming ritual that I did not expect.

Many experts have given their advice on the subject. Here are my top three tips:

1). Sleep whenever you want

2). Have an alcoholic drink when you feel like it, even if it is at 11 am in your new time zone

3). Know that you’ll be nicely adjusted to your new time zone just in time to go home.

Recently I have friended the Singapore Police Force on Facebook because what they have to say is interesting. They talk a lot about how safe they keep Singapore, and frequently post pictures of people they’re looking for – often grainy images lifted from surveillance cameras in elevator lobbies!

Lately they’ve been promoting a new TV show called C.L.I.F. Odd for a police force to do this, can only assume that they always get the bad guys in the end. Oh, and C.L.I.F. stands for Courage, Loyalty, Integrity and something else which I guess is a positive.

They describe the show as : Non-stop action! Car chases, gun shootouts, explosions, serial arson, murder cases . Fighting crime is an unending mission. Watch how Police strive to bring criminals to justice and keep Singapore safe from crime in this realistic police drama.

Take a look at the promo. It’s the “other” Singapore; things aren’t half as exciting where I live. But maybe I’m just not paying attention.

Ion Orchard, Singapore

Arriving at an airport in the middle of the night is strange. Even if it’s operating, things are slow and it feels like a sleeping. Here I am in Hong Kong and just watched the sunrise. Favourite part of my day.

Three reasons why being up at sunrise is good:

1) No matter where you are, city or country, being part of the world when it’s waking up shows you things you don’t normally see. Early morning deliveries. Mist and fog. Hookers walking home.

2) It’s cool and quiet.

3) There’s a whole day ahead of you.

I guess you need to be a morning person to like sunrise, but if you haven’t seen one lately- highly recommended!

Well, I’m a guy and of course I’m a Hamilton, so following that riff, I’m off to Canada and China on a 3-week adventure. My goal is to write a blog update everyday for the next month or so. Well don’t hold me to it.

It’s been a bit of a busy and tumultuous last few months here in Singapore so the clear air of Toronto (metaphorically speaking) and the high NRG discharge of Shanghai may serve me well.

You will be the judge.

When I chose my apartment in Singapore, I specifically decided not to go in a building with a pool. I had a pool for years at my condo in Toronto and rarely used it. Partly because it was in the basement and overly chlorinated. And when I saw the rental prices here, I realized you could get much more “apartment” in buildings with no pools.

A year and a half later, I am ready to go swimming. The building across the street has a magnificent pool in full view of my kitchen window. There’s hardly ever anyone in it. I stand and gaze in envy.

Temporary solution – my new gym has an outdoor pool on the 5th level overlooking the city centre. It’s pretty nice.

But it’s not mine. Something must change. The options:

• Friends with pools
• Strangers with pools
• Moving

Stay tuned.