この間シンガポールへ行ってきました。なんという事は無く単なるビザ更新の為で、1泊しただけです。インドネシアのジャカルタ（スカルノハッタ空港）からシンガポールのチャンギ空港へは空路で約1時間半弱です。しかし、このチャンギ空港って本当いい空港です。スカルノハッタも別に悪くないですが、チャンギに比べるとどうしても見劣りします。少し前ソウルのインチョン空港へ乗り継ぎで行きましたがあそこに勝るとも劣らない素晴らしい空港です。しかし、いきなり着いて早々トラブルが、まぁ調べないで行った私もなんですが、この国の税関はお酒の持ち込み規制に非常に厳しいです。さすが、公の場でタバコを吸ったり酔っ払たりする事を法律で禁じている国です。有楽町や新橋の酔っ払い親父の集団を見ると、この国の警察の人は卒倒するんじゃないでしょうか。という事で、お酒の持ち込みは1リットルまでなのですが、私の持ち込んだのは750mlが2本で1本没収・・・と思いつつ、税関事務所に来いというので行ったら4ドルで預かり可能との事。どうせ次の日出国するのだからと、お願いして米ドルを渡そうとしたところ、シンガポールドルじゃないと駄目と言われて、こいつらーと思い『そんな事言ったって今しがた着いたばかりで、シンガポールドルなんで持っているわけ無いでしょ！』と言うと『まぁまぁ、カード使えるから安心して』と一言。うーん、この国は東南アジアの中でも、ちょっと違うなと思った次第です。
I went to Singapore the other day for a work visa renewal. This was my first trip to Singapore. It took about a little less than 1.5 hours from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta international airport to Singapore Changi international airport. Changi airport was wonderful airport, I used another fantastic airport, Seoul Inchon international airport, but Changi is perhaps better rather than Inchon. The airport was great, however I was involved a trouble. At a custom clearance gate, I was stopped by an officer and was ordered to put my luggage on a radiographic tester. Then the officer said that nobody brought alcohol into Singapore over 1 liter. He asked me how much whisky do you have, I said 2 bottles of whisky but I don’t know exact volume. I actually had 2 bottles of 750ml sized whisky as a souvenir for a party with my friends who was living in Singapore, so I thought a bottle should be seized, but the officer was still talking to me to come to a airport custom office. At the custom office, the officer said if you get out Sigapore within a few days, you can leave the whisky, but you have to pay 4 dollars as a deposit. I should go out the next day, so I responded okay and put 4 US dollars, but the officer said it should be paid by Singapore dollar. Because I just arrived, of course I had no Singapore dollar, I said you joking me I just arrived it should be no Singapore dollar. The officer said gently be cool sir, you can use a credit card. I was a bit surprised and thought this country was not same as other South east Asian countries.
タクシーで市中へ移動しました。海外で安心してタクシーに乗れるという事はいいですね。ちなみに、タクシーでも利用料金の10%を追加で払えばカード使用可能。殆どの場所でカード使用可能ですのでシンガポールドルを下ろさなくても滞在可能でしょう。赤道の近くで暑い国ですが、一応カレンダーは2月という事でついたその日は中国風シーフード鍋を食べました。かなり美味かったです。食べ終わり飲み終わったのが夜中1時くらいですが、歩いて帰っても大丈夫な治安の良さがシンガポールの良さでもあります。
I got a central of Singapore by a taxi. It’s nice to get a taxi with safe conditions or having unnecessary worries. It's able to use a credit card for a taxi as well if 10 percent charge. Also almost all places are allowed to use a credit card, I guess that for staying in Singapore, it may not be required to withdraw or exchange Singapore dollar. Singapore is near equatorial country, it was so hot night and day but a calendar shows February at that time, so I ate a seafood stew. It was so delicious and was not expensive. I enjoyed the whisky and the stew to the full, and got back my hotel around 01.00 hour at night. It’s also very nice that people can get back a home on foot even in midnight at midtown.
次の日はセントーサ島へ行きました。近くにコンテナを扱う港があるのですが、おびただしい数の船が沖合いに待機していました。さすが、世界トップクラスのコンテナ扱い量を誇る港です。そういえばタクシーの運転手がコンテナー扱い量の事を自慢してたっけ。
I got Sentosa Island the next day, the picture below was taken by a cable car. Numerous vessels were standing by in the offing. Singapore is one of the busiest container ports, this was remind me that a taxi driver was proud the port in the previous day.
で、その沖合いに停泊している船が真近に見える砂浜がセントーサ島です。シンガポールはこの島に巨額の投資を行って観光立国として一本立ちしたいと思っているようです。現にいろんな場所で工事が行われていました。なお、写真の小島がセントーサ島ではなくこの写真はセントーサ島の海岸から撮影していますので悪しからず。
And the standing by vessels are at a very short distance from a beach, this is Sentosa Island. Singapore is investing a huge amount of expense to the Island and is to be a famous sightseeing country, I saw many construction for new building and or road whatever on the Island. By the way, the isle shown in the above picture is not Sentosa you know.
And the standing by vessels are at a very short distance from a beach, this is Sentosa Island. Singapore is investing a huge amount of expense to the Island and is to be a famous sightseeing country, I saw many construction for new building and or road whatever on the Island. By the way, the isle shown in the above picture is not Sentosa you know.
セントーサ島のマーライオンです。口から水を吹かない代わりに中に入れるでかいやつです。あの口の中に入ってきました。
This is Merlion being on the Island. Huge one and it can be entered to inside of a mouth but not a water blowing from a mouth which is being in central of Singapore.
どこでも英語が通じて便利できれいな市街。非常に便の良い交通。物価は周辺諸国に比べると大幅に高いですが昼も夜も安心して街を歩けます。しかし全体的になんかこう冷たい印象の国でしたね。やっぱり規制の厳しい統制国家だからでしょうか。国土も狭く観光地といっても歴史的なものは少ないので、再訪したい！という気持ちにはなかなかなりにくい国かもしれません。（シンガポールが好きな方ごめんなさい。）
Singapore is, everywhere we can communicate by English, very useful public transportation, price is much higher than other South east countries however so safe town. This is just my impression of Singapore, I felt Singapore is an icy country, perhaps because Singapore is a strict regimentation country. Modern building but not so histrical, not like other Asian countrieies. Anyway, I didn’t have a feeling to insist visiting again at that time, sorry for people who love Singapore…
This is Merlion being on the Island. Huge one and it can be entered to inside of a mouth but not a water blowing from a mouth which is being in central of Singapore.
どこでも英語が通じて便利できれいな市街。非常に便の良い交通。物価は周辺諸国に比べると大幅に高いですが昼も夜も安心して街を歩けます。しかし全体的になんかこう冷たい印象の国でしたね。やっぱり規制の厳しい統制国家だからでしょうか。国土も狭く観光地といっても歴史的なものは少ないので、再訪したい！という気持ちにはなかなかなりにくい国かもしれません。（シンガポールが好きな方ごめんなさい。）
Singapore is, everywhere we can communicate by English, very useful public transportation, price is much higher than other South east countries however so safe town. This is just my impression of Singapore, I felt Singapore is an icy country, perhaps because Singapore is a strict regimentation country. Modern building but not so histrical, not like other Asian countrieies. Anyway, I didn’t have a feeling to insist visiting again at that time, sorry for people who love Singapore…
