Getting "Localized" & Going to Hell!

After about one month in Singapore, my co-workers have told me I'm getting "localized", referring to my daily use of public transportation, eating at the hawker centers, and overall willingness to step outside the "bubble" many expats stay within.  You all know I'm pretty conservative, so don't take it the wrong way - I'm not in any way adventurous, but being here on my own has forced me to "localize" pretty quickly to keep myself entertained and avoid boredom / being homesick.  Luckily, there is a lot of "new" to explore and experience in Singapore and this weekend was evidence of that! 

Last week, a co-worker from Australia gave me a great book: an expats guide to Singapore called "Living in Singapore".  It covers everything from advice on moving your personal belongings to Singapore, to regional travel, shopping, etc.  It's a really great book and I've recently found it both a humorous, entertaining read as well as a great reference.

As a result of some of the advice in this book.....my weekend included a reluctant introduction to "bubble tea" (bottom picture on the left), dinner next to a wall of fish tanks full of sea cucumber and giant Australian crabs (some of which found themselves on our plates), a visit to the local wet market, a round of golf, meeting new neighbours, consuming green beer (said to have medicinal qualities from a plant called spirulina), and a visit to a very unique park called Haw Par Villa.

I have to save a few of these stories so I have something to talk about with everyone when I get home......but I'll continue to share some of the more unique experiences on a weekly basis.  For this week's update, I have to share my experience at the later - the oddest / most interesting place I've visited so far, Haw Par Villa. 

Haw Par Villa (Villa of the Tiger and Leopard), originally known as Tiger Balm Gardens, was built in 1937 as a private residence by Aw Boon Haw, one of the founders of Tiger Balm, now sold in the US and worldwide.   

The property was later converted to a park with over 1,000 colorful statues intended to teach Chinese values, folklore, history, and Confucian ideology.  The statues on display include animals, sumo wrestlers, Chinese gods, A Statue of Liberty (yeah, that confused me too) - and, well........just about anything else you can imagine.  In most cases, the statues are part of a "scene" depicting a historic or legendary Chinese battle - or depicting some crazy folklore.....usually involving some half man / half beast Chinese character.  The most unique and disturbing area of the park is the "Ten Courts of Hell" exhibit (which puts my last post about the laws and fines of Singapore in perspective) - more to come on that.

The park is located just steps from the aptly named Haw Par Villa MRT station, making it a very easy place to find.  Admission is completely free - which is odd considering you have to pay extra for a napkin at most restaurants. 

Honestly, Haw Par Villa reminds me of a giant miniature golf course - absent the miniature golf course - because I'm fairly sure the sculptures are made from the same stuff that most miniature golf course sculptures are made of.  That said, it was much more fascinating than any miniature golf course I've ever played.......in fact, I bet I could make a fortune if I bought the place and converted it......(anyone hit that Powerball Jackpot and want to invest?)

Anyway, at Haw Par Villa, just like most miniature golf courses, the statues were not necessarily built to withstand the climate for an extended period of time, and some are beginning to show signs of age.  Still - as decorative and colorful as everything was, I was amazed how many remain in very good condition.

After walking around most of the park and trying to decipher the old Chinese stories (most have English description signs, but many do not), I hesitantly headed to the "Ten Courts of Hell."  The "Living in Singapore" guide book noted the graphic / unsuitable for kids nature of this part of the park, and I didn't quite know what to expect.   It was, well, eye-opening.....and I kind of felt weird taking pictures.   Here are a few I did take, which should give you a sense of what I found in the "Ten Courts of Hell":

Let's just say that the attention to detail displayed outside in the rest of the park was also exhibited in the Ten Courts of Hell.  Each "punishment" was on display in graphic, colorful sculpture....definitely not something Cooper and Sophia would have enjoyed.  Anyway - after completing my tour of the first Nine Courts of Hell, I was relieved to find that the Tenth Court was the Wheel of Reincarnation.....a somewhat happy ending to an otherwise disturbing view of Chinese cultural beliefs of hell.

After that final stop on my tour of Haw Par Villa, I was happy to get back in the sun, on the MRT and headed home.  Even better, I found a great little area in Holland Village (minutes from our home) with more restaurants, a cheese shop, pet store, cooking school, and ice cream parlor.   It's a great little spot I didn't know existed, but is now part of my options for dinner after work.  On this day, it was hot and since I had just returned from hell, I figured a scoop of chocolate was just what I needed.......

I hope everyone is doing well - I'll see most of you in 23 days!