The government here often has different educational campaigns going throughout the city with suggestions on how to speak better English, how to be more thoughtful of others on public transportation, how to use public restrooms without leaving messes, etc. First, some pictures of signs in restrooms:
Last December we saw a big advertisement painted on a bus: "Speak better English," with several good grammar rules. We were very surprised to see the same ads posted on a historical building near the Singapore River!
Part of the building from across the street
The signs closer-up
A couple of weeks ago a Christian funeral was held by our building. It is so nice to hear familiar hymns floating up to our flat. "Amazing Grace" is always played at Christian funerals, and we hear a few others as well. But more often, the funerals by us are Buddhist--very loud, with a lot of chanting, cymbals, etc. I've posted pictures of those before, and I think videos too. But I don't think I've posted pictures of what some of the more wealthy or more honored Buddhists are expected to receive in the afterlife. I think the first time we saw these things, it was for the funeral of a monk. We have seen a couple more since then:
The mansion and car that the deceased person is expected to receive in the afterlife--
At the end of the funeral these are burned, and that is how they get to the afterlife.
Another mansion for the afterlife
(If I remember right, this was for the monk.)
Driving and owning a car here is different than in the U.S. Here are a few driving-related pictures:
Many tiny car dealerships are side-by-side in
this location, mostly in a parking-garage-like structure.
Tolls on the road--The rates depend on where in the city you are
(Central Business District being most expensive) and what time of day it is.
Parking coupons--You pay to park almost everywhere, including by your own home and at the grocery store! Most places have an automatic payment system, where money is deducted from the same card in your car that the above ERP (Electronic Road Pricing) uses. But for the places not set up with that system, you have to use these tickets. People come around and check to make sure you have them in your windshield and haven't parked longer than you said you would (by punching out the time).
And a few more random pictures:
Cutting the grass by our building
A fruit stand--The buckets are where the sellers keep their money.
A bridge for animals above the highway
How coffee is sold to-go in the coffeeshops
Gelato--Sold in beautiful displays, and if you pick the right flavor it's
delicious. But I would have to pass on the bell pepper flavor. :-)
The Singapore version of an ice cream truck
The ice cream from that truck
