Wyoming Breezes

Government apartments Singapore December 1979

Farmers' Market Singapore December 1979 Other photos of the market can be seen here  and here . I enjoyed visiting Singapore and would love to return.

Bugis Street "Queen" December 1979 One of the stops on our nighttime tour of Singapore was Bugis Street. Wikipedia states this about Bugis Street : After World War II, hawkers gathered there to sell food and goods. There was initially also a small number of outdoor bars set up beside rat-infested drains. When transvestites began to rendezvous in the area in the 1950s, they attracted increasing numbers of Western tourists who came for the booze, the food, the pasar malam shopping and the "girls." Business boomed and Bugis Street became an extremely lively and bustling area, forming the heart of Xiao Po. It was one of Singapore's most famous tourist meccas from the 1950s to the 1980s, renowned internationally for its nightly parade of flamboyantly-dressed transwomen and attracted hordes of Caucasian gawkers who had never before witnessed Asian queens in full regalia. The latter would tease, cajole and sit on visitors' laps or pose for photographs for a...

Singapore Street Scene December 1979

Lipstick Palm Singapore December 1979

Holiday display Singapore hotel December 1979 The photos are old, but my Christmas greeting to you is new. May your day be one filled with wonderful memories - both new and old. Holiday display Singapore hotel December 1979

Singapore National Theatre December 1979 While in Singapore, my tour group took a side trip to the Singapore National Theatre . I was intrigued by the architecture, inside and outside. It was the "house" section of the theatre that was unique, as it had no side or rear walls. The theatre was capable of seating 3,420 people. According to Wikipedia, the theatre was demolished in 1986 due to a structural defect. Have you ever seen a formal theatre with "open" seating?

Our tour guide demonstrates how latex is harvested from a rubber tree Singpore December 22, 1979 The notes from my travel journal state, "The rubber tree plantation was the last stop today. A British commander smuggled 22 seeds from Brazil and only 9 seedlings sprouted and were then planted in Singapore. Singapore became the rubber capital for some time. The American company, Goodyear, discovered vulcanization and rubber tires thus caught on." Up until this tour, I had no idea where rubber originated. Latex from a rubber tree Rubber Tree Plantation Singapore December 22, 1979 Other notes from my journal: "Gas in Singapore -  $2.30 a gallon. The government encourages car pooling in the morning and taxes cars for having less than four people inside. The cars on the streets are less than ten years old because older cars are taxed double."

Money from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, and Japan 1979 - 1980 When traveling it is important to carry coins and bills from the countries you are visiting. Having the foreign money provides peace of mind that you can purchase food, pay for a taxi, make a phone call, and tip if appropriate. It's never wise to cash in or spend all of your foreign money before leaving a country because the unexpected can always occur. I came home with a few dollars from some of the countries I visited. Of course, most of the money is from Japan. I never bothered to exchange any of the money when I returned to the base or even when I returned to the U.S. The exchange rate for a U.S. dollar was very good in 1979, nearly $2.30 for 100 yen; the exchange rate now is closer to $1 to 101 yen. According to exchange-rates.org , the Japanese yen in the photo would total approximate $17 at today's exchange rate. Today, the Thai bhat is worth $2.75, Singapore dollars and odd c...

Temple Singapore December 1979

Singapore Street December 1979 Note all the TV antennas. They were a common sight around the world in the 60s and 70s, and slowly disappeared in the 90s, replaced with the large satellite dish. When did you make the switch to satellite TV versus antenna?

Singapore Market December 1979 This earlier Foreign Friday post featured the market from a different angle. Today's photo shows the baskets more clearly as well as what they held that day.

Sultan's Palace Johor Bahru, Maylaysia December 1979 A previous post taken in the Sultan's Garden can be seen here .

Outdoor Market Singapore December 1979 Our tour stopped by an outdoor market after it was closed and the shopkeepers were cleaning. I loved the large baskets that were used to hold and display produce.

Statue of Confucius Tiger Balm Garden Singapore December 1979 Tiger Balm Garden was basically a site with statues and dioramas advertising Tiger Balm . You can read the history of the garden here . Many people make jokes about Confucius, but he was a wise man. Some of his thoughts and observations about life: "By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest." "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." "Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure." "When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps."

sign in the Tiger Balm Garden Singapore December 1979 Before my trip to Singapore in 1979, I had never heard of Tiger Balm . Have you heard of Tiger Balm or even tried it?

Singapore Harbor taken from Mount Faber December 1979

Rickshaw driver Singapore December 1979 This rickshaw driver catches a cat-nap between customers. He probably had a late night, giving rides to tourists. Riding in a rickshaw is a delight and a great way to see a city, especially at night. Here's a previous post  on my experience. I loved Singapore and would like to return someday.

Open-air market China Town Singapore December 1979 I think all these bags contain food products. Can you identify any of the items?

Sampans on the  Singapore River December 1979