Singapore

February 25, 2025 — April 25, 2025

South East Asia
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Figure 1

Singapore! The island off the tip of Malay Peninsula. The country where all flights are domestic!

1 History

Laszlo Montgomery’s History of Singapore is pretty good.

1.1 Cleopatra Wong

The last time I was in Singapore, I stayed in a 2-bit backpacker joint. There was an aspiring filmmaker from (IIRC?) Kerala there, who was in town to get finance to remake the film that, IMO, tells you everything about the foundation of ASEAN, Cleopatra Wong. We stayed up until way too late, effusing about our mutual obsession (to be clear, he was more obsessed than me, because I wasn’t pitching for funding). I regret that I lost his contact details because I would love to see that film remade.

Haven’t heard of it? Here is the background: Cleopatra Wong Is the Forgotten Movie Star That Singapore Needs Right Now.

2 Fashion

Batik stores full of Indonesian imports! That also do mail order! Much easier than extracting Batik from Indonesia.

Some at my price point:

Many more listed here

3 Transport

Obviously I mostly care about trains: See Train travel guide: Singapore - Kuala Lumpur - Penang - Bangkok

4 References

Siddique. 2020. Mapping Regional Ambivalence and Anxieties in They Call Her… Cleopatra Wong.” In Southeast Asia on Screen: From Independence to Financial Crisis (1945–1998).