Mark's Web Site: A quiet place with just a bit of pretension.

I came upon this shrine as I was walking near my hotel.  The sidewalk went under a highway and the ground was barren.  There was no one about but there were some bicycle carts parked nearby.  A barrel had been cut in half to be used for firepits.  My first thought was that this is a place for the homeless to gather.  In the States, I might consider this a dangerous place, but here, with this shrine lit up and incense burning, I had no fear.  It seems to offer a place of peace for those whose destitution might lead them here.  I wonder if there are some monks nearby who maintain it.  I took my picture and left a prayer for those who stay here.

Singapore is a very civilized city, at least this area that I'm staying in.  The sidewalks are separated from the streets by vegetation - sometimes tall enough to provide a visual shield.  People walk freely and I couldn't help thinking that in the U.S. we might be reluctant to allow thick vegetation so close to a public walkway for fear it would attract danger.  Here though, the people walk without trepidation.  The reputation the country has for strict punishment may keep the would-be stalker in check.  I have the thought that "civilized society" has come to mean brutal punishment.  But let's not forget that Singapore also has an extensive government housing housing program, offers a robust economy with plenty of jobs, and tightly restricts residency and immigration.  Social control may well result in public safety, or it may be that people fortunate enough to live here do not reach such desparation that they must resort to violence.  It is not a formula that is replicable everywhere.

In the center of the city is SunTec Center.  It is a huge, bustling shopping center with four very tall office towers.  The Sunday shoppers consisted mostly of families out for the day.  In the atria were large displays of major consumer purchases.  In one was a car dealer playing music and showing off the latest models.  In another was a travel agency set up to have one-on-one conversations with folks about taking that dream vacation.  They seemed to be featuring vacations to China.  I guess it's the place to see now that the regime has discovered its ability to bring wealth to the nation.  There is a significant Chinese population here. 

I found this garden out a door on the third floor that led to a children's playground.  I guess this is the parent's playground.  The fountain is very peaceful and I found it easy to sit there even after the rain had soaked all the seats.  The water flows out to the left of this photo, down some stairs and into a pool for further reflection.  The bottom is lined with small oval stones all aligned to focus the attention on the center of the pool.  The walkway back to the mall is overhung with an arbor that provides shade on those hot Singapore days. 

It is significant to me that the people of this place are cognizant of the peace of their fellow citizens. Whether it is a fountain off of a shopping mall or a shrine under a highway, there is an ever-present expression of caring for the souls of the those who pass by.  Does it take brutal punishment to enforce this, or just an acknowledgement of each other's humanity?