Welcome to Singapore.

After about 25 hours of flight time, I arrived in the city of Singapore.

From immediately walking around I noticed two important details:

1) The weather here is Calvary-esque...all year. In other words, for the entire year, Singapore consistently has weather above 80 degrees and over 70% humidity. Only 200km north of the equator, Singapore is, by every measure, a tropical locale.

2) This city is obsessed with food. I know I gave the impression to many that this trip would devote a considerable amount of time experiencing the food. I read the books. I saw Anthony Bourdain profess it. But I had no idea how big a part of the culture it actually is. I'd guess that 50-60% of the stores you see in Singapore are related to food. It is unlike anything I have ever seen in my life. Walking along the streets through the city center in itself is a sensual treat; the city constantly wafts of curries, soy, and spices I could neither pronounce nor correctly spell.

Suffice to say, I had extremely high expectations. Ridiculously high expectations. Star Wars Episode 1-like expectations. But unlike George Lucas' visual piece of suckitude, Singapore met and exceeded them.

Arriving at my hotel at 2 am, I was quickly awaken by Daryl and an offer to get a decent breakfast. While walking, it dawned on to me...what the hell does breakfast look outside the West? Sure, I've been to Asia and all, but I never really thought about it. I just ate what was in front of me. Well, in Singapore, a classic breakfast is pratas.

What is a prata, you ask? Simply put, its an Indian crepe. Its a thinly cooked piece of breading with different fillings and served with a bowl of curry to dip in. I happen to get two, one plain and one with cheese. Its an amazingly good dish. Beautifully simple.

But what is really stunning from the meal isn't the dish itself. Eating with Daryl and his sister, I asked them to order me what was good. Not only did they not hesitate, they didn't even have to check the menu. Daryl and his sister are ethnically Chinese. Personally, as an American, I take pride in the fact that I have a good understanding of ethnic foods. I love Indian food. I love Mexican, etc. In fact, as like most Americans, I am probably overconfident in my understanding of ethnic food. For example, I had no idea what a prata was. All I knew was that India Garden certainly has not served it for their lunch buffet. Sure, I would expect Daryl to know Chinese. Its the same way Jeff Reed knows the winds at Heinz Field (or bar specials on the South Side). They're both accustomed to it because they interact with it every day. In reality, in Singapore, the locals rarely reside exclusively in their ethnic communities. Rather, its S.O.P to see the Malays, Indians, and Chinese eating whatever others have to offer. Multiculturalism at its finest.