Singapore Slinging: Under the Lights at the 2009 Singapore GP
You can feel it in the air — air that’s so humid, it’s almost as though you’re breathing in mist. The cafes and kiosks that crowd the city’s waterfront promenades are buzzing with activity. It’s almost time for Night Race Deux, aka the 2009 Formula One SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, and I’m here as a guest of the Singapore Tourism Board. It’s a once-in-lifetime opportunity to bask in the glow of a cosmopolitan city teeming with excitement as it once again hosts the only night race on the F1 circuit.
For those unfamiliar with Singapore, it’s the smallest nation in Asia — you can literally drive from end-to-end in about 45 minutes and top to bottom in about an hour more — located at the tip of the Malaysian peninsula (find Australia, then look up and to the left), a proud city-state that was once one of the most important commercial and military centers of the British Empire. British influence is still everywhere here, and English is the official language, although far from the only one spoken. Walk around for a while, and you’ll see an incredibly diverse mix of cultures and several districts with distinct cultural flavors. And no, you won’t see gum sold, but yes, you can chew it — as long as you dispose of it properly.