7 ways that Taipei beats Singapore
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Singapore likes to think of itself as a modern and high-end Asian city. We are cleaner, greener and leaner than our Asian neighbors, we are constantly reminded by our media and our government.
In subtle ways, our media draws attention to the flaws of our neighboring countries. Look at Malaysia and their church burning religious zealots! Look at Thailand and the instability caused by the Red Shirts versus the Yellows Shirts! Look at Taiwan and their politicians who constantly fight in Parliament!
"Aren't you glad you live in Singapore, where things are better?" seems to be the message.
It was the mental image of chair-wielding politicians that I carried with me when went to Taiwan recently. The wife and I and some friends flew to Taipei (on Singapore Airlines, of course, because it is better than any Asian airline) and spent a week there on holiday.
I was surprised by what I found. Let me share some ways Taipei kicks Singapore's behind.
1. Taiwanese street food is good and cheap.
Mala noodles, a spicy speciality of TaipeiSingapore used to be known for cheap food. We still have it here and there but really, food prices have been rising to what we call "air-conditioned food court prices". Where we used to pay SGD2 for a bowl of noodles in a hawker stall, it is now SGD3 minimum. At the food courts, it is hitting S$4.50 for that bowl.
So much so that when we hear of a wet market or hawker centre undergoing renovations, we expect prices to go up and the food quality to drop.
In contrast, in Taiwan, you would find a meal for less than NT$50, which is about two Singapore bucks. Sometimes with a free cup of tea thrown in.
Needless to say, we totally pigged out at the night markets. We made the mistake of having a full dinner on the first few nights. The trick is to just snack your way through the stalls at the night markets and not have one big meal first.
2. Taipei has a kick-butt MRT system.
Singapore has always prided itself as having a world class public transport system. But with a growing population, mostly from the influx of "foreign talent" is stretching our transport infrastructure.
The best that the Singapore MRT can do is an interval of 2 to 5 minutes between trains during peak. We are told it is due to the signaling system that needs to be upgraded to decrease that interval.
Trains in Taipei come as frequently as 1 minute apart during peak hour. The trains never feel as packed as Singapore trains, even though our populations are about the same (actually Taipei has about a million more people).
Which brings me to my next point...
3. Taipei people stand to one side when riding escalators.
The thing that struck me when I took the trains was how well-behaved people were. At the escalators, people automatically stood to the right (they drive on the right there, unlike us), so that those who wanted to move ahead can use the left side of the escalator.
Singaporeans have never understood the concept of standing to one side of an escalator. It is almost as if we believe that by not giving way, we win. Letting someone else go faster than we do, even if we just want to stand all the way down the escalator, is against our religion.
This escalator behavior of the Taipei folks was not just confined to the MRT. Everyone behaved in the same way even when riding escalators in shopping malls. How refreshingly civilized.
4. Taipei people don't pretend to sleep on trains while sitting in reserved seats.
We were traveling with a child and an elderly person most of the time (they were our friends' toddler and her grandma), and we never had any problems getting a seat for them. Passengers in the Taipei trains automatically gave up their seats for you, with a smile too.
Try being pregnant, disabled, elderly or with a kid in a Singapore train. You will discover the talent that the typical Singaporean commuter has for falling asleep precisely when you show up in front of their faces.
5. Taiwan has a fantastic High Speed Rail.
mrbrown and wife tries the High Speed RailYou can travel from the north to the south of Taiwan in 90 minutes using the Taiwan High Speed Rail express train. It is fast, clean and comfortable.
I am told it has its share of financial troubles and scandals but riding it was a pleasure. The only complaint I had was that the stations tended to be located somewhat out of the way.
Buying a ticket was painless and the stations had all the amenities you would expect from an airport terminal.
On the trains, food and drinks were sold at reasonable prices and the food was actually tasty. In Singapore, if we had a service like this, with a captive customer, you would most likely be buying a soft drink at triple the street price. Hey, you are on my train, there is no where else you can buy a drink, so I am going to sell you a drink at restaurant prices.
Not in this Taiwan bullet train. I found that buying a drink from the THSR train food trolley to be about the same as getting it from their 7-Elevens.
To be fair, we don't need a high speed rail for our tiny Singapore city. But it would be nice if we could travel from Singapore to Penang or even Bangkok via high speed rail. That would mean collaborating with Malaysia and we all know that it is not going to happen. We can't even agree on simple things like a crooked bridge connecting our straits.
6. Taiwan has freedom of speech
I was struck by how freely people discussed politics and current events in Taiwan. The taxi drivers spoke with passion about what they felt about their government and political parties (do check whose side they are on before you start whacking). TV and newspapers ask tough questions and grill politicians daily.
While it is true that truth can sometimes fall by the wayside in the pursuit of sensationalism and media ratings, I found it refreshing to see this lively exchange of ideas and opinions.
I am told this was not always the case and things improved only after the lifting of martial law in 1987 and even more so, after the KMT lost their dominance at the 2000 elections.
The chaotic energy of its culture is infectious. You feel it even walking through shops run by entrepreneurial young people.
7. Taipei is really, really clean.
I know this is odd but the air in Taipei smells cleaner than even Singapore's. Perhaps they don't have neighbors who burn forests every year willy-nilly, and perhaps their leaders have really cleaned up the city's air. Regardless of the reason, I am impressed.
And the streets! They are so clean! And they manage to do it without having a dustbin at every corner too. We tried to look for a place to throw our rubbish when we finished eating our street snacks and could not find a trash can easily. Yet we noticed people did not litter. When I asked the hawker where I could dispose of my litter, he just said, give it to me.
Singaporeans have to be fined into submission before they can stop littering. Even with the trash cans and cleaners at every corner. And we are so repressed, we become littering monsters in other countries, like Malaysia.
And the Taiwanese seemed more conscious of recycling too. The convenience store clerk asked me if I wanted a plastic bag because it would cost extra. And shops also gave out less disposable chopsticks.
In Singapore, we use styrofoam plates and wooden single-use chopsticks and Disposable Everything like our lives depended on it. You have to beg the supermarket auntie not to double-bag your groceries.
There you go, seven ways that Taipei is better than Singapore as a city. I can keep going, like how their cabs don't have as many ridiculous surcharges, and how much swankier their karaoke chains are but I won't. I don't want to be accused of being unpatriotic.
And don't have to remind me, I know, I know...
Singapore is still better because our politicians don't fight in Parliament by throwing chairs.
Editor's Note: Say What? with Singapore's mrbrown is a regular CNNGo column by Singapore blogger, mrbrown. The self-declared "accidental author" of the hugely popular mrbrown.com website, he's been documenting and commenting on the dysfunctional side of Singapore life since 1997. Visit his website at www.mrbrown.com.
Read more: Say What? with mrbrown: 7 ways that Taipei beats Singapore | CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/none/mrbrown-7-ways-taipei-beats-singapore-432166#ixzz0fx4aoPVP
Read more: Say What? with mrbrown: 7 ways that Taipei beats Singapore | CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/none/mrbrown-7-ways-taipei-beats-singapore-432166#ixzz0fx4at5FR -
WHat Mr Brown has mentioned is the people factor, Singapore is importing more and more fark up people every year.
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it's e people factor. Can blame PAP for everything, but roudy Singaporeans it's our own fault. But yeap education partly caused it.
As for the MRT, simply put everything all want to make more profit nia. Actually our MRT project actually is only advantage to SMRT aft it's been corporatised. They gain cheap from e govt but not need to finance to build the system and still get to keep e profits
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how come angel 7030 still came to singapore to talk cock and sing songs
flaunt her wealth and "iq"
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When the leaders in Taiwan make mistakes, they apologise to the nation unlike the PAP in singapore.
With S$ 1 plus one can eat a bowl of mee in Taiwan
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Originally posted by AH TRUTH 1:
how come angel 7030 still came to singapore to talk cock and sing songs
flaunt her wealth and "iq"
It is just talking nuisance to confuse people here. It may not be a Taiwan nationale afterall. when it first joined it said it was born in singapore by a Taiwanese mum.I read here, it said it is from Taichung , Taiwan. Next I read it said it is from Taipei, Taiwan.
so people, don't get conned by the words of angel7030 aka longinchjohn. A forumer said she has info from reliable source that angel7030 is a male. This I am not surprised, some of us guess it is a he. Look at the inconsistency in the posts - one moment said don't like football , don't understand why so many men run after one ball. Next thing posted in football forum talked so well about football
angel7030 aka longinchjohn - SCAM
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
It is just talking nuisance to confuse people here. It may not be a Taiwan nationale afterall. when it first joined it said it was born in singapore by a Taiwanese mum.I read here, it said it is from Taichung , Taiwan. Next I read it said it is from Taipei, Taiwan.
so people, don't get conned by the words of angel7030 aka longinchjohn. A forumer said she has info from reliable source that angel7030 is a male. This I am not surprised, some of us guess it is a he. Look at the inconsistency in the posts - one moment said don't like football , don't understand why so many men run after one ball. Next thing posted in football forum talked so well about football
angel7030 aka longinchjohn - SCAM
that bugger is just seeking attention
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Originally posted by AH TRUTH 1:
that bugger is just seeking attention
attention seeking whoreknown as longinchjohn in YMB
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Oh my gosh, laugh until crying...u guys are really jokers...compare taiwan with singapore than my soccer posting..
I dun want to talk much, you go taipei and live for a while than come and talk about it, it is no use praising other when you dun really know them.
And if you really want to know taiwan peoples, they dun praise other countries, no matter how bad they are...
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Oh ya, one more thing, taiwan peoples, be it girl like me, or boys or uncles or aunties, they all look nicer, prettier and more handsome than Singaporeans...
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Originally posted by angel7030:
Oh ya, one more thing, taiwan peoples, be it girl like me, or boys or uncles or aunties, they all look nicer, prettier and more handsome than Singaporeans...
Go back to Taiwan - why act cute as a pseudo-Singaporean ?It has been clear from the start that your existence in Singapore is like all the other Bangla and PR Chinese - make your money and return to homeland.
Return to Taiwan to satisfy your needs as an 'Attention Seeking Whore' -
Stay Out of local politics.
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Originally posted by angel7030:
Oh ya, one more thing, taiwan peoples, be it girl like me, or boys or uncles or aunties, they all look nicer, prettier and more handsome than Singaporeans...
This statement of yours proves you are not a TAIWANESE. I have friends who have gone to Taiwan said Taiwanese are hardly good looking only those artistes are. VEry few good looking Taiwanese.No need bullshit to deceive people you are a TAIWANESE. You were born in Singapore by a Taiwanese mother, that is all. you pichak lobang!!!!
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those are alishan ancestor, sure not handsome lah, even not handsome or pretty, but at least they are more gracious, Singaporeans are very stuck up
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Originally posted by angel7030:
Oh my gosh, laugh until crying...u guys are really jokers...compare taiwan with singapore than my soccer posting..
I dun want to talk much, you go taipei and live for a while than come and talk about it, it is no use praising other when you dun really know them.
And if you really want to know taiwan peoples, they dun praise other countries, no matter how bad they are...
longinchjohn, picak lobang so many times already.OWN UP AND ADMIT YOU ARE A GUY!
first you act a gal to post to say you don't know soccer. I saw your posts in soccer forum talked with such knowledge of soccer.
YOU think everyone here can be fooled by you, think again, longchin, LONGINCHJOHN
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hahaha...u never fail make me laugh...hahahaha...so funny. Pubs everyday got soccer games, i have to understand soccer so that i can get customers and soccer fans to come in for drink on sat and sun EPL,...understand!!! seibei cham one, even i dun really like soccer, but what to do, earning a living mah, jali makan u understand or not
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Originally posted by angel7030:
those are alishan ancestor, sure not handsome lah, even not handsome or pretty, but at least they are more gracious, Singaporeans are very stuck up
oh is it???? This is contradicting to your post below:Originally posted by angel7030:Oh ya, one more thing, taiwan peoples, be it girl like me, or boys or uncles or aunties, they all look nicer, prettier and more handsome than Singaporeans...
Taiwanese are much more gracious and well mannered compared to you this piece of shit called angel7030 aka longinchjohn. Don't pretend you are a Taiwanese when you were born in Singapore by a Taiwanese mother.
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Originally posted by angel7030:
hahaha...u never fail make me laugh...hahahaha...so funny. Pubs everyday got soccer games, i have to understand soccer so that i can get customers and soccer fans to come in for drink on sat and sun EPL,...understand!!! seibei cham one, even i dun really like soccer, but what to do, earning a living mah, jali makan u understand or not
Don;t talk crap to cover your asses. YOu yourself said before you don't know soccer.longinchjohn you are exposed.
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Yeah man Singapore's cab prices are total shit. Once when my feet and shoes were drenched due to rain and couldn't walk, i took a cab to drive me around 1.5 km home? And guess what, the price was 10 dollars including the extra 3 dollars for calling a cab.
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
Don;t talk crap to cover your asses. YOu yourself said before you don't know soccer.longinchjohn you are exposed.
Dunno also must learn mah, now many soccer fans you know, Anti vice and police caught alots of gals and now less and less horny men coming, so I must change the image to soccer pub mah...very competitive ok, the other pub lady boss dunno soccer, so i get a good advantage over them...on saturday i alway shout "Lai Lai, young handsome man,..yandao(tho old and ugly) lai lai, got live Torres liverpool football, ya ya, you so manly,...sure like man U lah..wha Rooney very good hor and so on...." Like this can attract customers mah, Customers also said me, "wha lau, lau pan liang, u young young ah lian ah lian type, also know football, somemore torres too" Thanks to EPL forum, i learned alot. -
Originally posted by angel7030:
Dunno also must learn mah, now many soccer fans you know, Anti vice and police caught alots of gals and now less and less horny men coming, so I must change the image to soccer pub mah...very competitive ok, the other pub lady boss dunno soccer, so i get a good advantage over them...on saturday i alway shout "Lai Lai, young handsome man,..yandao(tho old and ugly) lai lai, got live Torres liverpool football, ya ya, you so manly,...sure like man U lah..wha Rooney very good hor and so on...." Like this can attract customers mah, Customers also said me, "wha lau, lau pan liang, u young young ah lian ah lian type, also know football, somemore torres too" Thanks to EPL forum, i learned alot.
LONGINCHJOHN, don't act a gal, we know you are a guy. Same attitude, same style, same fillth, still as boastful and bootlicking as ever as in old YMB. -
Originally posted by Fantagf:
LONGINCHJOHN, don't act a gal, we know you are a guy. Same attitude, same style, same fillth, still as boastful and bootlicking as ever as in old YMB.So are you boy or girl ah (to fantagf) just asking.
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
oh is it???? This is contradicting to your post below:Taiwanese are much more gracious and well mannered compared to you this piece of shit called angel7030 aka longinchjohn. Don't pretend you are a Taiwanese when you were born in Singapore by a Taiwanese mother.
Oei,if she was born in Singapore, it is an insult to all Singaporeans.Most likely that Hum7030 was born in Timbuktu.
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Originally posted by sbst275:
it's e people factor. Can blame PAP for everything, but roudy Singaporeans it's our own fault. But yeap education partly caused it.
As for the MRT, simply put everything all want to make more profit nia. Actually our MRT project actually is only advantage to SMRT aft it's been corporatised. They gain cheap from e govt but not need to finance to build the system and still get to keep e profits
It's not the education but the bloody kiasu and kiasi attitude of the local people. -
Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:
Oei,if she was born in Singapore, it is an insult to all Singaporeans.Most likely that Hum7030 was born in Timbuktu.
It was born in Singapore but goes on to confuse people by telling that it is from Taichong , Taiwan and next moment said it is from Taipei, Taiwan. -
Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:
It's not the education but the bloody kiasu and kiasi attitude of the local people.When i travelled on trains in Singapore those bloody assholes, even when they saw me carrying a heavy schoolbag, and also an extra recycle bag with heavy books inside, they still have me a cold look and refused to give me their seats. wtf.