Around The World And Back Again

Over the last 90 days I have had the opportunity visit several of the world's cities built by colonialism and trade; Singpore, Hong Kong and Panama City. Perhaps the most remarkable thing I have to report is that they are generally unremarkable. Uniformly consisting of tall buildings of glass, oceanfront views, traffic congestion and upscale shopping, they were all a welcome relief from my usual travel fare. However, I could have stayed home and experienced the same thing?

Perhaps the most interesting part of my most recent travel was that I flew around the world. To the Flat Earth Society, I thumb my nose. Raleigh--New York--Hong Kong--Singapore--London--Raleigh is not quite a full circumfurential route, but 20,000 miles later I count it as close enough. (The Earth's circumference is 24,901.55 miles at the equator.)

Of the three cities Singapore was perhaps the most interesting. I loved its blend of cultures and people. A majority of its population is Chinese, with substantial Malay and Indian minorities. Its British colonial founders gave it the gift of English as a national language which makes it convenient for the Chinese- and Malay-challenged traveler like me. While the heat was oppresive, the fresh tropical foods were a pleasant change from my usual fare of overcooked (safe) meat and French fries. I took the opportunity to learn about its history and that of neighboring Hong Kong in between snoozes on the long flight over by reading an excellent history titled Empire's End by John Keay which a good friend had given me many years before.

With its fusion of Asian cultures, Singapore provided excellent one-stop exposure to the people of the region. I had the opportunity to visit the Asian Civilizations Museum which had exhibits on each of the peoples of South East Asia. There was even a special travelling exhibit from the People's Republic of China on the Kangxi Emperor (1662-1722) with fascinating examples of the Mandarin civil service exam, silk textiles and arms and armor of the Emporer with a distinctly Central Asian flair. I was particularly struck by the signature stamps, which I had only read about previously and seen on some artwork. I topped this off with a visit to a Mahayana Buddhist temple and shopping in Chinatown for silk garments from Shanghai. In all a whirlwind cross-cultural experience.

However, I can honestly say that our family vacation to Hilton Head Island upon my return was infinitely more enjoyable; mostly because of the time I spent with my family. Imagine travelling around the planet only to find that there is "no place like home," or at least a nearby beach.