Singapore Tourists: Culture or Germophobic?

Initially, we didn't know what to do on Day 5. Our initial plan was to chill in a cafe, but right on the day, we forgot that we haven't done something: go downtown, see the best views of Singapore. We wanted to see the Singapore's night lights. Since night was still a couple hours away, we decided to go to Asian Civilization Museum. I guess, the Museum was pretty good. Some parts are interesting, but some parts are just plain scary (they have those really huge Asian statues/dolls). So I'm just going to show you some of interesting things I found in the Museum.

When we were there, they had an "Elephant Parade". It's something like how Boston has those cows, Austin has those guitars around the city, etc. The ones on the streets are just okay, but the ones in the museum is really pretty. So here are a few shots I got of them.

In one of the rooms, they have a really big table and tons of colored pencils for visitors to design their own elephants and post it on the walls. These are the ones that my siblings and I designed.

Miniature Coolie Keng (laborers' quarters).

Chinese Puppets.

Some Persian looking tent.

Gamelan, Indonesian traditional instruments. I heard they have a Gamelan set in the Music Building here at UT!

KL and I found the picture below is pretty interesting. I guess now I know why we always insist on people taking their shoes off when they enter into our apartment. For me, I thought I was just being germophobic (well, I am....slightly... or more than just slightly I guess), maybe it's just a part of our culture?

Okay, I just literally googled "why Indonesians take off their shoes before entering their home". And this is what I found from Indonesia OK, "Most Indonesians take their shoes or sandals off before entering a house. That makes perfect sense, because going barefoot on the cool floor tiles is far more comfortable in a tropical climate than harassing your feet with shoes and socks." So, yes, it's a part of our culture.

Well.... thinking about it again, I think for me, it's still more of the germ part than the culture. I feel like I can feel all those tiny germs crawling on the carpet when I see people wearing their shoes in my apartment. Euw. Haha. Anyways, so please do not feel offended when I ask you to take off your shoes when you're in my apartment. It's just that I can see those germs...almost literally.

Well, that is the first half of our Day 5 in Singapore! I hope y'all enjoy my little discoveries in the Asian Civilization Museum. Please look forward to my next post on the BEST views of Singapore and of course on more food that we ate along the way!