Sometimes it doesn’t matter if a ghost story isn’t true, as long as it’s a good story. Or in some instances, a good video. There’s an incident on film in Singapore’s famous Raffles Place, and it was so popular that it went viral on youtube. What happens in the video is worth looking at, even if you know from the start that it’s been proven to be a hoax. It can still send shivers up the spine. That’s one of the truly splendid things about Singapore. Some of the most exciting entertainments are based on tricks, whether it’s obvious, like magician secrets, or more subtle, like a singer manipulating an audience, but it’s still very effective. And there are times when it’s even more effective when you know the trick ahead of time, because a great performer can still manage to get you caught up in the performance so that you still react with genuine surprise, delights, or even a kind of pleasurable stunned silence.
This is also true for Singapore’s restaurants, and probably true for restaurants in general. The best chefs can show you exactly what they’re doing up front, so that you’re aware ahead of time of the interesting blend of ingredients, and the way the flavors will work together. This means nothing when the taste actually starts to play out in the palate, and then it’s a pure sensory experience that makes all the intellectual expectations pale by comparison to the actual experience. Those who watch the ghost sighting at Raffles Place get that same thrill, although it’s a different kind of thrill altogether. But this does point out that Singapore is an endlessly fascinating place, with some legitimately mysterious things. Some of these are evident in the spirit of the place, with its unique history, and unique ancestors. Some of these things are more immediately apparent, in the splendid mystery of its cuisine.
