We'll, they're not that worried, are they?

The BBC reports today that:

"Australia has already started a wider A$40 defence procurement programme, amid concerns about growing instability in the Asia-Pacific region."

What are they doing, shopping on eBay?

How much?

So Singapore is the 14th most expensive place on earth to live (up from 17th last year). Mercer's Worldwide Cost of Living Survey for 2007 has shown that Moscow is the most expensive city, and Algiers (in Algeria) is the cheapest. I could have told you that. How do I know? Well, paying anything like what we do for booze is unseemly. But, interestingly, there are comparisons of objects that are seemingly incomparable.

One such ranking is for coffee. The Mercer survey tells us that a cup of coffee in London had an average price of £2. £2!?! And what exactly do they mean by an average cup? Do they man a cup that is neither good nor bad, decidedly average in fact, will cost you £2? Or do they mean that the mean cost of a cup of coffee (taking into account all cups of coffee available in London) is £2?

Moreover, how valid is this as a comparator? Are they comparing Lattes from Starbucks globally (probably not, given the £2 quote for London), which in any case might not be comparable? Or are they comparing different types of coffee from different outlets of different chains?

Nonetheless, here are the coffee shorts (espresso facts, if you like):

Moscow: £3.14
Tokyo £2.33
Copenhagen: £2.55
Dublin: £2.00
New York: £1.93
Beijing: £2.32
Sydney: £1.41
Vancouver: £1.42
Johannesburg: £0.98
Buenos Aires: £0.91

Source: Mercer Human Resource Consulting

All well and good, but is the coffee in Buenos Aires any good?

CFA

Okay, so I have signed up to the CFA. It was a big decision, not least in terms of cost. Cost in a financial sense, and also opportunity cost of studying. The enrolment for the Level I exam (for fees received on or before 15 August 2007) is US$390, whilst the one-off registration is US$455, making a grand total of US$845 up front moolah. The opportunity cost comes in when you consider that the advised study is 250 hours, (around 10 hours per week) for the Level I exam. So, all in all, a big commitment. However, the RoI of the CFA is large, and is a pre-requisite for most jobs in fund management. It's possible to see why when you look at the curriculum:

Ethics

Quantitative Methods

Prelim readings for Economics

Quantitative Methods

Micro Economic Analysis

Macro Economic Analysis

Global Economic Analysis

Corporate Finance

Prelim readings for Accounting

Financial Statement Analysis: Basics, Cash Flow Analysis and IASB GAAP

Financial Statement Analysis: Ratios & EPS

Financial Statement Analysis: Inventories, Long term Assets

Financial Statement Analysis: Deferred Taxes, Off Balance Sheet Debt

Securities Markets & Equities

Derivatives

Debt Investments

Alt Investments/ Portfolio Management

What to do? Well, suck it up, hit the books, and keep fingers and other extremities crossed. CFA Singapore has a study timetable for the December exam (December 2nd, by the way), and although I won't be joining, I do know that I should be starting Ethics on June 30th, and finishing with Alternative Investments/Portfolio Management on November 3rd.

I would hope that Econs will be okay, given that I used to lecture Econs, but the rest I haven't really touched since my Masters degree. And the one stand-out is Quants - a subject that I hated at Uni. So much so, that my PhD was quals-based. Suddenly, doing a quants-based PhD looks more attractive!!

Anyway, I've got the books, and I've got the schedule. The rest, as they say, is up to me.

PhD over and out...

Some of you will know that I recently re-submitted my PhD thesis, following some corrections that were suggested as part of the Viva. Well, I recently heard back that my corrections have been accepted, and I have passed. Finally. Almost 5 years after I started the thing, it's over, and I can graduate. But not yet. Whilst we had tried to look for flights to the UK for July (after the wedding, I might add), they were just too much money, and the time-frame just too tight to get a thesis bound and submitted in order to graduate. So, we have postponed my graduation until December this year, when hopefully we can return and graduate in the snow.

Time, then, to open another chapter (or Textbook) as it were. I have signed up to sit for the Chartered Financial Analyst exam this December. Why the CFA? Good question. There has been a bit of a debate on a frequently visited careers page about the relative benefits of a CFA as compared to an MBA.

Much of this debate boils down to the same arguments we once trotted out in the playground, talking about football teams. "I support Tottenham, ergo they are the best". "No, I support Liverpool, ergo they are the best" (although I may not have used ergo when I was 5 years old). And so on. Replace the teams with CFA and MBA, and “support” with “have completed”, and you get the idea. My own rationale? For a career in fund management (and that’s what we are all after, after all) a CFA is probably the best bet. More focused than an MBA on financial markets (and a hell of a lot cheaper), the CFA is demanding but rewarding. Hopefully. I’ll use his blog to comment on my preparations for the Level I CFA exam in December.

Haji Lane

Whilst I posted recently about the joys of dérive (note: this is not the same as getting lost), we ourselves did some exploring recently. We had heard a rumour about an interesting street in the Kampung Glam area of town called Haji Lane. Off we trotted form some exploration, and reportage. We had also heard that this was the narrowest street in Singapore. The lane itself did not disappoint. The lane did have some pretty cool shops, including one that sold vintage clothes and ice-cream (Pluck). No, we didn’t try the ice-cream yet, but yes, we will definitely post about it when we do!!! (the toils of service...)


Haji Lane also has one very small theatre. Pitch Black claims to be "...the only boutique screening room, art gallery and café featuring High Definition Blu-Ray Projection and 6.1 Cinematic Surround Sound.". More importantly, we were told that screenings were free, provided that you bought a certain amount of booze and food. When we go, we'll let you know what it's like.
The lane felt like a small back street in any city, and the mix of trendy labels and boutiques was a welcome diversion. We even had time to stop and have a chat with a wedding photographer that we almost went with for our wedding.

Pluck, 31/33 Haji Lane, Tel: 6396 4048
Pitch Black, 63 Haji Lane, Tel: 6392 3457
39 East Photography, 39 Haji Lane, (S)189232, Tel: 9740 8317


Something else we did recently was visit the main Singapore Train Station (Tanjong Pagar railway station) Built in 1932, the station is reminiscent of those that we see in the UK, with art-deco architecture of the period. the station is a working station, with regular services between Singapore and the western seaboard of Peninsula Malaysia, with stops including Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur. Inside, main attractions are some huge freezes and tile pictures. Interestingly, and as far as I know, the station And the tracks in Singapore are Malaysian state land, with the land on which the station and the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) railway tracks in Singapore are situated held by KTM on a 999-year lease.


Well worth a trip, and quite interesting. There's even a signal box that wouldn't look out of place in the UK.




Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, 30 Keppel Road (S)089059

Whilst I love being in Asia, there are a few things that make me wish I was able to visit London, just for a weekend. One of the things that we used to do a lot when we lived in the UK might be termed dérive, [literally: “drifting”], a term made famous by Parisian philosopher-insurrectionist Guy Debord. In essence, dérive involves wandering around a city without the usual rationale for proceeding in certain directors, allowing yourself to be attracted only by the terrain that confronts you. You might like the look of a certain street – if so, go down it. You might get lost, but that’s part of the intrigue. I think you get the idea. I used it as a metaphor in my PhD methodology for semi-structured interviews, but I think that that is a post for another day…

Anyway, I think one of the things that we miss about London is just wandering around little known (to us, anyway) back-streets and markets, scouting out shops selling anything from curiosities to cheese, and often simply curious cheese. London is a town that allows you to do that, and you can walk from one end of the city to the other and move through several very, very different districts. One of the areas we discovered just before we left was Old Spitalfields Market – well worth a trip, just for the wonderful British gourmet chocolate shop. Whilst you're there, why not try the famous S&M cafe (that's sausage & mash) if you're hungry.

Most of our wanderings began at St Pancras station.

I read to today about the re-developments of St. Pancras station in the UK, and its transformation from dank fume filled shed to a beauty of engineering. St Pancras station (and the attached Midland Grand Hotel) has been designed designed by William Barlow in 1863 and were very nearly demolished in the 1960s (a dark period for British architecture), were it not for the intervention of Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman (yes, he who wrote of friendly bombs on Slough). The original structure was a tremendous achievement (the arch spans 240 feet and is over 100 feet high at its apex), and was an icon of London.

Now, the station has been redeveloped. I remember walking through the station fondly whilst I was working in London. Whilst I hated the diversions at the time, the new station looks to be a wonderful achievement. The Foster-designed extension of the glass roof adds a new dimension to the station.

Those of you who are still in London, you can take a guided walk around the St Pancras area and learn more about its history.

Here you go, a non-food post.

Another place we visited recently was TK Pottery Jungle, located way of into the midst of Singapore’s greenery. We were on a hunt for a large pot to put some plants in, and a pot to put some fish in, and this place fitted the bill.

Although it’s a little off of the beaten track, (closer to Malaysia than it is to many places in Singapore) it’s well worth a visit. They have all manner of pottery there, including vases, and kitchenware. They even seemed to have a Commie Corner, with all kinds of Marxist memorabilia. The day was a hot one (aren’t they all), and seemed popular with ex-pats. We wondered if some my family would appreciate it (the carrot-cake expert, and Marty, to name two), and thought we’d stick these pics up to entice….


Far Left: Lots of Pots

Left: You could fit a-lad-in there (weak pun)




Far left: A kiln

Left: Another kiln





Thow Kwang Industry Industry Pte Ltd
85 Lorong Tawas (off Jalan Bahar)
Singapore 639823

t: 6265 5808
e: pottery@thowkwang.com.sg
Open: 9am to 5 pm daily


After visiting the place, we took a drive round the coastal regions to check out the wildlife. To drive around these often empty country roads is to forget that you are in Singapore, sometimes. The area of Singapore on the West Coast is home to a diverse range of industries, from chicken farming to furniture making. Trucks get lost here, and we saw a dead dog once. Still, it’s a great adventure, and the coastal area is definitely a visit worth making. When we got there we saw were a handful of fishermen wading around in boats setting off to try their luck. Out in the straits we could see a couple of Kelong, an offshore platform built with wood to fish from, although larger ones can be used as homes. These are increasingly rare in Singapore, but there are a few around.

We stayed on the jetty, and looked in amazement as we saw clams, crabs, and other stuff that I don’t know but comes under “fish”. We also saw a crab – not sure what it is called, but it looks like a Horseshoe Crab. Its popular in South-East Asian food, and in life the male and female stick together (literally), and both die if they are separated - how sweet. Anyway, thee area is quite tranquil, and makes for a relaxing diversion from pounding shopping streets in the centre of Singapore. You know you have reached the end of Singapore, because there is a bus turning circle - they drive up to the end of the road, cannot go any further, and then the bus turns around.

After tiring, we did indeed go and eat ice-cream (at the Island Creamery, no less). I got some food mention in at the end, phew.


Far Left: A mysterious fruit

Left: The crab - any idea?

Highlander - They may take our lives, but they will NEVER take our FREEDOM!

Or was that Braveheart? Apologies to Maris for confusing my movies (Highlander, Braveheart, same thing, right?).

For our anniversary Elena and I went to a new Scottish bar/restaurant (called Highlander, if you needed prodding) for some makan. We’d seen reviews of it as being rather decent, and I had hoped for something a little like Lock Fyne in Nottingham. When we got there, there were some rather confusing conversations about beer (We've run out of beer. No we have some, but it is warm. Shall I make it cold for you?), and were ushered to the furthest corner in the place. Did I small that bad? It was after a long day at work, I guess. We did manage to negotiate a window table in the end.

Anyway, the place looked quite decent, and there was a healthy smattering of ex-pats there for the beer (that which they did have) and the food. But what was the food like...

I had the Highlander Game Pie (a mixture of game meat in season in a rich red wine sauce topped with puff pastry and served with chive mashed potato), whilst Elena had Smoked Kippers (fresh herring smoked over smouldering oak chips; the result of which is a delicately flavoured, thick, fleshy fish). We shared some Tattie Scones (potato scones with a melted cheddar cheese dip), which were excellent, and reminded me of Irish potato cakes. Did my grandmother make them for me when I was younger? I think so, but I might be delusional. My game pie was fabulous, although the butter content in the pastry was rather high, and Elena's kippers were commendable. Beer was not bad, including an array of exotic Scottish ales.

Please please someone find out if my grandmother did make potato cakes for me in the past - if so, maybe she can bring some more over when she comes, along with the carrot cake (hehehe)...

Highlander. Bar + Restaurant
Block 3B. The Foundry
#01-11 Clarke Quay
River Valley Road
Singapore 179021

t: 6235 9528
w: http://www.highlanderasia.com

Click here for the menu.


Far left: Maybe I did smell

Left: Tattie Scones


Far left: Smoked Kippers

Left: Game Pie

Island Creamery

Recently, I posted about the donut craze that has hit Singapore. People are still queuing for those donuts, and there is even a new donut shop in Vivocity that is attracting similar queues - even though the donuts look pretty bog-standard to us. And now, time to post about ice-cream. Do we do anything other than test deserts? Yes, of course. Are they as much fun? No, probably not. That's why you hear about ice-cream and donuts, and not about other more mundane aspects of life...

Anyway, the Island Creamery is a fantastic place to scoop some ice-cream. Flavours include the usual suspects including Reverso (chocolate with chocolate chunks, mmm), Very Berry and Cookies and Cream, as well as more local twists, including Pulot Hitam, Teh Tarik, Tiger Beer sorbet, Horlicks and Chendol. We tried teh tarik, chendol, horlicks, a praline-type flavour, and another one that I can't remember. All were fantastic.

The store has a self-service water dispenser for customers (some places charge), and a bluetooth photo printer for printing pics you took at the shop. Well worth a trip, and the prices are quite reasonable as well - $2.50 a scoop and $4 for a double scoop, I think.

Island Creamery
10 Jln Serene #01-05
Singapore 258748
258748
Singapore

t: 64688859

Clustrmaps

Okay, so some of you may have noticed that I have been trialling a new widget on my blog. You can see in the side-bar a small map (yes, you can click on it to make it bigger) that tracks the IP addresses of people who visit my blog, developed by Clustrmaps. Cool or what?! Anyway, by my rough geography, I reckon that I have got someone visiting my blog from these countries:

* US
* Scotland
* England
* Italy
* Switzerland
* India
* China
* Hong Kong
* Australia

which is pretty cool. But who are you? Do I know you? Please leave a comment and let me know if I do know you? Is it really Italy, or is my geography that bad?

Anyway, what a great widget - hours of fun, and all free.

Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor...

Some of the guests coming over to the wedding have looked into getting trousers made whilst over here. We went down, and snapped the tailor in question (under Far East Plaza) for your viewing pleasure.

What were you doing in 1992???

Recently, we went to eat in Serangoon Gardens. The food was okay, service a bit slow, but the best part was the reminiscing. Why reminiscing? Because we were provided with a browsing copy of Her World from 1992. Yes. A 15 year old magazine left for customers to leaf through. What a great idea. I'm sure they didn't mean it (I think), but imagine what a great talking piece - you sit down and look through newspapers from 1996 (that Blair looks shifty), or a fashion mag from 1997 (that Liam Gallagher's hair looks funny -it'll never catch on), or even sports mag from 2003 (Rooney - he won't amount to much, he looks like a boxer).

Far left: Spandex was odd, wasn't it?

Left: Really, I'm not kidding. 1992! People don't have cars that old.

Yee haw cowboy

One thing that we have noticed since coming back here is the proliferation of public line-dancing. Taking this further is a weekly power line dancing work out underneath UOB plaza in the CBD. We noticed it the other day as we went for a beer at Molly Malone's. Lot's of sweating (and mostly female) dancers worked out whilst I concentrated on toning my right arm muscles. Lift - sip - down. Lift - sip - down. Careful not to overexert. Repeat...

Far Left: Molly cooks some great bangers 'n' mash

Left: And she also pours a mean pint of Guinness.

Pasir Ris Park

One of the more picturesque places we have visited recently was Pasir Ris Park, on the east coast of Singapore. Whilst we weren't there for long, the sunset was quite stunning, and the place had quite a Brighton-esque feel to it. It even had a prawning pond (so close to a cafe you can yell over and order beer), and as an added bonus was right under the flight path of Changi Airport, allowing much fun plane spotting (for those who like that sort of thing. Not me, oh no). Definitely a place worth visiting, and perhaps having a BBQ at...

Far Left: A Mills & Boon moment

Left: Prawning at Pasir Ris Park