I have always felt that Singapore is the kind of place that is interesting in a strange way behind its facade of normality. However, while browsing Yahoo! today I was really shocked to see the following article...
Naked Couple Surprises Diners In Singapore Stroll
Reuters - Wednesday, January 28
SINGAPORE, Jan 28 - A couple treated open air diners to a 15-minute naked parade in Singapore, triggering both embarrassment and applause for a scene almost unheard of in the conservative city-state.
Pub manager Terence Chia told the Straits Times newspaper he saw the couple taking off their clothes on Saturday night at a staircase in a block of flats in Holland Village, known for its popular nightspots.
"Then, clothes in hand, they coolly walked in their flip-flops towards the market," he said, adding when the couple did a U-turn a sea of spectators was ready and poised with cameras.
"There were more than 200 people and everyone was taking pictures," the newspaper on Wednesday quoted Chia as saying. "Even women were busy clicking and people were cheering, whistling and applauding like crazy."
Police said the couple, a Caucasian man and an ethnic Chinese woman in their 20s, had been arrested and released on bail. If convicted under Singapore law, they could face a fine of maximum fine of S$2000 , up to 3 months in jail, or both.
Protests are rare in Singapore and only made legal last year in a designated area called "Speakers' Corner", modelled on London's Hyde Park.
"They looked really comfortable walking down the street, which led to many curious stares," wrote blogger Leonard Tan. "Singapore is getting more and more exciting."
(Reporting by Kash Cheong; Editing by Neil Chatterjee and Bill Tarrant)
I'm not too sure what prompted them to do it, but er... it sure seems that in these uncertain times, all the oddities are coming out of the proverbial closet. I have included a picture of the couple taken from a forum site.
Really strange stuff happens in Singapore everyday. In fact, as a major regional city we have just about everything that a regular major urban centre has, good and bad. The only difference is that in Singapore, the powers-that-be and general public culture, likes to keep everything looking normal.
I mean, a guy can walk down the street dressed up as a fuzzy dog or a viking and I guarantee you, most born and bred Singaporeans will pretend he doesn't exist. It is in the collective mentality I think, to block out anything that overturns normality. I guess it takes something really shocking or mildly shocking for a sustained period of time (I am recalling the once-famous all pink guy who strutted up and down the street at the corner of Shaw Centre and Wheelock Place) to catch the public's attention.
I also wonder why no Singaporean was on record protesting the nude display.... so very strange for a country of supposedly conservative people... heh.
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