Avoid OmTantra Tantric Massage (Singapore)

Short & Sweet Version:

For anyone looking for Tantric or Tantra massage in Singapore, it's best to avoid OmTantra . It may also be wise to avoid the other websites that offer the same services (example: Red Tantra Massage).

I love spas and massages, and have tried many spas.

Recently, I was looking for something different. Someone had earlier suggested that I try Tantra or Tantric massage.

I browsed online and found OmTantra. After e-mailing an enquiry, I received a quick reply from "Enzo". It said:

"All therapists are Singaporean, female (Chinese or Malay) age between 27 - 31yrs. All therapists from Omtantra Singapore are well trained in Omtantra Signature Massage (An Ancient Arousal Massage from the book of Kama Sutra).".

Don't be fooled by this.

Firstly, the "therapist" (a Ms Carol) was not a Singaporean. Secondly, she was not trained (let alone "well-trained").

There was no special "signature" massage technique. More like a few casual strokes trying to pass off as a massage.

My booking was for 60 mins and I requested the "therapist" to be non-smoking. I assumed a Singaporean would be sent.

After the confirmation, I booked a good hotel room which didn't come cheap.

On the day, I received SMS "confirming" a 90 mins signature massage. I corrected it, but that was not the end of the mistakes.

At the hotel, I informed Enzo of my room number and it was decided that the therapist should come up.

Yet the therapist called the hotel phone in my room to ask if I was coming down to meet her. The fact that she could call the room meant Enzo had already communicated the room number to her. 

Yet she called, and her voice was not local.

She was not a Singaporean as the e-mail said. She also smoked (I could smell it on her breath). And when it came to the massage, she was completely unprofessional and untrained.

My preferences for the so-called therapist were totally disregarded. "Enzo" brushed off his "mistakes" as mis-communication between himself and the "therapist".

The "therapist" didn't even know it was a 60 mins massage until I told her! And I was totally unhappy with the massage that caused abrasive hurt to a sensitive area.

That was a $220 massage that I felt really unhappy about (not to mention the money spent on the hotel room). It was so bad, I doubt another person would want to pay for it. Yet I did.

Right after the bad service done on me, the "therapist" received a call from Enzo requiring that she head to Hotel81 at Bencoolen street.

I had opened the hotel room door for her to leave (after she was done washing up at the basin and packing up), yet she started applying make-up in front of the mirror while I stood waiting.

One would think she would come with her own make-up case with a mirror and use it on the go.

Not only did I have to endure a bad massage, I had to wait for her to finish doing her make-up before she took her things and left.

My advice is: Avoid these so-called Tantric or Tantra services in Singapore. I found OmTantra to be a fraud in its "service" and believe the rest are no better.

Money aside, the massage can also cause damage to sensitive areas because it's done by untrained persons looking to make some quick dollars.

OmTantra: Complete Waste of Money!

http://www.omtantra.com/services.html

What a cheat. Don't even bother trying.  
Ladies & Men, it is not worth your money. 
Fraud, scam.


1) Unprofessional & unskilled "therapist"
2) Unprofessional & bad service from both the agent (pimp) & "therapist" (whore)
3) Did not adhere to customer's requirements.
4) Mistakes everywhere. 

Better off doing it to yourself if sexual gratification is the goal.
Better off going to a real spa if massage is wanted.
Even if really desperate for both sexual gratification and massage, avoid OmTantra at all costs!

Don't be fooled by the so-called Tantra or Tantric massage at their website.

What you get is not a therapist but a poor-grade prostitute who don't even know what is pleasure or pleasurable, let alone what is Tantra or Tantric massage. And yet take your money at the end of it!


How it went:


After browsing their website, I sent e-mail enquiry on 9 May, asking if it were possible to select masseuse based on nationality (example: locals, Filipinos etc..). 

The reply came from someone named "Enzo" (quoted from e-mail):

All therapists are Singaporean, female (Chinese or Malay) age between 27 - 31yrs. All therapists from Omtantra Singapore are well trained in Omtantra Signature Massage (An Ancient Arousal Massage from the book of Kama Sutra).

Sounds good?

It piqued my curiosity and interest that all are "Singaporean" because I felt it was doubtful that Singaporeans would be interested in such "jobs". It would be tough to almost impossible to have "Singaporeans" unless the service is a legit spa establishment. Very few Singaporeans would stoop to doing this type of freelancing.

I have been to many spas in Singapore and know their general way of doing things. What is professional, what is not; what is good and what is not.

For massages, I don't mind prices, even within the $300~400 range. But the masseuse and massage must be good. This is professional and expected service towards a paying customer.

What OmTantra did was unforgivable.


Since the e-mail reply said that the "therapists" are "well-trained" in the art, on 11 May Wednesday, I SMSed the number to book a 60 mins massage for Friday 13th @ $220. I specified: Female to female, non-smoking therapist.

The reply was that the massage was confirmed.

However, a few minutes later, another SMS came, asking for my name, despite my leaving my name in all my outgoing SMSes.

Another SMS quickly followed it: "sory wrong message send".

A bad sign (unprofessional and sloppy). It meant this person did not note down the bookings and was careless. From the SMSes, the person also did not seem to have a good educational English standard. Possibly foreigner with a name "Enzo".

However, I was curious.

Since the massage booking was confirmed, I booked a hotel room for $211 (with GST) and informed Enzo that the room number will only be known when checking in at 2pm on that day.
 

On 13th morning, I received a confirmation SMS:  "Ur booking is confirmed for today 3pm. Omtantra Signature Massage 90 mins (S$300). Ur therapists for today is Ms Carol.  Pls take a good shower, relax and enjoy. Enzo (Omtantra Singapore) London U.K"

First of all, that was not my original booking. Second, what pretense was this "London U.K?". I doubt there is any London U.K. establishment that teaches such "massage".

I replied that the booking was for 60 mins @ $220. The reply was simply: "Ok".

There was no apology for the carelessness or the mistake.

At about 2.20 pm, Enzo called to ask if I had checked into the hotel room. His voice and words did not sound local and almost haltingly.

I said I was on my way to reception. (I did not appreciate the urgency since he was not the masseuse and it was still early.).

Right after checking in and in my room, an SMS asking again if I had checked into the hotel. I replied that I would like to meet the therapist in the lobby. The reply was: "Its better to provide room number. Therapist will go straight up to the room.. ".

I assumed this was so that I would not have the contact number of the "therapist" as he was the middleman.

Fine. I replied "Ok", and gave him the room number (assuming he would convey this to the masseuse).


In the room, the phone rang but I didn't answer the first time. It rang again and I picked it up. A woman spoke my English name haltingly in an uneducated, rough and foreign voice. Couldn't even speak a simple, common, 1-word English name. 

I wondered how come the front desk staff suddenly became uneducated when they had been fine earlier.

I guessed it was the masseuse and felt sinking disappointment. I was expecting a Singaporean, not some China foreigner who couldn't even speak English.

I asked if she was the masseuse. She said yes, and whether I was coming down or was she going up.

(Wasn't it conveyed to her that she was supposed to come up? I didn't appreciate that she had used the hotel phone to call me. 

The fact that she could use the hotel line meant Enzo had informed her of the room number. Why did he not inform her accordingly? )

I said I'd be coming down.

Out the lift door, I  found the woman standing just outside. First impression of her: her face looked rather worn and older than expected, and lacked sleep. Not attractive. She also did not look local.


At this point, I should have stopped and sent her back, since she didn't meet my specifications. Yet I wanted to give her a chance and was curious how this massage was going to be.

Took her up to the room and she began a little conversation (which I'd rather not have since talk doesn't equate to a good massage. Good or not, only the massage will tell, as learned from past experience with another such freelancer previously.).

She wasn't Singaporean. She was a Malaysia PR. A permanent resident is not a Singaporean, even if according to her, she had stayed in Singapore for more than 10 years. Look who our Permanent Resident status is given out to.

In the room, a short interview with her made me even more certain that she would not be able to fulfill my requirements. At one point, I could smell cigarette smoke on her breath. A smoker. 

She worked the motels with local men, and said the business isn't popular, with just 1 or 2 customers a day. Most of the business comes from western men "Angmohs" who come to Singapore for business and stay in hotels such as the Pan Pacific. And she started working for this "company" just 3 months ago and had no idea if OmTantra is the same as Red Tantra massage website (even though she kept switching the names of the two as if they were one and the same). 

She said she used to work in "spas for men", Chinatown area etc.."not small" spas like 1 or 2 rooms, but "big ones, ten rooms type." (that's supposed to impress). I asked the names of the spas, whether it was Urban Homme for instance, and her face showed unawareness of the name. When I happened to mention The Oriental Spa (Mandarin Oriental hotel), again she showed no recognition of the name.

It showed what spas she has been doing. She said the spas have closed down (not sure which spa or spas she meant) and that's why now she was freelancing. 

I told her of a previous freelancer who didn't know how to massage at all (a female gym instructor who didn't know the meaning of "erotic"), wasted my hotel room money and payment for the massage. 

Seeing my doubt regarding the "tantric" massage this time, she said, "Don't worry, I give you good service.". 


I doubted it.  

I told her to wash her hands (because I saw they were not clean). And she said she would be doing so. 

Just before she washed at the basin, I said she could use any of the shower gels or soap she wanted, or even take a shower. (I had already showered before coming to the hotel). 

Since the SMS to me had said to "take a good shower", it's only fair that the "therapist" does the same.

As she washed at the basin, I opened the soap wrapper and tossed the small circular bar into the soap dish. Then she asked if I was staying the night in the hotel room. I said, "Yes, I booked the room for the massage.I don't like Hotel 81 and Fragrance hotels. So cheapskate.". She made no comment.

She took off her clothes rather fast while preparing the bed. Then put out 2 nameless containers on the bed near the right pillow: one with a clear liquid that she said was Olive oil and one a green gel (looking like Aloe Vera).

I took out my olive oil and compared the color with hers. I wasn't certain if hers was really olive oil and asked if she diluted it with something. She said it wasn't diluted with anything and that it was olive oil from Mustafa that cannot be found elsewhere whereas mine could be found everywhere.

Up to this point, I had taken off only my cotton jacket and draped it neatly over my left forearm (which I never did before). I felt reluctant to remove the rest of my clothes and would rather have them on.  This was a big difference to when I got off my clothes without any prompting in my first experience with the first freelancer (the gym instructor). You could say once bitten, twice shy. 

The signs didn't look good.

Seeing that I was still fully clothed, she mistook it for shyness. 

I remained clothed because considering the interview with her so far, I didn't think she was capable of giving me the massage I wanted, or worse.

However, at her insistence, I finally turned my back to her and drew up my top clothing. She saw my back and asked if I always swam: a common remark.

I was about to get onto the bed in my bra and g-string when she insisted that I remove them as well. I said "Shouldn't you remove them for me?". She didn't understand what I said, so I said, "Nevermind.".

As a masseuse in the erotic arts, shouldn't she be in tune with what turns the customer on? But no, she thinks it's all about nudity and just plain going at it.


After getting nude, I climbed onto the bed and laid on my stomach on top of a bath towel that she had spread in parallel with the width of the bed.

We had decided to use my Olive oil and she started on my back. She had positioned herself in between my lower legs.


Her strokes were light, which was Ok (though too light). Then I realized there was no technique and it was repetitive. Over and over, the same sweeping stroke down, then up the back. It was boring. That was number 1.

I asked her whether she was certified and where did she learn her massage. She was taken by surprise and thought for a while: "Where ah...", plainly thinking up an answer. Finally, she loosely and unconvincingly said "Singapore" and later added she went to Macau for a 1 week "course".  (So much for "well-trained"). 

Macau teaches Tantric massage? And for 1 week only? Even if Macau teaches massage, it would not be Tantric. What kind of massage can Macau teach? Did her massage mean Mahjong?  

She began to mention the exact same things as the first freelancer told me previously: that local men were "cheap" in that they wanted everything cheap, good and big in the price--blow-job, massage oil and sex included. Same as the other freelancer, she laughed at the men's cheapness as if she were above them. 

(My thought was that if she was so disgusted as she sounded, why do it? Obviously, these women love doing it with men and need it. It's not as if there are no other jobs out there.).


Number 2 was a stroke that was new to me. It was a rolling pressure on the buttocks. It felt interesting but that was all it was.

Number 3 was a stroke that I hadn't felt for a while in spas: gentle palms pressing and walking down upon the back of both thighs and legs.

Number 4 was a brief stroke with her fingers up to the groin on both sides, brushing the inner area lightly in the process.

Number 5 was fingertips lightly going around the back and shoulders, playfully teasing and sexy. This is what The Oriental Spa (Mandarin Oriental hotel) sometimes does for me.


She did not massage my feet, which the spas always do. I realize such freelancers will avoid massaging the feet, probably because they don't know how to. I noticed this masseuse would stop abruptly at the upper arms and not go down to the hands, which was strange as she cuts out the smooth massage flow. Spas never do that.

Considering the sloppiness of "Enzo", I figured he didn't tell her it was 60 mins. It would be to my benefit if she gives a 90 mins but I'd be paying for a 60. Either way, the agent benefits.

However, I didn't want any inconvenient argument over it at the end and didn't feel any advantage over it, so decided to tell her.

When I mentioned that it was a 60 mins, she was surprised (as expected) and called Enzo. She spoke to him in Mandarin (so he does know Chinese) and he confirmed it.

She said luckily I told her, otherwise she would do it slowly, assuming there's still time.

I told her I only brought enough to pay for 60 mins.

Her mobile was at her side and it kept ringing while the massage was going on. She tried not to answer it, but she would read the SMSes. 

Which professional masseuse does that while working?


During the massage, she mentioned that western men would just lay there during the massage and not touch her. I found that odd, as did she.

Local men would touch her and disrupt the massage. However, she said she didn't do blow jobs or have sex with them (which I felt was doubtful).

Now, in hindsight, I know why western men don't touch her. It's because the massage is so boring, it doesn't arouse. It is so bad that you wouldn't think of touching her or even want to bother.  

 
Turning over on my back, she began on my front with unvarying strokes. It was hardly erotic or arousing. 

Where's the so-called Tantra or Tantric way of massage? As I had seen in videos in Red Tantra massage website, Tantra or Tantric massage is the arousal of the senses in more artful ways than what this woman was doing to me. While Red Tantra massage website claims to use Swedish massage, where's the Swedish from this woman?

Her number 6 was similar to number 4, but briefly brushing up the front area between the legs in an upward tease with her fingers. 

That was it. Tantric massage in 6 strokes. 

By now, the highlight, or more correctly--the horrible--was yet to come. 

She proceeded to put on a pair of surgical gloves from a Ziploc plastic bag (the only pair of gloves I could see in the bag) as if she's so hygienic, then opened the container of green gel and put lots of it on her fingers and started applying it to my private area.

She said it was "K-Y" lubricant which "all females need when doing this". 

All females of course, Do Not need this. Shows how little she knows about her own gender, what turns them on and how to pleasure them. Females only need this when the lover is pathetically bad at arousal. 

I should have stopped her at this point, but unfortunately, didn't because I was still curious and hadn't been satisfied. 

The sight of the surgical gloves completely killed everything. The massage just turned into a medical examination?

And what was this medical examiner going to do next?

She started rubbing the lubricant all over, like a cook rubbing marination over a chicken (brings to mind Mr Bean with the turkey) . She started pushing her fingers here and there. Then when I said a vibrator would do a better job, she started jiggling her fingers intermittently and roughly on what she said women are aroused at "if not here, then where?".

I am not machinery, please have some sense and intelligence. 

How can anyone be aroused with such bad massage? If this is Tantric massage, it is truly laughable. This is the highlight? 

Without asking for my preference or permission, she had used tingle lube. And applied so much of it that it felt so uncomfortable that I wanted to kick her. When I said she had used too much, she denied, saying that it was already little. The tingling sensation alone killed Everything. It wasn't erotic, wasn't sexy, just made me want to wash it off.

What a stupid woman. I rarely use that "s" word, but here, there is no better word.

She rubbed and jiggled while focused on that area as if the customer was a detached portion without feeling. It of course started to hurt because of the rough friction of stupidity against a sensitive area.

I said, "Don't do it too hard, or it will hurt.". 

She agreed but still continued her ridiculous motions. I felt so bored and so indescribably given up, that I just tilted up my head to stare at the windows behind the bed.  

She said it takes time for women to climax. Even she herself takes a long time when making love (goes to show the type of lover she has). 

I told her, "when I do it for myself, it takes only 3 mins.". She couldn't believe it. I repeated, "3 mins" and put up 3 fingers.  (That seemed to put out some of her steam by the look on her face. In fact, it can take just 1 or 2 mins from start to finish. Believe it, I check the clock.).

I said, "It's because I know where and how to touch, whereas you don't.". She didn't seem to understand what I meant.

At one point, she used the back of her gloved hand and it did feel just slightly better, but then Not noticing my change of mood, she then switched back to her ineffectual "massage" and killed it entirely. 

The abrasion was starting to make itself more known, making me wonder how much more my poor sensitive area could take.

Suddenly, she stopped and the tingling sensation was so bad, my left leg jerked a little in reflex and almost hit her. As it was, it merely bumped against the side of her face.

I said, "60 mins already?".

She turned to look at long table where there wasn't any clock that I noticed, and said "Yes.".

This was the worst "massage" I had ever had. It was so unsatisfactory, it was amazing. Anybody would not fault me for not paying for it. 

On top of enduring such bad service, I was injured by her rough handling.  The hurt from the abrasion was enough reason to sue both her and the agent. 

As she stood up from the bed, I glanced down along her body and wondered if I should show her what is meant by erotic massage. Then decided she wasn't worth it. Her poor massage killed any attractiveness in her. I didn't want to touch her. Who was the paying customer anyway?

Sexual arousal has everything to do with the mind. Arouse the mind and the body follows. With a boorish "massage" like hers reflecting on her stupidity, it totally puts anybody out.

That must have been what put out the westerners who likely have higher expectations than local men. It is odd that western men would not touch, considering their bolder natures. They might ask first, but it is doubtful they would completely refrain if the massage is that good.

One can hardly believe her claim that a "Japanese" young woman said she enjoyed the massage so much that she could "come and come" multiple times.

The "therapist" washed herself at the basin and the issue of whether she re-used the gloves came up. I seemed to have seen her pull off the gloves and throw into the bin under the long desk before she went to the bathroom, but I wasn't sure. 

Considering how bad the whole thing was, I wouldn't put it beyond her to re-use the gloves. "Do you?". I asked while on the bed.

In the bathroom, she replied, "Of course not. You so cute leah, asking the question.". 

That word "cute" displeased me greatly. The previous freelancer had used the same term. Somehow, such women feel the need to put the customer down because the customer did not respond well to their bad "service".  I get the impression that they "work better" on local men and become dismissive of women who do not appreciate their cavewoman approach.    


It is doubtful even local men will appreciate their "service" since these women are clueless about the finer points of sexual arousal and tease. It is a waste of money to pay for something that can be done by yourself for free and more satisfactorily.

I'm guessing many local men have already experienced such scams, which is why according to her, such business is not popular (or not as popular as I thought). I'm one of those people who still didn't know.

(Is my $220 cute also? Then if I don't pay you, is that also cute?).

It was like being cheated by the previous freelancer all over again. A replay. The disappointment was almost too much, too painful to bear. I could hardly speak for it.

To convey my utter disappointment as she was at the bathroom basin, I repeated that the first one that I had booked a hotel room for, didn't know how to massage. (I left it hanging that this time was the same).

As she walked out of the bathroom, I said I don't know when I will find the right one. I was close to tears inside.

She didn't seem to listen, brushing it off with a weak, insensitive smiling sound. To more clearly convey that her "service" was a letdown, I asked if she had friends to recommend who could massage (with no real interest in the information). As expected, she said no.
 

Her service and attitude were so bad (even worse than the first freelancer) and my disappointment so great, that the thought of payment went out of my mind for a while, until I realized I hadn't paid and had to.

Her mobile phone rang and it was Enzo asking that she head to Hotel 81 at Bencoolen street. (Didn't she say earlier that business was poor?). 

Absently, she asked me if Bencoolen was nearby. When I didn't reply, she talked to herself that it should be. 

I went to my wallet and it was difficult to count the cash to give to her. Very difficult to have to give away the $220, but I am not the sort to not pay for a massage. 


She was now flitting about, eager to meet her next payment.

I moved the cash in my hands to her, but she seemed to ignore it. Odd. I tried again, and again she seemed a little reluctant to take it, until she finally did with both hands. 

In hindsight, perhaps, I think even she felt she had no right taking the cash when her service was so unsatisfactory. No one likes paying for total disappointment, more so in this area. And she knew full well she was a total letdown. 


As she packed her items, it seemed to take too long. Wrapped in a white bath towel, I walked to the door and held it open for her to get out. 

Yet, she didn't leave but stood in front of the mirror and started applying make-up. 

It tried my patience, but it shows how patient I can be as I stood there, holding the door and waiting for her as she hurriedly patted powder to her face.

I realized she did not have on any make-up when meeting me. Am I not a paying customer to deserve make-up? Yet she puts on make-up for a man? What am I? 

A professional would look her best for her customers whether they are male or female. 

What is this? Using my room after such bad service, to put on make up for a man next in line, while letting me wait? As a woman, it is very insulting to me. Don't she have a compact case with a mirror? Do I not pay according to the website price like other customers?  I paid, our deal is over, now get out. The extension of time is not a given. 

I actually had a right to push her out.

As a man, I would also be insulted and offended that having endured and paid for such bad service, I have to endure my room being used by this woman to do up herself for the next customer, while I wait.

I feel very used and the $220 very painful to part with. Normally, I am casual and forgiving with money. But not this time. 

I found out from her that she earns only $80 of the amount given to her. "Enzo" takes the rest. The $220 is not all hers, but "belongs to company" (as if a one-man sloppy show like "Enzo" can be called a company. No business registration number and it's doubtful such a business can even be legitimately registered.).

Enzo takes more than half of what she earns, messing up schedules and not having to actually do anything. 

That, I think, is her retribution. To give more than half of what she earns (64%. Is that even possible?) to a pimp who doesn't care if she gives a 60 or 90 mins massage, doesn't update her on anything, and who is a liar. To do the "work" while he takes most of the money. 

It is doubtful she is a Malaysian as she claims. There is no typical Malaysian accent to her words. It is also odd that despite living in Singapore for "more than 10 years", she cannot pronounce a 1-word common English name. Also odd that she chose Macau to learn massage (more likely perhaps, that she went there to gamble or learn how to be a casino dealer for 1 week, and when that didn't work out, she decided to do "tantric" or "spas".).


When she was done, she grabbed her things and hurried out with her head bowed, not looking at me while smiling sheepishly as she passed me holding open the door. Possibly, she knew to be embarrassed and was now off to greener pastures.

After she left, I went out and began to fear if she had re-used the gloves or did I really see her throw them into the bin? What if the gloves had previously just been used on a man? What disease or virus, or sperm, was then lubricated onto me? 

I hurried back to the hotel room to check and was relieved to see the gloves inside the bin. 

The money was just money. It was a bad loss and a hurtful massage. I still feel the pinch of wasting it on such a useless excuse of a massage, but just be thankful that it's only that.

(However, thinking back now, I cannot be sure if the gloves had been used on a man before being used on me. The gloves in the bag looked new with their powder but I can't be sure if they were really new.  If she had washed and re-powdered the gloves, it was possible to reuse them. But this meant they had at least been cleaned, even if not sanitized.

As far as I know, sperm cannot live long outside the human body and requires a uterine or vaginal environment to survive. And cannot be stored in a gel or jelly such as in that container that she said contained K-Y lube. )
 

If I could have back the $220, I would. If I could erase even having the "massage", I would. The memory of her abrasive action makes me cringe with regret. I can't believe I let myself endure such violation from such a woman.

After the "therapist" left, I sent an SMS:  "Enzo, $220 is not a small amount. I expected better massage. Booking was for non-smoking. U sent a smoker. U didn't inform her of duration and that she was to come to the room. Massage was a big disappointment. Very unprofessional massage and poor service by omtantra." 

His reply, "I do apologised for the lack of communication with my therapist.. Enzo."

The same SMS was sent again when I didn't reply. 

My reply, repeating my disappointment to make sure he understood, "I'm very disappointed with the massage. It was very unprofessional & unskilled. Wasted money and get injured due to bad massage of private area. I've been to many massages & this is one of the worst for the price. I had hoped omtantra would be different. U don't know how disappointed I am. I have tried so many & almost giving up searching for good sensuous massage."

His reply, "Yes. I do agree with u on tis matter. As a matter of fact.. Our company established our Singapore Chapter, sharing the same sentiments on tis note.. "

I did not bother replying. 1) He wasn't addressing the problem. 2) I have not heard of a "Singapore Chapter" on this issue and there is no such "Singapore Chapter" in the website. 

The Wayan Retreat & Spa Sauvignon

http://www.wayanretreat.com/wayan/wayanhome.html  Wayang Retreat?

http://www.spasauvignon.com.sg/index.htm

So. There's the review of these 2. Get bored @ $68 or $98, your pick.

It's been a search for a spa or someone as good as my Gene who has sadly left The Oriental Spa. According to a staff this May when I asked, she has returned to the Philippines.

Oddly, the first time I met Gene was at a bad time in my life. A loved one had passed away for a year at that time and my mind and body craved healing. It was not the first time I experienced a body massage, but it was the first time I found peaceful bliss being under a person's hands. For that moment, I was truly at peace.

It was most odd and most magical. I have not been able to re-create it with other masseuses, other spas, and not even with Gene on the second time. No idea why.

The second time was a year apart and by then, I guess she was jaded by her work which might have just become a mundane chore to her. I guess the first time, she was new and she was able to put in her best in the best ever massage I had ever been privileged to experience. 

I remember her somber eyes as she looked at me the first time. My own gaze, in hindsight was sad and serious. I always felt that she might have seen the pain in my eyes that day.

I was new at feeling sensuous massage, and she was probably new at giving it. So, it was a blend of the beautiful new that both of us came under very harmoniously and sensuously. I can never forget it.

Unfortunately, the second time a year later, was very different. Her eyes were hard-edged and she looked tired. There were lines under her eyes and she looked worn. Her massage was unexpectedly dull and lacked heart and soul. She wasn't in it at all and her last strokes were simply a matter of the process, part of the course, without a single feeling.

I was disappointed and made it known that her technique had changed from the first time. She seemed irritated by the observation and said I should have specified clearly what I wanted. 

As I left the room, she said politely, "See you again." as part of their course. I nodded, feeling very disappointed and heart-broken, not intending at all to return because it was just too much, too different to bear.

That was last year. This year 2011, I went back to ask about her. As I already could guess, Gene is no longer working there.

I guess whatever it was she was unhappy about caused her to leave. Bad customers demanding more than just a massage? Problems at home? I likely will never know.

But during these years, since I experienced her first massage, I have been missing her hands, missing the time, the feeling, everything. I want it back and can't seem to get it no matter how much I spend. 

I've even put up ads soliciting even non-experienced ladies to massage sensuously. But no luck.

The idea of trying more spas that was unlikely to give me what I want, was not attractive. Money was one thing, disappointment was another. The thought of being disappointed again kept me from going to another spa. 

This time, April, I have some cash and have been feeling a big need for massage since last year. Remembering Bali-style massage in 2 youtube videos, I was thinking of Balinese massage. Must I go to Bali or wherever the videos were taken, to experience such sensuous massage as like my Gene's?

Google turned up Javanese massages that I have no idea about. And Balinese massage @ The Wayan Retreat @ Bussorah Street. 

A year ago, I had also seen Spa Sauvignon's website but didn't bother going there, even with their wine spa "treatments". SS is also at Bussorah Street, just a walk away from TWRetreat. SS is actually easier to see and find than TWRetreat because SS is just at the outside of the street where you drop off at the bus-stop.

A bus number that can go there, right at the door-step, is 100. Both these spa places are across the Park Royal hotel on Beach Road. 

Tempted to go in SS first, but passed it as prior appointment had already been made with TWRetreat for 90 mins Aromatherapy Massage. 

TWRetreat needs keen eyes to spot it from the cafes and shops around it. It doesn't help that its awning covers its name and shadows its facade.

Upon pushing through the door... look down. Be careful of stepping on those slabs and pebbles, in case your heels (if you're wearing any) get stuck, or you trip. The place is immediately, obviously small. Not good.

However, the reception counter staff were friendly. There were 2 women there and they welcomed me with smiles. 

I was asked to take a seat behind the counter where there was a small sofa space, some magazines and a few little dishes of incense salts for decoration.

I asked to use their restroom and was shown inside, past a door where the ground was more pebbly than before. Treacherous to cross, and I was wearing sports shoes. You could get a sprain easily just by putting a foot the wrong way. 

Along the way, I opened the wrong door (the staff had left me alone to make my way to the toilet) and saw an empty massage "room" (more like a hut).

Very small lane to the toilet, all the way to the back of the shophouse.

The toilet was quite small and not classy. The wash basin was outside of it with a wobbly but functional tap that takes a bit of knack to turn on for the water to start. Again, nothing yet to be impressed about. 

I emerged back at the reception, assuming things were ready to go, but was told to wait further in the sitting space behind... (I wasn't early and it was in fact a little late since spas require clients to be 10 mins early).

The masseuse appeared and from my appointment, I already knew she was from China. I was given a choice of a "better" Malay senior masseuse for next day, but decided to move up the appointment and was told it would be a "Chinese" masseuse. They have no masseuses from the Philippines or from Bali. 

Usually, I avoid China masseuses because I don't believe they can massage well, or provide the sensuous style that I desire. 

However, not to deprive someone of a chance... and keen to have a massage after so long of deprivation, I accepted a China masseuse. 

Before going to the "room" with her, a woman from the reception counter confirmed with me the rates again. 

She was dressed in black, I didn't like her face that was rather thickly made up with a mole near the chin, and I assumed she must be the boss. 

Feeling doubtful about my masseuse, I asked if there was any promotional discount for first-timers (as spas usually have that) and she said only for the 60 mins.

As she didn't come forth easily with the promotional price (just like she didn't come forth with the fact that they had a promotional price for first-timers), I asked how much? She seemed split-second reluctant, but said $68 for 60 mins. 

That sounded good, compared to $168 for 90 mins, particularly when I didn't feel this China masseuse would be any good. For a try @ $68 was fine. I said if the massage was good, I would extend the time with her. The woman agreed with that and said I just needed to let the masseuse know if I wanted to extend.

For just an additional 30 mins, the price was an additional $100. Didn't make sense and wasn't worth it even if the massage was super good. I doubt if would come anywhere near my Gene's standard.

When you have experienced the best, it's doubtful anything else can come close.

After confirming that I had changed from 90 mins to 60 mins, I went with my masseuse through the door. She led me to our "room" with a wooden door. Inside, it looked more like a hut than a room. Not good.

It was also rather warm as if it was really a hut. 

The place has an open-air safari/village concept that is squeezed into this shophouse, resulting in a very cheap-looking place.

The massage bed was in a small space inside the hut, covered in batik cloth. There was a big red handbag at the foot of it. 

The masseuse told me to put my clothes in the handbag and wrap myself up with a batik sarong sheet. She then went out and politely returned after a few minutes. 

In the time she left me alone, I looked more carefully at the adjoining section that contained the Jacuzzi tub. A partition was between that section and the massage "room".

After having tried so many massages, I know whether a masseuse is the one, the moment she lays her hand on me. This China masseuse is not the one and I could just walk out if I wanted.

I don't need to go through the whole massage to know whether she's good or not. She's not. 

Her starting move was flat. Her subsequent moves were what I call "textbook" in that there weren't any customizable or special techniques or strokes. These strokes can be found in "how to" massage books in the library.

Her massage was so boring, you could SMS or talk on the phone while under her hands. It was a massage that couldn't take the mind off anything at all. Right at the start, I thought about money, how boring her strokes were, where to go next, seeing myself walk into Spa Sauvignon in my mind, and whether I would ever find what I experienced with Gene the first time.

A massage like that, that doesn't take the mind off things, is useless. A good sensuous massage should wake the mind only to itself, to its senses, to the way the hands move and the feelings they are raising. It wakes the mind and body to a different world. The world becomes only the massage and nothing else. 

I commented it felt rather warm, wasn't the air-con on? She said it's working but low. I was perspiring before the massage began. Usually, I would feel cool and cold down my feet in the better spas.

As the massage droned on, people walking back and forth outside could be seen and heard through the hut door. Very distracting. Also, there was no soothing, inspiring massage music. Instead, Balinese metal twanging could be heard from the reception area. And there was drilling coming from what sounded like next door. Renovation?

Bad. 

It is always a good idea to start with 60 mins with a new spa place and a new masseuse. You can't go wrong with that. For smaller spa places, always ask if first-timers get promotional discount.

If it's good, you can always come back with a longer duration and more money. Rather than spend more on a 90 mins and discover it's not good. Smaller spas like this, usually have promotional discounts for first-timers, so ask.

At the end, the woman in black at the reception asked how I felt. I said Ok and paid for it. A staff served me very refreshing and warm ginger tea. Loveliest ginger tea I've ever tried and she was happy, asked if I would like another cup. I said no, thanks.

The woman in black made a small attempt at asking if I would like to join their spa package and I simply said a firm no with a smile. I think she took the cue that the massage wasn't good enough.

Then I made my way across the unsafe pebbles and slabs to get to their main door. 

Usually, I avoid saying how bad a massage is, out of respect for the masseuse who has been "intimate" with me. I don't want the masseuse to get into trouble for a job that I'm sure is not easy to do. I do not wish to blame the slave for the master's fault. And from her face, I don't think the woman in black is a kind or nice employer, which is why I do not like her.

Out the door, I simply walked over to SS, which is just a few paces away and is more prominent.

Pushing through the door, there is no reception there. It's just an empty space with white pebbles on the floor and walking slabs (yes, again).

Pushing into another door, was a larger space with a hanging beaded curtain down partway dividing the place into 2 sections. 2 ladies were seated at the end, both turned to my presence and one of them started to rise as I turned to their catalogue of services and rates at the counter.

I didn't bother saying much. Just cut to the chase with what they had and what I wanted. The woman who had risen had blue eyeshadow done in an odd way, but not unattractive.

She seemed curious and surprised by my approach. Probably, they don't get clients like me usually.

I told her I had just walked over from TWRetreat. So, she knew this would be my second massage in a row. Then I waited for her to advise me against trying a second massage in a row, but it never came.

Obviously, being business, I would not be turned away.

She asked how was TWRetreat? Obviously, interested in the competitor in the industry.

I said the massage was "textbook" and she frowned at the meaning of it. Obviously, nobody had ever said a massage was "textbook" and this was new to her.

I explained that there are books for these sort of things, and the strokes were simply repetitive (rather than creative or sensuous). Accompanying my explanation, I raised my hands to mildly demonstrate what I tried to mean. I didn't think she knew what I mean, even though she tried and seemed to.

She recommended the Swedish massage and I put forth my experience in a cruise ship where a manly masseuse gave me a Swedish that I would never forget and never want to try again. She was puzzled and said that shouldn't be a true Swedish, because Swedish should be soothing and relaxing.

Mm hm. Well, I've had enough of their "soothing and relaxing" and I won't be taken in. As far as I am concerned, Swedish is what I had on that cruise ship and I won't be trying it again (although I've begun to wonder if I should go looking for her as it wasn't all that bad...).

After conveying what I didn't like in a massage (no pounding, no kneading, no squeezing. Just soothing, flowing strokes), she said she had slot available for that moment. Somehow, the smaller spas always manage to come up with a masseuse even at the last minute, so there is really no real need to book in advance.

At TWRetreat, I had hoped the masseuse would be young and pretty. She had turned out to be youngish-looking but not pretty.

Now at the SS... I worried about the same thing and guess I would land with an .... auntie.

Somehow, I was right. She was not pretty or young. According to the woman at the reception, they only had locals and Malay masseuses... maybe Indonesians. They had no one from the Philippines.

So, this dark-complexioned masseuse was... I guessed Indonesian. She started out polite and nice as she told me where to leave my clothes and things. They always start out nice and polite... and then the boring massage begins.

While she was talking to me, I noticed out the corner of my eye, someone standing outside the door and assumed it was that young woman from the reception come to see if my needs were tended to.

As was usual with masseuses, my masseuse informed me of the disposable g-string they had for clients. I said I was wearing my own.

I turned away from the door to unzip my cotton jacket and noted that the person standing outside the door turned to go.

Again, right when the masseuse placed her hand on me, I knew she was not it. It just was the wrong way of starting a sensuous massage.

Overall, as I told the young woman who had attended to me at reception, the masseuse's techniques were smooth and flowing, and therefore better than TWRetreat. But in fact, the strokes were only slightly better than the China masseuse.

The Spa Sauvignon Aromatic Bliss massage @ $98 (I asked and she gave me their promotional price for 60 mins) was boring with just a few interesting strokes that didn't save it.

There was completely no music played. And there was distraction coming from another massage room where it sounded like someone was making slapping sounds on skin. Another customer?

Like TWRetreat, there was the sound of drilling coming from further away. The masseuse's hands were rounded, plump and rough (which was surprising considering masseuses' hands are usually smooth and soft due to the essential oils they are always in contact with). Sorry to say, it was quite repulsive when her hand linked with mine during her technique (which my Gene @ The Oriental Spa does better).

The place being a shophouse was again limited by space and odd corners.

Shophouses do not make good spa or massage places.

So. There's the review of these 2. Get bored @ $68 or $98, your pick. Total, instead of spending $168 on a 90 mins massage at TWRetreat, the money was split into 2 places with a savings of $2. Not a total loss, but also still a waste.

At the end, the SS reception lady and my masseuse introduced me to their scrub powders that I was curious about and got up from my seat to examine their big glass jars. Since I requested for water, a glass was at the table for me.

There was an elderly woman (white-haired, educated-looking like a grandma in the Chinese advertisements on TV, possibly rich) sitting in the sofa and I'm guessing she's a customer.

The SS reception lady kept in the anxious question until it seemed she couldn't anymore, "How was it? Was it what you were looking for?".

It was a question that I wasn't really ready or willing to answer, didn't want to burst her anticipation. No, it wasn't what I was looking for, but I said it was Ok with a bit of smile without looking at her, and I think that sent the message.

At the start, the SS reception lady also pulled open a drawer of clients who had taken up their spa packages, as proof that SS is that good. (I  wasn't convinced).

SS's service is good, but that's about it. An expected disappointment even when I saw their website last year (which is why I never bothered to check out the place). 

After these 2, I went back to The Oriental Spa to look for my Gene or to give a chance to a new masseuse. That's when the reception counter lady informed me that Gene had left. I think it's the same lady even back when I first met Gene. 

The reception lady still looks the same, but at a point when she strained to say something to me, I saw lines and darkness under her eyes. Lack of adequate sleep. 

I booked for a 60 mins with a new masseuse from the Philippines, Aromatherapy massage. Her fingers and hands felt good for massage, somewhat like Gene's, but unfortunately, her technique paled in comparison. I had requested light hands and hers was light, but too light and I didn't see the need to mitigate it. Usually, once I've given instructions, I don't interrupt the masseuse during a massage.

She did ask if the pressure was Ok and at first I said fine, but as it went on, I felt it was too light and the strokes weren't sensuous. At one point, I mentioned applying a little more pressure and it became a bit too heavy, so I mentioned to go a little lighter and it went back to the very light one. Before and after that, I kept quiet.

I have found that it's pretty useless to try to "alter" or adjust a masseuse's technique or pressure because that is her personal style. To a certain extent, a massage can be customizable, but not by much if the masseuse's hands prefer stronger and firmer pressure or other techniques.

When I ask for light hands, reception staff always tell me "all" their staff can adjust their pressure, just need to tell them. But that is not true. There are masseuses with light hands, and masseuses with heavy hands. That is based on their personal styles, body weight, hands etc...

Speaking of hands...I have found the shape of the hands to be important in massages. I like long, slender fingers with rounded tips. The hands must be smooth and soft, not broad and rough. By rough, I mean callused or worn hands. However, broad hands that are rough in a Swedish massage like in the cruise, may be another matter...). 

The strokes were their signature styles but with her, they were just strokes in a bland, standard way that held no feeling.

That was $188 and a few cents. But better than the other 2 spa places.

The bathroom is the highlight. I love their showers, toilet and locker area. Classy. This time, because I arrived rather late, I was not led to their waiting area that has the reclining beds and soft music piped into headphones. Went from their refreshment of chilled tea and chilled towel, to the changing room and then the massage room.

The shower and bathroom facilities are unique to The Oriental Spa, so far I know. Not sure if other hotel spas have the same, but the smaller spa places definitely do not, due to space constraints and the cheaper "neighborhood" prices they typically charge. 

One thing though, is that, just like other massage places, the masseuses will just leave you to find your way from the restroom to the massage room. Of course, we lose our way. 

Other than this, the service of the Oriental Spa is perfect. The reception staff always stand when speaking with customers. Even when they are sitting and you pop a head in, they will rise.

According to the reception, their boss is a woman. I had always thought it was a hard man with sensual senses (ever since hearing a masseuse tell me that they are not allowed to wear any kind of hand pads when doing body scrubs because the boss wanted their hands to feel upon the skin). While I didn't appreciate that cruelty, I understood the reason for it.

Apparently, hardness in a woman is also entirely possible.

Saddest Voting Day

This was the first time that voting was so difficult. Usually, there isn't need to think and just cast the vote to--as usual--back to the ruling party. Who else? I'm not usually into politics and whatever works, works.

This time was different. I was very unhappy and troubled to have to vote for people I didn't like (anymore) and yet logically have to vote for because the Opposition was so weak and unconvincing. I wish I didn't have to vote but then I would be fined.

This time, I found many things troubling many Singaporeans. I wasn't the only one feeling it. Everyone had felt it much earlier than me and expressed it sooner.

The problems of foreign "talent" flooding our island all to meet a population quota that I doubt can be supported for short or long term. Friction between the alien outsiders and our own Singaporean people.

I thought nobody realized, but it seems it is so common that it's a fact that everyone already knows: China people don't even need to know English or local dialects to work in our most local "pillars" such as SBS buses and Singpost.

And foreigners are arrogant, behaving as if they own the place. Now I know why. It is because our government "begged" them to come with all expenses paid and an almost guaranteed PR-ship waiting.

I really didn't know. Had I known...

I feel very saddened and troubled by what Singapore has become. As Singaporeans, we have no rights as citizens. To live and work in Japan, a person needs to know at least a certain level of Japanese before entry is granted. Do we see just anybody becoming Japanese citizens? Or US citizens? Or Australian citizens? And do these countries easily give jobs to foreigners or priority given first to their own people?

If it were so easy to be a US citizen and be accepted, people won't be leaving the US to go back to their own countries to live and work.

Just read what people say online and it hurts. Here are 2 that I happened to read and I feel such tears coming up:

Ironically, this is in the car forum. As one reader said, this should be in a bigger, main online website where more people can read. I didn't know that this was going on. I really didn't know... http://www.mycarforum.com/index.php?showtopic=2663008I

This one by a man named "Lee" is very sad. I'm very sorry for him. It's hard to believe that even $2500 is not enough anymore. I thought $2500 for 1 person was plenty. Suddenly, I am reminded that hey, yeah, the government did make that promise some years ago, that every Singaporean would have a home/house to stay and do not worry. http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/pm-lee-didn-t-m-sorry-152850327.html#mwpphu-container

I copy and paste these 2 here for posterity in case their threads get deleted or lost for some reason:

========

By "Ah_tee": "YOU are only worth this much" in My Car Forum.

though i am very against the influx of FTs, i still treat them like a fellow being and have never look at them with a different perspective.


i was having lunch with a PRC colleague. shes a 24yr old gal who just graduated from NTU and now working in a MNC while waiting for PR approval.


just started a casual topic like, wad do u like about this country and how are u coping

so we get the standard reply. wad stuns me, was the answer to my next question.



me: " so wad makes u decide to come here"

PRC: " i didnt"

me: " wa, ur parents force u here or ur bf is here"

PRC: "neither, ur SG gahment invited us here"


me: " huh, wad do u mean"

PRC: " ur MOE went to our school in our village and told us they URGENTLY need students here, infact they were hardselling the whole scheme and many of us signed up"


me: " huh, wad did they offer"


PRC: " they offer us, ALL Expenses paid for our fees in NTU, including lodging and we even get pocket money"


me: *mouth open


PRC: "on top of that, they have send me the INVITATION letter to apply for PR after we grad"






i seriously begin to wonder the magitude of the FT problem has many more sides that many of us do not know,

i lose my pride as a sgporean after hearing this and i really wonder do they really care ?



if u give a PR who starts a business here and bring jobs to sgporeans, by all means.


BUT if u choose to so-call groom a FT and seemingly used up tax payers money to fund it, i totally do not understand the reason why.


my guess is, they bring in more FTs, give them the candy and they bring in more FTs, which i belive is working because she told her friends about this scheme and many of her friends are here now, at the expenses of home-grown sgporeans.

i myself was deprived the chance of studying in a local U.


but yet a villager from a faraway land with no visible society contributions gets the chance of studying here, all expenses PAID.



are we really worth this much to the gahment ?

is it really we got not enough pple here to study in NTU ? then why are they rejecting sgporeans who meet the pre-requisites ?

=======================

By "Lee" Last page as of now. Comments 1841 - 1855 of 1855

Yahoo News Fit to Post.

I work so hard and 12 hrs a day drawing a basic salary of $2,500 monthly .
After Deduction of 20% CPF , House Rent ( 1 Room ) $259 Monthly .PUB Bill $60 Monthly and
my monthly expenses per month $ 1000 ( about 30+ Daily ) for works like bus fare and food .
I don't even have enough money to spend then to save for raining days .
Due to HDB , They want me to pay 30% for the first 2 years , 70% for the second two years , 100 % for the 3 third 2 years . After i have pay the 100% for the 3rd 2 years and i have to renew the fourth 2 years contract , HDB Officers told me that the the contract for 2011 to 2012 is the last . After this contract expire on 2012 , I am not allowed to rent from HDB .

Sir , Let me ask you some question . I am a single singaporean and has contribute CPF and pay the income tax for so many years . I work so hard , 12 hours aday just to survive and pay all the bills . I served the army in 1977 to 1979 . I am a good citizen and due to my parents who left me
when i was born , My grandmother brought me up and look after me but she is poor and can't afford to provide my education .

After the contract expire on 2012 , HDB Officer told me i can't rent the premises .
Then where am i going to stay . This one room flat is for me to rest and take my shower when i come back from works . Is just a one room flat.

HDB want me to buy from the agent but i don't have money to pay for the down payment to the house owner , Then how to buy house and where am i going to stay .
As a singaporean , I am a good citizen and also one of your party supporters . In the end i will be homeless and going to stay at the road site or under the bridge.

I believed , PM LEE , SM GOH , MM LEE promise every Singaporean will have a home in Singapore . Did they keep their promises.

Sir , I am your party supporter and in the end i am homeless .
Until today i still hope your will help and pity those poor singaporean and do your best to help them.

I wish my dream will come true when i am still alive because i has heart attack and high blood.
I am 52 years old and always worry about the house . I don't think the goverment that i respect and have so much confident in them can help me .

PM Lee , Please pity the poor Singaporean and do yours best to help them and allowed them to have a home to stay happily .

============

Here's a very good comment by " Jacob" who rightly said: why do we need taxi drivers from china when they dont even know where to go? (page 2) http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/pm-lee-didn-t-m-sorry-152850327.html#mwpphu-container

Precisely what I say: Why is a China man driving our SBS bus when he don't even know English or our local Hokkien?  

==============

Check out the quote of stylomonk by "Acemundo" and Acemundo's own comment on page 15: http://www.mycarforum.com/index.php?showtopic=2663008&st=280

Copy and pasted here:

Stylomonk:

well to take some tension off, i would like to share an experience i had with one of these so-called middle class FTs

2 years back, i was making an order at the fruit juice stall at PS food court. i wanted to order mixed fruit juice so i said "Pear starfruit 一杯“ to the chinese lady at the counter. she gave me a puzzled look. (if it were a local uncle/auntie, they would usually understand rite)

i realised she was PRC so without really thinking much, i just directly translated it in my head and repeated "梨 杨桃 一杯“

i dug into my purse for coins and when i looked up, there were 2 cups in front of me. 1 pear 1 starfruit. =.= i told her i wanted mixed de but she gave me a black face and claimed that's wat i ordered. (you all know the way they talk very LL one la hor) nvm i counted myself as suay and paid for both.

As i was going off, the malay guy who was next in line order apple juice. the china woman gave him an irritated look and replied "可以讲华语吗？！“ 

sigh... come on lah... mass import also QC abit rite... don't suka suka. i hope by now that woman has at least learnt a list of fruits in english.

anyway i feel quite sian of eating at food court/hawker nowadays... f&b like taken over by these prcs... somehow the ones we have here all very attitude problem one

Acemundo:

haha, the first PRC i encounterd at coffeeshop, didn't even know COKE is what when I ordered it in English.
 

(zine ed: China people should already know English or learn it before they come here. Which country allows foreigners to demand that the country's citizens speak in Their language?? Where is the logic? Ridiculous! We don't demand that they speak English is already being very super kind to them. We are too good, too nice. That's why get pushed around.)

==============

An amazing video that  wakes me up to things I never knew:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMxTcRs3KDU&feature=related  

Who to Vote For?

7 May 2011 2.30 a.m.

First, I'm not gay and I don't want to have a gay MP or any gay person involved in the running of Singapore. Gay people have issues within themselves that they need to solve first and can't solve, let alone be able to run (or help run) a country. I've talked to enough gay people to know what is their problem. And it has nothing to do with sexual orientation.

Now... today is the day of voting and for the first time, I don't know who to vote for. Or rather, I know who I Have to vote for (but prefer not to), but there is no better alternative except an unconvincing Opposition Party.

Not that I don't want to vote for the PAP, I have always voted for them by default since everything has been running fine. I'm sure everyone has done the same thing, which is what this has led us to: foreigner flood, public transport overcrowding, etc...

I only have 1 thing to say offhand: I will vote for anyone who can get rid of all the foreigners in Singapore.

So far, I've browsed the online Opposition parties and seen 2 rallies for a few hours tonight, and none has mentioned removing foreigners. The Opposition party contesting my area says they will "integrate" the foreigners into the community.

I don't want integration. I want them to get out.

The Opposition parties are not saying anything much different from what the PAP is doing currently or has been doing.

The same foreigner problem now will still continue even if I vote for the Opposition.

So, it's not much incentive to vote in a different party (despite a few interesting-sounding benefits they put in their Manifestos).

Some years ago, I remember reading in the papers when the government wanted to open the doors to foreigners, that we would only be importing foreign "talent". And that such talent would be academic/skilled labor, a.k.a. educated types.

I accepted the reason that we needed such talent, as did everyone at that time.

However, the influx was very fast. Within just 1 or 2 years, more and more foreigners entered. When previously, our HDB flats were just for locals, now we have all kinds of people living next to us.

Then I started realising that these "talent" were all sorts of people from different countries. Students, China women working in massage parlors, cleaners, hawker centers etc...Banglas...

Educated talent meh?

Recently, I took an SBS bus and asked the China driver whether he went to a particular road. I spoke the English name for the road. He said, "Huh?". I repeated slower and he still couldn't understand. I repeated another time and it was simply impossible.

My question is: If the China driver doesn't know English, why the heck is he driving our bus?

On another occasion, there was an old woman who spoke local Hokkien to an SBS driver asking if he went to a place. The China driver didn't understand and just brushed her off by telling her to speak in Mandarin. The old woman was of course unable to speak Mandarin and had to get off.

I felt totally upset by this. Our poor old woman getting brushed off rudely by this China driver who insisted she speak Mandarin.

If it had been a local Chinese Singaporean bus captain, there would have been no problem. Local Hokkien is almost our national language for Singaporean Chinese.

Why hire China people to drive our buses? How can we hire someone who can't even speak our language to drive our main public transport line?

Don't know English and don't know local dialects.

Do you see Japan hiring someone who doesn't know Japanese to work in their companies?

It seems every country gives priority to their own people, except Singapore. WHY??

Why must we cram with foreigners in our buses, our trains, our malls?

When I take a crowded bus, I think how many in this bus are foreigners? If they were to get out, there would be enough seats for our own people.

Do you even know that these days, even the top decks of double-decker buses have people standing?

In the past, such a thing was not even allowed. There were signs to tell people "no standing" on the top decks. Now there is no such sign and the flood of people below deck forces people to come up and stand.

Who in the PAP knows this?

I was actually surprised to read that Singaporeans are angry with the government. Didn't think the problems were that big enough.

Their resentment has far surpassed mine. What I have noticed over the recent years, many Singaporeans already noticed. What they say is what I feel.

It is a fact that there are too many foreigners in Singapore. And reading the comment by the PM last year, strikes fear: "Let us welcome them with an open heart, help them to fit in and encourage those who will become citizens to strike roots here. If we do this well, by the next generation, their children will be native Singaporeans.".

The last sentence is the worst nightmare. It is what I hope will not happen and fear is happening.

Singapore is not worth serving NS for anymore, currently, or if this foreign influx continues. What are we giving up our young men for? What are they sacrificing their time and trouble for? To defend a country of foreigners?

I love Singapore: everytime I get fed up with Singapore, I just need to fly to Taiwan, Hong Kong or Japan and my love for Singapore will automatically be renewed. I will get homesick and need to go home before I go crazy.

But this is getting too much. I am really fed up of seeing foreigners everywhere I go, fed up of hearing gibberish in unpleasant accents, fed up of their actions that are different from Singaporeans, fed up with their attitude as if this is their house.

In the past, how do we board public buses? We go up from the front and get down the back, right?

Guess what foreigners do? They conveniently hop up from the back when the door is open and try to scan their EZlink card there. Of course, the machine beeps and the foreigners either get off to go in front or walk their way to the front of the bus inside (working their way through people coming up the front).

I understand that foreigners in some sectors are needed. Cleaning industry, construction and nursing. But China sales staff? China SBS bus drivers, China Singpost part-timers, China cashiers?

Frankly, I'm tired of hearing their irritating China accent. They have even taken lodging in our HDB flats, living here as if the place is theirs, even having or bringing their kids here.

I value some aspects of foreigner workers but... it's just too many of them and it's causing social problems. It is past the point of "integration", cramming so many millions into an existing Singaporean population.

I believe it is possible to remove most of them based on certain criteria, rather than a blanket swipe which would remove those that are necessary in certain sectors.

Offhand, I say remove all of them. Mediated by reality, I'd say remove just the China people. Further mediated, I say remove at least half the foreigner population.

What are foreigners doing in our Heartlands anyway? At first, in the past, it seemed cute that Angmohs were living in the Heartlands. We welcomed them, let them integrate.

But what is happening these 1-2 years is just too much, too many of them, stretching tolerance level. It is no wonder Singaporeans are angry.

I was telling someone that the way this goes, it is only a matter of time before we start seeing foreigners in Parliament running our country. By then, I think Singapore probably won't be worth much anymore. We may have fabulous economic growth etc... but it won't mean anything to us anymore. It has become a whore (sorry to say that).