You do not have to go far in Singapore to discover the unexpected or the unusual.

A stroll through Chinatown could bring you face to face with a cartful of masks for the people to wear to represent mythical or historical characters in a procession or an operatic or theatrical performance during some festival_heads of heroes and villains ., horses and lions, unicorns and dragons, all crafted with loving care and selling at surprisingly low prices.

Go and listen to the early morning "concert" of birdsong from hundreds of caged birds.

Have your initials carved in semiprecious stone to make your own personal seal.

Notice the old women working on a construction site, clad in black and wearing red head -dresses.

These are the Samsui sisters who have voluntarily chosen to adopt this way of life and remain unmarried.

The variety of things to do in Singapore is endless.

Relax on a tropical beach, take a stroll through the lush green park or visit an Indian temple.

You can spend hours In the zoological Gardens with their world -famous orang-utan colony, spot 350 different species among the blooms that would cost a king's ransom in London, or visit a crocodile farm.

After your sightseeing, you may be hungry, and there is no better place to be hungry than in Singapore.

Rich aromas will draw you to one of Singapore's 8,000 open air foodstalls offering Chinese, Malay, and Indian dishes in all their infinite variety _with a banana leaf, perhaps, to serve as your plate and end in the day with yet another surprise .