A night at the Raffles

I walked into a courtyard at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore with a group of Sailors and made our way to the bar. The Singapore Sling was the drink ordered by everyone, until it came to me. Not being a fan of fruity drinks, I ordered whiskey. After the first round of drinks, the bartender asked if the rest of the guys were done drinking ladies drinks and offered whiskey and rum. Indeed, the Singapore Sling is for women.

Later the bartender asked where we were from. “Georgia,” I responded. He looked at me for a moment and said “Oh, the United States,” as if he had a moment of realization. Remembering I hadn't clarified which Georgia, I confirmed his suspicion and offered further clarification that would probably upset most Georgians, except perhaps for those in the South Ossetia, “We aren't Russian.” Then, in a way of winning back over the hearts and minds of the people of Georgia, and with a sense of American exceptionalism, announced “we hate the Russians!” “Don't say that around here!” the bartender said, as his eyes quickly glanced behind me at the others in the courtyard. No KGB agents came to visit me during the rest of my stay in Singapore.