Singapore
Size Matters!
A marina and port, some big money yachts near a beach restraurant
Trip taken January 2008
It’s not hard to figure out why Singapore is such a popular destination for Indians: it’s a 3.5hr plane ride and you can get direct flights from most mid-sized cities even; it’s not an expensive flight compared to places like Cambodia or Vietnam; one can feel good about seeing an entire country over a long weekend; the shopping can go from bargains to filthy stupid; it’s the closest thing to western society within reach. We go on vacations to places that are different from our every day life. Hence, if we see poverty and mayhem daily, Disney Land sounds great fun. On the other hand, looking at organized traffic for an hour each way in Chicago, wild life and Cambodia sound so much more exotic. None the less, Singapore has a character of its own worth exploring.
The poilce head quarters building
The wonder of Singapore lies in the details. So here are some interesting facts that should drive you to witness the charm of this tiny nation. Singapore is an island; actually, it is 61 or so islands. One can drive from one end of this country to another in 45 minutes. It is roughly 26 miles by 15 miles from end to end. It has a population of 4.5 million people, making it the second most densely populated country after Monaco. Even so, it is the world’s fourth leading financial centre. It ranks as the best quality of life in Asia and 11th in the world. It houses one of the top five busiest ports in the world. Bottom line, it is the 4th wealthiest country in the world in terms of GDP (PPP) per capita terms, and has the ninth largest foreign reserves. Best of all, violent crime is so low in Singapore, mostly because of the aggressive and strict laws: homicides in 2007 were seven, of which all seven were solved. Close enough to Utopia for me!
So it was that I in Singapore with family. We stayed on a yacht at the One Degree 15 on Sentosa Island, an extravagant place by itself. I can’t complain about the yacht either! So part of the first day went by with me gawking at yachts and their opulence. Then it was time to gawk some more so we went down to Orchard Street, the main strip for shopping. As it is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, it houses top stores: Versace, Armani, Zegna, Prada… the whole bit. It also has some mind blowing accessory stores with pink diamond necklaces from $200,000 USD to Piaget watches for $550,000 USD. Yes, all the zeros belong there. Yes, they were on me, and then safely off me. No, I didn’t take any home although there was an undeniable chemistry. I am not an indulgent personality! Ya right, that was the real reason! I am a saint!!
"Songs of the Sea" laser show on the beach at night
Singaporeans are polite by nature, but given that 42% are foreigners, that may not be the case all the time. However, people seem to learn the ways of a conservative, well dressed, educated society pretty fast and so even the main roads are cleaner than big cities in the US. It has plenty high rises every where and more being built, so parking is in buildings to not waste land. It is really cute to see so many people so nicely dressed and in heels walking up and down the street. And they always seem to be doing plenty of walking.
There are a few things to do in Singapore. The Merlion Park, with famed mascot of Singapore with the head of a lion and body of a fish is a popular visiting spot. Although there is not much else to do but walk around the park for a while, it is a popular family destination. The night laser show, called “Songs of the Sea” is pure innocent fun entertainment with lights and song and dance and pyro effects for children. It’s a pleasant way to spend the evening but not too exciting, I’d say, interesting, if you haven’t seen a show like that before. There is also the night safari at the zoo, which is very well done and one can see nocturnal animals close up. Again, this is more fun for the young kids.
China Town area
As far as adult night life goes, I did not go to clubs or bars as I went with family. But from what I looked up, nothing crazy or exciting (depending on how you see it!) like Bangkok. That may be the dividing point for tourism between the two. Also, Singapore is quite a young country and has re-vamped itself into a modern society and so lacks the cultural historical monuments of Bangkok. But then it is much safer and family friendly. So I guess it just depends on what kind of a vacation you are looking for!
I did go looking for some local places and found a couple of neat corners. The China Town, like any good China Town, holds some great bargains and neat items. Maybe because most of the population is Chinese, there is more variety and better things, as in more usable practical stuff, than many other China Towns I have seen. The food is also quite cheap and good. There is a store named Mustafa that is like a super store for bargains that sells everything from Rolex watches to vegetables. Sure enough, on a Sunday, it is fun walking through that human zoo-maze!
The last day was the best day yet. My uncle arranged for the yacht to be taken out to a remote island, where we dropped anchor and took the speed boat to the sandy beaches, and had ourselves a small picnic. That was one for the books, I say. And there are people that get to do this all the time, eh? What a life! To be able to walk around a clean tiny island with no one in sight, to have no rules on when to come and go, and to ride back from that and see the city line of Singapore. It was a memorable experience.
That's us, from our yacht to the remote island for a picnic!
All this being said, there is not too much I can do in Singapore past three days or so. But having seen it, I can honestly say it is a place worth considering living in. The Buddhist calmness in people, the strength of a democracy to make the right choices to be a clean and safe society, the perseverance of the government to make this a successful and strong nation – all that and more are some valid points to make this a place worth praise. Here, they made size matter, every inch of it!
