In my mind, Singapore has always been linked to shopping, wealth, clean roads, well-educated people and a great ethnic mix. Indeed Singapore is all of this, but I also discovered that it is much more than that.
No doubt. If you are a shopping-addicted (I’m not!), Singapore is your place! Huge malls, where you can find the best luxury brands. Just going up and down Orchard Road, one of the world famous shopping streets, can take you more than one day. However, after having visited a few malls I couldn’t help wondering “whos’ buying all this stuff”? At the end of the day, the things you can see and buy in the malls are more or less always the same…
What is instead really curious is the restaurants area. Usually huge and incredibly crowded, it’s funny over there just to observe the people. I also enjoyed a lot seeing how the food is displayed, sometimes in a rather funny fashion.
Singapore gives its best at dusk and by night, when all major modern architectural buildings get illuminated. The view on the Esplanade Theaters on the Bay, looking as a great porcupine, the Flyer and the surrounding skyline are simply beautiful. As the city is constantly expanding, in the distance one can see the construction site where Marina Bay Financial Centre will rise, further shaping Singapore skyline in the near future.
But being multi-cultural, Singapore is also a city of contrasts. Once you leave the shopping streets, the business district and the residential areas and you adventure into Chinatown or Little India, you discover another face of the city. No more wealth and modern buildings.
In Little India the houses are old and ramshackle, small shops are selling basic goods, restaurants and cafés show doubtful hygiene, lots of people (mostly men!) crowd the streets or keep seated in the front porch of the houses, apparently without a job. There, the image of a clean and ordered Singapore seems very far.
That’s what I find interesting in Singapore. A melting pot where contrasts and cultures are c0existing, apparently in harmony. A place that is projected over the future, without forgetting its past.
travel
I never knew that Sinapore was so multicultural, it sounds fascinating. Thanks for an informative post.
Indeed it is fascinating. Also because it is unique under many aspects. I had a quick look @ ur blog. Want 2 take time 2 read it better. I love central and latin america!
I totally agree with your last statement ” A melting pot where contrasts and cultures are c0existing, apparently in harmony” . I am a Singaporean and have friends of different races.
I think not many people in other countries can do that harmony so i am grateful for that.
why do you think that those chickens are “funny displayed” ? haha ..
bryan
bluewalks.com
Hi Bryan,
nice to have a comment from a Singaporean. It’s true, in Singapore I really felt harmony between the different races and cultures, and a great respect. It was interesting also reading newspapers, always reminding that discrimination is something that should not be allowed. I wish there were lots of other countries following Singapore model.
Regarding the chickens… well, it’s probably realted to culture. In Europe you would never find in a restaurant chickens and other meat displayed in that way. This is instead something you can frequently find in the middle east. That’s why I found that nice and funny.
I gave a quick look at bluewalks. That’s really a nice idea! I love walking. Mostly in the mountains but virtually everywhere. And walking is no doubt the best way to discover a city. So I will certainly give a closer look and if I can I might contribute.
Ciao,
Simon
Hi Simon,
Thanks for loving Singapore. But i actually think that Singapore needs to follow the European model in regards to freedom of speech and greater citizen rights. We are lacking in these :X
Aha. I certainly agree with you on the cultural differences between Europe (Stockholm and other part of europe that i been to) and Asia (Singapore). Come to think of it, the chicken is really funny. (Right now I am in Stockholm. )
Where are you now?
And thanks for the kind words. We just want to make something useful for travellers to share their walking route. By the way, you can actually embed walking routes on your blog post. like how this blogger did it http://bit.ly/IvsGw.
If you are writing a post with a walking route embedded, do tell me and send me a link
bryan
PS: we blog at http://blog.bluewalks.com