Singapore: short and sweet

Marina Bay from the Singapore Flyer

 
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The Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Casino

An evening performance along the Esplanade.

Two days in Singapore:  

 Singapore is engaged in perpetual modernization.
21^st century skyscrapers are interspersed with lakes, reservoirs, parks and canals throughout the densely populated city/nation of less than 500 sq. miles.

 

       A population of 5 million+ people of 4 racial/ethnic groups with 4 official languages (English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil) live largely in high-rise housing blocks. Sections of the city are: Little India, Arab Street in Malay Town, and Chinatown. Good shopping and great dining in each of these districts. 

High-powered design is evidence in several wonderful museums, the modern hotels, and the Marina Barage (the ingenious water reservoir system designed to provide 35% of the water for this city/nation with no water supply of it’s own). Singapore also buys water from Malaysia to the north.

 

From the structure of the Marina Barage toward the Explanade Arts Center and the Singapore Flyer (the world's 2nd largest Ferris Wheel after London's.

 

Kindergarten students on tour at the Marina Barage.

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Entering the Singapore Flier

Viewing Singapore from the Flyer.

·      Historic Raffles Hotel is a 5 star lodging complex originally built in 1887 named for Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles who organized the rental of Singapore from the Malay Sultan of Jahore.  Raffles Hotel is a wonderful example of colonial grandeur.

 

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·      Everything in Singapore is expensive!!!

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·      Singapore is a “controlled-democracy” which might otherwise be defined as benevolent Communism.  Everyone behaves well, in an orderly way.  Our cab driver bragged that Singapore law has two aspects that ensure order:  caning and the death penalty. Malfeasance laws manage behaviors based on health, safety, cleanliness, and property.

--> Lee left the voyage in Singapore.  Three busy and adventurous weeks together – what seemed a long stretch of time in her prior planning in New Jersey actually flew by in a whirlwind - from Shanghai to Xian to Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi to Singapore. What fun we have had!!!