For those less-informed out there,
Singapore is a true city state, an economic powerhouse, and also an island
country off the south coast of Malaysia. Originally a British colony for the
purpose of international trade and shipping stopover, Singapore hasn’t lost any
of its history, and today it’s the largest cargo port (in raw tonnage) in the
world! Using the wealth generated by this industry, Singapore of today is way
more than a shipping port, it’s also a fantastic place to be, and for me, a
place I may even consider calling home!
I only had three days in Singapore, but boy
was I busy! I found myself dumbstruck at how clean everything was, how
efficient public transportation is run, and also how naturally beautiful the island
was. I’ve heard the term “garden city” before, but I didn’t know what that
actually meant until I visited Singapore. The entire city is like it was built
in the middle of a rain forest, so green and alive everything seemed. It rains
twice a day, and the rest of the time it’s humid, so it’s a good climate for
all things green... or if you sell airconditioners :D.
But if you’re not into the ecotourism
thing, the Singapore is also one heck of a shopping mecca, making Canal Walk
and V&A look like Pep Stores and BP OneStop! International brands, too many for me to even
recognise, all have stores in the city. But if brand names don’t float your
boat, then you’ll be dumbstruck and the number of markets and factory outlets,
not to mention the “made by hand” stalls everywhere you turn. There are 3 malls
devoted sole to computers, camera and sound equipment – think about that: 4
floors of IT heaven... and there’s 3 of them! All this during the Great
Singapore Sale, a country-wide 2-month sale in all stores!
Needless to say, I stayed far away from
such distractions, choosing rather to spend my Rands touring the city instead
of its malls. I will definitely be back, and next time I’ll have Pounds, so
it’ll be a whole other story next time around! :D
Being a very cosmopolitan city, there are
attractions and cuisines for all tastes. And after all that fish in Thailand,
this is just what I was after! But after 3 days of pure sight-seeing
exhilaration, I toasted goodbye to Singapore, thanking it for a fantastic time,
in the only way you can... with a Singapore Slinger!
