I was in Singapore with my sister last March during the Holy Weekend. We had a blast, of course. And personally, it was a great cultural experience as all the travels I have had were. Aside from the scenic spots which defines a place, it is the unique culture which I am after and of which I take whatever I can and then turn them into memories to last forever.
Singapore is a very small place, similar to Manila except for the cleanliness and discipline. It is much more developed than Makati or the Fort. The second you leave the airport you will immediately admire the way the country is organized. Outside the city, the tall apartments line up the roadsides, all looking new and all of the same color. My guess is that this is where people from Class D to B live. There are no shanties or at least I did not see them on my visit there. I did not notice any beggars as well although I am sure they exist anywhere in the world even in the richest countries like Japan and Europe.
It was funny because at one point on our trip we were standing at a pedestrian stoplight, waiting for the light to turn green. There were no cars, the road was empty. Just a group of people on both sides of the road patiently waiting and thinking at the back of their minds whether or not to cross the road even if there was a good 40 seconds left on the stoplight. After some time of debate, exchanging glances with people on the opposite side of the road with eye contact revealing we were in the same dilemma, we finally crossed the road. It was really weird because common sense would dictate that you can cross the road since the road is clear but discipline states otherwise and that we should wait for the stoplight.
As I have mentioned on my previous post, I was a good student and did research before I went to Singapore. I was able to go to most of the places on my 'to go list' and was able to try most of the ones on my 'to try foods'.
It would take a gazillion words to share the experience. So I am leaving a few pictures for your eyes only. They did say 'a picture paints a thousand words'. Enjoy!
