Singapore

Singapore
Arrived Friday evening to find hotel here charging S$20 for 1/2 hr internet so this will be my farewell posting....
 Immediately some of the differences between Singapore and Malaysia were apparent: drivers on the road from the airport were using their indicators to change lanes. ( Several times we were told in KL and Penang that drivers never signal their intentions because no-one will let them in!  The driving there is manicwith thousands of scooters and mopeds making the mix even more dangerous) The vegetation on the roadside was lush but clipped and so it has continued. with control seeming to be the dominant factor here...this is a sanitized version of Asia where life is obviously very pleasant for the majority so long as they toe the line. 

The great majority of cars are taxis as the government makes it very expensive to own a car: every 2 weeks there is an auction of licences to own a car for 10 yrs.  Highest bidders get the licence.  Then they often go and buy a very expensive car.  We've seen lots BMW convertibles and the odd Ferrari.
As in Malaysia huge projects are underway everywhere.  There are hundreds of ships at anchor outside the harbour -the busiest in the world.  All this in a country the size of the Isle of Wight
As for shopping, well it's unbelievable.  God knows how many malls there are- all thronged with shoppers.  Orchard Rd- the main shopping street- is 6 kilometers of shops and eating places with many huge malls.  But for us the shopping is disappointing as clothes shops are designer stores (and prices are higher than UK) with the same names appearing all over the city.. 
Our hotel is right next door to the Raffles where we intend to have a Singapore Sling tomorrow evening. There's a converted convent across the road with lots of restaurants where we ate last night.  This centre could stand as the essence of Singapore: commerce not spirituality is definitely the driving force here...with no hypocrisy about it. 
Tonight we were going to a food court/hawker centre in the mall next door but it was so busy and noisy we opted for a cafe instead. Then we found another area of eating places in the basement where we indulged at a stall just selling desserts.  There must have been well over 100 stalls/eateries and that is just 1 shopping mall.


Had a very busy day using the hop-on hop-off buses.  We went to the top (57th floor) of the huge new Marina Bay Sands hotel from where the whole island is visible.  The swimming pool on the roof is now famous as being 1 of the highest in the world and the  vast complex includes a casino, arts and science museum and -naturally-high end retail mall.  It's all very stylish but overwhelming and impersonal-as is the whole city.  It reminded us of Las Vegas but with a solid feeling to the buildings and, of course, with many buildings dedicated to business.  Which reminds me: a new CBD is being built which will be twice the size of the present one and will be completed by 2021.

                                                                                     

Marina Bay Sands hotel



From there we went to the Museum of S,E. Asia- very impressively presented and with marvellous collections.  In covering the whole region it also somewhat overwhelmed us.   Then a short river/harbour cruise gave us diferent views of the city and finally a walk through the Botanical Gardens where we loved the fabulous orchid garden showcasing hybrids developed here.

The place is mindboggling.  Huge skyscrapers, many of futuristic design, statues and public works of art, stadia, theatres....we have 4 more days to explore and intend to do touristy things like taking the cable car to Sentosa Island to sample some of the attractions there and we're planning a trip to the zoo because it's supposed to be 1 of the best in the world.

Floating soccer pitch/multi use arena with seats for 24,000

I hope this doesn't sound a negative posting.  Singapore is an amazing city and it's a lovely place to spend a few days.  The streets are super-clean and there is absolutely no graffiti or litter. The only jay-walkers  are visitors.  The traffic flows easily.  There is very little crime and the people we've come into contact with are unfailingly delightful.  (Just remembered:  we were most impressed by the behaviour of young Malays also.  On buses they always offer their seat to elders.  Here they do the same but are nagged into it by notices at the bus stops.....another difference)

Thanks to everyone who has read and commented on our travel blog.  Hasta la vista