Singapore - The lion city

I don't know what I expected of Singapore and after spending almost a week in the city, I am still not sure how I feel about this city.


On the one hand side, it was an opportunity to have a break from the "real" Asia and enjoy a clean and very regulated city. One the other hand, it is a bit over the top with its temples of consumption. Somehow that makes most of Singapore feel very artificial.

There are some nice sights and some interesting archiecture, but most of the things you can do in Singapore come with a price tag, often not a small one.

I guess I could summarize my impressions of Singapore this way: It looks like an Asian city, but the feel is more the one of an American mall. You can find shopping malls, restaurants and food courts all over the island. This city certainly has its good sides and would I have the chance to live there for a while, I would most probably take it. But Singapore is not a place where I can see myself raising children. For it to be a city where I could consider living for a longer period of time, it would need a bit more of a character.

That being said, Singapore was a great stop for me and a place where I could pamper myself a bit. (I know, beauty salons are not very backpackerlike, but it does feel good to have a pedicure or your legs waxed every once in a while.)

Singapore's highlights for me were:
- People actully understand you when you speak English, and they can answer you in a language you understand. This makes life much easier...
- The Singapore Flyer at night. Even though it is not cheap, the views over the city are absolutely stunning!
- The Botanic Gardens. Relaxing and free admission!
- Chijmes: very cool food court/restaurants in a former Catholic convent. (I had a great Singapore Sling here...)
- Civic district, here you can find some very nice old streets with colonial buildings. Singapore must have been such a beautiful and exciting city some 100 years ago.

If you thought I would praise the food, no, not this time. Singapore has great eating, but not better than Georgetown and certainly not cheaper.

Next time I go to Singapore I will bring more money and an empty suitcase! As the lady at the waxing salon asked me: If you are not into shopping, why would you go to Singapore?
And that pretty much says it all I think, in SP it is all about money and how to spend it. Cash (or credit card) is king...




Here are some of the impressions of Singapore:

Fort Canning

Marina Bay



Singapore river