Singapore, Singapore – 19 March 2011 at 2:45pm
Kansas City, USA – March 19, 2011 at 1:45am
Kansas City, USA – March 19, 2011 at 1:45am
Singapore has a cleaver little marketing slogan….”Singapore is a Fine City.” Yes, it is full of fines…the one I dislike the most…chewing gum = $500.
Singapore is amazingly clean and safe which is apparently the result of all these fines. From the signs posted around the city, you will be fined $1,000 for littering and $500 for drinking a beverage (including water) or eating on the subway. They have tons of rules and I’ve already broken two of them…the gum rule and the drinking water on the subway rule…thankfully, I’m not into drugs otherwise that offense results in Capital Punishment and at this point I really like my life above ground. Seriously though they don’t take this stuff lightly…we were warned three times on the plane about the consequence of having, using or selling drugs while in the country.
I later learned that the government employees people who walk around looking for “standing water.” If you have any “standing water” on your property you will get….tah dah….a fine. There are no flies, insects, mosquitos, etc. because of this rule.
Also, Durian's are not allowed on the subway...apparently they smell like stinky feet.
Along with the above mentioned law, below are the other things I love about Singapore…along with a few dislikes and random facts….
I think we (Tommy, Anna and I) all agree that the food in Singapore is amazing and probably our favorite feature about this city. We were actually trying to eat the "Top 10 Must Try" foods while we are here.
The people are the next best thing…for a big city they are very friendly and willing to help you if you are lost. Since the three of us enjoy different things we have done some stuff by ourselves... I was walking home alone one night after dark and felt completely safe…even the men stepped into the street as I would pass by them on the sidewalk. I never felt in any danger…which is a wonderful feeling to have as a single female traveler. I have a feeling this all goes back to the harsh punishment for breaking the law.
My least favorite thing about this city…I have two: the humidity and smoking…both are making me very uncomfortable. I’ve never been in a place with so much humidity…I thought Queensland was bad but it doesn’t compare to what it’s like in Singapore. Number two…the smoking…people are smoking EVERYWHERE….maybe they haven’t heard the Surgeon General’s warnings about the ramifications of smoking but it kills…and the secondhand smoke is killing me. This one actually surprises me given the strict laws…I figured smoking in public areas would be on the list but maybe this is the only legal vice they allow, so people take full advantage of it.
I love the MRT (Mass Rail Transit)…it’s cheap, easy to use and you can get anywhere in the city, quickly and safely.
Another fantastic feature is the harbour, it is beautiful. We actually spent one evening at a hotel, the Marina Bay Sands, in the harbour having drinks in the bar…we had gone into the hotel to check out the casino and saw heaps of adoring Justin Bieber fans…apparently he had a concert here this week and was staying at this particular hotel…so we watched the action from the bar….needless to say, the teenybopper girls of Singapore are just as loud when they scream as his fans in KC.
The Botanical Garden is free and well worth the money!
Singapore has a really nice Zoo and Night Safari…as you can imagine it is pristine…everything is immaculate, in working order and painted…it looks brand. If you like animals and you happen to be in Singapore…check out the Night Safari.
Singapore has 100% import tax....on everything.
The famous Singapore Sling at the Raffles Hotels is basically an overpriced “rum punch” but it is a tourist must…so if you ever visit, try one enjoy it for what it is and then forget you just spent $30 USD on a fruity drink that doesn’t contain much alcohol.
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