I've only visited for a weekend and was utterly prepared to hate the crap out of Singapore. We're not up to a good start when your landing card spells out in bold and red DEATH TO DRUG TRAFFICKERS (a bit more eloquent, but that's the gist of it).
Reality, however, is not quite as black and white and - although I would never want to live there for an extended period - I left the country with rather mixed feelings.
Let me pull out one example that really, really impressed me.
Near the Marina Sands (the $5B casino complex, which actually cost S$8B according to Wikipedia) they built the Gardens by the Bay (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardens_by_the_Bay) for something above S$ 1B.
Those gardens, which are beautiful and very impressive; an oasis of calm and serenity in a bustling metropolis are built on reclaimed land. In essence: some of the most expensive ground anywhere in the world.
Just imagine the mega mall, the super hotel, or another office complex that could have been built on that land. And they "waste" it for a damn garden.
I thought that they did that despite the intense commercial pressure is immensely cool and is a really nice example for what are some great aspects about this city.
I'm looking at my Social Visit pass - you nailed it, it says in bright red:
WARNING DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS UNDER SINGAPORE LAW
But - you get that message while you are still on the plane (and presumably have a chance to turn back?)
Yes - GardenByTheBay is beautiful - as are the two conservatoriums (one of which they replicate Dry, Cool Mountain Highland Environment - which, is quite an accomplishment in Hot, Humid Singapore.) Indeed - so much of Singapore is actually Green/Catchment basin - it's a priority for them, as they rely on the catchment basins quite a bit for their fresh water (in addition to NEWater and their world class desalination plants.
In Spring, 2001 I was in the midst of filling out my H1-B forms to become a permanent resident of the US when I came across that form (that I had to fill out to keep the process moving forward) - I just looked at it, and said to myself, "Really, I have to answer whether I have ever been involved in 'Genocide'?"
I felt insulted enough that I just dropped the process and I've been on a TN visa ever since.
Seriously - If I had been involved in Genocide, do they expect me to answer "Yes?"
I dont like the Gardens, but it is not correct to say it is wasted. Precisely because it is reclaimed, it needs another decade or so for the soil to settle before we can build skyscrapers on it.
Trust me when I say it, real estate speculation is the primary path to wealth in Singapore, and the biggest, most well oiled speculator in Singapore is the government.
Reality, however, is not quite as black and white and - although I would never want to live there for an extended period - I left the country with rather mixed feelings.
Let me pull out one example that really, really impressed me.
Near the Marina Sands (the $5B casino complex, which actually cost S$8B according to Wikipedia) they built the Gardens by the Bay (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardens_by_the_Bay) for something above S$ 1B.
Those gardens, which are beautiful and very impressive; an oasis of calm and serenity in a bustling metropolis are built on reclaimed land. In essence: some of the most expensive ground anywhere in the world.
Just imagine the mega mall, the super hotel, or another office complex that could have been built on that land. And they "waste" it for a damn garden.
I thought that they did that despite the intense commercial pressure is immensely cool and is a really nice example for what are some great aspects about this city.