This is one of the last sights of
Indonesia...
and
this one of the first of Singapore.
The contrast could hardly be more
stark. Singapore reminded me of Simcity. Everything looks as if it was built
very recently and kept in perfect condition. It is like a real life version of
those architect's impressions of how they hope their plans will work out.
Carefully regulated people move about by foot, train or car in perfect precision
and (very un-Indonesian) hardly a scrap of litter. We even saw 2 men washing the
main shopping street with mops and buckets because red fruit falling from the
trees was staining the pavements.
No traffic congestion
because of electronic road
pricing.
The ship on top of the three tower hotel here is actually a swimming
pool.
We stayed at Raffles Marina
which, although not quite the famous Raffles Hotel (at $700 a night), was for us
very luxurious with electricity and drinking water on tap next to the boat
(something we haven't experienced since Darwin), free shuttle bus, a luxurious
swimming pool and even free newspapers delivered to the boat everyday....all for
about a quarter of UK marina prices. The only problem we had was, because we had
not been in a marina for so long we had various jobs to do and only managed a
couple of days in central Singapore. It certainly deserves longer, but we may
well be back.
A stall selling all sorts
and sizes of dried fish .
The old and the new.
Buddhist o.t.t.
temple...
and its much more beautiful roof
garden.
We also visited this only
slightly less o.t.t. Hindu temple.
Singapore is truly multi-cultural
with people from all over the world.
We spent most time in China town
and had a couple of excellent Chinese meals in local restaurants. In one
we sat at a table with some young locals who helped us with the menu and chatted
to us about this extraordinary country..
