A relatively young city-state, Singapore gained its independence in 1963 and accomplished the remarkable feat of transitioning from a developing country to a developed country in just one generation. It is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in, but listen to what other designations it has achieved: most technology ready nation; world’s smartest city; world’s safest country; second most competitive country; third least corrupt country; fifth most innovative country…these guys have it going on! Despite the high cost of living ninety percent of the homes in Singapore are owner-occupied. The city is beautiful and clean and a place we would love to revisit.
Our day began with a trishaw ride. A trishaw is a bicycle with a side car and an electric motor. They first surfaced in Singapore in 1914 and were once a major form of transportation. Today they are used mostly by tourists. Our driver seamlessly maneuvered his way through the busy streets from Burgis Street through Little India and back again, cars seemingly happy to make room for him. After the ride we walked through an area that offered four houses of worship in less than a half-mile stretch: Protestant, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu. Their proximity to one another is emblematic of how inclusive this city-state of 5.6 million (a million of whom are foreign workers) is.
We rode a bumboat down the Singapore River, past renovated Colonial buildings and warehouses now teeming with trendy restaurants, bars and boutiques and a thriving night life. Bumboats are flat-bottomed boats that were once used to transport dirt and waste (and occasionally food supplies) to and from ships located off shore. Originally powered by sail, oars or long poles, the boats now have electric motors which helps keep the river water clean. This is a good thing since it is also the city’s drinking water.
Our final destination was the Marine Bay Sands Skydeck, a viewing platform situated at the top of the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel, owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation. The hotel is built in what was once part of the bay. It took the equivalent of 18,500 football fields worth of sand to create the ground on which it is built and 3 years to build at a cost of $8 BILLION dollars. The hotel boasts a convention/exhibit hall that is more than 1.3 million square feet; 800,000 square feet of shopping; a museum; two movie theaters; 80 upscale restaurants and bars; the world’s largest atrium casino, and, oh yeah, 2,500 hotel rooms that rent for $700 or more per night. One of the lounges has a marque that promotes itself as Singapore’s largest nightclub with an indoor Ferris wheel and 3-story slide. The place has proven so popular that it paid for itself within three years and continues to enjoy a 98% occupancy rate 365-days/year. The property has three huge towers on top of which sits a boat-like structure that houses the Skydeck, a patio bar and restaurant, and a 490-foot long infinity pool. This place is seriously over the top and 30 minutes was not nearly enough time to explore.
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