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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 17, 2014 3:04:47 GMT
Singapore has always been a very popular tourist destination, particularly for Indians. Many people I know have been to Singapore as their first overseas trip. One reason is of course that it is not difficult to travel- English is widely spoken, public transport is good and there are many sights dedicated to children. It was my third time there, but first in more than 8 years so it felt quite new. This time though, I wasn't there purely for tourism, I was doing a short 5-day course at the National University of Singapore. A tiny city-state off the southern coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore is just around 100 km north of the Equator. It was a British colony which became part of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 and finally a sovereign state in 1965. Just exiting the airport. More later, hopefully, when I figure out this damn Flickr
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 17, 2014 3:30:51 GMT
View from my room: Jaywalking is strictly illegal in Singapore. 10 years ago, during my first visit, I thought such a sign meant No Walking! Here are some more hi-end apartments in the area. We went to the mall- to get some lunch and breakfast supplies for the next 5 days. No one minded me taking photos in the hypermarket- I didn't even have to be discreet. Some interesting thing to eat.
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 17, 2014 4:09:02 GMT
It was late afternoon- had to go over to the National University of Singapore (NUS) to register- my course was starting the next day. On the way, this large block of public housing. Over 90% Singaporeans live in such- built by the govt and provided at subsidised rates to citizens who can then sell these houses at market rates after 5 yrs. A little bit of NUS campus, which is a bit of the main city. Back to the city now. In the below picture, ERP stands for Electronic Road Pricing, a congestion charge levied on all vehicles entering certain roads during rush hours. Having a private car is expensive in Singapore, first buyers need to bid for a certificate whose market price right now is around USD 60,000 (and is valid for only 10 years), and then pay heavy import duties on cars, and finally ERP! But traffic, a huge problem in many parts of Asia, is at least not too heavy in Singapore. More later.
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Post by bjd on Jul 17, 2014 6:04:24 GMT
Hi Ansh, nice to see you are moving around. I'm amazed that in a tropical climate like Singapore's, they import strawberries from the US!
Is all of Singapore high-rise housing, or is there anything left of what was there before?
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 17, 2014 7:11:37 GMT
Hi bjd, yes a lot of housing in the city centre is high-rise. There are some independent houses on the eastern coast which is out of the main city, but high population density on an island means that high-rises are probably necessary to keep house prices at bay. But there are still some traditional pockets, such as Chinatown.
Agriculture plays a very tiny role in Singapore's economy- around 1% of the population is involved in it, and agriculture as a % of GDP is just around 0.5%, so a lot of agricultural commodities are imported.
More later.
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 17, 2014 7:56:59 GMT
Singapore city is centred around the Singapore river, a small creek whose eastern end is at Marina Bay. Close to its end is the colonial area as well as popular riverside dining areas. Now, this is around the eastern end of the river. Below is Marina Bay Sands Hotel, a 3-towered hotel with a rooftop in the shape of a ship. Below is the Merlion, a half-fish half-lion. It was made as a symbol of Singapore and a sign of national personification. In the background below, you can see the Singapore Flyer, the biggest of its kind in the world. Marina Bay Hotel and the Flyer are built on reclaimed land. Below is the iconic Fullerton Hotel. A view of the skyline: A random streetview in Little India. Singapore's port: a view from the outside: This is the entrance to Sentosa Island, a small resorty island south of main Singapore, with sights like Universal Studios, a huge aquarium, some rides and a beach. Didn't spend much time here, and no pictures to show. Had visited properly around 10 years back. Another view of Singapore's port:
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Post by htmb on Jul 17, 2014 11:20:21 GMT
Your photos are most interesting as always, Ansh! I'm looking forward to seeing more. I'm also curious to hear the subject of the short course you took.
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 17, 2014 11:26:23 GMT
There is a monorail which connects Sentosa to a mall on mainland Singapore. So here I was at the mall. Its food court had a traditional design: Its fountain: The mall had a terrace with a view out to Sentosa. A model of Merlion made of Lego in ToysRUs! Now, the next day. We went to Chinatown in the evening. Chinatown was just a kilometer and a bit from our hotel, right in the heart of town. Good place to get your trinkets... A closer look at the architecture. More later.
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 17, 2014 11:30:10 GMT
Thanks, htmb. I'm interested in economics so I took a short economics course. There were more students from my school and students from schools in India, Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia. It was a great experience, not a summer school, but nonetheless informative and educational. Learnt a bit about policies for housing and transport in Singapore, a bit about finance and environment etc.
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Post by htmb on Jul 17, 2014 11:40:04 GMT
That sounds like a wonderful and enriching opportunity, Ansh!
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Post by nycgirl on Jul 17, 2014 22:38:40 GMT
I spent one day in Singapore and your pictures are bringing back good memories. You capture the city very well. I love your hotel room view.
Did you find it very expensive to eat and drink there? I thought it was, but the groceries you pictured look very affordable.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 18, 2014 4:22:11 GMT
Fascinating, Ansh! Great that you got to do some sightseeing before immersing yourself in your studies. Are you still in Singapore? Your photography keeps getting better, you really got some lovely shots. Singapore's reputation for cleanliness certainly seems deserved.
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 18, 2014 7:29:55 GMT
Thanks guys!
I indeed found Singapore to be very expensive, not only food but also accommodation and transportation. They were having some special offers on the groceries.
Bixa, I was in Singapore last month for 5 days, then went to Jakarta, then to Bali. Right now I'm in Mumbai, learning about banking from a friend of my dad.
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Post by questa on Jul 18, 2014 7:38:25 GMT
anshjain, How long were you in Bali, what did you think of it and where did you go? I'd love to hear about it now. Any pics?
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 18, 2014 12:30:04 GMT
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Post by htmb on Jul 18, 2014 12:41:54 GMT
Marvelous photos, Ansh! I really like the way you captured the beautiful ceiling of the temple.
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 18, 2014 12:51:35 GMT
My course was in the mornings, usually accompanied by a field visit. Whatever I am showing you was (mostly) what I visited with my parents in the evenings (except the first part- that was the day before the course started). On the next day, the field visit was to IKEA, around the east coast, near the airport so away from the centre. The area itself didn't seem to be too exciting, just apartments and apartments. I took the MRT (mass rapid transit)- the metro- back to my hotel. Around half of the journey was above-ground. You can really see a lot of the city by just looking out of the metro. Back at the hotel, we decided to go to the colonial area, which is the heart of the city centre along the river, not far from the Merlion. First stop: the St Andrew's Cathedral Outside, looking towards the river: More later.
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Post by nycboy on Jul 18, 2014 14:14:26 GMT
How fantastic is the Marina Bay Sands complex? I was completely floored by the design.
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 18, 2014 14:22:54 GMT
The rooftop is not accessible to people who are not staying, and I am sure that would give any real appreciation for the complex- but I did go to the mall and the observation deck which is situated on one of the towers- in fact I visited it the same day as the last pictures are from so I will show that pretty soon. Great views, and the mall is very posh.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2014 15:19:00 GMT
I used to buy stamps at the Fullerton Hotel -- of course it was just the general post office back then!
I always love to see new photos of the transformations of Singapore. A little too much of historic Singapore was demolished, but at least they are doing very well at saving what is left.
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Post by questa on Jul 18, 2014 22:08:44 GMT
I love to see pics of Singapore, too. It has been my home base for many trips and I stay in a small Chinese family-run hotel in Waterloo street (now a pedestrian mall)next door to the Buddhist temple. The Hindu temple is a few metres further along the road. I am opposite the Bugis market and food hall with the metro stop at my door and the big shopping centre/mall on the corner. Hotel is not flashy, but cheap and comfortable.
From here I have wandered around the various sections of the city...Chinatown, Little India, Arab Quarters, the Brits colonial centre and the upmarket Orchard Road,
My first visit took me to the old section of China town, next time they were tearing it all down. Later trips they were restoring what was left and going all trendy.
From your photos I see there have been many more changes...thanks for the new views, and such excellent pics
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 27, 2014 14:15:01 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2014 18:01:39 GMT
Fabulous night shots of the skyline! Thanks for creating this thread, Ansh. Even though a lot of people think that Singapore is soulless, I disagree. It's a dynamic small place that wanted to succeed, and it has done so. A lot of "old country" people think that the picturesque places of Asia should remain frozen in time, but I think that it is possible to preserve some of the old charm and still create a gleaming showplace on the same level as the other modern cities of the world.
(Naturally, another debate lurks under the surface, but I don't think that this is the place for it.)
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Post by anshjain97 on Jul 28, 2014 1:10:32 GMT
Thanks Kerouac, and I agree. Singapore has really done a good job economically. Now, whether true democracy will ever arrive, is a different question altogether...
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Post by questa on Jul 28, 2014 5:20:25 GMT
I was told that when Vietnam started to emerge into modern thinking, the leaders thought a lot about how they wanted Hanoi to develop. They studied Bangkok, KL, and other Asian cities and decided on Singapore as a model. I don't know how it has progressed, but I think they chose wisely.
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