I had dinner in Little India, a busy area of Singapore with its own distinct atmosphere. The shophouses are not dissimilar to those in other parts of the city, China town for example, but the goods on sale, the cooking smells from the restaurants, the temples and mosques make this area notable. I selected my restaurant on the principle that the one busiest with locals was likely to have the best food. The food was good, served at room temperature and hot enough to denude the mucous linings of my respiratory and digestive systems. Half way through my masala chicken and chapattis it occurred to me that selecting a place to eat in this way wasn’t necessarily to be recommended. It could equally lead you in the direction of McDonald’s, a restaurant so popular with the Singaporeans that they even have an up-market version - the McCafe.
Singapore has developed considerably since I was last here, which must be about ten years ago. Then I thought the central business district (CBD) smart and sophisticated, with some of the best shopping, entertainment, architecture and landscaping I’d seen anywhere. There were still one or two places -- buildings that hadn’t been renovated or redeveloped, wastelands -- that reminded you that this was an Asian city, a developing country. These have now gone and the CBD is quite exceptional. Every building, whether old or new glows with the care lavished upon its restoration or upkeep. Open areas have been carefully landscaped with mature shrubs and trees.
I have always had particular fondness for the shophouses of Penang and Singapore, and it delights me that they have been preserved and renovated. Ten years ago there was some sign here that some of the old streets might be preserved, but it was by no means certain. It would have been all too easy for developers to sweep them away in the race for profits, building new apartments, office and shopping complexes. From what I have seen though, this has not been the case. The terraces that I remember being empty and falling apart have been reoccupied and are now thriving - no more so than at Boat Quay - once a fairly seedy area, now home to collection of bars and restaurants popular with foreign tourists and expatriate workers.
In the narrow streets of Little India the renovation of the shophouses has maintained their original function. The ground floor acts as shop, workshop and warehouse and the owners live upstairs. In other areas of town it is clear that only the frontage of the houses remain, the interior being stripped out and modernised. Some renovations have gone further, the shophouse providing the frontage to a larger development set behind. Whatever, the effect is often stunning and gives Singapore an unique feel.
There is a great sense of calm here. It is as though everything has become so efficient, so smooth running and dependable, that there is no need to rush or become stressed. It may well only be the perspective of a visitor, but I don’t think so; it is not a feeling that I get in most cities.
Singapore feels wealthy and successful. The roads aren’t gridlocked; there is no litter; restaurants are clean; the public transport system is efficient, cheap and extensive. People are polite, helpful and extraordinarily friendly; taxis use meters and take you where you want to go; even immigration officals make small talk.
I know that Singapore’s laws are tough and, some feel, intrusive -- the routine use of corporal punishment on vandals for example or the 11pm curfew for teenagers, enforced by the police -- and that it could hardly be considered a democracy, but people do seem happy here. If you stay within the realms of the law and work hard, it is clear that there are opportunities here. The former President Lee Kwan Yew was much criticised for his suppression of political opponents and for his clear manipulation of the social order. Whilst it goes against the grain to condone his methods it can’t be denied that he, and his successors, have produced a gleaming jewel of a city state - one that makes many European cities feel dated, lacking investment, innovation and inspiration.
Singapore has developed considerably since I was last here, which must be about ten years ago. Then I thought the central business district (CBD) smart and sophisticated, with some of the best shopping, entertainment, architecture and landscaping I’d seen anywhere. There were still one or two places -- buildings that hadn’t been renovated or redeveloped, wastelands -- that reminded you that this was an Asian city, a developing country. These have now gone and the CBD is quite exceptional. Every building, whether old or new glows with the care lavished upon its restoration or upkeep. Open areas have been carefully landscaped with mature shrubs and trees.
I have always had particular fondness for the shophouses of Penang and Singapore, and it delights me that they have been preserved and renovated. Ten years ago there was some sign here that some of the old streets might be preserved, but it was by no means certain. It would have been all too easy for developers to sweep them away in the race for profits, building new apartments, office and shopping complexes. From what I have seen though, this has not been the case. The terraces that I remember being empty and falling apart have been reoccupied and are now thriving - no more so than at Boat Quay - once a fairly seedy area, now home to collection of bars and restaurants popular with foreign tourists and expatriate workers.
In the narrow streets of Little India the renovation of the shophouses has maintained their original function. The ground floor acts as shop, workshop and warehouse and the owners live upstairs. In other areas of town it is clear that only the frontage of the houses remain, the interior being stripped out and modernised. Some renovations have gone further, the shophouse providing the frontage to a larger development set behind. Whatever, the effect is often stunning and gives Singapore an unique feel.
There is a great sense of calm here. It is as though everything has become so efficient, so smooth running and dependable, that there is no need to rush or become stressed. It may well only be the perspective of a visitor, but I don’t think so; it is not a feeling that I get in most cities.
Singapore feels wealthy and successful. The roads aren’t gridlocked; there is no litter; restaurants are clean; the public transport system is efficient, cheap and extensive. People are polite, helpful and extraordinarily friendly; taxis use meters and take you where you want to go; even immigration officals make small talk.
I know that Singapore’s laws are tough and, some feel, intrusive -- the routine use of corporal punishment on vandals for example or the 11pm curfew for teenagers, enforced by the police -- and that it could hardly be considered a democracy, but people do seem happy here. If you stay within the realms of the law and work hard, it is clear that there are opportunities here. The former President Lee Kwan Yew was much criticised for his suppression of political opponents and for his clear manipulation of the social order. Whilst it goes against the grain to condone his methods it can’t be denied that he, and his successors, have produced a gleaming jewel of a city state - one that makes many European cities feel dated, lacking investment, innovation and inspiration.
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2 comments:
Singapore is always nice for a tourist visit, but you should try living there instead.
I know that it is very different thing visiting a place and living in it, but Singapore does seem like the sort of place that I might like to live. The only exception that I can think of is that I might have to stay in an apartment. Being used to having lots of space and walking out in to the garden is very nice. As is not being able to hear my neighbours! Still, the Singapore would seem to offer more opportunities than Saudi Arabia.
How do you find living in Singapore?
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