Comments on: Final Thoughts on Singapore

By: Sandeep

Sandeep — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:11:38 +0000

You are spot on for your views on Singapore!. I lived there for few years and I believe the country is good in many things but still expensive as compared to similar lifestyle offered by USA or other developed countries. Living life in Singapore is really plug-n-play! ..that’s the best part of it ..be it dealing with govt or going to a crowded mall you can see the discipline! ..great post ..cheers ..sandeep

By: Ruby

Ruby — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:14:05 +0000

I am a foreigner living in Singapore. Living in Singapore for two years, I agree with you on some point. I don’t travel as mush as you do so I really don’t have much to compare Singapore to. But from what I’ve experienced, I do feel that the way the government run the state is pretty much like how a private company run an enterprise. There’s an advantage to that however, there are certain trade-offs. Those who opt to live here would have to pay the price of prosperity. Those who won’t, will just have to live elsewhere. And most Singaporeans do have that choice.
Having said that, I think Singapore has accomplished an amazing feat. And despite having limited space, there are still interesting places and tourist attractions to visit in Singapore.

By: GreatWorld

GreatWorld — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:22:13 +0000

Gary I like your fair comment about Singapore. But Lisa seems to be too straight and ‘out of balance’. Most Singaporean are used to the kind of freedom that we enjoy. We don’t mind censored film, it’s good anyway for our children, may be not for her. I would say freedom is relative to what you want. I don’t mind trade in little bit of freedom for a safe environment where my family and I could move about freely and safely in the mid night. To you, Thai food is wondrous. To Singaporean, our hawker food is the best, cheap and yummy. Anyway, you can’t have everything you want all under one roof. So, go to Thailand for cheap staff, go US for all the freedom that you want and only come to Singapore for a safe and clean place to stay.

By: Muffy

Muffy — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:42:32 +0000

Spot on! And I am Singaporean…

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:44:17 +0000

Lived in many countries, this one not my favorite! Too expensive (for foriegn standards) meaning, I should’nt pay US prices in a place where the things I want are never able to be found. Lower standards, less choices, many malls with high prices, the ones that are lower prices offer lower (much lower) quality. Food well, if you’ve never been to Thailand I guess you would like the food. That too, is expensive, and in a place where Kenny Rogers has a long line that must tell you somthing. If you want to do ANYTHING HERE you better be willing to spend a bundle in anybodies standards. Much to repressed- I am an adult and I don’t need anybody sensoring my films, DVD”s, etc… weather, rains too much, humid. Driving, forget about it. It’s like driving downtown in any big city, no parking- lots of one way streets (like downtown in any big city in US!) I’ve spend a wad in taxi fares I can tell you that. So yes, it’s clean and reletively safe. Am I happy to live in an overseas atmosphere that desires to be so much like America mimus the cool things? Duhhh not my bag that’s for sure.

By: xin

xin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:36:34 +0000

Like Pinkius mentioned, Singapore is really quite deprived of land and thus almost every available space is built up and our gardens are on the roof top… :) guess the limited resources do really force us to be creative and think out-of-the-box… jus a note. the university should be National University of Singapore (NUS)…. :)…

By: Singapore Nightlife

Singapore Nightlife — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:58:43 +0000

Possibly you have missed some of the great places that SIngapore has to offer, my first trip I was on a backpackers budget and did find Singapore exensive after India and other SE countries so I did not really explore as much as i could have. On further trips I have found SIngapore to offer so much in places of interest and things to do and a great nightlife! If you feel lost in Singapore maybe check out http://www.lost-in-singapore.com

By: Pinkius

Pinkius — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:58:33 +0000

hi, i chanced upon your travel blog while surfing the net. i'm Singaporean and I actually do like your post on Singapore. what Cathy said about it being not real .. it's not that it's not real …. when you come from a country with lots of land, it's just not the same for you, things are just different. it's real for us because that's how Singapore is and i'm proud that i'm Singaporean. :)

By: cathy@catswalks.com

cathy@catswalks.com — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:28:51 +0000

I felt the same way as you after visiting Singapore. It is a “mall country”. It's really nice and clean and organized but it also feels a fit “contrived”. It is not real.

By: Back2Nature

Back2Nature — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 02:58:45 +0000

That's a good strategy that we have been using. However, now that the world label us as a first world country, we are making efforts to do better than that.

By: ndintenfass

ndintenfass — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:24:53 +0000

Perhaps they can follow the “fast follower” strategy in business and not need to be a source of true innovation — but can just out-execute.