Quit dissing Singapore
 

Come on people, give Singapore a break... You have to quit comparing her to places like Hong Kong. It's like comparing an apple to an orange. Take it from a local's point of view...

Singapore doesn't have a lot of history to begin with. You have to be amazed at the fact that what started out as a small Malay fishing village merely decades ago ended up as one of the most cosmopolitan, well-financed, peaceful nations in the whole of South East Asia. Heck, probably the world as well, save the Swiss of course.

Firstly, we are very very young. Compared to the major cities of the world, Singapore is merely a toddler learning how to walk, much less dance the Macarena. Of course you won't find the joie de vivre displayed evidently in European countries, the unique culture every major city from New York City to New Delhi seem to possess, or the fun and entertainment (and possibly the dodgy side that comes with it) that everyone looks forward to.

And while it is true that we try to emulate (or more crudely put, cut and paste) overseas attractions, the only reason is because us Singaporeans haven't really hunkered down to decide what we really want Singapore to be. Do we want it to be fun in the sun? Like Vegas in the middle of a 6 Flags Amusement Park? Do we want it to be Appreciation of the Arts 101, a London's-Proms-in-the-Louvre kind of setting? Or do we want a laid back, au natural atmosphere like Krabi or Bali? There are choices abound, but you have to remember: Singapore is the size of, well, aptly but crudely put by a Taiwanese politician, "a piece of dried nasal mucus" (I shall not delve into this issue now, but what the heck was that guy thinking when he said it? Apparently English and Taiwan don't mix). Anyway, Singapore is extremely small, and we can only do so much to reclaim land without incurring the wrath of our neighbour above and beside us. Try squeezing all that into a plot of land the size of a postage stamp.

But therein lies Singapore's unique culture. It's more of a sponge than a smelting pot. The current batch of Singaporeans is only the 3rd generation of immigrants who came over from places like China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Portugal etc. Singapore's like a mini NYC, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled mass yearning to breathe free". The confluence of multitudes of cultures creates a sort of identity crisis for us Singaporeans. The only way out is to adopt a little from each of these cultures. This is the reason why most tourists who come into Singapore say that it is just like home. 'Cause a small aspect of life in every society on Earth can be found here.

I will not go into the sights and sounds of Singapore. Information about that can be found almost everywhere, even here. My point is that Singapore is different from any country I've been, and though I’m only 20, I consider meself to be well-travelled. I assure you all that Singapore is no Hong Kong or Paris or New York. It is a little of everything.

My advice to those who haven't been to Singapore - Do come. And to those who've been here before - Do come again.

Singapore is like a barrel of freshly produced wine. You have to give it time to mature. Come and see it for yourself. And when you leave, I can wager with you that you know in your heart that you left a little of your heart and soul and culture in the sponge known as Singapore.

As did we...

I loved Singapore, absolutely everything about it..The food, the sights, the people, everything..I probably liked it better than HKG to be completely honest (although I liked HKG too, just not as much)..

I have no idea what the word 'dissing' means but I guess you mean peole have not been saying very nice things about Singapore?
Have they?
From what I have read over the years most people ( on this forum anyway ) enjoy the efficiency of Singapore, reasonable value for money, decent taxis and hotels and lots to see.
I wasn't aware that there was any mass 'dissing' of the place.

Just a few notes:

1) I vote for the "au natural atmosphere".
2) In American English, the Taiwanese was saying "... the size of a booger". (booger sounds like booker)
3) The word "disrespect" used as a verb becomes, in slang, "diss".
4) I haven't seen any dissing of Singapore here. The OP writes some less than flattering things that, written by someone else, s/he might have considered dissing.

The only comments that could be construed as being negative is that some have characterized Sing as too western and sanitized- you don't get immersed in a different culture like you do in other Asian cities. We enjoyed our stay in Sing- but I agree you get more "culture" in other cities- not dissing just the facts.

Too Westernized? Almost every major city has parts of it that's Westernized. Obviously those folks haven't been to the 'real' Singapore. If it's no more than just staying in 5 star hotels and eating at the fancy restaurants than you can't consider to have visited Singapore.

Sanitized, perhaps those folks are too busy to look beyond the superficial. Just take a walk in Geylang after dark.

Good for you!!!! I totally agree. I absolutely love Singapore and have been many times and will continue to come and have defended it more than a few times in forums. I take it for what it is and not try to compare it to everything. Plus it's great to come to orderliness and cleanliness especially at the end of a trip when one has been for a long time in places that are less orderly and clean....that's why I prefer to end a vacation in Singapore before flying back to L.A. A big problem with travelers to Singapore is that they don't stay there long enough to really get into it...like long enough to get off of Orchard Road and into areas where they can meet some real Singaporeans, who are great people. As for what "diss" means,James A, it's a hip hop expression that comes from the verb,"to disrespect" and can also mean to badmouth something/someone. Happy Travels!

loke; now you did it, now you did it....now i'm going to see a few more farangs hanging around my favorite haunts on geyland. first bogey street, now geyland, what next? block 58 marine parade? :-((

Kuranosuke:

What's next? The Orchard Towers, I'd imagine.

Some people love Singapore (I'm in that group) and some people don't. I really can't say that I've seen people saying bad things about Singapore on this board.

Singapore has been dissed on this board. Happy Travels!

Hi Lucien-why so defensive?

Comparisions between Singers & Honkers are inevitable!

Each and every one of us is entitled to their opinion; its called democracy!

We're going back in late Feb to check Singers out and see what we've previously overlooked! Thanks for your input and others for some new places to visit!!!

Orchard Towers is for tourists!

LUCIAN yep Im one that "ill's on" singapore (more hip hop slang too blow james A's lid..

I like the city, I've hopped on busses and roamed around the "real singapore" I "hear ya: on everything you posted but I see the berrel of wine as being unpalatible (sp) for the General tourist for now. As meny have posted it is a great place too decompress from the trully exotic asian cities and get some clean holsam air into the system.
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hey I like your writing style.

Thanks for contibuting to the post. Hope I managed to do some good in changing some people's opinions and stereotypes about lil' Singapore.

Hope to see you all soon in Singapore!!!

I'll be back in a heart beat! Happy Travels!

Yes, you cannot compare Singapore to Hong Kong or other Asian cities, not because they are better, but because they are predominantly homogeneous societies and you would thus experience a deeper sense of a singular culture. In order to appreciate Singapore culture, you have to stay longer here and live like a Singaporean. When I first went to NY for a week, I hated it. Times Square, Empire State Building, 5th Ave etc are all for tourists. However, when I had a chance to stay there for a year, I got to appreciate NYkers' way of life. I went places where tourists wouldn't go and did things that a normal NYker would do. That's a city's culture that took me a year to fully understand, and even then, I wouldn't say I know this culture well. The same goes for Singapore. If it's just a stopover for you, it would appear a superficial city with no sense of 'a singular identity' but the beauty of Singapore's identity is its complex weave of multi-layered identities and this takes time and patience to discover.
For those who have patience, Singapore offers you more than an instant and singular culture that you see in other homogeneous Asian societies.

Singapore is a different city from Singapore. You can enjoy the difference and visit both cities. Singapore is not the perfect destination in the world but it has many advanatages as a destination.

Singapore is a Fine City! (Locals will know what this means.. ) I have travelled to many plces but consider Singapore the best place to live and work. Stability, efficiency , and cleanliness sound not very exciting but really that's what I want my home to be. I think not all visitors will get what they want from Singapore, but try staying longer and you will love it. Besides, the food variety is one of the best and it won't cost you an arm or a leg either

It is so strange to always find Singapore compared to Hong Kong. They are different cities so I do not understand people thingking they should be the same. You cannot compare New Delhi with Manila or Paris with Venice.

Kilo...I agree. Singaporean food is fabulous and I just adore Singapore and Singaporeans...I don't care what anyone says! Ha...Ha...Ha...Happy Travels!

I would like to see more people aware of the Arts and Culture available in Singapore. There are small art galleries, small theatrical goups and the art world in Singapore is thriving. Music also thrives in many forms. The joke about Singapore being a Fine City is now somewhat old, pedestrians jay walk every day. Too many people smoke on the streets. The city is clean but not as spotless as before. The nightlife extends into the small hours long past the time that other city's venues have closed their doors. I would love to arrange an arts tour for people, perhaps when our studio is finished in September.

Lucy Ho...I totally understand what you're trying to get across...but let's face it...most people don't stay in Singapore long enough to be exposed to any real cultural things...and many are just in the mentality that Singapore is all about Orchard Road and shopping. With folks suggesting to stay in Singapore only 3 days and then move along, well, first timers to Singapore will think that there's nothing there worth staying more than three days for. I'm glad I ignored all of that talk back in the 90s when I first went and stayed 5 days and then went back many times and stayed up to a week and a half. If you start up art tours then please post. Happy Travels!

Most people that plan on doing Sing also plan on doing other cities as well like KL or BKK etc during their vacation. So a lot of the times it comes down to how many days to devote to Sing, KL, and BKK etc. Given that scenario- Sing will always be the lower number of days. Now if you plan on only visiting Sing then yes you can do it in 3 days or spennd a week. I have not seen anyone posting that they would spend more days in Sing and less days in BKK if both are on the trip plan.

It's understandable spending more days in Bangkok since Bnagkok is larger and takes more time to figure out than Singapore. Singapore is smaller,more compact, and incredibly easy to figure out if one is basically using...not hired drivers...but, various means of public transportation.But as far as a cultural experience goes, well that's a whole other discussion. There's also a lot of culturally interesting things to experience in Singapore.And the debate continues...I just love this forum! Happy Travels!

I rest my case.

I appeciate your views and I would say that it is the way Singapore has progressed and been marketed. When a Chinese Dance Group visits Singapore everyone fights for the tickets, even when a group visits from other parts of Asia the same happens because we have lost so much of our multi-cultural identity. So many buildings that should be national treasures have made way to malls and office buildings. Singapore has lost so much in the get rich quick scheme of things. I have been lucky to visit Bangkok and other cities in the region and many of us certanly miss that 'buzz' of a crowded busy street sitting at a noodle stall. We seem to have the modern version but it lacks the character of the original. We rarely see paintings or even posters relating to the multi-cultural background, they are replaced by cell-phone promotions.

I've visited Singapore more than half a dozen times, and stayed two to five weeks on each trip. I see Singapore from the perspective of a tourist (I don't live there) and as a local (but I have three uncles there and I stayed with one of them when I've visited). And these are my opinions:

Singapore is a highly regulated city-nation where one can possibly go to jail for spitting on the floor or chewing gum; and eating in public (as in while you are walking down a street) is strictly forbidden -- you are required to eat your McDonald's in the confines of McDonald's. And because of that, the city is super clean and hyper efficient. Everything is regulated in one or more ways. It reminds me very much of Switzerland, in terms of over-regulation and Tokyo, in terms of efficiency.

There is really not much Singapore has to offer in terms of history or culture because, as the first poster mentioned, it's a very young city. It came into a lot of money very quickly in the 80s and 90s, and like most nouveau riche, it doesn't have a sense of what to do with all that wealth. So Singaporeans, in general, will go out and buy the biggest, flashiest, most garish things they can afford and to show them off to everyone who cares to notice -- and they all do. There is a word Singaporeans use to describe themselves: "kia suu" which translates into "afraid of being overshadowed." In its defense, I see the same attitude in South Korean and Shanghainese -- again, due to recently minted wealth.

However, unlike Japan, South Korean or Hong Kong, Singapore is a multi-cultural nation with some of the most diverse and delicious cuisines in the world. The food is absolutely astonishing in terms of variety and almost everything is delicious beyond imagination. Singaporeans do everything and they do it well.

Let me correct some misconception.
1. it is not illegal to chew gum. the import and sale of chewing gum except for medicinal purposes is prohibited. just be careful how you dispose of the gum as it's considered littering.
2. for littering it's a fine not jail time. persistent offenders are given CWO - corrective work order which requires them to clean up public areas.
3. The McDonalds thing. Never heard of it. In fact nobody will bat an eye if you were to walk and eat around at the same time. Only restriction is most if not all fast food, cafe and restaurants is that food not purchased from them are not allowed to be consumed in their premises.

I do tend to disagree on Singapore not having any culture. Just need to look at the right places. If we to look at Orchard Road than you'll never gonna find it.

For the poster...tcreath... Happy Travels!

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