Thanks to my like-minded friend Iskra Todorova, who kindly provided her memories from what isn't long ago, but now seems like 10 years ago, 2019, from November 30th. Wonderful photos and emotional adventures! Yes, Singapore – one of the four Asian Tigers… (the others are: Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan – ROK)
And Iskra is also a writer, talented, imaginative, emotional, and provides accurate, verified, and firsthand information.
She is a good amateur photographer. With an eye for detail and quick reflexes. I have had the opportunity to enjoy her photos more than once.
With Iskra Todorovahttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1834476603and Valentina Petkova (https://www.facebook.com/valentina.petkova.31We shared unforgettable, adrenaline-filled experiences in Madeira. And we didn't back down from our French friends in hiking and wine!
Hugs, girls!
Enjoy your reading!
First steps towards a trip to Singapore
„Surely everyone has seen pictures and videos of the futuristic attractions in Singapore. And like everyone who sees them, I was impressed, amazed, and couldn't believe my eyes. But I never thought I would get there one day. Like everyone who loves to travel independently and on a budget, I am „subscribed” to offers for cheap flights, accommodation, and everything related to travel. So in March, I came across a good deal from Turkish Airlines.
The second, very important thing is to find a like-minded person with whom to act immediately, because these tickets are few and sell out quickly. So, Elly and I didn't think for long. On the same day, we bought tickets for November, for nine months from now.
When you organize your trip yourself, you need preparation. For almost a month, every free minute I „was” in Singapore. I read, watched, browsed websites, translated, compared, chose... One day my colleague told me: „You've learned so much about Singapore that I wonder why you're even going!”
How to get to Singapore on a low budget?
I had booked a hotel room with a free cancellation option. A few days before the deadline expired, I checked my reservation and browsed the accommodation's website. It turned out that at the same hotel, if we paid immediately, the price of our room dropped by a considerable amount. I'm sharing this as an option that anyone could use.
We also bought tickets for the attractions Klook.com, where there are also good discounts. And so, with the least possible expense, Eli and I flew nearly 10,000 kilometers to see the wonder that is Singapore!
First Impressions: Equatorial Climate and „Singlish“
Since we've already posted photos (Eli took amazing photos) and brief notes from the places we visited, I don't want to dwell on them again. I'll talk about what impressed me beyond the attractions.
The first thing was to feel what equatorial climate means. It's like walking into a sauna. Warm humidity envelops you, and you feel the heat with your nose, your mouth, your skin. Trickles of sweat run down you like tentacles, and within minutes, your clothes stick to your body. Fortunately, buses in Singapore, like all buildings, are air-conditioned. The temperature in enclosed spaces is around 20 degrees Celsius. That's why in Singapore, you need to bring clothes not for outside, but for inside.
The other thing you can't help but notice is the warm attitude of the local people. They are all smiling, kind-hearted, and even if you're just wondering about something with your phone in hand, someone is immediately ready to help. And they do it with a smile and from the heart. Why are these people like this and how is their life organized? I will try to explain this here, as much as I could understand from what I knew beforehand and what I saw there.
I'll start with a little geography…
Singapore is an island city-state located in southern Malaysia. (Not to be confused with Asia Minor, as I do.) Its territory is 720 sq. km, and the population is over five and a half million. This makes the country one of the most densely populated in Asia. Due to its strategic location, Singapore's port was very desirable, and consequently, the territory was often colonized. The English left the most lasting traces. Even today, traffic is on the left, and the electrical outlets are to the English standard. There are also quite a few well-preserved low-rise buildings from that era along the river. But most importantly, English is one of the official languages, along with Malay and Mandarin. English is used in educational institutions to unite all the numerous nationalities. Of course, it is English influenced by the local way of speaking. It is called Singlish. And the fact that education is highly valued here can be judged by several factors. Singapore has many elite universities, including foreign ones. Some of the specialized schools are in the central part of the city. The buildings are ultra-modern, with restricted access, and rather resemble expensive hotels.
The Singaporean Economic Miracle: Lee Kuan Yew's Reforms
And there's no way the most technologically advanced country on the planet wouldn't produce educated and intelligent personnel for its economy.
But how is it that in 55 years of independence, the country went from being a poor, swampy territory to such a prosperous one?
Lee Kuan Yew is at the core of the reform. He was the Prime Minister of the republic from 1959 to 1990. During that time, he created an environment with the most favorable business conditions possible – he eliminated import and export duties and fees, reduced government spending, which led to lower taxes, and built a fast and transparent administrative service. He reduced corruption to zero. His idea was to give everyone an equal chance. And currently, civil servants in Singapore are the highest paid in the world, but all administrative services are performed online.
At the same time, extremely strict laws are in effect here. The fine for pollution is $500, and the sentence for drug trafficking is death. Chewing gum is also prohibited. But it's clean. Very clean!
There are no traffic jams in Singapore because there are few cars. Owning a car here is quite expensive. Every car requires a permit, which is issued for 10 years, and an annual fee is paid each year, costing as much as the car itself. That's why there are no more than three cars one after another at traffic lights.
In contrast, public transport is excellently organized. There are many buses, a metro, and trains. The price is determined by the length of the route the passenger travels. Tickets are validated upon entering and exiting the vehicle. There is a website where everyone can check the cost of their journey and whether their payment was correctly accounted for. In the metro, on the cable car, at all attractions, and at places with a flow of people, there is also service staff. It goes without saying that everyone is smiling and polite.
There's work for everyone in Singapore.
It turned out that the hotel where we were staying was owned by a charitable organization. Here, some of the staff were people with disabilities. They worked in a team with healthy people and felt useful and significant. The hotel had training rooms, a concert hall, and an administration office. Everything was geared towards helping people with special needs. Their relatives only accompanied them to and from work.
And so we come to healthcare.
Social System and Healthcare: Why Are People Smiling?
Their system is built on three pillars. The first is that every working person is insured in a personal fund, the second is that the state finances part of the healthcare, and the third is that the poor are served for free. As I already said, jobs are found for everyone, and accordingly, everyone can afford to pay.
This is why people in Singapore are smiling, calm, and kind. Because people are highly valued in this country. Because their labor is highly valued. Because all races and nationalities live in tolerance and harmony.
Everything that attracts tourists from all over the world to Singapore is the work of these people. Through technology, they create nature where it doesn't exist. They create beauty.
See less.“
END!
See more Author Iskra Todorova here
