Singapore – A Perfect Little World of Great Delights!

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The world, it seems, is a candy store where all flavours and every taste come together to put smiles of the faces of children (the travellers). From my incredibly invigorating trip to Thailand, it was time to explore charms held by Singapore, “the world's only sovereign city-state that is also an island country,” goes the Wikipedia.

Singapore, like Thailand and India, comes across as a mesmeric blend of the traditional and modern. But unlike the two countries, dissimilarities here in Singapore are more compact. You needn't travel miles to unearth contrasting facets of this country. It is right here. Right where you stand!

Of course, it is the modern that has always been the more dramatic and is more likely to stun you in silence of admiration. The sky touching buildings, gigantic shopping malls, colorful nightlife or great eating-out experiences…Singapore does it all and with a dazzling flair, if I may add. For most who visit Singapore, the island nation is all about glitz and glamour that peek through its various crannies.

Along with perhaps Hong Kong, Singapore is one place in Asia that accurately emulates the west, strictly in terms of physical attractions. Universal Studios, Sentosa (Singaporean Disneyland), great other theme parks, light and laser shows, etc., people who land in the city-state are sure to be left perplexed as to where they actually are. For a moment I was confused as to where exactly my plane has thrown me – is it actually some Far east country floating off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula or is it the family-favorite Orlando I am in! But one look at the roaming denizens and I am convinced. This is no America.

Perhaps, no where else I have come across a society that’s so multi-cultural. Just stand at a corner of a busy street for five minutes and you will find Europeans, Malayans, Chinese, Indians, all jostling with and within the everyday crowd. But racial diversity here is not celebrated, there is nothing to celebrate for the normal.

But there is one thing that people do celebrate here and that is shopping. As a traveler who travels for the sake of exploring and not hoarding, even I was tempted to fill my bags with goodies galore. After my visit, I have actually been telling people that Singapore is the land of shopping sales! There is shopping sale of sorts all year round in the country and trust me ladies when I say it, there is no better place to splurge than Singapore. For me it was Wisma Atria that did it! I surely won’t share details of my plunder but ever since that trip to Wisma Atria I have a certain feeling that my wallet and I aren't exactly getting along very well!

Singapore is truly a peek into the ideal world – the best of Asia and the finest of the rest. A clean city with low crime rate, Singapore is truly going up my list of favorites. There is a lot to do in this island, apart from the handful few that I have mentioned above. There is Sentosa, Night Safari, Singapore Flyer….time is running short and I have yet another journey to undertake to the unknown…!

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