[filcord]

"When will our country ever be like this?"

This is the question that pops up in my mind every time I travel outside India, even to Thailand or South Africa. And it does not need much, just discipline in the government.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Had the same thought among the clean streets, disciplined traffic and wealth of Singapore.

I wondered, "This was a British Colony too; why so different?" Then it occurred to me that America, even was a British colony.

Anyway, although I thoroughly enjoyed my days in Singapore, and will go again, I was noticeably most "at home" in Little India. I chose the right country to live in!

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by filcord

"When will our country ever be like this?"

This is the question that pops up in my mind every time I travel outside India, even to Thailand or South Africa. And it does not need much, just discipline in the government.

I have a slightly different opinion
it needs discipline among us.. pl note ours is a democracy.
when 50%+ or more want the change to happen it will happen.

[rjstyles69]

Originally Posted by MX6

If ok with you I shall add some photos of the underwater world and the view from Mount Faber later in the evening.

Please go ahead , would be my pleasure to have it here on this thread.

Originally Posted by filcord

"When will our country ever be like this?"

This is the question that pops up in my mind every time I travel outside India, even to Thailand or South Africa. And it does not need much, just discipline in the government.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

I have a slightly different opinion
it needs discipline among us.. pl note ours is a democracy.
when 50%+ or more want the change to happen it will happen.

Here's my take

First and foremost its the whole system that's really effective. People out there would think twice to litter, commit crime,break traffic rules, bribe etc. They impose heavy fines and from what I saw, most people try and avoid situations of committing such offenses even though they can afford to pay up some times.

The authorities come down heavily on offenders.I saw them broadcast on national TV that if you are caught littering , you would require to pay fine and then under CWO (corrective work order) wherein you would spend a few hours cleaning up litter at a public place. The fine was something like 1000$'s IIRC.

People who are caught are made to wear bright colored jackets with the CWO print on it and even the local media could be there to cover it.

Chewing gum is completely banned there and no stores sell them.

I guess it has to do with the system and the way fines are imposed. They don't let them get away by bargaining on the fine amount like our authorities here.

thad they have started CWO in Little India also. I was told that this place was exempt from the CWO , but since May they have become really strict about the rules in Little India too.

[Thad E Ginathom]

The most amazing thing is to see traffic stopping at a left turn because pedestrians have priority.

Mind you, walkers get into trouble too, for crossing the road in the wrong places!

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

P
People who are caught are made to wear bright colored jackets with the CWO print on it and even the local media could be there to cover it.
.

Quite a few students purposely flout the rules to get hold of a jacket to flaunt!

[MX6]

Chewing gums are not completely banned in Singapore. You get local chewing gums in singapore which are edible. So one chews them and finally swallow the same. You can't spit them out.
They don't allow the chewing gums which has to be spit at the end after chewing from outside the country inside. Only the traditional chewing gums are banned in singapore.
Little India was the slum of singapore during 2004 when I lived there. I hated going there because the Bangladeshis and Indians (and Srilankans) used to litter the place so much over the weekends that it looked like garbage dump. Good to hear that CWO is in place in Little India now.
Singapore had mufti police who would handcuff people when they spot then throwing cigarette butts after smoking on the roads. One never knew whether the person in civilian dress was a police or not so no one took the risk of throwing cigarette butts around.
All this was possible due to the iron hand of Lee Kuan Yew! Singapore was once upon a time very dirty place with so many diseases. Lee Kuan Yew even passed laws immediately after Singapore gained independance that people coming in will have to have haircuts and shave to be allowed in! There was so much of cleanliness drive that ensured that Singapore transformed from a slum festering communicable diseases to the spotless clean place we see now.

[PAVAN KADAM]

Riju,

Your pics speak louder than words.

Amazing photo's. Keep them coming.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by MX6

Chewing gums are not completely banned in Singapore. You get local chewing gums in singapore which are edible. So one chews them and finally swallow the same. You can't spit them out.
They don't allow the chewing gums which has to be spit at the end after chewing from outside the country inside. Only the traditional chewing gums are banned in singapore.

I'm not sure if this is completely true. I remember taking a pack of chewing gum through Singapore Customs when I came from Malaysia. I was not stopped from taking it in. Or maybe they forgot to tell me that?

[MX6]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

I'm not sure if this is completely true. I remember taking a pack of chewing gum through Singapore Customs when I came from Malaysia. I was not stopped from taking it in. Or maybe they forgot to tell me that?

You were plain lucky that the sniffer dogs weren't picking up the scent. Else they'd have confiscated it and sent it to trash.
Dogs picked up scent of tea and they opened up my bag in and out when I once went from Malaysia to Singapore. Mint Tea! They were surprised as to why I'm carrying over Tea from Malaysia!

[rjstyles69]

Little India and Bugis

Both these places have MRT stations and is easily accessible. Just ensure you take the right exit from the MRT station. The stations here are pretty large and have atleast 2 exits each.

Most of your window shopping and souvenir shopping can be done at both these places. Prices are relatively on the lower side and most places have fixed prices. I hardly saw any stores which had the concept of bargaining.

There's a food court here and please do try the food. Prices are pretty cheap and for about 10 $'s 2 people can have their belly full.
Try the Chinese Chicken Rice and it will leave your taste buds wanting for more.

Whats a travelogue without some bling !!





I was told Haniffa started off much before Mustafa's , however Mustafa became a prominent store.







We spent the rest of the day shopping and picking up stuff from Mustafa and quite a lot of souvenir's.

By about 11:00 pm in the night took a taxi to the river side. Was long walk along the river side towards Clarke Quay with some stunning views.















Reverse Bungee Jumping

For S$30 a ride, passengers get strapped down and hurtled into the air in the G-Max reverse bungee machine.
The G-Max is a steel, open-air capsule, which can seat 3 people. This three-seat capsule is suspended between bungee cords. Once in, passengers are strapped down by a 5 point safety harness. Ride attendants will then pull the bungee cords taut and unclip the capsule, which sends the strapped-down passengers spinning end-over-end about 60 m (or about 15 storeys) into the air.

The capsule bounces up and down at least 7 times between two 35 m tall towers, at a speed of 200 km/h. It is airborne for about 90 seconds while the whole encounter lasts about 4½ minutes

Trust me , it can leave your hair spiked for the next few days. I had butterflies in my belly at the end of the whole ordeal. Try it is all I can say .






Pandan Reservoir

This is largest service reservoir in Singapore providing non-potable water to the surrounding industrial areas. Jurong industrial area is the closest. I missed catching a glimpse of this place in the evening.
They are planning to introduce kayaking here and was told it will open to public in August or so.Next visit am trying it !!

My cousin moved in here from Clementi recently after he picked up a HDB in Teban Gardens.

Thats the view from his Balcony

[MX6]

Some of the photos, the colours seem very artificial. Did you treat them specially? Especially the serangoon road photos look very artificial. Also request you to please refrain from making references to spirits in your post.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I was wondering what happened to all the people in Serangoon Road!

Must have been early-morning photo: I think Little India wakes up late. Except for Mustafa, of course, which never sleeps!

[filcord]

Originally Posted by MX6

...Also request you to please refrain from making references to spirits in your post.

Is this supposed to be an infringement of the posting rules?
Anyway the references were really only descriptive, not laudatory IMHO.

[rjstyles69]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Quite a few students purposely flout the rules to get hold of a jacket to flaunt!

Thats news and why would they do that Ajith ?

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

I'm not sure if this is completely true. I remember taking a pack of chewing gum through Singapore Customs when I came from Malaysia. I was not stopped from taking it in. Or maybe they forgot to tell me that?

You are just plain lucky, coz when I walked in thru customs the person ahead of was asked to get rid of the chewing gum packets he was carrying with him.

Originally Posted by MX6

Some of the photos, the colours seem very artificial. Did you treat them specially? Especially the serangoon road photos look very artificial.

Those are images shot and processed using photomatix to make the skies look interesting. Whats the fun in taking pictures of such places where nothing is eye catching.

Originally Posted by MX6

Also request you to please refrain from making references to spirits in your post.

Made a mention on the B word and not spirits .

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I was wondering what happened to all the people in Serangoon Road!

Must have been early-morning photo: I think Little India wakes up late. Except for Mustafa, of course, which never sleeps!

thad they were shot during lunch time.