The Three DDDs
After a day further exploring Singapore on my own, including Little India (great curries, markets and temples), Arab Street and surrounds (great shops and mosques) and Orchard Road (Singapore's major shopping precinct - think Bourke Street mall times 50) I have developed further a theory I came up with yesterday - the three Ds:
Diversity
I put this first because it's such a big part of daily Singapore life and Singaporean identity. Local Singaporeans - be they Chinese, Indian, Malay, Arab or some other ethnicity - mix with expats of many nations and tourist to form a jumble of ethnicities, religions and languages in one tiny little island. Integration - even understanding - doesn't necessarily seem to occur - though tolerance is widespread.
As a foreigner - especially an Anglo-Saxon in an Asian country - this mixing pot of cultures certainly makes me feel less out-of-place.
Density
Everywhere you go, or don't go, in Singapore, there are people. There is not a quiet street, in fact I'm yet to walk down a street alone! As I sit in Adrian's flat I hear the voices of many rising up from below. There is a large population in a very small space. In fact I'm told there are 6000 people living per square kilometer in Singapore. This compares with 2 per square kilometer in Australia (of course this takes deserts into account, but you see my point!)
Dynamism
Following on from density is dynamism. Just as there are always people around (and because there are always people around) there is always something happening, always people doing something, always movement. There is not far to go to get to anywhere in Singapore and people seem to take full advantage of that. Night or day there are people wandering around, driving, catching the train, going places, doing things. The heart beat of the city is rapid and strong.
1 Comments:
Good work with the "D"s!!! I like it (coming from a Singaporean here). But may i add another D. Distinction. Singapore is also known for its many distinctions in airport, seaport and trade.
Hope you come back to Singapore soon! Missing you already. Adrian : )
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