let me count the ways...

i know that i've been likening singapore to disneyland time and again, but i've never really explained what i mean by that. so i've composed a little list of ways in which singapore is exactly like disneyland:

1. it's extremely artificial, tho' well-done artificial.

at the aquarium on sentosa, someone swimming in the tank reminds you of the artificiality.

oh, and that you're on a moving, rolling walkway, tho' that doesn't show in the picture.

this is a little artificial swimming area for children that is ON THE BEACH.

because it's not enough that you can go into the south china sea, RIGHT THERE.

2. it's very safe.

i believe this sign bears no explanation.

3. it's incredibly clean and even sanitized - example, you cannot buy chewing gum in singapore. it's illegal to import it and sell it there. if you have some in your bag when you come in, that's ok, but don't try to sell it to anyone! and for odin's sake, do NOT spit it out on the ground.

these capsules on the singapore flyer are sanitized by a team of cleaners between when one group gets off and the next gets on. it's astonishing to watch. and i was so astonished, i failed to photograph the three guys doing the cleaning. 

4. it's all surface and if you scratch that surface, you find that what's below it is totally artificial (this is kind of a repeat of 1, but it's so marked it bears repeating).

this is a fake tree, made of concrete. of course, a real tree has grown up around it, but the tree trunk in the picture is a well-made fake concrete tree that supports the little bridge over to the point that claims to be the farthest southern point of the asian continent. tho' it's probably a fake little manmade island. and i'm not sure that counts.

5. you can be entertained at every moment if you choose that.

one of the ways we chose to be entertained...the fish-touching tank at the aquarium on sentosa.

sabin touching a little shark.

6. the landscaping is lovely.

in the butterfly garden on sentosa

7. they both have the death penalty (ok, not so sure disneyland has the death penalty, but i did get kicked out once for wearing a bikini top).

i had no picture that went with this, so this is just another gratuitous shot of clarke quay since y'all liked the other one so well.

8. both are climate-controlled.

you can see the umbrella-like roofs which keep in the outdoor airconditioning at clarke quay.

and it's not just misters, it's actual giant air-conditioning units.

i can't get over it!

9. pink dolphins. admittedly, i don't know if disney has any pink dolphins, but it would be kinda disney-esque.

yes, this photo is a bit grainy, i forgot to reset the ISO from inside the aquarium. my bad.

10. there's lots of drama in any performance, whether it's the dolphin show on sentosa island or the disembodied voice when you reach the top of the singapore flyer or the animal show at the night safari and the singapore zoo--they're all over-dramatized.

even the birds were overly dramatic!

three of them hopped onto sabin's hand to get the sweet liquid. she wasn't entirely pleased about that.

the drama was especially evident in the announcers at the various shows we attended--night safari animal show, dolphin show, etc. but there are no pictures that do it justice.

11. it's all about consumerism, baby!

in the vivo mall at harbor front

fancy new ion mall on orchard road next to wisma atria (another mall)

12. there is a shocking lack of awareness of the issues facing the world (global warming, global financial crisis, you get the picture).

and while i think it's undoubtedly an excellent place to be an ex-pat, i don't think i could live there long-term. i'd have to know that it was a specific, pre-defined amount of time, or i'd go crazy. but it is a nice place to visit. there's lots to do and it's clean and safe and the taxis are cheap and the food is great, but we are definitely glad to be home.