Singapore is one of the four Asian tigers, the title creatively given to the high-growth economies in Asia. The country with the same name as its capital city can pride itself for conquering urban milestones that no other counterparts in Southeast Asia have achieved. After 7 months on my backpacking journey, it was with suspicion that I poured myself a glass of water from the tap, trusted the green lights of [frequent and clearly signalled] crossing lines, and picked a restaurant without second-guessing whether food poisoning was “on the table”. But these advancements came at a very high cost! The budget I used to allocate for an entire month anywhere else in my itinerary would have easily disappeared during the weekend if only my mom, and her financial generosity, didn’t pay me a visit, semantically and literally.

Here you’ll find the same cultural and religious diversity of neighbouring Malaysia, with Little India and China Town inscribed in the tourist map. It was in the later district that I discovered a monumental tribute to Buddhism – the Tooth Relic Museum and Temple.
The entrance to this 8-storey building is inaugurated with a staggering vision: 12 300 small golden statuettes of Buddha against redwood walls! And towards the exit, the visitor may realize Capitalism has found its way to these holy grounds, with a few machines automatising the donation’s process and requesting very generous minimum amounts to initiate blessings that in the past would have been given by ascetics in gratitude for a modest loaf of bread and a cup of water.
Although Buddhism doesn’t have a God, one could find it paradoxical that in Southeast Asia Siddhartha Gautama is treated as such, honoured through gigantic statues, a devotional script that includes bowing down 3 times after chanting, abundant flower and food offerings alongside other means of worship that resemble those of any other major world religion.

Singapore also stood out to me as a metropolis that, while expanding in both skyscrapers and opulence, seems to strive for a balance by incorporating much appreciated greenery amidst a landscape composed of metalized shades and glossy blue glass. The prime expression of this vision may be the world-renown Gardens by the Bay.
The modern features of this complex, including solar panel instalments in the iconic Supertree canopies and a waste-powered energy system, have coined this project as a leading example of sustainable development. However, its completion required importing many non-native plants and massive, climate-controlled structures, to replicate “a range of unique habitats – from the Mediterranean region to South African savannahs and arid deserts”, as praised on the website, in the description of the Flower Dome, which holds the Guinness World Record for the largest glass greenhouse… And although wondering around is free, to visit these impressive structures can reach over 70 dollars per combined ticket/person, so it’s unlikely that they turn into more than a yearly visit by the residents, even after the discount for Singaporeans.
Perhaps genuine sustainability would have been working with the native plants and nature already existent in this vast area to create an appealing park to go for a stroll or a run after work, and the purpose apart from converting these grounds into a grandiose tourist attraction would have been fulfilled all the same. Regardless, Singapore is an architectural marvel to visit!