Little did I know I would be confined to a little island just 50 km (east to west) by 27 km (north to south) 1 degree north of the equator for 536 days - the longest I've been grounded in one country since my childhood (by a long margin). All thanks to a small collection of DNA and protein packaged in a small 70-90 nm particle.
This gave me a rare opportunity to explore all corners of this small island, which went from third world to first world in just one generation. The asymmetry of this transformation can still be seen if you go to some of the remote and less populated parts of the island (although let's be clear, nothing third world remains - just some parts are less 'luminous' :)).
The main island of Singapore (there are actually 64) has grown by 25% since its independence from Malaysia in 1965, and much of what is considered 'modern Singapore' including its iconic Marina Bay Sands hotel, and award-winning Changi airport, actually sits on reclaimed land.
Aside from the tall buildings and abundant lights, there are many quiet parts of Singapore that lend it its name of 'The Garden City', including secluded beaches and parks that made enduring the pandemic a bit more bearable. Thankfully the government realised that walking outside was healthier than staying indoors and encouraged physical exercise even during the strictest phases of infection control measures.
Here are some of the places I visited during my time. The next two posts will briefly cover food and biodiversity.
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