This is Singapore: Skyscrapers and Cityscapes

Crazy-looking Marina Bay Sands Casino. Just opened last month. Lots of it is still closed and under construction. But you can now come in and gamble....as long as you are not Singaporean. Yes, that's right, Singapore build a casino that they won't let their citizens into. Because gambling is bad for you. Singaporeans have to pay a $100 fee to get in. And that's before the gambling begins. (sometimes I feel like all of Singapore is one big social psych experiment)

Memorial from the Japanese War

The Esplanade. Theatre right on the bay. Lots of cool shows and performances. Very controversial design. At least when it was built. Now it is considered one of the more impressive architectures in SE Asia. It's nicknamed the durian, because it resembles the fruit.

City shot down by the Quays.

Central Business District

Across the water from the Esplanade

The Helix Bridge. Seriously cool. It lights up at night and changes colors on different days.

Walking along the Helix bridge. Notice all the green and red lights? Know what they are?

Here's an up close shot. Get it?

(Remember it's a helix. Aren't Singaporeans' clever? I love this).

The Singapore Flyer. One of the largest Ferris wheels in the world. Takes about 30 minutes just to go around once.

Twilight setting in...

Another shot of the Sands casino and the Helix bridge.

Can we say skyscrapers?

View of the Central Business District

More Helix!

I love this shot. It's so hard to get good pics of the building reflections, but I think this one turned out pretty decent.

The Flyer

Along the water

And of course, it wouldn't be Singapore without the Merlion. The Merlion is the symbol of Singapore (that's right, a lion mermaid. Don't tell me you've never heard of them). It is a rather clever combination of Singapore's names. Back in the day it was called "Temasek", meaning "sea town"..thus the tail, and it's current name, Singapore, has derived from the title "Singapura" or"Lion City" .

Cool, huh?