Singapore Living
Known as one of the Four Asian Tigers, Singapore is a bustling city that never sleeps, comprising of a cosmopolitan of business-oriented people. Locals are of Chinese, Indian and Malay descent (64% of the population), whilst the remaining 36% is of large expatriate groups, either working on contracts or are foreign residents, mostly British, Australian and American nationalities. As well as the business opportunities, the city is overflowing with an exciting nightlife. As 14th largest exporter and 15th largest importer, ranked as the 2nd freest economy and one of the least corrupt countries in the world, it really is no surprise why expatriates relocate to live here.
Unlike other Asian countries, the shopping is surplus and still reasonable. Designer brands from Diesel to Prada can be found at ION shopping mall or discover local fashion designers at Far East Plaza with hundreds of boutiques to choose from. Down in Chinatown, you’ll of course find all things Chinese, as well as a fantastic shop called Ocean Cosmetics selling inexpensive brand cosmetics and toiletries – in most Asian countries it is harder to find brands easily available in the UK, USA or Australia. In Little India, you’ll find hundreds of stalls selling jewelry and accessories, plus be sure to pop into Bujis market for factory priced goods. Chinatown and Little India are where most locals shop, as it’s at the local, in other words cheaper price.
Because of the saturation of foreigners, westernization has buried away some of Singapore’s delicacies. More and more restaurants, bars and nightclubs have opened in the more built up urban areas. From Orchard Road to Clarke Quay, there isn’t a western restaurant you won’t find here, from Italian fine dining at Capricci to Spanish tapas at Que Pasa to Boomerang’s big screen sports bar. Whereas in the suburban parts of the city, try heading to New Ubin Seafood for the biggest most delicious crabs or Boon Tong Kee for real proper Chinese food – be sure to make a reservation as it’s always fully booked. Skyline bars like Altitude and Marina Bay Sands are must-sees as perfect spots to take photos of the city, and of course the famous Raffles Place is like having tea with the Queen, so it has to be ticked off the to-do-list. Beach life is limited as Sentosa Island is man made through land reclamation and East Coast beach does not really have a beach big enough for the entire city. However, Singapore is very close to Jakarta, Bali and it’s neighbouring 65 islands for a weekend trip away from it all.
With the nightlife booming, so is live music. For locals and internationals playing daily options vary from male and female singers, guitarists or keyboard players trying the open mic at Crazy Elephant to the more serious jazz-head musicians down at Jazz@Southbridge to the seven-piece band playing top-40 hit tunes at The Brix. More international superstars are requested to perform out in Asia, especially with the demands of expats in the community. Asians especially love access to music from the Billboard and UK charts, as this music takes slower to hit the market in comparison to western cultures. However, they do not forget their own local artists by heavily promoting on local radio and exposing them as well in concert halls and stadiums.
After working, shopping, eating and partying…exercise is key and the Singaporeans love it so much they have built a purpose-built park for running, cycling, rollerblading, board skating, wake boarding and other water sports at East Coast Park. There is also a scenic runners’ route at the Botanical Gardens for the fast and furious. As there are only two seasons in Singapore (wet and dry) be sure to go at sunrise or sunset to avoid tiring out or dehydration from the high temperatures in the region of 35 degrees Celsius.
Whether a socialite or into a laid-back lifestyle, Singapore has a little bit of everything from the riches of life. It really is a happy-go-lucky country where you’ll quickly find friends and bump into people you know frequently. Its fast-paced working life is slowed down with leisure time and it’s travel access to some of the world’s most idyllic holiday places in the world are at its doorstep. If this is a way of life for you, you might just need to start making your way there and musicians wanted for these activities.
The author is a music band owner which offers its services to a variety of class especially five star hotels in Asia. There are several music bands which performs live shows six days a week. The band offers Music Jobs and Band Job across the world.
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