Why I, as a Vietnamese person, am always amazed by Singapore

Perhaps among the countries I've visited, Singapore never fails to surprise me...

Why I, as a Vietnamese person, am always amazed by Singapore

Visiting Singapore superficially might just present us with a country, a city glittering with myriad lights, an enticing abundance of materialism. If we solely focus on shopping, gradually malls in Hanoi or Saigon also emerge, the infiltration of foreign commercial conglomerates brings major cities closer than ever. Wherever we look, aluminum, glass, elevators, and dazzling lights prevail...

From that perspective, Singapore or Hong Kong might not seem appealing. Particularly less attractive because it lacks natural tourism resources, lacks monumental heritage, and certainly doesn't boast endless stretches of white sandy beaches with towering coconut trees against a backdrop of the deep blue sea...

Yet, every time I visit this country, I find it irresistibly alluring, enticing, remarkably livable... to the extent that some liken it to paradise, albeit an 'artificial paradise'?'

I once marveled at the sand-carrying lorries in the city, resembling those enclosed trucks transporting construction materials in Vietnam. The difference lies in the fact that while in Vietnam it's mandatory for such trucks to have covered lids, here those lids are indeed functional, ensuring not a speck of sand spills onto the roads. This small example sheds light on why Singapore's environment is markedly cleaner than ours, as every individual and business alike respects cleanliness, unlike our more lax attitude.

I've lost count of how many times I've asked road workers (they're everywhere!) how they manage to restore the roads to pristine condition after digging. Perhaps it's because they put in triple the effort we do when filling the holes, meticulously leveling and watering the soil in a manner that simply requires topping up the surface to match the existing road, eliminating any waiting for sinking. Leaving a protruding mound or a sunken pit that causes accidents could result in the construction company being sued for negligence, no joking around.

In Singapore, every possible green spot is turned into a 'forest.' From the outside, some are so dense that you can't even walk through, but just a few hundred meters along the road, you'll find that the 'forest' abruptly ends, revealing a soccer field or a workshop behind... Perhaps due to the scarcity of living space, people cherish every bit of greenery to try and improve air quality.

During my most recent trip accompanying an elderly wheelchair-bound father to Singapore, we were frequently met with assistance and care. Traveling with someone reliant on a wheelchair made me realize the astonishing level of consideration extended to people with disabilities in the city: elevators for the disabled are ubiquitous, facilitating access to high-rise buildings and underground trains... Even a small step lacking the required gradient for ascent would prompt the installation of a 'lifting table' just a few dozen centimeters high, complete with safety glass walls ensuring security. Every sidewalk has ramps for wheelchairs.

Every detail, no matter how small or large, appears meticulously designed to serve humans at the highest level of consideration. Wandering the city, personal hygiene is never a concern. My father exclaimed, 'Restrooms everywhere, impeccably clean and free.'

Everywhere you look, cigarette butts bear a crossed-out symbol with the succinct phrase underneath: 'By law.' That's all it takes.

Those two words convey so much: all based on a rigorous legal framework. Consequently, every individual inherently complies. They do all these things, from keeping the environment clean to adopting a friendly, open attitude... all aware it's for the collective good. From that common purpose, both the natural and social environments are elevated to dreamlike levels, and they themselves reap the benefits.

As reported by Vietnamnet

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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour