Singapore Lands in the Top 20 of the World's Most Liveable Cities

Excerpts from The Straits Times (World Section, 23 June 2007, page 40)

The 20 most liveable cites in the world, according to Monocle (European-based lifestyle magazine)

Top 10 : (1) Munich, (2) Copenhagen, (3) Zurich, (4) Tokyo, (5) Vienna, (6) Helsinki, (7) Sydney, (8) Stockholm, (9) Honolulu, (10) Madrid

Next 10: (11) Melbourne, (12) Montreal, (13) Barcelona, (14) Kyoto, (15) Vancouver, (16) Auckland, (17) SINGAPORE, (18) Hamburg, (19) Paris, (20) Geneva

Blue = Visited
Red = Lived in ; all caps (current location)


What makes a great city?
- International long-haul connections with a well-managed, thoughtfully designed airport
- Low crime rates in relation to murders and domestic burglaries
- Quality of education and health care
- Hours of sunshine and average temperature
- Availability of communications and connectivity
- Level of social tolerance, which includes a positive climate for ethnic diversity
- Ease of getting a drink at 1am
- Cost and quality of public transport
- Strength and availability of the local media
- Access to nature, and key environmental initiatives in urban planning


Why Singapore?

One of my best digicam shots of the Esplanade

- Singapore is well connected to the world through Changi Airport, which reportedly handles more than 4,000 flights a week from 80 airlines, traveling to 180 cities in 57 countries

- The country has a comprehensive mobile and communications network.

- Singapore has a low crime rate, all of the 17 murders that occured here last year had been solved

- Singapore's policy of social and racial integration has created a harmonious society

- Living in Singapore is "extremely affordable, despite the country's First World living standards

- The country has one of the world's highest literacy rates, and excellent public housing and transportation systems. Its regulatory and financial systems are also said to be "transparent and efficient"

- The city-state's urban and cultural landscape is said to be "blossoming"

Review of Personal Targets 2007

We're now midway into 2007 ; a great time to review what I've set to do at the beginning of the year.

On track
- "Singapore Saturday" - be a "tourist" on such day at least twice a month
- Increase interest in high-tech stuff and soccer (i.e. various leagues) -- on track for high-tech stuff only
- Be more active in church through a relevant community
- Exert effort to meet people from South America, Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia -- given a decrease in the number of people I host, I have shifted priority to meeting locals
- Visit friends in Canada; include the US (California as a priority) if time permits -- Canada trip postponed ; US trip in December
- Explore countries within Asia on (extended) weekends where practical

Must act now
- Regularly visit the gym (average rate per visit by yearend should be lower than SG$25).

- Healthy lifestyle - be more conscious of what you eat, get some decent rest

- Join a professional and social organisation within Singapore

- Learn survival swimming!

Dropped from the list due to time constraints (to be replaced by something else in due course)
- Attend another Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan, Thailand

- Learn a foreign language (Spanish, French, or Japanese) at a basic level