2022 Travel the World - Week 2

I started a 50-week series in 2019 that I called Travel the World. Each week of the series I visited a randomly-selected country, sharing bits of information about that country. I then chose one tidbit of information about that week's country as inspiration for a card. As I explored those 50 countries in 2019, I knew I would continue on until I've visited every one of the 195 countries in the world. By the end of 2021, I'd virtually traveled to 145 countries and plan to complete my journey to all 195 countries by visiting the last 50 this year.

This week's country is...

Singapore

Singapore officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island city-state Southeast Asia.

Sang Nila Utama, a Palembang prince, saw what he thought was a lion on the island; and thus he christened it as Singapura, which translates to 'lion city' in Sanskrit. However, there were no lions in Singapore at that time. Lions were only brought in modern times for the zoos.

Contrary to popular belief, Singapore is not a single island, but 63 in all; comprising of other offshore islands also, such as Sentosa Island, Pulau Ubin, Sisters’ Island and St John’s island among others.

Singapore is one of the 20 smallest countries in the world. 

Singapore is less than 100 miles from the Equator. It has a tropical rainforest climate. There are no seasons. It’s always between 25 to 35°C (77 to 95 °F). Yes. It’s a well-known fact that Singapore is Hot. All. The. Time. 

The tallest indoor waterfall in the world is located in Singapore at the Gardens by the Bay, and it stands at a height of 115 feet.

Singapore is home to the world’s very first night zoo. Opened in 1994, the 35-hectare park features over 1,000 animals in their naturalistic night-time environments.

While its land mass is small, Singapore has approximate 2,000 miles of roads. If you could unwind the roads end to end, they would take you from Singapore all the way to Hong Kong.

There is a maximum limit to how high buildings in Singapore can be built, which is 280 meters (918 feet). The Tanjong Pagar Centre, opened in 2016, is Singapore’s tallest building at 290 meters. Special permission was granted to it to exceed the usual height restriction of 280 meters.

Singaporeans are the fastest pedestrians in the world, walking at a speed of about 6.15 kilometres per hour. That's nearly 4 miles per hour.

Military service is mandatory for all men in Singapore for two years after finishing high school. And every year, servicemen need to return to train till they are 40 years of age.

Singapore has more tourists that local citizens.

The Changi Airport was voted as the World’s Best Airport for the fourth time in a row in the year 2016.

One can actually sit and enjoy free movie screening 24/7 at the Changi Airport.

Singapore's train system is one of the best in the world. Likewise its taxis and buses are reliable, affordable and efficient.

Chewing gum is banned in Singapore. Only those with medical prescription can chew gum!

There is an actual law against not flushing the public toilet after using it in Singapore.

Singapore is very passionate about toilets indeed. The government actually tabled a UN resolution to mark November 19th as the World Toilet Day, and in 2001, the World Toilet Organization came into being.

Afraid of the growing hippie culture across the globe, the government imposed a ban on long hair for males in the 1970s.

Every day, two new restaurants open up in Singapore; which is huge, given its small size.

Singapore is also home to Sunda pangolins, or scaly anteaters. They live in the Central Catchment Area, and each adult anteater can eat around 70 million insects a year.

Singapore has a public education program known as the Singapore Kindness Movement. The program focuses on teaching kindness and graciousness in Singaporean society. Accordingly, this non-profit organization movement started back in the year 1997 and reaching people to achieve its “inner peace”.

The National University of Singapore has a first of its kind "Hug Me" Coca-Cola vending machine.

Singapore also set a record for line dancing in 2002, when 11,967 people participated in a line dance.

Singapore residents have one of the best life expectancies in Asia, with an average life span of 84.

The Singapore Flyer is one of the most famous and tallest observation/Ferris wheel in the world. The construction of the Singapore flyer took 2 and a half years to build. It has 28 air-conditioned capsules with a capacity of 28 passengers. 

The field of vision from the Singapore Flyer opens up an impressive aerial view of the city and the Singapore Bay from a “bird’s eye view”. Passengers can even catch a brief look at the coasts of Malaysia and as far as Indonesia. Equally important, passengers may opt for a fancy lunch or dinner set during the 30-minute journey.

The more popular sports in Singapore are basketball, football, swimming, badminton, cycling, rugby and as well as weightlifting. 

My inspiration for this week's card is based on this fact about Singapore... Every first Sunday of November, Singapore celebrates the Tree Planting Day. Citizens and diplomats (including Singapore’s Prime Minister) participate in this environmental movement.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Stamp Anniething Here's the Dirt stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Paper: Neenah 110# Solar White and SU Cinnamon Cider CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: MFT Stitched Rectangles and Paper Roses Stitched Circles

Embellishments: Dragonfly Brad from an unknown vendor