Comments: Singapore was an interesting place to visit, and posed challenging questions about the cherished western concept of Democracy and it's assumed benefits. Although Singapore claims to embrace democratic ideals, in effect it is a one party state where freedom of speech and the right to dissent is not something that can be exercised without caution and possible recrimination. However, it did appear to be an extremely well-organised and balanced society: multi-cultural; secular yet supportive of Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism, the predominant faiths; low unemployment and affluent, even by western standards; almost no crime (due in no small part to the severe, but arguably not extreme, punishments handed out for even the most minor offences); good education, health and public services (efficient public transport). With a stable population, prosperous economy and good opportunities for its people, who have the freedom to travel oversees to experience other cultures, the lack of democracy seems less of an issue than one might imagine, given that its people seemed very content and have little to want to complain about (other than very high taxation). Of course, as a visitor, you only get the briefest of insights into life for the population so I could well be quite misinformed, but our friend and host in Singapore certainly seemed accepting (if not enthusiastic) about the political situation. In the pictures that follow you'll note an absence of congestion, litter, vandalism, the homeless, beggars - all indicators of disenfranchised and marginalised sections of 'democratic' Western communities. The lack of poverty and crime in Singapore begs the question how truly democratic is our own society, and how right are western states to attempt to 'free' other sovereign states by enforcing democracy (there's a contradiction) upon them? However, this is a photography website, so let's get on with the pictures....