Singapore [antikvár]

Chefs at Raffles Hotel (pU4) indulging, sating, fuelling Singapore's greatest obsession: food Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, this perennial stopover city is reinventing itself as a destination in its own right. Most people know about the shopping and the eating, but Singapore has taken a serious look at the subject of fun, decided that it is good, and set about converting itself into the ultimate 2 Ist-century metropolis. And in a city for which constant change and improvement are almost a religion, decisions quickly turn into reality. Almost every facet of this tiny island state is undergoing a renaissance: arts and entertainment, sports, tourist attractions, nature spots and, of course, food and shopping. The once-staid entertainment scene has erupted into life, with new megaclubs and beach sarties placing the city on Asia's nightlife map. Two vast new 'integrated resorts' promise to ure hordes of visitors to their casinos, theme parks and big-note attractions. Huge, modern new malls are jostling into every available space on the city's famous Orchard Road shopping strip. Arts and cultural festivals crowd the calendar. Suddenly Singapore is on the international sporting calendar, too, hosting Formula One's first night race and the 2010 Youth Olympics. And always, everywhere, there is food, glorious food, the single overwhelming obsession that unites and defines all Singaporeans. Yet, nestled among it all, and frequently overlooked, are the wonderful green spaces that make Singapore such a masterpiece of urban design, surprising anyone who thinks of this tiny island state as an urban jungle. Whatever you thought you knew about Singapore, there's always a surprise around the corner.