The story of Singapore's transformation from sparse island to the economic giant of Southeast Asia begins with its cultural diversity. Malays, Indonesians, Indians, Sri Lankans and Chinese have all contributed to the city's rise as one of the world's most technologically advanced cities. Buddhist, Hindu and Taoist temples rub elbows with Muslim mosques and Christian churches, and you are likely to see street signs in English, Chinese, Tamil and Malay.
Singaporean cuisine, too, has been shaped by the many cultures that have converged here, and there is no better place to sample it than at one of the city's many "hawker centers," open air food courts established by the government to keep sidewalk vendors from clogging pristine streets.
Today, we say goodbye to Singapore and are on our way to Kuala Lumpur.
