[It] is going to be big, bold and beautiful. It will be big standing at a towering height of 178 metres, bold in concept, designed by renowned architect Dr Kisho Kurokawa, and a beautiful architectural piece

That’s what a Very Important Man (VIM) once said. Aforementioned VIM then proceeds to draw parallels between this “beautiful architectural piece” with other structures:

While the concept of getting people to a high point is not new, visitors have always enjoyed the experience of going up to a high point to see the city and the surrounding areas. The Eiffel Tower [...] continues to attract some six million visitors annually. The London Eye [...] has quickly become the top paid-attraction in the UK [...]. Likewise, the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty continue to be major attractions.

It is disingenuous to reduce The Eiffel Tower, London Eye, Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty to a question of height. That’s like saying the Pyramids, Bondi Beach and sand castles are sand-related.

I’m a simple man. This is the Merriam-Webster Dictionary entry for “ferris wheel”:

Pronunciation:ˈfer-əs-, ˈfe-rəs-

Function: noun

Etymology: G. Welsh G. Ferris †1896 American engineer

Date:1893

… an amusement device consisting of a large upright power-driven wheel carrying seats that remain horizontal around its rim

Hang on a second. Isn’t that what the Singapore Flyer basically is? A £100 million ferris wheel.

It’s losing money.

And it’s blocking my view.

See further the list of Top Shelves.

While researching the bookshop, I subsequently clicked my way to a fascinating site, probably as close to a labour of love as is possible these days: www.bookstoreguide.org; it does exactly what it claims (“an amateur guide to book shopping throughout Europe”). Their blog contains a detailed write up on bookshops in Berlin, too, something I would have so enjoyed.

I’m tempted to apply this concept to Asia, but perhaps Singapore is a more manageable – if also limited – starting point. Check back if this comes to fruition.