Marina Bay Sands looks out to the old coastline of Singapore. It looks impressive now and it was also impressive in the 1800s. When people arrived by large ships, the ships would take anchor some distance out to sea. This allowed passengers to view the colony prior to arrival. Some of buildings that would have been in-view would be the former Supreme Court, former City Hall, various warehouses and other colonial buildings. This gave passengers on ships the impression that colonial rule in Singapore was strong and that Singapore was a prosperous island. Today, the Singaporean skyline looks very different, with the tall skyscrapers of the financial district. This modern representation of prosperity continues to make an impression on all visitors to Singapore communicating the message that it is a thriving bustling city where anything is possible.