Visit to Singapore (by Tripmart)
Singapore
is a microcosm of Asia, populated by Chinese, Malays, Indians, and a large
group of workers and expatriates from all across the globe. Singapore has a
partly deserved reputation for sterile predictability that has earned it
descriptions like William Gibson's "Disneyland with the death
penalty" or the "world's only shopping mall with a seat in the United
Nations". Nevertheless, the Switzerland of Asia is for many a welcome
respite from the poverty, chaos, and crime of much of the Asian mainland, and
if you scratch below the squeaky clean surface and get away from the tourist
trail you'll soon find more than meets the eye.
Singaporean
food is legendary, with bustling hawker centres and 24-hour coffee shops
offering cheap food from all parts of Asia, and shoppers can bust their baggage
allowances in shopping meccas like Orchard Road and Suntec City. In recent
years some societal restrictions have also loosened up, and now you can bungee
jump and dance on bartops all night long, although alcohol is still very pricey
and chewing gum can only be bought from a pharmacy. Two casino complexes — or
"Integrated Resorts", to use the Singaporean euphemism — opened in
2010 in Sentosa and Marina Bay as part of Singapore's new Fun and Entertainment
drive, the aim being to double the number of tourists visiting and increasing
the length of time they stay within the country. Watch out for more loosening
up in the future.
History
The
first records of Singapore date back to the 2nd-3rd centuries where a vague
reference to its location was found in Greek and Chinese texts, under the names
of Sabana and Pu Luo Chung respectively. According to legend, Srivijayan prince
Sang Nila Utama landed on the island in the 13th century and, catching sight of
a strange creature that he thought was a lion, decided to found a new city he
called Singapura, Sanskrit for Lion City. Alas, there have never been any lions
anywhere near Singapore or elsewhere on Malaya, so the mysterious beast was
more probably a tiger or wild boar.
More
historical records indicate that the island was settled at least two centuries
earlier and was known as Temasek, Javanese for "Sea Town", and an
important port for the Sumatran Srivijaya kingdom. However, Srivijaya fell around
1400 and Temasek, battered by the feuding kingdoms of Siam and the Javanese
Majapahit, fell into obscurity. As Singapura, it then briefly regained
importance as a trading centre for the Melaka Sultanate and later, the Johor
Sultanate. However, Portuguese raiders then destroyed the settlement and
Singapura faded into obscurity once more.
The
story of Singapore as we know it today thus began in 1819, when Sir Thomas
Stamford Raffles made a deal with a claimant to the throne of the Sultanate of
Johor: the British would support his claim in exchange for the right to set up
a trading post on the island. Though the Dutch initially protested, the signing
of the Anglo-Dutch treaty in 1824, which separated the Malay world into British
and Dutch spheres of influence (resulting in the current Malaysia-Indonesia and
Singapore-Indonesia borders), ended the conflict with the Dutch renouncing
their claim to Singapore and ceding their colony in Malacca to the British, in
exchange for the British ceding their colonies on Sumatra to the Dutch.
Well-placed at the entrance to the Straits of Malacca, straddling the trade
routes between China, India, Europe, and Australia, Raffles' masterstroke was
to declare Singapore a free port, with no duties charged on trade. As traders flocked
to escape onerous Dutch taxes, the trading post soon grew into one of Asia's
busiest, drawing people from far and wide. Along with Penang and Malacca,
Singapore became one of the Straits Settlements and a jewel in the British
colonial crown. Its economic fortunes received a further boost when palm oil
and rubber from neighbouring Malaya were processed and shipped out via
Singapore. In 1867, Singapore was formally split off from British India and
made into a directly ruled Crown Colony.
When
World War II broke out, Fortress Singapore was seen as a formidable British
base, with massive naval fortifications guarding against assault by sea.
However, not only did the fortress lack a fleet as all ships were tied up
defending Britain from the Germans, but the Japanese wisely chose to cross
Malaya by bicycle instead. Despite hastily turning the guns around, this was
something the British had not prepared for at all, and on February 15, 1942,
with supplies critically low after less than a week of fighting, Singapore
ignominiously surrendered and the colony's erstwhile rulers were packed off to
Changi Prison. Tens of thousands perished in the subsequent brutal occupation,
and the return of the British in 1945 was triumphal.
Granted
self-rule in 1955, Singapore briefly joined Malaysia in 1963 when the British
left, but was expelled because the Chinese-majority city was seen as a threat
to Malay dominance, and the island became independent on 9 August 1965, thus
becoming the only country to gain independence against its own will in the
history of the modern world. The subsequent forty years rule by Prime Minister
Lee Kuan Yew saw Singapore's economy boom, with the country rapidly becoming
one of the wealthiest and most developed in Asia despite its lack of natural resources,
earning it a place as one of the four East Asian Tigers. Now led by Lee's son
Lee Hsien Loong, the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) continues to dominate
the political scene with 81 out of 87 seats in Parliament. Societal
restrictions have been loosened up in recent years though, with the government
trying to shake off its staid image, and it remains to be seen how the delicate
balancing act between political control and social freedom will play out.
People
Singapore
prides itself on being a multi-racial country, and has a diverse culture
despite its small size. The largest group are the Chinese, who form about 75%
of the population. Amongst the Chinese, Hokkien speakers form the majority,
while Teochew and Cantonese speakers round out the top three. Other notable
"dialect" groups among the Chinese include the Hakkas, Hainanese and
Foochows. The Malays, who are comprised of Singapore's original inhabitants as
well as migrants from present day Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, form about
14% of the population, while Indians form about 9% of the population. Among the
Indians, Tamils form the largest group by far, though there are also a
significant numbers of speakers of other Indian languages such as Hindi,
Malayalam and Punjabi. The remainder are a mix of many other cultures, most
notably the Eurasians who are of mixed European and Asian descent, and also a
handful of Filipinos, Burmese, Japanese, Thais and many others. Slighty over
one-third of Singapore's residents are not citizens.
Singapore
is also religiously diverse, with no religious group forming a majority.
Religious freedom is guaranteed by the constitution of Singapore. Buddhism is
the largest religion with about 33% of the population declaring themselves
Buddhist. Other religions which exist in significant numbers include
Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Taoism. In addition to the "big
five", there are also much smaller numbers of Sikhs, Zoroastrians, Jews,
Baha'is and Jains. Some 17% of Singaporeans profess to have no religious
affiliation.
Climate
As
Singapore is located a mere 1.5 degrees north of the Equator, its weather is
usually sunny with no distinct seasons. Rain falls almost daily throughout the
year, usually in sudden, heavy showers that rarely last longer than an hour.
However, most rainfall occurs during the northeast monsoon (November to
January), occasionally featuring lengthy spells of continuous rain. Spectacular
thunderstorms can occur throughout the year, any time during the day, so it's
wise to carry an umbrella at all times, both as a shade from the sun or cover
from the rain.
Between
May and October, forest fires in neighboring Sumatra can also cause dense haze,
although this is unpredictable and comes and goes rapidly: check the National
Environment Agency's site [5] for current data.
The temperature
averages around:
30°C
(84°F) daytime, 24°C (76°F) at night in December and January.
32°C
(90°F) daytime, 26°C (81°F) at night for the rest of the year.
The
high temperature and humidity, combined with the lack of wind and the fact that
temperatures stay high during the night, can take its toll on visitors from
colder parts of the world. Bear in mind that spending more than about one hour
outdoors can be very exhausting, especially if combined with moderate exercise.
Singaporeans themselves shun the heat, and for a good reason. Many live in
air-conditioned flats, work in air-conditioned offices, take the
air-conditioned metro to air-conditioned shopping malls connected to each other
by underground tunnels where they shop, eat, and exercise in air-conditioned
fitness clubs. Follow their example if you want to avoid discomfort in the
searing heat and humidity of Singapore.
Holidays
Gong
xi fa cai Singapore style
There
are a few twists to the Singapore way of celebrating Chinese New Year,
particularly the food, which bears little resemblance to the steamy hotpots of
frigid northern China. The top dish is bak kwa (肉干), sweet barbecued
pork, followed closely by yu sheng (魚生), a salad of
shredded vegetables and raw fish enthusiastically tossed into the air by all
present. Favorite desserts are crumbly sweet pineapple tarts and gooey steamed
nian gao (年糕) cakes. Red packets of money (红包
ang pow) are still handed out generously, but unlike in China, in Singapore you
only need to start paying up once married.
New Year
decorations, Chinatown
Singapore
is a secular city state but due to its multicultural population, Singapore
celebrates Chinese, Muslim, Indian, and Christian holidays.
The
year kicks off with a bang on January 1st and New Year, celebrated in Singapore
just as in the West with a fireworks show and parties at every nightspot in
town. Particularly famous are the wet and wild foam parties on the beaches of
resort island Sentosa — at least those years when the authorities deign to
permit such relative debauchery.
Due
to the influence of the Chinese majority, the largest event by far is Chinese
New Year (农历新年) or, more politically correctly, Lunar New
Year, usually held in February. While this might seem to be an ideal time to
visit, many smaller shops and eateries close for 2-3 days during the period,
though supermarkets, department stores and high end restaurants remain open.
The whole festival stretches out for no less than 42 days, but the frenzied
buildup to the peak occurs just before the night of the new moon, with
exhortations of gong xi fa cai (恭喜发财
"congratulations and prosper"), red tinsel, mandarin oranges and the
year's zodiac animal emblazoned everywhere and crowds of shoppers queuing in
Chinatown, where there are also extensive street decorations to add spice to
the festive mood. The two following days are spent with family and most of the
island comes to a standstill, and then life returns to normal... except for the
final burst of Chingay, a colorful parade down Orchard Road held ten days
later.
On
the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, the Dragon Boat
Festival (端午节) is celebrated to
commemorate a Chinese folk hero. As part of the celebrations, rice dumplings,
which in Singapore are sometimes wrapped in pandan leaves instead of the
original bamboo leaves, are usually eaten. In addition, dragon boat races are
often held at the Singapore River on this day. The seventh month of the Chinese
lunar calendar — usually August — starts off with a puff of smoke, as
"hell money" is burned and food offerings are made to please the
spirits of ancestors who are said to return to earth at this time. The climax
on the 15th day of the lunar calendar is the Hungry Ghost Festival (中元节), when the living
get together to stuff themselves and watch plays and Chinese opera
performances. Following soon afterwards, the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节) on the 15th day
of the 8th lunar month (Sep/Oct) is also a major event, with elaborate lantern
decorations — particularly in Jurong's Chinese Garden — and moon cakes filled
with red bean paste, nuts, and more consumed merrily.
The
Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, known locally as Deepavali, is celebrated
around October or November and Little India is brightly decorated for the
occasion. At around January-February, one may witness the celebration of
Thaipusam, a Tamil Hindu festival in which male devotees would carry a kavadi,
an elaborate structure which pierces through various parts of his body, and
join a procession from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Little India to the
Sri Thandayuthapani Temple in Tank Road. Female devotees usually join the
procession carrying pots of milk instead. About one week before Deepavali is Thimithi,
the fire-walking festival where one can see male devotees walking on burning
coals at the Sri Mariamman Temple in Chinatown.
The
Islamic month of Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr or Hari Raya Puasa as it is called
here, is a major occasion in Malay parts of town, particularly Geylang Serai on
the East Coast, which is lighted up with extensive decorations during the
period. Another festival celebrated by the Malays is Eid-ul-Adha, known locally
as Hari Raya Haji, which is the period when Muslims make the trip to Mecca to
perform in Hajj. In local mosques, lambs contributed by the faithful are
sacrificed and their meat is used to feed the poor.
The
Buddhist Vesak Day, celebrating the birthday of the Buddha Sakyamuni, plus the
Christian holidays of Christmas Day, for which Orchard road is extensively
decorated, and Good Friday round out the list of holidays.
A
more secular celebration occurs on August 9th, National Day, when fluttering
flags fill Singapore and spectacular National Day parades are held to celebrate
independence.
Events
Singapore
holds numerous events each year. Some of its famous festivals and events
include the Singapore Food Festival, the Singapore Grand Prix, the Singapore
Arts Festival, the Chingay Parade, the World Gourmet Summit and ZoukOut.
The
Singapore Sun Festival is another popular festival in Singapore, with 2010's
line-up featuring renowned stars such as David Foster, Natalie Cole, Jose
Carreras and Sharon Stone. Christmas is also widely celebrated in Singapore, a
season where the city streets and shopping malls along its famous shopping belt
Orchard Road are lit up and decorated in vibrant colours. In addition, the
Singapore Jewel Festival attracts numerous tourists every year, and is a
display of precious gems, famous jewels and masterpieces from international
jewellers and designers.
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Tips
If you are
traveling to Singapore, be sure to carry the following:
Sun
Glasses - Singapore is usually bright and sunny.
Umbrella
- Be sure to carry an umbrella in your luggage,as there is some precipitation
throughout the year. However, the rain does not last long (usually).
Sun
block - If you plan to go out during the day time, it is advisable to apply sun
block as it is mostly sunny throughout the year.
Shorts/Half
Pants - Singapore can get real warm. Although air-conditioning is available in
all public transports (except a few public buses) and almost all internal
areas, it is advisable to carry some light clothing. Do note that some places
of worship may require visitors to dress conservatively.
Flip-flops
- Singaporeans love to wear flip-flops. Be sure to carry a pair, just to blend
in. Try sandals if you're not used to flip flops, but beware - in some formal
establishments (e.g. catching a show at Esplanade) no flip flops, sandals, or
shorts are allowed.
Sweater
- the malls and museums' air conditioning can get cold, though usually this is
a welcome relief from the heat.
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