Singapore
Lion City.
03.03.2019
Orchid Display at Changi Airport.
Singapore - Lion City.
Singapore is an island located at the foot of the Malay peninsula. During the fourteenth century Sang Nila Utama, a Prince from Palembang, was on a hunting trip when he saw an animal he had never seen before. Thinking it was a lion, he named the location of the sighting Singapura. This name comes from the Sanskrit words simha - lion and pura -city. Singapore was then ruled by the five kings. The city's strategic location made it a good trading hub. In the nineteenth century Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles came to Singapore and recognised its importance as a halfway point on the shipping trade route between China and India. Raffles negotiated a treaty with the local rulers and established Singapore as a trading station for the East India Company. The city grew and attracted immigrants from China, India and Malaya. Singapore remained a British colony until the Japanese invasion in 1942. Singapore resumed being a British colony in 1945 at the end of the war. 1959 saw the growth of nationalism in Singapore. This led to self-government and the country’s first general election. The People’s Action Party won and Lee Kuan Yew became the first prime minister of Singapore. In 1963 Malaya became Malaysia. It was made up of the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo. Less than two years later on the 9th of August 1965, Singapore left Malaysia to become an independent and sovereign democratic nation. Singapore is hot all year round but has a wet and dry season.
Chinese New Year, Singapore.
We have been to Singapore many times. Three times to have holidays there and many, many times as a short stopover on route to somewhere else. The time I started this page we only had an afternoon and evening on our way to Nepal and a night on our way back from Nepal, so it was a bit of a flying visit. We were staying overnight in the Holiday Inn Atrium Hotel prior to going to Nepal. This turned out to be a lovely hotel with a good swimming pool. We reached the hotel by travelling to Outram MRT Station. Then we set out to walk to the centre along the Singapore River. This was an end of the river we had not been to before. It was much quieter than around Boat Quay or Clarke Quay and had many hotels and peaceful riverside bars, restaurants and cafes. If we had had more time, we would have followed the river away from the centre, too to see where we ended up. When we reached Boat Quay on our walk, down came the rain, and when it rains in Singapore, it really really rains. You have no option but to take cover. We fled to the nearest restaurant and listened to the rain battering down on the tarpaulin above our heads. Still the downpour did not last all day and we were able to continue our walk. That visit we only had time to wander the river, look at the quays, the merlion statue, the pedang, St Andrew's Church, the Raffles Hotel and Chjmes. I wanted to climb Fort Canning Hill again and visit the Armenian Church but we ran out of daylight and the weather was not on our side.
Just returned from our latest visit to Singapore in October 2015. We had just two full days and two part days. Mainly we concentrated on sights connected to World War II though we did re-visit Chinatown and Little India, too. No matter how many times we come to Singapore we never run out of things to do. For such a small place it has got lots going for it. My own personal favourites, that I could never tire of, are wandering the colonial heart of Singapore along the Singapore River and visiting the ever stunning Chinese/Japanese Gardens. Things we have enjoyed on previous visits are Singapore Botanical Gardens, the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, Little India, China Town, Orchard Road, the Kranji War Memorial and War Cemetery, the Malay area of Kampong Glam, swimming at the beach off Beach Road, going up Mount Faber by bus and off by cable car, Sentosa Island, Haw Par Villa (though I'm not sure if it is still there), the Mandai Orchid Garden and I'm sure there is much much more.
For future visits I want to go to Singapore Zoo which everyone raves about. Then off course Singapore is perfect for day trips across to Johor Bahru in Malaysia which we have done and trips across to Bantan and Bintu Islands in Indonesia which we have still to do. I doubt we are ever in danger of running out of things to do here.
Sir Stamford Raffles.
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles is considered to be the founder of Singapore. There are actually two Raffles statues commemorating him in Singapore. One is made of white marble and is located at the original landing site when Raffles first came to Singapore. The other is the older statue. It is made of dark bronze and used to stand on the padang but was relocated, as it kept getting hit by footballs. It is now on Empress Place in front of the Victoria Theatre. Thomas Stamford Raffles was born on a ship off the coast of Jamaica on July 6th, 1781. His parents were from Yorkshire, and were involved in the West Indies spice trade. At the age of 14, Raffles began working in London as a clerk for the British East India Company. In 1805 he was sent to Malaya to work as assistant secretary to a British colonial governor. In 1811 Raffles led a successful military invasion against the Dutch colony on Java. For this achievement he was made the island’s governor until it returned to Dutch rule. Later while serving as governor of the British colony of Bencoolen on Sumatra, Raffles decided to investigate possible locations for a new permanent British outpost in Southeast Asia. He landed on the small island of Singapore in 1819 and recognized its importance as a half-way point on the sea trade route from British India to China. When Raffles arrived there was a small Malay settlement at the mouth of the Singapore River. This settlement was led by a Temenggong or governor for the Sultan of Johor. The incumbent Sultan of Johor, Tengku Abdul Rahman, was under the power of the Dutch and would never agree to a British base in Singapore. However, Abdul Rahman was only sultan because his older brother, Tengku Hussein had been away in Pahang getting married when their father died. Hussein, the rightful Sultan of Johor, was living in exile in the Riau Islands. With the Temenggong's help, Raffles smuggled Tengku Hussein to Singapore. He recognized Hussein as the rightful Sultan of Johor, and provided him with a yearly payment. In return, Hussein granted the British East India Company the right to establish a trading post on Singapore. This agreement was ratified with a formal treaty signed on the 6th of February 1819 and modern Singapore was born.
The Raffles Statue.
The Raffles Statue.
The Raffles Hotel.
It is beyond my budget to stay here, but I love visiting this hotel. The Raffles was built by the Armenian immigrant Sarkies brothers who have left fantastic hotels all over Asia:- the E and O, Penang, the Majapahit, Surabaya (where we once had the luxury of staying), the Strand, Rangoon and another hotel on Java which we have not visited yet. The Raffles was opened in December 1887. It was in this hotel that the Singapore sling was invented by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. The last Singapore tiger was shot beneath the billiard room in 1902. As non-guests you can wander around the courtyards and corridors. there is a great museum here with photos of Singapore in the past. Famous guests who have stayed in the Raffles include Somerset Maughm and Noel Coward. Visit the Long Bar, sip a Singapore Sling and throw monkey nut shells on the floor. Or just wander the corridors and stairways listening to the ceiling fans whirring around, gazing into the palm tree filled courtyards below and feeling like you have just stepped into the past. Fantastic!
The Raffles Hotel.
The Raffles Hotel.
The Raffles Hotel.
Chijmes.
Chijmes started out as the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus and was built by French nuns. Now it is a wonderful place to shop, eat or drink. Many restaurants and bars surround the beautiful old church which is lit up magically at night. A wonderful place to chill out and relax over a delicious dinner.
The Merlion Statue.
The merlion was designed by Fraser Brunner for the Singapore Tourism Board in 1964 and was used as its logo up to 1997. It has a lion's head and a fish tail, water spouts from its mouth. There are actually five merlions in Singapore. The original one is in Merlion Park, with its smaller cub displayed behind it. The tallest Merlion is on Sentosa Island - you can climb up inside this one. There is a fourth one on top of Mount Faber and a fifth at tourism court. The merlion is a mythical creature and owes its origins to a legend. When Prince Nila Utama first set foot on the island that is now Singapore in the 11th century, he saw a strange creature which he later discovered was a lion. The fish tail was added due to the importance of the sea to life in Singapore. Singapore is also known as Lion City due to this legend.
The Merlion Statue.
The Merlion Statue.
Boat Quay And Clarke Quay.
Boat Quay on the Singapore River was the main centre of Chinese river trade right up until the 1960s, then the area fell into decline. In the 1980's it was restored and the former warehouses were made into restaurants and bars. More restaurants and bars surround nearby Clarke Quay. A pleasant spot for a meal by the river.
Boat Quay And Clarke Quay.
Boat Quay And Clarke Quay.
Boat Quay And Clarke Quay.
St Andrews Cathedral.
The site for this Anglican Cathedral was chosen by Sir Stamford Raffles. G.D. Coleman was the architect who designed it. It was similar in design to St George's Church Penang and St George's Cathedral Madras. The Church was completed in 1834. A spire was added by J.T.Thomson in 1842 to make the building look more church like. The building is a wonderful bright white colour. Unfortunately though I would love to look inside this building it has always been closed when I have been there. It is located very close to the Padang.
St Andrews Cathedral.
The Padang.
The Padang is a wide open green field. You find these in most places that were former British colonies. DearMalaysia, Singapore and Brunei have generally kept their pedangs well preserved. At one end of the Singapore padang lies the cricket club. The padangs were always used for playing cricket as well as for other activities. The padang Singapore is also surrounded by the supreme court building, the Singapore recreation club, the cenotaph and St Andrew's Cathedral. Apparently the Sir Stamford Raffles statue used to be next to the padang, too but it was relocated as it kept getting hit by footballs. It's now closer to the river. The Padang was wet and muddy, being dug up for some reason and looking a bit worse for wear during our visit.
The Padang.
Sculpture.
Singapore has got some great street sculptures. I'm sure we would have encountered many more given more time, but here are pictures of a couple on the Singapore River. The sculpture of the little boys is in front of the Fullerton Hotel. The ox cart is nearby.
Sculpture.
Sculpture.
Sculpture.
The Singapore River.
The Singapore River was once its life's blood as a trading route. Now it is more of a pleasant place for a stroll, or to eat and drink next to. You can also take a boat trip along it. We did that many years ago.
The Singapore River.
The Singapore River.
Marina Bay Sands Hotel.
We did not actually go to this hotel but the hotel tended to dominate the skyline almost everywhere we went. It looks like a metro train perched on top of three towers. I would love to swim in its infinity pool which must have fantastic views over Singapore.
Marina Bay Sands Hotel.
Armenian Church.
The Armenian Church is The Church of St Gregory the Illuminator. This lovely little church is near the foot of Fort Canning Hill. There were several pet rabbits in the garden during our visit. The church was built in 1835. It is the oldest Christian place of worship in Singapore. It was designed by George Coleman and became a national monument on 28 June 1973.
Armenian Church.
Armenian Church.
Fort Canning Hill.
Singapore is mainly flat, so this is a small hill, but it still has good views and an interesting history. Fort Canning Hill used to be known as Bukit Larangan - Forbidden Hill. Later it became Government Hill. It is 156 ft high and can be found at the junction of Canning Rise and Fort Canning Road. In the 14th century this area was the summer home of the Majapahit kings, and in colonial times, it was the location of the residence of colonial governors starting with Sir Stamford Raffles. At one point this was the site of the Botanic Gardens. It was from here that Lieutenant General Percival made the decision to surrender to the Japanese.
Fort Canning Hill.
Fort Canning Hill.
The Chinese And Japanese Gardens.
You can get to this beautiful park by MRT. The Chinese Gardens are stunning and are one of my favourite places in Singapore. The Japanese Gardens are much plainer. The Chinese Gardens have a bonsai exhibition, pagodas, a lake, scenic walkways. The garden was designed by renowned Taiwanese architect Yuen-Chen Yu. This was another place where I got carried away with the photos. This is one of our favourite places in Singapore. We have visited several times in good weather and during a torrential rainstorm. The gardens are a great places to wile away a few hours. They have many sights, plants and peaceful shady places to sit in. Well worth a visit.
The Chinese And Japanese Gardens.
The Chinese And Japanese Gardens.
The Chinese And Japanese Gardens.
The Chinese And Japanese Gardens.
The Chinese And Japanese Gardens.
The Chinese And Japanese Gardens.
The Chinese And Japanese Gardens.
The Chinese And Japanese Gardens.
Sentosa.
I am not really a theme park person, but this was quite nice and worth a visit. It is good for kids. We went up Mount Faber first then took the cable car here, but you can also come here direct. The cable car ride was good fun with great views. Sentosa had some themed walks and a very pretty sandy beach. Universal Studios is located here but we did not visit it. There is a huge merlion statue here.
Sentosa.
Sentosa.
Sentosa.
Hindu Temples.
Singapore is a rich mixture of cultures which is one of the things that makes it interesting to visit. Singapore was the first place I ever saw a Hindu temple. Hindu temples are rich in colour and have lots of different statues of gods, goddesses and animals.
Hindu Temples.
Hindu Temples.
Chinatown.
Singapore has a colourful and interesting Chinatown. You can get here by taking the MRT to Chinatown Station. We just had a quick stroll around the main market areas on Pagoda Street, but there is also a food street. Here you can also find Hindu temples, Buddhist temples and mosques. I liked the colourful buildings of Chinatown, the market, the street decorations and the Tin Tin shop. Chinatown has free wifi on the streets which was quite useful for us during our visit.
Chinatown.
Chinatown.
Chinatown.
Chinatown.
Chinatown.
Chinatown.
Little India.
Get here by taking the MRT to Little India Station. We have visited Little India in the past and were not over-impressed so this visit we did not expect much and to our surprise it was really interesting. We explored a colourful market, streets dotted with multi-coloured buildings, roads lined with decorations and a vibrant Hindu temple. I found it very interesting and very photogenic.
Little India.
Little India.
Little India.
Little India.
Little India.
Tan Kim Seng Fountain.
We went to Esplanade Park to see the war memorials, but there are also some non-war related memorials there. One of these is the Tan Kim Seng Fountain. Tan Kim Seng was born in 1805 and died in 1864. He was a Peranakan merchant and philanthropist. He was born in Malacca in 1805, but later moved to Singapore where he made a fortune as a trader. Tan performed many charitable acts during his lifetime including forming a Chinese Free School, supporting hospitals and improving Singapore's public waterworks. Tan donated S$13,000 towards building the first public waterworks which helped bring fresher water to Singapore. The Tan Kim Seng Fountain was erected by the Municipal Commissioners to commemorate Tan's donation.
Tan Kim Seng Fountain.
Tan Kim Seng Fountain.
Tan Kim Seng Fountain.
The Dalhousie Obelisk.
The Dalhousie Obelisk is located at Empress Place not far from Esplanade Park. This tall needle-like monument was built to mark the second visit to Singapore of Lord James Andrew, the Marquis of Dalhousie and Governor-General of India in February 1850. The Dalhousie Obelisk was designed by Government Surveyor John Turnbull Thomson. It was built to remind merchants of the benefits of free trade.
The Dalhousie Obelisk.
The Dalhousie Obelisk.
Chinese Temples.
There are some lovely Chinese temples in Singapore. I think this one was near Boat Quay. When you visit a Chinese temple, you are not expected to remove your shoes and you do not need to dress in any special way. Taking photos is allowed as long as you are not too intrusive towards the worshippers.
The Mandai Orchid Garden.
As I am a major lover of plants and flowers, we had to visit the Mandai Orchid Garden. The garden was established by British lawyer John Laycock in the 1950s. The garden had a colourful display of beautiful orchids. There was also a little cafe here for refreshments.
The Mandai Orchid Garden.
The Mandai Orchid Garden.
The Mandai Orchid Garden.
Accommodation in Singapore.
We have stayed in many Singaporean hotels some are listed below.
Crowne Plaza Changi Airport: Clean and Comfortable. Singapore.
We stayed here for one night on our return from Kathmandu where we had stayed in a budget guest house. Our first impression was how stunningly clean everything was. The check in was fast and efficient. The room was large with a huge, spotlessly clean and comfortable bed. There was a large bathroom, shower room with glass walls. We did not notice the blinds you could pull down due to the fact we were so tired when we got there. Not pulling them down meant light shone in from the corridor all night. That could have been easily remedied if we had been a bit more with it. There was a very comfortable seating area in our room, a large flat screen TV, a safety deposit box, tea coffee making facilities with different kinds of tea, a fridge. The swimming pool opened at 7am and we had a lovely swim there. Part of it is open and part of it has boxes of plants which you can swim around. I think it closed at either 6 or 7pm. There were restaurants in the hotel or you could walk back to the airport which is right next to the hotel. The hotel is excellent if you arrive in Singapore and are leaving next day. if you have longer you can easily travel by MRT into town. If you travelled Singapore Airlines you can get discount on the buses that run from the airport to various tourist sights. Check out was polite, fast and efficient. I would happily stay here again. You could hear aeroplanes taking off and landing from the hotel but it was not so loud that it was disturbing.
Holiday Inn Atrium Hotel: Pleasant Stay.
We stayed in the Holiday Inn Atrium for one night prior to flying off to Kathmandu. To reach the hotel we took the MRT from Changi airport to Outram Station 2 Singapore dollars plus one dollar returnable deposit. From there it is a 20 minute walk, but we took a taxi for 4.40 Singapore dollars because it was pouring with rain. Check in was quick and efficient. The hotel is built around a central atrium. You get a view over it as you travel up in their fancy glass lifts. You must use your hotel card to access floor 6 and above. Our room was spotlessly clean with a very comfortable double bed. They even placed a pillow menu on top of the bed. Tea and coffee making facilities were available in the rooms with quite a good selection of teas to choose from. There was lots of storage space in the room. There was a minibar and a safety deposit box. There was a large flat screen TV in the room. Free internet was not available. Internet access cost 28 Singapore dollars for 24 hours. We walked into the centre of Singapore - Clarke Quay, Boat Quay by going along the Singapore River. It took maybe around 30 minutes or so, but we went slowly looking at all the riverside bars and cafes on route. The hotel had several little convenience shops. It also had several restaurants western and Chinese but we did not eat in them . There was a very nice swimming pool on the sixth floor open from 6am to 9pm and a well-equiped gym on the same floor open 24 hours. In the evening when we walked back to the hotel from Outram Station we found a street close to the hotel with lots of Chinese restaurants serving very reasonably priced food. we also passed a seven eleven near the hotel. Check out was also polite, fast and efficient. I would happily stay here again. The only downside is the 20 minute walk to the MRT.
Park Hotel Clarke Quay: Quite a central location.
We travelled to Singapore in October 2015 on a Cathy Pacific package. Our flight time was not very good. We left Hong Kong at 1.45am and arrived in Singapore around 5am. Obviously we could not check into the hotel at that time, so we did a bit of sightseeing. The official check in time for the hotel was 2pm, but we had requested an early check in, so we turned up around 1pm. To our disappointment no room was available unless we paid for an upgrade. We did not pay for an upgrade so we just sat in the lobby and waited. We got our room at exactly 2pm. To get to the hotel take the MRT to Clarke Quay Station, take the exit for Merchant Road, turn right on Merchant Road. At some point you will have to cross the Singapore River on one of the bridges. It is about a 10 minute walk to the hotel from the MRT. There is also a shuttle, but we did not use it. When the new Downtown MRT line is finished, Fort Canning will be a closer station. Our room looked over the city. Some rooms look over the river and swimming pool. The room was clean and comfortable. We were given 2 complimentary bottles of water. We had tea and coffee and a kettle. In the bathroom, we were provided with shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, soap, tooth brushes, cotton wool.The room had a safe, an iron, an ironing board and a hair dryer. We were perfectly happy with the room. We slept well every night. Our package did not come with free wifi, though some packages do. We got a code from reception to get free wifi at the pool and in reception. The signal was strong enough to still get it in our room on this code. I think as a hotel they should just include free wifi on all deals and that it is rather petty not to. Breakfast was included on our package and it was very good, though very busy. There were around four or five hot items, an egg making station, bread, cheese, cold meat, cakes, cereal, juices, water, tea and coffee. On our last day when we came to breakfast a bit later we had to queue. On the other days, we were seated straight away. I loved the hotel's pool and was delighted that it stayed open till 11pm. This meant we could be out all day and still manage to have a swim. The hotel has a restaurant downstairs and one by the pool. We did not use these. The hotel is right next to Robertson Quay which has lots of great restaurants. We ate there each night of our stay. The hotel was a good base for sightseeing. It was 10 minutes from the MTR, 1 minute from a bus stop and centrally located for sightseeing being on the Singapore River and next to Fort Canning Hill. It was also perfect for restaurants and bars. I would definitely stay here again. Address: On Unity Street.
Beautiful Pool.
View of Hotel.
Restaurants.
Singapore has many lovely places to eat. We ate in the ones below on our last visit.
Amber Nectar: Friendly Restuarant/Bar.
Our hotel was right next to Robertson Quay so we ate there a few times during our stay. There are three quays on the Singapore River: Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay. All three of them are lined with restaurants. Boat Quay and Clarke Quay are possibly more touristy than Robertson Quay, but Robertson Quay is bigger and has a wide selection of restaurants. Amber Nectar is located right up in the corner of Robertson Quay. It was a friendly place with good service and a strong wifi connection. During Happy Hour 330ml of beer was S$5++ here, which is not bad for Singapore. I had a very tasty chicken burger with fries here and my husband had a tasty bratwurst. We were happy with the food, drink and service here and would eat here again on future visits.
Amber Nectar.
Amber Nectar.
Lucca's Trattoria: Great place for a pizza.
Lucca's Trattoria is located in Robertson Quay which was quite close to our hotel. During Happy Hour a pint of lager here cost S$10 here. We ate the four cheeses pizza here and it was very good. We were served bread with oil and vinegar while we waited for the pizza. Service was pleasant, friendly and efficient. We would eat here again.
Lucca's Trattoria .
Lucca's Trattoria .
Lucca's Trattoria.
Transport.
Singapore has an excellent public transport system. I'll put some information about it below.
Changi Airport.
Singapore's Changi Airport is a large modern airport with plenty of facilities such as ATMs, shops and restaurants. The MRT can be accessed from Terminal 1 and 2. To get into town take the train from the airport to Tanah Merah then change trains. At Tanah Merah the line goes all the way to Joo Koon Station via such central stops as City Hall or Raffles Place. It is also possible to go to Pasir Ris in the other direction.
Changi Airport.
Changi Airport.
Changi Airport.
MRT Singapore: Mass Rapid Transit.
Singapore has great public transport which can get you to anywhere you want to go. We travelled around by MRT and bus. Public transport in Singapore is clean and safe and comfortable if you get a seat, though some services can be crowded. The MRT has 5 lines: Downtown, East West, North South, Circle and North East.
MRT Singapore: Mass Rapid Transit.
Singapore Tourist Pass.
We bought a three day tourist pass for ease of getting around. The Singapore Tourist Pass is a special ez-link card that offers tourists unlimited travel on Singapore's basic bus services, MRT and LRT trains for the duration that it is valid. When you buy the pass you must pay S$10 deposit which you will get back if you return the card within 5 days of purchase. A one day pass costs S$10 plus deposit, a two day pass costs S$16 plus deposit and a three day pass costs S$20 plus deposit. We bought our pass at the MRT in terminal two of the airport. You can also buy it at the following places: TransitLink Ticket Office Operational Hours Ang Mo Kio 08:00 am – 09:00 pm Daily; Bayfront Closed on Weekdays 12:00 pm – 03:45 pm 04:45 pm – 08:00 pm on Sat, Sun; Bugis 10:00 am – 09:00 pm Daily; City Hall 09:00 am – 09:00 pm Daily; Changi Airport 08:00 am – 04:00 pm; 05:00 pm – 09:00 pm Daily; Chinatown 08:00 am – 04:00 pm; 05:00 pm – 09:00 pm Daily; Farrer Park 12:00 pm – 03:45 pm; 04:45 pm – 07.30 pm Daily; Harbourfront 08:00 am – 04:00 pm; 05:00 pm – 09:00 pm Daily; Jurong East 12.00 pm – 03.45 pm; 04.45 pm – 7.30 pm Daily; Lavender 12.00 pm – 03.45 pm; 04.45 pm – 07.30 pm Daily; Orchard 08:00 am – 09:00 pm Daily; Raffles Place 08:00 am – 09:00 pm (Mon – Fri); 08:00 am – 05:00 pm (Sat);Closed on Sun; Somerset 10:00 am – 02:00 pm; 03:00 pm – 06:00 pm Daily; Woodlands 08:00 am – 09:00 pm Daily.
Singapore Tourist Pass.
MRT Etiquette.
Singapore is famous for having lots of rules and regulations and fines. I was quite amused by the MRT's campaign to ensure good behaviour on the trains. It featured nice quiet characters like Hush Hush Hannah, Stand Up Stacey who gives the needy her seat, Bags Down Benny who never puts his bags on a seat, Move in Martin who never blocks the door and Give Way Glenda who lets others on and off before her. We could do with a similar campaign here in Hong Kong.
MRT Etiquette.
MRT Etiquette.
MRT Etiquette.
MRT Etiquette.
MRT Etiquette.
Posted by irenevt 00:14 Archived in Singapore Comments (0)
