Welcome!
Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid, national flower of Singapore
I enjoy seeing the different countries my readers are from. I average around 20 different countries every day.
Cool!
Many times a country will pop up, and I know very little about it. My curiosity peaks, and I must research!
This usually results in a blog about that country, such as Luxembourg or Brunei.
Lately there’s been a plethora of hits from Singapore.
Gardens by the Bay, Singapore; Pinterest
I know very little about Singapore, so let’s explore together and see what we discover!
2016 Miss Universe contest, Miss Singapore National costume
So, is Singapore a city, or is it a country?
It’s actually one of only three in the world that is called a city-country. The other two are Monaco and the Vatican City.
And it’s not just one island, but a group of 64 islands.
Or are those islets?
Fun Fact: a significant portion of Singapore’s land mass has been reclaimed from the sea!
Singapore started out as a port for pirates and fishermen. At different times, different countries would take the port over and declare themselves the owner, until the next siege.
In 1965 it became fully independent.
Singapore national flag
Fun Fact: the 5 stars in the flag stand for
1. Democracy
2. Peace
3. Progress
4. Justice
5. Equality
Because of the different conquering factions, Singapore developed into a melting pot of 3 major groups of people: Chinese, Malaysians and Indians.
It is an unusual country in that it has
four official languages!
Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English.
Little India, Singapore
But that’s not all!
Within those 4 languages there are many more dialects, and none of them really understand each other!
So you end up with a very divided country with distinct areas sectioned off by language, culture and customs.
Fortunately, most citizens do speak a common language - English.
Chinese Gardens, Singapore; Pinterest
When people talk about Singapore they are generally referring to the main City, not all the little islands.
Singapore is less than 1 hour’s drive from end to end. It is one of the busiest ports in the world!
2/3 of the main island is less than 50 feet above sea level.
Creative Market, Pinterest
Singapore is 85 miles North of the Equator. This makes the temperature 77’ to 95’ every day. Sounds great until you realize it rains about 95” every year!
We’re talking humid.
However they have no earthquakes, no volcano eruptions, no typhoons and no sandstorms.
Even the tap water is safe!
Do not visit if you have a fear of crowds. Tucked into that small space are approximately 6,158,000 people.
Traditional costume of Singapore
Singaporeans have a high average life expectancy. Their population growth is one of the lowest in SouthEast Asia, with a very low birth rate.
It is often ranked as one of the least corrupt countries in the world.
“Low crime doesn’t mean no crime.”
- popular slogan
They have a rigid public morality that focuses on personal appearance and cleanliness; political loyalty and family planning. Education is highly valued.
But
don’t chew gum. It’s against the law!
Don’t even think of smuggling drugs. If you are caught you will get the death penalty.
Oh, and don’t feed the pigeons either. You will get slapped with a $10,000 fine.
Blue Crowned Pigeon, Jurong Bird Park, Singapore
Fun Fact: Singaporeans walk the fastest on the planet. (Research by the British Council)
Although Singapore has few natural resources, tourism is on the rise. Singapore is also a major exporter of orchids and aquarium fish.
Kids activity
Why plan a trip to Singapore?
I found it amazing at all the things to see and do squished into such a small city-country.
One of the ‘names’ it has been given is
‘Garden City’.
Miss Singapore National costume, 2013
Gardens By The Bay has stunning views both daytime and nighttime:
Gardens By The Bay
The Singapore Botanical Gardens is another gorgeous place to visit - and entry is free!
Singapore Botanical Gardens; TripAdvisor
Fun Fact: most of the original plants and animal life on Singapore are gone.
A visit to the Jurong Bird Park is a must. Within its 8 aviaries are 3,500 birds representing over 400 avian species.
Working in Singapore can be difficult. There is a high level of competition, which causes the workplace to be very stressful.
You can expect overtime work, and delayed promotions, which in turn causes delayed career progression. The cost of housing and a car are sky-high.
This stressful lifestyle leads to addictions of gambling, smoking, drinking and phone use. (You know the people - the ones who cannot put their phones down, ever.)
A return to traditional crafts of Singapore has brought with it personal satisfaction and a calmer lifestyle. Let’s explore a few.
Rattan Weaving
Rattan Weaving is an ancient craft that can be traced back to Ancient Egypt. It uses the thin stems from a certain palm that grows throughout Southeast Asia.
Unknown, Pinterest
Rattan weaving is a very slow, labor-intensive process. An apprentice takes 3-4 years before becoming a master. Even then it takes years to perfect the intricate weavings.
The Art Deco period saw a revival in the craft, and then again in the 1970’s. This lasted until the 1990’s when heavier furniture became the vogue.
When so many were stuck at home during the Covid time of quarantines, a renewed interest in traditional crafts was aroused. Hopefully rattan weaving will make a comeback with a new generation of craftsmen, along with other crafts.
This weaving is done with paper:
Peranakan Craft
Peranakan is a craft that includes batik, embroidery and beading. Chinese women, known as nyonya, brought the craft with them as immigrants. The addition of batik (a way of dying fabric) makes the Peranakan uniquely Singaporean.
Each individual bead is picked up and hand sewn on. It is a craft that is passed down from generation to generation and is similar to Chinese embroidery.
Here is a slipper pattern for you to try your hand at it!
Ceramics/Pottery
Making pottery is very popular in Singapore with many individually owned ceramic studios throughout the city.
This craft has been around for a very long time. Archeological digs on Singapore have found pottery shards from as far back as 1271. There have been both Chinese pottery and Javanese ceramics found.
Traditional nyonya Kueh
Kueh-making is a food art brought over from China by the nyonya (see above description). It is the art of making bite-size snacks or confections.
You can find Kueh in Southeast Asia, China and Taiwan also.
Sultan Mosque in Singapore
Well over 70% of the population are ethnic Chinese. They have brought with them many Chinese traditions, such as entertainment, foods and folk art.
Chinese Opera
Ding Xiaojun “Xie Yachuan”, Pinterest
Chinese Opera; EasyTourChina
Paper Cuts
Paper cuts decorating windows
Decorations for one of the many Chinese festivals celebrated.
There are many more fun things to see, to eat and to do in Singapore but I hope I have given you a small slice of the city-country and its people.
Peranakan decorated houses
Indoors waterfall, Singapore
‘Til next time,
inkspired
A few of the sites I visited for this blog, in no particular order:
Britannica.com
lonelyplanet.com
Holidify.com
Gov.sg
Wikipedia
www.quora.com
pratulv.com
goldthread2.com
entiretravel.com.au
Singaporevisa.ae
harpersbazaar.com
silverkris.com
acsforum.org
nac.gov.sg
bonappetour.com
Wordpress.com
Pinterest
awasingapore.org
thefamouspeople.com
countrylicious.com
…and a few more I forgot to jot down!
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