"There's nothing to do in Singapore but shop, eat or watch a movie," is the common refrain.
Well, that's simply not true.
Wednesday, February 23. 2011
Singapore: The Republic of Nothing to Do?
At only 680 sq km, Singapore may be an urban jungle where 80% of our five million people live in towering high-rise flats. And with the buses and MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) trains filled almost to bursting most of the time, it can sometimes feel as if you are struggling to breathe. But there are still plenty of ethnic enclaves, park connectors, cycling tracks, gardens, museums and isolated, quirky little pockets to explore. Whether it's the multiethnic eateries of Joo Chiat or the kite surfers and bladers of East Coast Park, they are all around.
On Sundays, Filipina domestic workers tend to congregate in Orchard Road, the main shopping belt. Thais favour Golden Mile Complex in Beach Road, while Myanmar nationals are known to gather at Peninsula Plaza. They have evidently taken up the shopping mall culture of Singaporeans, who tend to flock to the newest shopping mall, even if the selection of stores and F&B outlets is nothing new.
Being a cosmopolitan and multi-lingual lot, perhaps Singaporeans simply forget the centuries of history and tradition from which the island has emerged. From being a Siamese vassal state to more than a century of British colonial rule to almost 50 years of independence, the only constant in the Republic has been change. So we are constantly on the move. But it doesn't mean we can't slow down and appreciate what we have.
The Chinese New Year which has just passed is always a colourful time, when oranges, pussy willows and the colour red can be found everywhere. Another common sight this time round: rabbit-themed decor, given that this is the Year of the Rabbit, one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. I've even made it a game of spotting the strangest and most bizarre rabbits around town.
One place I've always liked is the Peranakan Museum, which showcases the best of Peranakan culture. Peranakans are the descendants of Chinese immigrants to the Straits of Malacca in the 15th and 16 centuries, whose culture is a unique amalgamation of Chinese and Malay customs. My favourite display at the museum - a full-scale mock up of a Peranakan funeral wake, complete with (real) coffin and recorded voices wailing in Malay.
But if you ever get bored of Singapore, you can always hop across the Causeway to the Malaysian city of Johor Bahru for er, more shopping and eating.
One favoured activity in JB: buying pirated DVDs, which are as cheap as RM10 (S$4.20). You can get crystal clear copies of movies such as the upcoming Never Let Me Go, which has not even been released in Singapore yet. It is illegal to bring them into Singapore and you can get hit with a stiff fine, but that doesn't stop many people from trying. Personally, I tend to favour the real thing.
Nothing to do in and around Singapore? I think not.
Want to know more about how 2011 turns out for me? Look for me on Twitter @incoherentboy
Nicholas Yong
On Sundays, Filipina domestic workers tend to congregate in Orchard Road, the main shopping belt. Thais favour Golden Mile Complex in Beach Road, while Myanmar nationals are known to gather at Peninsula Plaza. They have evidently taken up the shopping mall culture of Singaporeans, who tend to flock to the newest shopping mall, even if the selection of stores and F&B outlets is nothing new.
Being a cosmopolitan and multi-lingual lot, perhaps Singaporeans simply forget the centuries of history and tradition from which the island has emerged. From being a Siamese vassal state to more than a century of British colonial rule to almost 50 years of independence, the only constant in the Republic has been change. So we are constantly on the move. But it doesn't mean we can't slow down and appreciate what we have.
The Chinese New Year which has just passed is always a colourful time, when oranges, pussy willows and the colour red can be found everywhere. Another common sight this time round: rabbit-themed decor, given that this is the Year of the Rabbit, one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. I've even made it a game of spotting the strangest and most bizarre rabbits around town.
One place I've always liked is the Peranakan Museum, which showcases the best of Peranakan culture. Peranakans are the descendants of Chinese immigrants to the Straits of Malacca in the 15th and 16 centuries, whose culture is a unique amalgamation of Chinese and Malay customs. My favourite display at the museum - a full-scale mock up of a Peranakan funeral wake, complete with (real) coffin and recorded voices wailing in Malay.
But if you ever get bored of Singapore, you can always hop across the Causeway to the Malaysian city of Johor Bahru for er, more shopping and eating.
One favoured activity in JB: buying pirated DVDs, which are as cheap as RM10 (S$4.20). You can get crystal clear copies of movies such as the upcoming Never Let Me Go, which has not even been released in Singapore yet. It is illegal to bring them into Singapore and you can get hit with a stiff fine, but that doesn't stop many people from trying. Personally, I tend to favour the real thing.
Nothing to do in and around Singapore? I think not.
Want to know more about how 2011 turns out for me? Look for me on Twitter @incoherentboy
Nicholas Yong
The museum of Singapore History is in my opinion one of the best in world.