My Singapore Fling! Cocktails in the Sky & Street Food on the Ground: A Photo Diary
Chilli Crab
My Singapore Fling!
Cocktails in the Sky & Street Food on the Ground:
A Photo Diary
Little India in Singapore
Welcome to my first “Singapore Fling” post, a photo diary teaser to whet your appetite, and dazzle your senses……a veritable treasure trove of fine dining and cocktails, spice and champagne, flowers and fruit, museums and massages as well as a multitude of other wonderful experiences.
I will be sharing several bespoke posts over the next few weeks covering my fabulous Singapore Airlines flights to and from Singapore, in Business Class, as well as my excursions and adventures in Singapore itself…….the people I met and the places I visited will stay with me for years. This dynamic city nation still manages to retain its colonial history as well as embrace modernity through “fusion architecture” and sensitive restoration. The country is vibrant and exciting with a food culture that is based on heritage and the diverse culture that is Singapore. I sipped and tasted my way through centuries of traditional food, as well as enjoying modern Singaporean cuisine of the highest calibre…..there is something to suit all tastes, from bowls of street food laksa to high-end fusion dining in the clouds above the city…….expect the unexpected when you visit this vibrant country, and for now, sit back and enjoy my photo diary. Karen
My esteemed and fun “blogger” travelling companions on this trip were:
FACT FILE:
One of the more remarkable aspects of Singapore is the truly cosmopolitan nature of her population, a natural result of the country’s geographical position and commercial success. Established by Thomas Stamford Raffles as a trading post on 29 January 1819, the small sea town of Singapore soon attracted migrants and merchants from China, the Indian sub-continent, Indonesia, the Malay Peninsula and the Middle East.
Drawn by the lure of better prospects, the immigrants brought with them their own culture, languages, customs and festivals. Intermarriage and integration helped knit these diverse influences into the fabric of Singapore’s multi-faceted society, giving it a vibrant and diverse cultural heritage. By the end of the 19th century, Singapore had become one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Asia, with major ethnic groups in the country being the Chinese, Malays, Indians, and Eurasians.
Today, the ethnic Chinese form 74.2% of the Singaporean population, with the country’s original inhabitants, the Malays, comprising 13.3%. The Indians make up 9.2%, and Eurasians and Asians of different origins making up a combined 3.3%. Singapore is also home to many expatriates coming from countries as diverse as North America, Australia, Europe, China, Japan and India.
As a reflection of its collage of cultures, Singapore has adopted one representative language for each of the four major ethnic or ‘racial’ groups. The four official languages in Singapore’s constitution are English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Although Malay is the national language, English is the common language used for business, government and medium of instruction in schools.
The presence of other languages, especially the varieties of Malay and the Chinese dialects, has obviously had an influence on the type of English that is used in Singapore. The influence is especially apparent in informal English, an English-based creole that is commonly known as Singlish. A badge of identity for many Singaporeans, it represents a hybrid form of the language that includes words from Malay, as well as Chinese and Indian languages.
Almost everyone in Singapore speaks more than one language, with some speaking as many as three or four. Most children grow up bilingual from infancy, learning other languages as they become older. With the majority of the literate population bilingual, English and Mandarin are the most commonly used languages in daily life. While English is the main language taught in schools, children also learn their mother tongues to ensure that they stay in touch with their traditional roots.
For the Chinese majority, Mandarin is the main language instead of dialects like Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hakka, Hainanese and Foochow. Mandarin became the second most commonly spoken language among the Singaporean Chinese after the start of the Speak Mandarin campaign during 1980 that targeted the Chinese. In 1990s, efforts were undertaken to target the English-educated Chinese.
Explore the various cultural precincts and religious landmarks around the island and get acquainted with Singapore’s multicultural society. Whether you join a tour or discover your own Singapore, you’ll be sure to catch a glimpse of the impressive history, cultural diversity and lifestyles of Singaporeans during your visit to our city-state.
My Singapore Fling!
The Singapore Airlines Experience:
Traditional Chinese Dining at its Best at Ju Chun Yuan Restaurant:
Chinatown in Singapore:
Peranakan Cuisine at Candlenut Kitchen:
Gardens by the Bay:
Singapore Sling at The Long Bar, Raffles Hotel:
Singapore Airlines Training Centre and Singapore Girls:
Dinner at Ku de Ta:
The Singapore Airlines Experience with Book the Cook to London:
Please pop back in a week or so for my first article – The Singapore Airlines Travel Experience.
Disclaimer: This was a press trip I attended and all flights, travel, excursions, hotel accommodation and meals were paid for by several agencies and organisations. All views and opinions expressed in these “Singapore Fling” articles are my own and I am not representing the views of any of the organisations that sponsored my trip.
Marina Bay Sands
Credit: Singapore Airlines flies four times daily from London Heathrow and daily from Manchester to Singapore. See singaporeair.com for the latest offers and to book. For visitors travelling to destinations beyond Singapore, include a Stopover Holiday when booking your Singapore Airlines flights to save money on accommodation and admission to over 15 popular attractions. Rates start from just £19 pppn, offering total savings over £220. Facebook.com/SingaporeAir
For more information on Singapore, please visit the Singapore Tourism Bureau website at YourSingapore.com or Facebook.com/YourSingapore.
