After eating so much good food, its time to do some exercise right ! Lets take a walk around Singapore to discover its rich heritage and culture. I would bring you through the famous cultural sites in Singapore.
First stop: Geylang Serai
Geylang Serai is the cultural heart of the Malay community in Singapore.
There is a cultural museum which features a fascinating collection of artifacts like weaving tools, musical instruments and an extensive display of a traditional Malay wedding complete with hand-sewn garments, accessories, and a Bridal Chamber.
The Malays are the native inhabitants of Singapore. After the British dispersed the Malay floating village at the mouth of the Singapore River in the 1840s, the Malays, together with the large influx of Malaysians and Indonesians, congregated in Geylang.
Feeling hungry again? Geylang Serai has one the the best food in Singapore, with over 20 different stalls and variety to choose from, one is spoilt for choice!
References: http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home/what_to_see/ethnic_quarters/geyland_serai.htm
Second Stop : Asian Civilisations Museum
Where Asian Cultures Come Alive!
It also has many artefacts from the 1980s such as trishaws , old newspapers and even the telephones which my grandma uses when she was young. This is indeed a very eyeopening place .
One of the current exhibitions is Neither East Nor West: Asians in Monochrome and the upcoming one are Fantastic Creatures! and The Kangxi Emperor. Check for more info on http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/exhibitions.asp?
Reference: http://www.acm.org.sg/home/home.asp
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Little India is the focal point of Singapore's Indian community. Its spice-scented streets beckon you to a cornucopia of ethnic jewellery, jasmine garlands and silk saris. From the large Tekka Centre and Little India Arcade to the small provision shops, Little India is packed with interesting things to discover!!
Getting There:Take the north east line to NE7, Little India station or take SBS Transit bus number 65 from Orchard Road, alight at Tekka Market along Serangoon Road.
What not to miss:
1) Traditional par
rot fortune tellers stationed by the five-foot way2) Henna tatto
Henna has been used for many centuries as part of the adornment of the body. Traditional henna are drawn in geometrical shape on hands, feet and face. But the modern patterning are more complex and beautiful on any parts of body. It is still used by the bride today.
Must try Indian delights:
• **“Teh Tarik”(hand pulled cup of tea) - an Indian specialty
• **Fish head Curry
• Dosa (fermented rice pancakes)
• Tandoori Chicken - semi-fried chicken delicacy marinated in yogurt and seasoned with tandoori masala
• **Nasi Briyani - Rice cooked in spices and meat
Where to find :
Name: Famous Briyani Hut
Address 1:50, Circular Road
Tel:5360293
Name: Bangles Tandoor
Address 1:5, Jalan Kledek Zip Code:199260
If you are interested in discovering more about Little India, there are a selection of walking trails to choose from, they are
Dhobis, Saris & a Spot of Curry
This walking tour is conducted by Journeys Pte Ltd
Every Wednesday, 9.30am- 12noon
Meeting place: Little India MRT Outside Exit E (Buffalo Road)
SGD 25 Adults, SGD 15 Children 12 years & below
For more details, visit http://www.singaporewalks.com or
call (65) 6224 0136.
Desire Paths
Little India audio tour
Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10.00 am - 4.30 pm
No. 65 Kerbau Road, Singapore 219188
SGD 15.00
For details, please call: (65) 6392 1772
After visitng Little India, you may wonder why some of the female Indians have a red spot (called pottu) on their forehead? The pottu signify that the woman was married and hence this help the single men to indicate which women were ELIGIBLE for marriage!!! This is similar to the western wedding ring!
Reference: http://www.visitsingapore.com/mysingapore/#Little%20India
10:52 PM
Hi everyone=)!!!! Thanks for checking out our blog!!! Today you’re in for a treat!!! I’ll be introducing some of the cultural hotspots that comprises of
In the past each race was grouped together and given a designated part of
The Malays were allocated Kampong Glam and Gelang Seri
Similarly little
Although today these places have cease to fulfill their purpose, as Singaporeans are no longer restricted to live by race, they are still conserved to look just like how they did in the good old days to serve as a reminder to future generations of the rich cultural history that this small but seemingly unique country we call HOME began with.
Without further ado, let’s start of with
Getting There:
A short walk from
MRT Route Map: http:
//www.lta.gov.sg/projects/proj_maps_rail_l.htm
What not to miss :
Houses what Buddhist leaders regard as the *Sacred Buddha Tooth Relic* in a magnificent Relic Stupa composed of 420kg of gold. This
Reference: http://www.btrts.org.sg/
Chinatown’s Night Market
Delight yourself with an array of traditional and modern merchandise ranging from street opera masks to handmade ornaments, traditional clothing to unique fashion accessories, you will be spoilt for choice with the eclectic mix of merchandise on offer. For those looking back to kick back and relax, there are also traditional and modern dance performances to entertain you in the evenings.
Reference: http://www.chinatown.org.sg/english/night_market.htm
Chinatown’s Food Street
Come savor some of
Must try Chinese dishes:
Char Kway Teow ( a noodle dish fried with fresh cockles)
Carrot Cake (a steamed savory radish cake fried with eggs and preserved vegetables)
Rojak (a refreshing local salad tossed with sweet sauced and peanuts)
Alrity.....That's all foR todaY's post, stick with us becuase i'll be posting facts on little india real soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!cya =)...........
Reference: http://visitsingapore.com
10:27 PM
Yummy yummy! Reading the previous entry on food, do they make you salivate?? Well, they certainly make me!
Today, we will be taking a trip back into the past and learn more about Singapore's history and heritage. Upon hearing the word “Singapore”, we naturally connect it with the famously known “Merlion”.
Let’s hear a short story regarding “Merlion”…
“In the 11th century A.D, Prince Sang Nila Utama of the Sri Vijaya Empire rediscovered Singapore. When he first landed on Singapore's shores, he saw a beast which he later learnt was a lion. The Prince then decided to name the island "Singapura" which in Sanskrit means Lion (Singa) City (Pura).”
The Merlion was designed as an emblem for the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in 1964 by Mr Fraser Brunner, a member of the souvenir committee and a curator of the Van Kleef Aquarium. It has a lion head and a fish body resting on a crest of waves.
The lion head symbolises the legend of the rediscovery of Singapura, as recorded in the "Malay Annals".
The fish tail symbolises the ancient city of Temasek (former name for Singapore) and represents Singapore's humble beginnings as a fishing village.
The Merlion statue is made of cement fondue and was built by the late Singapore craftsman, Mr Lim Nang Seng.
It was originally situated by the Esplanade Bridge and has been a symbol to welcome all visitors to Singapore. Now it sits at its new home, at the adjacent to One Fullerton, attracting more than 1 million visitors.
However, the story of Singapore doesn’t stop here and it will continue...
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Chilli Crab & Black Pepper Crab
Chilli Crab is a world-famous seafood dish that you can find in Singapore. It is
cooked in thick gravy with tomato chilli sauce base that give this dish a wonderful taste. Whereas Black Pepper Crab is stir-fried with black peppercorns until it becomes fragrant. It would taste better if it was deep fried in hot oil first. Usually, chilli crab is accompanied by mantou (Chinese bun) to help you to mopping up the sauce.Hainanese Chicken Rice
It is a ‘national dish’ of Singapore and you can find it in every coffee shop, h
otels or even in Singapore Airlines flights. It is a steamed chicken that is chopped into smaller pieces and placed on top of fragrant rice with thick black soy sauce and accompanied by a chili-lime sauce.Bak Kut Teh
It is a healthy Chinese soup that consists of pork ribs, herbs and spices like dang gui
which is served with rice, you tiao (Chinese fried dough fritters). You also can order the side dishes available like braised pork knuckle, pork liver and kidney.However, you may find that the taste is slightly different due to the different dialects in Singapore. Thus, there are different versions of bak kut teh, for example, the Teochews prefer a clear and aromatic broth that cooked with garlic, pepper and light soya sauce whereas the Hokkiens prefer a darker broth with strong herbs taste.
Char Kway Teow
It is literally a fried broad noodle which looks easy and simple to prepare but in fact
it requires a lot of skills to cook a tasty and perfect char kway teow. It is fried with prawns, eggs, bean sprouts, fishcake, cockles, lup choeng (Chinese sausage) and tossed in sweet dark soy sauce.Laksa
Laksa is a Peranakan spicy noodles soup with rice noodles, cockles, shrimps, egg and sliced fishcake. The most famous laksa in Singapore is the Katong laksa which can be found at Katong
(East Coast Road). It is unique because thick noodles are used instead of rice noodles, and the noodles are cut into shorter pieces and served with a spoon (not chopsticks).Carrot Cake
It is a steamed cake made of rice flour that stir-fried with salt-pickled radish, garlic,
and eggs. It has two type of versions, one is the dark versions that flavoured with sweet dark soy sauce, and the other version is white with no sauce but fried with extra eggs.Roti Prata
Roti means bread and prata means flat. It is tossed and pan-fried until golden
brown, then served plain or curry sauce or with a dash of sugar. There are also prata with sardines, eggs, onions and cheese. If you are wondering what to eat for your breakfast or dinner, roti prata would be a perfect choice and is best accompanied by a cup of ‘teh tarik’.Where can I find all these delicious food in Singapore?
- Food Republic @ Wisma Atria
Take train and alight at Orchard MRT station, then walk for about 5 minutes
- Food Street @ Chinatown
Take train and alight at Chinatown MRT station, then walk for about 5 minutes
- Lau Pat Sat (Old Market) Festival Market @ Boon Tat Street
Take train and alight at Raffles Place MRT station, then walk for about 10 minutes
- Maxwell Food Market @ Maxwell Road
Take train and alight at Chinatown or Tanjong Pagar MRT station, then walk for about 15 minutes
- Newton Food Centre @ Newton Circus
Take train and alight at Newton MRT station, it is located opposite the MRT station.
10:08 PM
Hey people ! Today I will be blogging about different cultural aspects of Singapore.
Have you ever wondered why there is no single race living in a Housing Development Board (HDB) flat?
This is due to the racial riots that scarred Singapore in the 1960s.
Therefore, the HDB has sought to bolster ethnic harmony within public housing estates by implementing a law that every estate must have a diverse mix of races.
Do you know that every 7th month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar is known as the Hungry Ghost Festival?
In Chinese Tradition, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in the lunar calendar is regarded as the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which ghost and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the underworld. During the Qingming Festival the living descendants pay respect to their ancestors and on Ghost Day, the deceased visit the living.
Reference: http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&rlz=1T4RNWE_en___SG255&q=ghost+festival+&btnG=Search+Images
However, have you ever wondered why the Chinese have to burn incense paper?
The main aspect of the Ghost Month is ancestor worship, where traditionally the filial piety of descendants extends to their ancestors even after their deaths. They pay respect to their ancestors by offerings such as food offerings, burning incense, and burning joss paper, and paper items made in the shape of clothes, gold and other fine goods. Meals would be served with empty seats for the deceased in the family as if they are still living.
Reference: http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4RNWE_en___SG255&q=incense%20paper&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi
I hope that you will look at the Chinese Culture from a different perspective. Catch us again next week for further updates on other Arts, Culture and Heritage.
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