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.
Dom says
Wow!! Another incredible journey Karen. It all looks so colourful and how incredibly fortunate to travel there in such style. I was in Singapore a few years ago for work and remember how incredibly lively it was. I’m looking forward to some more amazing pictures xx
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Dom! I hadn’t been in Singapore for about 15 to 20 years, too long, and I was amazed at how much it had changed on one hand, and yet it still retains so much of its past too…..a wonderful place to visit and with an amazing food culture too! Karen
London Unattached says
Looks like an amazing trip! It’s lovely to revisit places you know from your childhood isn’t it? Malaysia is on my bucket list for just the same reason
Karen Burns-Booth says
It was an amazing trip Fiona and it was great to revisit old haunts, though much changed. Penang and Malaysia is also on my bucket list too, as well as Hong Kong, where I lived for about 12 years. Karen
Becs @ Lay the table says
I do love reading your blog. What an exciting trip ! Would love to travel business class – sadly don’t think my budget will ever stretch to that. Love the new website refresh, looks gorgeous 🙂
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Becs! It was a great trip and thank goodness someone else picked up the business class fare for me! Glad you like my new look, I changed it about 3 months ago now!
Liz Thomas says
Wow, you are getting around these days!
Know lots of people who worked on the construction of Marina Bay Sands! Seconded from Sands and Venetian in Maca. I haven’t been there in a few years either but I’ve always liked the city, expensive these days though. Love reading all this fun you’ve been havin!
cheers!
Liz
1
Karen Burns-Booth says
I am getting around Liz! 🙂 So close to you and yet so far……
Thanks for your lovely comments and I was fascinated to read that you know lots of people who built the amazing Marina Bay Sands too!
Karen
What Kate Baked says
What a fantastic few adventures you’ve enjoyed recently Karen! I loved my shirt visit to Singapore several years ago, the highlight of which was definitely a night at Raffles!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Kate! I loved my visit to Singapore, it is an intriguing and fascinating place and I enjoyed every single minute I was there! Karen
Janice says
What an amazing experience, everything is so colourful. looking forward to hearing more about it.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Can’t wait to catch up with you Janice! 🙂
Glamorous Glutton says
An amazing trip, you’ve got some fab photos and I’m sure some fabulous experiences. I’m so looking forward to hearing all about it. GG
Karen Burns-Booth says
It was amazing thanks GG! We will catch up avec vin soon! 😉 Karen
Choclette says
I know very little about Singapore, so this was interesting to read. It all looks incredibly glamorous, including you. What a fabulous experience, especially travelling in such style – must make a huge difference.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Travelling business class made a huge difference Choclette and I’m so pleased you found my “teaser” post so interesting too! Karen
Tina @ The Spicy Pear says
Oh wow, what a fab time you have had in Singapore. I loved reading your post and looking through all the wonderful pics.
Made me nostalgic about my honeymoon., as we went to Singapore Malaysia and Maldives and visited most of the places in Singapore you have mentioned above, including a wonderful stay in the Raffles, where they really looked after us. I love the colonial look of that hotel and the melange of cultures in one city. Singapore airlines are my favourite choice of airlines. We went to Vietnam with them last year and it made the entire vacation pleasurable from start to finish.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Tina! Singapore Airlines was always my parent’s airline of choice when we lived in Hong Kong – as you say, the excellent service on board adds to the holiday experience in a very positive way! What a fabulous honeymoon you must have had……..and a stay in Raffles Hotel must have been very special indeed. Karen
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
I had a very short trip to Singapore a few year back and it was much, much too short. I loved it and getting lost in the food courts were my favourite things. I sooooo need to go back.
Karen Burns-Booth says
I loved the street food and chow courts too Bintu as well as sipping cocktails in the sky!!!
charleneflash says
Looks like you had a fabulous time – loving all your pictures x
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Charlene! Karen
Lil says
This looks absolutely amazing! Last time I travelled the food on the flight was so bad – all wrapped in foil and plastic, but this looks like a treat! Looking forward to hearing more 🙂
Karen Burns-Booth says
Aww! 🙁 What a shame Lil! Two people in the party we were travelling with were in economy and they were very happy with their meals, and they got a choice too! And, I was lucky enough to visit the catering centre where all the meals are prepared and I have to say I was VERY impressed with the quality control and preparation there, it was faultless in so many areas.I think that the food has to be wrapped in plastic or foil, but I know the staff are trained to take the foil etc off before serving, so maybe it was a one off glitch?