Singapore: World City. Kim Inglis
One of the performers at the 2008 "The Dancing Sky" performance at the National Museum.
An intimate outdoor stage at Esplanade—Theatres by the Bay hosts an evening concert.
The stunning blue facade of the Baba House, a traditional Peranakan pre-war terrace house turned museum. Formerly owned by shipping tycoon, Wee Bin, it was probably built in the 1860s. Today, it is owned and managed by Wee Lin, a sixth-generation descendent of Wee Bin, and contains furniture, mementoes and memories of a typical wealthy Peranakan household.
Cases in point include the Asian Civilisations Museum, the Peranakan Museum, the Baba House and the Chinatown Heritage Centre: each offers more than an adequate glimpse of a particularly Singaporean experience as well as South East Asian and Asian artifacts and culture. Local and other history is on display at the "people’s museum" or the National Museum of Singapore, while experiences of Singaporeans during World War II are adeptly recreated at Fort Siloso, the Memories at Old Ford Factory sited in the building where the British army surrendered to Japanese forces and Reflections at Bukit Chandu, housed in a restored black-and-white colonial bungalow amidst the lush surrounds of Bukit Chandu (Opium Hill), close to where the legendary Battle of Pasir Panjang was fought. High on atmosphere, and often high-tech as well, there is much to be learned and enjoyed at these venues.
A colourful poster for a W!LD RICE production—an imaginative local spin on the world’s favourite fairytale.
SINGAPORE CINEMA
Some argue that Singapore’s film-making heyday occurred during the 1950s and ’60s, but in the last decade homegrown cinema has experienced a renaissance of sorts with offerings that are considerably more profound and professional than Singapore’s television industry. Local directors such as Eric Khoo, Jack Neo, Royston Tan, Kelvin Tong and Anthony Chen represent a younger generation that is making waves both internationally in film festivals and in cinemas at home.
Khoo’s 12 Storeys, Mee Pok Man and Be with Me are accurate portrayals of Singaporean life in its "heartlands", while Jack Neo is well known for commercially successful satirical works, such as I Not Stupid and I Not Stupid Too. More recently, in May 2013, film-maker Anthony Chen became the first Singaporean to win the prestigious Camera d’Or prize for "Best First Feature Film" at the Cannes Film Festival. His movie, Ilo Ilo, tells a domestic story of a family and their new maid.
Whether visitors can catch any of these movies while they are in Singapore really depends on luck and timing, but April sees the Singapore International Film Festival, a month-long event that was launched in 1987. In addition to a varied itinerary of international and local films, there are seminars, workshops and exhibitions on film-making. It is also worth checking local listings for other 2-week film festivals of European cinema—Italian, French and so on.
FOOD IN SINGAPORE
THE NATIONAL OBSESSION
Dishes from all corners of the globe: Chicken satay on wooden skewers. Thick noodles with prawn. Laksa, a spicy noodle dish. Sushi. Hamburger. Egg fried rice.
In the same manner that the English obsess about the weather, Singaporeans obsess about food. They are extremely knowledgeable and critical about their various food options—and even greet each other with the phrase "Have you taken your lunch yet?" as opposed to "Good day" or "Good morning". As is to be expected, every imaginable dish within every imaginable price range is available in a variety of eateries around the island.
Singapore’s history is to be found in its hawker centres and food courts, unpretentious eating areas where a variety of stall owners cook and sell fresh food on the spot. Every single type of multi-ethnic cuisine is available in these establishments with individual stallholders often third or fourth generation family businesses. Large plastic tables and chairs occupy the centre of the space, while a variety of kitchens ring the perimeter. Hawker centres tend to be semi outdoor; food centres will be in the basement of shopping centres. You base your party at a table, then wander at will ordering a selection of dishes that are cooked fresh and brought to your table. High standards of hygiene, uniformly excellent food, and very reasonable prices are the hallmark of these traditional eating centres.
Another traditional eatery is the kopitiam or coffee shop taken from the Hokkien word tiam that translates as "shop". Typically family-run, you’re likely to find marble-topped tables, bentwood chairs and a bustling atmosphere in these shopfront affairs. Manned by an "auntie" or an "uncle" and also usually family run, they are one of the mainstays of Singaporean dining.
In addition to these popular joints, there are any number of restaurants, both indoor and outdoor, selling every possible cuisine and suiting every pocket. As is to be expected, local specialties include a variety of Chinese cuisines, north and south Indian dishes, Malay and Indonesian staples, and the unique flavours of Peranakan or Straits Chinese home cooking. In addition, there is any number of other South East Asian restaurants—Laos noodle joints, Vietnamese and Thai restaurants, Korean barbecues, Japanese kaiseki and sushi—even places that specialize in the cuisines of Cambodia and Myanmar. Furthermore, international and fusion fare is represented by a seemingly endless number of chefs who have set up restaurants serving French, Italian, Greek, Australian, Californian dishes, and more.
Even though the Geylang area is mainly known for its brothels and girlie bars, it also has a glorious food culture. One of the oldest Malay enclaves in Singapore, its lorongs or small side streets are home to numerous eateries, coffee shops and makeshift stalls. It also has a lively "old Singapore" atmosphere.
Hainanese chicken rice set with a side dish of baby kailan, a crunchy local vegetable.
A richly ornate lantern hangs above a table setting at the True Blue restaurant, a Peranakan establishment adjacent the Peranakan museum. Decor, food and displays form a good introduction to this unique culture.
A variety of different satay grilled over charcoal and served with peanut sauce and fresh cucumber and onion slices.
Chilli crab is much loved by Singaporeans: usually mud crabs are chosen and stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and savoury tomato and chilli based sauce.
Zongzi or sticky rice dumplings are made from glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo, reed, or other flat leaves. Steamed or boiled, they are often eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival.
An atmospheric, lively pub and restaurant in Emerald Hill, an area of conserved shophouses off Orchard Road.
The high-end gourmet scene is thriving, especially in the top five-star hotels, and Singapore is known for its World Gourmet Summit and International Food Festival when visiting chefs cook up a storm with accompanying fine wines and cognacs. But for a more local flavour, nothing beats hawker-style Chinese, Indian, Malay and Peranakan dishes and some of the homegrown specialties