Singapore: Worth the Jet Lag

One morning a couple of weeks ago I walked into Don’s “office” and asked what he was up to. He said he had just found an inexpensive flight to Singapore.

The catch? We would have more travel time there and back than time on the ground. Still, it sounded like fun. So we booked our flights and hotel, then eagerly awaited our overseas trip.

To fill my time between booking and travel, I started learning about Singapore. I was aware I knew next to nothing about Singapore, but when I started my research I realized I knew even less than I thought. I understood Singapore to be an island city-state. But I also thought Hong Kong was, too (it’s not). I had both Singapore and Hong Kong located at the same spot along the Chinese coast. Only Hong Kong is there. Singapore is an island at the southern end of the Malay Penisula, near Indonesia. I found an interesting historical fiction book about the area: “The Great Reclamation” by Rachel Heng; started reading and kept learning.

The book is set in a small fishing village and takes the reader through the years between the two world wars and up through their independence from Britain. The book hints at the growing population, but Singapore’s growth is mind boggling – especially in the last several decades.

When Britain began colonizing the island as a trading settlement in 1819 there were approximately 1,000 people living on the island that is one-fourth the size of Rhode Island – the smallest US state. At the turn of the century, 80 years later after burning and cultivating the land, it was up to 250,000 and by 1950 ~1 million. In 1970 the population had doubled to 2 million and by 2000 it had doubled again. Today the population of Singapore is around 6 million. The huge population growth is in part related to the massive land reclamation undertaken primarily after their independence in 1965 through the 1990s. Field of Dreams -esque “If you build it, they will come.”

The leader during this time (1959 -1990) was Lee Kuan Yew. As prime minister he guided Singapore through its rapid transformation from a resource-deficient post-colonial port into a global financial hub.

We took a tour in the Singapore River in a recreated bumboat. The difference in the skyline between this 1920’s version (above) and a century later (below) is stark. What I find hardest to believe is that these skyscrapers are built on reclaimed land.

Our first outing of the trip was to the 150 year old Singapore Botanical Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The three areas we explored were the rainforest, orchid and ginger gardens.

The rainforest included in the garden part of the original tropical lowland forest that once spread across the entire island. Much of the original forest was cleared for agriculture after colonization by the British in 1819. Most of the remaining tropical lowland forest was used for commercial and residential construction leaving only 0.2% of Singapore’s total land area or 1/2 of a square mile of rainforest.

As you might imagine, the Orchid Garden was spectacular. I learned a few things, too. Vanilla bean is from an orchid. Didn’t know that. I also learned that the lady slipper is an orchid. We had lady slippers in the woods behind our house in Maine. I never imagined that orchids could survive in that harsh winter weather. Come to find out – orchids are on every planet except Antarctic!

The next stop was the Ginger Garden. Smaller than the Orchid Garden, but just as pretty and interesting. I learned that turmeric is in the same family as ginger.

After a gorgeous meal at Candlenut, a Michelin starred Peranakan restaurant set in former British barracks, I wandered around Chinatown while Don battled jet lag. If you’re curious, Peranakan is the term for the mixed culture created when early foreign immigrants, mainly Chinese, immigrated to the Malay peninsula and married local people.

Singapore’s Chinatown was established in 1822, when Sir Stanford Raffles drew up a plan that divided the town into ethnic districts. An area near the Singapore River was designated for the Chinese community, whose numbers were already increasing as immigrants arrived to work and trade. What’s surprising to me is that the trading settlement had only been founded three years prior. How did word of the new community get from country to country so quickly back in the early 1800s?

Ironically, one of Chinatown’s most recognized landmarks is surprisingly new. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple opened in 2007 – over two centuries after Chinatown was established.

I noticed an interesting sculpture on the way back to the hotel. I’ve learned that the artwork is meant to represent the energy, movement, ambition and diversity of city life. The brightly colored people who make up the ascending spiral suggests progress and upward momentum. Quite fitting surrounded by Singapore’s skyscrapers and financial institutions.

After our first full day of sightseeing, our evening was spent at the Raffles Hotel. First at the Long Bar, home of the Singapore Sling, and then at the Tiffin Room where we enjoyed a fabulous northern Indian dinner.

On the way back to our hotel we passed the Civilian War Memorial against the backdrop of skyscrapers and the starry sky. The four white pillars represent the four major ethnic communities in Singapore – Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian – united in their shared suffering under Japanese occupation of Singapore during World War II.

The next morning we were up bright and early – a jet lag effect. We toured Little India before most of the shops were open. A lot of street art, some of which depict traditional jobs, others- a bit of whimsy.

Our last big activity of the trip was a visit to the Gardens by the Bay. It seems odd to be so garden heavy on such a short trip, but I do not regret it. These gardens were different from, but just as gorgeous as the UNESCO site.

A few photos from The Flower Dome:

The Lilytopia exhibit within the Flower Dome celebrates 60 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Egypt.

Our next stop in the Garden by the Bay was the Cloud Forest conservatory – a dome which replicates the atmosphere of tropical mountain regions from 3,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level. We were met by a 115 foot waterfall and thousands of different plants ensconced with a limited time Jurassic World: The Experience theme.

And last, but not least, was our final stop at Gardens by the Bay: The Supertree Grove. The stand is created by a dozen metal structures using over one hundred thousand plants including orchids, ferns, bromeliads and other tropical flowering plants that can survive living vertical in Singapore’s tropical climate. The trees’ “bark” looks muddled, but cohesive from a distance. Close up, the individual plants take shape. Some of these structure soar as high as 16 stories and some contain solar panels which provide power to illuminate the trees at night- but all are a sight to behold!

As I reflect back on my time in Singapore, my biggest takeaway is the beauty of the city. The old colonial architecture mixed in with contemporary skyscrapers; the gorgeous public parks and gardens (I’ve heard the zoo is incredible, too); and the picturesque waterfront that we saw on our Bumboat tour down the Singapore River.

But my biggest surprise was Singapore’s short history. They were first colonized in 1819, over 300 years later than the Americas. After World War II Britain began loosening their hold on their protectorates – Singapore being one of them. In 1963 Singapore joined as part of Malaysia, but promptly got kicked out in 1965, because the island was thought to be a drag on the new nation’s economy.

It was after their abandonment that this small island nation without any natural resources began their push to became a financial powerhouse. They loosened laws and lowered tax rates so businesses would find a welcoming home. They used their time zone to be a bridge between the American and Asian financial markets. And finally, they went back to their roots and used their location to be a major trading port. And all of this was accomplished in the last sixty-one years!

I would add that while they created a city which is inviting to business, Singapore is welcoming to visitors as well. The first stop, immigration, is quick and efficient. And, yes, you can bring your personal chewing gum with you; it’s illegal to import, distribute and litter the gum, but legal to chew it. Once you leave the airport the road is lined with flowering shrubs. We were lucky and got a sunset, too!

The Changi airport gives a great impression on the back end of a vacation, too. There are several impressive art and botanical installations, but the most noticeable aspect of the airport are the plethora of duty-free shops. I guess when every destination from the airport is international, there are a huge percentage of travelers who are potential duty-free shoppers.

I hope you enjoyed this photo tour of my two days in Singapore. As always, thanks for reading! 💕