The oddity that stands in Esplanade Park is a Victorian fountain with elegant blue and white lobes. Tan Kim Seng, a Chinese philanthropist, built Singapore’s oldest fountain in 1882. This is known as the Tan Kim Seng Fountain. The 19th-century fountain Tan Kim Seng consists of three tiers and is decorated with figures including four … Read more
Little has been written about the late Lloyd Valberg, who contributed greatly to Singapore’s sporting history. Yip Tang was a high jumper in the 1948 Olympics, where he not only became Singapore’s first-ever Olympian but also led her to new heights by achieving records. Representing Singapore, he was told to organize a flag-raising ceremony by … Read more
Breathtaking Spiral Staircases Singapore It is hard to fathom how these Instagram-worthy shophouse spiral staircases have anything to do with Singapore’s early dealings with human waste management. Pre-cast concrete staircases became popular in the early 1920s for use at the back of shophouses. Night soil collection was an important task for households and residents living … Read more
Memories at Old Ford Factory Singapore The Old Ford Motor Factory (located at 351 Upper Bukit Timah Road) is an example of art deco architecture dating from 1941 in Singapore. It has been made into a mall with entertainment and shopping options. The site is the location where British forces officially surrendered to Japanese forces … Read more
The Origin of Stamford Arts Centre The narrow winding staircase and the walls inside were adorned with smaller objects, including a few necklaces. On the northern side of the building is a small wooden door giving access to the roof. It has rickety old stairs that will take you up to an observation platform on … Read more
Little Thailand Singapore, The Golden Mile Complex The unique stepped-terrace architecture makes the building a true standout in Singapore. The lively culture in the area and around the property demonstrates that an excursion to an ethnic enclave may be considered a day out of Singapore. The Golden Mile Complex, formerly known as the Woh Hup … Read more
The first rubber was introduced to Singapore in 1819 when it arrived from Indonesia. On June 11, 1877, a shipment of 22 rubber seedlings was made from England’s Kew Gardens, one of the world’s greatest botanical gardens, to the Malay Peninsula. This was Singapore’s first known attempt to cultivate rubber. The Singapore Botanical Gardens, under … Read more
Dragons’ origins are uncertain, but they first appeared in our public housing world in the early 1970s – in the form of monuments and fountains, for example. The first dragons were created in HDB flats built in the 1970s and 1980s. They spiced up an otherwise drab estate with personalities ranging from the magnificent to … Read more
The Primary Boyanese Race Other than the four primary races of Singapore, Boyanese people are also recognized as a different race. The people of Singapore are descended from immigrants from Pulau Bawean, an Indonesian island 120 kilometres to the north. The Boyanese people’s name is sometimes mistaken for a mispronunciation of Baweanese, which originated as … Read more
Hop on a bumboat with the Singapore River Cruise Singapore is a country with limited road infrastructure and no extensive rail network. Singapore’s public transportation is primarily based on land. The bus, train, and taxi are the three primary modes of transportation in Singapore. Boats and river transport were important for the transportation of goods … Read more