Around the World in 106 Days with Ray & Claire!! Part 16a – Singapore

1. Around the World in 106 Days with Ray & Claire!! Part 16a – Singapore

2. Located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula on the Strait of Malacca, Singapore is a city state, island country, surrounded by several smaller islets

3. Singapore was founded when a prince from Sumatra landed on the island and saw a lion. He took it as a good omen and founded a city called Singa-pura, which means lion-city But when Sir Stamford Raffles landed on its shores, Singapore was only a small fishing village, with swamp and jungle

4. Seeing its potential, Sir Stamford Raffles signed a treaty with the Sultan of Johor on behalf of the British East India Company to develop the southern part of Singapore as a British trading post and settlement on 6 February 1819 In 1824 the British East India Company was given the island in return for a lump sum, and from then Singapore grew rapidly Singapore proved to be a prized settlement and Malays, Chinese, Indians and Arabs as well as the Europeans moved to live and work there and quickly the population rose to 10,000

5. When the Japanese conquered Malaysia in 1942, Singapore fell and they changed the name to Syonan, meaning the Light of the South Thousands of Chinese Singaporeans were executed

6. When the Second World War was finally over, British Forces returned to govern Singapore under the British Military Administration, but Singapore had changed and was slowly moving towards independence In March 1946, the British Military Administration ceased and Singapore became a Crown Colony The People's Action Party was formed in 1954 and Singapore’s first general election took place in May of 1959 and Lee Kuan Yew of the People’s Action Party became Prime Minister and the new constitution confirmed Singapore as a self governing state

8. In 1963 Singapore was incorporated into the Federation of Malaysia, but the union was short lived, and Singapore left in 1965 to became completely independent In 1990 Lee Kuan Yew resigned as Prime Minister and was replaced by GohChok Tong who introduced a more liberal regime

9. Today Singapore is a prosperous nation with a population of around 4.6 million. It’s the world's fourth leading financial centre and the port is one of the five busiest in the world

10. The river winds through the heart of the main city and is flanked by towering skyscrapers.

11. At the mouth of the River stands Singapore’s main symbol of tourism, the Merlion Water spouts from the mouth of this half lion-half fish monument that represents the nation’s roots as the "Lion City" with the fish representing its close ties to the sea

12. Heading inland towards the Boat Quay you will see the Fullerton Singapore Hotel This five star luxury Hotel at the mouth of the river was originally called The Fullerton Building and was named after Robert Fullerton who was the first Governor of the Straits Settlements

13. Boat Quay is a thriving strip of restored chop houses that have been converted into bars, shops and restaurants and on both banks of the river you will find life size bronze sculptures of people of the river

14. The Old Parliament House is Singapore’s oldest surviving government building and was initially built as a house for a Scottish Merchant. It was later leased it to the Government for them to use it as a Court House. When a new Parliament House was built, this old building was converted in to the Arts House

15. The Padang (or Square) was the official centre point for the government quarters, around which the Esplanade and City Hall were built. Due to its prime location it was regularly used by 19th century colonials as a site for big sporting events and today it holds national day parades, one day cricket matches, and two years ago it held the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics

16. The Victoria Theatre was built in 1862 by the British to showcase amateur dramatic productions and operettas. The Victoria Memorial Hall (renamed the Concert Hall) was added in 1905 to celebrate the Queens Jubilee and in 1980 became the home of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

17. St. Andrews Cathedral is the largest Cathedral in Singapore and named after the patron saint of Scotland, St. Andrew and is funded mostly by Singapore’s Scottish community

18. Esplanade Park is right in the heart of the business district and a popular outdoor relaxation area

19. The Old Supreme Court stands on the site of the old Hotel de L’Europe, which was a rival of the Raffles Hotel, until it went bankrupt in the 1930s. During the Japanese occupation, this was their Headquarters. It was also from here in 1945 that Lord Mountbatten accepted the Japanese surrender

20. In 2002 Esplanade Park was the centre of controversy when the “Esplanade – Theatres on the Park” were built. The huge spiked shells of the complex (which are said to have an appearance similar to a durian (a tropical fruit) or the eyes of a fly) contain an outdoor theatre, a recital studio, a performing arts library, shopping mall, as well as a Concert Hall and Theatre

21. The Old Raffles Hotel which was built in 1887 to accommodate the increasing upper-class trade, Raffles Hotel was originally only a couple of bungalows with 10 rooms – how different it is today!!

22. The owners (four Armenian brothers named Sarkies) added a pair of wings and completed the main building with reading rooms, verandas, dining rooms, a grand lobby, the Bar and Billiards Room, a ballroom, and a string of shops. • Come the 1920s, Raffles was the place to be seen and vacancies were unheard of

23. In 1987 the Government declared Raffles Hotel a National Monument and the start of a renovation project which cost around 160 million Singaporean Dollars

24. The National Museum of Singapore is the oldest museum of Singapore dating from 1823, when Raffles himself first suggested the idea of a museum for the Island

25. Chimes was once a convent founded by a Jesuit Priest in 1854 and run by nuns. When the convent moved out to the suburbs, the complex was developed for public use and now Chimes, is an elegant walled centre for shops, restaurants, bars and gallery spaces

29. Singapore’s cultural heart is Chinatown Chinatown Heritage Centre is a block of three old chop houses in the centre of the Chinatown heritage district that have been converted into a museum, to provide the visitor with vivid accounts of the story of the Chinese immigrants who came to Singapore to find work in the early days of the colony

30. Temple Street Pagoda Street

31. Although the area was predominantly Chinese, many Hindus and Muslims settled here, drawn by commerce Built in 1827, the Sri Mariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore

32. The Chinatown Complex is one of the most boisterous wet markets in the city Here you will find a variety of fresh produce from fruit and veg to seafood, and the most startling meat and fish – if you fancy freshly skinned frogs this is the place to head for!

33. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum (dedicated to the Maitreya Buddha, which means ‘The Compassionate One’ and also called ‘The Future Buddha’)

34. The Thian Hock Keng Temple which was built by Hokkien sailors on the site of a joss house It was the most important centre of worship for immigrants and where seafarers gave thanks for their safe passage to Singapore

35. Raffles Place is the heart of the financial city and has some of the tallest buildings and landmarks of the country ...and dotted around the area are a number of modern sculptures and bronze statues

36. This is the beautiful Leong San See Temple honouring the goddess of mercy and compassion

37. Inspired by a Thai monk called Vutt-hisa-sara, the temple is dominated by a bright 15 meter tall seated Buddha

38. In the beginning Orchard Road was just that, orchards and plantations, but soon it became an enclave where wealthy Europeans built their homes .......and then it became famous asthe Shopping Centre in Singapore

41. There are strict rules and regulations in Singapore and fines for everything *Being caught Jaywalking will cost you S$500 *Bringing in or having chewing gum is entirely forbidden in Singapore *Littering will cost you S$500. Being caught a second time could cost you S$2,000 and a Corrective Work Order

42. This is the site of one of Singaporesold railway stations that is soon to be turned into a museum Part of the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics venue “Gotham City”

43. Arab Street (in the area called The Heartlands)

45. I know – he never listens to me and he should NOT have worn shorts in a Mosque!

46. “That is very kind of you to invite us Faisal- but unfortunately we have a coach to catch”

47. Parts of the Singapore F1 Circuit

48. The Motorway towards Changi Airport

49. Changi Chapel & Museum