A good experience, though it is bigger than I had realised and also hotter.
Here are some impressions.
1) Key people in the history of Singapore.
Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles (1781-1826) was no ordinary colonial administrator. Born at sea off the coast of Jamaica to a financially struggling family, his formal education was cut short at 14. Yet, driven by ambition and an insatiable curiosity, he rose through the ranks of the British East India Company, leaving an indelible mark on Southeast Asia.
Raffles's career began in Penang in 1805, where his linguistic talents and keen interest in the local culture quickly set him apart. He immersed himself in the Malay language, history, and customs, a stark contrast to many of his contemporaries. This dedication earned him the trust of local rulers and the attention of Lord Minto, the Governor-General of India.
His most transformative period began in 1811 when the British invaded Java. Raffles, appointed Lieutenant-Governor, embarked on a series of radical reforms. He sought to dismantle the exploitative Dutch colonial system, aiming to improve the lives of the Javanese people. He introduced a land tenure system, reformed the judiciary, and even restricted the slave trade, a progressive stance for his time. Moreover, Raffles was a scholar at heart. During his time in Java, he tirelessly documented the island's rich history, culture, and natural history, culminating in his groundbreaking two-volume work, The History of Java (1817), which earned him a knighthood. He also oversaw surveys of significant archaeological sites like Borobudur and Prambanan, bringing them to wider attention.
When his wife, Olivia, died on 26 November 1814. Their children also died, as well as Raffles' mentor Lord Minto. Raffles was devastated.
Raffles' time in Java was relatively short-lived due to political pressures and his own ill health. Returning to London, he faced criticism from the East India Company's directors despite his intellectual and social successes. Yet, his vision for British influence in Southeast Asia remained undimmed.
In 1815, the Congress of Vienna at the end of the Napoleonic Wars restored Java to the Dutch.
In 1816, back in London, he was a social success, and published 'The History of Java'.
In 1817, he married his second wife, Sophia Hull. He was appointed 'Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen' on the west coast of Sumatra.
In 1819, Raffles orchestrated one of the most significant acts of his career: the founding of a new British trading post on a seemingly insignificant island at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula – Singapore. Recognizing its strategic location along vital trade routes, he negotiated a treaty with the local rulers, establishing Singapore as a free port. This decision defied Dutch claims and laid the foundation for Singapore's remarkable transformation into a global commercial hub. Raffles conceived a town plan that accommodated diverse ethnic communities and implemented policies that fostered trade and immigration. He also had a vision for education and cultural preservation, founding the Singapore Institution, which later became Raffles Institution. His commitment extended to the natural world, with him establishing Singapore's first botanical gardens in 1822. His passion for botany and zoology led to the discovery and documentation of numerous local species, including the giant Rafflesia flower.
Lee Kuan Yew (born Harry Lee Kuan Yew; 16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015), often referred to by his initials LKY, was a Singaporean statesman and barrister who was the first prime minister of Singapore from 1959 to 1990. A founding father of the modern Singaporean state, Lee's political leadership transformed post-independence Singapore into a highly developed country and one of the four Asian Tigers.
Born in Singapore during British colonial rule to a family of Chinese descent, Lee studied law in England at Cambridge University and was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1950. Shortly after, he returned to Singapore and practised law, founding the law firm Lee & Lee and acting for labour unions. In 1954, Lee co-founded the People's Action Party (PAP), which won significant support among the working class and trade unions in the lead up to the 1955 general election, securing him a seat in the Tanjong Pagar division and making him the de facto leader of the opposition. In 1959, Lee led the PAP to its first electoral victory, becoming Singapore's first prime minister. Seeking sovereignty from the British Empire, Lee led Singapore to a merger with Malaya along with Sarawak and Sabah, forming Malaysia in 1963. Racial strife and ideological differences later led to Singapore's expulsion from Malaysia and consequent independence in 1965.
Lee oversaw major economic reforms and urban development, instituting policies promoting meritocracy, multiracialism and anti-corruption. His administration, generally characterised as an illiberal democracy with nanny state tendencies, restricted press freedoms, public assembly, labour activism and civil liberties. From 1968 to 1981, Singapore was a de facto one-party state, with the PAP facing no opposition in Parliament. Although Lee maintained legal and institutional procedures that formally characterised Singapore as a democratic parliamentary republic, he employed defamation laws, detention without trial and social engineering to ensure continued electoral success.
In justifying his policies, Lee was a major proponent of Asian values, arguing that communitarianism and limited human rights were necessary for the social cohesion, political stability and rapid economic development of Singapore. Lee stepped down as Prime Minister in 1990 but continued to serve in the Cabinet as Senior Minister until 2004 and subsequently as Minister Mentor until his retirement in 2011. Throughout his political career, he remained an influential figure in shaping Singapore's domestic and foreign policies, at the same time serving as an advisor to foreign leaders as an elder statesman. Lee died of pneumonia on 23 March 2015 at the age of 91.
Within Singapore, Lee is widely regarded as instrumental in the development of Singapore's economy, bureaucracy, education system, foreign policy, public housing and healthcare, with the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore named after him.
Lee Kuan Yew: In His Own Words | The ideas, values and career of Singapore's first Prime Minister
2) Some travel tips.
The public transport is excellent and efficient. This is how we used it.
a) Get a Wise card, add Singapore dollars, and set it up in the Apple Wallet.
On approaching a MRT (Mass Rapid Transport) station, double click your iPhone and choose Wise. Let Face Recognition see your face. At the entry gate, tap your phone on the reading panel, and the gates open. Then tap again when you leave. Works for buses too.
3) It is expensive. The current rate of exchange with Australian dollars is about 1:1.2, such that AU$6 = about S$5. So add 20% to the cost you read on a price. In addition you get to pay 7% GST and often 10% service charge.
Cars are particularly expensive. As well as the cost of the car, it is necessary to also purchase a Certificate of Entitlement.
I asked ChatGPT what it would cost to get and register a 5 year-old Toyota Corolla in Singapore. The guess was AU$200,000!
We particularly enjoyed the Orchid Garden.
Water lily
5) We hired a guide for an evening. Interesting and worthwhile.
Among other things he took us to a lightshow.
6) The Oceanarium on Sentosa Island. Recently refurbished, and very impressive.
Clown fish
Lionfish
Moorish Idols
Achilles Tang
Lyretail Anthia
Sentosa Beach
After the Oceanarium, we went to Sentosa Beach and caught up with our friend Sandy, who lives on the Gold Coast, but once lived in Singapore. We met her old friends and played beach volleyball.
Sentosa Beach. Many ships in the Singapore Strait nearby.
Livio playing beach volleyball
George & Sandy
7) Marina Bay Sands is a major casino resort building owned by Las Vegas Sands. It is topped by a large observation deck. We went up there in an evening for a drink and to see the view.
Gardens by the Bay
Singapore at night
Maybe 1,000 ships pass through Singapore Strait every day!
Elephant in the Flower Dome
9) Little India
Our visit coincided with the Diwali Festival, and we visited Little India.
Little India
10) Peranakan Museum Peranakan is a word that denotes people whose forefathers came from somewhere else, like China, India, the Middle East, etc.
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