Modern Singapore has its allure, but more charming still are the pockets of heritage nestled within the urban landscape. The next time you’re in the city area, keep an eye out for these architectural gems that have stood by as silent observers of a growing city. BY SHERALYN TAY
The Hajjah Fatimah Mosque, surrounded by its modern commercial and residential neighbours
Standing in quiet elegance on the site where tradeswoman and philanthropist Hajjah Fatimah once lived, the Hajjah Fatimah Mosque is unique for both its history and architecture. (more…)
A trip to Pulau Ubin (‘Granite Island’ in Malay) is just 15-minutes on bumboat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal, but it takes you back much further – think Singapore circa 1960. Rich in wildlife and greenery, the island is a laid-back haven for simple pleasures and has a quaint, faded beauty of times gone by. BY JOAQUIN TEO
On the front porch of the sky-blue two-storey house, the old man stood arms akimbo, glancing into the horizon, lost in thought. Overhead, two Oriental Pied Hornbills flew past, breaking the serenity with piercing cackles. The old man looked up, then turned his attention to a black mongrel that had lumbered past the rusty gates and flopped down beside a weather-beaten wooden stool. Mr Lim Chu Di, village headman, squatted by the dog and stroked its back. “These animals are all my friends. All my life I’ve been playing with them – dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, pigs,” he said. (more…)
There are no less than 280 species of butterflies in Singapore, tucked into the pockets of greenery that surround us. Singapore finds out about the efforts to conserve these winged wonders in our Garden City. BY SHERALYN TAY
Like many Singaporeans who lived in the days of nature-filled kampungs (villages), Gan Cheong Weei grew up catching spiders, fish and butterflies in the 1970s. It was the latter that most captured the imagination of the young boy. “Initially, it was all about the excitement of chasing after an elusive and colourful insect,” he told Singapore. Later he came to appreciate much more about the winged insects, particularly the “fascinating” process of metamorphosis when “clumsy and drably coloured caterpillars transform into graceful and colourful flying jewels.”
Seagrasses dance in the shimmering waters, hiding marine treasures such as sea conches, giant clams, sea anemone and even octopi. Overhead, a rare bird skims the air. This is no remote paradise, but an island treasure just offshore from Singapore. Welcome to Semakau Landfill – ‘garbage island’ and eco-paradise. BY EDMUND MAK
With a barely audible grunt, the guide gently lifts the sea cucumber from the water. It is a large specimen, around two to three times the size of the guide’s hand. As water spurts from the cucumber – its defensive mechanism in action – visitors gather and give murmuring sounds of approval; a little boy gapes in disbelief. After all, this is what you expect to find in a seafood restaurant, certainly not on a landfill.
While Singapore may be known for being a regional economic power house, it has also won accolades for being a garden city. Throughout the city, there are numerous parks and gardens where locals head for morning taichi sessions and evening walks. And around Singapore, there are several islands, each boasting a diverse marine habitat. It may come as a surprise that one of the islands with the greatest variety of marine life is the Semakau Landfill, also known as Pulau Semakau.
