Frommer's Singapore & Malaysia

Chapter One

I could spend a lifetime exploring Singapore. I'm in awe of the cultural mysteries and exotic beauty of the city's old mosques and temples. As I pass the facades of buildings that mark history, I get nostalgic for old tales of colonial romance. Towering overhead, present-day Singapore glistens with the wealth of modern miracles. And when I smell incense, spice, and jasmine swirling in wet tropical breezes, I can close my eyes and know exactly where I am.

The longer I stay in Singapore, new curiosities present themselves to me. Singapore thrives on a history that has absorbed a multitude of foreign elements over almost 2 centuries, melding them into a unique modern national identity. Beginning with the landing of Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819, add to the mix the original Malay inhabitants, immigrating waves of Chinese traders and workers, Indian businessmen and laborers, Arab merchants, British colonials, European adventure-seekers, and an assortment of Southeast Asian settlers-this tiny island rose from the ingenuity of those who worked and lived together here. Today, all recognize each group's importance to ... read full excerpt from Frommer's Singapore & Malaysia, 4th Edition ebook