Singapore's TidbiTs

Before the arrival of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in 1819, a small population of Chinese immigrants had already settled in Singapore, cultivating gambier and pepper. Shortly after establishing Singapore as a free port in 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles instructed Lieutenant Philip Jackson, an engineer, to draw up a master plan dividing the town into four areas for easy administration - the European, Malay, Indian and Chinese ethnic quarters. Between the 19th and mid-20th centuries, millions left their homes in China driven by famine, floods and unrest, and seduced by the hope of a better life elsewhere. They left in masses with many of them made their way to Nanyang, the southern seas. Singapore, in particular, was sought out as a place where one could earn a living. The new arrival is known as Sinkheh, or 'new guest' in Hokkien. That was what the Straits-born Chinese, who had arrived several generations earlier, called these new Chinese immigrants. It became what the newcomers were...

Tucked at the western end of Singapore within the Jurong Lake District and not too far away from both Chinese and Japanese Gardens, is the picturesque family friendly Jurong Lake Gardens. It is conferred as the third 'national' garden in Singapore, the first being the historical and Unesco World Heritage Site english garden theme Singapore Botanic Gardens with its world-class National Orchid Garden , and the second is the newer, the 10 years old Gardens by the Bay with its two thematic conservatories or domes and 18 super trees. Jurong Lake Gardens is a huge garden which resembles more like a park, with its wide-open concept and an array of interesting sections as you will learn below. It is touted as a people's garden to differentiate between Singapore Botanic Garden with its history on research and heritage, while Gardens by the Bay showcased sustainability efforts. In urban Singapore seeing the open vast grassland dotted with rustic looking observatories is such a pleasa...