by Jennifer Lim

Created on: February 02, 2009   Last Updated: February 14, 2009

Singapore is a small country in size but an economic giant especially in South East Asia. Singapore is situated at the south tip of Malaysia, just one degree north of the equator.

It is well known that Singapore is a modern city and a haven for shoppers and food enthusiast. Having been a local there for most of my life, let me introduce you to this city's multi cultural background.

Singapore was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles as a trading post for the East India Company and its deep and sheltered harbour soon established the British Colony as an important port. The success of Singapore as a port soon attract people from India, China, Middle East, Europeans and many others to trade or seek employment in the colony.

Today, the city is a blend with the culture and religions of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European. The four main religions are celebrated by the different ethnicity and the auspicious day like Muslim celebrating the end of Ramadan, Vesak day for the Buddhist, the festival of lights celebrated by Hindus, Christmas and Easter for the Christians, New Year Day and the Lunar New Year celebrated by the Chinese are officially public holiday for all. Food is a passion to many and a very much talk about topic amongst the locals due to the wide selections of multi ethnic food and European cuisines.

There are areas in Singapore that still retained its strong ethnic presence, the main places are:

Chinatown

Chinatown was the original enclave of Chinese immigrant; the place has a distinct Chinese cultural element of Chinese paintings, artefacts and signboard of clans and associations. The buildings in Chinatown are mostly 2 storey pre war colonial shop houses designed with elements of Victorian and baroque architecture.

The main streets in Chinatown contain stories of its pasts, for example, Pagoda Street was a centre of slave traffic and opium smoking den during 1850s to 1880s, Sago Lane for the numerous number of Sago factories in 1840s, it was also a place where the very sick were place in homes awaiting death (very much like the modern hospice without medical amenities).

During the period before Chinese New Year, stalls are set up selling Chinese New Year goodies such as sweets, decorations and various type of Chinese New Year food. The whole area is filled with fairy lights and decorated with blossoms, scrolls of auspicious Chinese proverbs and pictures of the Chinese New Year astrological animal.

Little India

Little India as it is famously known for its strong Indian

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