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- Destinations
- Asia
- Singapore
- Singapore
- Kampong Gelam and Arab Street
Kampong Gelam and Arab Street
Kampong Gelam is said to have taken its name from the Gelam
tribe of sea gypsies who lived in the original Malay village
southwest of the Rochor River. Sir Stamford Raffles allotted the
area as an ethnic enclave to the Muslim population and it became
the focal point for Arab trade and traditional Malay culture.
Baghdad, Muscat Street and Haji Lane resonate with tradition as
cane, straw, rattan and pandan leaf goods spill out onto the
streets. The spectrum of fabrics flowing onto the pavements of Arab
Street comprise chiffon, silk, cotton georgette and include the
batiks of Indonesia and Malaysia. Located between Kandahar and
Aliwal streets is the Istana Kampong Gelam. It was built as the
royal palace of Sultan Ali Iskandar Shah, the son of Sultan Hussein
who negotiated the handover of Singapore to Britain. The government
recently took possession of the building with plans to transform it
into a Malay heritage museum. Another significant building in the
area is the Sultan Mosque (open daily 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm).
The glistening necks of the domes are decorated with the bases of
thousands of glass bottles.
Information & Facts
Language
Singapores official languages are English, Mandarin,
Malay and Tamil. A patois called Singlish, or Singaporean English
is widely spoken. It is the by-product of mixing English, Chinese
and Malay syntax and idiom.
Money
Singapore's currency is the Singapore Dollar (SGD), which is
divided into 100 cents. The US and Australian Dollars, Yen and
British Pound are also accepted in the larger shopping centres.
Major credit cards are accepted in hotels, shops and restaurants.
ATMs are widely distributed and banks advance cash against the
major credit cards. Travellers cheques can be cashed at banks or
licensed moneychangers and at selected hotels. Banks are open
daily, but some do not do foreign exchange on Saturdays.
Time