Singapore - Chinatown

A Chinatown in a predominantly Chinese city may sound like an anachronism, but the Chinatown in Singapore is an enclave with its own identity and spirit. Famous shrines like the multi storied Buddha's tooth relic temple and the Thian Hock Keng temple (a heritage structure with no nails in the main building) nestle next to Indian temples and Malay mosques while restored shop houses showcase restaurants, medicine halls and an increasing number of trendy boutiques and lounges. A walk up Ang Siang Hill and down the slopes at the back takes one to some little visited roads housing old Chinese association halls and mahjong clubs, where the faded photographs on the walls look benevolently on old ladies sitting around their tables indulging in their daily dose of gossip. Here are some sights from a leisurely afternoon stroll through the unique heritage of Singapore's Chinatown...