#857 The Merlion, Singapore

www.cultureledger.com

Inaugurated in 1972, moved in 2002, struck by lightning in 2009, the Merlion in Singapore is an icon -- and what a strange one to have chosen: the mix of a lion and a fish. Where does such a symbol come from? Well, the answer is Indian murals, Etruscan coins, western heraldry, at one time claimed by Portsmouth, Manila and the East India Company, so not really uniquely Singaporean at all. And did you know there are actually 5 official merlions recognized by the Singapore Government? The 8.6 meter original, a 2 meter cub behind it, a 37 meter on Sentosa Island designed by an Australian, and two 3 meter ones in Tourism Court and Faber Point. There's also an official merlion in a restaurant of that name in California. I wonder what it means to be an official merlion! Interestingly, while it's body is concrete, the skin is porcelain plates and the eyes are red teacups!

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlion

Three Great Singapore Attractions

Singapore is a small country built on a small island and with the passage of time is able to attract tourists from around the world. It has a fascinating history and is a blend of many cultures. Food is legendary in Singapore with 24hr coffee shops and on street hawker centres offering reasonable food from all parts of Asia. In past years, there were some restrictions to follow regarding social activities and drinking but now these restrictions have also loosened up and now you can dance on bartops, do bungee jumping but alcohol is very expensive and you can purchase chewing gum only from a pharmacy.  When you visit Singapore, do check the following three shopping attractions of Singapore:

Haji Lane

If you are interested in shopping, then Haji Lane is the right choice for you because it is well-known for its designer clothing. Most of these outlets are recently established, mostly opened last year. Haji Lane has a lot to offer its visitors along with other independent retailers who display some latest fashion products. 

The Chinatown Heritage Centre

If you want to learn about Singapore’s history, you must visit the Chinatown Heritage Centre. This enthralling centre is designed in a manner that it displays late 19^th century and early 20^th century scenes in a movie style, ranging from a public street to domestic scenes. This set gives a visitor chance to compare traditional Singapore with modern amenities that it offers.

Cheap electronics

Singapore is known worldwide to attract gadget fans with some awesome deals  and items on sale. 

These are just three basic shopping attractions when you visit Singapore. The city has a lot to offer when you visit it especially the landscape is breathtaking. So next time you are planning your vacations, visit to Singapore is a must.

Cheap Singapore Hotels

Singapore is the best tourist intention amongst the Asian countries. In the world, it is famous for being a beautiful country. In the city, there are lots of thrilling attractions for tourist. Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands Night Safari, Casino, Jurong Bird Park, Sentosa Island and Zoological Garden, all are the well-known areas in Singapore. Another cause for attracting lots of tourists yearly to Singapore is the extensive variety of ethnic food.

In beautiful Singapore, there are so many hotels ranging from comfortable budget hotels to 5 to 6 Star hotels. Some people are preferred to live in low budget hotels that cannot pay more for staying. It is a good idea to live in low cost hotels because they are also comfortable and keep all safeties and provide full enjoyment with swimming pool and dance bar. 

You have to take notice if you want to search for cheap and well hotels in Singapore.

Albert Court Village Hotel

Located in the heart of Singapore, near the temple of Sri Veeramakaliamman. All 210 rooms are available via exterior corridors. The hotels are offering with the room the coffee makers, telephone, newspapers, television and newspapers. Good thing is that extra beds can also be arranged in this hotel.

Harbour Ville Hotel

Harbour Ville Hotel is positioned close to the Vivo City. This is a very classical and vast shopping mall. If you need to stay the Sentosa Island, from Vivo City you can easily take the service of the express bus. There are 100 guest rooms of Harbour Ville Hotel, and all rooms are well furnished. Also it is prepared with all the facilities like televisions, sparked bathrooms, coffee makers, beautiful curtains and wonderful full size bed. Moreover, wake-up calls parlor system with hair dryers are offered as well.

Landmark Village Hotel

It is a 3-Star hotel. This is perfect if you like shopping and is placed near to the Bugis Street Shopping District and Sultan Mosque. This is the big hotel and it has 393 rooms with 18 floors. The rooms have the standard facilities and fully equipped. At the hotel there is a bar and a restaurant. Moreover during limited times room service is available.

You have to research via online for staying in hotels, because it is not easy for getting the right hotel in the simple budget. The lots of websites are available for giving you complete information for these well furnished and perfect hotels.

Visiting bars in Singapore

Singapore is well known for its hospitality towards the dreary folk who spend arduous hours of work either at their jobs or at school. Killing time in Singapore is made easy by the fact there is just so much liveliness to choose from. Bars are the optimal choice for most people on working days considering it is an easy and liable way to just lay back and relax for several hours. A lifestyle trend consisting of pubs and bars was on the rise in Singapore as many people began to get used to it, this resulted in a buildup of bars across many regions in Singapore, and the bars maintained certain themes and attracted specific people to their confines.

Relaxing with a few drinks while chatting away with other customers while enjoying hip music are some of the pleasures of being in a bar which are found not to be scarce in Singapore anymore; Of course because of the substantial array of choices, people become choosy in regards to what bars they visit. The East Coast Park is probably the best choice for anyone who wants to just kick back and enjoy a few rounds of drinks with their friends. The South Eastern part of Singapore has a vast variety of bars to choose from running alongside the shoreline. The bars are very hard to miss as they appear every few yards or so, which means you should not have a hard time choosing. The hospitality of these bars also includes indulgences in food, so don’t fret your stomach won’t go empty. You would not find it hard to choose where you want to drink and eat considering the multitude of bars at the beach. Nevertheless if getting to the beach is out of the question, you can find numerous bars in the Business District too. Close to the Singapore River you can find bars which provide the same experience of relaxation as offered by the bars at the beach. As if that wasn’t enough there are numerous bars on the Arab Street which cater traditional Hookah smoking with alcohol and food. The view from the skyscrapers at the rooftop bars into the mainland of Singapore is truly a sight to behold while you enjoy a period of relaxation, drinking and eating leisurely alongside your friends.

Excluding all the hangout bars, nightclubs offer a viable substitute which offers the same services as a bar except with the addition of the loud thumping music. The nightclub craze in Singapore is rampant, as gigantic lines can be seen stretching all the way to the main streets on a weekend. Nightclubs cater to specific people, sort of in the same manner as bars do, they have adapted over time to be able to serve specific age groups and classes. From the elderly to even university students, nightclubs have everything to offer to anyone they choose. Dancing away to catchy beats and thumping bass is an effective way of winning the battle against stress; the best way to ease your’ mind. However if one wants to simply enjoy a chat with his buddies Singapore is full of night time pubs as well. Pubs work in the same way as bars do. Similar to the hang out bars, these pubs provide an ambient aura for leisure and relaxation with their soothing music.

The saying that time is of the essence does not apply to Singapore, you can have all the time in the world, yet you’d never run out of pubs, or bars to hangout in Singapore. Remember that bars are a great place to meet new people and to chill with your friends while you relax and have a great time.