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The Ramblings of an Emigrant

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Asia » Singapore
September 27th 2022
Published: September 28th 2022
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In general, I return to Singapore at least once every year. This time round, I scheduled a longer than usual stay anticipating that I may need to take care of certain family logistics, but it turned out we did not need to put these plans in place yet. But, this left me with a fair bit of time on my hands. Even after I cut short my stay by four days to make a trip up to Angkor Wat, I still needed t... Read Full Entry



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Siewch
Siewch
Siewch
About Me: I am a native of Singapore and a professional expat. Since leaving Singapore in 1994, my life journey has taken me first to Bangkok, then to Manchester UK, and then to the United States - starting with Los Angeles, then Honolulu, then Silver Spring, MD, and then back to Honolulu. I took some time off from work between July 2017 and March 2018 to travel and reflect (check out my Midlife Crisis Flashpacking series). I'm now back in the corporate world with a renewed attitude towards life and work. I plan to take another extended trip ... full info
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Ramblings on Offshore IslandsRamblings on Offshore Islands
Ramblings on Offshore Islands
A shrine to Datuk Gong, an earth deity that the local Chinese worshipped. The exterior of the shrine looked Chinese, but the artifacts inside were Malay. One of the interesting aspects of old Singapore was how lines were blurred between race and religion, and people didn't seem to mind.
Ramblings on Offshore IslandsRamblings on Offshore Islands
Ramblings on Offshore Islands
The exterior of the German Girl Shrine.
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Ramblings on Offshore Islands
Yellow pagoda at the side of the German Girl Shrine.
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Ramblings on Offshore Islands
Multilingual signage in Chinese, Malay, and German at the shrine.
Ramblings on Offshore IslandsRamblings on Offshore Islands
Ramblings on Offshore Islands
Another perspective on the shrine,
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Ramblings on Offshore Islands
These bottles - which I could not identify - and dolls were left underneath the shrine.
Ramblings on Offshore IslandsRamblings on Offshore Islands
Ramblings on Offshore Islands
Ramblings on Offshore IslandsRamblings on Offshore Islands
Ramblings on Offshore Islands
Another perspective of the German Girl Shrine. Note the Christmas wreath above it.
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Ramblings on Offshore Islands
Wild boar feasting on discarded trash.
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Ramblings on Offshore Islands
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Ramblings on Offshore Islands
Mural on a Chinese temple.
Ramblings on Offshore IslandsRamblings on Offshore Islands
Ramblings on Offshore Islands
This restored Tudor style house belonged to a British family during colonial times. It now serves as a visitor center for the Chek Jawa wetlands. When I was a teenager, I came across this house in its dilapidated state.
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Ramblings on Offshore Islands
Pulau Sekudu, a small rocky outcrop, just off Pulau Ubin. I once kayaked here and stepped foot on it.
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Ramblings on Offshore Islands
The coastal boardwalk.
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Ramblings on Offshore Islands
Mangrove swamp.
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Ramblings on Offshore Islands
Us on the boardwalk through the mangrove.
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Ramblings on Offshore Islands
Our view of the mangrove from the tower.



28th September 2022

Kuan Yin
Karen Johnson

Back in Singapore
Happy to see you are writing again; travel has been curtailed for far too long. I will visit the Ford Factory, for some reason I thought it was on Sentosa Island, and I haven't gone to Sentosa since it was taken over by a theme park.
28th September 2022

Siewch
Siewch

Sentosa
I’m with you on the Disneyfication of Sentosa. It was once a pleasant little island to explore, even if it has a dark history. “Sentosa” itself is a marketing ploy; the original name of the island was Palau Blakang Mati, or the Island With Death Behind It. It also once housed a longtime political prisoner who was held without trial for decades and confined to the island. I do plan to visit the island on my next trip, though, as it has an entry in Atlas Obscura.
29th September 2022

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Back home
I love blogs written by people returning to a location they know well and all the interesting things that find. Thanks for taking us along.
29th September 2022

Siewch
Siewch

Navigating Different Worlds
Thanks for your kind words. As an immigrant, it has certainly been a learning experience trying to manage multiple identities - it is in equal part exhilarating, confusing, and alienating. I think I am finally getting the hang of it!
8th October 2022

RENanDREW
Ren & Andrew

With new eyes...
I love that you found a new way to experience a place so well known to you. I remember reading a friend writing about the German Girl Shrine, and I think he wrote that there were bottles of perfume… I just googled it and the suggestion is that they are bottles of Florida Water (which I’ve never heard of – apparently a close cousin of eau de cologne popular back then). The last time we were at the Botanical Gardens (in 2012), people were lining up to take a photo with the Princess Diana orchid! :)
8th October 2022

Siewch
Siewch

New Perspectives
Thanks Ren! Atlas Obscura has been a godsend. I really wish I’d thought about this years ago. I love that you, too, have somehow heard of the German Girl Shrine. Thanks for helping me figure out it was Florida Water.
30th October 2022

alex waring
Alexander Waring

Singapore
What a lovely read, Siewch. I enjoyed reading about your reconnections to your childhood home, and also being able to explore on a deeper level. I shall look into the Atlas Obscura, it sounds very interesting. I imagine that with its fast pace of change, Singapore is continually different each time you return. I hope to also return some day. I remember visiting Pulau Ubin, and although we saw many signs for the German Girl Shrine, I don't recall that we actually found it! You've given me a few ideas for what to visit should I return to Singapore at some point, thank you for this 😊
30th October 2022

Siewch
Siewch

Reconnecting
Wow, you’re the second commenter who knows about the German Girl Shrine - it certainly encapsulates the best of Singapore: multiracial identities converging over time. Atlas Obscura was a godsend. I will likely use Atlas Obscura for my future layovers in Tokyo. After three visits and nine long layovers, I’m running out of sights to explore there!

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