Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
139
mihrab,
a niche in the main hall which indicates the direction of Mecca and in
front of which the imam pra ys, his voice bouncing from inside and resonating
throughout the mosque during pra yers. You will also notic e that there are no
statues to speak of , in ac cordance with Muslim la ws, which f orbid images of
Allah and the Prophet Mohammed. Some mosques will have a
makam,
a burial
site within the building for royalty and esteemed benefactors. This room is usu-
ally locked but sometimes can be opened upon request. To the side of the main
prayer hall there's always an
ablution area,
a place for worshipers to wash the
exposed parts of their bodies bef ore prayers, to show their r espect. This is a
custom for all Muslims, whether they pray in the mosque or at home.
When visiting the mosques in Singapor e—and an ywhere else , f or that
matter—there are some impor tant rules of
etiquette
to follow. Appropriate
dress is r equired. For both men and w omen, shor ts are prohibited, and y ou
must r emove y our shoes bef ore y ou ent er. For w omen, please do not w ear
short skirts or sleeveless, backless, or low-cut tops (although modern Singapor-
ean Muslims do not require women to cover their heads before entering).
Also
remember:
Never enter the main prayer hall. This area is reserved for Muslims
only. Women should also tr ead lightly ar ound this ar ea, as it 's forbidden for
women to enter. No cameras or video cameras ar e allowed, and remember to
turn off cellular phones and pagers. Friday is the Sabbath day, and you should
not plan on going to the mosques between 11am and 2pm on this day.
7
was renamed the Istana and today ser ves as the official r esidence of the pr esident of the
Republic of Singapore. Used mainly for state and cer emonial occasions, the grounds are
open to every citizen on selected public holidays, though they 're not generally open for
visits. The house's domain includes several other houses of senior colonial civil ser vants.
The colonial secr etary's r esidence, a typical 19th-centur y bungalo w, is also gaz etted a
monument and is now called Sri Temasek.
Orchard Rd., btw. Claymore and Scotts rds. Free admission. 5-min. walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT.
Peranakan Place
Emerald Hill was once nothing more than a wide treeless street
along whose sides quiet families lived in typical terrace houses²residential units similar to
shophouses, with a walled cour tyard in the fr ont instead of the usual “ five-foot way.”
Toward Orchard Road, the terrace houses turned into shophouses, with their first floors
occupied by small provisioners, seamstresses, and dry-goods stores.
As Orchard Road developed, so did E merald Hill—the buildings were all renovated.
The shophouses close to O rchard Road became restaurants and bars, and the str eet was
closed off to vehicular traffic. Now it's an alfresco cafe, landscaped with a veritable jungle
of potted foliage and peopled b
y color ful tourists—much differ ent fr om its humble
beginnings.
But as you pass Emerald Hill, don't just blow it off as a tourist trap. Walk through the
cafe area and out the back onto Emerald Hill. All of the terrace houses have been redone,
and magnificently. The facades have been freshly painted and the tiles polished, and the
dark-wood details add a contrast that is truly elegant. When these places were renovated,
