Kampong Glam

Historically one of Singapore’s oldest urban quarters, The word ‘kampong’ means "compound" in Malay, while 'gelam' refers to the long-leaved paperbark tree, commonly found in the area and used for boat-making, medicine and even as a seasoning for food. Neighbourhoods, such as where we stayed in Yogygakarta are often marked by an archway with "Kampong X" inscribed on it as you enter the maze of attached bungalows connected by narrow alleyways.

The district has a history that dates back to Singapore’s colonial era, when Sir Stamford Raffles allocated the area to the Malay, Arab and Bugis communities. The golden dome of the majestic Sultan Mosque is the main landmark around which the streets and alleys arelocated. Built in 1824 by Sultan Hussein Shah, this place of worship is one of Singapore’s most prominent religious buildings.

The Arab neighbourhood is now touristic, Doug noted the the stores reminiscent of his trip to the Middle East but more tidy, certainly lots of textile and carpet shops but otherwise largely restaurants and souvenir shops. No inexpensive Shawarma to be found and we fell for a Google highly rated cute looking restaurant with poor food and service and a high price tag; you can’t get ‘em right all the time!Read more