Our nine-hour Singapore fling

A concentrated sightseeing assault on this small island near the equator results in a series of discoveries about churches and temples, tombstones with no bodies, and an orchid chosen to be the national flower.

With map in hand, we circled the area three times in a taxi trying to find what, according to the guidebook, was one of Singapore's national historical monuments. What we were looking for on this small island, strategically poised at the narrowest point of the Straits of Malacca, was the Armenian Apostolic Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator, Singapore's oldest surviving Christian church. Circling one more time, we found Armenian Street, but where was the church?

INFO: The best time to go is October to February. Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, 590 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10036; tel. (212) 301-4861. Click here for more information.

Singapore's population is comprised of 78 percent Chinese, 14 percent Malay and 7 percent Indian, with a sprinkling of other ethnic groups, so this church was a curiosity too interesting to ignore. Our own Armenian parents had emigrated to the United States in the 1920s. What mysterious impulse had lured these other early Armenians from their land to these exotic faraway shores? Who were they? Why did they come and what contributions did they make?

We decided to give our quest one more try, and got lucky. At a nearby restaurant, a diner heard our query. With his guidance we found the church, just one block away -- on Hill Street -- and discovered that the stately white building we had passed three times before was not one more picturesque public structure, but was the church we were looking for. The number on the front of the building, 1835, in big gold letters, was not the address, as we had assumed, but the date the church was completed. Maybe that plus the steeple and cross on top were just one too many obvious clues for our jet-lagged brains to absorb.

We found we were not alone in our interest. Two other women were making their way around the memorial garden in back as we drove up. Claudia turned out to be a longtime Singapore resident from England who was showing her visiting friend where her son's wedding had taken place the summer before.

Our own purpose for being here, however, was not just to dig into ancient roots. During the 21-hour flight (30 hours if you count from bed to bed) from Los Angeles, my cousins and I had concocted a slightly demented plan to make the most of our stay in Singapore. We were scheduled to arrive about 3 a.m. and set to sail at 5 p.m. that same day to begin a three-week cruise to ports along the Indian Ocean. During those few hours, we wanted to see some of Singapore's major sights.

Obviously, it would have to be a concentrated assault. So we figured that if we placed a wake-up call for 6 a.m. (three hours' sleep might produce a comatose state, but it would have to do), ate breakfast and then booked a morning tour of the city, we might be able to sandwich in a fair portion of sightseeing. After a quick bite, and quicker look at tree-lined Orchard Road where our hotel was located (and which is a major shopping area with big, gleaming, 5-star hotels and pricey boutiques that can quickly push a visitor's credit card allowance to the maximum), we would pack, check out, hire a cab and set out to see the Armenian church before heading for the dock by 3 p.m. in time for the 5 o'clock sailing.

Not a schedule for the faint of heart, but we were willing to trot, gallop, sprint or race. Whatever it took to make it work.

If you do the math, you can see that we had about nine hours for this ambitious agenda. Viewing the church was the last stop on our hit-and-run tour and proved to be a fitting finishing touch. The church was charming with a circular interior. The backs and seats of the pews were of woven cane that helped keep parishioners cool in this island that virtually sits on top of the equator and comes with humidity that is guaranteed to loosen your jaw.

The memorial garden in back was rimmed with lush greenery and travelers palms. Tombstones, scattered around, were poignant reminders of an age past. When we inquired about the people buried here, Claudia (the Singapore resident) said, ``Well, actually no one is buried here.''

``But what about all these tombstones?'' we asked.

``These tombstones,'' she answered, ``are from graves of early Armenians who were buried in two other cemeteries nearby. They were brought here to keep as memorials when those cemeteries were cleared to become parkland in the late 1960s.

``But,'' she continued, ``you might be interested in this particular one,'' and pointed to a tombstone that had several potted plants around it. As we drew near, we saw that the blooms on the plants were delicate lavender orchids. The name on the tombstone was Agnes (Ashgen) Joaquim, one of the early Armenian members of the church.

As we had seen on our early morning city tour, Singapore is awash in orchids. They spill out of window boxes and grow in profusion in parks and home gardens. Lavish displays enhance hotel lobbies and restaurants, even restrooms. And when we had toured the extensive exhibit in the Singapore Botanic (CQ) Gardens earlier that day, we found a staggering variety of orchids -- over 700 species and 2,100 hybrids -- in the National Orchid Garden.

And it was Agnes, Claudia explained, who, in 1893, discovered in her own garden in a stand of bamboo an unusual variety of orchid that belonged to the family of the (ITAL) Vanda hookerana (uqTAL) and (ITAL) Vanda terres (uqTAL). The flower she found was named after her, and in 1981 the exquisite Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid was selected to be Singapore's national flower.

A leaflet in the church rack provided us with the background of these early Armenians. In 1605, when Persia invaded the Armenian city of Julfa, survivors were taken to Persia, which in time became a major link in East-West trade routes. From there, Armenians migrated to Southeast Asia, and by 1821, three Armenian trading firms were established in Singapore. The Armenian community, which never numbered more than 100 at any one time, began a collection for a church of their own, and in 1835, the work was completed by an Irish architect for $5,058.30 (Spanish dollars) that included the cost of vestments and ornaments.

If our nine-hour tour ended with the oldest Christian church in Singapore, it began with a visit to Singapore's oldest surviving Hindu shrine, the Sri Mariamman Temple, located on South Bridge Road on the fringe of Chinatown.

It was easy to see why this temple has become one of the most photographed sites in Singapore. Anything but sedate, this national monument, decorated by Indian artisans, has a wildly exuberant entrance, crowned with a six-tiered, Technicolor, towering cluster of lifelike deities, figures and animals, with lots of cows, one of India's sacred animals, draped along the eaves. The temple was originally built in 1827 of wood and palm thatch. The current temple, built in 1862, is still an active place of worship and a center for the fire-walking festival of Thimithi. No shoes, just faith keeps barefoot devotees walking over beds of red hot coals, without blisters or burns, in a test of spirituality.

We missed being spectators for that particular spectacle, but did witness another interesting moment when a fiery red car drove into the courtyard of the temple and a young couple stepped out. According to our guide, ``This couple want the priest's blessing -- not for themselves, but for their brand-new car.''

For a short while, we wandered through Chinatown's cramped and vigorous scene of shops and stalls of silks, lacquerware and exotic remedies, temples, restaurants and shop-houses where the Chinese live and work. Every corner brought new discoveries. Some of the 100-year-old shop-houses, in marvelous pastel colors, with their melange of Chinese, Malay and European influences, have been beautifully restored. Other buildings, covered with scaffolding, are in the process. Still others, spectacularly dilapidated, have peeling paint and sagging shutters.

In the name of development, Singapore, with its national obsession to pull everything down in order to build everything up again in concrete, chrome and glass, had been systematically demolishing these older houses. But a vigilant conservation group began a crusade to preserve this architectural heritage. At the same time, the city fathers discovered that Chinatown was a major tourist drawing card. In fact, Singapore has more visitors each year (some 7 million) than inhabitants (3 million). The very places the city was busy tearing down were what the tourists wanted to see. Thus began a massive restoration plan.

In place already in the country is a rather strict law-and-order mentality that was vividly illustrated when our tour took us to the top of Mt. Tabor, a 380-foot-high hill that offers an impressive view of the city, harbor and offshore islands. Here there is an art gallery, restaurant and a cable car that goes to Sentosa Island (an island resort). And here we found a unique relationship existing between some Hindus who greeted us at the top with baby pythons wrapped around their necks like colorful undulating scarves.

The definitive moment came when we went into the souvenir shop and saw two T-shirts, side by side, on display. One depicted the merlion, the symbol of Singapore that has the head of a lion and the body of a fish. The head reflects its name, ``the Lion City'' and the body, its historical links with the sea. The symbol is everywhere and is even made into miniature chocolates. Those who prefer things jumbo size will relish the spectacle of the 26-foot-high white sculpture of the merlion that towers in tiny Merlion Park, spouting water as it stands guard over the Singapore River.

The law-and-order theme was hilariously captured on the second T-shirt. In big red letters is the word ``Singapore.'' Beneath it: ``The fine city.'' And it means this literally. On it are pictures with the red slash through them that indicate it is illegal to engage in these activities. Among them (in Singapore dollars): No smoking: Fine $1,000. No urinating in lifts: Fine $500. No feeding pigeons: Fine $1,000. Now you know why Singapore is such a ``fine'' city. And there's more. There's a fine if you sell gum, don't flush a public toilet, scrawl graffiti, jaywalk, eat or drink in public transportation. Crime is scarce. No wonder. Singapore's creative forms of punishment keep the city safe and clean, not only with hefty fines, but 10 to 12 strokes with the cane, a toss into the slammer, or the death penalty.

Actually, we visitors found much to like about this arrangement, especially when our guide provided other interesting snippets: ``Garbage is picked up seven days a week. In fact, the city is so squeaky clean, the flies and mosquitoes have packed up their bags and left. Trains come every three to eight minutes. We have a highly educated work force. Very low unemployment, which results in 93 percent of our population owning their own homes.''

Better and better. Even tipping is discouraged. How utterly civilized.

Our tour around the city revealed the results of these laws. Streets are clean. There are beautifully manicured oases of green. And we felt safe.

The tour also brought us into touch with the colonial past and the startling present, especially at the historic Padang (playing field,) a serene, wide open, green space, surrounded by trees, where cricket matches have been played since the 1820s. On St. Andrews Road stands the Supreme Court with its Corinthian pillars, and City Hall, completed in 1919, where the Japanese (who occupied the city from 1942 to 1945) surrendered. The Anglican St. Andrews Cathedral is there, built in 1853 by Indian convicts. On the southwest side stands the Singapore Cricket Club, a reminder of British rule. On the north side is the Singapore Recreation Club, founded in 1883 by 30 Eurasian men who weren't allowed to join the British Cricket Club. Looming over it all is the towering, 71-story Westin Stamford Hotel, reputed to be one of the tallest hotels in the world. It stands amid Raffles City, a bustling commercial complex full of modern banks, law firms, shipping companies and office buildings.

Along the way, we passed the majestic Raffles Hotel, a hotel that still remains a symbol of colonial Singapore and the elegant past. The hotel began as a small (ITAL) tiffin (uqTAL) house (a place for a light lunch.) Then, in 1886, the Armenian connection kicked in with the entrance of the Sarkies brothers, Martin and Tigran (the typical ``ian'' ending for Armenian last names was omitted by most of these early settlers to simplify pronunciation). The brothers, who were members of the St. Gregory Church, bought the building, enlarged it and transformed it into what soon became a venerated institution.

Rich and famous luminaries rested their heads (some of which were crowned) within these walls. It was the favorite haunt of W. Somerset Maugham, Emperor Haile Selassie, James Michener, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Ingrid Bergman, Nehru, Chou En-Lai, Henry Ford and Adlai Stevenson. You could have a spot of tea on the lawn or quaff a Singapore Gin Sling at the renowned Long Bar. This drink, another Singapore tradition, was concocted here in 1915 for the Euro-chic. The hotel claims it still sells some 1,200 of this not-so-innocent brew (an intriguing mix of Benedictine, gin, cherry brandy, Angostura, Cointreau and fruit juice) each day.

The name Raffles kept cropping up during the day's activities. There's the Raffles Lighthouse, Raffles City, Raffles Golf Club, Raffles Square, Raffles Hotel. There are Raffles statues, two of them. The repetition is deserved. Sir Stafford Thomas Raffles is due every tribute, for Singapore's initial success is due to his genius and foresight.

In 1819, when Raffles first landed in Singapura (meaning ``The Lion City,'' as it was known then) as an official of the British East India Company, it was an obscure, insignificant fishing village stuck in a dense jungle of mangrove swamps, swarming with mosquitoes, pirates and opium dens. He quickly set to work and miraculously transformed the area into a dynamic trading crossroads of East and West. He filled in swamps, enlarged the harbor, masterminded treaties, instituted reforms and promoted education for the Malays.

Singapore became a British Crown Colony, went on to self-government in 1955 before becoming independent in 1965. Raffles' ideas and vision were later continued for some 38 years by Lee Kuan Yew, who, in 1959, became Singapore's first prime minister. Under his leadership, the country turned into an Asian powerhouse with a booming economy. Thanks to hard work and an efficient (some say repressive) government, the country has one of the highest standards of living in Asia.

When our tour bus pulled up for our last stop that morning at the Singapore Gems and Metals Company, some of us felt it wouldn't rate as one of the all-time great tour ideas. We were wrong.

The gem company turned out to be a breathtaking experience. Inside, in showcase after showcase, grouped in corners and covering the walls were dazzling gem-encrusted pictures, globes, clocks, figurines, reproductions of famous buildings, and a lot more -- all made up of 28 different glittering gems that had been polished, carved, shaped, cut and assembled into extraordinary pieces of art. For the past 25 years, craftsmen have been creating these treasures from Siberian jade, tiger eye from Africa, jade from Burma, red jasper from India, and mother of pearl, malachite, carnelian agate, coral, black onyx, lapis lazuli and more.

We were in for another round of surprises when our guide stood in front of one of the wall paintings and clapped. Birds in the painting chirped, warbled and twittered, and their eyes lit up. In front of another work, when the guide clapped, there was the sound of music. The most expensive piece in the showroom was one with 101 birds (the figure symbolizes harmony) that cost $118,000.

There were other birds in Singapore that we would also have liked to have heard. Real ones. Like the feathered choir that warbles on Sunday mornings at the juncture of Tiong Bahru and Seng Poh roads. We just didn't have time. Nor did we have time to go into the heart of ``Little India'' for the Temple of 1,000 Lights with the 50-foot statue of Buddha framed by hundreds of lights. Or the war memorial that commemorates the thousands of civilians who died during the Japanese occupation in World War II.

We had run out of steam -- and time. When we return to Singapore next time, though, we'll visit the Zoological Gardens, ranked as one of the world's top 10, to view the feeding of Komodo dragons and have breakfast or high tea with a well-mannered orangutan. We'll eat as well from the food booths at the hawker's center, try a Chinese Steamboat (similar to a Mongolian hot pot) and enjoy an Indian (ITAL) biryani (uqTAL) or fish-head curry. And we won't forget the Malay satay. Maybe, we'll even have time to take a sunset cruise on a Chinese junk.

It's true that we just had a fleeting glimpse of this astonishing city, but like many travelers, we realize that the length of stay really doesn't matter; it's the nature of the adventure that counts. And we're still counting.

When to go: Average daily temperature is 82 degrees. Humidity can get up to 70 to 80 percent. Rainfall is heaviest November to January. The best time to go is October to February.

How to get there: Singapore International Airlines, Malaysian Airlines Systems, Cathay Pacific Airways and Northwest Airlines all offer frequent flights.

Where to stay: Singapore has many fine hotels. Among them:

Mandarin Singapore, 333 Orchard Rd., Singapore 238867; tel. 737 4411, fax 732 2361.

Hilton International Singapore, 581 Orchard Rd., Singapore 238883; tel. 737 2233, fax 732 2917.

For a full listing, contact the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, 590 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10036; tel. (212) 301-4861. Or, 8484 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 501, Beverly Hills, Calif. 902111; tel. (213) 852-1901.

Other addresses: Armenian Apostolic Church of St. Gregory, 60 Hill St., Singapore 0617; tel. 334 0141.

Sri Mariamman Temple, 244 S. Bridge Rd.

Singapore Botanic Gardens, Cluny Road, Singapore 259569; tel. 471 9955.

Singapore Gems & Metals Co., 7 Kung Chong Rd., Singapore Gems Building, Singapore 159144; tel. 475 9733, fax 474 6988.

(Lucy Barajikian is a free-lance food and travel writer living in Los Angeles, Calif.)

© 1998, Lucy Barajikian. Distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate