“Asian Review 016” ― Singapore part2
Raffles Hotel and Singapore Sling
On the second floor of the Raffles Hotel, there is a bar called “The Long Bar”, a simple authentic bar, known as the birthplace of the “Singapore Sling”. In the early 20th century, when Singapore was a British colony, this bar was said to be a community place for expats. It was an age when women usually did not drink liquor in public. Cocktails decorated with fruits which looked like juice and easy to drink were invented for women who want to have it. An elegant rosy drink that imaged the sunset of Malacca Strait became popular among women and spread to the world in a blink of an eye.
At the Long Bar, English style Gentlemen, tourists with cameras and smartphones in their hands are enjoying their relaxed moments, imagining the good and old days. Throwing peanut shells on the floor seems to be the British way. Currently, it is closed because the hotel is under renovating construction until middle of 2018. I am looking forward to hearing the news of reopening.
Raffles Hotel was founded in 1887, 60 years after the death of Sir Raffles. Initially they started off by offering 10 hotel rooms along the beach. However in 1899 it became a colonial style building which is almost the same as the present condition. All of the room are suites with the finest furniture and fixtures. It obtained excellent reputation from European countries, like “the best facility in the area east of Suez”.
What kind of person was Sir Raffles, who was called the “father of construction in Singapore”? I would like to explore more in the next post.
