The Singapore Necklace: A Secret Love Across Two CulturesTHE SINGAPORE NECKLACE Storyline The narrative took place in 1914 Singapore in a span of ten months. A part of the British Straits Settlements finding itself well into the age of the industrial revolution, due to the opening of the Suez Canal and thanks to the islands unique location, Singapore grew rapidly into an important thriving trading post. The city has put itselftogether into a shipshape and organized place of commerce but also a proper place of living the infrastructure kept abreast of the business development; roads were built, electricity network replaced gas lights, water was pounded and piped to industries and residences - but also telephone, telegraph and postalservices were part daily life. The love story evolved not only in a place where western quality of living were injected catering for colonial life clubs, a horse race-course, sports grounds, and department stores sprung up besides markets, cinemas, parks, schools and churches but the account occurred in an era when Victorian morality of restraint, rigid social codes of conduct and class system has been instilled. Residential areas were separated based on race, non-europeans were barred from certain places and were discouraged from travelling first class. A love between a European and one from another culture wasnt quite tolerated then, certainly so were that bond between two men. In a historic era, just two years after the sinking of the Titanic,in the period the 1st World War unleashed in Europe and the year that the famous Singapore Sling was conceived, two young men living in Singapore - a British and a Chinese - discovered feelings for one another that they couldnt comprehend themselves. As their curiosity prevailed the mutual fondness blossomed in the midst of a tropical setting letting trams,rickshaws, cars, trains and boats transport them on their fine journeys and experiences. The sombre ending of the union was all to blame on the nasty World War spreading its negativity to the colonies. But in a twist of fate and after a long wait in limbo, the two lovers were united, free at last. |
From inside the book
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Page 9
... , its long elevation stretched from one end to the other . The well maintained front garden was pleasantly laid out with transplanted matured trees , many sustained in position shored up by robust bamboo stems, and tropical shrubs that 9.
... , its long elevation stretched from one end to the other . The well maintained front garden was pleasantly laid out with transplanted matured trees , many sustained in position shored up by robust bamboo stems, and tropical shrubs that 9.
Page 10
A Secret Love Across Two Cultures Jaim Kaan. shored up by robust bamboo stems, and tropical shrubs that bordered the fringes of the green grass fields and that also lined the semicircular driveway. On the far left, almost behind the ...
A Secret Love Across Two Cultures Jaim Kaan. shored up by robust bamboo stems, and tropical shrubs that bordered the fringes of the green grass fields and that also lined the semicircular driveway. On the far left, almost behind the ...
Page 12
... bamboo poles securely bound together with thick ropes . The larger portion of this rear garden was green grass in which groups of either leafy trees stood or patches of beds planted with roses of various colours . Several birds flew ...
... bamboo poles securely bound together with thick ropes . The larger portion of this rear garden was green grass in which groups of either leafy trees stood or patches of beds planted with roses of various colours . Several birds flew ...
Page 24
... bamboo trees that can grow up to fifty feet high and after that portion is the Jurong River . " The bamboo trees stood on both sides of the road and were very dense , the thick and high trunks rose straight upwards from both sides of ...
... bamboo trees that can grow up to fifty feet high and after that portion is the Jurong River . " The bamboo trees stood on both sides of the road and were very dense , the thick and high trunks rose straight upwards from both sides of ...
Page 25
... bamboo walled road seemed like a dark tunnel as almost all of the sunlight couldn't penetrate , the sounds of the cicadas echoed against its walls and seemed to be amplified inside this burrow . It was magnificent but at the same time ...
... bamboo walled road seemed like a dark tunnel as almost all of the sunlight couldn't penetrate , the sounds of the cicadas echoed against its walls and seemed to be amplified inside this burrow . It was magnificent but at the same time ...
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afternoon Alexandra barracks already arms asked bamboo bicycle Bidadari Cemetery boats British building Ceong Chinese Christmas close clothes coloured covered dinner dishes distance Dollah dressed drinks European eyes feeling felt Ford-T friends front garden Garrison German gharries girls glass Grandma grass Guy and Shan Guy sat Guy's hand head heard Hotel Indian Ipoh kampong kissed knew ladies Leong family light Linggi River maids Malay Mandy mind moved necklace night North Bridge Road officers Passir Panjang Road peranakan Pulau Brani Raffles Hotel Raggy rendang rickshaws roof Saturday seated seemed sepoys Shan and Guy Shan looked Shan's side Singapore Singapore Sling sitting slowly smiled soldiers soon sounds started stay stood Street Sungei Ujong talempong Tanglin Tanglin barracks tikars Timpang took tram trees trying turned verandah waiting walked wooden young