Cultural Singapore

Who says Singapore doesn't have culture Or a history Every visit to this shopping paradise yields treasures of craft that hold countless tales within them &mdash a tin robot once, a hand-carved boxwood comb, countless teapots to brew your jasmine petals in... And Chinatown's where it's at, specifically the tasteful little souvenir shop at the Chinatown Heritage Centre. Last month, I picked up this delicate veneer bookmark there, which speaks as much of the skill of Singapore's migrant populations as of its signature shophouses, contiguous buildings with intricate and eclectic fa&ccedilades, used as residences, shops and stores. Of course, what are now tastefully restored shophouses were sweatshops once, as the kindly staff at the centre won't tire of reminding you. SGD 8 (Rs 210) for a history lesson and reality check is fine by me.