Masjid Sultan – Singapore

Singapore is a multi-cultural country with a large population of Chinese, Indian, and Malay. There are neighborhoods where you have a higher concentration of these ethnic groups. On my visit in 2018, I went to Arab Street for the first time.

The Masjid Sultan, a mosque in the center of the neighborhood, seems to anchor the district. It also makes for worthwhile urban landscapes with an exotic touch. This a replacement building completed in 1932. With so much of Singapore looking brand new, it’s a pleasant surprise to find a bit of history.

The glittering downtown district gets much of the tourist trade, but there’s a lot more to Singapore than shiny luxury shopping. I’m shifting my coverage from the famous brands and fancy buildings to interesting ethnic neighborhoods.

The first two photographs are a postcard-like view framed by palm trees and an arch. However, I also like the third photograph because it gives a different impression of Singapore. Yes, Singapore is clean and safe. But it’s not new and perfect everywhere. Here, we see a worn and character-filled back alleyway.

Gritty is good, photographically. Not everything has to be modern and high-tech, which can become dull. Give me the places where the regular people live — where the messiness of life intersects with reality.

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