A grand photographic tour of Singapore was presented to members and guests by an old friend of the society, Dennis Wood of the Western Club.

Dennis titled his show ’Wanderings’ and it comprised images of this former British trading colony.

Touching only briefly on the clinically clean city centre, with its horrendous traffic, the tour continued to give us a fascinating glimpse of many parts of this small island country that tourists don’t normally see. The presentation was extremely informative and enhanced by his most interesting commentary.

Dennis had spent 14 months in Singapore with his wife and, while she was busy working, he had strolled around the streets with his camera’.

He had also used the excellent public transport to explore ’off the beaten track’ - the locals avoid the traffic pollution by using the spotlessly clean subways to move about.

The free time he had had at his disposal had enabled him to photograph the hidden sights of one of the world’s most prosperous city states which boasts, reputedly, the world’s busiest port.

The population is dense, with some 5.7 million people living in an area of just under 280 square miles.

Consequently, the demand for housing is such that this modern, affluent state relies heavily on high-rise living in numbered (rather than named) tower blocks, some of which are on reclaimed land! Moreover, large residential towns have mushroomed all over the island too.

The location of Singapore in southeast Asia is strategically important as it sits on the trade routes between China, India, Europe, and Australia. This is key to its trading success and also makes the island one of the principal stopovers for British tourists heading for the Far East and Australasia.

Consequently, it has built up a reputation as a varied and extensive shopping experience with a vibrant night-life.

It also boasts numerous major parks and four nature reserves, making it quite an attractive garden city.

In his wanderings, Dennis showed the diversity of the island and the vast container port.

His apartment had been high up and commanded fantastic views of the surrounding area. He had also photographed a few of the Singaporeans and captured images of the extensive, fast and cheap street food scene. Singapore embodies a mix of cultures, the largest group being Chinese.

Its religious diversity was reflected in the magnificent shrines and Buddhist and Hindu temples, elaborately decorated and festooned gold or decorated with skilfully carved and colourfully painted wooden figures.

The society’s AGM will be held on Wednesday, April 25, at 7.30pm when all members are encouraged to attend at Thie Ellyn. Information about the society can be found at www.iomps.com

Antony Hamilton