Page 106 - UpperCrust e-Magazine Third Quarter 2024

UPPERCRUST TRAVEL | SINGAPORE
culture. Sir Raffles, the “architect” of
Singapore as a modern city, commissioned
the development of these structures that
brought cheer to the streets, with their
French windows, Corinthian columns,
Alvin Yapp hosts guests at
his home, The Intan Museum
Simon Wong, owner of Singapore Sidecars
The Vespa tour is a colourful joyride
104 | UPPERCRUST | JUL-SEP 2024
decorative walls and spacious verandahs dinner and a song at a Peranakan home,
with depth, to offer shelter to passersby in more prominently known as The Intan
the rain. Museum, arranged by Four Seasons. A
Speaking of Peranakan culture…The preface for you: if you’re flying Singapore
highlight of this Singaporean sojourn was Airlines, stay tuned to the introductory
video, for you will see this very museum and
a man playing host at the beginning. Alvin
Yapp used to be a flight attendant on this
very airline and is today a brand ambassador
for his culture and heritage. In Singapore &
Malaysia, the culture thrives, going by the
definition of Straits-born Chinese – those
born in the former Straits Settlements,
specifically, Singapore, Penang and Melaka,
and their descendants. Step into this
centuries-old trove of history and tradition,
and tales of yore, of over 5000 artifacts
collected from the Peranakan people, be it in
SE Asia, China and even as far as England,
and get lost in the world that Alvin and his
family have nurtured with care. The Intan is
like coming home.
Alvin is a gregarious soul who not just
dresses the part but also walks the talk. And
the man can talk! And sing and play the piano
and regale you for hours on his people, his
culture, his post-war home and guests who
have paid a visit. One of whom was the late
Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther himself.
You can click photographs on the ground
level but once you move upstairs – while
ceramic tiffin carriers of varied hues line your
path – no siree, that’s off camera bounds!
You would not even feel like clicking when
the vast collections of Peranakan treasure sit
cosy in their enclaves and black and white
subjects stare right at you from an era gone
by. You have to visit this private museum,
awarded the Best Overall Experience by the
National Heritage Board of Singapore – one
that gives back to its community – to see it
for yourself.
You have to visit to dine at this
Singapore from a sidecar
legendary table, groaning under the weight