The Raffles doorman is the most photographed person in Singapore. He told me himself. He also told me that he lived briefly in Manhattan and worked as a doorman at the Drake Hotel. He returned to Singapore, because it was too expensive in New York.

From the 26th floor of the Carlton Hotel in Singapore, I looked directly down at Raffles, the world famous colonial-style hotel. Raffles claim to fame is the Singapore Sling, invented in 1915 by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. At the Long bar, where the sweet concoction is served, you will find yourself ensconced in surroundings from a bygone era. It’s also an escape from the hectic pace of the city. This is the same bar where Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, Noel Coward and other writers downed the famous drink. Ingredients: gin, cherry brandy, sugar, lemon juice, bitterslinks, and topped off with a Maraschino cherry.