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An important Bill Garden yacht carries an ambassador’s family far and wide.
by Dorothea Green
photography by Dorothea Green
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12/01/2005
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According to Malay legend, a Sumatran prince traveling the area encountered what
he thought to be a
lion. Considering this
a good omen, the prince named the land Singa Pura or “Lion City.” Today, the
people of Singapore are a beautiful fusion of Chinese, Malay and Indian. With so many cultures comes a
mix of religions that coexist peacefully on this tiny peninsula. I soon became accustomed to seeing
Hindus praying in front of a temple built to Ganesh or Buddhists prostrate before a golden statue. I
saw Islamic mosques, vibrating in prayer calls and heard the ringing bells of Catholic churches.
While in Singapore, Dorothea was docked at the legendary Tuas Raffles Marina. The senior minister at
the time, Lee Kuan Yew, and Mrs. Lee dined on board. Onshore lights reflected Singapore’s vibrant
prosperity, reminding us that this courageous man aboard was the modern founder and leader of this
vital country. Since becoming the first prime minister of Singapore in June 1959, Lee’s leadership
helped transform Singapore into a modern and affluent city-state. Because of his clever strategies,
Singapore is the world’s busiest port, stable and successful in this often-turbulent part of the
world.
 Feeding the local transportation on Java. (Click image to enlarge)
Like jewels fallen from a broken necklace, thousands of islands are scattered throughout the waters
surrounding Singapore. Dorothea
provided us with our own private access to many of these islands. One
of our most memorable journeys was to an island inhabited by the Bugis, in Sulawesi. The island is
located east of Borneo, west of the Moluccas and has a common border with the Philippines to the
north.
 One of countless ancient temples in Bali. (Click image to enlarge)
The Bugis people have captured the imagination of storytellers and travelers, and for a thousand years
Bugis sailors traveled as far as Burma and northern Australia, trafficking in everything from birds’
nests to guns and opium. The Bugis were also known as the Sea Gypsies,
slave-runners and the most
feared pirates in and around the Java Sea. Until recent years, cannibalism was a common practice on
Bogey Island. They became so feared that the word “bogeyman,” a corruption of “bugis man,” was coined
to describe them. My daughter, Andrea, was thrilled to discover there really is such a thing as the
bogeyman!
 The children of Bugis island, where the myth of the bogeyman started. (Click image to enlarge)
We were granted permission to visit the island after offering gifts to the chief. Hordes of children
ran screaming with delight into the water to greet the boat. The chief was gracious and invited us to
his home. We reluctantly accepted their hospitable mystery drinks and bizarre fish cookies with a
smile, while secretly hiding the cookies in our pockets and backpacks. We feared becoming the next
snack if we insulted anyone. As we escaped the boiling pot and climbed aboard our floating oasis, we
realized that we too were Sea Gypsies, traveling the high seas in search of new adventures. Luckily,
we could be adventurers and creatures of comfort all at once.
Note: This article is based on Dorothea Green’s book My World by Water. All proceeds from the book benefit the Children First Fund at the University of Miami’s Department of Pediatrics. For more information call (305) 243-3956.
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