The night market of Singapore is world famous. Everything is available there house wares and house hold goods, shoes, hand bags, belts, hair adornments, meats, fruits, vegetables, pets and more. The market is sectioned off into areas with foods in one sections, cloths in another and so on. The heat of this tropical environment has fostered the evolution of a night market. Singapore was first records of settlement is from the second century ACE. The Island an outpost of the Sumatran Srivijaya empire and was first named Temasek, sea town, a Javanese word. Temasek was a significant trading post, however declined in its power in the 14th century. Very little of the old city exists but archaeologists in Singapore have discovered artifacts of the old settlement. Between the 16th and the 19th centuries Singapore was a part of the Sultanate of Johor. In 613 the Malay-Portugal wars burned the settlement to the ground. The Portuguese held control over the island until the 18th century when the Dutch gained control over the area. In 1819 Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles landed on Singapore and saw the potential of this island and its positioning as a key trading post in south east Asia. The British East India Trading company was established and trade flourished in the area. The European influence continued over the island until World War II when the Japanese gained control of the island. In 1942 the British surrendered the island to the Japanese where they remained until the end of the war. After the war general elections were held in 1955 laying the ground work for modern day Singapore. The pro-Independence candidate Minister David Marshall won the election to be replaces shortly thereafter by Lim Yew Hock whose policies convinced the British to finally leave Singapore for good. Today modern Singapore is a fusion of all of these influences that have governed and effected this island since the 2nd century Ad. Today luxury hotels Singapore abound and welcome the traveler wanting to explore this island.