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Check out a.t. Bukit Brown

2012-02-09T19:20:00.002+08:00

Great minds think alike. A loose group of strangers who became friends on the Facebook page, Heritage Singapore - Bukit Brown Cemetery, came up with the online site, a.t. Bukit Brown, to share the stories and knowledge about Bukit Brown Cemetery.

Please check it out here: http://bukitbrown.com/main/

Good Morning Yesterday: Growing Up in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s

2012-02-04T21:43:00.003+08:00

Congratulations to Lam Chun See, who started the blog Good Morning Yesterday, for having published his latest book Good Morning Yesterday: Growing Up in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s.

Life in the Singapore today is very different from the life in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s. How was life in the kampong (i.e. rural area) in those days? How did people relate to one another in those days when Facebook, mobile phones and smart-phones were non-existent? How did children entertain themselves in the days when there were no computer games and iPad? Where did family go to in those days when air-conditioned shopping malls were not the norm?

In Good Morning Yesterday: Growing Up in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s, Lam Chun See embarked on his significant project to share the stories from the past. The book is a compilation and reorganization of the stories that Lam Chun See has written about what it was like to grow up in a Singapore that was vastly different from today.

Keeping the Singapore story alive through writing about memories from past.

Who may enjoy this book?
The author wrote in the introduction section, that the positive feedback from the faithful readers of his blog gave him the much-needed courage to embark on the project to work on getting this book published. This book is as such, definitely a must-have for faithful readers of his blog.

Anyone who is doing research about life in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s may also find this book an invaluable resource as it is written from a direct personal perspective.

Lam Chun See is an alumnus of the Chong Boon Primary School, Anglo-Chinese School and National Junior College. Existing students and alumni of these schools are likely to find it intriguing to read about school life in the 1950s and 1960s.

This book is also a worthwhile souvenir for anyone who wishes to have a glimpse of Singapore's past. The book contains numerous photographs that were taken decades ago. Grandparents may find this book an apt gift for their younger ones who are eager to learn about the good old days of the past.

At the soft launch of the book.

The relationship between this book and the Prime Minister's National Day Rally speech:
Interestingly, I learnt that our Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, had played a part in motivating Lam Chun See to write this book. Lam Chun See wrote in his introduction how a part of the Prime Minister's National Day Rally Speech a few years ago had reminded him of the necessity for our young generation to know the heart of the Singapore story and the stories of Singapore's past.

Where to get a copy of this book?
If you are, like myself, all geared up to get yourself a copy of Lam Chun See's Good Morning Yesterday: Growing Up in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s, you will be pleased to know that the book is available from selected Kinokuniya and Times bookstores. The recommended retail price for each copy is $18.

****
Note: The publication is supported by the National Heritage Board's Heritage Industry Incentive Programme.

Acknowledgement: A heartfelt thanks to Lam Chun See for inviting me to the soft-launch of this publication. It was held at the Peranakan Museum on 4 Feb 2012. Many thanks to National Heritage Board for organizing the soft-launch too.

Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk

2012-02-01T22:41:00.000+08:00

There is a new coastal walk to explore in Singapore. The newly opened Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk is easily accessible from the Labrador Park MRT station. A blog post by a fellow blogger, Leone Fabre, shows how one can get to the Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk from the Labrador Park MRT station.

The Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk stretches over a distance of 2.1 km. The boardwalk is wheelchair friendly and offers a relatively easy way for most visitors to enjoy the tranquility of the mangrove and coastal area. This walk consists of three distinct segments - Alexandra Garden Trail, Berlayer Creek mangrove trail and Bukit Chermin boardwalk.

The Alexandra Garden Trail of the Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk links visitors to the Southern Ridges. Nature lovers have more places to explore with the opening of the Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk.

View of Sentosa island in the background.

What I appreciate about the Labrador Nature & Coastal Walk was that it allowed visitors like myself to gain convenient access to mesmerizing views of the Keppel Harbour, Sentosa island and the Labrador Nature Reserve.

Reflections at Keppel Bay, and Keppel Harbour

The boardwalk also offered a way to travel to the Labrador Park to enjoy the sea breezes and the rocky shores of Labrador Park.

For information on the Labrador Nature and Coatal Walk, please visit:
http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/docs/LabradorNature&CoastalWalk_Final.pdf

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition

2012-01-26T23:38:00.001+08:00

Recently, I visited the exhibition Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. Here's a simple post on my visit: Experience Titanic the safe way.

This exhibition will be held at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands from 29 Oct 2011 - 29 Apr 2012. Singapore residents can request for special discounts to this exhibition. For more information, please visit http://titanic.sg and http://www.marinabaysands.com/Singapore-Attractions/ArtScience-Museum/

Read: Stephanie Dowrick's Seeking the Sacred

2012-01-23T18:10:00.003+08:00

Author: Stephanie Dowrick
Title: Seeking the Sacred
Published by Jeremy P. Tarcher/ Penguin

This book took me more than a month to read while commuting on buses and trains. Nevertheless, it was a comforting and insightful read. I may have to re-read it a few more times to better appreciate the depth of the ideas.

I chose this book as I have grown to find comfort in the writing style of Stephanie Dowrick. I experiences her writing style as one that gently inspires and encourages while providing the space of kindness to grow.

This book, like its synopsis says, is "a book for the spiritually curious, as well as for those already engaged with the deeper questions". It is an invitation to "discover what makes our lives sacred, satisfying, and meaningful". I like the inclusiveness of this book. It is worth a read especially for someone who lives in a multi-religious country like the one that I am living in.

The key topics in this book are Reverence, Identity, Love, "Do No Harm" and Transformation. Each of these topics provided depth to invite us to "imagine the world we would live in if we dared to see all of life as sacred - unconditionally."

With this, I wish you blessings for the Lunar New Year.

(Here is a list of reviews on this book: http://www.stephaniedowrick.com/news/seeking-the-sacred-reviews/)

Relief is here!

2012-01-21T21:37:00.001+08:00

There is grief in my heart
As heavy as the pouring rain
Unexpectedly the sun sneaks in with its gentle rays
Shines through a bead of my fallen tears

The double rainbow appears
Lending a lighthearted lift to my shattered soul
Reminding that relief is here,
Right now.

(Notes: This evening, I saw a double rainbow from the Art Science Museum. Sighting the rainbow inspired me to write this poem.)

I surrender

2012-01-20T22:26:00.000+08:00

I surrender.
To the silence of the night,
I surrender my darkest emotions:
Anguish, confusion, disappointments, sadness and more.

And have the faith that
The angels of the night,
Shall transform this silence into
Echoes that sing the music from the heavenly realms.

My love for greeting cards

2012-01-18T23:12:00.001+08:00

This evening, I was reorganizing my humble collection of greeting cards and notes. These were the expressions of the thoughts and care from friends over the years. It was a comforting and touching experience to reread these cards and notes. I felt I was rediscovering a way to count my blessings, i.e. through rereading at least a part of my collection of greeting cards and notes.

I started collecting greeting cards and notes from a time when I was possibly in lower Secondary level. The collection started as a way to remind me of the care and encouragements that friends so generously give. I continued to collect the cards over time after I have experienced that it is therapeutic to browse through and reread even a portion of the collection.

Some cards may bear simple words of greeting yet the thoughtfulness that came with them can be deeply felt. Some cards bear interesting designs and often remind me of one of my dreams to establish a business that aims share kindness and care through greeting cards, notes and gifts. Some cards which were hand-made reminded me of the care and effort that went into realizing the cards.

With this post, I thank my friends for the thoughtfulness and care that were so generously shared, through simple gestures such as sending an encouraging card. Thank you!

Pasta shape test

2012-01-17T20:41:00.000+08:00

This test ties in well with my recent posts on my visit to Italy. Enjoy the pasta shape test.

I learnt that orecchiette "is a kind of home-made pasta typical of the Puglia or Apulia, a region of Southern Italy." Its name comes from its shape which reminds one of a small ear.

You Are Orecchiette

You are easily inspired, and you see beauty in unusual places. Anything can be art for you.

You have a tempered, reasonable way of thinking. You tend to take every new idea in and meld it with your world view.

You're happy-go-lucky but also quietly enigmatic. You keep most of your thoughts to yourself.

You are sentimental and open-hearted. You love many people, places, and things.

What Shape Pasta Are You?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

A friend's online boutique

2012-01-14T23:48:00.002+08:00

This afternoon, I met up with one of my friends for tea and a visit to the National Museum of Singapore. Over tea, I learnt that she has established an online fashion and accessories boutique.

It seems that shopping online has helped bring convenience to the consumers, while providing consumers with easier access to more unique products at affordable prices.

If you are looking for dresses, accessories, and more, please visit: http://www.shopon.sg.

Italy 2011

2012-01-10T22:44:00.001+08:00

Ponte Vecchio over River Arno, Florence, Italy, on the left of the photo.

This October (7 - 17 Oct 2011), I visited Italy on a group-tour package provided by one of the tour agencies in Singapore. My intention was to be in Italy to experience and to appreciate the architecture in parts of Italy as well as the natural landscape.

Please find a list of the posts that I have written regarding this visit to Italy:

Special thanks to my travel-mate for her patience throughout the trip. My thanks to our coach driver, the attentive tour-manager and the knowledgeable tour-guides. I was grateful that our tour group had generally enjoyed good weather and great hospitality throughout our stay in Italy.

It was an enriching experience to be in Italy. When I was younger, I had deemed it as one of my favourite countries in the world that I would like to visit. I was attracted to its seemingly rich history and the interesting 'shoe' shape of the outline of this country. I hope to visit Italy and the rest of Europe again.

Charming Naples

2012-01-07T00:05:00.000+08:00

Castel Nuovo, a medieval castle in Naples.

Naples, also known as "Napoli" in Italian, is a city in Southern Italy. During my recent trip to Italy, the tour group had a night stay at Naples after our visit to Pompeii, the UNESCO heritage site.

According to Wikipedia, Naples' historic city centre is the largest in Europe. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

While we were at Naples, we learnt that Naples is famous for its pizza. The tomatoes from Naples is said to be one of the freshest in Italy. However, I had missed the chance to enjoy a Pizza Margherita from Naples.

One of the puzzling things that I could not quite comprehend when I was in Naples was that the locals seem to like to remind tourists not to be out alone at night. The extent of the cautionary attitude was so great that while I was in Naples, I did not visit any single place except the Chinese restaurant that we had dinner in, the hotel and the ferry terminal where we took a hydrofoil to Capri island. Whatever else that I saw in Naples were observed from the tour bus! Interestingly, I was influenced to be obedient and did not venture out during my entire night in Naples.

Whatever it is, I am rather tempted to consider visiting Naples one day in the future (perhaps with a bodyguard so as to assure the cautious locals). Naples offers a very beautiful sea view, and so I shall end this post with a photo of the charming sea view taken from the tour bus. Be delighted.

A message to the Sun

2012-01-02T21:30:00.003+08:00

Dear Sun,
Could you please write me a caring message
On a droplet of water with your rays?

To paint a lovely rainbow across the skies.
Turn the gloomy colour of the monsoon season
To a healing palette of the sacred

Bringing ease to the pain
Of my roots growing deeper into the earth
Under the beams of your loving rays.

Irish Blessing (Beannacht) - John O'Donohue

2012-01-01T00:15:00.000+08:00

video source: http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZfvS2LYbZLQ

This is a New Year's Blessing by the late Irish poet John O'Donohue. I find the poem comforting and kind. May this bring you blessings for a meaningful and joyful year of 2012. And all shall be safe and well.

Bennacht — A Blessing — by John O’Donohue

On the day when
The weight deadens
On your shoulders
And you stumble,
May the clay dance
To balance you.

And when your eyes
Freeze behind
The gray window
And the ghost of loss
Gets in to you,
May a flock of colors,
Indigo, red, green
And azure blue
Come to awaken in you
A meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
In the curach of thought
And a stain of ocean
Blackens beneath you,
May there come across the waters
A path of yellow moonlight
To bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
And may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow
Wind work these words
Of love around you,
An invisible cloak
To mind your life.

(source: http://firesidelearning.ning.com/profiles/blogs/remembering-john-odonohue)

At year's End

2011-12-31T23:54:00.000+08:00

We bless this year for all we learned,
For all we loved and lost
And for the quiet way it brought us
Nearer to our invisible destination.

- blessings by John O' Donohue

I came across a lovely poem by John O'Dononhue, and thought of sharing part of it here. It seems that one of the most appropriate way to end the year is to give thanks. Thank you for your care, your wishes, and for being there.

Flowers from Italy to cheer

2011-12-29T23:01:00.000+08:00

The beautiful flowers in Italy never fail to captivate my attention. In my humble attempt to brighten the mood, here is sharing a few of the photos of the lovely flowers from Italy. May these images bring you cheer and hope.

In the town of Assisi, I caught sight of a snail that seemed to have strong faith that it will get to where it would like to go.

In summary, I think the world is reminding us to make time to appreciate the flowers.

Read: Paulo Coelho's Aleph

2011-12-27T22:58:00.001+08:00

Title: Aleph
Author: Paulo Coelho
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, (New York), 2011.

Ever since I have first read Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, I have been drawn in some ways to read the works of this very author. Aleph is the latest book by Paulo Coelho, and I bought myself a copy of it recently.

In this book, it speaks of Paulo Coelho's journey of self-discovery. The synopsis writes "Paulo is facing a grave crisis of faith. As he seeks a path of spiritual renewal and growth, he decides to begin again - to travel, to experiment, to reconnect with people and the landscapes around him..."

As the story unfolds, it appears that there is an implication of a core entity of the soul which evolves throughout different lifetimes. An act of cowardice of the protagonist five hundred years ago affects him in this lifetime. In this book, the protagonist takes his chance in this lifetime to make a better choice.

Today, I read from an online article of an interview with Paulo Coelho and he said that one of the messages of the book is that what we do now affects our future. What a great power the present is, and the power of our choices.

Perhaps when the signs guide me to, I shall reread Aleph to better understand the messages that it is trying to communicate.

In the meantime, please visit this website to learn more about this book, Aleph: http://paulocoelhoblog.com/category/aleph/

Glimpses of the food from Italy

2011-12-24T11:42:00.003+08:00

Food can give us a glimpse about the lives of the people in a country. Feast our eyes to some of the food from Italy.

I have developed a liking for risotto. Somehow, I like the way the rice is being cooked for the risotto dish. Rice is cooked in broth to a creamy consistency. Interestingly, I like the al dente texture of the rice in risotto. Some of my peers did not like the al dente texture however.

This pizza that was served in one of the restaurants was huge!

In a restaurant nearby Pompeii, I caught a glimpse of the making of pizzas by two pizza chefs.

Black squid ink pasta.

The black squid ink pasta from Cinque Terre has left an impression in me as it was my very first time eating black squid ink pasta. The seafood from Cinque Terre is fresh and delicious.

The decor of restaurants in Italy tends to be pleasing and elegant. Somehow the decor complements the food and makes the dining experience more pleasurable.

Salads, bread and lemonade.

Salads and bread are the most common appetizers in most of the meals that I had in Italy. When I was at Capri, I decided to order a glass of lemonade. Please be mindful, the lemonade is very fresh yet can be considered too sour for most people. One of my tour-mates had added more than three packets of sugar to the lemonade drink, only to still find the lemonade too sour for his liking.

Ravioli.

Some of the best food that I had while I was in Italy came at an affordable price. Before we reached our hotel in Rome, our driver led us to a canteen in a student hostel and this place serves delicious food. At the canteen, my accompanying friend introduced me to ravioli, a traditional type of Italian filled pasta. A filling is sealed between two layers of thin egg pasta dough for this dish. It was a good treat.

One of my favourite Italian desserts is the tiramisu, which literally means "pick me up" in Italian. I was impressed to find delicious tiramisu at the canteen of a humble student hostel.

The chocolate drinks in Italy are worth trying. Rich and concentrated, the hot chocolate drink from Italy felt like as if we were drinking melted chocolate.

Till today, I can still remember the cup of gelato from a humble gelato shop in Assisi. It tasted fresh and delicious. My friend and I were singing high praises for the abundant fresh berries that we can find in the gelato.

I cannot help but conclude that food is also a form of art, with a very practical purpose of nourishing the body and delighting the taste-buds as well as the senses.

Rome City Tour

2011-12-16T20:51:00.000+08:00

After a visit to the Vatican City, our group was ready to have a tour about the city of Rome. Our local tour guide gave us insights to the history of Rome.

Colosseum
This amphitheatre was inaugurated by Emperor Titus in 80 CE. I was all ready to visit the Colosseum. However, there was a protest that was to take place near the Colosseum on 15 Oct 2011. As such, the Colosseum was closed to visitors since that morning. To ensure the safety of the members of the public and the tourists, roads leading to the Colosseum was closed in the afternoon.

Thankfully, the tour bus got our group a good glance of the Colosseum from the tour bus in the late morning. In the afternoon (during our free time), together with my accompanying friend and one of the tour-mates, we attempted to make our way to the Colosseum only to be disappointed that the roads were sealed. The best that we could see was smoke coming from nearby the Colosseum.

Victor Emmanuel II Monument
This monument was built to honour Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy. The monument looked very grand and lavish.

Piazza Venezia
The tour-bus drove the group about Piazza Venezia several times so that we can enjoy the sights of the Piazza from the bus. Due to the anticipation of the protests, the tour-bus did not stop anywhere nearby the Piazza. Nearby is the Victor Emmanuel II Monument.

Castle of Angels
This castle looking building was originally the massive circular tomb of the Roman emperor, Hadrian. It was erected on the right bank of the river Tiber.

Trevi Fountain (photo stop)
A beautiful fountain that will delight. In a 1960 comedy-drama film, La Dolce Vita, one of the protagonists threw three coins backwards over the shoulder to ensure a return visit to Rome. Our guide gave us a different interpretation to the coin throwing game. The method of throwing the coins remain the same. However, the instructions were to make three wishes and then throw the coin into the fountain.

Spanish Steps (photo stop)
My friend and I counted that there were 132 steps to the third tier of the Spanish Steps. I saw that by the late afternoon and evening, people will sit on the steps of this Rococo-style staircase watching the world go by. The Spanish Steps reminded me of a part of my Secondary School's building where students would sit down on the steps of the stairways waiting for the flag-rising ceremony to begin.

I read that Francesco De Sanctis designed the steps in 1723-6 for King Louis XV, and the Italian name is Scalinata della Trinita dei Monti, after the church at the top. The nearby hourglass-shaped square is known as Piazza di Spagna.

I could only say that there are so many interesting and beautiful buildings and monuments to see in Rome that I felt pretty overwhelmed in a positive way. I was also happy that I chose to explore parts of Rome instead of spend the time shopping during the allocated free time.

I hope to visit Rome again. May my wish be realized by the Trevi Fountain.

References:
DK Eyewitness Top 10 Rome.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Sant'Angelo

A Moving Masterpiece: Experience Bianjing

2011-12-13T23:17:00.000+08:00

If you have missed the animated version of "Qing Ming Shang He Tu" (Along the river during the Qingming Festival) (清明上河图) by the famous twelfth century Chinese painter, Zhang Zeduan, during the World Expo 2010 Shanghai, exhibited at the China Pavilion, here's your chance to catch it in Singapore. Till 6 Feb 2012, at the Singapore EXPO Hall 3.

Here is a post that I have written after a recent visit to this exhibition: A Moving Masterpiece: Experience Bianjing

The Vatican City Tour

2011-12-08T23:09:00.001+08:00

The tour of the Vatican City was one of my favourite segments of the tour about Italy. The credit would go to the knowledgeable local tour guide who gave the group a very concise yet informative tour of the Vatican City. During the tour, we learnt about some of the collections of the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel and the St Peter's Basilica.

I saw a number of remarkable art works during my visit to the Vatican City.

Pieta, by Michelangelo.
This work depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother, Mary, after the Crucifixion.

St Peter's Basilica
This is one of the most famous churches in the Catholic and Christian faith. The basilica's size and spiritual significance is impressive. This church in Renaissance style.

St Peter's Square, St Peter's Basilica in the background.

Inside St Peter's Basilica.

The grand St Peter's Basilica.

The visit to Vatican City was a relative short one as the group had to head to other parts of Rome. In my mind, I wonder how people of the Catholic faith would experience Vatican City. I figured it could be a spiritual or home-coming experience to visit the Vatican City?

References:
DK Eyewitness Travel: Italy. (2011)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter's_Basilica
http://www.artbible.info/art/sistine-chapel.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistine_Chapel

Read: The Tao of Warren Buffett

2011-12-06T21:39:00.000+08:00

Title: The Tao of Warren Buffett
Authors: Mary Buffett and David Clark
Publisher: Scribner, 2006

In the hope to appreciate the wisdom and strategies behind Warren Buffett's investment achievements, I readily borrowed this book, The Tao of Warren Buffett, when I came across it at one of the public libraries.

In summary, Warren Buffett's strategies are pretty down-to-earth, practical, and disciplined. From my reading of this book, I have learnt that Buffett's key strategy to value investment is as such: Invest in and buy "businesses with good-to-superb underlying economics run by honest and able people and buy them at sensible prices". While this may seem simple, it also requires patience, doing good homework, understanding financial statements and being disciplined.

In this book, I also learnt about the reasons why Warren Buffett think it is not necessary to diversify one's investments. He seems to be famous for concentrating his investments on companies that he thinks have good business economics and fair prices.

This is an accessible book that is fairly easy to read and understand. Great wisdom presented with simplicity.

Imagine Sorrento

2011-12-04T10:11:00.000+08:00

Imagination will take us to find beauty even whether circumstances did not seem to support it. On a rainy day, let us imagine the greatness of Sorrento and the clarity of its beautiful Mediterranean skies.

I did not have many photos of Sorrento. Perhaps it was because I had decided to view Sorrento through my imaginative eyes than through the camera lenses.

A glimpse of Sorrento on a rainy day.

In the meantime, please enjoy the song of Sorrento.

Capri Island tour

2011-11-30T23:28:00.000+08:00

After the visit to Pompeii, the tour group made our way to Naples. The following day, the tour group make its way to Capri.

On the south side of the Gulf of Naples, Southern Italy, there is an Italian island in the Tyrrhenian sea that is called Capri. Geological surveys and archaeological findings confirmed that Capri island was once part of the mainland of Italy.

The tour group took a hydrofoil to Capri Island. I was expecting a sunny and warm weather. Yet, interestingly, it was a pretty windy day. Nevertheless, I had an enjoyable ride on the hydrofoil.

Mount Vesuvius, as seen from the hydrofoil.

I read that Capri is a Mediterranean island with a magical beauty. Our guide told us that on a day with good weather, the water will be in a beautiful hue of clear blue. However, as if it was an excuse for me to return to Capri in the future, the weather was strangely dull and rainy on the day of our visit.

As such, for the rest of this post, please use your imagination to picture the beautiful scenery at Capri Island.

Marina Grande

Marina Grande is the main port of the island. This is a charming seaside. I could imagine how it would be on a sunny day. Ferries and hydrofoils to Capri dock at this port.

To get to the town of Capri, we took a mini-bus up the narrow and winding road.

Anacapri is a principal town on the island of Capri. Due to the rain, we did not get to visit the highest point of Capri.

Limoncello tasting
This Italian lemon liqueur is an after-dinner digestivo that is traditionally served chilled. It is mainly produced in Southern Italy. I sampled a small cup of limoncello and it did not have the sour taste of lemon. I like the sound of its name most of all, i.e. limoncello! Doesn't it sound like a musical instrument?

***
Perhaps the dull weather that I had met in Capri was the reason for me to visit Capri yet again, sometime in the future?

To end this post, let me share this song, Isle of Capri.

References:
http://www.capritourism.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capri
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrrhenian_Sea
http://www.italyguides.it/us/campania/isle_of_capri/port_marina_grande.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacapri
DK Eyewitness Travel: Italy. (2011)

Simple ideas to enjoy the exhibition "Dreams and Reality" better

2011-11-27T22:57:00.003+08:00

With an overwhelming number of more than 140 paintings, photographs and drawings from the collection of the world renowned Musée d’Orsay, an art museum in France, what could a visitor do to better appreciate this exhibition?

In this post, Simple ideas to enjoy the exhibition "Dreams and Reality" better, I shall attempt to share some suggestions that may guide a visitor, especially one who is totally new to visual art, to enjoy this exhibition like a seasoned visual art-lover.

Pompeii: The UNESCO heritage site

2011-11-24T20:51:00.000+08:00

Taken from the exhibition "Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town 79 CE".

About a year ago, I went for an exhibition in Singapore that showcases artifacts from Pompeii titled Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town 79 CE. One that fateful day in 79 CE, Mount Vesuvius erupted and the extend of the eruption destroyed the Roman town of Pompeii, and yet ironically preserved this Roman town for centuries.

This buried city of Pompeii was rediscovered in the 16th century but systemic excavation only began in 1748. I learnt that the western part of Pompeii is where the most impressive and intact Roman ruins are located.

A plaster cast of one of the victims of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79CE.

The star sights of Pompeii are said to be the "House of the Faun" and the "House of Vetti". However, somehow I do not remember visiting these two sites.

Our tour guide led the group to see a gymnasium and an auditorium in the town of Pompeii.

A gynasium.

One of the auditoriums.
Imagine that the auditorium seats used to be covered by marble stones.

Along the way, he gave us interesting details on some of the features that could be found on the streets. I learnt that "stepping stones" were laid on selected areas of the streets of Pompeii so that people could use these specially elevated large stones to cross the streets of Pompeii in the event of floods.

One of the streets of Pompeii.
The gentleman in the foreground holding a camera is stepping on a "Stepping Stone".

More than a thousand years ago in the town of Pompeii, the people of Pompeii already have amenities such as drinking fountains, bakeries, chemists (today's version of the pharmacy), baths and more. I was pretty fascinated to simply see the ruins of Pompeii personally in my lifetime.

Inside one of the Roman baths.
This, if I recall correctly, is the original marble structure placed at a hot-steamed bath area.

A drinking tap.

Spirituality and religion seemed to be an important part of the lives of the people of Pompeii. I cannot help but notice the elaborate structures that form the Temple of Jupiter and the Temple of Apollo.

Temple of Jupiter.

Temple of Apollo.

There are simply a lot to be discovered about the civilization of Pompeii. I personally find the visit to Pompeii shorter than I would like. Then again,I was very grateful that the visit to Pompeii was a great way to get me reacquainted with Pompeii once again. One of my minor achievements as a result of visiting Pompeii was that I have learnt to recognize Mount Vesuvius.

Mount Vesuvius in the background.

Civilizations may rise and fall. Yet what has enabled the human race to continue to exist on Earth since mankind exists, is possibly the faith and courage to live in spite of all the odds.

References:
http://www.pompeiisites.org/
DK Eyewitness Travel: Italy. (2011)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompeii

Assisi: The memorable Roseo Hotel Assisi

2011-11-23T20:06:00.001+08:00

One of the hotels that had left a very positive impression on me was the Roseo Hotel Assisi.

At the hotel, we enjoyed a most sumptuous and memorable buffet dinner. I particularly like the following items from the buffet: hazelnut parfait, risotto, peas and potatoes. Many thanks to our wonderful tour manager who had got a complimentary bottle of red wine for our group to share.

The hotel's lobby was nicely decorated. At the roof top, one can enjoy a nice view of Assisi. Great hospitality, good vibes and scenic views, all these have made the stay at Roseo Hotel Assisi memorable.

View from Roseo Hotel Assisi.
Taken by my friend who was on the tour with me.

Roseo Hotel Assisi
Via Giovanni Renzi 2
06081 Assisi
Italy

Places: Musée d'Orsay travels to Singapore

2011-11-22T20:29:00.002+08:00

Places: Musée d'Orsay travels to Singapore:

This is the time to be inspired by some of the collections from the world renowned Musée d'Orsay , right in Singapore. Till 5 Feb 2012.

Dreams and Reality: Masterpieces of Painting, Drawing and Photography from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris
Venue: National Museum of Singapore
Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Ticket Prices: $11 including SISTIC charges
Ticket Bookings: SISTIC counters nationwide
SISTIC hotline: (65)6348 5555
SISTIC online booking: www.sistic.com.sg

Assisi: The beauty of a medieval town

2011-11-19T00:01:00.000+08:00

Assisi during sunset.

Assisi is a beautiful medieval town in the Umbria region, Central Italy. Assisi appears to be closely associated with Saint Francis, who was born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone. He was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher who founded the Franciscan religious order in Assisi in 1208.

San Francis Basilica

St Francis is buried at the site of the Basilica di San Francesco that is located in Assisi. The basilica that begun in 1228 is one of the great Christian shrines. A great number of pilgrims visit the basilica throughout the year. At the Basilica, one will find the tomb of St Francis in the crypt.

It appears that lovers of frescoes will delight in the visual treasures that they will see at this Basilica.

The frescoes by Lorenzetti is worth admiring. The Deposition (1323) is based around the truncated Cross. Interestingly, the composition of The Deposition leads the viewers to focus their attention on the figure of Christ.
Giotto's frescoes consisting of 28 panels depict the life of St Francis (c. 1290 - 1295).
Cappella di San Martino's frescoes on the Life of St Martin (1315) is yet another set of frescoes that is one of the star features of the Basilica.

Architecturally wise, visitors could take notice that the rose window of the facade reflected the styles of early Italian Gothic. This Basilica is often visited by pilgrims.

The place to get souvenirs from Assisi is possibly the gift-shop found within St Francis Basilica. Sales proceeds from the sale of souvenirs from this very gift-shop will be used to fund the running of the St Francis Basilica.

St Mary of the Angels

Situated in the plain at the foot of the hill of Assisi is the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (St Mary of the Angels). It was constructed in the Mannerist style of architecture by architects Galeazzo Alessi and Vignola. This style of architecture prefigured the theatrical Baroque style.

The statue at the top of St Mary of the Angels.
This was taken by my friend and travel companion.

The ambience of St Mary of the Angels is peaceful and tranquil.

Piazza del Comune
Situated in the city of the city of Assisi, this square is the social, cultural and political centre of Assisi. Make time to admire the Foro Romano (Roman forum), the Torre del Popolo (Tower of the People, Minerva's Temple (Temple of Minerva) and the fountain built by Giovanni Martinucci in 1762.

Via Portica
This street leads to St Francis Basilica. It is a beautiful street, especially in the evening.

Assisi is a tranquil medieval town. There, I have experienced a sense of peace. It is a place with good vibes.

References:
DK Eyewitness Travel: Italy. (2011)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_San_Francesco_d%27Assisi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Santa_Maria_degli_Angeli
http://www.umbria.org/assisi/assisieng/piazzaComune.htm
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/assisi-santa-maria-degli-angeli
http://tuscanyumbriavilla.wordpress.com/2009/06/10/the-basilica-of-st-francis-in-assisi-umbria/

Places: Budak Pantai at The Republic Cultural Centre

2011-11-17T23:54:00.002+08:00

Here is a link to a post on an excellent concert by Budak Pantai that I had attended: Budak Pantai at The Republic Cultural Centre.

Pisa: The glorious Pisa

2011-11-14T21:57:00.001+08:00

Field of Miracles.

From Cinque Terre, our tour group headed to Pisa, which is located within the Tuscany region of Italy. We were heading for the Field of Miracles.

The magnificent buildings of Pisa reflected its glorious past whereby trading links with Spain and North Africa brought much wealth to Pisa. A quick glimpse of history seem to suggest that glory and power may not last, and yet, the wisdom to preserve one's heritage is a cultural asset that will last for generations to witness and to be proud of.

Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Leaning Tower of Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the bell tower of Piazza Duomo. It was intended to complement the Duomo. The architecture is Pisan-Romanesque in style. I can remember the famous science experiment whereby Galileo Galilei climbed to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and conducted his experiments on the velocity of falling objects.

In a nutshell, the leaning bell tower was caused by the unsteady ground which is rich in water. Notice that this bell tower is slightly bent.

At the Field of Miracles, engaged visitors can be easily spotted trying to create the optical illusions of attempts to make the Leaning tower of Pisa either become perpendicular or to cause it to lean. I had wanted a climb of the Leaning Tower of Pisa but gave it a miss so that I could enjoy a walk about the Field of Miracles. Somehow, it was a beautiful experience to view all the structures in the Field of Miracles as a harmonious whole.

Duomo
It seemed that the Leaning Tower of Pisa has in some ways overshadowed the Duomo in the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) that it was intended to complement. Notice the lace-like columns at the front,its intricate designs somehow makes the Duomo impress upon its visitors as a very exquisite and fine building.

Baptistery
I personally find the Baptistery to be very attractive. This is the Baptistery of St. John (Battistero di San Giovanni), and is a replacement of an older baptistery. I read that the Baptistery has astounding acoustics.

***
Strangely, I was more attracted by the grass field than the buildings in the Field of Miracles. Perhaps I have been overwhelmed by the stunning beauty of the architecture of these buildings that the plain grass field somehow provided a nicely welcomed break?

To be honest, while I have visited the Field of Miracles and saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I felt that I have yet to experience Pisa. I suppose Pisa is simply more than the Field of Miracles? Nevertheless, at the very least, I have a good glimpse of the beauty of the Field of Miracles.

As I end this post, I realized that the buildings in the Field of Miracles have stood the tests of time. Their presence, in some ways, connect the people and visitors of Pisa across the various generations, reminding all of us of the glorious Pisa.

References:
DK Eyewitness Travel: Italy. (2011)
http://www.behindthetower.com/en/pisa/sights/leaningtowerofpisa
http://www.behindthetower.com/en/pisa/city/trainsintuscany
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptistry_(Pisa)

Buffet at Penang Place

2011-11-12T23:49:00.002+08:00

A-char on the right.

One Saturday evening on 12 Nov 2011, I visited the Penang Place Restaurant with one of my good friend, Mystic, to enjoy its Penang buffet spread.

The reviews shared that the Char Kway Teow from Penang Place is one of the best in town. The ingredients (e.g. the beansprouts and cockles) are fresh and flavour-some. I think it is nicely cooked and a delicious treat for anyone craving for Penang Char Kway Teow.

Mystic said that the a-char (pickled vegetables) was nice. Quality and fresh ingredients were used. The a-char sauce had a mildly spicy and sweet-sour flavour. I liked the a-char too.

Delicious and appetizing desserts.

The desserts seem to have won Mystic's taste-buds. She was raving how the delicious rice flavour from the glutinous rice used in the desserts became gradually more apparent with every bite and chew. I like the gui-ling-gao dessert.

Penang Rojak. I love the juicy star-fruits.

The do-it-yourself rojak was nice too. Ingredients such as juicy fresh star-fruits, guava fruits, cucumber and so forth were made available for the guests to prepare their own rojak. Mystic said that this is a dish that cannot go wrong as the rojak's prawn paste is flavour-some and tasty.

Other favourites of mine include the chendol, Penang laksa, and beef rendang.

With a great company in Mystic, we did not realised that we had spent more than two hours at Penang Place. It seemed that Penang Place is a great place for celebrations While we were having our dinner there, there were three occasions when the audio system in the restaurant played the Happy Birthday tune to celebrate the joyful occasion for three of the guests.

This is one place for quality Penang food and for celebration indeed.

I end this post with a wish for Mystic and her loved ones. May they be blessed with good health and happiness.

Penang Place
1 Fusionopolis Way
Connexis #B1-20/24
Singapore 138632
(Closed on Sundays)
Tel: 64611003
http://www.penangplace.com/

Cinque Terre: an UNESCO world heritage site

2011-11-10T00:12:00.002+08:00

Cinque Terre. Vernazza.

I beg for your pardon. I have not heard of Cinque Terre until I have signed up for the group tour package to Dynasty Travel's "11D8N Best of Italy". To satisfy my curiosity, I googled for Cinque Terre.

Wikipedia's description of Cinque Terre is as such, "a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It is in the Liguria region of Italy, to the west of the city of La Spezia...The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site."

An artist practising his art at Cinque Terre.

The five villages are namely Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. A walking trail, known as Sentiero Azzurro ("Light Blue Trail") connects the five villages.

Setting off from La Spezia.

For our tour group, our expedition went as such:
We took a train from La Spezia to Riomaggiore. From Riomaggiore, our group took a leisure walk along the well-paved coastal path of Via dell'Amore (Lovers' Lane) to get to Manarola. Along the way, we enjoyed stunning oceans views.

Lovers' Lane.

From Manarola, the group headed to Monterosso al Mare for lunch. After lunch hours, the group headed for Vernazza which has a nice beach in a protected harbour before returning to La Spezia. Our group gave Corniglia a miss as one would need to walk up 382 steps from the train station to reach Corniglia.

Manarola.

Monterosso al Mare.

Food wise, seafood is plentiful since Cinque Terre is located on the Mediterranean. You are wise if you have guessed that my tour-mate and I had seafood for lunch.

Black squid ink pasta.

Cinque Terre area is also known for its pesto, a sauce that is made from basil leaves, garlic, salt, olive oil, pine nuts and pecorino cheese. The most common bread that is baked here is the Focaccia bread. For folks who like savoury and crunchy pancake, they may like to sample Farinata, which is made from a base of chick-pea flour. Time was limited and appetite was not huge, so I did not feast on all the specialties of Cinque Terre.

Mussels and clams.

The charm of Cinque Terre could be due to the lack of visible corporate development. I thought it was very wise that the community decides to preserve the elements that form the strengths of this region. The landscape is charmingly beautiful with carefully built terraces being built on the rugged landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea.

A Cinque Terre card with train travel is recommended for visitors to Cinque Terre. I have learnt Cinque Terre is quite protected from strong winds. I did not get to use any of the warm clothings that I had brought along. As such, it may help to dress in light layers of clothes at Cinque Terre.

References:
DK Eyewitness Travel: Italy. (2011)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinque_Terre
http://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/cinque-terre-card
http://www.cinqueterreonline.com/tips.htm
http://www.cinqueterreriomaggiore.com/eng/cinqueterre_treno.php

Tuscany: The Florence Walking Tour

2011-11-03T22:58:00.000+08:00

Tuscany is a region in Italy that is renowned for its art, history and evocative landscape. You may have heard of famous Tuscan cities such as Florence, Siena and Pisa.

Florence is the place to visit to appreciate Renaissance, a movement of the 15th century that centered on artistic and cultural reawakening. During that period of time, Florence was at the cultural and intellectual heart of Europe. In those days, some of the world's greatest Renaissance works were created by artists, sculptors and architects who moved to Florence.

From Venice, the tour-group headed to Florence by bus. One of our first stops in Florence was Piazza Michelangelo.

Piazza Michelangelo

Panorama view of Florence from Piazza Michelangelo.

This is the photo stop to head for. I was told that this spot offers a magnificent panorama of the city of Florence. According to DK Eyewitness Travel: Italy, when the sun sets over the river Arno and distant Tuscan hills, this place offers one of the most evocative views.

There is a copy of the statue of David at Piazza Michelangelo. It was not impressively sculpted, yet it seemed to earn a fair amount of attention from the visitors to Piazza Michelangelo.

Ponte Vecchio
This is a Medieval stone segmental arch bridge over the Arno River in Florence. It is the oldest surviving bridge in the city of Floence. Built in 1345, Ponte Vecchio was desgined by Taddeo Gaddi.

Ponte Vecchio over River Arno, on the left of the photo.

Piazza Signoria
The heart of Florence's political and social life, the great bell of Piazza Signoria had once used to summon citizens to public meetings. The statues in the piazza commemorate Florence's major historical events.

There is a copy of David, the famous sculpture by Michelangelo, sitting at the Piazza Signoria. I learnt that David was commissioned by Florence for Piazza Signoria. However, it was subsequently moved to the Galleria dell'Accademia for safe-keeping in 1873.

Visitors ought to take a good look at Palazzo Vecchio, The Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna and Perseus by Cellini. These are said to be star features of Piazza Signoria.

On the right: The Rape of the Sabine Women. By Giambologna.

Duomo
Santa Maria del Fiore, the richly decorated Duomo, is Florence's most famous cathedral. "Duomo" is a generic Italian term for a cathedral church. This cathedral is Europe's fourth largest church and is the tallest building in Florence.

I have learnt from an introductory class to Western architecture that Santa Maria del Fiore's dome is Gothic in outline and is influenced by (Italian) Gothic architecture. The dome's design is engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. It was founded upon a double shell design whereby the outer shell is supported by a thicket inner shell that acts as a platform for the former. I was told that the top of the dome, i.e. the lantern, not only offers spectacular views of the Florence city, it also serves to structurally disperse the weight of the dome. The weight of the lantern hence prevents the dome from springing apart.

I had wanted to join the queue that was to go up to the top of the dome of the Duomo. However, after much considerations, I did not do so due to long queue, the fact that I had to meet the rest of the tour-group by a specified time.

Gate of Paradise
At the Baptistry of the Duomo, visitors ought to make time to admire Lorenzo Ghiberti's famous bronze Baptistry doors. The panels of the doors are often regarded as the first works of the Renaissance. To the east, the doors have been called by Michelangelo as "Gates of Paradise". These doors depict scenes from the Old Testaments.

The original ten relief panels showing scriptural subjects are now exhibited in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The panels at the Baptistry are copies.

Address:
Piazza Duomo, 17 - 50122 Florence
Tel and Fax: +39(055)215380
E-Mail: info@duomofirenze.it

Florentine Steak Dinner with wine
In the evening, our guide led us to a quiet alley in the city of Florence for a sumptuous Florentine steak dinner with wine at Oseria dei Baroncelli.

I read that the versatile Sangiovese grape dominates wine making in Central Italy. The finest red wines are made in the hills of southeasten Tuscany. Notable red wine includes Brunello di Montalcino and Sassicaia. Yet, I am sorry to share that I have no clue what red wine I had drank that evening. I only knew that the red wine went well with the rest of the dinner.

***

Street art.

I read that getting around Florence is pretty easy as it has an excellent bus system. Travelling by foot is one of the best ways to navigate about Florence. Florence somehow gave me good vibes. It is likely that I shall visit Florence again.

River Arno.

References:
DK Eyewitness Travel: Italy. (2011)
http://www.duomofirenze.it/index-eng.htm
http://www.operaduomo.firenze.it/
http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/italy/florence/ghibertiparadise/ghibertiparadise.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Cathedral

More of Venice

2011-10-29T00:09:00.000+08:00

In an earlier post, we have taken a glimpse of the gondola rides in Venice, and the art of glass-making in this city. This post explores a few of the well-known structures in Venice.

St Mark's Basilica
The word "Basilica" was originally used to describe a Roman public building. St Mark's Basilica is built on a Greek's church cross plan. It is crowned with five huge domes. It became the city cathedral of Venice in 1807.

Visitors to the St Mark's Basilica will find it mesmerizing to admire the mosaics of the atrium. These mosaics were created in the Byzantine tradition (related to churches using a traditional Greek rite). When light shines on the mosaics, the precious gold leaf over glass tiles shimmer and dazzle delightfully.

The marble tiles on the floor were also great works of art. Assembling the marble tiles in precise patterned arrangements that seem to create optical illusions must have been a task requiring dedication and perseverance.

The Ascension Dome, which is the central dome of the building, has mosaics laid out to depict the New Testament. There is a mosaic of Christ in Glory decorating this central dome. I know these because I have done some reading up. The influence of Byzantine art can be clearly seen in this building. This influence can be traced historically as Venice had became an independent Byzantine province in the tenth century.

Influenced by Eastern architecture, the delicate geometrical designs and lattice-work stone screens can be seen being featured on the facades of the St Mark's Basilica.

The Treasury of the Basilica contains a repository of precious artifacts, reminding visitors of Venice's position as a world power from the 12th to 14th centuries. Admittedly, there was not much time to visit the Treasury, and a token entrance fee was required to enter the Treasury.

Here is the official website of St Mark's Basilica: http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/WAI/eng/index.bsm

St Mark's Square
Once a monastery garden, St Mark's Square has long been the political and religious heart of Venice.

Clock Tower (Torre dell'Orologio)
This clock tower is richly decorated. It was build in late 15th century. The design consists a display of phases of the moon and the signs of the zodiac. The gilt-and-blue enamel clock face was designed with seafarers in mind. However, please pardon me, I was busy enjoying St Mark's Basilica that I have totally missed out on making time to admire the design of the clock tower.

Bridge of Sighs
This bridge was built as a passageway between the Palazzo Ducale and the prison. It was said to have taken its name from the sighs of prisoners being led to trial as they walked along this bridge. Somehow, due to the way it was presented to visitors on the day of our visit, the Bridge of Sighs appear a little less enticing than expected.

Did you notice the Bridge of Sighs?

Doges Palace
This building combines the architectural styles of Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance. It was the official residence of the 120 doges who ruled Venice from 697 to 1797. The "doge" was the senior-most elected official of Venice and Genoa. These two cities were republics and elected doges. The last doge was Ludovico Manin, who abdicated in 1797 when Venice passed under the power of Napoleon's France following his conquest of Venice.

The feature of Doges Palace that I was attracted was strangely the arched vaults that extends from the columns of the corridors at the ground level.

***
Venice is a beautiful city. As Venice is accessible largely by vessels that float on water, anyone planning to visit Venice may wish to travel light. I cannot imagine carrying bulky luggage up and down a gondola to check into a local hotel.

One of my key learning points from Venice is to maintain respect for traditional art and take steps to ensure the regeneration and continuation of traditional craft and art. The art of Murano glass making and gondola making are part of everything else that forms the essence of Venice.

References:
DK Eyewitness Travel: Top 10 Venice. (2011)
DK Eyewitness Travel: Italy (2011)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mark's_Basilica
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doge_of_Venice
http://www.venetia.it/boats/voga_eng.htm
http://www.visit-venice-italy.com/gondola_forcole_remeri_venice_italy.htm
http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/WAI/eng/index.bsm

Venice, the waterborne city

2011-10-25T23:53:00.001+08:00

The second city that the tour-group visited was Venice. Venice is a city in Northern Italy. It is described by Times Online as being one of Europe's most romantic cities.

I looked forward to visiting Venice because it was the birthplace of Antonio Vivaldi, a well-known composer who composed music of the Baroque style. I wonder what was the environment that had inspired Vivaldi to compose many interesting and inspiring works of music such as his popular "The Four Seasons". When I was in Venice, I did not get to hear much music composed by Vivaldi while I was walking along the streets of Venice. The comforting news was that I did managed to hear a string ensemble play some music at a cafe.

One of my friends was my travel companion and room-mate for the tour about Italy. I am thankful that she was patient with my fascination with architecture and Western classical music. Strangely, we must have been one of those few ladies in the group who seemed to have lesser preferences to shop!

Venetian Glass Factory visit
The tour-group was led to a Venetian Glass Factory that produces Murano glass. A skilled glass artist gave us a quick five minutes demonstration of his art and craft of product fine Murano glass art. I learnt that the colours of the Murano glass is achieved by adding oxides and other colouring agent into the glass mixture.

I was told that ruby red coloured Murano glass is possibly the most expensive to produce as gold solution will have to be added into the glass mixture to produce the ruby red colour. If I were to visit Venice again, I will take a closer look at the Murano glass artifacts. They are fine works of art that can serve practical functions.

Gondola Ride
For 30 euros per person, visitors to Venice could enjoy a ride on the gondola. The gondola is most commonly seen to be transporting tourists. Originally painted in bright colours, the gondalas were decreed by the Senate in 1562 to be painted black to prevent excessive shows of wealth.

Riding on a gondola was an experience to remember. It is worthwhile to experience the ride at least once, and indirectly, encourage the people of Venice to continue the art of gondola rowing. For the locals of Venice, there is a cheaper and equally convenient way to cross the Grand Canal, this is done by taking the traghetti (gondola ferries).

There are still more interesting sights in Venice. Stay tuned for more.

References:
DK Eyewitness Travel: Top 10 Venice. (2011)
DK Eyewitness Travel: Italy (2011)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doge_of_Venice
http://www.venetia.it/boats/voga_eng.htm
http://www.visit-venice-italy.com/gondola_forcole_remeri_venice_italy.htm

Disney The Lion King musical in Singapore

2011-10-23T20:52:00.001+08:00

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_King_%28musical%29

This afternoon, I have had the pleasure to watch the musical, The Lion King, thanks to the invitation of one of my friends, JY.

The costumes were very interesting and engaging. I learnt that natural materials were used to create the costumes. Masks and puppets were used to enhance the visual presentations of various characters on the stage. Lighting was sensitively used to create the appropriate ambience for each of the various scenes.

The music forms the backbone of the entire musical, stringing the entire story together. I was particularly attracted to the African-styled music that was played in the musical. The percussive music seemed to be full of energy that I was temporarily led into thinking I was in the African deserts.

Overall, this is a engaging theatrical performance that will appeal to the the masses, and is a good show for the family to be entertained. Watching this show helps put one's imaginations into nice work.

For more information, please view the following sites:
http://thelionking.com.sg
http://www.thelionkingpackages.sg

Milan: Cosmopolitan and stylish

2011-10-19T07:46:00.002+08:00

This October, I visited Italy on a group-tour package provided by one of the tour agencies in Singapore. My intention was to be in Italy to experience and to appreciate the architecture in parts of Italy as well as the natural landscape.

The first city that the tour group visited was Milan.

Milan is known to be the centre of fashion, business and finance. It's name is thought to come from the composite of the Latin words medio and planum, meaning "middle of the plain".

Duomo di Milan (Milan Cathedral)

Duomo di Milan
This is one of the largest Gothic churches in the world. In the Italian language, "Duomo" is a generic term for a cathedral church. The building of this giant cathedral begun in the 14th century under Prince Gian Galeazzo Visconti but was not completed until more than 500 years later. I personally think that it takes a lot of faith and vision to have the inspiration to build a work of great architecture for generations of the future, when one may not even live to see the final product.

I took a particular notice at the Central nave and the side nave of the Duomo. Generally Gothic in its architectural style, I marvelled at its pointed arch and the fine lace-work found on the building.

Duomo di Milan

While I do find the interior too dark during my visit, it has helped a lot to have the imagination to visualize rays of light beams entering the Duomo through the stained coloured-glass windows. Try this method of visualization and soon the Duomo became extremely fascinating.

Galleria Vittorio Emmanuel II
This is an ornate shopping arcade. It was designed by Giuseppe Mengoni in 1865.

I do not have a strong interest in shopping, yet the beauty of the architecture of this shopping arcade has made my visit to this arcade a very pleasing one. The overall facade and logo of the MacDonalds outlet in Galleria Vittorio Emmanuel II had to be changed to a different colour scheme (gold on black) so as to match with the overall design of the entire arcade.

Facade of Galleria Vittorio Emmanuel II, Milan/

The galleria has a floor plan in the shape of a Latin cross. Visitors to this galleria will find it of interest to notice the metal and glass roof. The roof is crowned finely with a magnificent central dome. I read that the roof was the first structure in Italy to use metal and glass in a structural way.

Galleria Vittorio Emmanuel II, Milan. Glass and metal roof.

While walking on the floors of the galleria, take a good look at the mosaics which decorate the floors. These mosaics depict the signs of the zodiac. The most popular signs of the zodiac appear to be that of the Taurus. There was a saying that if one were to place his or her heel on the genital area of the mosaic tiles depicting the Taurus sign, pivot at the heel to rotate the body thrice in the clockwise direction, one shall earn good luck. I did not try the rotation for good luck since I could not bear with the thought of putting the mosaic tiles to further damage.

The Taurus sign at Galleria Victoria Emmanuel II, Milan.

La Scala Opera House (Teatro alla Scala)
I read that opera is one of the popular art forms in Milan. The La Scala Opera House is one of the world's most prestigious opera houses. The theatre is Neo-Classical in its design. It is said to have one of the largest stages in Europe. Due to time constraints, I could just manage a visit to the retail shop of the La Scala Opera House and many glances of its exterior facade.

La Scala Opera House.

Sforza Castle
This is a palace that is built in Renaissance style. The castle is based on a series of courtyards. Admission to the museums in the castle was not included in the tour package. That somehow made the castle less appealing to me. I tried to get myself entertained by walking about the bazaar that was taking place within the compounds of the palace.

Sforza Castle

***
Milan is a good place to start a tour of Italy with. Its cosmopolitan nature makes it similar to Singapore. Yet, Milan is clearly different from Singapore in terms of its general cultural preferences and outlook.

I did not get to visit the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan to take a look at the painting The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Missing a look at The Last Supper seems to be a good reason that would urge me to consider visiting Milan again. I learnt that reservations to see The Last Supper has to be made in advance. According to tripadvisor, it is essential to make reservations to see this painting. This can be done through a tour operator or via specified online site. I keep my fingers crossed that I will visit Milan again to see The Last Supper.

References:
DK Eyewitness Travel: Italy. (2011)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan_Cathedral
http://www.milanocastello.it/ing/lungaBonaparte.html
http://www.aviewoncities.com/milan/castellosforzesco.htm

Read: Stephanie Dowrick's Intimacy and Solitude

2011-10-02T20:13:00.001+08:00

Title: Intimacy and Solitude
Author: Stephanie Dowrick
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Ltd

A few years ago, I was reading one of Stephanie Dowrick's books for the first time and I was attracted to her sensitively written and compassionate style of writing. She does not seek to give an answers and yet through her insightful exploration of various issues, her books often urge her readers to discover more about those issues on their own.

I was searching for other books by Stephanie Dowrick in Singapore, and was pleased to find a copy of her book "Intimacy and Solitude" at Kinokuniya Bookstore. It was the only copy of the book available in the store. I have checked many other bookstores in Singapore but it seemed quite a challenge to find her books in Singapore. Perhaps the next time when I visit Sydney, I shall check the bookstores there to find out if it would be easier to find copies of her books.

Intimacy and Solitude, as its title suggests, seek to explore the two themes, intimacy and solitude. There are, in my interpretation, two sides of the coin, in balance they work in perfect harmony. I find her examinations of the issues of solitude and intimacy to be pretty accessible and sensitively written. Her theoretical framework appears to be influenced fairly much by psychodynamic theories.

Perhaps one of the most fundamental concepts of this book centered around the concept of inner reality. Stephanie Dowrick draws upon Carl Jung's colleague, Marie-Louise von Franz's quote that goes "The experience of Self brings a feeling of standing on solid ground inside oneself, on a patch of eternity, which even physical death cannot touch".

The proposition is that when one has that solid ground inside oneself, it is "possible to trust" oneself, probably to "love yourself" and "to be ready to reach out and trust others in relationships of greater and lesser intimacy".

This is quite a thoughtful read, and I figured that I may have to read it another time in the future to better appreciate the depth of thinking that has went into writing this book. I took about three weeks to read this book while commuting on the public transport.

Appreciating Bukit Brown: Remember Our Ancestors Day 9 Oct and 16 Oct 2011

2011-10-01T10:43:00.000+08:00

Event: Remember your ancestors' day cum DIY Tour
Dates: 9 Oct 2011 (Sun) and 16 Oct (Sun) 2011,
Time: From 8.30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Meeting point: In front of Bukit Brown Cemetery Gates at Lorong Halwa, off Kheam Hock Road

Bus services available: 52, 74, 93, 157, 165, 852, 855.
Directions to the cemetery Gate: Alight at bus-stop, #41149, opposite Singapore Island Country Club (SICC), Adam Road. Walk towards Sime Road, walk along Kheam Hock Road until you see Lor Halwa.
(For very detailed directions to get there: please check out Leone Fabre's post.)

Do you have an interest in Bukit Brown Cemetery because you have an ancestor who is buried there? Do you know of someone who has an ancestors who could be buried there?

On 9 and 16 Oct 2011, find your way to Bukit Brown Cemetery to search for your ancestors' grave. The search is ever more pressing with the Land Transport Authority's plans build a new dual four-lane road that will cut through through parts of Bukit Brown from early 2013 and with the Urban Redevelopment Authority gazetting Bukit Brown Cemetery as a site for development Straits Times, 30 May 2011).

What does a descendant who have an ancestor buried in Bukit Brown need to do to start the search?

To find out more, please visit https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=142006435895789

Curator Tours, Liu Kang A Centennial Celebration

2011-09-19T00:01:00.002+08:00

Offerings, 1975.

Join exhibition curators Ms Ong Zhen Min and Ms Patricia Ong, for a guided tour to learn more about Liu Kang, a passionate artist whose creativity knows no bounds. Walk through the galleries and be intrigued by the stories behind the artworks. Find out how this prolific artist made such an impact on the development of art in Singapore.

Source: http://nationalartgallery.sg/liukangexhibition/tours

One lovely evening on 16 Sep 2011, one of my friends and I joined one of the Curator Tours of Liu Kang A Centennial Celebration. Leading the tour was one of the exhibition curators, Ms Ong Zhen Min. This Curator Tour gave us a deeper understanding to Liu Kang's approach to art. We have also learnt more about many of Liu Kang's works.

Life by the River, 1975.

I learnt that in Life by the River, Liu Kang dealt with the composition in a very interesting manner. The various subject matters in this painting unravel to the viewer like a traditional Chinese landscape hand-scroll. The use of the bridge sensitively created depth in this painting.

Tenth Trip Up to Huangshan, (1989).
In this painting, Liu Kang painted his teacher, Liu Haisu, painting Huangshan.

During the tour, the curator also shared with us why the style found in Tenth Trip Up to Huangshan, (1989), is so different from the style of Liu Kang's style of painting. If you would like to find out more, perhaps you could consider going for the upcoming Curator Tour (in Mandarin) held on 23 Sep 2011.

The curator also shared with the members of the group about the differences in Liu Kang's approaches to oil paintings and works done in pastels. An oil painting of Samsui women, however, was one of the exceptions among his oil paintings whereby the faces of the subject matter were not as flat.

After the Fire II, (1952).

A number of Liu Kang's works also documented moments from Singapore's past. For example, After the Fire II (1952) documented how fires were common occurrences during the 1950s and 1960s. The painting showed the aftermath of a fire.

In addition, visitors to the exhibitions can find a few copies of Liu Kang's Chop Suey, a multi-volumed work consisting sketches of Japanese brutality on Asians. When no press could visit Singapore to take photographs of the brutality of the war and the Japanese Occupation, Liu Kang used his creativity to document snippets from this period of Singapore's history.

At the third level of the Singapore Art Museum, one can find copies of archival material and copies of Liu Kang's Chop Suey.

If the above-mentioned interest you, you may like to know that Liu Kang A Centennial Celebration will be held from 29 Jul - 16 Oct 2011.

There will be a Curator Tour in Mandarin on 23 Sep 2011, Friday, from 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. For more information on how to register for this tour, please visit: http://nationalartgallery.sg/liukangexhibition/tours

***
You may also like to read:
Liu Kang, by Tan Bonny.
Must-see artworks at Liu Kang: A Centennial Celebration, by Elaine Lim.

Is a win-win solution possibly for Bukit Brown?

2011-09-18T21:49:00.002+08:00

The magnificent tomb of Ong Sam Leong and his wife. This was uncovered in 2006.

Recently (on 12 Sep 2011), on The Straits Times, there was a report that a new dual four-lane road will be built from early 2013 to alleviate congestion along Lornie Road and Pan-Island Expressway during peak hours. This new road will cut through parts of Bukit Brown.

Many lovers of heritage as well as nature-lovers have expressed concerns regarding the building of the road that is proposed to cut through parts of Bukit Brown. There were also people who wonder if the new road may indeed be the long-term solution to the identified problem, i.e. traffic congestion.

Where on earth is Bukit Brown?
Who goes to Bukit Brown?
Is there more effective ways to resolve the traffic congestion other than building the dual four-lane road?
What makes Bukit Brown worthwhile to preserve?

If you would like to know more, please continue by reading my post, Is a win-win solution possible for Bukit Brown?

Percussion instrument test

2011-09-15T00:37:00.000+08:00

Some time ago, I started taking up a few rhythm classes with a professional musician who specializes in playing percussion. It was great fun to learn it. While I am still needing time to continue to practice some of the strategies that I have learnt from the rhythm class, I could say with confidence that the rhythm classes have helped bring my sense of rhythm to a better level. Many thanks to my rhythm tutor.

I did a percussion instrument test out of the blue, and here's the result:

You Are Cymbals

You have steady and unwavering energy. You are a person of great endurance.

Every single one of your friends feels valued. You are true through thick and thin.

You see the world in fluid, flexible terms. Nothing is black or white.

You are methodical in all your actions. You have a reason for everything you do.

What Percussion Instrument Are You?

Blogthings: Our Quizzes Weren't Written By Bored 12 Year Olds

Mid-Autumn celebration at Marina Bay Singapore

2011-09-11T23:21:00.001+08:00

Thanks to goodwill, I have had an interesting evening celebrating Mid-Autumn festival at the Marina Bay on 10 September 2011. The Mid-Autumn festival is a Chinese festival celebrated by the Chinese on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar.

This beautiful and dream-like photograph of Wonder Full is contributed by Ms Belinda Tan.

If you are interested to learn about my evening celebrating the Mid-Autumn festival at the Marina Bay, please visit: Mid-Autumn celebration at Marina Bay Singapore

NUS Symphony Orchestra Stage and Screen

2011-09-10T20:09:00.000+08:00

The NUS Symphony Orchestra presents an open-air outreach concert "Stage and Screen".

Stage and Screen
24 Sep 2011 (Sat),
6 p.m. - 7.30 p.m.
The Plaza (ground floor), National Library Board Building
100 Victoria Street

Free Admission.

Programme:
Richard Rodgers - Selections from The Sound of Music
Paul Dukas - The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Ernst Toch - Pinocchio: A Merry Overture
Camille Saint-Saëns - Danse Bacchanale (from Samson and Delilah)
George Gershwin - Selections from Porgy And Bess
Leonard Bernstein - Overture to Candide

"Join the NUS Symphony Orchestra at the National Library Plaza for an evening of popular musical favourites from stage, screen and theatre. Conducted by Maestro Lim Soon Lee, the Orchestra will present selections from films and operas such as Samson and Delilah, The Sound of Music and Porgy and Bess, with a special music and drama collaboration with ACT 3 Drama Academy featuring the Italian folk tale Pinocchio."

Read: Patricia Spadaro's Honor Yourself

2011-09-07T22:59:00.000+08:00

Title: Honor Yourself
Author: Patricia Spadaro
Publisher: Three Wings Press (2009).

In an attempt to regain balance and to seek greater clarity, I chanced upon Patricia's Spadaro's Honor Yourself at one of the libraries. The author has a uplifting writing style that sensitively discusses many of the key paradoxes of the modern time. Her writing style is empowering and comforting. A wise and inspiring book to read. I shall look forward to read more of her books in the future.

I very much like the way that the author summarizes the key learning point of each chapter in a nutshell under the sub-heading of "Magic".

Here's sharing a few of these 'magical' learning points from the book as I randomly turn the pages:

"Someone will understand what I have to say and value what I have to share and so I will give my gifts."

"Human perfection is not the goal. Learning to express more of my true self is."

"Seeking support is a sign of strength."

Perhaps one of the learning point is a reminder to myself to seek support even though I have no clear idea what may be of help.

Excerpts from the book can be found here: http://www.practicalspirituality.info/Honor-Yourself-Book-Excerpts.html

Liu Kang: A Centennial Celebrations

2011-09-04T20:45:00.001+08:00

Liu Kang: A Centennial Celebration
29 July 2011 to 16 October 2011
Singapore Art Museum
(Organised by the National Art Gallery, Singapore. Supported by National Heritage Board. Held at Singapore Art Museum.)

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to visit the Singapore Art Museum on two consecutive days to view the works by pioneer Singapore artist, Liu Kang. I was first introduced to Liu Kang and his works when I was a young teenager. During those years, I was only introduced to some of his works.

When I visited the "Liu Kang: A Centennial Celebration" at the Singapore Art Museum, I realised that Liu Kang was very proficient in the use of pastels. I was very drawn to most, if not all, of his pastel works. One of the most captivating works done using pastels by Liu Kang was perhaps "My Young Wife" (1944).

My Young Wife (1944) by Liu Kang.

There was a self-portrait of Liu Kang which was done in pastels that was shown at the exhibition. I have found that it was sensitively executed. From the explanatory notes, I learnt that during period of the Japanese Occupation in particular, art materials such as oil paints were scarce. Liu Kang turned to using pastels during that period. Visitors to the exhibition has the privilege to catch glimpses of some of the tools that Liu Kang had used as an artist, thanks to the generosity of Liu Kang's family for the loan.

At the exhibition, visitors had the privilege to view a number of Liu Kang's masterpieces. These include "Life by the River" (1975), "Siesta in Bali" (1957), "Offerings" (1957) and more.

For visitors who would like to learn more about Liu Kang's philosophy and beliefs on art, Liu Kang's Essays on Art and Culture that was recently published is one book to read. I understand that there is also a monograph titled Asian Artists Series - Liu Kang: Colourful Modernist that explores Liu Kang's way of seeing and art making.

I strongly recommend this exhibition to anyone who is interested in Singapore art and/or in the development of Singapore's art scene.

For more information on this exhibition, please visit the National Gallery of Singapore's webpage: http://nationalartgallery.sg/liukangexhibition

Read: What your doctor doesn't know about Nutritional Medicine may be killing you

2011-09-02T11:14:00.000+08:00

Image source: http://www.goodreads.com

Title: What your doctor doesn't know about Nutritional Medicine may be killing you
Author: Ray D. Strand, M.D.

One of my good friends, RL, thoughtfully gave me the above-mentioned book as a gift. The best way to reciprocate was to read it. Thankfully, I was in the mood to read a book on nutritional medicine in the hope to enhance health.

Interestingly, the author, Ray D. Strand, insisted that all readers ought to read the chapter on diabetes even if the reader has never been diagnosed with diabetes. The author put forth the idea that the high-carbohydrate and high-fat diet which is especially common in the modern American's diet has contributed to making the body to be less sensitive to one's own insulin. As a result, insulin resistance occurs over time, and more and more insulin is needed to keep blood sugars normal. He argued that the elevated insulin level could lead to a Syndrome known as Syndrome X. To enhance one's health, the author recommended lifestyle changes in the form of modest exercise and appropriate diet.

This book also discusses on the concepts of oxidative stress. I learnt how essential it is to have a diet consisting of adequate antioxidants.

This is overall an informative book and I do find many of its arguments sound. For anyone who would like to better appreciate how he or she could better take charge of his or her own health through sound nutrition, this book is worth a good read.

While the author stressed that nutrition medicine could not be a substitute to the conventional medical treatment, it appears that nutrition medicine could help prevent early onset of certain medical condition as well as complement medical treatment.

Cross the road mindfully

2011-09-01T21:37:00.020+08:00

Here is to share a lesson that I have learnt a week ago. It is to cross the road mindfully.

To think that I was the one who reminded my dear grandmother not to use the mobile phone while crossing the road and while walking. However, I was the one who was using the mobile phone while talking with my grandmother on the phone!

A week ago, I was talking with my grandmother using my mobile phone. I must have been too occupied with the conversation that I continued to use the phone while crossing the road! The mistake it was. While I managed to see the cars and tried to make sure that they had stopped before I crossed the road, there was a cyclist on a bicycle but I did not see him! Then a collision happened. Both myself and the cyclist fell onto the ground, so did the bicycle.

Thankfully, both myself and the cyclist sustained superficial injuries only. I apologized to the cyclist for the part that I have to play in causing the collision. I was grateful that the cars had stopped when the collision happened and that both myself and the cyclist were safe.

Yes, the lesson has been learnt. Please cross the road mindfully. Refrain from using mobile devices when crossing the road please.

Easy to use HP Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One Printer - C310a

2011-08-30T17:01:00.001+08:00

Photo credit: Eastcoastlife

Several months ago, thanks to the generosity of HP and eastcoastlife for organizing the HP Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One C310a contest, I was a lucky winner of the this easy-to-use and multipurpose printer.

Setting up the printer took no more than an hour and after which using the printer was a breeze. Interestingly, I only got to use the printer, specifically the scanning function, sometime in June, when one of my paternal uncles thought of archiving old photographs in digital format so as to redevelop these photographs. My maternal grandmother loved the idea of being able to store old photographs in digital format and subsequently, she requested for help to scan a number of her old photographs.

Scanning photographs using the HP Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One Printer - C310a is made easy. The software is able to recognize that there are multiple photographs being scanned at the same time, and can save each photograph in separate files.

The quality of the prints using the HP Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One Printer - C310 is good too.

If there is anything that I felt could be better about this printer, it is that I find it a challenge to operate the printer using the touch-screen some of the times. My way to work around this is to operate the printer from the software installed on the computer.

The most interesting part of this wireless printer is that one can print without switching on the computer. Provided that the printer is switched on, one can send an email to the unique email address of one's HP Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One Printer - C310 and presto, one gets his printouts.

If you should be thinking of getting an easy-to-use all-in-one printer, this is one printer that you could possibly consider.

Specifications of this printer and related reviews of it can be found here:
http://www.shopping.hp.com/product/printer/Photosmart/1/storefronts/CN503A%2523B1H
http://www.pcworld.com/product/717854/hp_photosmart_premium_eallinone.html?p=review
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/12/08/hp-photosmart-premium-e-all-in-one-c310a-printer-hands-on-revie/
http://reviews.cnet.com/multifunction-devices/hp-photosmart-premium-e/4505-3181_7-34202625.html

Visiting the Sultan Mosque during Ramadan

2011-08-28T20:25:00.003+08:00

On a weekday evening, I visited the Sultan Mosque with a group of friends and new-found friends. The intention was to better appreciate and understand the Islamic faith. We attended a special tour of the Sultan Mosque led by one of the docents of the mosque.

The tour started off with a presentation on a brief introduction to the Islamic faith as well as an introduction to the month of Ramadan. Subsequently, the docent led us on a tour about the mosque. We saw the main prayer hall. In addition, we learnt more about the mosque building and the Islamic faith.

That day happened to fall in the month of Ramadan. It is the "Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex with their partners during daylight hours." Fasting during Ramadan is regarded as a method of spiritual self-purification. As best as I have understood, the process of fasting is intended to teach Muslims to practise self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice and to develop compassion and charity.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. The five pillars of Islam are:
1) The testimony of faith (i.e. saying with conviction that "there is no true god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God."
2) Prayer
3) Giving Zakat (Support of the needed)
4) Fasting in the month of Ramadan
5) Pilgrimage to Mecca

The tour concluded with the group joining the rest of the congregation to break fast together. When the call to start the sunset prayer was heard, it was the signal indicating that it was time to break fast. Devotee will break their fast with dates before praying.

Many thanks to the Sultan Mosque for organising the tour and for their generous hospitality. I have learnt more about the Islamic faith.

One of my new-found friends who was one of the participants of the Ramadan trail tour has written a lovely post on her visit. Please find Rose John's post here: Inside Singapore's Oldest Mosque during Ramadan.

Last but not least, here's to wish our Muslim friends a blessed month of Ramadan, and Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

The INFJ Type Description

2011-08-27T23:29:00.001+08:00

In an attempt to seek to be better understood, here's sharing a type description of my MBTI profile: http://www.infj.com/INFJ_TypeDescription.htm

Villa Alicia

2011-08-24T22:40:00.000+08:00

Villa Alicia is a sound and photography installation that was held from 6 - 11 Aug 2011 in a beautiful old house located along Binjai Park. Sadly, this beautiful house had been scheduled to be demolished shortly after the end of the exhibition.

My visit to this house and the installation Villa Alicia triggered me to ponder over what would happen to my personal memories that are associated with a specific place when that place no longer exist.

To learn more, please visit: A house that will be gone physically yet will remain in people's memories.

Lightning or Thunder

2011-08-22T23:04:00.001+08:00

You Are Thunder

You are slow paced and steady. You don't rush to be the first to get anything done.

You have your own method of doing things, and it has worked pretty well for you. You are a systemizer.

You are hard working. You are industrious with an amazing work ethic.

You don't often make a big bang, but when you do, everyone pays attention.

Are You Lightning or Thunder?

Blogthings: If Quizzes Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Take Quizzes

A get-away at Pulau Ubin and Chek Jawa

2011-08-20T20:15:00.000+08:00

Yours truly has been needing respite and time to rejuvenate. I am thankful that Nature has been the most generous provider. About a week ago, on a weekday, I was at Changi Beach to enjoy the morning breeze and to listen to the rejuvenating sounds of the waves.

That day, my heart somehow prompted me to take a ferry. My love for taking ferry rides has been greatly encouraged ever since my visit to Sydney in November 2010. Coincidentally, nearby the Changi Beach is the Changi Ferry Terminal. I readily chose to take a ferry to Pulau Ubin, an island to the north-east of Singapore. It cost SGD$2.50 per person to take a ferry (one-way) to Pulau Ubin. At that instant, my visit to Changi Beach ended up to become a visit to Pulau Ubin.

I learnt that Pulau Ubin means to "Granite Island" in Malay. This island is fairly small (10.19 km²) and is said to be "one of the last rural areas to be found in Singapore".

My initial plan was to simply enjoy some sunshine at Pulau Ubin before heading back to the main island of Singapore. I strolled about the part of Pulau Ubin which was nearby the Pulau Ubin ferry terminal. Perhaps I looked like a lost tourist, a kind gentleman from the National Environment Agency (NEA) approached me and started a simple conversation with me. He strongly encouraged me to consider visiting Chek Jawa. Chek Jawa, is located off the eastern coast of Pulau Ubin. This part of the island is rich in its biodiversity and contains rare plant and animal species which are not available in other parts of Singapore.

The kind gentleman from NEA led me to a nearby map and pointed to me how I could travel to Chek Jawa. I had choices. I could travel to Chek Jawa on foot, by bicycle or take a Pulau Ubin 'taxi-service'. My first choice was to travel by foot. Then again, for the sake of safety and convenience, I eventually decided to hire a taxi (which was more like a passenger van) to get me to Chek Jawa. On the way there, I saw a large monitor lizard on the taxi. Thank goodness I was not travelling on foot, else I might have gotten myself a minor fright.

It was a refreshing and peaceful visit to Chek Jawa. I was welcomed by a beautiful Tudor-style house which serves as the Chek Jawa visitor centre. This house was build in the 1930s by the then Chief Surveyor, Langdon Williams, as a holiday retreat. This property has its own private jetty and was accessible by boat via that jetty. I particularly like the magnificent view from the Chek Jawa jetty. The house has a lovely fireplace which actually works!

The mangrove boardwalk was also pretty interesting. I was particularly intrigued by the tiny Fiddler Crabs that moved about the mangrove swamps hunting for food. Each of the male Fiddler Crabs have a large pincer which is intended to attract female crabs and to intimidate other male crabs. However, its large pincer does not seem to serve any purpose when it comes to food-hunting. So I reckon that female Fiddler Crabs tend to have an edge over the male crabs when hunting for food since they do not have the burden of the large pincer?

The mangrove boardwalk also brought me to be close to the Nipah Palm. This is a variety of palm that grows well in mangroves. The immature fruits of the Nipah Palm are called attap chee. White, translucent and hard, the attap chee, are common ingredient in many local desserts.

Along the way, I climbed up the viewing tower to enjoy an awesome view of Chek Jawa and the nearby landscapes. If I were a bird-watcher with binoculars, perhaps I would be able to spot and identify a flying eagle that was said to fly regularly past the vicinity of the viewing tower.

The coastal boardwalk at Chek Jawa is also worth a visit especially during low tides. I had the good luck to meet a elderly gentleman who shared with me some stories of Chek Jawa during my visit.

I was thankful that I was lucky that by mid afternoon, it happened to be low-tide at Chek Jawa that day. That was why I could enjoy some interesting sights of the rich biodiversity at Chek Jawa.

Chek Jawa's facilities opens from 8.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. daily. Admission is free. Please respect Nature by observing the following: Do not remove any wildlife from the shore, do not poach, respect the facilities and the wildlife.

I hired a taxi back to the Pulau Ubin Ferry Terminal. On the way there, the driver was very kind and thoughtful to stop by one of the disused granite quarry for me a take a photograph of the beautiful view of a man-made lake formed at the quarry. Here is to share it with you. May it bring you some simple delight.

Finally, it was time to say good-bye to Pulau Ubin. It was an unplanned trip, yet it was a rejuvenating one. I felt thankful for the moment of respite.

Links with information on Chek Jawa and Pulau Ubin:
http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/popup/pulau-attractions.html
Pulau Ubin (National Parks)
http://www.wildsingapore.com/places/cj.htm
http://www.pulauubin.com.sg/

Heritage TV featuring the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station Tour

2011-08-17T20:07:00.000+08:00

About two months ago, thanks to the National Heritage Board and I Love Museum, I had the great pleasure to participate in a tour of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station led by Rossane. I have put down in writing my experiences of this tour of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.

In this post, I shall share with you snippets of a tour of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station that is produced by the Heritage TV, Singapore! Have fun learning about this historically significant station that is no longer in operation, thanks to the changes of events in modern history.

Please support the Raffles Museum's Diplodocus Family appeal

2011-08-14T23:10:00.007+08:00

Source: http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/dino/

About a year ago, the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research achieved the seemingly impossible by raising S$46 million within six months so as to ensure that a new natural history museum for Singapore will be built. This natural history museum to be built, to be known as the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, will be the first museum in the Southeast Asia region to be built with public donations and an endowment fund.

It seemed destined, that through a series of unexpected coincidences, the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR) was given a very special chance to purchase genuine and near complete fossils of a family of three gigantic sauropod dinosaurs. One of the three dinosaurs is a teenage dinosaur which is pretty rare to come by. The educational and research value of acquiring these dinosaurs will be immense given that the fossils are near complete and this is a family group of dinosaurs with a juvenile.

What is Diplodocus? According to wikipedia, the Diplodocus "was a very large long-necked quadrupedal animal, with a long, whip-like tail."

Here is an appeal by the RMBR Fundraising Committee: "Please help to bring the dinosaurs to Singapore" - the Raffles Museum's Diplodocus Family appeal. If you find this cause worthy, please support this appeal. I am sharing this appeal here because I find this cause worthy, though I have no direct affiliation to the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research.

In addition, please find some snippets that I had gotten from a public talk titled From Whence We Came: The History and Future of Singapore's Raffles Museum.

Two real vertebrae of a Diplodocus, and a replica of the skull.

The good news about donating to the dinosaur exhibit is that one can choose to donate online or by cheque. For more information, please visit: http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/dino/

Updates (on 15 Aug 2011): Purchase of three dinosaurs at risk (source: Straits Times, 14 Aug 2011, by Tan Dawn Wei)

Sydney, May 2011

2011-08-12T23:09:00.001+08:00

Once again, my words of thanks to Tourism New South Wales for organising the contest "100 Things that make Sydney so ... Sydney" in partnership with Singapore Airlines. My winning entry to the contest gave me the opportunity to visit Sydney in May 2011 and experience autumn in Sydney. I was in Sydney in time for one of my friends' wedding, to celebrate Mother's Day with my mother who visited Sydney with me, and to spend my birthday in Sydney.

Many thanks to Oaks Goldsbrough for sponsoring three nights of accommodation. I have enjoyed my stay!

The photographs from my visit are made possible thanks to Canon for awarding me with a Canon IXUS 1000HS camera.

Here is a compilations of related posts of my visit to Sydney in May 2011:

My visit to Sydney, May 2011
5 May 2011: Arrival at Sydney and the lunch at BBQ King
6 May 2011: Our breakfast at Bills
6 May 2011: The Royal Botanic Gardens' Aboriginal Heritage Tour
6 May 2011: Rose Bay
6 May 2011: Memorable Watsons Bay
6 May 2011: The rest of the day
7 May 2011: The Scenic Wine Tasting Tour by the Red Carpet Tours
What I have learnt from the wine tasting sessions
7 May 2011: Delicious wanton noodles at Supermeal Chinese Restaurant
The Buddha's Birthday Festival
8 May 2011: Bourke Street Bakery
8 May 2011: A loving day
9 May 2011: The Sydney Fish Market Behind the Scenes Tour
9 May 2011: A tour of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
9 May 2011: My third Sydney Opera House Essential Tour
9 May 2011: The awesome view from Pylon Lookout
9 May 2011: The lucky rainbow that I saw
9 May 2011: The Sydney Tower and the walk in the skies
9 May 2011: A superb dinner with friends
10 May 2011: Sydney Highlights and Bondi Beach Gray Line Tours
10 May 2011: 3-2-1 Spin!
10 May 2011: The Justice and Police Museum
10 May 2011: Korean lunch
10 May 2011: Time alone at Circular Quay
10 May 2011: Magistic Cruisesmart
My many servings of breakfast
10 May 2011: Sydney Wildlife World
10 May 2011: Sydney Aquarium
Sketching Sydney
11 May 2011: The Hyde Park fantasy
The free 555 shuttle bus
11 May 2011: Mamak Delight
A great fit for me: Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments
11 May 2011: Sydney Airport looking brand new
Travelling on the Sydney Monorail and Light Rail
The great way to fly to Sydney

My favourite places in Sydney are Watsons Bay and the Sydney Opera House.

The weather in Sydney had been very kind to me. I am still feeling grateful for the many good things that have came by. Thanks!

Learning more about Western classical music

2011-08-08T23:55:00.001+08:00

Have you went to a Western classical music concert and ended up with lots of questions in your mind that would go: "How do I understand the music?", "How do the performers play in sync with one another?", "Is it necessary to have a conductor?", "What are those foreign words on the programme booklet about?" and etc.

Yesterday, I went to a workshop by Leslie Tan, cellist of Singapore's international string ensemble, the T'ang Quartet. It attempts to answer some of the many questions that people would have when they listen to Western classical music. Here's a post on my experiences at this workshop: The joy of appreciating classical music.

The great way to fly to Sydney

2011-08-06T21:17:00.000+08:00

Thanks to the contest "100 Things that make Sydney so ... Sydney" organised by Tourism New South Wales in partnership with Singapore Airlines, I had the great opportunity to take my mother to Sydney for a Mother's Day vacation. We flew by Singapore Airlines.

Singapore Airlines is a choice airline to fly to Sydney in.

Service was wonderful and the members of the crew were very thoughtful. For example, on one occasion, I decided against taking drinking water when it was offered to me. However, I later regretted my decision. The air-stewardess must have some wonderful sixth sense, she graciously asked "Would you like to change your mind on the drinking water?", and that gave me a nice avenue to ask for drinking water with a sense of pleasure that it was perfectly alright to change my mind.

The food that was served was also delicious. I like the ham with cream potato salad that was served on my flight back to Singapore. The roasted chicken served with mushrooms sauce, assorted vegetables and Lyonnaise potato pleased my palate. The cheese and cracker was also a delightful treat.

The Kris World in-flight entertainment was excellent. I watched Toy Story 3 while I was on the way back to Singapore. I also watched a few documentaries.

More importantly, the seats on the A380 were comfortable, roomy and spacious. I have had a sweet slumber on the flight on my way to Sydney from Singapore.

The next time whenever my budget permits, Singapore Airlines will be the choice airline!

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011
All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

Travelling on the Sydney Monorail and Light Rail

2011-08-02T22:06:00.001+08:00

I was consciously aware that it would be necessary to minimize walking on foot as I was travelling with my mother during my recent vacation in Sydney. I would have enjoyed walking on foot even if it meant tolerating long distances on my feet. Then again, to make the trip a pleasant one for my mother, it helped a lot that I was conscious to minimize walking. Travelling about using the Monorail and Light Rail was a great solution to minimizing walking.

As our accommodation, the Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments, was located next to the Convention Monorail and Light Rail stations, I got myself and my mother a MetroConnect card (which is basically a 7-Day Monorail and Light Rail combined ticket) each. This proved to allow us convenient travel on both the Monorail and Light Rail at an affordable rate.

A 7-Day Monorail and Light Rail combined ticket costs AUS$30.00 (correct as of the time of publication) and can only be purchased on the Light Rail.

My mother took the Light Rail or the Monorail to travel to Chinatown even though it was within a fair walking distance. The Light Rail had also saved us a lot of walking when we visited the Sydney Fish Market during one of the days.

Light Rail.

On the Light Rail.

At the end of my trip, I was pretty pleased that I had the foresight to travel on the Sydney Monorail and Light Rail using the MetroConnect card with my mother. That meant a good deal of travelling at an affordable cost.

Sydney Monorail and Light Rail
http://www.metrolightrail.com.au/index.php

11 May 2011: Sydney Airport looking brand new

2011-07-31T09:11:00.000+08:00

Sydney Airport has undergone a series of transformation. When I last visited it in Nov 2010, much of airport was under renovation. When I was back in Sydney in May 2011, I felt that it was a friendly and more interesting looking airport greeting me.

All the transformations are part of the Sydney Airport's efforts to upgrade the International Terminal so as to provide passengers with a better travel experience. I was pretty delighted with the new food and beverage outlets and the increased number of waiting areas at the Sydney Airport. Go and experience it for yourself.

Here's a sneak preview of parts of the Sydney Airport. I was playing a bit around with the fish-eye effect program on the Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

I feel thankful I was back again in Sydney to witness the transformation of the Sydney Airport.

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

A great fit for me: Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments

2011-07-29T22:17:00.000+08:00

My mother and I had a good time staying at Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments when we were in Sydney in May 2011. It was the perfect accommodation to meet our needs and budget. Here, I would like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to the staff and management of Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments for providing a pleasant stay and for sponsoring three nights of stay at the hotel. My mother and I extended our stay beyond the three nights at a very affordable rate.

Situated at a very accessible location within walking distance from the Convention Light Rail and Monorail stations, Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments is a sure pleasure for folks like myself who would like to stay in a centralised and accessible location in Sydney. I like its location because it is a stone-throw away from the beautiful Darling Harbour and is within walking distance from Sydney's Chinatown where shops still open after 5.30 p.m.

There is a covered walkway that links the Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments with the Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Beautiful Darling Harbour, taken in the morning.

Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments in the background. Darling Harbour in the foreground.

Though these facilities are less of a concern of mine, potential guests to the Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments may like to know that this apartment provides sauna, pool, spa and fitness facilities. I was happily exploring Sydney that I did not use any of the sauna, pool, spa and fitness facilities.

What I was more delighted with was the fact that the Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments occupied an historic landmark building with a neo-classical facade. I love its ironbark columns and the tallowwood floors. I simply love the air-wells.

Even more delightful to yours truly was that at an affordable room rate, I could enjoy a wonderful stay in one of the Studio 4 rooms. The rooms are serviced daily. Guests could expect a daily change of towels. The apartments also provide complimentary toiletries. I was delighted that the room has full kitchen facilities with microwave and more. I love the idea of having a bread-toaster in the room. That allowed me to enjoy some toasted banana bread in the room. This helped make up for the fact that there was no breakfast served every morning. On the other hand, that meant that I could be very creative in securing good breakfast treats everyday.

The room also had full laundry facilities though I was occupied with exploring Sydney to have used much of these facilities. Then again, some guests may appreciate such facilities.

At the end of each day when my mother and I returned from our daily exploration of Sydney, we would be welcomed by a room that was clean and cosy. We did our part. We were responsible guests who make our beds every morning and keep the place clean. What I love most about the room was that it was decorated with nice art works. I thought that it reflected a sense of good taste!

I also like the balcony area. Although my room did not face the Darling Harbour, I liked the interesting designs of the brick-walls that I happily enjoyed whenever I took a leisure break at the balcony.

Service was adequate. In fact, the staff members of Oaks Goldsbrough were very nice to allow me to extend my check-out time by an hour upon my request. Baggage storage services were also available for guests who came before the check-in time and for guests who would like some help to store their belongings after the check-out time.

On the whole, the Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments was a perfect fit for me. An accessible location, an affordable rate and a clean and homely room facilities. These all made me feel I was staying a home away from home throughout my six nights stay at the Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments.

If you are looking for an affordable apartment to stay in Sydney with an accessible location, Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments is worth a consideration.

Many thanks again to Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments for a wonderful stay.

Oaks Goldsbrough Apartments
243 Pyrmont Street
Darling Harbour
NSW 2009
Australia
Tel: (+61) 2 8586 2500
http://www.oakshotelsresorts.com/Oaks-Goldsbrough/

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

11 May 2011: Mamak Delight

2011-07-27T22:45:00.000+08:00

The long queues!

One evening, when my mother and I were walking about Sydney's Chinatown, we saw a restaurant that had a long queue waiting for their turn to enjoy dinner. This food establishment was Mamak.

Curiosity led me to check out Mamak with my mother on the last day of my trip to Sydney. I suggested having lunch at Mamak and sensitively ensured that my suggestions were acted upon.

At Mamak, we ordered the following:
- egg roti (AUS$5.50 per serving)
- murtabak - lamb (AUS$11.50)
- chicken satay, (half a dozen) (AUS$9.00)

The egg roti was not crispy and did not quite taste like the roti prata with egg that I have had in Singapore. However, I must have been too biased to compare the food here with those in Singapore since Mamak is technically a food establishment that specialises in serving Malaysian cuisine. When we gave our feedback to one of the members of the staff, he gladly told us that if we prefer our roti to be crispy, we could state our requests when we order our food.

The curry sauce that came with the egg roti was wonderful. It has a nice taste of spices and was spicy with a fiery punch. The dhal was good too.

The murtabak was way better than the egg roti. I strongly recommend the murtabak. It was a dish that was worth waiting for. We waited for about 15 minutes for the murtabak to be served. It was simply delicious.

The peanut sauce meant to go along with the satay was a wonderful delight. I love the fact that there was chunks of cruncy peanut bits in the peanut sauce. My mother said that the satay meat was marinated in a different way from the satay meat that were served in Singapore. Obviously, you could tell that I seldom eat satay meat in Singapore to tell the difference. I was by default, a vegetable lover.

Overall, Mamak is a great place for a delightful meal with good service, nice ambience, and food that is served with pride and love.

One way to beat the crowds is to visit Mamak for lunch on a weekday.

Mamak
15 Goulburn Street
Haymarket/ Chinatown
Sydney
Tel: (+61) 2 9211 1668

Some reviews on Mamak:
- Trip advisor's review
- Citrus and Candy's review
- The Food Pornographer's review

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

The free 555 shuttle bus

2011-07-26T07:37:00.000+08:00

I would say that the New South Wales government is very thoughtful and wise. It operates free shuttle bus services around various parts of the state of New South Wales to make it easy for people to get from one location to another. These buses have high frequency. In addition, the buses are clean and comfortable to travel on.

When travelling about the Sydney Central Business District, one can use the free 555 shuttle bus service. This is one bus service that makes travelling about the Sydney Central Business District a breeze!

Route 555 - Free CBD Shuttle
http://www.131500.com.au/tickets/fares/cbd-shuttle

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

11 May 2011: The Hyde Park fantasy

2011-07-23T22:48:00.000+08:00

11 May 2011 (Wed):

Anyone who is familiar with London will know about Hyde Park. What about Hyde Park in Sydney?

Right on the eastern side of the Sydney Central Business District sits Hyde Park. It was named after the original Hyde Park in London. It is bordered by Elizabeth Street, College Street, St. James Road, Prince Albert Road and Liverpool Street.

I took this photograph using the colour swap program.

There were a number of interesting monuments and buildings in the vicinity of Hyde Park. Somehow at Hyde Park, I felt I was being transported to a fantasy world right inside a busy and modern Sydney Central Business District.

One of the most convenient ways to travel to Hyde Park is to take a train to St. James Station. The beautiful St. Mary's Cathedral is within walking distance from the St. James Station. St Mary's Cathedral is a English-style Gothic church envisioned by the architect, William Wilkinson Wardell. Like many cathedrals, the building was completed 100 years after the architect's death. The vibes from this cathedral had a positive effect on me when I was passing by. Somehow, I felt a pleasant sense of serenity and peace.

Hyde Park Barracks was nearby. I had to give it a miss due to time constraints. The best that I could do is to take a photograph of it. I somehow like its simple and hardy structure.

One particular monument that caught my eyes was the J.F. Archibald Memorial Fountain created by the artist, Francois Sicard. This fountain was unveiled on 14 Mar 1932 by Lord Mayor of Sydney, Samuel Walder, to commemorate the association of Australia and France in the Great World War 1914-1918.

J.F. Archibald Memorial Fountain.

As we left Hyde Park to head for lunch, we noticed a group of gentlemen enjoying a leisure game of chess. Their chess set was rather monumental in size!

I like Hyde Park in London better because of its sheer size and beauty. Then again, Hyde Park in Sydney has its own lovely charm.

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

Sketching Sydney

2011-07-20T07:52:00.000+08:00

Compared to my previous trip to Sydney in Nov 2010, I did lesser sketches during my recent trip to Sydney this May. Anyway, please find a compilation of my humble sketches. Which one is your favourite?

I noticed that I have an inclination to sketch structures and landscapes with interesting textures and shapes.

Before I conclude this post, here is a photograph of the tools that I use for my sketching exercises in Sydney this May. My lesson learnt whenever I sketch is simply: Good practice makes perfect. So please make time to practise.

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

10 May 2011: Sydney Aquarium

2011-07-18T07:36:00.001+08:00

10 May 2011 (Tue):

Sydney Aquarium's opening hours are from 9.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. My mother and I were advised that we could visit the Sydney Aquarium at night if we prefer to spend the earlier part of the day visiting the other attractions. It would be good to set aside at least two hours to spend at the Sydney Aquarium. As such, I recommend that visitors visit the Sydney Aquarium by 6.00 p.m.

I prefer the Sydney Aquarium to the neighbouring Sydney Wildlife World. Perhaps I have a hidden love for the marine sea creatures swimming away in the waters.

Yet again, the See Sydney Attractions Pass helped my mother and I save on the admission. Usually, the admission would be AUS$34.95 per adult. Pass holder once again gets free entry into the Sydney Aquarium.

My favourite animal was the dugong. I was practically following the dugong for at least 15 minutes! Admittedly, I like the music that was played at that section of the Sydney Aquarium.

The seahorses and the coral reefs section caught my attention as well. They looked simply stunning under the florescent lights.

The shark section was also pretty interesting. However, due to limited time once again, I did not learn as much about sharks as I would like to. I left the Sydney Aquarium with a new knowledge that while most sharks give birth to live young, there are some sharks that lay eggs. There was a shark hatchery inside the Sydney Aquarium that had caught my attention. Check it out if you are there please.

For myself, it may be quite a while before I visit the Sydney Aquarium. I would prefer to visit Port Stephen to see dolphins and whales swimming in the wild! I miss my two visits to Port Stephen which were made in Nov 2010.

Sydney Aquarium
Aquarium Pier, Darling Harbour
Tel: (+61) 2 9262 2300
http://sydneyaquarium.myfun.com.au

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

The Ice-ball challenge

2011-07-15T23:43:00.006+08:00

Ice-ball, from the Singapore Food Trail.
Special thanks to Belinda Tan for giving permission to use this photo taken by her.

What was it like to eat an ice-ball? I have read about and heard of people reminiscing fondly of the days when they ate ice-ball. Yet I did not have a clue how the experience would be, until I visited the Singapore Food Trail (located at the Singapore Flyer) recently.

The Singapore Food Trail is a food establishment with an interesting concept to let its guests relive the nostalgic days of Singapore in the 1960s. One of the interesting food available at the dessert stall is the ice-balls. To enjoy an ice-ball against the backdrop of makeshift stalls along the roadside can make one feel as if one has taken the time-machine back to the 1960s' Singapore.

I learnt that in the 1960s, ice-balls were sold at 5 cents each. One of my friends, Eastcoastlife, told me that in those days, a 5-cents ice-ball was her half-a-day's pocket money. She shared that there were occasions when she secretly ate an ice-ball against the advice of her mother. Yet, many of the times, her mother still found out about her secret treats to ice-ball. How could this be so? The coloured marks left behind by the melting coloured ice-ball had betrayed her.

Chun See who writes the blog Good Morning Yesterday has a very interesting post, titled Ice Balls, that helped me to visualize how an ice-ball could be made in the past. Go and check out the photo of the first generation ice-shaver. Apparently, the ice-shaver was made up of a wooden block with nails on it.

Fast forward to the 2011, I could have the pleasure to witness how ice-balls are made. I have a hunch that the management who have made the Singapore Food Trail possible are likely people who have very fond memories of ice-balls.

Placing the filling into the ice-ball.

Adding the colourings.

My grandmother told me that the way to eat an ice-ball was to suck the icy liquid from the ice-ball. After which, one could eat the ice. During this interesting endeavour to savour the ice-ball, there would be an anticipation to find delightful 'treasures' inside the ice-balls. My mother told me that in the past, fillings such as red-bean and peanut could be found inside an ice-ball. The popular 'treasure' appeared to be the attap-chee.

I had my first hands-on experience taking up the challenge of eating an ice-ball on 7 Jul 2011. Eating a colourful ice-ball was a slightly messy affair that required the skillful act of sucking the ice-ball so as to drain it of the melting ice. In addition, I had to train my bare hands to tolerate the cold from the ice-ball. My verdict? Eating an ice-ball is a fun and challenging experience. I felt proud that I had finished enjoying one entire ice-ball without using a spoon!

If you like to have your hands on an ice-ball, please join me in the ice-ball challenge: Eat an entire ice-ball with the mouth and by holding the ice-ball with your bare-hands. No spoon please.

The reward is, the fun and excitement that comes with eating the ice-ball.

Singapore Food Trail
Singapore Flyer
30 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039803

Opening hours:
10.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday,
10.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

***
Also see: Singapore Food Trail: Reliving the good old 1960s once more

I sighted treasures at Goodwood Park Hotel!

2011-07-15T00:08:00.000+08:00

This hotel has a history that dates back to 1900.
The tower wing was designed by R.A.J. Bidwell of Swan and MacLaren.

I sighted treasures at the Goodwood Park Hotel when I was there in June 2011!

What did I find? Find out here: I sighted treasures at Goodwork Park Hotel!

30 Jun 2011: My train journey out of and into Tanjong Pagar Railway Station

2011-07-13T00:11:00.001+08:00

When I read about the news of the impending closure of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station sometime last year, it struck me that I have never taking any train from the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. Since then, the thought of taking a train from the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station had been on my mind. The thought had finally came to realization when I took one of the last few trains out of Singapore on 30 Jun 2011.

Mr Jerome Lim has written an excellent post with great photographs of the journey on the delayed 0800 Ekspres Rakyat train that departed from Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. Here is his post: A final journey: The last passage to the North. He was on the same train that I took on 30 Jun 2011, and I highly recommend that you could check out his post please.

It was a very melancholic day that morning of 30 Jun 2011. It was raining in the morning. As it was my very first time taking a KTM train, I was doing my best to get myself orientated, from getting up the train to finding my seat. Thank goodness that I have met very wonderful people on my ride who looked out for me that day.

The train ride was exciting. It was moving to see people waiting at the Bukit Timah Station just so as to wave to the train. Alright, admittedly, they were also there possibly to witness one of the last few exchanges of key-tokens at the station.

On the train, I caught glimpses of various parts of Singapore that were familiar to me. Prior to my train ride out of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, I had been walking nearby some parts of the railway tracks. Looking back, I was glad that I had done so, and have been mindful to practise safety measures to keep myself safe while trekking along the railway tracks (and being mindful not to bring inconvenience to the KTM staff and the passengers on the train).

Before I knew it, the train stopped at the Woodlands Checkpoint. It was at the checkpoint that I could greatly feel that the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station has a magnificent architecture. In comparison, the Woodlands Checkpoint had strikingly boring architecture and felt harshly unwelcoming. I wonder if I would ever wish to take a train from the Woodlands Checkpoint in the future?

Before I knew it, after clearing the customs, it was time to travel along the Causeway into Malaysia. My train ticket was to bring me to Segamat, which is north of the state of Johor. Over there, time was spent enjoying tea at Nan Yang Coffee Shop, savouring a durian which was said to be organic, and enjoying the seeming simpler way of life.

Soon, it was time to be back at the Segamat station to catch the last train into the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. Being punctual was necessary so as not to miss the train. I started to feel a sense of sadness that after 30 Jun 2011, the KTM trains will no longer go beyond the Woodlands Checkpoint into the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. Perhaps the consoling thought was that our collective memories of the railway line will continue to live on.

Most of the passengers on-board the last train into Tanjong Pagar Railway Station were keenly aware that they were part of a significant moment in history. I met a number of people on the train who had generously shared their memories of train journeys and their experiences on the KTM train. There was a strong sense of fellowship on-board the train. Strangers easily became new-found friends who shared a common journey. Perhaps this was because everyone on-board was collectively part of a party of people who would be the last passengers to arrive at Tanjong Pagar Railway Station on a KTM train. That will mark the end of the glorious days of train-travel from this beautiful railway station built in the Art Deco style and opened in 1932.

The start of the emotional highs turned out to be at the Bukit Timah Station. The Bukit Timah Station had functioned as a loop station and signalling control house for the rails between Tanjong Pagar and Woodlands. During the temporary stop of the train at the Bukit Timah Station, passengers were allowed to take a brief walk about the station.

This passenger was ringing the horn throughout the journey from the Causeway to Tanjong Pagar

After the temporary stop at the Bukit Timah Station, the train headed for the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. Along the way, I could see people standing parallel to the railway tracks to wave at the train and its passengers. They would probably miss the train passing by? I felt rather lost for words when the train finally arrived at the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. I suppose my feelings could be somewhat summed up by the following photograph of the empty train cabin: loss and sadness.

Even the Sultan of Johor who was on his way to drive the very last train out of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station seemed to be in the mood of sadness. I had a glimpse of the Sultan of Johor, and then before I knew it, I realised that there was a huge crowd at the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. It felt comforting to realised that there were so many people who would miss the railway station, and would now share a similar collective memory of the station with me.

As the very last train out of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station (driven by the Sultan of Johor) departed, the sounds of the train moving along the tracks seemed to be transformed into cries that bid farewell. Bye!

The last train out of Tanjong Pagar, driven by the Sultan of Johor.

Many thanks to Jerome, Clarissa and Notabilia for initiating the Last Train into Tanjong Pagar, and lots of thanks to all fellow passengers and wonderful staff of KTM for looking out for one another.

****
Related news:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/singapore/8594683/Singapore-a-final-trip-to-Tanjong-Pagar.html

10 May 2011: Sydney Wildlife World

2011-07-11T23:27:00.000+08:00

10 May 2011 (Tue):

When I was getting the tickets for the Magistic Cruisesmart, the staff who was attending to me asked if I had visited the Sydney Wildlife World and the Sydney Aquarium. He said that these two attractions have one of the highest admission prices among the various participating attractions. His remarks led me to decide to visit the Sydney Wildlife World even though I was rather ambivalent whether to do so earlier that day.

Once again, the See Sydney Attractions Pass came in handy. Usually, the admission to the Sydney Wildlife World would be AUS$34.95. Pass holders could enter for free!

This section on butterflies caught my eyes.

I arrived at the Sydney Wildlife World at about 4 p.m. and with limited time left before its closing hours for the day, I could only browse through most of the exhibits.

I do not have a liking for reptiles. Nevertheless, this section on how the sex of a crocodile is determined by the temperature that it was incubated at caught my attention.

Kangaroos.

At the Sydney Wildlife World, I found myself being attracted to the koala bears, the wollabies and the wombats. I also enjoyed learning about bees. However, I did not like to learn about animals in an enclosed and indoor environment. As such, I do not think I would visit Sydney Wildlife World any time soon. I would prefer to visit the Taronga Zoo to the Sydney Wildlife World if I were in Sydney.

Then again, perhaps people who like to view animals in an indoor environment would enjoy the Sydney Wildlife World better?

Sydney Wildlife World
Aquarium Pier, Darling Harbour, Sydney
http://sydneywildlifeworld.myfun.com.au/
Tel: (+61) 2 9333 9288

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

My many servings of breakfast

2011-07-09T16:31:00.000+08:00

I love breakfast. At the very least, it is my favourite meal of the day.

While I do not think anyone would run short of ideas for breakfast when he/she is in Sydney, I shall attempt to share some of the food that I have had for breakfast when I was in Sydney this May. Perhaps you may then realise what a joy it is to enjoy our breakfast!

Fresh milk and cereals.

d'ough Espresso, at World Square.

Pineapple, ham, tomato and Cheese Crostini from an eatery along Pyrmont Street.

Tasty toasted banana bread.

Grilled seafood platter for two persons at AUS$36.50 from the Sydney Fish Market.

Bourke Street Bakery.

Breakfast at Bills.

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

10 May 2011: Magistic Cruisesmart

2011-07-08T20:28:00.000+08:00

10 May 2011 (Tue): At 2.45 p.m., the Magistic Cruisesmart parked at the Jetty 6 of Circular Quay, ready to set sail. I was excited at the thoughts of travelling about the Sydney Harbour.

The Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera's battery was running low. I saw this as an indicator to enjoy the cruise by simply being present, rather than taking too much photographs. I did take a number of photographs on another camera.

The description for the Magistic Cruisesmart is worth a read. Here it goes:

See the splendor of the world's most beautiful harbour, aboard our multi-million dollar Australian owned and built catamarans. This one hour cruise glides by the harbour's main attractions with GPS commentary to keep you informed along the way. This is your best option and best value cruise on the harbour, without compromise. In the true tradition of Australian hospitality, you will receive a complimentary beer or soft drink whilst on board. (Source: http://seesydneypass.iventurecard.com/attraction/magistic-cruisesmart/)

My mother and I received a complimentary can of carbonated soft-drink each. On hind-sight, we could have ordered a non-carbonated drink because in the end, none of us drank our drink. I was too happy enjoying the cruise and the marvellous views on board.

Our See Sydney Attractions Pass came in handy once again. The usual price of an adult ticket to board the Magistic Cruisesmart is AUS$25. See Sydney Attractions Pass holders get to enjoy the cruise for free! By the way, the departure time was different from the published ones so please check the schedule in advance.

It was an excellent way to enjoy Sydney's harbour on Magistic Cruisesmart. I highly recommend this tour to everyone who has a love for scenic sights while taking a cruise.

While I was onboard Magistic Cruisesmart, I was inspired and did a very quick sketch.

Magistic Cruisesmart
Cruise departs from Jetty 6, Circular Quay
Cost: AUS$25 per adult
Tel: (+61) 2 8296 7222
http://www.magisticcruises.com.au/

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

Read: Man's Search for Meaning

2011-07-07T23:32:00.000+08:00

Author: Viktor E. Frankl
Title: Man's Search for Meaning
Publisher: Beacon Press (first published in 1959, read the edition published in 2006)

This is the book to read. While I was reading several other books, the title of this book "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl came up very often as one of the recommended books to read. The challenging part was that until quite recently, I could not get my hands on a copy of this book at the library. This book was first published in 1959, although there have been several reprints thereafter.

Good books are worth reading. This is a great read. There have been times when I cannot make sense of why some people suffer. I still do not know why. The consoling part is that in this book, the author explored how even during times of unavoidable sufferings, we as human beings could still find reasons to live, with dignity.

In the earlier chapters, the author presented his experiences as a survivor of several concentration camps during the World War II, and how he had to deal with what he was presented with after the great war (e.g. the realization that his wife had passed away). Subsequently, he discusses the therapeutic method known as logotherapy which sat very well with Frankl's beliefs that man's deepest desire is to search for meaning and purpose. For Frankl, his meaning in life is to help others find theirs.

This is one book that I would like to find and to add to my collection as a good reminder for me especially during the potentially dark moments and times. The book demonstrated very wise writing and is very human in its outlook to life too. It is not a surprise that it is one of the highly recommended books to read.

Here's a few quotations from the book to share:

It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life - daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.

...it is just such an exceptionally difficult external situation which gives man the opportunity to grow spiritually beyond himself.

the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.

Please read wikipedia's summary of this book: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man's_Search_for_Meaning

For a nostalgic dining experience in Singapore

2011-07-06T07:56:00.003+08:00

The Singapore Food Trail is a 1960s themed food establishment located at the Singapore Flyer. This is one place for affordable good food, interesting interior decor that recreates the nostalgic atmosphere of the 1960s and many interesting food which seems to be on the verge of becoming extinct.

Colourful ice-ball!

The heritage corner.

If you are enticed by this very brief write-up and the photographs, please read the full post, Singapore Food Trail: Reliving the good old 1960s once more.

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Acknowledgments: Lots of thanks to the Singapore Food Trail and Marina Bay Singapore for giving me the opportunity to enjoy delicious local hawker-fare as well as a wonderful Teochew opera staged by the Thau Yong Amateur Musical Association. Many thanks to Chloe and Jonathan from Select Group Limited for their hospitality. An extra special thanks to Ms Belinda Tan for facilitating the invitation.

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Singapore Food Trail
Singapore Flyer
30 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039803

10 May 2011: Time alone at Circular Quay

2011-07-02T14:04:00.000+08:00

10 May 2011 (Tue):

After the lunch, I had wanted to visit the Hyde Park Barracks but I would very much like my mother to enjoy the Magistic Cruise with me too since I think she would prefer a cruise to visiting a museum. As such, I decided to while my time away nearby Circular Quay. My mother liked some rest so she sat on a bench at one of the jetties at Circular Quay. That gave me some time alone and the first instinct was to sketch. It was a relatively quick sketch since the Magistic Cruise would start within an hour's time.

Life around Circular Quay can be described as mesmerising. People were spotted resting leisurely on the ground to bask under the beams of the autumn sun. Nearby, one could enjoy the structural beauty of the Sydney Opera House as well as the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I was feeling very thankful that throughout most of my vacation in Sydney, I had been blessed with good weather.

Seagulls were lovable companions for the people walking past Circular Quay. At times, the seagulls were too attention-seeking. Look at what had happened when this family who was in possession of food became the focal point for a gang of seagulls!

Then again, perhaps this family could be glad that the seagulls seemed to be worshipping every member of the family!

If you were to visit Circular Quay, you know that it will be safe to carry a sketch book. However, if you do not wish to be the centre of attention for the seagulls, please do not carry food with you.

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

10 May 2011: Korean lunch

2011-06-30T23:17:00.000+08:00

After the visit to the Justice and Police Museum, my mother and I went to have lunch at a nearby food court. I learnt from a resident of Sydney that in general, the perceptions among people in Sydney is that the food served at food court (in Sydney) are merely good enough but not excellent. I do not know how true this perception was because my sample size was very small.

There was quite a crowd at the food court that we had went to. Perhaps the crowd meant that food court still have a functional role to play. We had a fairly affordable and enjoyable lunch at a total of AUS$18. I was grateful to have an adequate lunch in a clean environment. Since it was a lunch to fill the stomach than to entice the taste buds, I was very happy with the food that we have had.

What did we have for our lunch?

We had the teriyaki chicken bibimbap and the chilli chicken bibimbap from Koba Korean BBQ. I was contented with my lunch.

Somehow the bibimbap from Sydney's food court reminded me of the bibimbap in Singapore's food court. I am very thankful that the bibimbap in Singapore are cheaper, have more tasty appetizers to go along with the main course, and have more vegetables!

I was also fondly reminded of a wonderful Korean dinner with one of my friends, RL, in a Korean restaurant in Sydney a few years ago. Indeed, restaurant food in Sydney are better than the food court, based on my limited experiences. Please correct me if you have differing experiences.

Koba Korean BBQ
AMP Retail Plaza
Food Court
50 Bridge Street,
Sydney

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011

All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

10 May 2011: The Justice and Police Museum

2011-06-29T22:12:00.000+08:00

After thirty full minutes of spinning trills on the Oz Jetboating ride, my mother and I headed for the Justice and Police Museum. I was not particularly interested in this museum, but it was the nearest available museum at Circular Quay, so I gladly visited it.

A choice of convenience, the Justice and Police Museum fondly reminded me of the former Supreme Court in Singapore. I later learnt that the Justice and Police Museum is the site of the original settlement of convicts during the earlier days when the first European settlement started in Australia, Sydney.

At this museum, visitors learn about some of the most spectacular crimes that had happened in Sydney. There were exhibits consisting weapons used by law-enforcers. Strangely, there were relics from notorious crimes put on display at the museum. With all these fear inducing weapons and relics, I thought it would take a fair level of guts to visit this museum.

Again, the See Sydney Attractions Pass came in useful.

Usually, it would cost AUS$8 per adult for entry into the Justice and Police Museum. With the See Sydney Attractions Pass, entry is free!

Heading to the cells.

I came across exhibits of the Hangman's Noose and hoods that were used in the early 20th century. The quotation that was printed on the walls were thought provoking.

"...one is absolutely sickened not by, the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments the good have inflicted." - Oscar Wilde (From the Soul of Man under Socialism.)

The section on the Aboriginal customary law caught my eye but given that I had wanted to get myself lunch before catching a cruise that afternoon, I hardly had enough time to enjoy much of the museum. I had been there, but I felt I did not know enough about the history of crimes and laws in Sydney as I had spent only close to an hour at this museum. If you are visiting this museum, please set aside at least two hours to better appreciate some of the exhibits.

Justice and Police Museum
Corner Philip and Albert Street
Circular Quay, Sydney
Tel: (+61) 2 8239 2288
http://www.hht.net.au/museums/justice_and_police_museum
Admission: AUS$8 per adult.

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011
All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.

A glimpse of the free unguided tour of Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery

2011-06-27T20:53:00.002+08:00

My friends and I visited Bukit Brown on 26 Jun 2011. We were there specially for the free unguided tour of Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery which was conducted by Asia Paranormal Investigators, supported by One-North Explorers. During the event, placards were put up at notable tombs to describe the notable achievements and contributions that were made by the person buried in each of these tombs.

During our visit, we found out what the following notable people, Cheang Hong Lim, Chew Boon Lay, Chew Joo Chiat, Fang Shan, Gan Eng Seng, Lee Hoon Leong, Lim Chong Pang, Mrs Lim Nee Soon, Ong Sam Leong, Ong Boon Tat Mrs Tan Cheng Siong and Tay Ho Swee, have in common.

Please check out this post by yours truly for the full account of my visit: Notable People who are buried in Bukit Brown.

The precious flora and fauna along the Railway tracks

2011-06-25T00:55:00.002+08:00

This is likely a Blue Pansy (Junonia orithya wallacei).
Photo Credit: Belinda Tan.

I have been trekking pretty often along the railway tracks recently. Here is a link to a recent post on The precious flora and fauna along the railway tracks. I hope you will enjoy the beautiful sights along the railway line that Nature has so generously created for us. All that it asks of us is to take good care of it.

10 May 2011: 3-2-1 Spin!

2011-06-24T23:24:00.001+08:00

Make a guess where my mother and I went to after alighting at the Sydney Opera House after the Gray Line Tours?

We took the ultimate way to travel about the Sydney Harbour with Oz Jetboating. The boats of Oz Jetboating can perform 270-degrees spins and jet boat stunts. The See Sydney Attractions Pass came in very useful to let us enjoy huge savings.

Oz Jet Boating
Pass Benefit: Free Jet Boat Ride on weekdays (exclude public holidays and NSW school holidays)
AUS$15 supplement is payable on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and NSW school holidays.

Usual Price: AUS$60 per adult

Full weatherproof clothing is provided for all passengers. The clothings kept my mother and myself relatively dry. Nevertheless, be prepared to get wet on the face and at the hair areas. Personal belongings are not allowed onboard the jet boat as they are likely to get pretty wet if they were allowed! Oz Jetboating provides a locked storage area for the passengers' personal belongings.

At various points of the Sydney harbour, our jet-driver will give us a nice introduction to the given part of the harbour. Whenever the jet was about to make a 270-degrees spin, our jet-driver will prompt us to shout "3-2-1, Spin!".

This spin is not suitable for people with back, neck or spinal injuries as the momentum of the spins could be pretty strong at times. All passengers are required to sign an indemnity form before taking the jet boat ride.

This jet boat ride is wonderful for the adventure-seeking folks who like to spin their way about the Sydney harbour. I enjoyed the ride as it was quite a thrill. However, I am not sure if I would like to do it again because I prefer to enjoy the views of Sydney harbour at a more leisure speed. Nevertheless, this is a fun way to remember the Sydney harbour!

This was taken by the people from Oz Jetboating.

Oz Jetboating
The Eastern Pontoon
Circular Quay
Sydney
Tel: (+61) 2 9808 3700
http://www.ozjetboating.com

Please also see: My visit to Sydney, May 2011
All the photos on this post were taken using a Canon Digital IXUS 1000HS camera.