26 May 2025 – Campers’ Corner

Sat: appreciations with thanks to Helen for a short walk on EC-Pk and for

CheeCheongFun/RiceNoodleRolls 豬腸粉+ChaiTowKway/CarrotCake 菜头粿 Bfast@MT-food-market with pleasant life-entertainment.

I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained― Walt Disney

Bought a bunchS$5 of AlkalineRiceDumpling 鹼性粽 smaller in size, yellowish and slightly transparent look because the rice has been pre-treated with lye water. Unlike the other dumplings, this does not contain fillings, ie plain. Memories of paternal grandmother when she made these wrapping them with our own bamboo leaf from the garden. Used to enjoy it just dipped in sugar then – the preference is with palm sugar syrup now.

First sighting to such a fancy bicycle learning that this BirdyBicycle has suspension and you can also customize it to your needs! With something like this, make sure that you keep an eye or have a secure lock for it! Bicycles have come a long way from the days when I used it as a means of transport in Norway. Have given up biking&driving here – too crowded,dangerous,hot&humid. Feel safer on buses&MRTs which have AC, as long as I can avoid rush hours!

On the way to the MT-MRT-sta–Exit1 with AC-underground heading to Exit2 back to my 4-walls wondering? what is the purpose with this security-check?? especially when it’s blocking the map – today’s pix credits to Helen, forgot my phone!

Sun: how would you like to have a ship in your garden and the man in the cabin in Byneset/ Norway did not hear anything until the neighbours called. With such an idyllic place for a cabin, I might have also slept thru’ dreaming that I could have the coastline for myself – thank goodness no one was hurt or injured – pix downloaded.

Man in Norway wakes to find huge container ship in garden

What is it with these recent seafaring accidents? A Mexican Navy sailboat/Cuauhtémoc,(the same ship that visited SIN in 2017&2024) collided with the BrooklynBridge,NY/USA on 17May sadly resulting in 2 fatalities, multiple injuries and significant damage to the vessel – pix downloaded.

Mexican navy ship Brooklyn Bridge crash kills 2 – NBC New York

Boat explodes on Hudson River during New York’s fleet week

A warning of caution with the DragonBoatFestival next weekend.

Mon: take a moment today to give some thoughts for those who have lost their life so that we can live in Peace. To all celebrating&marking today, be safe on this MemorialDay – pix credits to cousin Kerwin. Such significant pix from HI/USA with USSArizona&USSMissouri in the background. For those who are interested and wish to learn the history, google about them. For TSENG&LAM family, our journalist 8thUncle EddieTSENG (1915-1988, may he RIP), was one of a handful of reporters aboard who witnessed the Peace signing on the USSMissouri(2Sep1945) and the very first to report the news to the world.

Campers’C for some hours from today-Wed. Will be more than happy to assist with your queries on Long-Distance-Hiking to the best of my abilities. Welcome to Campers’ Corner Japan on Next Level via a beautiful solid staircase by the colourful sleeping bags and the Nemo tents.

Life is a staircase. Some steps are small, and some are big, but every step matters

Tue: early afternoon@Campers’C and to airport early evening for May – who will be here 2weeks for work. A quick bite upon arrival gates directly outside@T1, conveniently located when you are hungry&tired!

23 May 2025 – Lapacho Tree

Tue: nieceYasmine&family were here from UK until yesterday but did not have a chance to catch up as she&Khalid had Covid. NieceMay/Pat&Albert were also down with Covid last week. Covid is again making headlines as SIN experiences a significance surge in COVID-19 cases. The spike has been concerning as the number of cases rose from the week of 27Apr to 3May to 14,200 cases, as compared to 11,100 cases in the last week – pix downloaded.

Covid-19 Cases In Hong Kong, Singapore: How Are Authorities Dealing With This Sudden Wave? – News18

Wed: welcome DiLOU/Assistant Professor of Modern Chinese History,Department of History,UofAlabama,AL/USA who is here on a book project on the postal systems&letters from&to China during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) and particularly interested in the wartime experiences of Chinese diasporas here and other part of SE-Asia.  Not much of a help except to connect her to some of the ppl in the NationalLibrary and lunch@Bugis.

What a coincidence that she is staying at the hotel by TemenggongRd. Nice that her family will be joining her here for a holiday. Recommended some places that her 11yr daughter might be interested to visit but lacking the energy to tourist guide nowadays – hotel pix downloaded.

Thu: downloaded this LapachoTree, national tree of Paraguay/SouthAmerica. A common sight across the country is one of the most beautiful trees in my eyes. When in bloom its distinctive can bd easily spotted. In Guarani it is known as Tajy and has varieties with various colours of flowers. They are all closely related members of the genus Handroanthus, most common is the pink flowering HandroanthusImpetiginosus. In addition to this there are varieties that cloak themselves with flowers of white, yellow or purple. Added to blog posting to include trees which I would like to see with my own eyes despite knowing that it will not be possible, thus the posting below…

Dedicated to Trees Around The World – Here-There-Everywhere – This-That-Everything

Finland is officially the world’s happiest country. It is also 75 per cent forest. I believe these facts are related ― Matt Haig

Fri: this might be the explanation to my lacking energy,mood-swings,restless – Air Pressure Spikes and Human Health – pix downloaded

Believe it or not, our bodies notice air pressure changes even if we aren’t always aware of it. Sudden spikes can trigger headaches, joint pain, or even changes in blood pressure for sensitive individuals. Some people report feeling unusually tired or restless during extreme events. Hospitals have even tracked small increases in heart-related emergencies during times of rapid pressure change. It’s as if our bodies are finely tuned barometers, reacting to the atmosphere’s every whim…

Massive Air Pressure Spike Detected—What It Means

19 May 2025 – Smørbrød brusji = Open Face Sandwich Brunch

Fri: must find my Norwegian flags if the energy&mood permit! Appreciations to Carmel for sharing a pre-17mai røktlaks/SmokedSalmon+gravlaks/MarinatedSalmon–smørbrød/open-faced-sandwich and ostekake med jordbær/CheeseCake with strawberry for dessert. Thanks for scones&cakes – looking forward to tasting those@TeaTime.

Sat: one of my favourite TreeHouses and 17May pix from 2016-SC/USA where #3 is raising the flag. Up to now he is still raising the Norwegian flag every 17May and will be graduating HighSchool 28May, where has all that time gone??

I love that contradiction of being feminine but playing in the boys’ treehouse. My whole life’s been like that – Gwen Stefani

Hurra for 17mai Happy Norwegian Constitution Day with memories from when there was still snow on the roads this day 47yrs/1978 ago in Tromsø/Norway. Linn was 4 and her pre-school pix made it to the local papers! Was pregnant with May during the 17MayDayParade when I took these old fading (like the memory, hahaha!) coloured pix then with our friends&neighbours Hustads&Stenseths – sadly Roar is no longer with us today, may he RIP.

Sorry for not being at these events in person, #3John final HighSchoolOrchestraConcert and #4Sophie placing 8th in SC-Track/USA. Living vicariously&following proudly with appreciations&thanks to Linn for sharing and looking much forward to be with them in Feb2026.

Tkx to Clement for BeefHorFun dinner in the hood and for keeping me company for a short evening walk on EC-Pk – despite of the Sat crowd was good to be able to put in 14,000+steps today besides just staying indoors… Needed his company+walk, appreciations with tkx to him for putting up with me – pix downloaded.

Sun: lovely cool wet day with audio book. Appreciations to Theresa&CJ for dinner @ImperialTreasurSuperPekingDuck/Paragon with Les wine and my Gravlaks starter. Took precautions to find the best route to avoid the SportsHub area as LvdyGaga will be performing here this evening.

Just my luck that there is an Ikebana display on Level1/Paragon, otherwise would not have seen it as the wandering winds down.

Sorry to miss AT-Trail-Days@Damascus,VA/USA this weekend, especially when it is 20yrs ago we thru’hiked this trail. Appreciations with thanks to Karen/MissWiggy for her group-pix share – parade pix credits to Town of Damascus,VA/USA.

Last at TrailDays was 2018 /7yrs ago, sad that Bear is no longer with us today, may he RIP but thankful that some of my fellow hikers&friends took time to visit with me when I was in SC/USA 2024.

School Teachers Today – Here-There-Everywhere – This-That-Everything

Mon: welcome to Campers’CornerJapan on NextLevel with AndWander,Goldwin,Nanga,etc@BoonSiewBuilding/BukitTimahRd where I can still wander on the next level – hahaha! Time to gather&organise various hiking pix to present&share here – TBA with a date&time later…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWuACa1fGIc

Safe trip to Chris who is heading off to Prague/CzechRepublic

15 May 2025 – Morsels@Dempsey

Mon: Happy Vesak Day to those celebrating&marking the day being a public holiday here. For those unfamiliar, Vesak, a festival of utmost significance in Buddhism that commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. A public holiday in SIN and nice to see ppl taking the time to enjoy in this neighbourhood – bought a ChickenKebabS$4.90

Tue: grocery day and appreciations with thanks to Glady&Shawn for scrumptious dinner+wine from Les&Ivy.

Have not been to Morsels/DempseyRd since 2017 and would highly recommend

High-End Food Venues – Here-There-Everywhere – This-That-Everything

Morsels for all of Chef Petrina’s interesting predominantly Asian-Fusion on this menu – food pix credits to Glady.

Fusion food as a concept is kind of trying to quite consciously fuse things that are sometimes quite contradictory, sometimes quite far apart, to see if they’d work -YotamOttolenghi 

Nice to meet&chat with MichaelEU bringing back memories of the Eu-Family who graciously&kindly took me under their wings into their SwissClubRd home when father was in London/UK with mother for her surgery in 1964 during a difficult teenage turmoil time in this life journey. Tkx to bro Leslie for arranging this meeting@his ManCave.

Wed: waking on this glorious wet morning. Safe journey back to the US for Kat on her short 3days visit – 19hrs flight direct from SIN-JFK! Might look into this for the next US visit?

So proud of #4Sophie who qualified for State in the 800m and 4x400m Relay with times 2:25 and 62, thanks to Linn for sharing info&pix.

Soo missing my flock but have to be content just talking and receiving news of their wellbeing for now. Looking much forward to Feb2026 to hopefully reunite with the whole flock for Katy&Jack’s wedding.

Thu: haircut and errands@PP/MarineP to pick up some of the things unable to get here at the local MarineT-hood, and since in that area, take away ChickenRice+soup from one of my favourite ChickenRice stall@MarineP

7 May 2025 – With PAP

Sun: woke up~0230hrs by a sudden gust of wind blowing the bedroom curtains to an 90%angle towards the bed, got up in time to close the windows before the short downpour and went back to dreamland until~0830hrs when a pickup truck in the neighbourhood with loudspeakers with PAP thanking the ppl for their votes+LionDancingDrums in the distance.

Congratulations to People’sActionParty/PAP took 65.57% winning 87 of 97 seats, 75% of the vote in 10 constituencies with higher national vote returning the PAP to power with the majority. Best PAP constituency – QueenstownSingleMemberConstituencySMC, where EricChua won 81.12% of the votes. Not all seats were contested, PAP-MarineParadeBraddell HeightsGRC being declared a walkover on NominationDay.

A total of 2,429,281 votes, including rejected votes, were cast in the country’s 14th election since independence. And now with the 4th PM LawrenceWong.

GE2025: Analysis – how the PAP scored a landslide win and why the opposition failed to make inroads – CNA

This made up 92.47% of the 2,627,026 registered electors in all contested divisions – a record low voter turnout. The previous record was in the 2011GE, in which 93.06% of voters turned up to cast their ballot.

GE2025: Stunning victory for PAP, winning 87 of 97 seats with higher national vote share in PM Wong’s first electoral test – CNA

Congratulations too to Australia’sLaborParty for winning the 2025NationalElection. Hopefully these parties with their leaders will lead their ppl thru’ a peaceful&safe time ahead and who knows what will happen between now and the next election but glad that it’s over with this round…

Dinner at Les&Ivy’s and dessert&drinks at his enclosed GardenMancave@Rochalie – can handle with just him smoking a cigar but when more ppl smoking, might trigger an asthma attack, and not wise to tempt fate nowadays…

Miss this gazebo when it was completely opened, now completely enclosed in glass with the AC as he likes relaxing here and it can be hot without AC in the afternoons. The open pool-deck area is good when the GardenMancave gets overwhelmed with smokers.  A sip of this Tequila will make my day for tomorrow!

Mon: a school holiday today after 2025GE and a good new week ahead to all. Happy Cinco-de-Mayo to those celebrating&marking Mexican army’s victory over France@PueblaBattle/Franco-MexicanWar in 1862, will try to get some TexMex food this week – pix downloaded.

https://www.edarabia.com/cinco-de-mayo/

Tue&Wed: fasting and taking it easy with audio-books,music,sewing,etc…

3 May 2025 – Election Day

Wed: 20yrs ago today marks the first day of ~2,175miles/3,500km,4+MillionSteps,127days of the AT-Thru-Hike. Day1-Sat30Apr2005: starting with 4.1miles/6.6km, the shortest mileage day as the rest of the hike will be averaging from 10-20+miles daily for the next 126days then. Today 20yrs onwards so far and will still choose with dignity&pride these 2most challenging accomplishments, so far! without any regrets – raising my family&hiking the AT-Thru’Hike.

Proud of #4 for her 4×400RegionChamps,SC/USA – amazing how tall she is now with vivid memories when she was born/Jun2009 caring for her as Linn was hospitalized for SepticPelvicThrombophlebitis then. Sophie is the easiest&delightful grandchild to care for, happy to just eat&sleep then without any fuss and still happy to eat&sleep now – hahaha!

Fri: not sure what it is but have not been sleeping too well this past week even with today being a Cooling-off-day before tomorrow’s GE2025, MarineParade/Walkover. Glad for not needing to vote despite SIN being listed as one of the least corrupt countries –

People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election – Otto von Bismarck

The Top 10 Least Corrupt Countries in the World in 2025

Sat: excuse my ignorance but was not even aware that there are so many parties and politics, it seems to me all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong. ElectionDay today from 0800-2000hrs in SIN. Whoever the rest of ~2+million ppl here may be voting and also to whoever voting today in Australia too – Happy Voting!

GE2025: Key quotes from PM Lawrence Wong at PAP lunchtime rally – CNA

PAP/People’sActionParty has already won its first constituency when it stood uncontested@MarineParade-BraddellHeightsGRC on NominationDay.

Voting is how we participate in a civic society – be it for president or municipal election. It is the way we teach our children – in school elections – how to be citizens, and the importance of their voice – Loretta Lynch

Dinner@PalmDrive – tkx to sisJo for the Kedondong/SpondiasDulcis 沙梨 known commonly as ambarella from her garden, looking forward for them to ripen and these snacks.

What is Ambarella

29 Apr 2025 – Afternoon High Tea

Early 2000s – first time@ParkviewSq then was before it was DivineWineBar – used to enjoy the luxury of a quiet cuppa or a cocktail when it was practically empty here after running errands in the Bugis area. One of the memorable tables to sit by was an unusual glass table with a cute SalvadorDali sculpture? – do wonder where this table is now?

In the center of the plaza is a statue of a golden crane and on the pedestal, a poem is written in Chinese referring to a mythical crane looking towards the direction of Hubei/China – eager&ready to fly there.

黄鹤楼

故国旧有黄鹤楼
北望神州几千秋
黄鹤展翅飞万里
伟哉狮城见鹤楼

Huang He Lou (Yellow Crane Tower)
For the Yellow Crane Tower of my homeland,
I have looked north for thousands of years.
The Yellow Crane wings its way across thousands of miles,
So the great Lion City can know the Tower.

Parkview Square: The Most Expensive Wall in Singapore – Way Fengshui Group

2010s – missing the angels fetching wines when it was DivineWineBar. They disappeared ~2017 and Atlas appeared with the world’s largest gin collection featuring cocktails you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

Angels appear in many different forms to hold your hand through the difficult times – Doreen Virtue

Sat: first time having Afternoon/High-Tea here celebrating a belated Bday with excellent service. Do like tasting all these tiny bites and the scone here must be one of my personal best size&taste.

We tried Atlas Bar’s lavish afternoon tea menu

Tkx for yummy HomecookedDinner@Rochalie – appreciate good Port,Tequila&Wine when just a sip is perfectly enough for the taste and feeling it go smoothly down the throat. Comforting&nice to see uncle&nephew here bonding over their cigars in broLeslie’s new AC-enclosed Mantuary/ManCave surrounding by good spirits! with loving memories of father&broSteven – hahaha

Sun: HsH R&R/HomeSweetHome Relax&Rest expected the consequences after another gastronomic finesse and of course all worth it! Overhearing a pickup truck in the neighbourhood with loudspeaker calling on residents to vote PAP in several languages and dialect/s. How is that necessary when it is uncontested, thus a walkover in my hood? Pix downloaded.

Mon: snail-mailed#3’sGraduationGiftCheck, let’s hope it will not go around the world returning back to sender as it did with Linn’s BdayGreeting!

Tue: grocery shopping@Giant/TampinesS$305.13 including PromoS$20.35+SS4%12.72 totalS$33.07 when the shopping is S$200&above with free delivery. Peel-to-eat-shrimps lunch+ some shopping@IkeaS$30 to discover that the free shuttle to&from Bedok has been taken out of service since 23Mar. No problems or worries as Bus168 only a few steps from here goes to BedokInterChange.

25 Apr 2025 – Nomination Day

Wed: GE2025: Prospective candidates arrive at nomination centres – CNA

LittleIndia has new murals@TekkaMarket.

Fri: someone recently asked me what is so good about living alone?  ~30yrs on and still happy to be living alone, choosing to do whatever&whenever my conscience tells me. Still doing the inner work – growth is endless for everybody. Well worth 22minutes of your time to hear&listen this video – deep truth and inspiration for all humans.

All the ups and downs are grace in different wrappings, sent to refine consciousness. Say thanks to them all – Mooji

The truth about women who LIVE ALONE without a man | Carl Jung

22 Apr 2025 – RIP Pope Francis

Sun: Happy Easter Sunday also a metaphor for rebirth&transformation to all. Proud of my first-born who again qualified for 2025BostonMarathon. 11yrs ago we enjoyed celebrating her 40thBday with a road-trip to watch her run her 1stBostonMarathon and have not had my whole flock together with me at one location since then/2014!

PeristeriaElata National flower to Panama/S-America – commonly referred to as the HolyGhostOrchid,DoveOrchid, or flower of the HolySpirit, and FlorDelEspirituSanto in Spanish would have been perfect for today. But will have to be happy with these chrysanthemums from the MT-market.

Sky opened as heading for public transport to OrchardRd, shaded all the way whether bus or MRT- decided on Bus36 for a joy ride, hopefully with a driver who will not give me a headache! Heavy rains triggering flashfloods not affecting bus36 despite that the visibility was bad on ShearsBridge/ECP heading to town. By the time the bus looped around from Thomlinson-OrchardRd, sky was clearing up and when it reached the stop in front of The Heeren where I was getting off, rains stopped, umbrella was ready but was not necessary – pix downloaded

Real bad flooding at Shears Bridge from Beach Road. : r/singapore

Nice to have some time to browse around OpenSpace/Level1@Paragon without any crowds – really a MossWall for S$2,500! With thoughts of all those priceless but free moss surfaces on the AT where my tent was pitched 20yrs ago…

First time at KorenSteakHouseCote@ComoHotel,BidefordRd – glad that we had a private room otherwise would not be able to hear or see, an ambience popular with the younger generation!

Appreciations with tkx to Theresa&CJ for this amazing memorable Easter Dinner.

Most unusual way to serve caviar with a beef-base but was very good and so were the other four pre-selected beef cuts+sides&condiments. Caviar/FishEggs! Easter is the only time it’s safe to put all your eggs in one basket – hahaha.

Excellent 1998ChateauMargaux brought by Les&Ivy and good champagne from the restaurant.

COTE Review: First Michelin-Starred Korean Steakhouse In Singapore | Eatbook.sg

It was such a lovely evening with less ppl on OrchardRd after the rains, quite delightful for a short walk to the bus-stop in front of LuckyPlaza for Bus16.

Mon: of course, to be expected after a week like of eating like last week, body is reacting, especially more so now when the immune is not as it used to be. Must have had foods&drinks with more histamine than usual, fasting today and drinking water hoping to rid some of the excess histamine.

https://www.msn.com/en-sg/health/nutrition/how-to-reduce-histamine-in-the-body/ss-BB1huyOF

PopeFrancis passed away on one of the most holy days for the Catholics – may he now RIP

Pope Francis has died on Easter Monday aged 88 – Vatican News

Tue: still Mon at the BostonMarathon,MA/USA – pix credits to Linn and so proud of her for completing 42km/26m.

Appt@NDC, looks like this construction will be part of NDC upon completion.

Tkx to Clement for lunch&shopping company@PlazaSIN, unlike those in Paragon, these Bonsai do not need TLC – hahaha

The object is not to make the tree look like a bonsai, but to make the bonsai look like a tree