9 Jan 2013 – On Sentosa Boardwalk

Happy Bdays to niece Judy and nephew Lee.

Tue: Por-por who is now in her 90s and in good health on her annual temple visit at Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple 观音堂佛祖庙; 158 Waterloo St.

First walk across to Sentosa on this new boardwalk. Somehow it was rather strange that one can now walk there. Born and grew up in this area in the 1950s. The name Sentosa translates as ‘peace and tranquility’ in Malay. Sentosa was once known as Pulau Belakang Mati 绝后岛 which in Malay means the Island/pulau of Death/mati from Behind/belakang.

Both Sentosa and Mt Faber were our childhood playgrounds in the 1950s. One can only get to this island by boat which cost 0.10cents then. Today it app the area of 5 sq km/1.9 sq mi (including reclaimed land) and is quite a contrast from the fishing villages from the 1950s. You name it and they are there, including Universal Studios, 5* resorts, SIN 1st casino, etc etc. Do miss the quiet and charming simple fishing villages which are very rare in SIN.

Sentosa has been over-blogged in these postings, 11 times as the search tells me 🙂 If interested in more, go to google or type in Sentosa by the search icon on any postings here. A breezy and cool afternoon after the rains, made this a beautiful walk but not so ideal for pix!

There are choices, under the shade app 545m/0.3mi for one direction on travelators which go both directions. Elderly parents and or grandparents would enjoy this! Or no shade nor travelators on the boardwalk. The latter was a good choice for Tue, but would have taken the former if the sun was out. There are a couple of places to eat and have a drink on the boardwalk but were not opened.

S$1 to get on the island and EZ link card is accepted. Time was tight, so turned around back to VivoCity. This is the first experience on the boardwalk which was probably opened during my absence from SIN. The scenes here change like the whirlpool fountain at VivoCity 🙂 🙂

Oh, when the sun beats down and burns the tar up on the roof
And your shoes get so hot, you wish your tired feet were fireproof
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea… – Drifters

6 Jan 2013 – SJI Reunion for 1959 O-Levels Students

Sat: thank you Ting for driving to her parents’ orchid farm to harvest orchids for the St Joseph Institution/SJI Reunion function. SJI is a Catholic secondary school for male students and was founded in 1852 as Saint John’s Institution. It is the third oldest educational institution in SIN where bro Les attended.

Beautiful flowers that are forgotten but still found growing at their farm, Pagoda and Starfruit Flowers.

Appreciations to Les & Ivy’s for including Ting-Ting & I at their home for the dinner. Tentage was up in case of rains but thank goodness it was a lovely evening. Their graciousness and hospitably are beyond words. Am blessed to have a bro and sister-in-law like them.

A delicious hawkers’ style spread catered by Monte Cristo. The whole roast lamb never fails to be a good pix subject.

Did not even know anyone (except for my family, Ting and an old classmate/Rebecca’s sister, Madeline and her husband who just crossed path for the first time last night) but had a good time. Camera was unfortunately incorrectly set and most of the pix are so-so. Even with a combination of Ting’s pix, none of Les, he was everywhere but nowhere when our cameras were in action…

They’d added gray to their hair, or pounds to their rears.
But as we shared a few memories and retold some class jokes,
We were eighteen in spirit, though we looked like our folks.
We turned up hearing aid volumes and dimmed down the light,
Rolled back the years, and were young for the night – Elizabeth Lucas

Thanks Hannah for sharing the link below, sounds like a good way to live 🙂

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paula-davislaack/happiness-tips_b_2325700.html

5 Jan 2013 – With NO Answers 🙁

Thanks to Chesper & Louis and Clement for dinner at Lau Pa Sat.

Happy Bdays Gerald and Leonard!

If only illusions and magic are for real, but we all know better! Thanks to Ting for trying to activate Green Latern and Precious…

Do not usually engage in posting like this, but with all the recent tragic news about Indian women and being a mother with daughters and grand daughters the questions regarding misogyny and overpopulation are justified.

India is one of the countries that has such a rich culture and yet with all these recent happening on the news, one can question about the culture and society? A culture with Dharma beliefs, customs, traditions, ceremonies, arts which supposing teaches peaceful and harmonious ways of living. India is also the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.

Their beliefs and religions all teach awareness, compassion, contentment, enlightenment, etc but how and when did misogyny get into the scene??

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/30/world/asia/misogyny-india/index.html?iref=allsearch

The posting dated 10 Aug 2009 about an Indian couple in SIN where the husband was murdered in 1984:

http://amylamsg.com/2009/08/13/the-curry-murder/ 

Somehow with the recent suicides of the Indian nurse in London, a teenage girl who was raped and committed suicide (and probably not the only one). To top it all with this extremely brutal gang rape (this is the very few times when the victim and her friend should have had a gun!) How and why is it that such can happen in this day and age???

It is a story for now. Just like the school shooting here. Time goes by & people move on. People have completely lost common decency – Angela Bowman

Hopefully even when it is a story for now, are there lessons learnt???? Moving on we will have to but how do we move on with an overpopulated world when corruption, evil, greed, power-driven, rat-race society, survivor of the fittest attitudes, etc etc overpower common courtesy and common decency?????

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men – John Acton

4 Jan 2013 – Catching up with People & Movies

Got this idea online with tomatoes but did some improvising. Bugs in a Salad, shared with sis Jo & her family. Bugs on Smoked Salmon shared with Gerald to celebrate early birthdays for him and me! Great to catch up with him. We crossed paths in our mid-teens, 1964 back then before SIN and we got our independence 🙂

To be honest, will probably not remember most of these movies but a good way to be entertained without going out in the crowds during the holiday season. The posters might help with reminding one day – not! Appreciations to nephew Clement for downloading these movies and lending them to me!

Water for Elephants***A veterinary student abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a traveling circus as their vet. This is probably the favourtie for this list

The Five-Year Engagement***One year after meeting, Tom proposes to his girlfriend, Violet, but unexpected events keep tripping them up as they look to walk down the aisle together.

Think Like a Man***Four friends conspire to turn the tables on their women when they discover the ladies have been using Steve Harvey’s relationship advice against them.

I don’t know how she does it**comedy centered on the life of Kate Reddy, a finance executive who is the breadwinner for her husband and two kids.

Ted**As the result of a childhood wish, John Bennett’s teddy bear, Ted, came to life and has been by John’s side ever since – a friendship that’s tested when Lori, John’s girlfriend of four years, wants more from their relationship.

John Carter**Civil War vet found himself on Mars to discover a lush planet inhabited by 12-foot tall creatures. Finding himself a prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter a princess who is in desperate need of a savior.

Hanna*A 16-year-old who was raised by her father to be the perfect assassin is dispatched on a mission across Europe, tracked by a ruthless intelligence agent and her operatives.

The Woman in Black*A young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.

Looking at my ratings, one will guess that action and ghost flicks are not the top of the list!

Conscience is no more than the dead speaking to us – Jim Carroll

A Happy, Healthy & Wealthy 2013

Sásta, Sláintiúil & saibhir 2013

En lykkelig, sunt og rik 2013

Bahagi, Sehat & Kaya 2013

一個快樂，健康和富有2013

एक खुश, स्वस्थ और धनी 2013

سعيدة ، صحية والغنية

Best wishes from Amy in SIN and her family

Linn & Jeff and

Katy, Ellie, JohnW, Sophie & James in USA

May & Bjørn and Olai in Norway

The whole world is in sync to 2013, starting with Kiritimati? or Kiribati? and now finally Hawaii! Being a fan of fireworks but also being the devil’s advocate, this is the question, imagine what one can do with the money used for the fireworks around the world??

Fireworks themselves are inherently dangerous because they’re made out of explosive material – Jason Gunkle

Jan special dates:

2 – Happy Bday Darryl NEO

3- Happy Bday Richard TANN

5 – Happy Bdays Gerald CHOO & Leonard SHOH

6 – Happy Bday Cindy HALL

9 – Happy Bdays Judy LAM & LW AMEEN

10 – Happy Bday ANG Kee Yang

15 – Happy Bdays Angie SOSA & me!

18 – Happy Bday Isabelle AMEEN

19 – Happy Bday Kari HEGGELUND

21 – Happy Bday Michael LEONG

22 – Happy Bday Katy HALL

24 – Happy Bdays 15th uncle TC LAM and Ole Kristian HUSTAD

31 Dec 2012 – New Hopes for 2013 to a better world…

Thoughts regarding the New Delhi/India’s gang rape: Democracy cannot survive overpopulation. Human dignity cannot survive [overpopulation]. Convenience and  decency cannot survive [overpopulation]. As you put more and more people onto the world, the value of life not only  declines, it disappears – Isaac Asimov

The above quote was recently posted 19 Dec. Also as mentioned in posting 1 Aug 2012: we all play a role and are culprits contributing to the pollution on this lovely planet. The question is how to limit our needs, comfort zones, wants, greed, etc??

Valid concerns for the future generation like my grandchildren regarding overpopulation. Will not survive to see the total picture of overpop consequences but my children will and my grandchildren will have to live in it! How do we try to slow down the overpop and the destruction of the environmental issues??? If only we have the answers to all the questions…

http://amylamsg.com/2012/08/01/with-7-billion-humans/

As we say goodbye to 2012, let us at least try our best to do our parts by making it a decent world for the next generation. Everyone has their own ways in contributing. However and whatever ways, please try to make sure that evil thoughts and actions are NOT any part of it!

Appreciations to Bev, Ting & CH, 4th aunt, sis Jo, cousin David, Mica & Mun, Laine, Kyle, Renee for good company, food and drinks as we wrap up 2012. Safe journeys to David, Laine & Kyle who will be heading back to HI tomorrow via Thailand.

Decency is indecency’s conspiracy of silence – George Bernard Shaw

29 Dec 2012 – Food or Hawkers Centre

Undoubtedly is one of the best hawker centres in SIN for both quality and quantity. Previous posting, Whitley Road Big Prawn Mee located here was given the thumbs up.

To add another stall with 5*rating is Lee Brothers #01-79, Otak-Otak in Malaysian, which means brains, but don’t let the mushy consistency scare you. Otah is a fish paste made from mackerel, chilies and spices, then put into either a coconut or banana leaf and grilled over hot coals. The result, though it may be slightly disgusting looking, is a salty, spicy treat. Price ranges from 0.60c – S$1+ depending on if it is fish, squid or crab otak.

Appreciations to Kiwi and Aya for their company at Old Airport Road Food Centre.

Thank you to Calvin at Campers Corner for his location to show the National Geographic DVD celebrating AT 75th Anniversary. Grateful to Victor (SIN 2nd AT thru’ hiker) and to Grace (AT section hiker) for their presence and for sharing their experiences. Also thanks to Laine and Kyle (transit en route back to HI after a semester in Shanghai) for taking time to be there.

http://www.camperscorner.com.sg/main/index.php

To Alvin who was on the Camino for 30 days, congratulations to his beautiful SIN pilgrim’s sketchbook journal. Interesting exhibition.

There would not have been this posting if not for Leonard, IT, comics and toy guru 🙂 Notebook was infected with a horrible virus a couple of days ago and took a couple of hours to get rid of those pests. Leonard is also the one who has taught me whatever that is in IT and computed related + choosing and fixing my computers, laptops and notebook over the years. Our paths crossed in 1989 and hopefully will keep crossing!

Great to catch up with Audrey (1st co-worker and piano student when our paths crossed in SIN 1990), She is here for the holidays from Korea. Will certainly try to visit her in Korea before her teaching post ends there. Good of her to take time from her busy and short holiday.

Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before, how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever – Isak Dinesen

27 Dec 2012 – Food Glorious Food

Home spreads need no ratings as they are always the best. Appreciations to Les, Ivy, Angelique, Paul, Clement & friends.

Thanks to Adeline for trying to introduce LeVeL 33 at Marina Bay Financial Centre, Asia’s highest urban craft-brewery. Not being a fan of beers and not in the mood for Western cuisine, we headed downstairs to Akari Japanese Dining & Bar***

Would like to go back to LeVeL 33 another time just to take for a taste of the beer from the only brewery in Asia with a view from the 33rd floor!

The food which is on the list of cravings are local food like rojak/Malay=wild mix or combination of ingredients. My preference is just veggie without fruits or peanuts. A dressing of seasoned fermented prawn paste, sugar, tamarind pulp, fresh lime juice and ground chilli is mixed up and everything is tossed together in this mixture. Yummmmy!

Favourite stall where the torch ginger flower and calamansi juice are added to the rojak is at block 59 Marine Terrace. S$3, 4 or 5. Whitley Road Big Prawn Mee on Old Airport Road Food Centre for prawn noodle soup is a die die must try, the soup is excellent. S$ 4, 5 or 6. Street-stalls food are usually not rated but if any ratings, they will both get 5*

If more of us valued food  and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world – JRR Tolkien

25 Dec 2012 – Thru’ the Decades…

For those who grew up celebrating Christmas as a religious reason, this date will mean more to them. For others, it is another holiday, but with the exchange of gifts. Remembering one of the first Christmas with mother and her relatives in the 1950s but the memory is blurred. Mother, clutching her purse and me in a red dress without a hat but with a big smile 🙂

1964 was the saddest Christmas as it was the last Christmas with mother. She was then fighting a losing battle to cancer. Left to right back row: 2nd bro Kwok Kiong, sis Jo, sis-in-law Mable, myself and eldest bro Lawrence who returned from Ireland/Dublin after studying and working overseas since the mid 1950s; mother & father sitting. That was also the last Christmas spent with both parents.

1976 Christmas in Tromsø/Norway where we lived from 1976-1980. Trying to find Christmas pix for this post is rather time-consuming! The colours are fading fast in some of these pix and before long the memory will also fade. Working hard to save pix in a digital format but as for the memory, that’s another story.  If possible it is best to forget the sad ones and remember the happy ones 🙂 🙂

1981-82 Christmas on Nesøya/Norway, sad and the most difficult Christmas as our last Christmas together as a family with the children’s father. A brave smile thru’ struggles of depression, desperation and devastation with all the ups and downs of life! But then hopefully we learn to be stronger for every experience, ie the survivor of the fittest!!

1986-87 first Christmas in USA/CA Long Beach.

1988 first Christmas in USA/FL Casselberry with our first colour coordinated tree and gingerbread house baking.

1989 USA/FL Casselberry with the Hustads visiting from Norway.

1990 USA/FL Casselberry with niece Patricia and her friends Priscilla & Jennifer/not in the pix visiting. Still celebrating Christmas at the same place in 1991, 92 & 94. Also the gingerbread houses are looking good with years of practised 🙂 🙂 🙂

1998 SIN Patricia & Albert’s wedding and Christmas.

2006 SIN PatLynn & David’s wedding after the birth of JohnW. The only 2006 Christmas pix found, must check if there are more. This was the last Christmas spent together with May, Linn, Jeff, Katy, Ellie and JohnW. Will see if it is possible to plan one more Christmas together with the whole family before life’s journey reaches its destination!! 

2012 Merry Christmas with a Christmas village collection dated from 1968 to present date!

Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn’t come from a store – Dr. Seuss

21 Dec 2012 – Welcome Ole K & Family to SIN

The last time Ole K was in SIN must have been app 20yrs ago. Ole is Linn’s childhood friend from Norway, Tromsø days. His parents, Ingrid and Han K are also good friends since the 1970s. Now he and his family, Hanne, Jenny and Martin are en route to Vietnam for their holidays. A lovely cool evening at Gardens by the Bay. First impression, impressive and certainly a garden beyond 2012! Need more time to check it out.

21-12-12 Why the World Won’t End and the scientific explanation…

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012.html

Some take the end of the Mayan calendar seriously, while some find it as the perfect excuse to make jokes and internet memes about it and here is my all time favourite…

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/415718/20121217/best-mayan-calendar-jokes-memes-people-find.htm

The Mayan calendar and its speculations of the world’s end have caused dialogues and discussions world wild. But according to the calendar, after 21 Dec will be the ‘rebirth’ after a 5125-year cycle, changes will happen, NOT ending!!

Considering such an ancient civilization (c. 2000 BC to AD 250), the Maya charted a calendar to the winter solstice up to 2012. They must have been quite advance then. The Maya centers went into decline during the 8th and 9th centuries and were abandoned shortly thereafter. This decline, coupled with a cessation of monumental inscriptions and large-scale architectural construction has no universally accepted theory explaining the collapse??

The latest researches point to drought…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/cultures/maya_01.shtml

1990 pix in Mexico, Chichen Itza/El Castillo overlooking down to the Plaza of the 1,000 Columns. With Chac Mool at the Temple of the Warriors trying to learn more about this mysterious and advance, yet a brutal civilization!

When will the next doomsday to be predicted again… 🙂 🙂 🙂

I’m not going to take this defeatist attitude and listen to all this crap any more from all these people who have nothing except doomsday to predict – Carroll Shelby