13 Mar 2015 – What Will It Be Next??

Fri: just one more Friday 13th to go thru’ for 2015 and that is in Nov.

This post is dedicated to the former Kallang Airport 加冷机场 with hopes that this building will not be torn down and also for the lush green surroundings to remain in tact.

Informative write ups with good pix for this subject –

https://thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com/2011/03/18/reflections-on-old-kallang-airport-singapore-biennale-2011/

http://remembersingapore.org/old-kallang-airport/

http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/conservation/conservation-xml.aspx?id=FKA

During some of the bus-rides, noticed that the old gate pillars are still standing at the former Kallang Airport, built 1937. Childhood memories kept popping up everything time I pass by those gates!

The last time visiting this airport was in the 1950s. Found this old pix of myself but probably needs to be restored. Pix with building background is downloaded. 1st time I took a plane was from here – when? to where?? do not remember??? but do vaguely remember throwing-up!!

The main building still remains the same shape and facade but of course renovated and refurbished. Now Nicole Highway, then the runway for the planes. Closed as an airport in the mid 1950s and was later reopened as the HQ for the People’s Association until 2009. Today it still remains unoccupied!

Decided to take a walk on the grounds to take pix before everything disappear. Was so delighted to see the beautiful big trees and even some remains of an old wall.

It is difficult to believe or imagine that you are between 2 major roads – Nicole Highway and Kallang Rd when you are taking a stroll in certain parts of these grounds.

Across the road is the bus/car park with another big tree and here it must be a nice shade for everyone. And across the road again is the Kallang MRT Station. Seems like spring is in the air. Enjoy every moment of it as in SIN one never knows when they decide to fell another of these beautiful big trees…

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues – Dr Seuss

11 Mar 2015 – Thru’ The Red Light District
Mon: still looking for some pants for the St Pat’s reception! No luck at Little India’s Tekka Market, Mustafa or City Mall!

Tue: decided to visit Geylang Serai market which will be the first experience. It is a wonderful feast of colours for the eyes. Maybe one of these lovely ‘tudung’ will be a good cover for my 50shades of grey 🙂

Continuing on bus#2 along Geylang Rd with interesting sights passing Masjid Khadijah build in 1917 and restored in 1996. This red light district is another world when the sun sets!

Kallang Rd passing ICA building, Victoria St/Malabar Muslim Jama-ath, constructed in 1962, so quite a new one. Still on Victoria St with Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (built 1888, refurbished 2010) steeple in the background.

Victoria St at Bugis and the junction of the Gate of Hope, my old school CHIJ now CHIJMES with the chapel under covers.

Old Central Fire Station, now a museum on Hill St, former Hill Street Police Station, now the MICA Building, home to the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts. Clarke Quay Central Eu Tong Sen Street/Chinatown.

Views from bus #2 (app 30mins ride), not clear or sharp pix from a not-so-clean bus window, but a rough idea of the diversities of cultures and religions in SIN.

Edited 12 Mar 2015

SIN oldest places of worship for the different religions – pix downloaded from various sites.

Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka: Keng Cheow St was established in 1820, just a year after the British set up a trading post on the island. Since then, the mosque has been rebuilt twice; once in 1855 and again in 1981-1982.

Sri Mariamman Temple: South Bridge Rd in the downtown Chinatown district was founded in 1827 built of wood. A major part of the present structure is believed to have been built in 1862–1863. Repairs and restorations have been on going periodically over the years.

Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator Սուրբ Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչ եկեղեցի, : Hill St, built 1835. The Memorial Garden was never used as a burial ground. The tombstones that lie there were all transported from the Christian cemetery in Bukit Timah when it was exhumed in 1978.

Thian Hock Keng Temple 天福宫 Telok Ayer St, built 1839. Managed by SIN Hokkien Huay Kuan was gazetted as a national monument in 1973. Over the years, it has been restored several times. The most comprehensive one commenced in 1998 and was completed in 2000.

Maghain Aboth Synagogue: Waterloo St was built by 1878. It is the oldest Jewish synagogue in Southeast Asia. In 1924, extensions were made to the building. Was gazetted as a national monument on 27 February 1998.

Shuang Lin Monastery/Temple (莲山) 双林寺 was originally built 1902 is located in Toa Payoh. Gazetted a national monument 1980, symbolizing the social and cultural roots of the early Chinese immigrants. In spite of being a national monument, Siong Lim was mostly neglected as the government of Singapore tried to westernize. By the 1990s, portions of the temple were in disrepair. Areas were cordoned off as being unsafe. A major renovation was started in 1994 and completed in 2002.

Only in SIN one can find the different religions co-existing in harmony within a stone-throw from each other. To those visiting these places of worship, plx be mindful to observe the dos and do nots.

The purpose of all major religious traditions is not to construct big temples on the outside, but to create temples of goodness and compassion inside, in our hearts – Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

8 Mar 2015 – Are Amazing

Fri: Chinese classes are encouraging me to want to learn more. Broke down and bought this book (cover with the character ‘fire’) even when there is no more space in the book shelves and I usually borrow from the library. Had better get back to some basic Chinese now that Katy is learning Chinese so that I can communicate with her.

Using the character ‘woman’ and see the logic when you combine these characters with another – this is so neat!

女  nǚ = woman

好  hǎo = good/adding the character child next to woman

安 Ānn = peace/a roof over 1 woman

女女 nuan = quarrel/2 women together

姦 jian = adultery/3 women together

This coming Sun is International Women’s Day, a good time to review these Chinese characters with woman compound!

If only these characters were taught as such during our school days, the interest to learn would have been there! But it is never too late even when it will take a longer time…

Song One****Franny is an archaeologist who is estranged from her family. She returns home when she heard that her brother is in a comatose state after an accident.

Her brother is an aspiring musician and in order to cheer him up, Franny tracks down his favourite musician…

Must admit that I only recognized ONE song of the music in this movie!

Appreciations to Nature Society SIN for hosting this interesting talk by William Boehn on Wild Life & Natural History of Glacier Bay Alaska. Last time at the NSS office was in 2008 when I gave a talk about the AT.

https://amylamsg.com/2008/03/05/nss/

Delighted to see that one of the best HokkienMee stalls here in SIN is still around just across the road from NSS.

Some photographers were there taking pix of the satay stall next to the HokkienMee.

Must try that another time. To die with a T has kicked in now 🙁

Sat: a nice walk on Bukit Merah Rd. Delightful seats in the common area.

A building that will not escape the eyes! The former HBD Hub, now Connection One.

Beautiful trees

Experimenting with coffee ribs and made Tiramisu too since coffee is part of the ingredients for these dishes.

Chesper did not think much of the Japanese ready-made Party dessert! He had a couple of servings of my home-made Tiramisu in spite of him claiming that he is no fan of Tiramisu 🙂

Tkx for steamboat dinner Clem and safe journeys to Richard.

Sun: International Women’s Day. Thank you RY for this cartoon. Agree fully and like it very much. A fantastic Sunday to all.

The smell of coffee cooking was a reason for growing up, because children were never allowed to have it and nothing haunted the nostrils all the way out to the barn as did the aroma of boiling coffee – Edna Lewis

https://amylamsg.com/2011/09/28/caffeinated-spider-web/

5 Mar 2015 – Zuno, The Puppy!

Wed 14th CNY Day: shopping for a T-shirt and eating at my favourtie places in Chinatown. Tiong Shian Porridge 長城粥品****is my favourite raw fish and frogleg stall.

Almond & Sesame 杏仁芝麻 at Mei Heong Yuen Dessert 味香园甜品****This Snow Ice from Taiwan is a refreshing cold dessert that comes in thin smooth mouth-feel sheets that reminiscent fine powered snow. There are 18 flavours and hopefully can try all before it is over!

Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first – Ernestine Ulmer

http://www.meiheongyuendessert.com.sg/index.php/our-menu

Also their black sesame and almond paste are yummy. Temple St is the first and original stall and the one preferred.

There are 2 other branch at Chinatown Point and ION@Orchard.

Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not – ?

Not too interesting views on the way to the MP Polyclinics but only took 1hr (previous visit 2hrs) and was out with 4 different medications for 4 months S$11.40 ie with all the subsidies etc. Tkx to sis Jo for dinner

Does anyone know what is going to replace the Republic Theaters on Marine Parade Rd by Parkway? It is now nearly all torn down to ground zero! If only it could be the future MP MRT Station instead of the location on the map below. Oh how I dream, hope and wish…

According to this map, the new MP MRT station will be across the road from the HDB blocks and sadly it looks like we will lose some beautiful big trees on MP Rd, if this map is correct 🙁

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFT0mk_GZGI

Thu 15th CNY Day: last day of the CNY celebrations. 15th day of the 1st month in the Chinese lunar calendar, the end of the New Year celebrations and time to take down the decorations and take better care of the health! Happy Bday Gel, good to catch up. Take good care and safe journeys to Iceland.

TangYuan 湯圓 is a sweet glutinous rice ball eaten this day. After today the diet has to seriously kick in or I will be kick out. Death is inevitable but how to exit with dignity and least pain is most important…

Don’t dig your grave with your own knife and fork – English Proverb

Gator (2001-2013) lost to the house fire 1+yr/Sep2013 ago but never forgotten. 2011-12 Halloween pix of her.

Looks like they are now ready for another pet – Mizuno is the latest addition to the Halls. It’s a boy!! Introducing Zuno! Yes, Linn named their dog after her (Mizuno) running shoes and their tagline is – Never Settle!

3 Mar 2015 – To Go Thru’ Second Childhood!

Hello Mar, goodbye Feb! And two more day of the CNY indulgence. Is the will ready and strong enough to conquer the temptations of over-eating or do I need to reflect about what is eating me??

Gluttony is an emotional escape, a sign something is eating us – De Vries

Anyone knows the name for this beautiful flower? My Norwegian FB friend Carlo calls it ‘the new Norwegian dandelion orchid’.

Sun 11th CNY Day: with grandnieces Kiera, Isabelle, Beth and grandnephew Lucas who are updating me with their toys – Lego is timeless while Minions are more their time. Thank you Pat Lynn&David for lunch and a lovely afternoon.

One is never too old for Minions or for going thru’ 2nd childhood! Minions are my show & tell collection for the grandchildren. When Olai gets to watch Despicable Me****he too will hopefully get into the Minions’ lingo 🙂

Mon 12th CNY Day: good on May to keep the tradition of the red package. What a brilliant idea with a piggy bank gift and a clever way to teach children how to save at a young age.

Seems like Olai is more thrilled with the gift than the red package. As Audrey comment: ‘who wants money when you can have a pig 🙂 🙂

Tue 13th CNY Day: on my way to the dentist but made time to take pix of this amazing HDB/public housing at Everton Park/Neil Rd which is across the road from NDC.

Nice memories of this area/Neil Rd, used to visit cousins David, John & Wilki who lived in Everton Rd.

Glad to see that most of the former buildings here are not torn down. The former Fairfield Methodist Girls School is now Home Team Career Centre and St Matthew Church is still standing by the school on Neil Rd. The roots of the ‘Ketapang (Terminalia catappa)’ never fail to amaze me.

This threatening sign has not changed since my childhood days where I used to roamed around the Mr Faber area and this one is at the Cantonment main Police Station car park!!

Mar family and special days

3 Mar – Happy Bday Mike Leong

5 Mar – Happy Bday Gel

6 Mar – Happy Bday Linda

9 Mar – Happy Bday Sue Lynn

11 Mar – Happy Bday Ken

14 Mar – Happy Bday Ellie

17 Mar – Happy Bday Pat Lynn and Beth, Happy St Patrick’s Day

18 Mar – Happy Bdays Linn, Yi Sheng & Al Sosa

19 Mar – Happy Bday Thomas Heggelund

21 Mar – Happy Anniversary to Ivy & Leslie

31 Mar – Happy Bday Josephine

Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul – Samuel Ullman

28 Feb 2015 – The Lion & Dragon Dance

Fri 9th CNY Day: the whole body, especially the stomach and mouth! really needed this day to rest. Not sure about others, but this indulgence is not healthy and certainly feeling the consequences! Spent the day downloading other pix which have been neglected due to the overwhelming social activities over the CNY.

Elgin Bridge over SIN River connecting to Chinatown taken on different days and at different angles.

Marine Crescent with block 46 in different angles to remind myself what it looks like before the eyesight and memory fade 🙂

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/27/opinion/robbins-llamas-dress/

I see white and gold…

Sat 10th CNY Day: thank you Brian & Helen for a delightful get together of black/blue or white/gold talks 🙂 Missed Sylvia who is in Switzerland for boarding school. Before long it will be Sophie’s turn. Leonard who had to be back in Brunei was also missed!

Fortunate to catch the performances of these dragon and lion dancers where the Marine Terrace neighbours are having their LoHei in the common area downstairs from blk 46.

Vincent, my contractor posted the above pix and it is rather neat. No not redecorating, happy with my book shelves and piano. If you need a good contractor, I will highly recommend Vincent.

My comment: here is how to decorate your accommodations and always KNOW your time even if you are NOT able to be on time. Remember that Time and Tide wait for NO one – so enjoy your time while it is still there for you.

Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them – Dion Boucicault

26 Feb 2015 –  7th CNY Day When Humans Were Created!

Mon 5th CNY Day: welcome home Leonard, my computer guru and Hi-tech friend. Thanks for updating my system in the midst of your busy schedule. Good to see Justin too! Safe journeys back to Brunei and looking forward to visiting him before heading on to the US.

Tue 6th CNY Day: Happy Bday to Calvin@Campers Corner – lunched on chicken wings, roast duck and pork, chased down with whiskey tasting! Appreciations to SengTeong for yummy mussels, clams and prawns! Poor Chris, he must be overworked, he looked so tired!

Wed 7th CNY Day 人日 renri (Peoples day) was the day human beings were created. Happy Birthday to Everybody. Popped by to H&H to wish everyone there a Happy New Year!

Interesting piece of art at Bugis Illumia Shopping Centre. Watched Kingsman****A spy organization recruits an unrefined, but promising street kid into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program, just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius…

And its worth the time to just watch Colin Firth 🙂

LoHei with Henry in Chinatown. The Q in one of the LoHei stalls must have taken hours. We chose the stall without any Q.

Thu 8th CNY Day:  LoHei@Paragon Crystal Jade Golden Palace**** with the MtE clinic staff and the doctors who have been taking such good care of me.

Thank you all for everything.

Welcome Angelina, Kurt and Kiefer to SIN on transit and safe journeys back to Belgium. 5 months have gone by quickly for Angelina and Kiefer who were in KCH for the winter. Introduced them to this awards-winning, customers highly recommended stall, the No 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow‘****managed by Mr Ho with experience accumulated over the years!

Harry Hart in Kingsman quoting Ernest Hemingway – There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow-man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.

22 Feb 2015 – To Last Till 4Mar!!

Sat: 3rd CNY Day, tkx Audrey for a delicious lunch. Great to see her mom Betty in good healthy spirits and nice to meet her sis April and the rest of the family.

年糕 NianGao = Rice Cake: A must to eat during Lunar New Year. Niangao sounds like it means ‘getting higher year-on by year’. This means more prosperous and better improvement in life – Audrey Wong

Dinner with Wilki&Pattie and Jo in Little India Tekka Market. Looked like the food was too hot for Jo 🙂 Strolled around Fullerton One and to the Fullerton Heritage Gallery which was Wilkie&Pattie and Jo’s first visit!

Sun: 4th CNY Day – Yeohs, welcome home from their visit in Malaysia. Missed you all on the 1stDay! Today visits from MtE staff & families and other friends.

Fun with new toy, a karaoke set Les won at a golf game! Another excellent wine and whatever will happen will happen at this rate of over-indulgence!! Missed Carmel, Soon & Cian who are still in Malaysia.

Appreciations to Les&Ivy for yet another successful get-together with good food and great wines. Extra pix and less words for this posting to make up for the lousy blurred pix on the 1st CNY day 🙂

We live in an image society. Speeches are not what anybody cares about; what they care about is the picture – Madeleine Albright

20 Feb 2015 – Lights And Visits

Mon: bright lights with 財神=God of Wealth at Marina Bay Floating Platform, world’s largest floating stage and some excitement with 2 tightrope walkers on this breezy night!

Walked to Chinatown where it is getting ready to welcome the Year of the Goat/Sheep/Ram. Was there late last night and avoided the crowded shopping streets, stayed on the main street to see the lights. Tomorrow night will be ‘people mountain people sea’. Was fortunate that there were barricades on the road side where the camera could be balanced for clearer night pix.

Tue & Wed: last moments of shopping cleaning and sewing! The art of  procrastination 🙂 Tkx for reunion dinner at Jo’s.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1716091/its-year-goat-linguist-says-amid-chinese-animal-zodiac-confusion

With all those discussions about it being the Year of the Goat or Sheep or Ram; so it is the year of the Goat, but the Chinese character 羊 = goat and sheep are the same while to me they are 2 completely animals, they even look and taste different!! Being Chinese of race here does not help with the confusion 🙂 🙂

Thu: 恭禧發財 Gong Hey Fat Choy with my minimal and modest decorations! No matter if it is the year of the Goat or Sheep or Ram – A Happy Healthy & Wealthy 2015 to all who are celebrating the Lunar/Chinese New Year!

As long as 4aunt, 100yrs, the eldest of my father’s generation is alive, she will be the first to visit. Tkx to cousins Wilki&Pattie for all the goodies. Glad that he can make it back from HI/USA. Always a pleasure to see them.

Continued with visits to 10&13aunts and to 11aunt. Good to see Ken&Cynthia this time round. They are usually out by the time we get there. 11aunt’s condition is not the best as she fell a couple of times since Nov. Also her memory is failing.

16aunt was there and 17uncle with his two children visiting from NZ; LAM ChengSong/22yrs & LAM JiaWen/18yrs who are my cousins and the youngest of the green generation.

Lunch at Les&Ivy and discovered a new game – The Game of Life! If only life is just a game and with Les’s top wines, life can sometimes feel like it is a game. Explains why many pix turned out blurred except a few and the one with Patricia&Lee 🙂 🙂 🙂

Dinner at cousin Karen and good to see aunt Ngor (from KCH, the Chan family, paternal grand mother’s side). The KCH laksa is yummy and Karen&Peter never fail to provide a scrumptious CNY spread. Tkx for including me.

Fri: CNY 2nd day visit takes a whole day! 2nd sis-in-law, YokeSau lives with niece Jenleng near Kranji. Bus to the CityHall MRT and then nearly an hour on the train to get to Kranji. Good to see them but being 2nd day, missed JenMun, JenWee, Steve & their families. From 2nd bro, KwokKiong total of 16…

It’s the game of life. Do I win or do I lose? One day they’re gonna shut the game down. I gotta have as much fun and go around the board as many times as I can before it’s my turn to leave – Tupac Shakur

16 Feb 2015 – Thru’ My Book & Blog

Wed:  a glint blazing thru’ such a memorable hike is tempting me to be on parts the trail again. Hope to be able to fit that in sometime in May-Jun…

https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/09/virginia/
https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/11/west-virginia/
https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/13/maryland/

https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/14/pennsylvania/
https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/15/new-jersey/
https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/18/new-york/

https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/19/connecticut/
https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/20/massachusetts/
https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/23/vermont/

Thu: visiting Chris at Marmot/Novena.

https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/25/new-hampshire/
https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/28/maine/
https://amylamsg.com/2008/02/29/maine-2/

App 3,500k, 5mill steps, 127days, 14 US states = One AT Thru’Hike 🙂

Fri: early appointment at NDC. Later at Changi Airport T2 to meet Lawrence arriving from KCH. Had lunch with him at the airport before heading to Les&Ivy.

Sat: Happy Valentine’s Day, a card for Linn&May and one for me 🙂 🙂 Did NOT wish and want to be out in the crowds and traffic on this day, also the last weekend of shopping for the CNY. Got a message from Ivy telling me that the crowds and traffic are horrendous. Just stayed indoors and relax chatting with family and friends on Skype. Nice to catch up.

Sun: Happy Birthday to god-daughter Guri in Norway and condolences to the Stenseth family for the passing of Anne Stenseth Sr. May she RIP.

Tkx May & Irene for sharing this interesting link. My comments –

Many of the mainland Chinese here and HKG too are not well received for good reasons, not because of race. I considered myself Chinese of race but Singaporean by birth and multicultural in thoughts.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/13/opinion/tash-aw-being-chinese-in-singapore.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share

Brought Malay breakfast over to Les&Ivy for their Korean guests, Mr&Mrs Kim and their lovely daughter HaeKyung. Nasi Lemak is familiar to most of us local but this savory snack Kui Bakar Berlauk is new to me, quite good, all that from the local Marine Terrace stall***

Tkx to nieces Judy&Daisy, nephews Vince&Clem and grand-nephews Stanley, Andrew and Darryl from bro Steven’s branch for including me to their reunion at Tiong Bahru Por Kee Eating House***Such a coincidence that 10&16aunts, 17uncle, cousins ChengChwab&Amy, Wilkie&Pattie/visitingfrom HI/USA, Sara, Wilson and Jason were also there.

Tkx to cousin Wilki for delicious durian treat in Chinatown. If the eating continues at this rate, it will be difficult for the heart to keep beating and pumping blood and I will only have myself to blame…

To look backward for a while is to refresh the eye, to restore it, and to render it the more fit for its prime function of looking forward – Margaret Fairless Barber, The Roadmender