9 Apr 2014 – After 20hrs in the Air

SIN-NRT: SIN airport has been again rated #1 in the world. Here in T1

6hrs in the air, 3+hrs lay over at NRT. Good flight with an aisle seat, 2 empty seats beside and ahead of schedule. NRT, an airport with the cherry-blossoms in the far background. If time permits,  could never resist buying the cookies, candies etc . The presentations and packaging are just beautiful. Imagine if I ever visit Japan, would have so ship a lot of boxes, so far have only been passing thru’ in the airport.

NRT-ATL: 12+hrs in the air and spent most of time napping and watching movies. Don’t even ask what movies! Got trapped in a window seat, not by choice and it was a full flight. Flew over areas where snow is still on the ground. Arriving into a wet ATL with another 3+hrs layover. A glass of wine with a salad at a piano bar hit the spot, Gate E since they did not have any available slots at the SPA for a massage, Gate A & C.

ATL-CAE 1hr in an aisle seat and an empty seat beside, slept all the way. Always nice to get to a smaller and quieter airport where people have time to be courteous. Great to have all these Delta flights running on schedule even thought I feel like a zombie.

CAE, an airport with the familiar white rocking chairs and the welcome sign which have been welcoming me over the past 10yrs! Grateful to arrive in one piece no matter how tired. Every trip, no matter how many hours, airports, security check-points, etc are new experiences to be made the best of.

Appreciations to Linn for being at the airport and was greeted by Jeff and James who was the only child awake upon arriving to their new house. Have been looking so much forward to this trip. Life is good.

Did you ever notice that the first piece of luggage on the carousel never belongs to anyone? ― Erma Bombeck

7 Apr 2014 – No, Not an Alien

Fri: heart and blood tests healthy and cleared to fly. Shopping for some goodies to pack. SIN hand-made rock candies from Sticky are good gifts and they taste quite good. In addition they have a pack called ‘I ♥ Singapore’ which are perfect gifts. The irony is that they are not the least bit sticky, unless in your mouth!

Individual packed BBQ pork jerky, also excellent gift too. A Sweet and Savoury Taste from SIN 🙂 What I dislike doing, shopping packing and flying – but like and looking forward to the flip side, ie arriving after 25++hrs in 4 airports and in the air!

Sat: hello! look who was waiting to greet me on the 7th floor as I stepped out of the elevator – poor little fellow would have been crushed if I did not look before I step!

Picked it up with the newspapers and left it on the ledge. Hopefully it will be safer there and it has wings to take off from the 7th floor…

Sun: appreciations to Albert&May and Kiera for a scrumptious lunch at Chui Huay Teochew Cuisine****the suckling piglet, one of the best tasted and the fish was excellent both in taste and presentation. Oyster omelette was OK. Thanks Lee&Adeline and Sun-Sun for the drive back, a short nap after such a lunch before completing with the packing and to the airport.

Someone please beam me to SC/USA so that I can get there in 5mins! SIN-NRT-ALT-CAE, 25++hrs with two changes of airports and planes. Safe journeys to me and thank you to all for crossing this inter-section of life journey’s path. Blessed and have so far have been living as best and as I know how and will continue doing so. Looking forward to being with the children and grandchildren.

Going to hospital is rather like going to an alien planet – Quentin Blake

4 Apr 2014 – For Good Irish Company

Tue: good of Leo & Justin to drop by helping to finish the food before travelling. Looking forward to seeing their project started and have already challenged Leo that I will be visiting in Dec when things are up and running.

Wed: appreciations for delightful Irish company of Carmel and her mom. Cold chicken salad, scorns and Norwegian Royal Tea, thanks to May. King Harald V and Queen Sonia have been used but  there is still Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Märtha Louise and her husband Ari Behn…

Part of the sales proceeds go to charity, must say it is rather good sport of the Norwegian Royal Family !

The Lunch Box***Ila seeks her husband’s love and hopes to cook her way thru’ his heart. Through a rare mix-up of the famous ‘dabbawalas’ of Mumbai, the lunchbox with the delicious food Ila had prepared for her husband instead gets delivered to Saajan, a widower. Realizing the mistake of the delivery, she writes Saajan a note thus unfolding an episode in their life in a series of compelling and sincere notes they exchange through the lunchbox.

Thu: The Grand Budapest Hotel****adventures of Gustave, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.

A story about the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune – all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing Continent.

Thank you KimBeng&Mindy for Japanese dinner at Wahiro***Pleasant stroll on East Coast Road with many new eateries popping up.

Ice cream dessert at Marble slab in I12 and here I am (pix credits to KimBeng)  pigging on my favourite flavours, dark chocolate and coffee! The beautiful blooms on the sidewalks are from this tree, Lagerstroemia, most probably L. speciosa, the Rose of India – many thanks to Brian for his knowledgeable info of our local flora & fauna.

Sometimes the wrong train will get you to the right station – from The Lunch Box

1 Apr 2014 – Before & On April Fools Day!

Sat: lunch in the charming company of KK and niece Sue. Been a while since I made Bourbon Salmon with Wild Rice & Mushroom/Onion Pilaf at my pad. Bought a fresh whole salmon, S$35 (3 meals for 2 people), good promotion at Parkway Giant, S$1+ for 100g. Thank you Sue for yummy dark organic chocolate and to KK for gifts.

Sun: appreciations to Mrs Yeo for her delicious wholesome lunch. My contribution was the dessert platter of berries and fruits. Good to catch up with Gel but she looks tired and needs to rest. Chemo does kill some bad guys but it also take away some good ones! Stay strong Gel and thoughts are with you.

On MP Rd across the street from the MP Library and CC is this amazing tree, Ketapang (Terminalia catappa) with roots that is an artwork by itself. Thanks to Bian for the name.

Mon: some very red sculptures on way to the Mt E for procedures. Looks like there are no more A-fibs for the time being and OK to travel next week. Also have been told that these unwelcome A-fibs can disappear and may or may not return uninvited. Need to find ways to keep the disappearing act working…

Nice to catch up with Audrey who is back in SIN from Korea for a short stay to renew her passport. Tang’s Basement new eatery – food so-so, have tasted better at street-stalls half the price! Surprised to find the Elephant Parade there – fun times and good memories with Audrey:

http://amylamsg.com/2011/12/30/in-search-of-162-elephants/

Happy Birthday Jo and thank you for dinner at Great World City’s  Imperial Treasure (Cantonese Cuisine)**** Lucas and Beth just can’t wait to blow the candles 🙂

Apr birthdays:

2 Apr – Happy Bday Marianne HUSTAD

4 Apr – Happy Bday Richard YUNG

8 Apr – Happy Bday Torill WISTNER

12 Apr – Happy Bday Peggy TAN

15 Apr – Happy Bday Lynne ONG-MICHEALS & Aileen KOH

17 Apr – Happy Bdays Anne STENSETH, Sharon KOH & Sara LAM

22 Apr – Happy Bday Ike LAM-BOROWSKY

29 Apr – Happy Bday Stanely LAM

30 Apr – Happy Bday JohnWT CHENG

Here cometh April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever – Charles Lamb

29 Mar 2014 – The Week Flew by with Buses, MRTs and Walks…

The most efficient, reliable and inexpensive mode of public transport here in SIN. The bus-stop is beside the MP Police Station and must be the safest bus-stop to be at. No chances to pull the Alonzo trick and in addition SIN bus stops are cemented to the ground in anticipation to people like me 🙂

Prefer the bus if in no hurry and usually have a book with me to catch up with reading. Enjoy it more when able to ride off-peak hours Here on bus#75 Shenton Way (CBD/Central Business District). 10.00hrs on Wed. Only for a few stops to feel like I had the bus to myself, it was nice to have that kind of space even for just a few minutes when one lives with a pop of 5+millions…

Here is the best commercial for public transport!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200181914463019&set=vb.1606365393&type=2&theater

Mon: The Journey*****beautiful movie.  A conservative man and his hope is to reunite with his only daughter, whom returned from overseas after graduation to live together as a traditional family. When she brings back her foreign boyfriend with her and plans to get married, her father tries, but fails to change his daughter’s mind.

A must watch for anyone wanting to understand and learn about another culture than their own. Subtitled but in many dialects including English… just love the Chinese title, even with my most limited knowledge of Chinese – translate literally, one road have you ie there is you all the way…

Wed: Nasi Padang Zion Rd 10.30hrs and 11.15hrs. The standard of the food is certainly not as it used to be and they will be closing on Fri for good after 58yrs. Wanted to have one last bite for old-time sake. Begedil (mashed potato) is one of my favourite nasi padang dishes. Llady in pink T-shirt is my 16th auntie and she was there with 11th auntie. Small world!! Only realised after they finished eating and they were there since 10.00hrs!

Tried to see The Grand Budapest Hotel at GV Great Wold City but it turned out that when I was the there, this was only shown at Gemini where it only has twin couple seating, did not even know that this kind of cinema existed! Was NOT about to pay S$12. So will have to wait with this flick.

Thu: welcome back to SIN Richard. Delicious Cantonese dinner at WahLok****in Carlton Hotel. This place is newly renovated and the standard of the food has not disappointed me yet.

Lovely stroll down New Bridge Rd to introduce the ‘flying wine angel’ at Divine Wine Bar in Parkview Square; Gotham City of SIN, an only one of a kind here or anywhere else. Do enjoy taking visitors here and so far, they have all been fascinated. First time here in the evening! Pleasant life music.

Below is a good blog of this location:

http://jotterboard.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/parkview-square-aka-gotham-city-of-singapore/

Every now and then in the history of cities, an individual has a building constructed to stamp his mark on the metropolis – and the public takes notice – Calvin Low

26 Mar 2014 – This That & Everything!

Fri: movies and lunch at Bugis Illuma with grandniece Kiera before school starts after a week of break. Mr Peabody & Sherman***a computer-animated film based on the characters from the ‘Peabody’s Improbable History’. Mr. Peabody, a talking dog who is the smartest in the world, and his pet boy Sherman.

Good sugar-cane juice and decent Popiah and Tohu Gore at Albert Centre with someone serenading 🙂

Colourful fruits shopping with a stall of durians around the Bugis area, also another area for tourist to check out. Thanks for home-cooked dinner at Les&Ivy who have forgotten their own 44th wedding anniversary, so just some flowers to remind them 🙂 🙂

Sat: great to catch up with Brian&Helen and the kids. Been a year ago since we last met in HKG then. Appreciations for yummy home lunch, delicious chocolate liqueur and to be updated with their girls who are growing up too fast. And to meet some younger families.

Dinner at Culina****Dempsey Hill, thanks to Les&Ivy. Kiera’s latest colourful fashion statement is quite refreshing, to match her dish of Ravioli.  We had yummy octopus, oysters, snails, sea bass baked in salted dough (slightly on the salty side) and Dover-sole and this is the first that my finger bowl has a flower in it!

Only today the strength within is there to update with pix about Linn&Jeff’s house-fire from Sep 2013. Most grateful to receive the pix from the CAE/SC fire marshals who managed to extract some of the data and pix from the burnt MacBook Air when many have given up hope to finding any.

http://amylamsg.com/2013/10/01/a-sad-and-longest-day/

Life is here there everywhere with this that and everything – Amy Lam

21 Mar 2014 – Colourful & Vibrant Peranakan Influence

Not my usual walk but was pleasant to have a change of scenery, without sound of waves and views of the sea. Siglap Park Connector will bring you to Bedok Res Pk, Pasir Ris Pk and Changi Beach Pk Park. Walked this stretch starting from the opposite direction (via EC Pk) sometime ago, nice except for the section by the airport (green tunnel on concrete sidewalk) where the planes are practically above you head. Started that walk at 0600hrs when the weather was predicted overcast then and ended in the late afternoon.

This time round, just a short 30ins walk by back gardens with beautiful flowers and fruit trees… Artocarpus heterophyllus/Jackfruit – tempting but unable to run away like we used to in the 1950s our childhood days 🙂

Thanks Carmel for a nice lunch gathering. Good to be able chat with her mom who is visiting from Ireland and to catch up with Mei-Ling in our hectic life!

The colourful Peranakan life style here in the East Coast area never fails to amaze me. These shops on the main East Coast Rd and are will certainly catch your attention. Pix taken thru’ the bus window, thus slightly blurred. Those who are thinking of visiting SIN or are interested about SIN might want to know and learn more…

Personally I do enjoy this part of SIN more than anywhere else in SIN, and just as well as I live in this area 🙂

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peranakan

The Peranakan Museum here in SIN is a must for visitors to understand the SIN culture and this is not located in the East but in town near the National Museum.

Penang and Malacca in Malaysia have stunning houses (open to public for a fee, the blue one is a hotel) that gives an idea how lavish a style some of these wealthy Peranakans have.

You’re Born, You Get Married, You Die – The Peranakan Version

18 Mar 2014 – To Linn, my First Born

Now going on her 5th decade with 5 children after many relocations – also means many of us in the green generation are heading to the 7th decade as reminded by Alfred 🙂

Looking back the past 4 decades, starting from 1974 when and where Linn was born in Dublin/Ireland and moved to Nesøya/Norway when she was 3 months.

By the time Linn was 3yrs (1976), we relocated to Lyngseidet/Norway, 4yrs (1977) to Tromsø/Norway, 6yrs (1980) to Korsvoll/Norway, 7yrs (1981) to Kolsås/Norway. Pix with May from 1984 at Kolsås on Linn’s 10th Bday.

1985 to CA/USA, 1988 to FL/USA. 1993 Linn moved to UF and with her husband Jeff to OK/USA 2000-2003.  2003 – Present SC/USA. Pix from 1994 with May at LHHS Homecoming, FL/USA

2004 Christmas SC/USA with Jeff, Katy and Ellie on the way! Not many pix in my procession after Linn & May left for university. Thanks Linn, edited with the correct time line after you started you own life.

40 years ago today, I became a mother. Appreciations to Linn for being my first-born and sharing for this life’s journey, very blessed and so sorry, unable to be with you for your day. Looking forward till when we meet the next month. In the meanwhile take good care. Always love and miss y’all tons. Hugs from mom.

Sometimes, mothers say and do things that seem like they don’t want their kids… but when you look more closely, you realize that they’re doing those kids a favor. They’re just trying to give them a better life – Jodi Picoult

17 Mar 2014 – And the Snakes!

Happy Birthdays to niece PatLynn and her daughter, ie my grandniece Beth, mother and daughter sharing the same birthdays!

The absence of snakes in Ireland gave rise to the legend that they had all been banished by St. Patrick chasing them into the sea after they attacked him during a 40-day fast he was undertaking on top of a hill. However, all evidence suggests that post-glacial Ireland never had snakes. Explains why I like Ireland 🙂

St Patrick was a 5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the ‘Apostle of Ireland’, he is the primary patron saint of the island along with Saints Brigit and Columba. The dates of Patrick’s life cannot be fixed with certainty. He is generally credited with being the first bishop of Armagh, Primate of Ireland. Non-liturgical St. Patrick’s Day is always held on 17Mar as Patrick died on 17Mar ca. 460.

Prior to 1600s, the most commonly associated with St. Patrick was blue. Shamrocks become so inextricably linked to the legend of St. Patrick as he taught about the Holy Trinity with the 3-leafed shamrock. Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a meal of Corned Beef and Cabbage. It is not a traditional part of the holiday in Ireland. Corned Beef make an appearance on the Irish feast table at Christmas and Easter.

Saint Patrick’s School/圣伯特理中学校 is a Lasallian Roman Catholic boys’ secondary school in East Coast Road/SIN. The school is well-known for its Military Band, which has performed internationally and won awards. It has six houses named after former brother principals of the school and Joseph McNally (McNally House) is one of them. Born 1923, Ireland, died 2002. An important figure on the SIN art scene, Brother Joe is best remembered for his efforts to found the LaSalle College for the Arts.

http://amylamsg.com/2012/07/08/how-to-travel/

The world of men is dreaming, it has gone mad in its sleep, and a snake is strangling it, but it can’t wake up – DH Lawrence

15 Mar 2014 – To Those Who are Helping me Thru’ a Rough Patch

Les&Ivy, Sue, Clement, KokSoon&Carmel, KK, Leo for their being & to all those with their thoughtful voices and words.

Thanks Sue for a lovely lunch last Sun at Imperial Treasure****Changi Airport  T3. Have been too preoccupied with flight MH730 and other issues, apologies to those who deserve the attention and acknowledgements whom have been neglected…

Pleasantly surprised between 0800-0830hrs on ECP, this section is usually bumper to bumper at peak hrs. It really does help with the MCE! After Rochal exit, it was good for a short section, then bottle-neck started after Bugis. Looking forward for the road works to be completed… appreciations to Sue again for this ride.

Was trying to figure out some of the older pix to see what Linn might not have. But the energy and mood levels are not quite with it. Taking small steps. 2005 when Ellie was born and the year the AT was hiked and completed! Sharing Linn’s pix with the 4 of them enjoying their sushi out in their new yard; Ellie’s new running outfit, even with the tag still hanging 🙂

Discovered Maprang, looks like a mini mango with a very slight hint of mango taste, but more a texture of a plum, ie less fibre compared that to a mango. Rather expensive, app S$20 per kilo. Bought 8 and cost S$6.20, each fruit 0.80cents for this tiny fruit.

Views at the front door thru’ smooth & rough times. When one is unappreciative and unaware of your surroundings and your PRESENT, then you have wasted time, no matter how smooth or rough! That moment never returns. Still no rains in our Green Garden City, quite distressing to see it turning into a brown city. Even the rain-dance with the rain-stick, was only a few drops in this area but other areas had more!!

Fri: great to catch up with this group of gentlemen who crossed my path 15yrs ago. Tkx to Leo for getting dinner, Chuan for those delicious melt in the mouth cookies, Justin for flying back German cheese and the informative talk, Robin, for joining us, been 11yrs ago since we last met at his wedding! Good Luck to Justin for his Brunei project and would love to visit when there is AC in the living quarters 🙂 🙂