Esplanade Theatres By The Bay: Singapore Arts Festival 2008

Esplanade Theatres By The Bay: Singapore Arts Festival 2008

Esplanade Theatres By The Bay, Singapore’s performance arts venue situated at 1 Esplanade Road next to the Marina Bay is a complex building like no other. Its distinctive dome-shaped roofs, affectionately likened to a durian, cover a 2000-seat main theatre, 1600-seat concert hall, and several studios, recital rooms, mini-theatres and outdoors performing spaces.

The Singapore Arts Festival commenced on 29 May with an Asian premier of the Architecture of Silence, a musical and dance extravaganza by the Slovene National Theatres Opera & Ballet Maribor and Ljubljana with the Singapore Festival Orchestra. If you enjoy choral works like Mozart’s Requiem KV626 and Zbigniew Preisner’s Requiem For My Friend, and can appreciate graceful bodies dancing around a stage, catch the Asian premiere before it ends on 31 May 2008.

Another Asian premiere, Amjad by Canadian group La La La Human Steps, is a virtuoso dance performance delivered with superhuman strength that belies its inspiration that was drawn from Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. Choreographed by Edouard Lock, the performance of the nine dancers have been described as ‘dazzling’ by The Independent, and ‘extraordinary’ by The Guardian. The dates of Amjad’s performance have been rescheduled to 20 and 21 June 2008.

For the closing celebrations of the Singapore Arts Festival, look out for the world premiere of Hydro Sapiens by The Lunatics (The Netherlands), Part of the Water Wonder Series from 20 – 22 June, 8pm at Bedok Reservoir. Admission is free.

For more details on the Singapore Arts Festival, view the materials over at http://www.singaporeartsfest.com/

My favourite hangouts are the library@esplanade, restaurants located inside the Esplanade theatre for the dining opportunities and the bay front promenade for great skyline views. If you like crowds and spectacular fire-works, the bay front area is a good venue to admire the Fireworks Festival leading up to National Day. On less crowded days, cityscape views and cool evening breezes conjure a pleasurable experience for evening strolls.

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Garden Hill Park, Singapore: Visit An Outdoor Fitness Place With Fancy Names

Garden Hill Park, Singapore: Visit An Outdoor Fitness Place With Fancy Names

Situated on top of a small hill at Bedok North Street 1 of Singapore, Garden Hill Park is a typical community outdoor fitness park that you may like to visit. Residents from the neighbouring HDB flats seem to patronize this place. Due to its elevated position, visitors looking for this park with its fitness corner will easily miss Garden Hill Park when walking along street level.

If you picture a hill teeming with colourful flowering plants along walking paths like I did, you will be deeply disappointed. Instead of a place filled with gardening plants, Garden Hill Park has a fine collection of utilitarian gadgets in its outdoor fitness corner that serves the local population well.

For instance, there are exercise machines of various types with fancy names like Triple Waist Turning, Single Ellipse, Tai Chi Rotator, Chin Up Bars and Two Level Sit Up. These stationary items allow for strength conditioning, joint mobility and balance training. The East Coast Town Council provides these items in the outdoor fitness place. Garden Hill Park possesses several benches that are scattered around the edge of this hill, with two pavilions for shelter and rest. An open area for group exercises is also available.

If you bring children, they can climb a small rock wall up to about 5 feet high located in Garden Hill Park. For other kinds of playthings, you will need to bring your child down a short flight of stairs to a playground next to block 419.

To be fair in my account, I must state that there are some flowering shrubs like Ixoras at Garden Hill Park. These shrubs are used mainly as decorative boundary markers rather than the focus of attraction. They appear to thrive well, without tall trees stealing their sunlight.

I like Garden Hill Park as the surrounding flats block off traffic noise and pollution to allow for enjoyment of a quiet workout in a cozy community park.

Do you have any parks to recommend?

Take care, be happy!

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National Family Celebrations 2008

National Family Celebrations 2008

Organised by the National Family Council, National Family Celebrations 2008 takes place from 24 May 2008 to 28 June 2008. This annual event rejoices and reinforces the importance of the family. There are promotions galore covering areas like educational, entertainment, food and beverages, retail outlets, service sectors, travel industry and even the National Heritage Board. These promotions are mostly discounts of up to 50% off usual prices or buy X get Y free discount packages.

Click below on the links for details of National Family Celebrations 2008 promotions!

Educational

Food and Beverage

Entertainment

Retail

Service

Travel

National Heritage Board

(Singapore Philatelic Museum, Asian Civilisations Museum, Peranakan Museum, Memories at Old Ford Factory, Reflections At Bukit Chandu, Singapore Art Museum, National Museum of Singapore and National Orchid Garden.)

Eat With Your Family Day 2008 Follow-Up

As part of the pre-National Family Celebrations 2008 activity of mine, on Eat With Your Family Day 2008, this was the egg dish that I prepared for my family. While my culinary skills are nowhere near Jamie Oliver’s stratospheric level, previous training in rudimentary survival cooking during my scouting and National Service days helped to ease my transition into a temporary cook on the 23rd of May. The end result? A simple meal with a simple message: It’s the thought and the action that count.

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National Heritage Board Celebrates International Museum Day 2008

National Heritage Board Celebrates International Museum Day 2008

The National Heritage Board (NHB) is celebrating International Museum Day 2008 (IMD 2008) with three days of events across 46 museums from 31 May 2008 to 2 June 2008 in Singapore. This year's International Museum Day 2008 emphasis is on our senior citizens aged 60 and above. There will be specially organized bus trips, workshops and events and free entry to selected museums on those three days. Senior citizens will also get to enjoy free admission to all National Heritage Board museums every Monday.

For visitors of all other ages, you will not be left out. There are programmes for children and adults, some free of charge at the various museums throughout Singapore's museums on 31 May, 1^st June and 2^nd June 2008. For instance, there will be free Children Craft programmes at the National Museum Concourse Level 1 on 31 May from 10am to 5pm. Children will also enjoy magic tricks performed by a magician using stamps at the Singapore Philatelic Museum on 31 May from 12pm to 1pm.

Free entry to the following museums on Open House Day 31 May 2008

Asian Civilisations Museum

National Museum Of Singapore

NEWater Visitor Centre

NUS Museum

Memories at Old Ford Factory

Peranakan Museum

Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research

Reflections at Bukit Chandu

red dot design museum

Republic of Singapore Air Force Museum

Singapore Art Museum

Singapore City Gallery

Singapore Philatelic Museum

For more details

Call IMD 2008 Hotline: 62214463 (9am – 7pm daily)

Website: http://www.yesterday.sg/imd08/

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Southern Ridges Singapore: Marang Trail From Mount Faber Park To Harbour Front

above: Marang Trail at top of Mount Faber

Southern Ridges Singapore: Marang Trail From Mount Faber Park To Harbour Front

The Southern Ridges of Singapore seems to be the flavour of the month for Seen This Scene That. Singaporeans who are genuinely interested in nature, parks and open spaces including the new Marang Trail will realize that the opening of the Southern Ridges is a huge step forward to allow more visitors to appreciate our natural heritage.

For today, I will present another part of my exploration of the Southern Ridges. I approached the start of the Marang Trail at the top of Mount Faber Park near the cable car station after crossing the Henderson Waves Bridge from Telok Blangah Hill Park. The Marang Trail commences at Mount Faber Park near the cable car station and stretches 800 metres to the foot of Mount Faber Park at Marang Road just behind Harbour Front MRT station. This 300-metre long Marang Trail path of the Southern Ridges of Singapore consists of a series of stairs and sloping footpaths that descend about 70 metres from the top of Mount Faber. The Marang Trail belongs to the eastern tip of the 9-kilometre long Southern Ridges of Singapore that ends at West Coast Park. For a look at the map of the Southern Ridges of Singapore, check this link. http://www.nparks.gov.sg/sr-map.pdf


I noted that the top end of the Southern Ridges’ Marang Trail where the steps began was not well signposted. My wife and I initially walked past the stairs before we realized our mistake. Although equivalent to descending a 24-storey building, the walk through pleasant secondary rainforest felt effortless and cooling. I could see close-up views of the greenery along the Marang Trail of the Southern Ridges but felt in need of a good guide to introduce the various plants, trees and their characteristic features. Perhaps some one could point me in the direction of a local group of volunteers in Singapore who plan to or is already organizing such guided walking tours on the natural habitat of the Marang Trail.

By the time I reached the foot of the Southern Ridge’s Marang Trail around noon since starting at Telok Blangah Hill Park, dehydration prompted a detour to Seah Imm Food Centre at Harbour Front for replenishment. We crossed the many carparking lots near the Harbour Front Bus Interchange under the scorching noon sun before a welcomed respite at the hawker center. I noted the coupon-parking regime at this carpark and was glad that I parked without charge over at Telok Blangah Heights next to Block 60 (free parking applies on weekends and public holidays).

above: Marang Trail at foot of Mount Faber

The hike back up the Marang Trail to Mount Faber Park was a totally different experience. The 24-storey climb up to Mt Faber did not look as appetising as it did earlier. Only then did it hit me that I had to climb and walk all the way back to my car near Telok Blangah Hill Park. My muscles and lungs were complaining of a definite strain on the way up, past other visitors with children who were stopping to catch their breaths and to appreciate the views of colonial bungalows on either side of the pathways.

There is only one wooden bench along the entire Southern Ridges’ Marang Trail for tired limbs to rest while more seats were available only at the top of Mount Faber Park. Fortunately, the secondary forest of Mt Faber provided ample canopy throughout the climb. I would recommend that you bring plenty of drinking water, wear good hiking shoes and to pace yourself with your children conservatively for this Marang Trail climb. Take the time to admire the greenery at this part of the Southern Ridges. Breathe the cool forest air as you listen to unseen cicadas cheering you on as you ascend Mount Faber via the Southern Ridges’ Marang Trail.

While it may not generate as much as thrill as climbing up to Base Camp on Mt Everest or even climbing Bukit Timah Hill, the Marang Trail climb is still a Singaporean natural heritage experience like no other.

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Southern Ridges Singapore: Canopy Walk Near Kent Ridge Park

Southern Ridges Singapore: Canopy Walk Near Kent Ridge Park

The Canopy Walk, a part of the Southern Ridges of Singapore, is located at the end of Pepys Road near the Reflections At Bukit Chandu heritage museum at Kent Ridge Park. The Canopy Walk consists of a raised walkway made of wooden materials that stretches 300 metres through a secondary forest and is elevated 16 metres at the center. It connects Singapore’s Kent Ridge Park on the west to the new Hort Park on the east.

I arrived at the 25-lot carpark C along Pepys Road and made my way through the property of the Reflections At Bukit Chandu to the start point. As expected, the weekend crowd of Singapore was already in action at around mid-morning.

The Canopy Walk of the Southern Ridges engaged visitors with its close-up views of a secondary forest’s canopy. Through rather narrow walkways that cut across tall trees like the Tembusu and rubber tree, one could reach out to touch the leaves and tree trunks at the top of the forest. Along the Canopy Walk were large plaques detailing the natural species of trees and plants in this forest. Tiup Tiup, Simpor Air, Tembusu and Rubber Wood were some of the native species described for visitors to the Canopy Walk to learn. My children were particularly thrilled at the sight of Staghorn Ferns that they recognized and learnt in school.

The National Park Board’s website on the Southern Ridges’ Canopy Walk mentioned that a rich wildlife could be found at the Canopy Walk, such as squirrels, sunbirds, doves, lizards and white-crested laughing thrushes. But I did not catch a glimpse of them during this walk. I guessed with the din raised by a noisy crowd along the walk-way, native wildlife at Canopy Walk would have preferred to seek privacy elsewhere. Fortunately a palm-sized spider sun-tanning on its huge web a few metres away from my nose ignored curious visitors who ogled at its curves without shame.

There were park benches provided along scenic sections of the Canopy Walk to allow visitors to soak in the wide spaces of greenery and sky. I would probably return to these benches on a quieter and cooler month and really feel at peace with nature at the Southern Ridges’ Canopy Walk.

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Dreaming Of A Visit To Pedra Branca And Horsburg Lighthouse Singapore

Pedra Branca with Horsburg Lighthouse

Dreaming Of A Visit To Pedra Branca And Horsburg Lighthouse, Singapore

The International Court of Justice in the Hague has awarded Pedra Branca to Singapore in a verdict delivered by a 12 to 4 vote by the 16-member court of judges today. The ICJ awarded Middle Rocks, a maritime feature 0.6 nautical miles from Pedra Branca, to Malaysia by a 15 to 1 verdict. According to the ICJ, South Ledge “belongs to the State in the territorial waters of which it is located” but as the court was “not mandated to draw the line of delimitation with respect to the territorial waters of Malaysia and Singapore in the area in question”, nobody knows who owns it.

In any case, what this means is that Horsburg Lighthouse now belongs to Singapore and the island on which it stands will be known as Pedra Branca instead of Pulau Batu Puteh. My hope is that one day, Pedra Branca could become a tourist attraction of Singapore, with its political background history, ancient lighthouse and marine wild life habitat providing compelling reasons for visitors to brave seasickness for a half day tour of the island and its lighthouse.

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Eat With Your Family Day 2008

Eat With Your Family Day 2008

Today is Eat With Your Family Day 2008 and it is a prelude to the start of National Family Celebrations 2008. For 2008 on this day, fathers like myself are encouraged to (a) invite his family to a family meal, (b) cook at least one dish and (c) demonstrate creative fun at meals for everyone. The organizers (Centre For Fathering) want to challenge the myth that fathers can’t cook. They also believe that families that eat together stay together.

I will certainly attempt to Eat With My Family This Day, invite my family for a meal, cook one or two simple dishes and play funny games by asking riddles with questions like “Why my omelette tastes so funny har?” and “Why the rice is so soggy”? In the process, I will likely confirm the myth that at least one father can’t cook (except instant noodles) and hopefully everyone stays at the dining table to complete the meal that I plan to prepare.

Following that, the National Family Council will be holding a series of events and activities that will be held between 24 May and 28 June 2008. These National Family Celebrations 2008 events aim to celebrate the importance of the family. For details, you can check out the website. Click here.

With the June school holidays almost upon us, this period will be a good time for me to bring my children out more often to see more places and live more life.

I will keep this post short on Eat With Your Family Day 2008. Gotta get out my dusty handbook “Idiots Guide On How to Cook a Meal” for a quick refresher course.

Will you be home early to Eat With Your Family, today?

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Hort Park: A Hot Place To Visit For A Garden Walk In Singapore

Hort Park: A Hot Place To Visit For A Garden Walk In Singapore

Hort Park, the shortened term for Horticulture Park, is the National Park Board’s latest ‘hot’ place in the Southern Ridges to visit in Singapore. This 23-hectare plot of land off Alexandra Road is a ‘hot’ family-friendly place, fronted by an imposing Hort Park building that leads into the Garden Walk, a green corridor of numerous mini-gardens and plant nursery rooms in Singapore.

Why do I use the term ‘hot’ to describe Singapore’s Hort Park and Garden Walk, the newest park, garden and place of interest for Singaporeans and foreigners to visit?

Firstly, the temperature in May has been hitting a high of 34 degrees Celsius in Singapore in the past few weeks. The timing of my visit to Hort Park and the Garden Walk unfortunately coincided with this spell of hot weather, resulting in sweat-stained clothes and parched throats. Without shady tall trees to protect against the hot sun in equatorial Singapore, an afternoon walk in a garden along the Garden Walk that stretches to Kent Ridge Park is a sun-tanning exercise not to be recommended.

Secondly, with the recent official opening of Hort Park and Garden Walk as a park connector in the Southern Ridges, crowds seeking a novel place to visit have been converging on Hort Park like tourists on a sight seeing frenzy especially on weekends. This hot new destination is part of the Southern Ridges of Singapore, a 9-kilometre long stretch of green spaces stretching from Mt Faber Park in the east to West Coast Park in the west.

above: The Web

Thirdly, Hort Park and Garden Walk is a hotbed of gardening-related ideas for garden enthusiasts and even casual visitors without green fingers. For an idea of what Hort Park and the Garden Walk offer, a look at the map would be helpful. Conceptually and according to the National Parks Board, Hort Park is “a one-stop gardening hub for gardening-related, recreational, educational, research and retail activities under one big canopy in a park setting. It is also a knowledge hub for plants and gardening and provides the platform for the industry to share best practices and showcase garden designs, products and services.”


Fourthly, when you see a wedding couple posing among the beautiful garden plots in their wedding finery; you can believe that Hort Park and the Garden Walk must be the hottest and most scenic place to visit in Singapore. Indeed, I dare say that Hort Park and Garden Walk is a pretty ‘hot’ place that everyone will find something that he or she will love very much.

As I ambled along the Garden Walk past the 20-odd plots of land featuring gardening landscapes with various plants, flowers and shrubs, several areas caught my attention. I like the “Nursery’ plot that features a life-sized wooden infant crib embedded in a garden of shrubs and flowers. The “Web” station featured a bizarre-looking metal-framed cocoon with blue glass panels that appeared like some UFO spaceship that attempted to land on the Garden Walk but ended up crashing into a heap at a plot of land in Hort Park instead. Two overlapping heart-shaped ponds must surely win the prize for being the most heart-warming exhibit at Hort Park.


Children will love the playground plots along Garden Walk in Hort Park with their unusual selection of playthings. This ‘hot’ playground is a magnet for families with kids. As children play, their parents can sit along scarlet red benches to keep an eye on their young ones.

If you think gardens only thrive outdoors, check out the interior landscaping at the main building in Hort Park. Inspired visitors who cannot wait for a designer to finalize a home plan can pick up potted plants for immediate use at the retail outlet for flowers and plants.


Related reads:
1. HortPark location map, events and more.

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Red Fire Hydrant In Tuas South Singapore

Red Fire Hydrant In Tuas South, Singapore

A red fire hydrant stands tall in Tuas South at the junction of Tuas South Avenue 14 and Tuas South Avenue 7. Around this fire hydrant, not a single building can be seen nearby. The vehicle-less streets and people-less pavements appear refreshingly offbeat. For someone like me who is used to perpetual street crowds and traffic jams, the unusual scene is as good as the seemingly unpolluted air that I breathe while standing beside the red fire hydrant in Tuas South.

Is the presence of a red fire hydrant in the middle of nowhere in Tuas South a sign of the efficient apparatus that keeps Singapore Inc humming along? Is this red fire hydrant a visible expression of how our cosmopolitan society prepares for the worst-case scenario even as it builds a flourishing metropolis from the seabed with zero natural resources?

As you contemplate its significance, take a moment to enjoy the sight of a lonely red fire hydrant in a deserted place like Tuas South, before pedestrian crowds and vehicular traffic overwhelm it in an unending quest for progress and prosperity.

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Southern Ridges: Henderson Waves, Highest Pedestrian Bridge In Singapore

Southern Ridges: Henderson Waves, Highest Pedestrian Bridge In Singapore

Henderson Waves is Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge linking Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park that forms part of the Southern Ridges. The two parks join forces with Hort Park, Kent Ridge Park and West Coast Park to form a corridor of green spaces known as the Southern Ridges of Singapore.

For a detailed map of the Southern Ridges of Singapore, you can download the file at Npark's website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/sr-map.pdf

Last Sunday morning, I was curious enough to visit Henderson Waves to familiarize myself with this new place in Singapore's scheme of parks. To reach the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore, I chose my start point at Telok Blangah Hill Park as it had the nearest carpark. However, many other vehicle owners (and many more waiting at the car parks and roads) had beaten me to the limited lots available there. A quick change of plans ensured that I found a free parking lot (on Sundays, Public Holidays only) along Telok Blangah Heights next to Block 60.

From the car park, my wife and I crossed Telok Blangah Heights and made our way past a lotus pond as we climbed steps and slopes up to the Hilltop Walk at Telok Blangah Hill Park. In less than six minutes, the Singapore Southern Ridges’ highest pedestrian bridge, Henderson Waves, beckoned.

Pedestrian flows at Telok Blangah Hill Park and Henderson Waves were heavy compared to the time that I visited and wrote in my post before construction of Singapore’s Henderson Waves was completed. This was within expectation and I believe it will be quieter on weekdays and even on weekends after another three to six months when the novelty of the new bridge wears off.

The Southern Ridges’ Henderson Waves is a one-of-a-kind pedestrian bridge like no other. Its unusual wave-like form gives an impression of a giant caterpillar wriggling across a tight rope from one Singaporean hilltop to another. There are seven steel “ribs” that curve above and under its deck. These “ribs” form alcoves that provide shade from the hot late morning sun and also provide seating areas. The decking is made of strips of yellow balau wood that leaves gaps large enough for me to peep at the traffic 36 metres below my shoes. The decking appears to slant with the higher end at Telok Blangah Hill Park. Readings of the height of the bridge above sea level carved into the slabs of wood confirm my suspicion.

There is also a security camera on Singapore’s Henderson Bridge presumably to keep a lookout for any hanky panky along the 300-metre long bridge. This may arguably make it the only pedestrian bridge in Singapore and along the Southern Ridges to have a security camera installed as part of its design.

For a run-of-the-mill pedestrian bridge, we would have walked across a bridge of this length within three minutes. But as this was a record-setting pedestrian bridge in Singapore and the prime reason for our visit here, we broke our own records for the slowest amble across Singapore’s highest pedestrian bridge. The views to the north of Henderson Waves consisted mainly of Singapore’s Bukit Merah housing estate and beyond. To the south, a glimpse of the distant sea was available for photography. Under the pedestrian bridge, vehicular lanes dominated the view bounded by trees and vegetation.

I was glad that I did not bring my foldable bicycle along for this trip. Cyclists will have to navigate up some pretty steep slopes to reach Henderson Waves from Telok Blangah Hill Park. They would not be allowed to cycle across the bridge but could push their bicycles across the entire span of Henderson Waves. The use of skate scooters, roller blades, baby prams, high heels and other mobility devices will face difficulty due to the gaps in the flooring of the deck.

I plan to return to the Southern Ridge’s Henderson Waves for another visit at a later period when the novelty crowd is thinner; to catch the 7pm to 2am LED light up of the bridge. The prospect of witnessing a light show of Henderson Waves, the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore, is a mouth-watering thought indeed.

To get to the Southern Ridges’ Henderson Waves, bus service numbers 131, 145, 176 or 648 will take you to Henderson Road where you can climb up the stairs up to Mount Faber Park. For Singaporeans who drive, there are 17 lots at Mt Faber car park D and 39 lots at car park 1 and 2 at Telok Blangah Hill Park.


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Fun Places For Children To Visit In Singapore

Fun Places For Children To Visit In Singapore

Recently, an avid reader of my blog Seen This Scene That asked me for a list of suggestions on fun places to bring her two children (seven-year-old and twelve-year-old) for a fun-filled learning visit. Several others had earlier enquired about such fun places for their children to visit as well.

While I do not profess to have seen all available sights and fun places for children to visit in Singapore, I shall compile my recommendations on children-friendly / kids-friendly places around Singapore. These fun places to visit based on my children’s personal experiences and recollections. This list of fun places for children to visit in Singapore is by no means definitive, and may be updated over time and as circumstances change.

Here’s the recommendation on fun places for children to visit in Singapore that your kids may also like:

Pony riding and feeding at Pasir Ris Park
This perennial favourite of my children is truly an activity made in paradise. A visit to Pasir Ris Park near the MRT station in White Sands in eastern Singapore will allow your children to admire, touch, feed and ride ponies in a stable that’s open to the public. All these activities are free of charge, except for the pony fun rides and formal riding lessons. [read more]

Milking And Feeding Animals (Goat) In Kranji
A touch of Australia exists in Kranji, Singapore’s northwestern outpost in the form of farms created by Singaporeans for residents and tourists. Let your kids grab this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hand-feed and milk goats as you familiarize your children with the sight and smell of these cute animals. [read more]

Fruit & Vegetable Farms In Kranji
Get your child to unlearn the belief that fruits and vegetables grow in supermarket buckets. Bring them to a real fruit or vegetable farm in Kranji to see how water from the soil reaches the growing parts. Let kids discover for themselves the real deal that can be turned by a good chef into a great meal. [read more]

Singapore Botanical Garden Kids Corner
Surprise your children with the diversity of flowers, herbs and plants at the Kids Corner of the Singapore Botanic gardens. Let them be entertained and enchanted by the amazing samples hidden around the sprawling gardens. This park is known as Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, a great place for children (where adults need to be accompanied by children) to visit in Sigapore. [read more]

Newater Visitor Centre
This national treasure cum entertainment complex is a high-tech mouth-watering experience that children and adults must visit to believe. Be educated on the four taps of Singapore’s water supply and learn water-saving methods for immediate money-saving application in your homes. Receive a free bottle of Newater for each child who visits by appointment. [read more]

Adventure Playground At West Coast Park 3
This playground in a park along West Coast Road is a popular hangout for children and older kids. Many opportunities exist for the adventurous child to tackle the challenging exhibits in a fun-filled activity. Even young-at-heart adults have been spotted acting crazily while trying to overcome the obstacles in this adventure play land. Another one of the fun places to bring children to visit in Singapore. [read more]

Sand Castle-Building at East Coast Park And Other Beaches
Singapore has numerous beaches with clean sand for children and younger kids to display their sand castle building talents. Choices of good beaches include East Coast Park, Pasir Ris Park, Changi Beach Park and Sembawang Beach Park. East Coast Park has Singapore’s longest stretch of sandy shoreline that is easily accessible by bicycle, roller-blade, in-line skate, bus, taxi and private cars or on foot. [read more]

Plant Nursery Learning At Bishan Park
Increase your child’s knowledge and appreciation for all plant things big and small at this plant nursery with more than 100 species of herbs, plants and flowers. Hands-on lessons are conducted on regular first Saturday mornings of each month. [read more]

Nature Walks at Lower Peirce Reservoir And Other Reservoirs
Strengthen your kids’ leg power and stamina as you bring them to explore the hiking routes available at Lower Peirce Reservoir. The boardwalk, located at the edge of the reservoir offers a safe way to witness the flora and fauna of the reservoir’s primary rainforest habitat without getting wet feet. [read more]

Prawn Fishing in Pasir Ris
Numerous prawn ‘farms’ exist in Pasir Ris estate such as at the Pasir Ris Town Park, Pasir Ris Farmway 1 and Pasir Ris Farmway 3. Let your child pick up a new skill while learning about patience as they try to bait live prawns for supper. Feed your hungry stomachs at a barbecue on-site with your successful catch, if any. [read more]

Edutainment At Singapore Science Centre
Learn how electricity, light, sound and theory can be used to impress your children to no end for a fun-filled outing to the Singapore Science Centre. Slated to shift to a new location in Jurong Lake soon, come visit the only educational center that combines play and learning into a family friendly activity that the majority of Singaporean school-going children grew up with, before the present site disappears for good. [read more]

Singapore Zoological Gardens
All kids will love seeing the exotic animals in this mega-mall of wild life creatures. How can any child resist the invitation to watch animals perform on stage, or come into close interaction with farm creatures? In a highly urbanized place like Singapore that has almost no habitat for wild animals, this is the only place to catch a glimpse of the Savannah’s “Big Five” without leaving on a plane.

It has been difficult for me to trim the long list that I have into a shortened version without serving injustice to the many other wonderful places that are not mentioned. I am sure some of my fun places may not be fun to you, or the list may differ from your expectations. If you feel strongly that there is another worthwhile sight, activity or fun place of interest to visit, kindly add your comments to share with the greater community. You could also email to me: seenthisscenethat [at] yahoo [dot] com [dot] sg.

Join me in exploring our island for more interesting and fun places of interest for children to visit. I shall update this list whenever I discover exciting new destinations.

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Pedra Branca Or Pulau Batu Puteh: Horsburgh Lighthouse And A Mouse

A Lighthouse

CC Photo by slack12

Pedra Branca Or Pulau Batu Puteh: Horsburgh Lighthouse And A Mouse

Reference: NLB infopedia

Pedra Branca, with the distinctive Horsburgh Lighthouse, is the piece of real estate at the centre of claims between two good neighbours. I would love to visit it for a look-see, to get a feel of the monsoon winds, and to tour the significant buildings on this miniature island. Practicalities will not allow this wish to be fulfilled. Nevertheless, I can still see the sights of Pedra Branca and its Horsburgh Lighthouse with a few clicks of a mouse.

At 46 kilometres east of Changi Point, it is a long way off were I to take a suicidal bumboat trip there with a compliant boatman. If weather and sea elements do not claim the vessel, the long arm of authority would certainly prevent the trip from completing its journey.

Horsburgh Lighthouse is at Latitude 1,20’15” North and Longitude 104,25’00”. The towering black and white painted lighthouse reportedly has seven levels and stands 109 ft from sea level. There are other buildings on the tiny dot of land that remains out of bounds to uninvited visitors.

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The Indian National Army Monument At Esplanade Park, Singapore

The Indian National Army Monument At Esplanade Park, Singapore

The Indian National Army Monument plaque stands tall at the Esplanade Park in Singapore. Erected in 1995 to mark the site of the original Memorial, it is dedicated to the “Unknown Soldier” of the Indian National Army during World War II.

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Punggol Park Is A Scenic Place To Visit For A Jog

Punggol Park Is A Scenic Place To Visit For A Jog

You would think that a park named “Punggol” ought to be located somewhere in Punggol neighbourhood estate, rather than its present address at the junction of Hougang Avenue 10 and Hougang Avenue 8. This surprise surfaced when I tried to search for this place on a street map for my maiden visit there for a recent walk and jog.

If you drive to this park, you will likely choose to park at the park’s carpark. Near the small coupon-paying carpark with less than twenty lots along Hougang Ave 8 is a restaurant that allows diners a choice of al-fresco dining by the water’s edge or air-conditioned meals at sit-down tables.

This 16-hectare park has a lovely 5-hectare lake as its centerpiece of attraction. Around this scenic lake, visitors can complete a circuit on a purpose-built track. The beautiful landscaped greenery, interspersed with large boulders, appreciably enhanced my jogging experience.

When a photograph-worthy scene presented itself, I could easily find an open bench or sheltered seats to provide non-shake support for my digital camera. These resting points allowed appreciation of Punggol Park’s moderate flow of park users who seemed to respect its scenic tranquility very well. The seats also served as a convenient excuse to spare my lungs and limbs from excessive strain.

Kids from the surrounding neighbourhood populate a children’s playground, while adults occupy themselves at exercise stations in a fitness corner. A small knoll allows park users to organize a quiet family picnic on the slopes, away from unwanted stares of joggers and other passers-by.

Punggol Park is a family-friendly place to visit. There are areas for a bring-your-own-pit barbecue, remote-controlled sail and powerboat activities on the pond and in-line skating on the tracks. With enough amenities to satisfy most neighbourhood residents, I enjoyed my visit to this place despite puffing my lungs out during this trip to Punggol Park

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Yunnan Park: Playground, Fitness Corner And Old Nanyang University Arch

Yunnan Park: Playground, Fitness Corner and Old Nanyang University Arch

I was in the vicinity of the Jurong West Sports Complex when I saw an unusual sight on the other side of Jurong West Street 93. Fronting the small Yunnan Park was a grand-looking structure with the words “Nanyang University” prominently displayed in mandarin characters. The number “1955” can be clearly noted under the oriental styled roofing.

This interesting novel find at Yunnan Park is a puzzle to me. It looks like a gateway of some sort, although the neighbouring area consists of private landed properties. The present Nanyang Technological University campus is far away, on the other side of the Pan Island Expressway. My guess is that it was an entrance with a road leading to the university campus a long time ago, but property redevelopments could have cut off that road leading to the campus. Incidentally, there is another replica arch at NTU campus.

Elsewhere on this small property, there is a playground for children and a few stations for fitness buffs. To the south of Yunnan Park, construction of the MRT East West Line Extension can be seen. This line will lead to the future Joo Koon MRT station (EW29) just before Joo Koon Circle.

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Sun Plaza Park, Tampines: Power Walk, Skateboards, Playground Talk And Other Recreational Sports

Sun Plaza Park, Tampines: Power Walk, Skateboards, Playground Talk And Other Recreational Sports

Skateboard enthusiasts were having a rolling good time when I arrived at Sun Plaza Park in Tampines estate bounded by Tampines Avenue 7 and Tampines Avenue 9. Groups of youths floated across Sun Plaza Park’s amphitheatre terrace on their well-worn skateboards as the performed their routines for the umpteenth time. Next to these skateboarders, another group of young men, probably from Tampines estate, rehearsed their singing to the beat of traditional drums, unperturbed by the sound of clashing skateboards.

Elsewhere, a banner for Power Walk, a Health Promotion Board initiative for Singaporeans to develop healthy exercise habits through brisk-walking every Sunday from 8am to 10am fluttered in the afternoon breeze. Like-minded participants from Tampines and neighbouring estates will gather for an instructor-led event under the Power Walk programme until 18 May. Each Power Walk session about 2 hours, with a powerful combination of exercises like calisthenics (bending, stretching, etc), followed by the actual “Power Walk” or brisk walking around Tampines and Pasir Ris estates before a cooling off period when participants rehydrate themselves with free drinks and finally switch off their “power”. Details can be found here.

Behind this campaign banner, children needed no reminder for such exercises as they romped around playground gadgets in this neighbourhood estate in Tampines. I noticed that the playground talk amongst caregivers who surround Sun Plaza Park’s playground was a familiar cacophony of native and foreign tongues like neighbourhoods elsewhere and not peculiar to Tampines estate.

An interesting sport facility at Sun Plaza Park is a French-inspired game of petanque. This sport involves throwing a fist-sized ball at a target around a miniature golf-like course pass stationary markers. The well-kept lawns and wooden markers intrigued me, as I have never seen anyone play this sport.

There is a space where exhibits of various shapes and textures allow visitors a tactile environment to explore. Sun Plaza Park’s special sculptures like a slice of wall-climbing cliff studded with lumps and bumps, bright blue bent pipes rising from the ground and avant-garde reclining chairs add to the mysterious appeal of Sun Plaza Park.

A jogging cum cycling track envelops this park located in Tampines that has connections to Pasir Ris Park to the northeast and Bedok Reservoir to the southwest. Park benches are available for migratory joggers, cyclists and the occasional photographer like me, underneath the MRT train tracks that run across the middle of the park.

I like the open spaces in Sun Plaza Park that allow soccer aficionados, kite-flyers, tai-chi practitioners and anyone who appreciates out door places to enjoy them.

The Tampines bus interchange and Tampines MRT station is just a five-minute walk away for me to get here. Multiple carparking lots are also available in the HDB neighbourhood nearby if you intend to drive here. Kopi-tiams are plentiful in the nearby shopspaces for rest and rejuvenation after a hard day playing or like me, photographing in Sun Plaza Park.

Tampines’ Sun Plaza Park is a peaceful well-endowed compact park that brims with sporting options that will thrill sports enthusiasts in your family, without displeasing sports-phobic members who live nearby.

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Prawn Fishing "Farm" In Pasir Ris Industrial Estate

Prawn Fishing “Farm” In Pasir Ris Industrial Estate

The expert regulars who come to this isolated prawn fishing “farm” in Pasir Ris Industrial Estate at the junction of Pasir Ris Coast Industrial Park 2 and Pasir Ris Coast Industrial Park 1 will offer you advice on prawn fishing if you ask politely. I put inverted commas on the word “farm” as it is a misnomer. The ponds here are used not to rear prawns but to lure prawn fishing visitors.

Prawn hooking or “prawning” is a delicate sport using a light pole with a 2-metre long line attached to a colourful float and a tiny curved hook. Chicken hearts that look as bad as they smell are provided as bait for you to cut into little pieces to be attached to your hook. Once the prawn bait is ready, lower it gently into the dark liquid below and wait patiently for the prawns to bite.

The thrill comes when you feel the rod tug away as your challenger in the pond tries to outwit and outrun you. Once you catch your first live prawn, the thrill that consumes you is indescribable.

The prawns used at this fresh water sheltered pond are known as Malaysian Prawns or Giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). They can grow up to one foot in length although the objects of my desire at this visit look no more than 5 to 7 inches long. They can be barbecued on site if you arrange to rent mobile barbecue pits. This method of pit barbecue has been claimed to produce fresh tasting, robust textured prawns that give an extra oomph in the mouth. You can come here to fill your hunger anytime as the prawn pond is open 24 hours a day.

At $12 per hour, you can try your luck to catch as many crustaceans as you can. I have seen the owner use a large net to scoop two net full of live prawns from a Jacuzzi-like tank to dump lively prawns into the prawn pond. My expert prawning kaki tells me that you should give the poor prawns at least half an hour to overcome their dizziness before you start buying prawning time.

At this prawn fishing pond in Pasir Ris Industrial Park that has no obvious signboard or name, you can indulge in fishing at two larger sized ponds. Catch and release fishing is practiced in the pond as well as regular fishing.

Public transport to this prawn pond is limited. There is a small parking space on the property but I would not recommend it, as it is unpaved. Most visitors park their cars without displaying coupons alongside deserted roads nearby.

Do you have any other prawning or fishing joints to recommend?

Read more about fishing and prawning:
1. Fishing and prawning places.
2. Fish Farms I've Seen in Singapore.

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SPCA Charity Fun Run At Bedok Reservoir

SPCA Charity Fun Run At Bedok Reservoir

The Society For The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) will be holding a Charity Fun Run at Bedok Reservoir on Sunday, 8 June 2008. This 4 km run will start at 7 am sharp. Those who prefer lesser exertions can choose to walk the route too.

Registration for the SPCA Charity Fun Run at Bedok Reservoir is now open. Your registration fee of $30 will entitle you to a T-shirt and a chance to win a Tudor Prince Date Hydronaut Watch. You can also collect pledge cards to raise funds for SPCA. Registration centers for the charity fun run include SPCA reception at 31, Mount Vernon Road and BigO Café Restaurant at 2nd level, Wheelock Place. Click here for details at SPCA website.

If you are joining the run, you will get the opportunity to appreciate the 41.7-hectare public park that has a track encircling a picturesque body of water. Bedok Reservoir is a popular destination for walkathons, jogathons and running races for schools, national sports associations and many other organizations. Activities that are frequently performed at Bedok Reservoir are in-line blade sports, cycling, dragon boating, kayaking and wake-boarding.

Public bus services provide convenient access through Services 18, 21, 22, 28, 65, 66, 67, 69 and 228 to Bedok Reservoir Road. Carparks are available at entrance of the park although there are too few lots to support the crowd that will be expected on that day.
Enjoy your training for the run and remind your family to keep this appointment.

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Esplanade Bridge: Walk, Jog Or Run In Competitions And At Leisure

Esplanade Bridge: Walk, Jog Or Run In Competitions And At Leisure

History of Esplanade Bridge
Built in1997, this 270-metre-long Esplanade Bridge was used to relieve vehicular traffic loads on Connaught Drive and to connect the Marina Centre area where Suntec City sits, with Shenton Way. Today, pedestrians and sightseers can walk at leisure along either sides of the 70-metre wide Esplanade Bridge for a breathtaking view of the heart of Singapore’s civic district.

Architectural Structure of Esplanade Bridge
The construct of Esplanade Bridge has seven concrete arches that support two four-lane carriageways. Barges and small boats can travel under the bridge that starts near the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay at one end, to the Merlion Park at the other end.

Competitive Mass Walk/Jog On Esplanade Bridge
Besides vehicular usage on its carriageways, Esplanade Bridge is arguably the most popular bridge for mass participation, competitions and similar activities. The Standard Chartered Marathon saw 40,000 participants in 2007. The Singapore Bay Run (also known as the Sheares Bridge Run / Army Half Marathon) had an estimated 70,000 runners crossing the Esplanade Bridge last year.

Enjoy The Sights
As you make your way across the Esplanade Bridge facing the waters of Marina Bay, your eyes will be exposed to the vast expanse of sky, sea and urban enclave clinging along the Singapore River mouth. Before you, the site where the future Sands Marina Bay Integrated Resort and Casino will be built was once reclaimed land. Behind this Integrated Resort, the Benjamin Sheares Bridge rises above the bay past the Singapore Flyer. All these sites will form part of the embankment of the future freshwater Marina Bay Reservoir.

Under the Esplanade Bridge, you can take a peep at the underbelly of this bridge. The arch support rising from the waters can e discerned as you traverse parts of the Merlion Park. For more details about the Merlion Park that I wrote in an earlier post on Seen This Scene That, click this link.

On the opposite side of the Esplanade Bridge, the concrete jungle of the Central Business
District will block out part of Singapore’s sky. While the daylight views of the city are commonplace sights like those in other highly urbanized capitals of the world, the night scene is a different kettle of fish. After your competitive run, I would recommend that you return in the evening. The visual feast of the night-lit Fullerton Hotel and its surrounding buildings will amply reward your efforts to add more spice to your after hours.

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Photographs of Pasir Ris Park Barbecue Pits Number 49 to 51, 61 to 65

Photographs of Pasir Ris Park Barbecue Pits Number 49 to 51, 61 to 65

Pasir Ris Park has a number of barbecue pits. The number and map location of the barbecue pits are well suited for fantastic outdoor picnics. These outdoor picnic places in Pasir Ris Park are often within walking distance to MRT and have great views of the sea.

The barbecue pits come with concrete tables and seats. Families with children can sit and rest or enjoy recreational places along the sandy shoreline.

Visitors to the barbecue pits will love sand castle building opportunities, leisure strolls along the water's edge or just relax to fulfill their recreational needs. There are also pleasant looking shelters large enough for a number of visitors to seek refuge from the sun or rain.

Washroom facilities with clean water for washing, bathing are near to the barbecue pits in Pasir Ris Park. Toilets are within a short walk from the barbecue pits. You can clear your garbage in the many containers provided next to every barbecue pit.

I have received numerous requests for photographs of Pasir Ris Park barbecue pits and their numbered locations in Pasir Ris Park. Here is one photograph of barbecue pits 61 to 65. This is the area right to the end near Lorong Halus.

Check out more photographs at my flickr page by clicking my photos of Pasir Ris Park bbq pits.

Photograph of Barbecue pits 49 to 51. Click here : Photo of Pasir Ris Park bbq pits.

Photograph of Barbecue pits 58 to 60. Click here: photo of Pasir Ris Park bbq pits.

Photograph of Barbecue pits 61 to 65. Click here: photo of Pasir Ris Park bbq pits.

There are other barbecue bits at Changi Beach Park, East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve, Pasir Ris Park, Punggol Park, Sembawang Park and West Coast Park.

If you wish to book a barbecue (BBQ) pit at Pasir Ris Park, check this link to get the information on how to book a barbecue pit at Pasir Ris Park. If you develop rashes, get burnt by hot charcoal during or after your BBQ, check out my sponsor's Singapore Skin Doctors.

Enjoy your barbecue!

Related posts:
1. Street Maps of BBQ Pits in Pasir Ris Park
2. How To Book BBQ Pits in Pasir Ris Park

See more places. Live more life. More pits at Changi Beach Park, East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve, Pasir Ris Park, Punggol Park, Sembawang Park,West Coast Park. Some more here: Changi Beach Park, East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve, Pasir Ris Park, Punggol Park, Sembawang Park, West Coast Park. Finally again: Changi Beach Park, East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve, Pasir Ris Park, Punggol Park, Sembawang Park and West Coast Park.

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Largest Indoor "Singapore Flyer", Playground, Miniature Bowling Alley And More At Downtown East, Pasir Ris

Largest Indoor ‘Singapore Flyer’, Indoor Playground, Miniature Bowling Alley And More At Downtown East, Pasir Ris Park

A new 5-storey Observation Wheel is operational at E!hub at Downtown East. Built by NTUC Club, this giant indoor 25-metre high ferris wheel is sheltered against rain yet welcomes the sun. Each of the capsules can seat up to 6 passengers and no standing is allowed. While it certainly cannot rival the Singapore Flyer in terms of loading capacity and world-record height claim, families with children will still love this new ride that opened on 18 April 2008.

The 5-storey S$80 million E!hub entertainment complex houses several restaurants, cafes, a gaming center, an indoor children’s playground, miniature bowling alley and a cineplex.

The architectural design of E!hub is radically different. A 30-metre high tower fronts the building. Through a glass wall of the building along Pasir Ris Close, visitors can see the ferris wheel mounted within the infrastructure. There is a 6-level multi-storey high-tech carpark that can accommodate up to 700 lots and accepts payment through the vehicle’s IVU. Overhead sensors beam red or green light above each carpark lot to indicate its availability.

For details, click here for E!Hub Downtown East to read.

As today is Labour Day and a public holiday in Singapore, you may want to consider bringing your children to visit the labour union’s newest recreational hangout.

Enjoy your holiday and have a great weekend.

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