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Thank you for your interest in the statistical health of my site. My readership has increased faster than expected since I started this blogging experiment in February 2008.

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Seen This Scene That

Added on 14 October 2008:

Visitor Stats from 1 August 2008 to 14 August 2008:

In the meanwhile, check out my Seen This Scene That blog for other articles and links.

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Lim Bo Seng Memorial At Esplanade Park

Picture above: Lim Bo Seng Memorial

Lim Bo Seng Memorial At Esplanade Park

Many of you would have passed by the Esplanade Park containing the Lim Bo Seng Memorial without battling an eyelid for the structures sitting on prime real estate. Distractions like the durian-shaped Esplanade Mall and the stately masonry of the Old Parliament House and Supreme Court would have courted your attention. Amongst the greenery at Espanade Park lies the Lim Bo Seng Memorial that is well worth a closer visit.

This pagoda-shaped Lim Bo Seng Memorial monument, with carved motifs along its sides and guarded by four bronze lion statues, is dedicated to Lim Bo Seng for his heroism and patriotism during the second World War. If you read the history of Lim Bo Seng's valiant refusal to betray his comrades despite torture till death after he was caught for espionage against the invaders, no one can be unmoved by such a tragic sacrifice. Indeed Lim Bo Seng's memory is one of many lessons that visitors can learn if they walk the Civic District Trail recommended by the National Heritage Board.

I am not sure of the reasons nor the significance for the choice of the pagoda's architectural design nor the lion statues surrounding it. Whatever the reasons, no one can mistaken the Lim Bo Seng Memorial at the Esplanade because there is a prominent National Heritage Board plaque pinned onto the memorial.

Sunday mornings are good times to explore the Esplanade Park. Although tourists may spill over the area by the busloads at certain times, the mood remains quiet and somber. At times shouts and cheers may echo from the open ground of the Padang nearby before the Old Parliament House. The reason is due to the presence of sportsmen and sportswomen indulging in their favourite games. Cricket and softball appears to be popular at this time of the day.

There are other monuments of note as well: the Cenotaph, the Tan Kim Seng Fountain and the Indian National Army Monument.

If you’ve booked into hotels nearby like the Fullerton Hotel, the Esplanade Park is just a hop away. Come September 2008, the peaceful atmosphere will be driven away when the inaugural F1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix 2008 swings into town.

Take care, be happy.

Lim Bo Seng Memorial References:
1944 - Lim Bo Seng: Hero Of Force 136
http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/about_us/history/world_war2/v09n06_history.html

Civic District Trail by NHB
http://www.nhb.gov.sg/PE/sites_trails/civic_district_trail.html

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East Coast Park: Castle Beach, In-line Skates, Barbecue (BBQ) Pit and More

East Coast Park: Castle Beach, In-line Skates, Barbecue (BBQ) Pit and More

Castle Beach
If you ever need help to learn how to build sandcastles at East Coast Park, look no further than Castle Beach near Area E along East Coast Park. This fairy-tale structure that stands more than three times my height, doubles as a convenient meeting place and a focal point for photograph hunters as well as novice sandcastle builders.

While not as elaborately designed as Neuschwanstein Castle in the Bavarian Alps of Germany, the East Coast Park version still looks pretty despite its low-budget appearance. A notice board on Castle Beach reveals that it is a non-profit organization proving sandcastle team building activities for children from under-privileged background, high-risk families and physically challenged conditions (website of non-profit Castle Beach here)

In-line Skates and Bicycle Shops
Teenagers and teens-at-heart who like in-line skating and cycling but did not bring their in-line skates or bicycles will rejoice at the presence of in-line skate rental shop and bicycle rental shop. The in-line skate and bicycle shops are conveniently co-located opposite the reflexology garden .

I spoke to two teenagers minding the in-line skate shop as there were no signboards detailing their charges. They revealed that in-line skate rental costs $10 for the first hour, free for the second and $7 per hour thereafter. Rentals of in-line skates must be returned to their in-line skate shop on time or risk incurring extra charges. The bicycle shop owners displayed their charges prominently. It offered a range of bicycles to choose from, with prices ranging from $6 per hour to $12 per hour for top of the line bicycle models.

Book Barbecue (BBQ) Pit
Barbecue (BBQ) Pit number 51 at Area E stands as the nearest barbecue (bbq) pit to Castle Beach for those interested to book a bbq pit for an evening barbecue. If the barbecue (bbq) party bombs out because of rain, you can always treat your friends and guests to ready-to-eat meals at East Coast Seafood Centre or East Coast Lagoon Food Village.


Fitness and Foot Reflexology Corners, Printed Lanes
Children and their health-conscious parents can work out at the fitness corner nearby as well as at a small foot reflexology garden. Visitors to East Coast Park's beaches can also look for pictures printed into lanes at East Coast Park's shore to decide what to do. Walk if you see the big foot imprints under your feet. Or cycle / in-line skate if you see the logos for cycling / in-line skating. Despite these aids painted onto the lanes, keep an eye out for other East Coast Park users who blatantly ignore these guidelines.

Car park, Meeting Point
The nearest car park is at the car park E2 near the East Coast Lagoon Food Village of East Coast Park. Standard coupon parking rates still applies here. As there is a popular food centre next to this car park, expect to queue for a parking lot during peak dining hours and on weekends. If you come by other transport means, arrange to meet up with your family and friends at Area E Meeting Point. How would you recognise such a Meeting Point? Look for a brightly coloured stack of yellow cubes that stick out from the ground of East Coast Park.

As a note to my readers from overseas, East Coast Park is a 15-kilometre long stretch of sandy beaches, 185 Hectare in size, on Singapore's southern shores that is open to the public without admission charges. If you do visit our little island, a visit to East Coast Park is a worthwhile half-day to full-day tour to meet locals, sample local cuisine and experience a piece of Singapore life.

See more places. Live more life.

Related Reads:
1. East Coast Park: Eastern Coastal End
2. East Coast Park Big Splash Playground
3. Camping In East Coast Park
4. How To Book A Barbecue Pit

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Kidz Walkz At East Coast Park 28 June 2008

Kidz Walkz At East Coast Park 28 June 2008

A one-kilometre long Kidz Walkz competition for kids and families will be held on 28 June 2008 at 5pm at Big Splash of East Coast Park. As part of National Family Celebrations, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister For Community Development, Youth and Sports will be there this Saturday to flag off the race.

Exciting games and performances to delight the young and old will commence at 3pm. There will be a launch of "Celebrating Family: 101 Stories On Love and Inspiration", a book on inspiring examples of how close knit families celebrate their daily lives.

The movie Ratatouille, a cartoon about a rat's ambition to become a celebrated chef, will thrill kids from 7pm. Prizes worth five hundred dollars will go to the family with the "Most Creative Family Attire" fancy dress competition.

The highlight of the evening will be a fireworks display to close National Family Celebrations with a wondrous show of light and colour.

For more details and other events, visit National Family Celebrations website.

For more details on the location, visit Big Splash At East Coast Park website.

Tag: Public Event Announcement

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Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens

Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens

Other than privately owned children’s playgrounds in condominiums and childcare centres, the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden of the Singapore Botanic Gardens must stand out as the only major public children’s playground to possess its own entrance gate and a plethora of security personnel. Beyond its high-security look-alike set-up with its own perimeter fence guarded by a turnstile, the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden of the Singapore Botanic Gardens located off Bukit Timah Road is Asia’s first children’s Garden and a fun place to learn about life sciences.



With a wonderful collection of fun playthings with the right amount of educational fun, children will generate memorable fun moments during a visit to the Singapore Botanic Garden’s Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. On an area map of this place in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden is divided into many sections. Click here for a map of Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. There are attractions like the Waterplay Area, Plants Recycle Area, the Magic of Photosynthesis and the Potting Garden that children will enjoy.


Of all these attractions, the Tree House must rank as the most beloved item in our family. Nestled among the branches and leaves of a tall tree, Jacob Ballas Garden’s most distinguished tree house is a dream-come-true for children who have never laid eyes on one. My wife enjoyed her time on the sturdy wooden planks too, on the pretext of escorting our children up the tree house. Two tunnel slides, painted bright red, allow kids to vroom down from three-storeys high like a soon-to-appear Singapore Grand Prix Formula One (F1) racer. Adults may also use the slides without shame (to test the slides before the kids take their turns) as the construction appears as tough as it looks.

The other must-try item is the Suspension Bridge made of rope and wood that straddles across a small pond. This miniature suspension bridge will test children’s sense of balance as they attempt to walk across a wobbly swinging bridge.

The Kids A-Mazing Play area, made of plant hedges, is another favourite play zone for my kids at Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. Getting lost and chasing voices around a maze seems like a fun activity no kid can run away from. The lesson on photosynthesis comes alive in another section of this Singapore Botanic Garden enclave where children get to learn how sunlight, carbon dioxide and water is turned into nutrients for plants. The traditional Sandy Pit where children can get their hands dirty is a sure-fire crowd puller.

Washing facilities are top notch at Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden and a small café on site serves beverages and convenience food with tables for a family meal. A carpark is situated just outside the entrance to the Children's Garden.

This garden is definitely highly recommended for families with children.

Jacob Ballas Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens

• Opening Hours = 8 am to 7 pm. Closed on Mondays.
• Only children less than 12 years old allowed.
• Adults must accompany all children.
• Npark's SBG website
• Admission free

Read more, see maps of Botanic Garden.

Do you have places to recommend?

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Visit Katong Park Singapore: Once-Old Town, Battle Ground, Children’s Playground, Museum Round and More To Be Found

above: click on images to get larger view of Katong Park

Visit Katong Park Singapore: Once-Old Town, Battle Ground, Children’s Playground, Museum Round and More To Be Found

Visiting Katong Park, situated at the junction of Myer Road and Fort Road, resembles a trip to an open-air museum. As one of the oldest public parks in Singapore from the time of its opening in the 1930s, this part of Singapore is redolent with memories of the country’s past. After a visit here, I suspect that it may be a matter of time before it may be renamed as Katong Park Open Air Museum.

The writing and historical records provided by the National Heritage Board and the National Parks Board showed the various uses that Katong Park had performed. From coconut plantations, seaside resort, military fortification, World War II factory, live firing target for bombs, leisure center, housing estate and now a heritage park cum museum. It is indeed amazing to see so much happen in one small patch of land.

above: click on image to see larger view of Katong Park's 'exhibits'

Physically, Katong Park possesses characteristics of a museum as well as a park. The museum bits come in the form of a gallery-like setting, photographic displays, information boards and a fenced-up installation of a 3-dimensional hole-in-the-ground artwork. On the other hand, family-friendly features like a playground and a dog run compound, to entertain children and pets respectively, add up to what one would expect to find in a public park. Another park amenity, a fitness corner, comes in handy to provide physical therapy for enthusiastic visitors’ stiff limbs that have stood too long to admire these museum-like exhibits.


There are many photographic art pieces on exhibition at Katong Park. The backers of this “open-air museum” succeeded in providing a useful synopsis of the history with a sense of its culture through the write-ups and explanations. I rate them to be tastefully done in a manner that does not put visitors into an afternoon siesta mood.

Half hidden at a corner of Katong Park is an intriguing archaeological remains of a fort that I like very much. It resembles an installation art piece surrounded by a protective fence. This site contains the southeast bastion of Fort Tanjong Katong (1879 to 1091) that was built during days before the tides were pushed back to East Coast Beach Park through land reclamation.


Visitors who share fictional character Indiana Jones’ archaeological inclinations get to swoon over this hole in a park. Sketches of this fort, one of Singapore’s rare archaeological digs, are pinned to the information stand near the fence. The details provided should offer many hours of discussion for such like-minded individuals.

Do you have any other parks to share?

See more places. Live more life.

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Prospect Of Blowing The Final Whistle On The National Stadium

Prospect Of Blowing The Final Whistle On The National Stadium

This was the scene that greeted me during the SEAP (South East Asian Peninsular) games in September of 1973 when I was first introduced to the brand new National Stadium in Kallang. Instead of emptiness on the stairs and galleries now at the National Stadium, a festive mass of moving bodies was gathered that day. At that time, excitement at the National Stadium was palpable for a young school boy like me on an outing with his father, visiting one of the greatest events on South East Asia's sporting calendar.

Looking back, not much memory about the specific events nor the names of individual sports participants at the National Stadium could be traced. But one detail I could retrieve was the impression of multiple tall steps around and within the National Stadium. I remember having to climb them to get to my seat inside the National Stadium's impressive spectator stands.

In due time, this scene of the National Stadium will be gone forever. A new SportsHub has been planned to assume national duties. Already performing overtime with repeated delays on blowing the final whistle on its own game, the largest stadium in Singapore has seen its share of Singapore's sports and cultural history.

In the midst of this island's fast-paced progress, I sometimes look for familiar places like the National Stadium to steady myself against the relentless tide of change. It has also risen to mind that I start to hanker for something more when faced with the prospect of losing it.
I wonder if my readers have similar experiences?

See old places. Relive life.

Other sites that I am familiar with:

National stadium tour

Liverpool Football Club

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Fishing Places For Children To Visit In Singapore: ‘LongKang’ Fishing Pond In Sungei Tengah

Fishing Places For Children To Visit In Singapore: ‘LongKang’ Fishing Pond In Sungei Tengah

Smitten with the thrill of ‘longkang’ fishing at a Kranji fishing place earlier in June, we visited another ‘longkang’ fishing place at Qian Hu Aquarium in Sungei Tengah as my children clamoured for more during this June holiday.

Qian Hu needs no introduction for Singaporeans who dabble in shares on the Stock exchange of Singapore. This listed company is a major producer and exporter of tropical fishes. Their aquarium and fish farm at Jalan Lekar, off Sungei Tengah, has several ponds to amuse local visitors who come for longkang fishing, feet-cleansing routines and aquarium fish shopping.

Qian Hu’s ‘longkang’ is tucked away in a corner of the main building that sits on the left as you walk down the sloping road from its main entrance. This fenced-up open area for ‘longkang’ fishing has a concrete pond of uneven depth, between 1 to 2 feet with a series of shallow canals connected into a maze. There are sheltered benches for child minders to rest as they watch over their children.

Their ‘longkang’ fishing policy is to charge children less than 12 years old $5 each for half hour of fishing. You get to keep all longkang fishes that you manage to catch, plus the plastic container allocated to you. However, the fishing net has to be returned and exchanged for a container lid to seal your container of fishes for the journey home.

The small rectangular nets attached to a flimsy handle made longkang fishing challenging. Through trial and error, we learnt that you could succeed in catching fishes in several ways. The first way is to hold the net near the surface of the water, aim at your target, then swing the net down and scoop up your catch. This method generates a lot of unwanted splash and success depends on the speed and the distance of the fish from the water surface.

The other more refined way is to use stealth. Put the net under water close to the side of the longkang and trail your target with the net. When the fish swims between the net and the side of the longkang, capture your target by pushing the net against the side of the longkang. Then scrape the sidewall as you lift up the fish sticking to the net out of the water.

As a last resort, if all else fails, use the plastic container that was provided and leave it under water with its opening facing one direction. From the other end, use your net to chase fishes along the canal and hope that one or two will swim into the container. Once the fishes are inside, you have to lift the container out of the water quickly. I am sure you can think of other ingenious ways to help your child succeed in longkang fishing.

At this ‘longkang’ fishing pond, there are two round shallow ponds under shelter where patrons pay $10 to get their feet cleansed by a special breed of fish. Users remove their footwear, sit on the rim of the pond and dangle both feet to allow fishes to chew away dead skin cells. We did not try this feet cleansing routine, as the thought of fishes biting our lower limbs was as unappealing as the sharing of water filled with other people’s unwanted skin tissues.

There are also mature fruit-bearing chiku trees on this property. Children can learn to recognize the chiku tree and receive opportunity to touch the fruits, bark and leaves. A pond filled with terrapins sat near one corner and those keen may feed them at their own pleasure. Elsewhere, there are many fish farm tanks full of exotic ornamental aquarium fishes, goldfishes and koi fishes. Of note are the expensive Arowana fishes, housed in a darkened room, that visitors can come to appreciate their aesthetic value.

This is another fun and interesting fishing place for kids to visit in Singapore. For older Singaporeans pining for a return to the good old days of long kang fishing, this fishing place is one of those nostalgic places to relive the memories. For the younger generation, this is one place to learn why longkang fishing was the craze during their parents or grandparents time.

See more places. Live more life.

Related Reading:

Kranji Long Kang Fishing

Prawn Fishing Farm

Related posts:
1) Longkang fishing in Kranji (1)
2) Longkang fishing in Kranji (2)
3) Kids fishing place at Bottle Tree
4) Fishing place for kids at Sungei Tengah

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East Coast Park: Playground At Big Splash

East Coast Park: Playground At Big Splash

Big Splash at East Coast Park was one of my favourite water theme parks when young. Before I had a chance to travel overseas to explore theme parks elsewhere, this was the best water-themed playground for me.

What used to be the highest iconic waterslide (about 7-storeys high) in Singapore’s first ever water-themed park has been replaced by a more down to earth watering hole. The Playground at Big Splash, located at 902, East Coast Parkway, now occupies the site where Big Splash used to sit.

On a visit to East Coast Park's Playground at Big Splash recently, I discovered a collection of low-rise buildings that housed many modern-day dining options and lifestyle amenities with a playground thrown in. If you were expecting a huge open area filled with lots of playground structures to keep your children happy like those mammoth playgrounds at West Coast Park 3 or Pasir Ris Park, you would be sorely disappointed as I. Instead the playground here refered to the indoor mini-golf course, childcare services, in-line skating shop and bicycle kiosk that developers of the site had declared on their website were things kids love.

The fence surrounding the children’s playground with a locked gate and prominent sign hint of its private property status. Across the road from this playground, an open area that can be used as an events location stood before me. I saw visitors practicing in-line skating with like-minded individuals, next to others who were cycling around on their bikes at Playground at Big Splash.

From fast food outlets to sit-in restaurants, visitors who dropped in on East Coast Park's Playground at Big Splash would be spoiled for choice when deciding on the type of cuisine to refuel their bodies after an outing to East Coast Park. Where the foot of the old Big Splash’s waterslide used to stretch out was an uncovered parking lot. Free parking for the first half hour at this place allowed me to scoop up take-away dinner and to drive out before the electronic monitors started charging for usage after 30 minutes.

From the playground at Big Splash, you could walk across the cycling tracks and footpaths to reach the beaches of East Coast Park. There, the sea, sand, sun and familiar East Coast Park beachside fun awaited the child in me. If you pine for the old Big Splash like I did, relive those memories with old photos at LaoKokok's site here.

Most places have names that easily reveal the nature of their activities or function. Unfortunately, the ‘playground’ tag that is used here was not what my children and I had in mind before our recent maiden visit. Still, a visit to East Coast Park is always a pleasure that brings good memories.


See more Places. Live more life.


Related Reading:

1. Camping Permitted In East Coast Park
2. East Coast Park: Eastern End
3. East Coast Park: Castle Beach

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Images Taken During My Family's Visit To Peranakan Museum: Published With Written Permission

Images Taken During My Family's Visit To Peranakan Museum: Published With Written Permission

If you read my earlier post on the Peranakan Museum, you would have noticed I wrote that no images of the exhibits in the Peranakan Museum could be published without permission. As a sceptical individual living on an island, I had assumed that their website notice was a polite way of saying NOBODY can publish any images from Peranakan Museum at all. Really. I had even published the earlier text without photos of the exhibits here.

As there was no form on its website to indicate who or where we could approach for permission, I took a chance and e-mailed them on their feedback form, believing it would be swallowed into a blackhole, never to be heard from again. I was really surprised when I received a reply the next day informing me that they were "OK for you to upload your personal photos of the Peranakan Museum on your weblog".

To Ms Joice Toh, Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications Unit of the Peranakan Museum, thank you! I hope this would not unleash a flood of email requests to keep you from your busy schedule.

So enough talk, here's the photos.

Above 2 pics: The tok panjang (long dining table) with pingang mangkok (bowls and plates) demonstrating fine intricate motifs.


Above: One of the many kamcheng (porcelain pot) that may possibly feed a person with enough nutritional soup for weeks!


Above: Figure-hugging kebayas

Above: curtain of fertility motifs and good-luck amulets


Above: hands-on station for visitors to get in touch with the exhibits.

Above: Order of Temasek medal



Above: my girl trying to figure out whether girls or boys wear these clothes.


See more places. Live more life.

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Esplanade Park: Tan Kim Seng Fountain

Tan Kim Seng Fountain

My recent visit to the Peranakan Museum triggered my memory of a place I visited earlier in the year. Visitors who were enthralled by the Perakan Museum exhibits will not forget a large image of one of the generous Peranakan pioneers, Tan Kim Seng.

The Tan Kim Seng Fountain is located at the Esplanade Park. Visitors like myself who go on the National Heritage Board's Civic District Trail ( here ) will encounter this Victorian-styled fountain that was erected in 1882 in recognition of wealthy Peranakan merchant Tan Kim Seng. He donated a large sum of money to the Municipal Council for the purpose of bringing free piped water to the citizens of the Town.

Here is a look at the Fountain in the 1900s.

Source: Picture Archives of Singapore

See more Places. Live more Life.

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A Family's Impressions Of The Peranakan Museum, Singapore: Marriages, Mothers, Models, Medals And Much More

A Family’s Impressions of Peranakan Museum Singapore: Marriages, Mothers, Models, Medals And Much More

My family of five, who carry no known Peranakan genes, paid a recent visit to Singapore’s Peranakan Museum at 39 Armenian Street, for a Saturday afternoon of exploration and learning. This occurred after the hustle and bustle of its recent opening festivities had subsided. What I discovered was a lavish collection of Peranakan artefacts spread throughout ten entertaining galleries in an impressive three-level building. To my family, the memories in the Peranakan Museum seemed to revolve around makan, marriages, mothers, models, medals, mourners and much more.

The many exhibits that were supplemented with information boards and audiovisual aids at the Peranakan Museum overwhelmed us. I would have loved to put up photographic images of the Peranakan Museum exhibits to share but the Peranakan Museum website has a warning: “No images of the Museum or its collections may be reproduced, distributed in any media, including websites, without permission from ACM.” You can inspect the high quality images at their museum website over here.

Who is a Peranakan and how do you recognize one? For this and other questions, my family wandered into Gallery One on the ground floor of the Peranakan museum to check out the photographic models of present-day Peranakan faces smiling from three walls. An audiovisual presentation in the same room performed a brief introduction that I felt did not provide in-depth answers.

From the photographs, it was not possible to discern any distinguishing feature to identify a Peranakan. According to the Peranakan Museum A-Z guide, I quote: “the term ‘Peranakan’, meaning ‘child of’ or ‘born of’ in Malay, has come to refer to the descendents of traders who intermarried with local women in Southeast Asia. Over time, a distinctive culture that brought together Chinese, Malay, Indian, European and other influences, emerged.”

Of the Peranakan Museum’s ten galleries of exhibits, my family liked the gallery with the tok panjang (long dining table) laid with pingang mangkok (bowls and plates). We loved the large spread of exquisite bowls, plates and other crockery, designed with fine intricate motifs of butterflies, phoenixes, peonies and pink emblems on both surfaces of the crockery. Just based on these exquisite display sets, I could imagine all the aromatic goodies calling out to my nostrils to sample Peranakan cuisine. A wall display nearby filled with rows of kamcheng (porcelain pots) with their elaborately attractive designs captivated our attention as well.

The twelve-day Peranakan wedding ceremony galleries provided an eye-opening experience. The matrimonial bedroom easily earned our family’s 'best visual exhibit' accolade. Besides beautiful carvings on the bedposts, a curtain of fertility motifs and good-luck amulets added to the superstitious mystique surrounding this bed used in yesteryears. While it was considered one of the largest furniture pieces during its heyday, I would deem it a size too small, and a tad too ostentatious for minimalist-designed bedrooms of today.

Other aspects of the wedding gallery intrigued. The service of a young boy to bless the wedding bed in the hope of procreating a son as shown in the video screening brought out a question from one of my daughters on the reason for the biasness of the generations at that time. While the deployment of a cockerel and a hen under the matrimonial bed to determine the sex of a couple’s first born might be hailed as a ridiculous practice in the light of modern scientific knowledge, this practice was still considerably more elegant than flipping a coin.

My wife and children were awed by the hand-sewn beaded pieces of embroidery like the million-bead tablecloth as well as the figure-hugging kebaya collection. While they checked out the laces, styles and designer quirks, I was wondering how useful these priceless investments would be as a collector’s item to beat inflation. The museum’s other exhibits of gorgeous handiwork like beaded slippers, knee pads and handkerchiefs, plus the history of house confinement for girls above twelve years old to learning sewing, beading and cooking, showed a society that placed great emphasis on training for married life and motherhood.

above: 'medals' of museum entry sticker tickets

Elsewhere within the museum walls, I noticed several medals on display. There was a Darjah Utama Temasek (Order of Temasek) medal conferred on Mr Lim Kim San and an Order of the British Empire (1918) medal for Dr Lim Boon Keng, amongst the exhibits. These offered ignorant visitors like me some idea of the significant contributions of prominent Peranakans in the past. Along the same corridor of this gallery, you cannot miss the large portraits of Tan Tock Seng, Tan Kim Seng and Gan Eng Seng, wealthy Peranakans rightly recognized for their philanthropic far-sightedness.

above: stamping machine enchantment

My kids did not jump with thrill when I pointed out clothes on display at one of the galleries that Peranakan kids used to wear on special occasions. They thought it was not as fashionable or comfortable as their present-day all-purpose T-shirts. However, there was one item in almost all galleries that enchanted them. The stamping machine was their favourite “exhibit” at the Peranakan Museum and they expressed disappointment with a broken piece at one of the galleries.

It was obvious at the end of the tour that the extensive use of glass barriers in the galleries prevented close proximity to better appreciate details. Thus it was no surprise that my children enjoyed one of the galleries because of the old telephone exhibits. There were three reasons for that. The telephones were a novelty to them. They were allowed to handle and play with the telephones. They could listen to weird conversations by strange-sounding voices. The wall display holding three items (including a single kasut manek) that were encased with holes large enough for hands to reach the items was a letdown as my children preferred them to be more accessible, perhaps like those hand phones on sale in a shop with a wire chained to the item.

The mourners’ wail at a corner of the Religion Gallery was a rather morbid auditory experience. For those who are “pantang” or superstitious about such funerary displays, it is best to heed the warning signs posted at the door and skip this creepy section.

In a nutshell, a two-hour visit to the Peranakan Museum inclusive of a guided tour is insufficient time for a curious family with little prior background knowledge to truly appreciate all the exhibits and the stories behind them. To extract a better understanding from the visit, books like Peranakan Museum A-Z Guide (first published by the Asian Civilisations Musuem for the Pernakan Museum 2008) and Lim GS Catherine’s Gateway To Peranakan Culture (Asiapac Books 2007) helped me to patch up the gaps. As for my children, who had to tag along because I recommended it, they were able to find something to learn. Most importantly, they managed to enjoy the visit to the Peranakan Museum without being saddled with the feeling that museum visits were boring turn-offs.

[Latest Update as at 18 June 2008:]

I have obtained permission from Peranakan Museum to upload the photographs taken at the museum. Here is the link to Images Taken During My Family's Visit To Peranakan Museum: Published With Written Permission.

See more Places. Live more Life.

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A Poem At The End Of Lim Chu Kang Road

A Poem At The End Of Lim Chu Kang Road

Above seawater, strips of wooden planks

Splay together like best friends

Tanning on long rows of drum

In late afternoon Kranji sun.

Wobble, hobble, fear of trouble.

My footsteps, one after another,

Bring stiff shoulders

Closer to the edge of nature.

I am a witness trying to understand

Why this jetty doesn’t drift away from land

As distant boat passes my left hand,

Stirs boats hugging tyres that hug these planks.

Deep water smiles, like in therapy:

Won’t you jump in now to see?

Rubbish bags, discarded Tees,

The wonder of Man and the sea.

by STST

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An Afternoon Outing To Palawan Beach, Sentosa Singapore

An Afternoon Outing To Palawan Beach, Sentosa Singapore

Despite being wary of crowds, we visited Palawan Beach, Sentosa Singapore on a cloudy weekend afternoon for a June holiday excursion. Fortunately, our senses were not overwhelmed by the feeling that tourists from all corners of the globe had descended on this piece of shoreline billed by Singapore’s tourism gurus as “continental Asia’s southern most point”. Compared to the mind-boggling queues at Sentosa’s Impiah Station where popular attractions like the Sentosa Luge, Sentosa 4D Magix, Sentosa CineBlast, Images of Singapore and Cable Car Arrival Plaza were congregated, visiting Palawan Beach was a more sedate family-friendly affair.

Cross the long narrow wooden rope bridge that barely accommodates two slim adults standing side by side and you will reach an isle that houses two observations towers. Made-of-wood and unlike sky-high counterparts like the fictitious Twin Towers in J. R. Tolkien’s The Two Towers or Kuala Lumpur’s Twin Towers, the twin peaks on Palawan Beach are easy to climb. There is an interconnecting bridge that allows visitors to cross over to the other tower around its mid level.

The reward for scaling about four levels high is a panoramic bird’s eye view of Singapore’s Sentosa shoreline. To the east, I could make out the perimeter fence to the Sentosa Dolphin Lagoon Show and hear the commentator’s voice as the Dolphin Lagoon Show progressed. Towards the Sentosa’s main land, construction work is close to completion for the new Capella Singapore hotel. To the west, I could just make out the image of the gigantic Merlion sculpture and the Sky Tower. Off the coast of Sentosa, you will note the reason why Singapore has the tag for the busiest port of call in the world.

Next to these towers is a six-feet tall concrete sculpture. Sculpted in the name of Sentosa and tagged with ‘southernmost point of continental Asia’ catchphrase, this man-made marker is a magnet for fastidious visitors to Sentosa who require their obligatory family photograph to demonstrate unequivocal proof of their visit.

The waters of Palawan Beach on Sentosa are fairly litter-free although underwater visibility is only two to three feet. Ample space along Palawan Beach, covered by soft powdery white sand, allows many visitors to make merry by the water’s edge. Two lifeguard towers sit prominently on Palawan Beach, while two lifeguards per tower stand in brightly coloured attire on their shift.

After some serious beach games, visitors can head to the Kopi Tiam foodcourt for comfort food and replenishment. Children can play outside this food court at an open area with free flowing waterspouts in a fountain. There are several pubs and restaurants along Sentosa’s Palawan Beach that can satisfy Palawan Beach visitors looking for a more elegant dining experience.

Nearer to the pavement along Palawan Beach, a small cactus garden added a surprise finding to the beachside landscape. As I noticed cyclists and pedestrians ambling past these prickly thorns, I wondered about the danger posed should unfortunate cyclists or pedestrians stray off the pavements. Continuation along this pavement towards the west will lead to the Animal & Bird Encounter and Palawan Amphitheatre.

If you drive to Sentosa’s Palawan Beach, prepare to pay $2 per passenger (adult and child) plus another $2 for car entry. A carpark, situated close to Palawan Beach, offers cheap convenient parking space at $1.07 per entry, inclusive of GST. If you don’t mind walking, you can park further away at Tanjung Beach near the eastern end of Sentosa for free.

For map of Sentosa, check this link to Sentosa map here.

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Riverside Greenery At Anchorvale Street Bridge, Sengkang Singapore

above: click on image for larger view

Riverside Greenery At Anchorvale Street Bridge, Sengkang, Singapore

This recent photograph was taken on Anchorvale Street Bridge in Singapore’s Sengkang estate as it crosses Sungei Punggol. In the picture above, I tried to capture the sense of natural spaces dwarfing concrete places at Anchorvale in Sengkang. The riverside greenery towards Lorong Buangkok on the south side of the bridge, in my opinion, is better than the other side facing the Tampines Expressway.

The Anchorvale Street Bridge is used for pedestrian and vehicular crossing with a LRT track running above it. Cyclists, joggers, drivers and opportunistic passers-by like me have been spotted using this bridge for different agendas. Those with two wheels or two feet would line up at the extreme lanes that double up as foot and bicycle pathways, while four-wheel owners would take to the four carriageways near the road divider.

Seats are available at the walkways for couples to cuddle or for tired joggers to catch their breaths in sight of river views. I have seen anglers on fishing assignments reel in an afternoon catch while cyclists would stop to admire the scenery. I think passengers in LRT trains get the best views as they can check out the horizon on either side of the bridge from the elevated position of the train track, although I have yet to test out my theory.

The design of the bridge seems to be a fuss-free functional one with little attempt to impress users. River scenery and lots of greenery that pleasure the heart go the distance to compensate for a bridge long on utility and short on aesthetics.

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Fun Places For Kids To Visit In Singapore: Kranji "Long Kang" Fish Farm

Fun Places For Kids To Visit In Singapore: Kranji ‘Long Kang’ Fish Farm

Hausmann Marketing Aquarium and Fish Farm is one of the fun places for kids to visit in Singapore. I discovered this on a recent Sunday afternoon when I brought my three children to 291, Neo Tiew Cresent in Kranji to visit this aquarium and fish farm. This kids-friendly aquarium cum fishing pond/farm visit was recommended by yg, a well-travelled blogger (click here to visit his site) of places to visit in Singapore and the world. With this aquarium and fish farm placed on the top of my shortlist of fun places for kids to visit around Singapore’s Kranji wilderness, I set off with the family in tow on a Sunday afternoon.

A shower of blessing welcomed us at the fish farm’s single-storey main building just as we reached the driveway. The heavy downpour at the narrow carpark, cramped with other vehicles, tested my driving skills severely. Rain must have contributed to a cluttered feel when we arrived in the crowded reception area as there were many standing visitors huddled around dining tables filled with more seated visitors. It looked like many of them were waiting for the rain to abate.

I was looking for a fun place for my kids to visit in Kranji, one of the few remaining wilderness left in Singapore. At this fishing pond in Kranji, ‘long kang’ fishing was the specific type of fun fishing on our minds. This fun fishing place for kids to visit was available within the same reception cum dining hall. A 4-metre by 3-metre one-foot deep concrete pond that was subdivided into mini-canals or ‘long kang’ evoked sweet childhood memories for me.

Kids who had arrived earlier were seen dashing around the ‘long kang’, chasing fishes with small square-shaped nets in hand. They were animated and noisy as they splashed water on their own clothes while they chased after their prey in the man-made longkangs. Loud whoops of joy were released whenever a successful catch was made.

For a $2 fee at this kid-friendly fish farm in Kranji, children were allowed to catch as many ‘long kang’ fishes as they could within half an hour of play. The fishes that were scooped up into small plastic pails during this period had to be surrendered to the farm owners. If you are willing to pay $5 per child, a souvenir of two goldfishes in an oxygen-enriched transparent plastic bag would be handed over in exchange for the compulsory return of all catch-and-release fishes.

Elsewhere on the aquarium and fish farm premises, a roomful of tropical and exotic aquarium fishes were on display and for sale in Singapore. I was impressed with the amber-bright Columbian stingrays for their colour with their brown doughnut-shaped ring patterns and the live shrimps for their intense colours despite their tiny sizes. Like other private-enterprise aquariums where picture taking is generally forbidden, the menders at this fish farm were wary of camera-toting visitors like me.

Outside this aquarium room, huge black Araipaima fishes about 5 feet long intrigued us with their large physical dimensions as they floated eerily in dark one-metre deep concrete pools of water. Hungry Carps in feeding frenzy as they gulped bread dropped from little fingers provided kids and young-at-heart adults with plenty of thrill. Terrapins huddled in a tank raised their lean necks expecting food whenever we approached.



Further within this property was a large pond for fishing enthusiasts to indulge in their pastime. As the downpour continued, most anglers took refuge under flimsy zinc-roofed shelters while a few die-hard fishing kakis donned ponchos and continued to perfect their art under pelting rain.

Rain had other unexpected spin-offs. Mini-waterfalls were apparent as a result of gaps in the zinc-roofed extensions around the main building. Walkways around the periphery of the main building were uneven with makeshift wooden planks covering drainage canals. Water showers and swirling puddles certainly made our footwork challenging, as we had to leave the main building to reach another section on this fishing farm.

While I had mentally prepared myself for a wet experience in view of the ‘long kang’ fishing adventure, rain had multiplied the fun quotient for our visit to a long kang fish farm in Singapore’s Kranji.

Related posts:
1) Longkang fishing in Kranji (1)
2) Longkang fishing in Kranji (2)
3) Kids fishing place at Bottle Tree
4) Fishing place for kids at Sungei Tengah

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The Parks And Trees Act Chapter 216: A Fine Example To Read The Fine Print

The Parks And Trees Act Chapter 216: A Fine Example To Read The Fine Print

A visitor to Seletar Reservoir was reportedly fined $3000 in the High Court under the Parks And Trees Act for committing the offence of feeding monkeys in Singapore’s Central Catchment Area (see link). Under the Parks and Trees Act Chapter 216, no one is allowed to “capture, displace or feed any animal” within any national park or nature reserve. The maximum penalty under this benign sounding Parks And Trees Act is a whopping $50,000 fine and / or six months in a harder-to-get-out-than-Mas-Selamat type of jail. For details, check out this link (statutes). or download from here.



The reasons behind the draconian punishments according to the National Parks Board are the need to protect the monkeys (from population boom and becoming dependent on handouts), and to protect park visitors who may be harmed by aggressive handout-dependent monkeys who stray into residential areas..

The sight of monkeys along Old Upper Thomson Road would surely charm most visitors to the park. The initial surge of child-like fun would prompt some to instinctively reach for food to feed them. Most people are not cognizant of the dangers that such an act would elicit. Others may be doing it to lure the monkeys closer for photographic opportunities. Whatever motivation you may have to feed the monkeys, be aware that parks rangers seem like a superhuman breed who can leap tall trees in a single bound, turn up at the scene of a crime faster than a speeding bullet, and slap you with a fine heavier than the combined weight of all reservoir water in the Central Catchment Area.

I have already alluded to the fact that appealing to common sense through educational campaigns can only go so far to influence Singaporean behaviour in my earlier post on Seen This Scene That. [check here] With the Parks And Trees Act, it seems that hitting the pocket for maximum pain has become the preferred way to align anti-monkey-feeding behaviour to acceptable standards.

Hardly anyone would bother to read the fine print under the Parks And Tress Act. However, pleading ignorance to the Parks And Trees Act cannot be used as a line of defence if you are caught dining-out with monkeys in reservoir parks. Newspapers have given much prominence to the poor souls caught in this monkey business. The long arm of the law has even planted a huge billboard by the side of the road to educate misguided visitors.

The Parks And Trees Act is a fine piece of legislation with many fine prints. There are provisions to deal with various scenarios like pollution of reservoirs, acts of destruction to our flora and fauna, and even disobeying officers carrying out the letter of the law. Suffice to say that the objective behind the Parks And Trees Act is to protect the precious natural environment for future generations to appreciate.

For a fine time in Singapore’s many fine parks without incurring any unnecessary fine, please take your animal-feeding kindness elsewhere. I am sure that the SPCA or Singapore Zoological Gardens would appreciate your animal-loving kindness more.

See more places. Feed no monkeys.

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Southern Ridges Singapore: Forest Walk At Telok Blangah Hill

Southern Ridges Singapore: Forest Walk At Telok Blangah Hill

The Forest Walk, a part of the 9-kilometre long Southern Ridges of Singapore, is accessible at its eastern entrance at Telok Blangah Hill at the end of Telok Blangah Green near the Telok Blangah Service Reservoir. The Forest Walk consists of raised walking platforms made of steel that stretches westward for 1.3 kilometres to Alexandra Road. Through the Alexandra Arch Bridge, the Southern Ridges continues to Hort Park all the way to West Coast Park.

Under a late afternoon drizzle, I arrived at the carpark of Telok Blangah Hill Park to find vacant lots for convenient parking. This was out of my expectation as the week before I had encountered long queues of vehicles waiting at fully filled carparks. A short walk to the end of Telok Blangah Green with the aid of umbrellas brought my family to the start point of the Forest Walk.

The best views of the entire Forest Walkway is at the highest point as you step off Telok Blangah Hill to commence your journey. The zigzag configuration of the walkway has a very dramatic impact. Coupled with the distant views from the hill and the depth of the secondary forest far below, there was a definite “wow” sensation for me. The hairs on my skin rose to new heights as I lingered to savour the ambience.

The Forest Walk of the Southern Ridges is also not a place to visit for those who fear heights. The steel platforms are made of strips of steel bars that form a triangle, mimicking the “Mile-A-Minute” plant. Conspicuous gaps in these steel platforms leave the faint hearted no room to hide from the “walking on air” feeling within the first ten steps that you take. I was able to peer through these gaps to see the bottom 18-metres below at its highest point. As I walked along the Forest Walk and looked at the floor of the secondary forest under my feet, irrational thoughts of the platform gaps widening to swallow my body flashed briefly to mind. The platform gaps seemed wider at the Forest Walk compared to the Canopy Walk that I visited earlier.

As I descended from Telok Blangah Hill Park towards Alexandra Arch, the steel platforms of the Forest Walk formed a smooth walkway without any steps. There were some stairways to the side of the walkway for shortcuts across the platforms. Some of these stairways led directly to the forest floor.

In the rain, the Forest Walk’s sloping steel walkway did not feel slippery and there was little need to utilize the railings for further support. However, there were only two shelters near both ends of the Forest Walk. No seats were sighted throughout the 1.3-kilometre long walkway.

Many plaques with details of the local flora were scattered along the Southern Ridges’ Forest Walk. These provided useful information on the various plants and trees in this part of the Southern Ridges. Names like Dillenia suffruticosa, Adenantina pavonina, Ficus benjamina and Morinda umbellate were unfamiliar names to a botanically-challenged Singaporean like me.

Near the middle of Singapore’s Forest Walk at Preston Road, I could see a banner displaying the National Parks Board Plant-A-Tree programme. At a large clearing, newly planted trees with short trunks and small foliages were spotted. For a $200 donation to the Garden City Fund, sponsors receive an opportunity to plant a tree in selected parks of Singapore, including this spot.

For visitors who wish to learn more about nature, you can take the path through Telok Blangah Hill via Earthwalk. This path is more down to earth as you get closer to nature by hiking through the vegetation on unpaved paths beneath the steel walkways.

I found the return hike from Alexandra Arch up the slopes of Telok Blangah Hill to be more physically challenging. If you stick to the steel walkways, even a small child can tackle it if you pace yourself. My advice is to bring plenty of water, raincoat (for wet weather), sunscreen (for hot weather) and good hiking shoes.

The Southern Ridges’ Forest Walk certainly provides the most dramatic views, the best walking-on-air experience and the longest walkway challenge for acrophobic visitors in Singapore.

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