Map: Sembawang Park BBQ Pits

Map: Sembawang Park BBQ Pits

This map of Sembawang Park's bbq pit can be obtained from NParks online BBQ booking system.

A few of the pits are scattered within Sembawang Park. Many other outdoor public bbq pits are lined along the edge of Sembawang Park, with a cool view of the sea. Strong breeze from the coast can make fire starting a tricky affair here. There are public shelters next to the pits but these shelters cannot be booked online. It is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Outdoor public barbecue enthusiasts should book a bbq pit early on weekends in order to get a pit for your bbq party. There is a fee that you need to pay after online booking of BBQ pit is done.

Map of Sembawang Park BBQ Pits (source: National Parks Board (NParks))

To book a bbq pit at Sembawang Park, go to my post on booking a bbq pit for the details.

Enjoy your BBQ!

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Duck Farm In Singapore

'Duck Farm' In Singapore

Old Duck Farm in Singapore. Photograph courtesy of NHB PICAS.

In my travels around Singapore while writing for Seen This Scene That, I came across a 'duck farm' in Singapore recently. You will not find any other duck farm as modern as this farm. Like most things in Singapore, this duck farm has undergone extensive 'upgrading', like no other.

This unique duck farm is located in a residential estate. It is not isolated in a far-flung wild corner of Singapore. Yet residents and visitors will have no cause to complain about unpleasant fragrance or noisy behaviour of the duck population at this farm.

The reason for this heavenly coexistence of a duck farm in the middle of a housing estate?

Look at the photograph of this duck farm for the answer.


Duck Farm Photograph 1:



Yes. Ducks, the farmer and the girl in the photograph are sculptures. These ducks are good photographic models as they keep really still, unlike real ducks, for photo-taking. They 'posed' patiently for visitors keen to capture photographic memories of a by-gone duck farm.

You can read the plaque for more details about the duck farm sculpture.

Duck Farm Photograph 2:

Next to Lorong Ah Soo between blocks 139 and 127, these sculptures of a duck farmer and some ducks in a neighbourhood park stand as testament to a piece of history in this neighbourhood of Singapore.

The words on the plaque are quoted here for ease of reading:

"Since pre-war times until early 1960s, the area from Lorong Ah Soo towards Hougang Avenue 1 (previously known as Jalan Hock Chye) was a duck and pig farm with coconut plantation within the estate. This sculpture portraying the livelihood of a farmer at the duck farm brings back warm memories of our older folks who grew up in this kampong. It will also give our younger generations a glimpse of the rich history of this area and an appreciation of the humble livelihood of our forefathers."

Although I have seen ducks in our local zoo as a child and as an adult (to bring my kids there), I do not recall seeing a real duck farm as a child. In this sense, this duck farm sculpture made an impact on me.

In our current urbanized landscape, duck farms do not take up real estate. You would be hard pressed to find a full time duck farmer in Singapore. Yet duck farming was part of our heritage and it would be a waste if no one remembered this aspect of the past.

While nothing beats the real thing, at least a sculpture that reminds one of the past is tangible and easier to comprehend that reading lines of historical text or looking through old photographs on the Net.

How does it feel to have a brood of ducks snapping at your feet? Do ears tremble when ducks quack all around you? Do you remember seeing any duck farms in Singapore during your childhood days? Have you or your kids seen real ducks at a farm (other than those at the zoo)?

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Fun Places In Singapore

Photo: Does this look like a fun place in Singapore to you?

Fun Places In Singapore

Singapore offers many fun places for citizens, permanent residents and foreigners to visit. On Seen This Scene That, I have written up on many of these fun places that I've seen during my travel around Singapore. New readers are encouraged to browse through my site for an idea of the fun places that I've shared so far.

Where are the fun places in Singapore to visit that really stir my heart? My list of fun places in Singapore depends on seasonal interest, prevailing mood, family members' preferences and the amount of available time to travel around the island.

Here is my list of fun places in Singapore:

Fun Places With Animals
My kids, as well as many other children, like to interact with animals. Whether parakeets, ponies, horses, guppies, prawn, terrapins, goats, cow and other animals, they love them. If possible, they want to bring them home into their bedrooms for keeps. Me? No difference from my kids except for the animal take-away idea: too much maintenance work to perform after the initial euphoria over the pets is long gone.

Fun Places With Open Spaces
Living in a concrete jungle trains one to adapt to confined spaces. But once in a while, I find a need to venture into wide spaces without low ceilings and recycled air-conditioning. Thus parks, park connectors, beaches, gardens and outdoor green places rank high on my list of fun places in Singapore. Most of these places also come with amenities like jogging tracks, cycling paths, roller-blading, in-line skating, BBQ pits and camping grounds.

Fun Places With Playgrounds
These fun places will have plenty of children friendly activities and amenities. The neighbourhood outdoor kids playground and fitness corner are the most convenient fun places in Singapore. Indoor playgrounds are also sprouting in many shopping centres and buildings nowadays. HDB residents, condominium dwellers and private estate residents should have little difficulty reaching out to such fun places with playgrounds for happy and fun family outings.

Fun Places With A Family-Friendly Focus
When looking for fun places in Singapore to visit, I often consider if these places come with activities and programmes that interest all family members, from the young to the elderly. Events in museums, monuments, stage shows, exhibitions or shopping centres that appeal to the family would attract my interest. These places need to be fun not just for me, but attractive for the entire family.

Fun Places With Me
What about the fun places in Singapore that appeal just to me? I would say those places would be all of the above plus the many other cool places in Singapore that I’ve yet to explore. When I see it, I will know if there’s a fun angle for appreciation. My passion for places of interest in Singapore, whether offbeat or mainstream, will lead me to uncover those fun places eventually.

While some of you who share the same interests with me would agree on my selection of fun places in Singapore, many others would prefer hip and happening places in Singapore to be fun, or sporty and rugged places to be fun, or old and nostalgic places to be fun.

My avid readers, regardless of your inclinations, I shall explore more fun places in Singapore on my travels to share with you on Seen This Scene That.

But before that, here are two questions. What are your favourite fun places in Singapore to hang out and why?

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Fu Shan Garden

Fu Shan Garden Singapore

Picture of Fu Shan Garden:
Fu Shan Garden is a cozy little neighbourhood in Singapore that you could bring your friends from overseas to visit. This is especially so if friends insist on seeing a slice of Singapore and Singaporean life.

Of all places in Singapore, why do I recommend Fu Shan Garden? It's partly to make my post more interesting. And partly because it stirred something inside me. I had this warm fuzzy feeling coursing through my veins when I arrived at Fu Shan Garden. It reminded me of my life as a young kid at another housing estate.

This community park looked like the place where I used to hang out with childhood friends to play games under the shade of tall trees that I used to climb. A hill near the playground looked similar to the one that I used to slide down the slope using paper boxes as a tobogganing vehicle.

One part of Fu Shan Garden's children playground was the familiar high-tech, better designed, and more colourful kids playground toys. Like me, you may also find it boring because it's everywhere. However, next to it was another part of the children playground that gave me some moments of palpitation.

Picture of Fu Shan Garden: Modern playground facilities (left) and concrete-type playground facilities (right).
Those plain, dull-looking concrete playground structures were the type my generation used to enjoy playing as kids. These concrete type of playground structures had unattractive colours, dished out bruises and hard knocks yet provided endless fun when I was a kid.

Other areas of Fu Shan Garden are also worth showing your friends. Amenities like barbecue pits, tables and chairs can be found here. These are located at the top of a small knoll that provide convenience for residents to bond.

Picture of Fu Shan Garden: Barbecue pits, tables and benches.

I must add that there is something here that makes Fu Shan Garden uniquely like no other park in Singapore. If you walk around the park, you will notice extensive landscaping on a slope facing an open community space. It is guarded by a mysterious sculpture that looks like a mythical creature that I have not seen elsewhere.

Before you end your tour of Fu Shan Garden, ask your friend from abroad what he or she thinks it is. Do you know what it is?

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Place To Watch Sunset, Singapore

Place To Watch Sunset, Singapore

I do not mind sharing this place to watch sunset in Singapore with all my readers. It is a beautiful place in the eastern part of Singapore to enjoy a free outdoor evening show of Mother nature.

Photograph taken at the place to watch sunset in Singapore:


There are wide sandy beaches, cool sea breeze, near-zero car pollutants, pockets of greenery and a cycling track next to a footpath in this wonderful place to watch sunset in Singapore. In the distance, one can view an orange ball kissing clouds, bumboats, waves and a linear landed horizon.

Such a sunset scene could inspire poets to pen new lines. This sunset view might also enable 'pak tor' (dating) couples to peel away from each others' eyes. A breath-taking sunset show should soothe away worry from stressed-out minds. Yes, this place to watch sunset is free therapy to keep you happy.

Where in Singapore did I take this photograph? Where is this place that I visited to watch this sunset?

I shall reveal the answer on the place to watch sunset in Singapore after two weeks, in the comments.

Meanwhile, enjoy the photo at this mystery place to watch a sunset in Singapore.

Do you have a favourite place to watch a sunset? Where is your favourite place to watch sunset in Singapore? Share with Seen This Scene That in the comments below.

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Changi Beach BBQ: BYOP 2

Changi Beach BBQ: BYOP 2 (Bring Your Own BBQ Pit)

For youngsters who are looking to book a public BBQ pit at Changi Beach Park, this is a photograph to help you orientate yourself to the barbecue place.

Close-up Photo of Changi Beach Park's BYOP Number 2 BBQ site.

Photo of Changi Beach Park's BYOP Number 2 BBQ site and surroundings.
This is the Changi Beach Park's Bring Your Own Pit (BYOP) Number 2 actual site. It is located at the junction of Telok Paku Road and Nicoll Drive between carpark 1 and carpark 2.

On the NParks' BYOP BBQ booking site, you can find this BYOP bbq site at Area A of Changi Beach Park.

There are five BYOP BBQ sites strung along the beach, of which this is BYOP number 2. BYOP BBQ site number 2 has close proximity to amenities like toilets, shelter, tables and benches. However it does not come with a BBQ pit.

The BBQ BYOP booking fee (currently $16) is the same as those that come with a BBQ pit even though BYOP lacks a pit. Do remember to bring your own BBQ pit if you book this BYOP site. Otherwise you would have to make a return trip home to collect your BBQ pit back to this BYOP site.

Some other tips to note about booking this Changi Beach Park's BYOP Number 2.

* Each booking is from 12noon to 8am of the following day.
* Your booking is for the BBQ pit / BYOP space and not for any shelter.
* Once your booking is confirmed, there will be no refund, changing of date and/or BYOP/pit.
* Leaving behind rubbish is an act of littering.

Let me know if you have any positive or negative experience about using this BYOP site at Changi Beach Park.

Enjoy your Barbecue!

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Singapore Playground

Singapore Playground: Tai Keng Gardens Playground

At the end of Tai Keng Gardens off Jalan Lolam is a Singapore playground called Tai Keng Gardens Playground. This Singapore playground is situated smack in the middle of private residential properties off Upper Paya Lebar Road.

I came to know about this Singapore playground when I fetched my child from a classmate's residence after their meeting over a school project.

While waiting to perform duty as a chauffeur for my child, I took refuge from the afternoon sun in this shady playground in Singapore and wandered around the small green space in search of some photo-taking opportunities.

Photo 1 of a Singapore playground: Tai Keng Gardens Playground.
Photo 2 of a Singapore playground: Tai Keng Gardens Playground.
Photo 3 of a Singapore playground: Tai Keng Gardens Playground.

There were several playground structures that would keep a child happy in this part of Singapore. What struck me as an unusual feature of this playground was the inscription of nursery rhymes on squarish floor tiles.

Here's one nursery rhyme that you or your child living in Singapore will be familiar with:

Rock-a-Bye Baby on the tree top,
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,
And down will come baby, cradle and all.

I wonder who would want to hang a cradle with a real baby to a tree branch, at Tai Keng Gardens Playground or at any other Singapore playground?

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Read about playground sites on Seen This Scene That:
1. More Singapore playground

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Farm To Visit In Singapore

Farm To Visit In Singapore

During this school holiday, why not choose a farm to visit in Singapore? Kids will surely dance with joy at a farm to visit in Singapore. Children get to see and touch real life-sized fruits, vegetables and plants grown from soil on our highly urbanized island.

I took my children for a visit to D'Kranji Farm Resort some time ago. I have written about the farm resort's longkang fishing.

Here are some photographs of the fruits and plants that we saw. The drops of water on the fruits are raindrops. It is not every day that we get an opportunity to see real fruits growing from soil at a farm in Singapore.

Picture 1 of farm to visit in Singapore.
Picture 2 of farm to visit in Singapore.

Picture 3 of farm to visit in Singapore.
Picture 4 of farm to visit in Singapore.
Picture 5 of farm to visit in Singapore.
There is no entry fee at this farm to visit in Singapore.

Do you recognize these fruits and plants in pictures 1 to 5? Do you know of any farm to visit in Singapore? Share with Seen This Scene That in the comments below.

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Places To Party In Singapore

Places To Party In Singapore: Singapore River Festival 2009


Where are the great places to party in Singapore? Which venues have the best places to party in Singapore? What qualities do you define as good places to party in Singapore?

Well, I am no party animal. So am not an expert on the places to party in Singapore. I am just an individual, with a spouse and three kids, living on an island attempting to discover more life, places of interest, family-friendly events and offbeat activities in a fast-paced cosmopolitan society.

My idea of places to party in Singapore would not please all party-goers. My kind of places to party in Singapore really centres around children's birthday parties, which I celebrate and 'party' three times a year. In fact I'm not going to go into details on the favourite places of my family to party in Singapore.

The only places to party in Singapore that I will mention relates to the Singapore River Festival 2009.

This year's Singapore River Festival 2009 will come alive on 19 Jun 2009 and present partying opportunities to visitors until 27 Jun 2009. Along the Singapore River, around Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay, many engaging events at party places in Singapore will light up the night for revelers.

Some of the Singapore River Festival 2009 highlights and the party places in Singapore:

a specially-commissioned romantic musical and bumboat parade paying tribute to the people of the river,

a music festival celebrating our vibrant musical past,

spectacular aerial performances,

a Mojito festival,

themed parties,

an attempt at a record-making performance of mega illusions and

a dance marathon.

With multiple dining establishments along the river, visitors to the Singapore River Festival 2009 can look forward to party places in Singapore with specially-priced Mojito cocktails, a food and wine festival, one-for-one deals and a host of other irresistible food and beverage promotions to augment the party mood.

If you prefer after hours socialising, feasting and partying at the party palces in Singapore, the Singapore River Festival 2009 could be the event of the year for you. Parents with kids would have to wait till your kids are asleep in the care of reliable childminders before whisking off to the Singapore River Festival party places.

Singapore River Festival 2009 Details:

River Festival Event Dates: 19th Jun 2009 to 27th Jun 2009
(From Boat Quay & Empress Place to Clarke Quay & Robertson Quay)
Time of Event : 7pm till late
Venue : Singapore River

River Festival Ticketing:
Free admission

Getting There:
Raffles Place MRT Station (EW14/NS26) or Clarke Quay MRT Station (NE5)

For ideas on party places in Singapore at the River Festival 2009, visit Singapore River Festival 2009 site.

Do you have any party places in Singapore to share?

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Sea Shell Park In Singapore

Sea Shell Park In Singapore

Ever wonder why this park in Singapore presents itself with an eye-catching name like Sea Shell Park? Take a look at the visual features available at Sea Shell Park in the eastern part of Singapore.

Photo 1: Sea Shell Park In Singapore.


Photo 2: Sea Shell Park In Singapore.


Photo 3: Sea Shell Park In Singapore.


Sea Shell Park is found in Pasir Ris, Singapore. If you are taking a bus or taxi there, look out for Sea Shell Park at Pasir Ris Drive 4, next to the SPC petrol pump station.

Sea Shell Park has several pavilions with oriental roof designs and benches that I find distinctive. There are also pockets of spaces with unique sea-shell designs that act like perimeter walls.

There is a children playground at Sea Shell Park. The playground structures are hidden within shells featuring a ship and other naval vessel designs.

This pleasant park is surrounded by neighbourhood shops, HDB flats and a condominium. Residents get opportunities to exercise at the small fitness station. A disused fountain can be seen at the foot of a series of terraced pools. However, at the time of my visit, no water was seen spouting from the fish-head-shaped water spouts. An amphitheater also sits on the slopes of Sea Shell Park.

Have you seen any other parks lately? Why not share with readers on Seen This Scene That?

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Dirty Beach In Pasir Ris Park Update

Photograph: Latest shot of 'dirty beach' sign.

Photograph: Previous shot of 'dirty beach' sign

Dirty Beach In Pasir Ris Park Update

I wrote about the dirty beaches of Pasir Ris Park some time ago. At that time authorities found some bacteria contamination of sea water at Pasir Ris beach.

On World Environment Day, 5 June 2009, I decided to take a look at the sea waters of Pasir Ris Beach. The water hygiene situation is still not better, and there has been no news about the decontamination process and update.

However the visible sign of this dirty beach is still present. I took the shot on the eve of World Environment Day. The photograph of the dirty beach sign in Pasir Ris Park is posted today.

My initial questions still remain unanswered. What caused Pasir Ris beach to be one of the dirty beaches in Singapore? Have Changi beach and other beautiful beaches around the coastal rim of Singapore been tainted? How long more would this "dirty beach" tag stay at Pasir Ris beach?

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Read related posts on Pasir Ris Park and Beach:

1. Mangrove swamp at Pasir Ris Park

2. Pasir Ris Park Playground

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Seen This Scene That Reader Feature (1)

Seen This Scene That Reader Feature (1)

The winner of my 'Places to see in Singapore' quiz is Seen This Scene That reader and blogger Tan Geng Hui from http://www.photojournalist-tgh.tv who was picked using random.org's list randomizer feature. (Curious thing noted - if I submit the names again, I would get another name at the top. Anyway, I keyed all the participant's names and generated a random list once for the winner.)


Photo courtesy of Tan Geng Hui: 'A recent night scenery of the Marina BayFront from the Marina Barrage.'

As a prize for the quiz, I have prepared a Seen This Scene That Reader Feature for the winner. In this Reader Feature, the winner was 'interviewed' via e-mail to produce this post. In the interest of brevity, I have released only the juicier details.

STST: Hi Geng Hui, as an introduction, could you tell my readers a little about yourself?

TGH: I'm a heartlander you might come across the streets in Singapore, a blogger with a love for photography since a young boy and great passion for traveling and writing my travel journals, adventures and events. I once dreamt to be a National Geographic Photojournalist :)

STST: Wow, a National Geographic photographer and writer! You must have been traveling quite a fair bit around Singapore trying to capture beautiful scenes and putting words to pictures. What are some of the interesting scenes or articles we can expect to see on your site?

TGH: In my Photojournalist site, I write about Photography, Travel, Nature and Events.

STST: Of all the pretty places in Singapore, where can we find the memorable scenes that you like to visit often?

TGH: I like to visit Marina Barrage, Changi Coastal area, Marina BayFront, Pulau Ubin and Central Catchment Area.

STST: Seems like an exotic range of places to see. Tell us why do these scenic places appeal to you so much?

TGH: These are all beautiful places that showcase Singapore and its relationship of her surroundings with conservation and economic growth.

STST: Can I ask you a personal question? Why do you read Seen This Scene That?

TGH: I read and follow Seen This Scene That on a daily basis, because it's amazing and awesome. A lot of people including Singaporeans thought Singapore is a small and boring country, with not much interesting places to visit. Seen This Scene That defies this notion and brings us to locations off the mainstream and shows us an insight into how beautiful and interesting Singapore is !!

STST: Thank you Geng Hui, you're so generous with your compliments! Are there words of wisdom that you would like to share with my readers?

TGH: Let's all take photos of Singapore, share and keep those memories for our future generations !

STST: Thanks for taking time off for this interview at such short notice, especially after you've just completed a 42-km run in the recent Sundown Marathon.

Readers of Seen This Scene That, I hope you have learnt something new from Geng Hui. I urge you to visit Tan Geng Hui's Photojournalist site now to learn great photography skills so that we can preserve the scenes of today for tomorrow's generations.

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Green Generation Concert

Green Generation Concert


The Green Generation Concert is a concert that will be held at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Green Generation Concert is targeted at the youth of today, to raise awareness of the need for conservation.

The intention of the Green Generation Concert is aimed at spreading the message of conservation, to reach out to the youth and empower them to make a difference for the future.

The Green Generation Concert seeks to motivate people to begin practicing conservation.

What can you expect at the Green Generation Concert?

Guest of Honour Dr. Jane Goodall, the internationally renowned conservationist, will deliver a talk and share her environmental insight.

It will feature a mixture of performances from local secondary schools and other local talents. Amongst other talents featured on an environmentally friendly line-up, concert-goers will meet Ms Earth Singapore, enjoy green hip-hop from DanceFuzion, and marvel at Chestnut Drive Secondary School’s “Stomp” performance using recycled materials as instruments.

The event will also feature short student-produced plays and competitions as well as family-oriented fringe activities.

The date of the Green Generation Concert coincides with World Environment Day, and it is hoped that the concert will strengthen the call for awareness of the environment and conservation issues.

Families and visitors are encouraged to bring food for picnic, water bottles, mats and umbrellas for rain or sunshine.

Green Generation Concert Event Dates : 5th Jun 2009
(Symphony Stage, Palm Valley @ Singapore Botanic Gardens)

Time of Event : 6.30pm - 8.30pm

Venue:
Singapore Botanic Gardens
1 Cluny Road
Singapore 259569

Ticketing:
Free Admission

Website:
http://www.nparks.gov.sg

Green Generation Concert Organiser:
Organised by National Parks Board

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