Thursday, December 29, 2011

Finding a decent meal in Singapore

It is all about FOOD!

This char kway teow stall featured in the article below is my favorite.
It is manned by an enderly gentleman and an elderly lady.
http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/fab-four-amoy-street-food-centre-094028927.html
Kway Teow is a kind of rice vermicelli which is made flattened and bigger.
Char means stir fry
Char Kway Teow is the name of the dish, that is, stir fry kway teow topped with eggs, chinese sausage, cockels, and added with lime zest and chillies. It uses pork lards, so it is not halal.


Cheers!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Merry Christmas 2011

Merry Christmas!

Christmas theme decor from Tampines One


Christmas theme decor from Tampines One



"Rudolph" the reindeer from my dentist office





Terminal 2 Departure Hall, Changi Airport


Terminal 2 Departure Hall, Changi Airport



Terminal 2 Departure Hall, Changi Airport


Terminal 3 Departure Hall, Changi Airport



Terminal 1 Departure Hall, Changi Airport



Terminal 1 Departure Hall, Changi Airport




Takashimaya




Tampines Mall



Carolling at Orchard Central (Mall)



Christmas Tree above th gazebo where they sang the carols



Christmas Shopping Display, OC



Giant watch frame, OC


Gingerbread House, OC



Living Hall, OC



Postcard OC



Reindeer, OC



Giant Photo Framce, OC


The Stage, OC



The Stage, OC

Hershey's Store at Tampines Mall



Fairmont Hotel



Robinsons at Raffles City




Santa Claus, Harborfront Centre



Atrium, Paragon



Paragon



Takashimaya B1



Rilakkuma, Takashimaya




Metro, Paragon



Metro, Paragon




Christmas Lights Up at Orhard Road





Sunday, December 18, 2011

Worst week in Singapore subway history

Last week commuters experienced the worst week of trains disruption of services in Singapore.
I decided not to do Christmas shopping in Orchard Road due to that reason. I do not want to end up as trapped passenger or squeezed myself in a crowded bus

The Chronology
On 14 Dec 2011 the Circle Line broke down in the morning. I experienced myself when I was waiting at the platform in Payalebar station.
http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/-Train-disruptions-yahoofinancesgwp-4224888186.html?x=0

On 15 Dec 2011 it was the worst incident in the history of SMRT.
It was the North South Line took turn to break down.

The commuters even broke the window since there was no air in the train and few passengers had fainted. Some were forced to walk on the tracks.
Many people were stranded in MRT stations. They could not board taxies which were fully booked, traffic jams, and the buses deployed were not enough to accomodate these stranded passengers.
http://www.smrt.com.sg/main/news_details.asp
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/train-faults-on-north-south-line-between-bishan-and-marina-bay-stations.html

On 17 Dec 2011, again the North-South line was broken down and only up after 1.30pm although it was announced in the previous night news it would resume at 10am.

Again on 18 Dec 2011 the train services East-West Line, North-South Line were halted until 11.30am.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/singapore-rattled-week-subway-breakdowns-083516296.html
Though this time they offered free shuttle services to passengers in some affected areas.
It is somewhat became agenda in the politics arena in Singapore
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/workers--party--deeply-concerned--over-train-disruptions.html
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/full-inspection-will-delay-train-service-on-sunday.html;_ylt=AsTAE6FMuGBDcUT3JMrgPr0BV8d_;_ylu=X3oDMTR0NW91N3JvBGNjb2RlA2N0LmMEbWl0A01vc3QgUG9wdWxhciBBcnRpY2xlcwRwa2cDMTUwNDFlYjktMjFhMi0zNWY3LWIxYmEtMTcxMDQ2YTUyNjdjBHBvcwMzBHNlYwNNZWRpYUJMaXN0TWl4ZWRNb3N0UG9wdWxhckNBBHZlcgM0MmNiYmU5YS0yOTUwLTExZTEtYmI5YS1hYjlmNjQ4YjdiN2E-;_ylg=X3oDMTMyM2xqc2E5BGludGwDc2cEbGFuZwNlbi1zZwRwc3RhaWQDZDFjMGU5N2ItNjQ0Zi0zZTg2LWI0ZTItOGI3MGZkNzUwODM5BHBzdGNhdANzaW5nYXBvcmUEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/clamour-grows-for-smrt-ceo-to-step-down.html


Today SMRT shares traded at SGX (Singapore Exchange) drops to 1.755, and at 11.35am it is traded at 1.77.
http://www.sgx.com/


Now it is festive period when Orchard Road and malls in the city district are filled with shoppers.
I wonder how much "loss" the shops endured during those breakdown period.
Should SMRT held responsible? I believe SMRT should have their own KPIs in justifying their performances including the remuneration package if its highly paid CEO?
These recent incidents would only feed the sentiment of the growing numbers of grumbling passengers.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/blame-smrt-corporate-culture-lta-lack-oversight-100328677.html

Looking back....
The MRT often broke down in the morning rush hour in recent months.
Just before the Singapore F1 GP in September 2011 there were a number of broke down in the Circle Line. In the past two years I commuted from Payalebar to Jurong East, I experienced many delays of trains eventhough just for a couple of minutes, and sometimes the train halted half way at the tracks between Buona Vista to Queenstown, and from Lavender to Cityhall.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Travel Packing Tips

I usually pack those necessities like medicine (paracetamol, diarrhoea, ointment) in my backpack together with a bottle of water, foldable umbrella, energy bars, sunblock, and a cap.
Passport, monies, credit card, identification card will be slotted in a travel wallet.
All these will be stuffed in the largest compartment.

My mobile iphone will be stored in my PDA leather wallet and placed in the second compartment.

While the front compartment will contain wet tissue, candies, some coins and notes, mini map, hotel address, and candies.

Carry a mini strap bag to stuff it with some spare changes and notes of the country i am visiting besides train/bus card for comfy purpose.


Always remember to separate some monies in wallet, bag, and probably keep a secret pouch in clothes you wear for the day just in case of theft or being careless.


I often bring along a bigger luggage.
This is one thing I need to work it out since the airlines charge for overweight baggage since I am often bringing too many clothes when traveling.

Usually I fold my clothes in ziplock bags, not rolling it, to prevent more creases.
Pack undergarments in a box made of material similar to my backpack albeit in softer material.
Chargers are packed separately and ensure the cables are not entangled with others.
Cosmetics, cotton, cotton buds, shower items (all in travel size) are packed in smaller ziplock bags


Here are some readings on travel tips

Roll your clothes to save a space
http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/packing-and-accessories/packing-tips


Samsonite's article
http://www.samsonite.com.sg/tip-packing.html


21 Tips to Help You Pack for a Trip
http://www.travellerspoint.com/packing-tips.cfm


Pack different clothes for meeting up with different people
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/business/06PACK.html


Leave the sink at home...
http://www.webwombat.com.au/travel/articles/pack.htm


6 Tips for Wrinkle-Free Packing
http://www.fodors.com/news/story_1449.html


Packing Lists and Packing Tips
http://www.travelsense.org/tips/packingtips.cfm


happy packing...

Transportation modes in Singapore

Most people commute using public transport on their daily lives.
There are two major modes - subway and bus services.

SBS Transit is the major public bus line.
http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/

This is the journey planner
http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/journeyplan/step1.aspx

SMRT is another operator of bus services particularly in north west and north east area besides taxi services. It is a listed company in SGX.
http://www.smrtbuses.com.sg/ebusguide/busguide.asp


The subway in Singapore is called MRT (Mass Rapid Train)
This is the current subway network
http://www.smrt.com.sg/trains/network_map.asp

From Changi Airport passenger could be able to board it to the other part of Singapore by alighting in Tanah Merah interchange and board the West bound train (denotes with green line) if commuting to the North, South, Central, and West area.

The North South line is denoted in red line, while the North East line is denoted in purple line, and the latest Circle Line connecting East, Central to the Southwest part of Singapore.

The major interchange stations are Dhoby Ghaut, Raffles Place, Cityhall, Serangoon, Outram Park, and Payalebar.

 The timeliness of trains and buses in Singapore could not be compared with those in Japan

This is the future plan of Singapore subway network









Below is the link of taxi companies in Singapore
http://www.taxisingapore.com/

For those willing to pay here here are more fancy taxies
http://www.limousinecab.com/

Below is the link - I really have no idea how accurate it is since ComfortDelgro just announced to increase its taxi fares
http://www.worldtaximeter.com/singapore
http://www.cdgtaxi.com.sg/news_current_year.mvn?year=2011&cid=2444701

Personally I feel that hiring a cab in Singapore is not that costly if compares it with other developed nations such as Japan and Australia.

One good thing is CDG keeps up with technology i.e passenger could use Iphone Apps to book a cab (provided I know the full address of the building and the pick up area) instead of jamming the operator line desperately looking for a cab during a rainy day or a peak hour.

Happy commuting!

Flora around Marina Bay area

Here are photos I took












Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Istana

Istana is the official presidential resident in Singapore.

Inside the compound there is a lake, presidential office, pond, garden, and huge park.

Every year there is an open house day where public could visit it for free.
Foreigner could enter by paying SGD 1 only.
http://www.istana.gov.sg/content/istana/istana/istanaopenhouse.html

The location is at Orchard Road, to be precise it is next to Plaza Singapura.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Biodiversity

I had been long time wanting to write this article

Recently there had been some reports of "new" species found in forests or seas around the globe

Here are photos of camouflaged animals
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/photos/camouflaged-animals-1323369509-slideshow/#crsl=%252Fphotos%252Fcamouflaged-animals-1323369509-slideshow%252Fcamouflaged-animals-photo-1323369385.html

We had been long heard of the biota of Madagascar, Galapagos, Australia, the savannah of Africa, Amazon, and Antartic in those like National Geographic, and similar channels in tv.

I have never known such of biodiversity in Colombia, and those around Mekong River.

In my middle school days, I learnt about Wallacea. It is named after Alfred Russell Wallace 
Many endangered species found like Komodo dragon, anoa, babirusa, and many of insects, lizards, flowers, reptiles, birds...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallacea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Russel_Wallace

In Papua there also many species which are not found in other parts of Indonesian archipelago such as Matoa which is a bigger version of longan (buah mata kucing/lengkeng/ kelengkeng), has a specific fragrant, thicker, not as sweet as longan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longan
(i will need to search my archive of photos of Matoa)

The land of Borneo now facing a mass destruction of its rainforest. We had seen those damaged in Java and Sumatera. Local tribes eventually have to merge with migrant villagers, and they are often being cast aside from the societies.

We heard the stories of orangutan. They are indeed intelligent creatures.
I went to Sarawak in 2009. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orangutan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bornean_orangutan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNPSmo3nTNY&noredirect=1
http://savetheorangutan.org/splash.html

The locals (read: companies) clear the land with primitive method which is the cheapest way to do is to burn it down. It creates fogs blown away to the whole tiny red dot neighboring country. I wish the companies could deploy a much better and safer way to do so.

One way to help is to cut down the fried food intakes. Most of junk food chains use cooking oil. If 1 person cuts down those food intakes by 30%, multiply by 1 billion person in a year, I believe it would help stopping the expansion of palm oil plantation and the similar plantation which later processed into cooking oil (sunflower, canola, olive, etc).
I am not asking people to boycott the cooking oil totally.

Eventhough there is new technology such as air fryer which claimed cooking without oil, there are still more 1 billion people who could not afford to pay the electricity bills and the purchase of such home appliance.

By pace of global warming, will these species eventually silenced into extinction?

I wish I could visit these places from they are gone or before I die...

Monday, December 12, 2011

Travel Volunteer

This is currently my favorite blogs on a couple of tourist who were chosen to do 100 days to travel in Japan.
http://travelvolunteerblog.net/

I particularly like this article. Please also read wikipedia on WWII. With a strong sense of nationalism, people fought the war. It was a force drive by the greed, the lust, the gluttony, and others of the 7 deadly sins.
http://travelvolunteerblog.net/2011/11/18/there-is-a-light-and-it-never-goes-out/

There were a number of volunteers helping as tour guide, driver, hotel accommodation, and others.

It was surely sad to hear the demise of people in those coastal towns being whipped off the waves suddenly and vanished.
It was sad to hear stories of those people now still living as refugees.
There is a hope that the area will be safe one day.

Cheers to Jamie and Kathy, and the Travel Volunteer team!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Marina Bay - Singapore

I signed up for a photography class.

Here are some of the pictures I took

Anderson Bridge
安德逊桥


Cavenagh Bridge
加文纳桥

Cavenagh Bridge
加文纳桥



Marina Bay Sands - view from a park outside Victoria Concert Hall


Under the bridges connecting the Victoria Concert Hall and ACM
to the Merlion at Fullerton One and the Esplanade 


the Outdoor Theatre of the Esplanade


The Gamelan (Javanese traditional musical instrument)


 
The outdoor theatre



The stage

 

The sound system and lighting



The Booth



the da:ns festival 2011 logo



Boat passing by MBS (viewed from Esplanade)


MBS (viewed from Esplanade)



 
The Singapore Flyer

 

The floating platform, the Esplanade, Marina Mandarin Hotel,
and Suntec City in the background


 
The Helix Bridge

The Helix bridge - details


The ArtScience Museum at MBS


The Clock, MBS

 

The Clock on the sunset



The Clock with Floating Platform in the background



Raffles Place CBD on sunset


The Esplanade on sunset


The lights at Marina Bay






Raffles Place CBD on sunset (almost over)



MBFC (Marina Bay Financial Centre)



Night view



LV shop at MBS