Travel Sg - Shrewsbury Road

This little road parallel to Moulmein Road is not very well known so what am I doing there? Again with some time, 20 mins to be exact to kill while waiting for Mom to finish her prayer at the temple, decided to take a walk and of course take some pics for memory. Along this short about 400 metres stretch of road, there is 1 church, 1 Sai Baba temple and 2 Buddhist and 1 Taoist temple. Could this be a record of sort?

The Buddhist Temple which can be seen from Moulmein Road

The rather run down Taoist Temple along Shrewbury Road

Most temples in Sg are kinda 'rojak' and this one is no exception with a Buddhist shrine

Believe it or not, this colorful building is a Buddhist Temple

The exterior of the temple has a ring of the '18 Luohan'. For protection?

Unfortunately, didn't have enough time to take the other buildings fronting Moulmein Rd but then, that couldn't be Shrewbury Road anymore, could it?

Thien Nhan Miracle Baby

This is a very sad blog. Yet at the same time it gives hope and show that out there in this world that is most time filled with war and hatred, there is love and compassion.

If anyone out there reading this feel that they can help a little, please do so. You can

1) donate directly here. In the field marked "Designation" please write: "Thien Nhan" and/or "Miracle Baby"

2) Buy a copy of Chew On It's autographed book or his T-shirt.

The Princess's Home Cooked Food

As the granny is temporarily banned from cooking, the little princess has decided to step in and do the cooking for dinner. So last night, we had stir fried kailan c/w mushroom/carrot and minced meat tofu.

The kor kor was unwilling to be the guinea pig and opted for duck rice from the food court but for the rest of us, we finished everything which speaks volume for the quality of the food.

Tonight's dinner will be prawn and whatever else she can dig out from the fridge.

I am so proud of her!

Conman or Genuine in need

Singapore is by anybody standard a rich country where most people are doing well but yet there are people who seems to be so poor that they had to resort to begging or are they conmen?

Some recent encounters have me a bit unsettled and sad.

There was this morning when we were going to work and outside our place we saw an old man walking slowly. He then turned round and asked the directions to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. We thought it was strange since we were right outside Changi Hospital. But as we talked to him, we could see that he was obviously in distress. Alarmed, I asked him and he said he had a weak heart and was going to get an attack of asthma and shown us his inhaler. We tried asking him to go over to Changi. We even offered to walk him over but he insisted his doctor was at TTSH and he had to go there but had no money. Looking at him, and if he was genuinely sick, we doubt he could last the bus journey there especially in peak hour traffic. We were in a dilemna. We couldn't leave him there since he looked so sick and we couldn't persuade him to go with us to CGH. In the end, we did what we thought was the most practical. We halted a taxi, told the taxi driver to send him to TTSH and we paid the taxi-driver in advance. You see at the end of the day, we were still doubtful that we were not being taken for a ride by a very good actor.

One evening on the way home, there was this boy. He looks like he had cerebal palsy and was on a clutch. He was trying to sell some sort of donation tickets. I am very wary of people hawking these 'donation' tickets on the streets. Beside the fact that almost a good 90% of the money collected goes to the marketing agency, there have been many reported case of cheating where the receipients are non-existent charity. So I wasn't prepare to buy any donation ticket but the poor chap look so pitiful. But could buying the tickets encourage more of this type of 'sophiscated begging'?

Then this morning at SGH while on the way home, was stopped by a man who claimed he had insufficient money to pay his hospital bill and just need $7 to cover the difference. I smell a con straightaway but was loathe to dismiss him outright. What I wanted to do was to go with him to the cashier and enquiry but Mom was with me and as she had just had surgery, I wasn't too keen to keep her waiting or follow me around. So in the end I gave him the benefit of the doubt and gave him the money but somehow I can't help but feel that I been conned.

Almost everyday, some of us will inevitably ran into people asking for help or more specifically money. It can be the old aunties selling tissue papers, the Indonesian ladies begging outside mosques and along HDB, the slick guy in shirt and tie trying to ask for donation for one organisation after another.

Which one of them are genuine or are they all con job?

Singlish?

There is this book 'Chinglish found in translation' by Oliver Lutz Radtke which has loads of pictures of English 'translation' of Chinese words on signs, packaging and advertisement. Someting like a hard copy version of Engrish.com

But before we high and mighty Singaporean laugh at other people, here's one sign that was seen at a food court in a industrial building in Sg.

Anti-Speeding?

Of all the anti-speeding campaign - this one must take the cake for being most creative. But and this is a very big BUT - is is effective? Certainly it will cause motorists to slow down but I think it is going to cause more traffic accidents than it was suppose to prevent.

Watch it here Oh before you click on the link, viewer discretion is advised. Some scenes may not be suitable for certain peeps

Now this ad will probably be more effective. Maybe they should run it here in Sg

Travel Sg - Joo Chiat

What do one do when cannot run and got time to spare early in the morning on a beautiful weekend? Go jalan jalan lah. So on a nice Saturday morning while waiting for the Princess to finish her supp in school (whatever happened to 5 days work week?) found myself in a quaint little place in the east of Singapore.

Joo Chiat in Katong used to be home to Peranakan or Nonyas and till this date it still retains some of the nice charming building that is so peculiar to their culture. Sadly though, in the past few years, it has become infamous for its bevy of non-residents from another region in South East Asia although much of it has now been cleaned up.

Joo Chiat's other claim to fame is of course food. Here, apart from what is found along East Coast Road, in Joo Chiat itself there are a few famous eateries like Fei Fei Wanton Mee, which now has 2 outlets about 50 metres apart from each other; Puteri Mas - famous for its durian puff; Obolo - cheesecake and macaroon; a few pork rib soups outlets and of course Guan Hoe Soon where you can find authentic peranakan food at very decent price. Towards the end of Joo Chiat Road nearer to Haig Road, there are a sprinkling of Muslim food outlets but generally along the whole stretch there is a fair mixture of food to cater to all taste.

But this is not about food [surprise surprise]. It is about the nice buildings you can find along the stretch

The beautiful tiles and carvings on the building which has all but disappear from the rest of Singapore

There are still a sprinkling of traditional craft shop such as furniture makers, hardware and this paper mache shop which specialises in making 'Big House'.

And of course there is the ubiquitous KTV 'lounge'

All the photos here

View all

Get your own

Ban Ban Ban

The Straits Times Forum page today (12/8/09) carries a letter by a reader complaining about backpacks. Quote: "Commuters carrying backpacks on trains are a public inconvenience, particularly when the pack sticks out in a crowded train. Every commuter carrying a bulging backpack on a train or bus takes up standing room meant for two people." Unquote

So let's summarize:

1. Army boys stink. Ban army boy from bus/trains
2. Durian stink. Ban durian
3. Bicycle takes up space. Ban bicycle
4. Backpack take up space. Ban backpack.

What else?

While we on the banning wishlist, why not:-

• Shopping bags also take up space around the passenger. Ban shopping bags
• School children plays on the train, sit on the floor and block passenger's way. Ban school children
• Loud music from MP3 disturb the peace. Ban MP3 players
• People talking on the phone disturb the peace as well. Ban handphone
• Couples snogging on the train is an eye sore. Ban couples from travelling together
• Handicap people, wheelchair move slowly, inconvenience other commuters and take up space. Ban the handicap
• Strollers, prams obstruct the passengerway. Ban strollers and prams.
• Wailing babies disturb the peace. Ban babies and toddlers
• Pregnant women and obese people takes up 2 seats when they only pay for one. Ban them

And here's my own personal ban list: I stay in Simei so by the time I board the train, its already crowded and there are no seat. These people are infringing on my right to a seat. I say let's ban the people from Pasir Ris to Tampines. And those people down the route, standing in my way, block my light, disturb my peace with their talking, spread all sorts of germs. Ban everybody from Tanah Merah till I alight at Tanjong Pagar.

Yah power to human right!!

Uniquely Singapore 9 - Singapore My Home

So our little red dot has got its unique qualities. Sure, it doesn't have the beautiful rolling nature of New Zealand, the vibrancy of Hong Kong, the cleanliness of Japan but it does have one of the best airport, best port, most hardworking workers and a big long list of hard earned accolades and it is safe probably the safest country in the world. So yes I couldn't trade this place for any other countries because it is my country, my home.

Aw. damn corny right?

Uniquely Singapore 8 - National Song

Each year there will always be a National Day song - from the patriotic Count on Me Singapore to this year What Do You See. but notice 1 thing? Each year, the songs get more and more unsingable. Especially this year. What Do You See? I see money lor what do I see!

So what do you do when you die die cannot tahan the song? Write your own lor.

Now isn't this much better!

Uniquely Singapore 7 - National Language

Si be kin already Ogus liao. 2 more days and than National Day liao. Who got ticket to the 'rate? I damm sway u know every time cannot kena the tickets. Watch tv where got fun hor? Better koon at home and listen to leliio. Wait you never hear this lelio show before you hear now. Sure laugh until die

Uniquely Singapore 6 - National Monument

Of all the most familiar sight on Singapore road, the most familiar must be the ubiquitous ERP gantries that is everywhere. Turn a corner and there is one.

Photo from travelerfolio.com

And if Hitler were alive, he probably be saying this:

Uniquely Singapore 5 - National Symbols

Singapore as the t-shirts loudly proclaim is a 'fine' country. Fine as in pay money fine and not nice nice fine. We get fine for spitting, littering, walking, smoking, drawing, eating, drinking, chewing, feeding, plucking, stopping, - well anything that can be legally done - there is a 'fine' version. And just in case you don't know which one activities can kena fine, the gahmen has very helpfully come out with a range of signs ranging from the simple single sign to the mother of all sign.

A single sign

A dual sign

A triple layer sign

A quartet of sign

And finally the mother of all signs - a powkaleow 5 in one sign

Do I see a Guiness Book entry here? And anyone seen a 6-in-one sign?

Uniquely Singapore 4 - National Pastime

The taxi drivers do it all the time. The aunties also do it. The opposition loves to do it. What am I talking about? Complain and make fun of the gahmen of course. But nobody can do it better than our celebrities. Still got song and dance. How about an applause?

Hossan Leong

Dick Lee

Hmm if only they dare to sing these on national tv

Uniquely Singapore 3 - National Icon

China have their Great Wall, France the Effiel Tower, America the Statue of Liberty, Australis has the Sydney Opera House, .... and what do we have? With no historical building grand enough to be the iconic symbol of Singapore, what do we do? Build our own lah! And in typical Singapore fashion, not just one but 2.

And what better monument than the King of Fruits. Never mind that we import 99.99% of it from Malaysia.

And since geographically it is impossible for Singapore to have lions, but because we have been embarrasing ourselves all this years by calling ourselves the Lion City when in fact there is no lion.... why not invent our own lion. Smart move. Now we can have our cake and eat it too!

And just so that the tourists will not miss both of them, put them next to each other.

Uniquely Singapore 2 - National Disgrace

He is the epitome of crass. Of bengness. He with his spitting, his noise picking and ear digging. And they got this character to front the MRT courtesy campaign. Who else but the most famous and recognisable person in Singapore. And I not talking about a certain MM.

Mr & Mrs PCK teaching manners? What else will they do next?

Uniquely Singapore 1 - National Hobby

9 days to our little red dot's 44th birthday. And my little tribute to this red dot. Something uniquely Singapore that may and most likely not be on the official Uniquely Singapore website

First of all, is our national favourite hobby - food of course. Here in this little red dot, we have food from all over the world; Japanese, Korean, Indian, African, Italian, French, Thai you name it we have it. And from glitzy restaurants to road stall stalls its food food food. And I dare say we are the food capital of the world. We may not have the best but we definitely have the most.

Enough of words. A picture says a thousand words. In this case maybe a thousand drools

And this song aptly sum it all up: