Eddy Blog

With an ethnicity rich and racially integrated society like Sabah Malaysia, it was its State Government goal to promote the importance of culture in its development agenda. With that, the first Sabah International Folkore Festival was held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia between May 29 to June 2nd 2001. This coincided with both the Kaamatan (Harvest) Festival of Sabah and the Colours of Malaysia Month. The first folklore festival kicked off with 11 countries participating namely from Malaysia, Poland, Taiwan, Austria, Croatia, Canada, Mali, Agentina, Brunei, China and Turkey.

A presentation of the folklore festival was held at the Sunday Gaya Street Market on June 3rd 2001 where I happened to be at. As this was taken some 11 years ago, I am unable to identify the countries but do enjoy the photos.

The 6th Sabah International Folklore Festival will be held on 8th – 17th July 2012 so if you are in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, do drop by and enjoy cultural dances from across the globe in the beautiful land of KK.

The next and final part of this journey takes me to Merlion Walk to the Beach Station.

Sea World

A Walking Flower … Only on the Magical Island of Sentosa

The Enchanted Underwater world

A Flower Crab

Beware of the flying jelly fish

The Sea World experience would not be complete without Nemo, the clownfish

With that, I bid Sentosa Flowers goodbye while I make my way back to the mainland

Journey back to Reality

Taking the Pink Sentosa Express to Vivocity

The Sentosa Flowers is an annual event organized by Sentosa and would coincide with the first week of the Chinese New Year celebration. Each year would have a different theme and would celebrate the zodiac of that year.

Throughout the walk, you will find souvenir and snacks and drinks to keep you going through the experience. Of course, you could pop into the various F&B outlets on the island ranging from fine dining to the laid back experience of the food court or fast food joints.

Dress light and wear some comfortable shoes as you probably would be walking quite a bit. Of course, Singapore and its crazy weather, it could turn from sunny to thunderstorm so do bring along an umbrella for those moments.

It is best to enter Sentosa through the Sentosa Boardwalk as it would give you the full experience of the open exhibitions of flowers starting from when you enter Sentosa to the beach front at Palawan Beach. You could hop on the Sentosa Express monorail back to Vivocity as it would be the comfortable way to travel.

I do hope you enjoy the experience with me. This is the last blog of the series until next year.

My journey through the Sentosa Flowers Enchanted Spring takes me to the Lost Garden.

Lost Garden

A Scary Water Dragon

Dance of the Dragon

The Sand Dragon

Orchid Gardens

A Flower show in Singapore would not be complete without Orchids.

The crowd is coming in. Time to move on to the next section of the flower display

Continuing my journey through the Sentosa Flowers – Enchanted Spring, took me to the Imbiah Garden where I am transported into a different world. One which is larger than life and made more colorful with the flowers.

If you are reading this, do head down to Sentosa and enjoy the flower displays before it is too late. This magical work of art ends on January 29th 2012.

Trees of Life

Leave your wishes on the trees of life and they may come true

Come close to the larger than life birds and they may reveal their secret to happiness and hope

Dinoland

Dino Eggs on the slope

Hide! The Mummy Dino is coming

Don’t be scared! They are only flower dinos

That’s a real flower with a real honey bee

That’s another bee. It sure is a very beezy day

Spring Melodies

Perk up your spirit with the sound of music

Tea Journey

See how tea is harvested

How it is sorted and roasted to make that tea leaves that we know and love

Tea is a very integral part of the Chinese Culture

I think I will go get a cup of tea to drink

More of the Enchanting Spring story to come …

I’ve just returned from visiting Sentosa Flowers 2012. This year’s theme was Enchanted Spring and being the year of the Dragon, there were a number of flowers arrangements which resembles dragons.

This year’s Sentosa Flowers is held between January 22 to 29th 2012 during the first week of Chinese New Year

The iconic Resorts World Sentosa with the Universal Studios Singapore Battlestar Galatica ride in the background

I’ve decided to take the Sentosa Boardwalk to Sentosa. Entrance into Sentosa by the way of the Boardwalk would cost you S$1.

The Sentosa Flowers display begins at the entrance

Resort World Sentosa

We were grace with the dragon from Resort World Sentosa

Dragon with the Resort World Sentosa logo made up completely of flowers

The dragon at The Forum

The flower dragon in front of Hotel Michael

A Pink Dragon ?

At the lobby of Hotel Michael and Crockfords Tower

The Sentosa Flowers 2012 – Enchanted Spring is organized into different themes. I hope that I’ve got the photos organized correctly.

Dragon Gate

The Journey begins at the Dragon Gate

Colorful Carps leaping out of the water of flowers to greet you

The god of fortune taking time to pose with mere mortals

Floral Zodiac Dragon

The floral water dragon awaits you at the Merlion Plaza

Awakening

Complete the picture of the dragon to usher good luck in the new year

The Merlion

The Merlion is a half lion and half mermaid which is the iconic symbol of Singapore. The Merlion towers over Sentosa protecting it from harm

Cute Baby Merlion

Dragonflies

The Dragonflies at the Sentosa Flowers are larger than life

Flower Fairies

The playful flower fairies zooming around the waterfall

The Story continues ….

On February 14 1942, the 56th Infantry Regiment of the Japanese Army launched one of the bloodiest attack in Singapore to take control of Pasir Panjang Ridges. A Malay platoon made up of 42 men commanded by 2nd Lt Adnan Bin Saidi, aged 27, from the 1st Malay Regiment was tasked to defend Bukit Chandu. This was a very important defense position as it overlooked the northern region of Singapore and if the Japanese were to gain control of the ridge, they will have direct passage to the British army’s main ammunition and supply depots and other key military installations along Alexandra Road.

Although they were heavily outnumbered by the Japanese, 2nd Lt Adnan Bin Saidi urged his men to press on and to fight to the very end. The Japanese soldiers in the guise of deception, sent a group of soldiers dressed in Indian soldiers uniform. C Company saw through the disguise and started firing at the approaching Japanese troops, killing several of them. The Japanese forces subsequently launched an all out charge up Bukit Chandu which shattered the Malay Regiment defense line. Being out of ammunitions, the Malay Regiment continued the battle through hand to hand combat. Adnan bin Saidi was seriously wounded. He was captured and instead of taking him prisoner, continuously kicked and punched him before tying him to a cherry tree and was stabbed to death.

The battle was lost and the ridge fell to the Japanese.

More about the Reflections at Bukit Chandu can be found on their website at http://www.s1942.org.sg/s1942/bukit_chandu/homepage.htm

31K Pepys Road off the West Coast Highway

The sign reads

Deepest hopes you help fulfill -
Now harmony and quiet rule.
Sacrifice and courage on this hill
Is peace reflecting on this pool
~ Edwin Thumboo ~

The sign reads

“If we do not remember our heroes, we will
produce no heroes. If we do not record their sacrifices,
their sacrifices would have been in vain…
the greatest strength we have as a people is our common memories
of the past and our common hopes for the future…
For without those memories, the next generation will not have
the fighting spirit to carry on.”

BG (NS) George Yeo
Minister for Information and the Arts
(1991-1999)
At the launch of SCCI publication,
“The Price of Peace”, 21st June 1997

The Honor Roll of the Soldiers of the 1st Malay Regiment who have fallen during the Battle of Pasir Panjang

Singapore Shoreline divided into 3 combat zones

On February 14 1942, the Japanese Soldiers stormed into the nearby Alexandra Hospital and massacred more than 200 patients and staffs in a senseless killing spree.

Officer’s uniform of the Malay Regiment

Malay Regiment Walking Out Dress

Head Statue of 2nd Lt Adnan bin Saidi

Statue of a Japanese Officer

Map of the Battle of Pasir Panjang

Photo of the Japanese Soldiers on Bicycle through the Malayan Peninsular into Singapore

War Relics of the Second World War in Singapore

Maps

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The next and final leg of the journey takes us through Henderson Wave into Faber Walk towards Mount Faber. The Henderson Waves is an iconic bridge which would be easily recognizable. It snakes across the Henderson Road hence the name. The Henderson Waves is 274m long and at the highest point sits at 36m above Henderson Road.

Don’t worry the path across the Henderson Waves is not wavy but straight. Part of the waves acts as shelters against the environment

Henderson Road below

On the left is the Defence Science and Technology Agency and on the right is the public housing at Telok Blangah Way

The shelters at Henderson Waves

Long tail Macaques having a feast

The Macaques are typically harmless and would not attack unless they can see food. So to prevent yourself from being attacked, do not carry any plastic bags or food in easy reach of the primates. Just walk passed them and do not provoke them or you be courting trouble.

CHIJ (Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus) St Theresa’s Convent

Radin Mas Primary School

Mount Faber Hill Park

Overlooking the old Colonial Buildings in Sentosa

Harbour Front Towers (Formerly World Trade Centre)

The Jewel Box on top of Mount Faber

The Jewel Box is home to the Mount Faber Cable Car Station, 5 F&B Outlets and a retail shop. It sits on top of Mount Faber at the height of 106m.

Cable Cars to the Harbour Front Station

The Road to Sentosa before the Sentosa Boardwalk was built. Behind it is plot of land where Universal Studios Singapore now sits

Pond at Palm Plaza

Overlooking the construction of Resort World Sentosa and Univeral Studios Singapore

Colonial House along the Marang Trail

This ends the Southern Ridges Trail as I made my descent down to Seah Im Food Centre before approaching Vivocity.

The next leg of the Southern Ridges trail begins from outside the Hort Park through the Alexandra Arch across Alexandra Road towards the Henderson Waves across Henderson Road.

The Alexandra Arch

The start of the trial takes us through the Forest Walk over the former Gillman Army Camp

The Gillman Barrack as it was previously known was built in 1927 in the defense of Singapore. It was named after Major General Webb Gillman. During the second world war, this place saw the fierce fighting between the British forces and the Malay Regiment against the Japanese invading forces.

In the 1970s, the camp was taken over by the Singapore Armed Forces and it became the Headquarters of the Singapore Combat Engineers. In the 1990s, the camp was disused and was renamed Gillman Village which houses eateries and other entertainment spots.

Gillman Village

The Gillman Village is undergoing the next phrase of development into Singapore latest Art destination.

Squirrel munching on the Banana Leaves

Saga Tree Pods

The ShopHouse in Gillman Village which offers recycled Indonesian Teakwood Furnitures

One of the former building of the Gillman Camp

The former Gillman Heights Apartments which has been demolished and the new condominum project, The Interlace is taking its place

The Former Fairways Condo  along Telok Blangah Road

The PSA and NOL Buildings

HP Building at Alexandra Road

New public housing at Telok Blangah Heights

Approaching Telok Blangah Hill Park

Jackfruits

In the distance is Sentosa with part of the Resort World Sentosa being built. This is taken on September 1st 2008.

Telok Blangah Hill Park Garden

The Alkaff Mansion

The Alkaff Mansion was built in the early 1920s by Syed Abdul Rahman Alkaff primarily as a retreat for his family and to entertain clients and guests of different races. The Alkaffs were wealthy and hugely successful traders from Yemen who dabbled in the lucrative trading in spices, coffee and sugar between India and Indonesia. The Alkaffs were also involved in property developed.

After the second world war, the Alkaff Mansion was abandoned and the building went into despair. In 1986, the building was restored to its former glory under the care of the Singapore Tourism Promotion Board. In 2008 when I visited the place, the building went abandoned again.

In December 2011, the Alkaff Mansion was restored once again and is now home to an Italian Restaurant, Alkaff Mansion Ristorante.

Our journey ends here as we enter the next leg of the journey through the Henderson Waves

The Southern Ridges is a group of nature parks which spans 9km from Science Park Drive to Mount Faber. This would include the Kent Ridge Park to the Alexandra Arch which snakes through the Forest Walk to the Henderson Waves and subsequently up to Mount Faber Park.

To get to Kent Ridge Park by public transport, you could take bus 92 from across the Buona Vista MRT Station near the Ministry of Education building. This will bring you into Science Park Drive where it would make a loop back to Ghim Moh Terminal. Align at the 4th stop when the bus turns into Science Park Drive. If you miss that stop, there is another one right after the loop. Alternatively, you could aligned at the newly opened Kent Ridge Station of the Circle Line and walk into Science Park Drive.

The pond overs Normanton Park Apartments

No Fishing Allowed

Ginger Flower

Safety Tips of the Park

Pulau Bukom Shell Refinery in the distance

PSA Pasir Panjang Terminal in the distance

A Container Ship arriving at the Pasir Panjang Terminal

More of Pulau Bukom in the distance

Look Out Point on the hill at Vigilante Drive

The French-Made AMX13 tank. This was the main battle tank used by the Singapore Army until the recent modernization. The AMX13 SM1 is a modified and upgraded modern of the tank currently being used.

Squirrel at Kent Ridge Park

Colonial Bungalow at York Road

UOB Alexandra Building on the right and Alexandra Point on the left

Queen’s Close Apartments in the background

Government Nursery at the Hort Park

Reflections at Bukit Chandu at Pepys Road

Singapore Storage and Warehouse is the designated warehouse for rice stockpile in Singapore

My journey to Kent Ridge ends at Pepys Road along the West Coast Highway. During this trip, I did visit the Reflections at Bukit Chandu which would be the topic of another blog.

I believe that residents and visitors to Singapore would know about Mount Faber (not actually a mountain but a hill) and the scenic park at the top of the hill. However, there is a no less impressive park along Pender Road which is also worth the visit. This is right next to Carpark D.

Getting to Carpark D, you could take the walk up Morse Road near the Laksa Steamboat Seafood Restaurant and make the first left turning at the first Pender Road. There is another Pender Road which goes straight and leads to a dead end.

The Christian Community Chapel on the left and the Laksa Steamboat Seafood Restaurant (blue building) on the right

The Demolition of Pender Court to make way of a new Condominium Project called The Forest@Mount Faber in 2015

Reflections at Keppel Bay Condominium (to be completed in 2013) taken from behind the Christian Community Chapel

Garage of a colonial bungalow at Pender Road

Houses at Wishart Road. I am not sure when these houses were built but it does appear to be of the pre-war design with the spiral staircase at the back.

There is a series of winding road up Pender Road towards Faber Loop. This seems to be part of the legacy of the British Colonial Design of road building.

More winding road

The Danish Seamen’s Church at 10 Pender Road

This building was formerly known as the Golden Bell Mansion which was completed in 1910 as the residence of Tan Boo Liat, the Great Grandson of Tan Tock Seng (who was a philanthropist and as hospital named after him). In 1911, Sun Yat Sen, the Chinese Revolutionist and former President of China from 1911-1912) stayed a night at this Mansion after his arrival from Europe. Mrs Sun and daughters stayed over in 1912 on route from Penang to China.

The Golden Bell Mansion was sold in 1934 after the death of Tan Boo Liat in Shanghai and has been the residence of the Danish Seamen’s Church since 1985.

The Carpark D is located next to the Danish Seamen’s Church

There are 4 cable cars which were used in the past to ferry merrymakers from Mount Faber to Sentosa before the refurbishments of the cable car system. This could have been the first batch of cable cars used during the mid 1970s.

Flora around the park

New life begins

The Park is near one of the path leading towards the Henderson Waves

KTM Tracks along Henderson Road

Maps

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