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Watoto Children Choir in Singapore (April 8th 2012)

by Eddy

The Watoto Children Choir is made up of children from Uganda in the continent of Africa who have either lost one or both parents to AIDS, Civil War or were left abandoned by their parents. They have been adopted and nursed back to health by the Watoto Church, given a home and a family, educated and are prepared for their path to adulthood.

“Watoto” in Swahili means “Children”. The Watoto Children Choir travels the globe to spread the message of hope despite their previously hopeless situation. Without the Watoto mission, these children would have been left to their own devices and would not be robbed of their childhood and may not survive the harsh reality of the world on the streets of Uganda.

The Watoto Children Choir made its second debut in Singapore in 2012 going around schools and churches to spread their message through songs and dance. Most of the songs are in English with a mix of Swahili. They even performed a Mandarin song which got the audience excited.

The videos below are taken off my iPod Touch at Grace Assembly of God at Tanglin Road in Singapore on April 8th 2012.

Enjoy!

God Knows My Name

I Am Not Forgotten

Dance of Hope

There Is No Else Like Jesus

Who Will Sing My Lullaby

Chinese Song
(I do not know the title, sorry)

My Hope Is Found In You

Mambo Sawa (Life is Good)

I do hope you enjoy their performance. For more information about the Watoto Children Choir, do check out their blog at http://watotochoirs.wordpress.com/

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iPad (3rd Generation) Photo and Video Tests

by Eddy

After getting my new iPad on Saturday, I managed to bring it around while visiting JCube on Monday to take a few pictures and subsequently on Lot 1 on Wednesday using the new iPad. This 3rd Generation iPad comes with a 5 megapixels camera with face detection, autofocus and digital zoom. It however does not come with any flash which makes it a downer when trying to take indoors photos when there is insufficient lighting.

I am so used to using my 3″ Viewfinder on my digital camera and using the iPad 9.7″ screen to take pictures seems quite unusual as images are so big but I like the either of being able to really see exactly what I take. It is definitely hard to screw up with the iPad. However, if you are planning to use it as a spy camera, well forget it as everyone behind you would know what you are taking.

Here are some photos taken indoors from JCube in Jurong East which was open on April 2nd 2012, making it the Singapore’s newest shopping centre. JCube has a full Olympic size skating rink.

JCube’s Skating Rink taken without zoom

JCube’s Skating Rink taken with digital zoom

Below are Photos taken outdoors in full sunlight at Lot 1 in Choa Chu Kang, Singapore.

Choa Chu Kang MRT Station taken from the roof garden of Lot 1

The Roof Garden at Lot 1

One more photo taken of Star Vista next to the Buona Vista MRT Station which is slated to open in September 2012

I must say that the photos are actually quite brilliant and rich from a tablet’s camera. It is quite easy to use but under bright sunlight, I wasn’t really able to see what I am taking. There were a few times when I had the toggle set to video when I wanted to take still photos. I guess it would take a little getting use to.

Apple really did a good job with the camera and I do see myself using it when I do not have my ultra zoom digital camera with me. It is great for candid shots.

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Me and my new iPad

by Eddy

As some of you might know, I’ve gone pro-Apple since last year. Initially, it was due to work but having worked with my MacBook Pro, I began to fall in love with the ease of use of the interface. I almost bought an iPad 2 late last year but decided to wait for what this year has to offer and I’m glad I waited. The retinal display is probably the most beautiful part of the new iPad (3rd generation).

I did stay up to watch the product launch and was glad that Singapore was chosen to be one of the first few countries to have the new iPad on it’s maiden launch on March 16th 2012. I wanted to pre-order but decided to actually go down and see it for myself. You know people can over-exaggerate on features and downplay any limitations and so not wanting to get caught up in all the hype, I waited.

After the initially launch, I monitored the web forums and other reviews to determine if I want to get it. Initially, I wanted to get the 4g model but found out that it doesn’t work in Singapore because of the incompatibility of the 4g standard here. Also it appears that the personal hotspot service is also not enabled in Singapore. To make matters worst, the telco reduced the free usage quota to 10gb per month. This makes the whole idea of tying myself with a telco contract to be really unattractive for me. With the new retinal display and the support of full 1080p HD, it is easy to go over that 10gb allocation and it can get rather expensive. With that, I decided to go with the Wifi model. Initially, I’ve set my mind on the 32gb model since I wouldn’t be putting my whole music collection in there, just what I need and the rest would be streamed. Ebooks would not be very big and the rest would be apps.

It was only on March 26th (Monday) which I found time to go down to the showroom to actually look and hold the new iPad. I’ve wanted to purchase it there and then but as usually, it was sold out. It appears that only small batches of units make it to the stores each time and some even resort to only selling to members or having you purchase some bundles before offering it to you for sale.

I found out that because of the exclusivity of the iPad release within the region, there are opportunists from the other surrounding countries coming down to Singapore and snapping up all available stocks to resell at an exorbitant price to their iPad hungry countrymen. I really cannot understand why some people cannot wait and pay regular pricing but rather get it at two to three times the retail price just to be a few weeks or months ahead of the rest. The iPad is nice but without it, life can still go on.

Anyways, since nothing was available in the places I’ve visited, I decided to just place my order at the Apple online store. There was an estimated delivery period of between 1 to 2 weeks which was fine.

I happened to be out on March 31st at IMM and saw that Challenger was selling the new iPad. I asked for the 32gb model but they did not have. No one seems to have it because I guess that probably might be the popular price point or the most unsellable model that only limited models been manufactured. I guess I will never know. All iPads of the same generation looks alike on the outside so it is had to tell what is what. Challenger happens to have a lot of 16gb models and 2 64gb models. Well, 16gb may be sufficient for my needs but I never know what apps or media I would add to it especially now some apps are getting more bloated when they get enhanced for the retinal display. I decided to cancel my online order since it was still in the stage of being processed and got myself the 64gb wifi black model. Finally, an iPad in my hands.

The retinal display is fantastic and the colors are more brilliant for photos and HD videos. It also makes reading ebooks a lot better. With the 1gb RAM, navigating between web pages and PDF files were very smooth.

Now I’m happy. Paired with my Hauwei portable 3G wifi router, I’m set to go.

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HortPark The Gardening Hub – Singapore

by Eddy

HortPark is the latest gardening hub established by the National Parks, Singapore. It is located along Alexandra Road opposite the Alexandra Arch of the Southern Ridges at 33 Hyderabad Road. It features several themed mini gardens and several climatized green houses to house new plants and trees which would be introduced into the soon-to-be-opened Gardens By the Bay.

The HortPark signboard under the Alexandra Arch

Lining the walkway into the HortPark are plants and trees of all shapes and sizes

The Brazilian Red Cloak

Gum Nuts from the Flowering Gum Tree

The Vineyard Restaurant located at the HortPark’s Visitors’ Centre

View of the Alexandra Technopark from the HortPark’s Visitors’ Centre

The Silver Afgekia flowers from Thailand

Elephant Climber flowers

Yellow-vented Bulbul bird pitched up high in the tree. It was a good thing that I was able to spot it as it was quite well-camouflagued.

Silver Bismarck Palms

Now we come to the themed gardens in the park. There is some 20 of them and they are ever evolving as some were under reconstruction

Each of the themed garden is designed by a local landscape design company to showcase their talents

There is a Butterfly Garden but it wasn’t opened on the day I was there.

Some of the designs are avant-garde while others are based on asian or european theme but there seems to be this distinct design which revolves around topless sculptures in either cultures

Now back to the flora part of the HortPark

A beautiful hibiscus flower

I almost didn’t see this lizard, it was actually quite well camouflaged into the color and texture of the tree

At the far end of the HortPark are two rows of Climatized Greenhouses which is the temporary home of the flora which would be part of the upcoming Gardens By the Bay at Marina.

The glass is quite reflective and the weather was quite erratic that day so I couldn’t really take much of the pictures from within the greenhouses

Lavender Star Flower

Blue Pea flower

This almost looks like a rambutan

The Horizontal Garden which is suitable for a land scare island nation like Singapore

There is a pond with kois and arrowanas at the front of the park near the visitors’ centre

Saying goodbye to the wooden monkey and the bended ginger flower, I made my way out of the park.

Entrance to the HortPark is free and it is opened between 6am to 10pm. It is a great place to enjoy the flora and fauna and pick up some gardening or landscaping tips there. They do contact regular seminars on gardening so if you are into such things, it is worth checking them out.

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Kranji War Memorial – 70 years after the fall of Singapore

by Eddy

The Battle of Singapore during the second world war against the Japanese invading forces lasted 7 days from February 8th 1942 and ended with the surrender of the British forces in Singapore on February 15th 1942 at 5pm. There will be a Remembrance Ceremony on February 15th 2012 at 5pm to be held at the Kranj War Memorial. Veterans of the war and other dignities would be attending. The event is also opened to the public and free transport from the Kranji MRT Station would be provided. I wanted to attend but I am not sure if I would be free on that day and I thought since I was free today, I thought I pop in before that date.

It will take about a 5 minute walk up the narrow road to the Kranji War Memorial located along Woodlands Road

The entrance of the Kranji War Memorial is unmarked

On the right lawn is the State Cemetery which holds the tomb of Singapore’s First and Second Presidents

President Yosof bin Ishak is Singapore’s First Head of State between 1959 to 1965 when Singapore was part of Malaysia and continues to serve as its First President after the separation from Malaysia on August 9th 1965 till November 23 1970 when he passed away. You would find his image all the current series of Singapore’s Currency Notes.

President Benjamin Henry Sheares serves as Singapore’s Second President from January 2nd 1971 to May 12th 1981. I remember seeing President Benjamin Sheares during one of my Red Cross Parade during my primary school. The Benjamin Sheares Bridge and a student residence hall in the National University of Singapore is named after him.

The steps up the Kranji War Memorial

The War Memorial is the final resting place for 4,458 allied servicemen who died during the Second World War in Singapore

During the 2nd World War, the soldiers of the allied forces making up of citizens from all over the British Commonwealth were united irregardless of race and religion in their concentrated effort in repelling the invading Japanese Forces. They lost their lives in fighting for our freedom.

On the both sides of the main memorial and the back are a common grave for a number of fallen allied servicemen during the 2nd World War

In the main memorial are inscribed the names of 24,000 allied soldiers who died during the war and whose body were never found

The Memorial Cross

On the far right side of the memorial lies the bodies of the Armed Forces and Polices who died during the Malayan Communist Insurgency (1948-1960) and the Indonesian-Malaysian Confrontation (1962-1966)

A plague which outline the day by day account of the 7 days of fighting during the second world war in Singapore leading up to its surrender

This is a plague in Memory of Members of Operation Rimau where in September 1944 during the Japanese Occupations, 23 British and Australian Allied Forces travelled by submarine to the outskirt of Singapore Harbour with the mission to destroy Japanese ships. Their vessel was incepted by the Japanese forces resulting in 13 members killed and the rest subsequently executed on July 7 1945

With sadness for the fallen soldiers who defended Singapore and a deeper appreciation for their dedication to fight for our freedom, I made my leave

If you are taking a bus, you can board any of these buses from the Kranji MRT Station on the station side and alight 2 stops after. The Kranji War Memorial opens from 7am to 6pm.

The view of the Kranji War Memorial from the bus stop

I hope that we will never see war again. Too much unnecessary lost of lives where hopes and dreams are cut short. It only leads to misery. Let’s remember what they have done and cherish our freedom. However in difficulties, we saw how much people of all races and religion united against the common enemy.

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Singapore Botanic Gardens

by Eddy

The Singapore Botanic Gardens is the oldest and probably the largest garden park spread over 183 hectares in Singapore. It was established in 1859 by the Agri-Horticultural Society as a leisure park but was subsequently handed over to the government. Henry Nicholas Ridley was the first scientific director from 1888 to 1911. He was responsible for the setting up of the rubber industry in Malaysia and during his time founded a way to tap rubber without hurting the trees.

Professor Eric Holttum who was the director of the gardens between 1925 to 1949 pioneered the science of orchid hybridization and the Singapore Botanic Gardens have been instrumental in developing new hybrids of orchid ever since making Singapore as one of the top commercial centre for orchid production. Impressed with the work at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Hidezo Tanakadate who took over control of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, ensured that nothing in the garden is looted and interned Professor Eric Holttum and Edred John Henry Corner who was the Assistant Director to continue their work.

Subsequently under the new direction of the newly independent Singapore Government, the Singapore Botanic Gardens was task with transforming Singapore as a “Garden City”.

Access to the Singapore Botanic Gardens is free and it opens from 5am to midnight. However, there is a S$5 entrance fee for adult and S$1 for children and those above 60 years old to the National Orchid Garden in the park which opens from 8:30am to 7pm.

There are three entrances to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, one at the Napier Road entrance which can be accessed by bus or taxi from Orchard Road. The second is at Tyersall Avenue which is only accessible if you drive and this is the closest entrance to the National Orchid Garden. The third is from Bukit Timah Road via bus or the newly opened Botanic Garden Station of the Circle Line.

It is a good idea to visit the Botany Centre from the Napier Road entrance

There are several wood cravings at the Botany Centre including this one of an octupus

A craving of a monitor lizard

A craving of a fish

There is an exhibition on Rubber and the work of Henry Ridley in the Botany Centre

The Sun Garden showcases plants from the arid regions including several varieties of cactuses

The Sun Dial Garden

The Sun Dial tells time by casting shadow on a sunny day but if it is cloudy, rains and get dark, it is pretty much useless

That’s Kermit the frog when he is not acting

At the Swan Lake, a swan is looking back at a set of swan sculptures taking off

Even a fish is waiting at the banks of the Swan Lake for a hand out

The Swan Lake is a popular spot for families to enjoy

Walk inside the Waterfall at the Ginger Garden

The waterfall located at the Ginger Garden

Different species of Gingers at the Ginger Garden

Picnic at the Palm Valley under the Palm trees

The Symphony Lake which is where free public concerts are being held several times a year

I am always excited when I see Mandarin Ducks, they actually look rather pretty

At the Eco Park near the Bukit Timah Entrance

Jambu Ayer Fruits

Mangoes on the tree

The very elusive waterhen

There is a lot more to the Singapore Botanic Gardens and I would definitely visit it again. It is definitely worth the effort if you love nature.

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Venturing Bukit Batok Nature Park Singapore

by Eddy

The highlight of Bukit Batok Nature Park is the 10 storey cliff and the walk up the transmission tower. This used to be the site of a granite quarry which was abandoned in 1988.

Map of the Bukit Batok Nature Park

Beware of Falling Durians

Orchids around the park entrance

View of the Transmission Tower

There is a playground and several shelters where you can take a rest

A water stream from the pond

The rock face of the hill overlooking a pond

The pond was carved out after decades of dynamite bustling of the wall of the hill. The pond does look deceptively shallow but it is several storeys deep

There are turtles in the pond

A tree that has its roots wrapped around a boulder

Close Up on the Granite wall

Shelter half way up the hill

The memorial on the 120 steps up to the transmission tower commemorate the fallen soldiers during the battle of Bukit Timah Hill on February 11 1942.

The Battle of Bukit Timah Hill was one of the bloodiest battle in Singapore where the Japanese took the greatest casualties. In revenge, the Japanese Soldiers massacred the chinese living in the nearby village.

There was an earlier war memorial built by the Japanese for their fallen brethren. During that time, the Australian POWs were granted the permission to built their own memorial on the steps of the hill. Both of which were destroyed after the Japanese Surrender.

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West Coast Park Singapore

by Eddy

The West Coast Park is a much shorter beach park compared to East Coast Park, nevertheless it has its own charm. There is a dog run, a jogging track, BBQ Pits and a Marsh Park. McDonalds is also located within the confines of the park.

The West Coast Park starts from the PSA’s Pasir Panjang Terminal on one end

A yellow caterpillar

A Cannon Ball Tree with fruits and flowers

A Rest Stop in the park

The Poly Marina belongs to Singapore Polytechnic’s Singapore Maritime Academy to enable its students to have practical experience on a real sea vessel

The Republic of Singapore Yacht was founded in 1826 and is the oldest sailing club in Singapore

There are warehouses and shipyards around the area

The Marsh Garden at West Coast Park

Boardwalk over the Marsh Garden

Cannon Ball Tree Flower

A Kapok Tree

The Kapok fruit when ripe produces fibre similar to cotton. These is use to fill stuffed toys or pillows. mattresses and so on.

The fibrous fruit of the kapok trees makes a feast for some red and black insects

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The Singapore Flyer Rainforest Discovery Park

by Eddy

When you are in the Marina Bay area, it is hard to miss the Singapore Flyer which towers at 165m. It is said to be the largest observation wheel in Singapore. It provides a panoramic view of the city and the neighboring countries of Indonesia and Malaysia on a clear day. Each revolution takes 30 minutes so that gives you a chance to view the city of Singapore at various points. Underneath the Singapore Flyer in the main atrium is the Rainforest Discovery Park which is the subject of this blog.

The Singapore Flyer

Tickets cost S$29.50 for Adults, S$20.65 for Ages of 3 to 12 and S$23.60 for those 60 and above

There are F&B outlets at the Singapore Flyer selling local, asian and western delights

The Viewing Capsule of the Singapore Flyer

The Yakult Rainforest Discovery Park is located within the atrium of the Singapore Flyer

The pond within the rainforest discovery park

The bridge to the Singapore Flyer Capsule landing platform

The waterfall is the highlight of the park

The Anchors which holds up the cables of the Singapore Flyer

The capsule of the Singapore Flyer

If you do happened to be around the area, do pop into the Singapore Flyer and explore the place. The Singapore Food Street at the Singapore Flyer offers several local favorites all under one roof.

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Singapore National Museum – Tracing Singapore’s History

by Eddy

The National Museum of Singapore was initially opened in 1887 and was called the Raffles Library and Museum but was renamed after Singapore’s Independence in 1965 to its current name after the library was separated. For the period between 1963 to 2006, it was known as the Singapore History Museum but after the 3 1/2 year restoration project it was reopened as the National Museum of Singapore.

There is an outdoor escalator which bring you up to Fort Canning Hill behind the museum

The modern extension was added in 2006

There are both the permanent and temporary exhibits in the museum

Although it is no longer called the Singapore History Museum, it still has a wide collection of Singapore’s past and it is certainly a great place to visit to remember where Singapore have been and what it has become.

Finds from old Singapore

Old Rickshaw used in the past. This require a lot of leg strength.

The abacus which is now replaced by the calculator

Straits Chinese (Peranakan) Lady

The Japanese Army Bicycles which were used to enter Singapore from Malaya in 1942

Leather helmet of the Japanese Solider

The tall building on the left was the Asia Insurance Building, at 15 storey high it is the tallest building in Singapore in the 1950s. Now it is the Ascott Singapore Raffles Place Serviced Apartment.