Furnishing the Man Cave

Furniture in the man cave. I didn't take a picture of the big screen Sony or the elephants. Robin likes elephants.

Mum McCubbin has not seen any of the videos on this blog yet because the Mac is packed to be shipped here (S'pore).

Furniture Delivery Day

I didn't go out Wednesday (it is Thursday here now). Furniture delivery started around 11:00 am and ended at 5:00 pm. Unfortunately, the sofa (couch, chesterfield) will not be delivered until October 31 and I will be gone. Pictures to follow, but later.

Chijmes: Night Life

Here is a sampling of Sinapore night life at Chijmes.

Situated in the compound of a one-time girls’ convent school, Chijmes today is one of Singapore’s premier wine and dine destinations. You can’t help but find something you’ll like to eat here with restaurants boasting Turkish, Western, Continental, Italian, Chinese, South American, Tapas, Japanese and Vietnamese cuisines, as well as wine bars, discos and pubs to party the night away in.

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Sorry this video is a bit long. I haven't been editting any of these videos.

Walking along the Singapore River

Late afternoon, yesterday, I went for a walk along the Singapore River.

Yikes, should pronounce it brasserie, not brassier. LOL

Browsing at the Continental Department Store

The beaded dresses below would be chosen for special occasions like weddings. When describing the third dress I had assumed that it would be worn with pants, but the fabric I pointed out could have been a shawl. I am not certain.

These tunics are by the same company/designer, Khushi. They are comfortable because the tunics do not hug the body starting beneath the bust line; it is an "A" line.

My friend Bryn indicated these are punjabi/shuridar suits.

I have two shorter versions that Robin brought back from Bangalore a few years ago.

Shopping at the Continental Department Store in Little India

At the Continental Department Store

165 Dunlop Street, Singapore 209471
Email: cds.peteraju@pacific.net.sg
Tel: 6294 8559

I tried on many more tunics than you see here. They were all beautiful. Robin surprised me with a gift of three. The tunic can be worn with different pants or even jeans. Rani was very, very helpful and abundantly patient. The visit began and ended with a hug.

The Clinic

Someone has a real sense of humour.

Meet up with former co-worker

The world is small. Here Robin and I are meeting with my former CIBC co-worker, Jay Mancuso. At the time Jay was a PCUBED contractor with CIBC. The last time I saw Jay was five years ago. It was so nice to see him last night. We will meet again in the near future. We had a nice reunion at the Tapas Tree. The food and service were both good...the company exceptional.

Here's to you Jay. I hope that Ted, Irene and Iris see this.

More Little India

Little India Market

Condo

I told a few of you that I am here to help Robin furnish his condo. Since most of our current home furnishings are possessions from our past, this is a relatively new adventure for us. So far we haven't had any major disagreements. Not everything will make it back to Canada, but this will...

I was whispering because Robin was sleeping in (a little). You'll need your ear phones to hear this.

Maids

Very sad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6kqvZx1Bzw&feature=fvst

Singapore Street Musician

A street musician playing an erhu, a chinese violin. I am not sure what the shrill sound was behind this music, but it was very irritating.

Singapore, promotional video

Promotional Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUBbUH5ggSY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va9awWNjInE&NR=1

Shophouses

Typically, shophouses consist of shops on the ground floor which open up to a public arcade or "five-foot way", and which have residential accommodation upstairs. The shophouses would abut each other to form rows with regular facade, fire walls and adherence to street alignment.

As its name suggests, a shophouse often contains a shop with separate residential spaces. More generally, space occupied by the former contains a semi-public function. While this usually is, and historically usually was, a shop, it could just as easily be a food and beverage outlet (e.g. coffee shop or bar), a service provider (e.g. clinic or barber), an industrial activity (e.g. cottage industry or auto workshop) or a community space (e.g. a school or clan association). Residential spaces are meant to accommodate one or more families, or serve as a dormitory for single workers. Popular belief holds that shophouses were initially occupied by single families, with their private living areas in one space and the more public family business in another. However, it is possible that the two spaces were always usually used by unrelated persons or groups, who may be tenants or resident owners. The position of the shop and residential space depends on the number of floors of the shophouse: A single storey shophouse tends to include residential space behind the shop, while residential spaces in shophouses of two or more storeys are typically located above the shop.

These are all shophouses along the Singapore River sitting humbly beneath the business towers and shopping centres. These shophouses are restaurants. I have never seen so many restaurants in my life.

Clarke Quay

Clarke Quay is a historical riverside quay in Singapore, located within the Singapore River Planning Area. The quay is situated upstream from the mouth of the Singapore River and Boat Quay.

Clarke Quay was named after Sir Andrew Clarke, Singapore's second Governor and Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1873 to 1875, who played a key role in positioning Singapore as the main port for the Malay states of Perak, Selangor and Sungei Ujong.

Clarke Quay is also the name of a road along the quay, part of which has since been converted into a pedestrian mall. Clarke Street, located next to Clarke Quay, was officially named in 1896, and was originally two streets known simply as East Street and West Street in north Kampong Malacca. Similar to Clarke Quay, Clarke Street has since been converted into a pedestrian mall.

The Hoklos (Hokkien) refer to Clarke Street as gi hok kong si au, meaning "behind the new Gi Hok Kongsi" (house). The new Gi Hok Kongsi was near Carpenter Street.

Another Chinese reference, which only refers to the Southern bank around Read Bridge area, was cha chun tau (柴船头), meaning "jetty for boats carrying firewood". Small tongkangs carrying firewood from Indonesia berthed at this jetty. The firewood trade was primarily a Teochew enterprise.

Presently, five blocks of restored warehouses house various restaurants and nightclubs. There are also moored Chinese junks (tongkangs) that have been refurbished into floating pubs and restaurants. The Ministry of Sound is one of the anchor tenants of the place. Another anchor tenant, The Arena, will be home to Singapore's First Permanent Illusion Show (starting Aug 2008) starring J C Sum and 'Magic Babe' Ning The G-MAX reverse bungee, the first in Singapore, is located at the entrance which opened in November 2003.

Notable restaurants and nightclubs include Hooters and Indochine. River cruises and driver taxies on the Singapore River can be accessed from Clarke Quay. One of its most popular attractions is the flea market which is held every Sunday.

Clarke Quay MRT Station is located within the vicinity and a new SOHO concept development cum shopping centre called The Central, above the MRT station, was completed in 2007.

Riverboat Ride on the Singapore River

We went for a cruise on the Singapore River. It was more relaxing than it was informative. It was also much cooler than walking on the river bank. Robin doesn't live far from this area. You quickly discover that even a short walk sucks the energy right out of you. We usually walk then run for a mall to cool down. Fortunately there are many malls.

Singapore

From third world country to most advanced in only 30-40 years. View this Discovery channel summary for a good introduction to Singapore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVP1GdvD2L4

170 people stranded on Singapore Flyer

Here is the news report on the Singapore Flyer malfunction. It had happened a few times before according to this report.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTEKr8V21CQ

The Singapore Flyer

Commercial for the Singapore Flyer


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkbCSedtSDM

Cubicle Living Chinatown, Singapore

Chinatown became a crowded place particularly after the 1830s when the large scale emigration from South China took place. The occupants of these shop-houses or terraced houses lived in cubicles-sordid, dark, grimy and self-contained living areas. The corridors that divided the cubicles were narrow. The entire belongings of the dwellers were in the corner of the cubicle-the storage boxes and a board which double up at night as a bed.

Statuary, Statuary

Robin and I both love statuary. These are all located at Demsey Hill. Sorry, we do not have appropriate music for this slideshow. We also wanted it to move quickly.

Little India Market

Little India Market. No purchases.

Walking through Little India after the Mustafa Centre

Little India after a small shopping spree at the Mustafa Centre. Thank you Bryn for telling me about this place.

The Mustafa Center is "the" place to shop if you are trying to set up house from "scratch". The prices are excellent. This place puts Honest Eds to shame (although Honest Ed's is very good). However, we only bought towels and a french press coffee pot during this visit. A bodum was priced at $270 SDG at Robertson's and an equivalent model, Boujour, $79 SDG at the Mustafa Center. Robin purchased bath towels at Robertson's at $20 plus SDG each, whereas the price at the Mustafa Centre was $8.50 SDG albeit a smaller towel.

My friend Bryn told me about this place weeks before I left for Singapore.

The only drawback is that the centre is really, really crowded. Getting down an aisle is a challenge. You spend more time waiting to get down the aisle than shopping. I believe we will be heading back there for more house goodies.

Snake

Snake

Chinatown Heritage Centre

Chinatown Heritage Centre.

Shopping in Chinatown

Shopping in Chinatown.

Adoration

Adoration.

Bugis area continued

Bugis area again.

Monday at Bugis

The longest outdoor market in Singapore, but I don't know what it is called.

Durian, Durian

Hello Folks:

I had durian during my first hours in Singapore, but it was in a mooncake so I didn't experience the pungent scent or the look of the fruit. Later I was near the entrance of a market and I smelled it, but it's shape was still a mystery to me.

Here is a YouTube segment on durian. There are many videos on durians, some pretty hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2d7WsPWqG0&feature=related

Enjoy.

April

Robin's Lunch At Dempsy Hill

Robin had Italian food, yes, you heard right. Ok, it was a safe choice; pork roll. Here it is.

Just after arrival: Haze in Singapore sky

Forest fires set by Borneo dam developer contributes to haze in Malaysia, Singapore

The developer of a massive hydroelectric project in Borneo plans to set fire to thousands hectares of logged over rainforest in the dam area, contributing to polluting haze already blanketing the region and raising the risk of forest fires in adjacent areas, reports a local environmental group.

The Sarawak Conservation Action Network (SCANE) has learned that Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd, the operator of the Bakun Hydroelectric Power Dam project, is in the process of clear-cuting 80,000 hectares (200,000 acres) of rainforest set to be flooded by the dam. The remnants are being torched, in direct violation of Malaysia's laws against open burning.

Correction: Not for agriculture, but for a dam.

About Mooncakes

The Mooncake Festival is another name given to the lantern Festival in Singapore. The root of the festival lies in a number of legends. The first legend lies in the history of the 14th century revolution that was led by Yuan Zhang. It is said that during the revolution, he used to smuggle notes inside moon cakes and used lighted lanterns, which was a signal to spark off the revolt. Another legend says that the moon was the final home of the legendary Chang Er and her rabbit. Now, people celebrate the legends by the Lantern or the Moon cake festival in Singapore.

During the Mooncake Festival, the streets are lined up with a number of festive stalls that sell a large variety of moon cakes that are a specialty of the Mooncake Festival. Along with the moon cakes, these stalls also sell other food tidbits' and items such as traditional paper lanterns, decorations and other souvenirs. During the mooncake festival of Singapore, the childe parade down the streets with colorful lit up lanterns and present a beautiful sight. There are also other forms of cultural shows and performances such as the lion dances, Chinese instrumentalists and others that add to the excitement of the Mooncake festival. There are also bonsai competitions and tea making demonstrations adding up to the activities of the festival. The Festival takes place in the Chinese Garden and Chinatown in Singapore.

The Mooncake festival is also called the Mid-autumn festival and is one of the, most colorful and vibrant of the festivals celebrated in Singapore.

Arrival Day: Walking Down Orchard Road after rainfall

This is the Rodeo Drive of Singapore. It's a little noisy as I compete with something that sounded like a chainsaw.

Moon Cake

We thought it was a food market, but everybody you see here are selling or buying "Moon Cakes". It is part of a chinese festival which I do not know anything about yet. I bought one. Unfortunately, I only discovered this after I filmed this from the balcony.

Raffles Hotel

Just arrived and already walking through the corridors of Raffles Hotel. This is a very famous spot in Singapore

Just arrived in Singapore

It rained for two hours in Singapore just after I arrived at 7:36 am, Saturday morning. This was filmed at Raffles.

Off to Singapore

I'll be off to Singapore soon. Watch here for updates, pictures and videos and observations.