Blogs from Singapore, Asia - page 2

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Asia » Singapore September 26th 2023

Established by the British colonial government in the 1920s, the 200 hectare Bukit Brown Cemetery nestled in the center of Singapore is the final resting place for many of Singapore’s prominent ethnic Chinese pioneers. Rather interestingly, the class conscious British were horrified that many poor Chinese were not buried after they died, so they earmarked the lower reaches of the cemetery as a "paupers' section", while the areas higher up the hill became the domain of the bourgeois, with many of its wealthy denizens entombed in elaborate graves. From the 1970s onwards, the cemetery started falling into disuse as the descendants of the departed started dying out themselves. Nature took over, and the profile of visitors slowly transitioned from filial descendants of the deceased to birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. In the early 2010s, Bukit Brown returned ... read more
My Great Grandmother's Grave in the early 2010s
Hello Great Grandma!
My Great Grandmother

Asia » Singapore September 19th 2023

First of all I want to point out, how insanely big Frankfurt Airport is. My gates were 1.5 km apart and that wasn'tt eben the furthest distance. (I mean teachnically I knew how big the airport is, but it's different to see if in person). Thanks to a very nice airport employee I found my next gate in Frankfurt without trouble. Just short of an hour later I was siting in the plane. Again I lucked out with the seat I was assinged for this 12h flight: an aile seat, giving me extra leg room and the freedom to get up without bothering anyone. Add the glass of wine the cabin crew so kindly offered and my headphones playing music into the mix and I couldn't be happier. At least that's what I thought until they ... read more

Asia » Singapore » Little India September 17th 2023

Had the Little India walking tour today, well in the morning. Again there is a forecast for rain but again only a few spots eventuated. Consequently it was very humid and very sticky but we saw the sights and had some delights. The meeting place was only 800 m from our hotel so we walked rather than take the MRT for just one station. Fascinating district as we sort of knew and sort of assumed. Absolutely ablaze with colour. The buildings, the saris, the flowers, the fruit and vegetables all pop. Couple of interesting facts and figures but not the greatest presentation we’ve had. Happened to be the Indian ‘god’ Gnash (spelling?) and the Singaporean quasi god Lee Quon Yew (spelling) birthday today. Lee Quon Yew would have been 100 today if he were still alive. ... read more
Singapore’s famous tik-tok house. (So I’m told!).
The smashing of a coconut, richly symbolic for Hindus entering the temple.
Inside the temple.

Asia » Singapore » Little India September 16th 2023

Grande Singapore! I’m by the hotel pool listening to the formula one cars doing their thing around the circuit here. I can’t help but listen despite the fact there are several high rise buildings between the Marina Bay district and our hotel. There’s Grande Prix merchandise in the stores and according to the hotel reception there will be people everywhere so we will just have to put up with some disruptions. We wanted to go to the gardens and we will but I’m certain we will be sharing the experience with heaps of others. We are in the Little India district and not by any stretch of the imagination near the F1 action so I can only just contemplate what the noise and hubbub must be elsewhere. This afternoon we will do a Little China walking ... read more
Fruit drinks, not spicy but pretty good.
Hotel pool.
Inside a shopping mall.

Asia » Singapore » Chinatown September 16th 2023

Singapore was originally 500 square km but now it occupies a land area of 720 square km. Someone is real estate said buy now they are not making any more land, well in Singapore they do! And they have been doing it for years. Chinatown was once a swampy slum and now it’s a kilometre or so from the sea front (Marina Bay Sands stands between Chinatown and the sea) and it’s now longer a slum as you can’t live there. It’s now restaurants and office space only. Some say the ‘spirit’ has also gone but there’s still a lot of atmosphere in the precinct. That’s information gleaned from our walking tour with a little extrapolation from me. I won’t regurgitate facts and figures about pavement width, building frontage, temple gods etc as it’s a bit ... read more
Two very good passion fruit and orange drinks.
The history of the Chinese in Singapore. First panel.
The history of the Chinese in Singapore.

Asia » Singapore September 12th 2023

Awake at 5 am and quick coffee and out the door at 5.45 a taxi soon arrived outside the Hotel and took us out to the Airport still dark. Dropped our bags and through to find a good coffee and muffin ….picked up some more booze and made our way through security to our gate. Delayed in boarding and finally took off at 9.40 only 1/2 hour late. Flight wasn’t too bad but did get rather long towards the end the plane was chocka !!! …. Over the Bay of Bengal there was some big turbulence and got a bit frightening ….. had a few sleeps watched a movie and couple of TV episodes and 2 meals and few walkabouts … survived the 13 hours and landed at Heathrow 4pm London time … took ages to ... read more
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Asia » Singapore September 11th 2023

Had a slow start this morning a coffee and a bar for breakfast…. Overcast again today so not quite as hot …. Wandered up the river away from town to riverside point… very quiet but once again would come alive again later in the day …. Got inside another big mall and enjoyed some cool air conditioning …. Had a barista coffee and muffin and felt a little normal again ….spent a good hour in the Daiso Japanese Store ,a bit like a 2 dollar shop interesting seeing different stuff , all prices in all the shops across the board the same prices as ours and the average hourly wage 23.50 first home buyers can get an apartment for around 300,000.00$ … looked around more shops a bag and electronics … chemist and stationers … lots ... read more
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Asia » Singapore September 10th 2023

Had a coffee and musile bar for breakfast and headed out about 8.30 am …. Made our way along to China town wasn’t far. Along the way we saw an Indian Mosque and a Chinese temple … streets fairly quiet and sun was out so it was heating up pretty quick …. Almost nothing opens till 10 am …. Ended up at the Maxwell Hawker centre and had brunch cheap 7 dollars each and authentic dishes…. 11am got some cash out at a money machine (few and far between) …. Cooled off and a cool beverage…. Wandered across to Chinatown and found all the markets ….lots of little alleyways and traders fresh produce and fish market downstairs was quite a pong !!! everybody wanted cash so didn’t buy much of anything except some Lyches….wandered back along ... read more
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Asia » Singapore September 9th 2023

Woke early still on NZ time but had a pretty good sleep…..Got out and about at 8.30 and found a breakfast bar and coffee to start with as most malls etc don’t open till 10 am on a Saturday ???? …. Wandered around and across the river into the boat Quay area …. Very historical part of Singapore and lots of bars and eateries … meandered around the riverside and was really pleasant … temperature pretty manageable at 29 with a lot of cloud cover and breezes, every now and then the sun would come out and just be so intense. Got around to the Dragon Fountain Merlion Park and found a few postcards to send to the oldies ….. kept walking right around the Marina Bay and along to Marina Sands Plaza a huge shopping ... read more
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Asia » Singapore September 8th 2023

Up and said our goodbyes to the kids … travelled to Auckland and Left the car at Long Term Parking. 11am Shuttle to the Airport and got rid of our Suitcases….. Moved through departure and it was very quiet and easy done and dusted in 20 minutes. Bought a couple bottles of Port to take with us for nightcaps and Don got a good deal on his Rum for our return. Had a snack at Maccas around mid day and made our way to the boarding gate …. Embarked at 1.40 and flew out at 2.10 pm luckily Don and I had 3 seats across to ourselves. A good 11hr flight on Singapore airlines, with a couple of meals and a movie and snooze here and there. Disembarked quickly and smoothly at 9pm (1am NZ time) ... read more
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