Joo Chiat walkabout

Hey the prime minister forum post is coming up and so is a short update of what I'm up to lately. School work is really keeping me busy. For example, I'm trying my hand at writing a philosophical paper, among many other things. So far, all of them doesn't look too good.

Anyway, I went to Joo Chiat today on a self-motivated field trip, so I thought I'll share my day.

I was in camp early in the day, there was a briefing. I dug out my uniform, late as usual, but it turned out that, so was everyone else. My camp mate and me spend about an hour talking cock and we're done.

I took a bus to the SingPost building and was geared to start my stroll to Joo Chiat. Before that, I figured I needed some cash, so to my trusted POSB I went. And saw this:
"due to lease expired" surely that can't be right?
And "with passbook update feature" seems to be straining the English language.
Now, I'll be first to admit that my language skill sucks. So I could be wrong and that 2 lines make perfect sense. I don't know.

Hari Raya is around the corner, fasting month has began, the lights are up, and where better to experience it than Geylang Serai?


There is a giant pasa malam going on at the Malay village. Everything from food, clothing, textile, more food, mic staff that you find at pasa malam. It's huge. I finished 2 can of drinks just to walk through part of it.






These voodoo dolls seems to be getting hot.


Tangjong katong complex is also making an effect. Come to think of it, I used to freelance for a training company in this building. Wonder if it is still around. That experience installed in me a fear of public speaking and children ever since.


And my steps take me to Darul Arqam Singapore. I remembered going to a inter-faith dialog here a few years ago. They fed me well. And the people are nice.

I went on to Joo Chiat Complex where I spoke to a nice malay grandma whom I don't understand.

The chinese community are also setting up stores. Selling plastics flowers that will bloom for the years to come and handphones and what's not.

The wild preparation for Hari Raya can be felt even on a sunny weekday afternoon. People rolling carpets, frying food, washing...stuff, sorting out miles of fabric, basically just been busy.

Going down Joo Chiat road, let's play a game and count the numbers of different budget hotel we can find.


The Masjid Khalid, Khalid mosuqe.


I saw this really, really old fashion tailor shop. 'Yik Seng'. All the ah gong and ah ma there (3) are using those immemorial manual sawing machines covered with a layer of rust. They toil away with a sort of determine grit, that is strangely unsettling. The yellowed showcase contains relics of ancient fashion. It felt as if time is been looped in the shop.


Walking past those beautiful architecure that sparks of peranakan culture, I stopped for lunch.


There seems to be a number of acupuncture and TCM shops around. And you can't miss the South East Asian/Asia influence in the food establishments.
Joo Chait is filled with good food. From Indonianes to Vieminates cuisine, to Indian curry puffs to Haka dishes, and of course Malay Chendol and nonya dumpling. Not forgetting our beloved durian puffs. The pictures of all this food is too much to post so you'll just have to go down and experience them yourself.

Nice huh.


There's the Guan Im Tng. Or Kuan Yin, Godness of Mercy. Very popular bodhisattva.



Game number 2: Figure this out.







I passed by this ahmm..adult novelty & accessories shop call Black Rose. Not a name I would chose but hey, i'm just a guy.
The first thing I saw when I went in are 2 life size blow-up dolls, not for the faint-hearted, and the next things I saw are some very kinky costumes. Nice.
The shop's small and the very nice sale girl told me they just opened not long ago. The target are probably the budget hotels and she told me the ladies are the one buying, guess men are shy.
Well, and then it's time for the introduction to the merchandises. I wouldn't go into details here but at one point she told me to : "here try it... i mean, poke your finger in and feel it",... right. That I did.
Anyway, I am a poor student and any contribution towards the purchase of above merchandise is strongly welcomed. I promised her I'll be back.




Joo Chiat Road, the iconic picture.


I stop by to find out how this come about, turns out it's a branch, main restaurant in KL. Look japanese huh.


Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple.


And how can I go without trying the famous Kim Choo damplings. By the way, I'm too full to try the katong laksa, and who can blame me, die die must try next time.



Lastly, tell you people a cool place to hang out. Settlers cafe is where young and smart people go to talk and play board games. All sort of board games are available.


P/S: This just in, a friend told me the 'Red House' at katong is going to be tear down. It's already boarded up when I was there. So much for been "a valuable part of katong heritage".

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Singapore Dreaming

Just caught the movie with Adam, a really good show. What's stunning is that we watched it on a Monday afternoon, usually a quite time for cinemas, and the hall was packed to the first row. Wow.
Posted this message in my sociology class forum:

Hi, everyone. I just watched "Singapore Dreaming" today, and I would like to recommend it to you.
To quote from the website(http://www.singaporedreaming.com):
"Singapore Dreaming is a story about a family with big dreams, living on a small island."
...
"Singapore Dreaming is a poignant, yet darkly humorous story about a typical Singaporean family coming to grips with their aspirations. It weaves a layered and moving tale about a family dealing with loss, ambition and the search for what really matters in life."

Socially (and I guess you could say academically), the movie explores many themes that is worth looking into. The economic straggle of the working class, gender inequality, social mobility, class stratification, family structure...ect, all in a Singapore context.

But more importantly, you should see it because you are in Singapore. If you are a heartlander, you will see some of yourself, your family, and your friends in the movie. If you are not, well you would see Singaporean, as we are. To quote President Nathan: "It's life in its reality."

I urge you to examine the issues and questions raised in the movie closely. Too many of us, for too long, have been following the "Singapore Plan" too closely. In our chase for a better future, we have miss something? Perhaps?
Maybe you have friends who declares righteously that they will only take modules that they are confident of scoring in? Maybe some are switching to faculty that seems to offer more chances of scoring well?

Don't win the battle, and lose the war.
...than again, that's just me.

We seem to be feed a winning formula from young. Study hard, "good" school, "good" result, "good" job, "good" house, "good" marriage, 2 kids. Not forgetting the 5Cs. Once we have them, We're THERE. The movie points out ironicly that the 6th C, is coffin.

In the movie that's a girl from China who said: "you give up your dreams to do something you are unwilling to, for money. To get money, I am doing something I'm unwilling to, for my dreams."

I'm almost afraid to ask people around me, "do you have dreams beyond the 5Cs?"

The movie blog.
The essay that started it all: PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS

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Party of the year!

I was at the National Day Parade of course. Can't miss the show of the year. Actually this is my first time viewing it as a spectator.(Grandstand seats too, thanks Adam!) I took part in 2 National Day Parades a few years before, but I was, naturally, too tire to feel anything but relief when the Day finally arrives and we put on our last performance.


There was a sea of red and white at Kallang MRT station. Everyone was very corporative, wearing red and/or white. I did spotted a few in jeans and non-singapore-flag-colored shirt, wah lau, make some effect can? McDonald was also showing an enterprising spirit by placing wooden tables outside its shop to make space for the thousands strong crowd.


The traffic marshal was, as per tradition, a NS man. Hey, kind of remind me of myself 2 years ago. They play a great role. Seriously.


We met a couple of young people on stilt, and I got a sticker off one of them. Wonderful people.




There are place cards of cow like this everywhere. What's with the cow?


There was time for a little history lesson. I was counting the number of times MM Lee appeared.


As we neared the stadium,

I felt a strong sense of patriotism, and I saluted. Wow. You can't see it from here, but I was almost in tears.


We spotted this near the stadium. It seems friendly enough...


...so we posed for a picture. Check out my teeth!

Turns out there are a lot of stuff going on around the stadium.

Different groups were performing and I like the skipping best. I think they are from my old primary school, so there might be something there, but it's the pure spirit they display that attracted me. And also the ear-splitting screams of their supporters.


Also a young man blowing his trumpet.


And a little girl getting her face painted.


More wonderful people,


I may not be able to walk on stilt, but I can definely do the balloons. Yah, it's a hobby of mine. I can be creative too you know.


And we are finally in! We got tire of walking around and made our way onto our seats. This will be the last year the NDP will be held inside the national stadium, so there is a certain amount of sadness there.


The balloon lady got real close.




And our Ministers and MPs arrived! Mostly in white. You won't know this if you wasn't there. They were playing the song "(I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be) Free" just before the VIPs arrives.


Now the real show begins.


The fly pass.


The march pass.


The drive pass.


Oh yah, not forgetting the poor soldiers.


What a extraordinary day.


And I sit and contemplate it all.

The show went on...
and on...
and on...
some more...
not bad...
and on...

We love the fireworks.


And it ends with a bang.


Now that the official show ended.




Let's party!


I went around hugging people,


performers,


and random school children.


And it would seem, I'm not the only one.


People in costume are still partying,


eating fire,


and just fooling around.


Now I understand why they call it the party of the year. This is the part you don't get to see on TV. From the performance outside the stadium, to the children, till the end where our youth dance and party the night away on our nation birthday. Now that's worth going for. So if you went and left with the crowd, you miss half the show.


All photographs are courtesy of SHOTBYADAM.COM
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