Singapore: What to do in Katong?

Day One of my Singapore holiday involved an early morning start to the day, courtesy of the 5 hour time difference that my body was attempting to adjust to. Personally I thought 6am was a fairly respectable lie-in considering that for my body it was nearly lunchtime, and I just don't understand John's muffled grumbling after spying the time on the bedside clock.

In the end I started the day with a news update. I know that's a sad thing to do while you are on holiday, but I'm not a Sky TV subscriber so things like BBC World are relegated to insomnia attacks in the wee small hours, and CNN is something that you only know from movie references and the occasional visit to the parents.

After that I was in danger of annoying my time-adjusted husband who was quite happy to have a darn good lie-in, local time. So I did my best wifely thing and took good advantage of the suite. I shuffled through to the living room and read through the Uniquely Singapore Walking Guide to Katong/Joo Chiat.

This turned out to be a little gem. It gave a nice background to the local cultures of this area, and to the history of the neighbourhood. It turns out that life here started out on coconut plantations, later becoming a seaside retreat for the wealthy, and finally after World War II it began to take on its more modern form.

There are 700-odd "conserved" buildings in this area, including single-storey terrace houses and shophouses. It is a pretty low-rise neighbourhood by my eye. While there are very large condominiums and what look like older HDB estates, they are not completely dominant in this area. There are many homes that would be called either semi-detached or townhouses. In a country where land is at a premium, it makes my eyes water to think of the price tag that many of these homes must fetch.

It is promised that if you are willing to take a stroll around the area you will be rewarded by a variety of architectural, cultural and foodie experiences. In the end I settled for an after-breakfast amble around the block that included stopping at a Peranakan store, the Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple, and St. Hilda's Anglican Church. Other suggested stops were admired on my walk, but the sun had become a little less clouded behind the haze by that time, so moving with purpose towards shade and air-conditioning became a priority.

Here's a bit of information on Shophouses and below is a photograph I took of a detail on the top floor of a house just off East Coast Road.


I also stopped by at the Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple and got a bit carried away with the elephants. The first photograph of which is a single panel on the huge entry doors.



The second is an elephant from the wall in front of the main entrance.


I really thought this guy was great. In just about any other society he'd be fair game for taking home as an oversized garden ornament. Might give the Gnomes a bit of a scare though.

For those who just need to know these things, the connection to elephants is in the name: Sri Senpaga Vinayagar. Lord Vinayagar is the Elephant God alternately known as Ganesha.

"Vinayagar is also known as Vigneshwara or Vighnaharta, the Lord of; and destroyer of obstacles. When we do evil things or when the time is not right, He places obstacles in our path. When we take the correct path, He removes the root of our troubles. Vinayagar is one who drives away all sorrows, difficulties and miseries. He confers happiness and peace on his devotees."
- Hindu Endowments Board website

Well, I'm thinking the choice of an elephant form is pretty appropriate for this particular Hindu deity. I wouldn't argue with him putting obstacles in my way, and I most definitely crack a smile whenever I get to visit the elephants at the zoo. What about you?

After spending some time at the temple I moved on to St Hilda's, which is a little white church just a bit further up the road. From there I wound my way back to the main road through a series of narrow suburban streets featuring townhouse-style buildings, most of which were separated by a back alley. Cats and children evidently using them as a defacto playground, with left-for-later toys and kittens visible from the street.

As I had already stuffed myself on a buffet breakfast, I didn't stop and partake of the nonya laksa at the local stalls selling breakfast nor did I expand my waistline by sampling the large choice of confectionary on display at the bakeries either. Tempting though some of it was.
Instead I finished my walk down Still Road past the former Grand Hotel (scroll to the bottom of the article),  looking a little less grand these days and back along Marine Parade Road to the hotel.
Hot, damn hot, but a good couple of hours sightseeing on foot.

Time for a short dip in the pool.

Singapore: A quiet start

I arrived in Singapore late on Sunday evening to find the same lovely huge airport, and the same darned boarding gate at the furthest end!
Thank goodness for the travellators.

I don't lightly make the comment that Changi Airport is lovely - it actually is really nice. We all know how tedious the process of international travel can be now that we must go through much earlier check-in and then the various other screenings, so to find a welcoming feeling in the departure/arrival area is very pleasant indeed.

This landing mirrored my previous experiences here - quickly off the airplane, on to the travellators (love those things!), and down through the shopping precinct to customs and baggage collection. The one-person queues at customs belies the fact that this is a very busy airport, much busier than Auckland and yet that much less fuss. Then the usual wait for the bags ensues, but the delay doesn't matter quite so much because the wall between you and the "real world" is glass and you can see family or friends waiting for you. Together you can share the patience test that is the baggage carousel.

Finally I have my luggage and it is out through the glass doors and to John, who has already been in Singapore for a week.

There are many forms of transport to your abode of choice, but the simplest is the humble taxi. For those new to Singapore it can be somewhat of a revelation that you can go from nearly one side of the island nation to the other for less than S$ 30. My taxi (sorry, Corporate Cab, as I was corrected by my driver) from home to the airport in Auckland was NZ$ 40 and that is a 15 minute drive !!
So we took the stress-free option and joined the taxi rank queue, which took about a minute to melt away (pardon the pun - it is the tropics after all), and we were on our way.

As we were staying on the south coast in an area known as Katong, the trip was swift and easy on the East Coast Parkway. This is a suburban area, and not really a tourist spot. ie. It isn't anywhere near Orchard Road.
In compensation we get a view of the ocean from the hotel, and the parking lot for shipping that are the waters around Singapore; access to East Coast Park should we want a bit of greenery during our stay; and easy (and cheap) bus rides to the central areas of town whenever we wanted to go.

A surprise at the end of my 15 hour odyssey from New Zealand to Singapore was to find that John had been given an upgraded room because he was staying for two weeks. We had the luxury of a Junior Suite.
Now don't get all excited, it isn't one of those types of hotels you see on the travel shows. It is nice and simple, and not glitzy 5-star luxury with gold tapware and silk beadspreads. But it was rather a bonus to have a kitchen and another whole room to make a mess of, I mean enjoy the use of.

And, as for John's dire prediction of waking up at some ungodly Singapore hour due to the 5 hour time difference between my New Zealand bodyclock and the local timezone, that didn't really eventuate. I'm not much of a night person normally, so arriving in Singapore at 9pm (2am NZ time) was a surefire guarantee that I would manage at least 8 hours sleep without so much as a murmur.

The only problem - what to do with the morning hours between 6am when you wake up and 10am when the retail sector of Singapore opens up?
Ah, that's right, read the tourist literature that John picked up at the airport while waiting for me, catch up on world events through the eyes of CNN and BBC World, have a leisurely buffet breakfast and take an amble around the local streets. This time of day being most suitable for outdoor ambling due to the slightly cooler (mid-20s celsius) temperature and slightly weaker sunlight.
Finally take a dip in the pool, while trying to work out the physics of why in a tropical climate the pool water should feel like you have just stepped into iceberg infested waters.

Then you are set up for a day of sightseeing and/or shopping, whichever takes your fancy.

Cars

Right at the outset I need to let you know that my flight inbound to Singapore was spent in an aisle seat next to a portly (but very nice) Frenchman. And I had to watch Cars in black and white.

In all fairness to childrens animated films, that is probably not the best way to view them. Although I did do a quick check on this film on my return flight, and I might be wrong about that comment as the colours seemed to be excessively gaudy. Perhaps someone who has seen this film on a screen larger than that in the back of an airline seat headrest could confirm that either way for me.

The premise of the story is simple - there are three racing cars trying to win the coveted prize, The Piston Cup. One is a rookie - Lightning McQueen; one is the current champion "The King"; and the third is the perpetual runner-up Chick Hicks. As a three-way tie occurs, the option is a "race off" to be held across country in California.

Lightning McQueen, voiced by Owen Wilson, is the central character. He is proud, brash, mouthy and unappreciative. And in his rush to be the first to the new track, he manages to get himself lost in a small dusty old town called Radiator Springs. And it is here (of course) where his life lessons begin.

He slowly begins to appreciate others, gets a grip on the concept of friendship, and finally learns the unusual lesson of respecting his elders.

While many of the themes of animated movies are similar - friendship, appreciation and the value of a family, Cars actually manages to add in a new one. The most wonderful Paul Newman voices Doc Hudson, the local old-timer Judge with a secret history. Lightning goes from thinking of Doc as a crusty old Judge to admiration and on to valuing the wisdom and talent of his older counterpart.

Lightning's final act of redemption occurs in the last few minutes of the film, along with his reward for following the "higher path". And this also stems from his new sense of empathy, appreciation of friendship and respect for others. It is also a glaring lesson in opposing the sporting mentality of "winning is everything, at all costs".

I enjoyed this film. It's not excessively funny, sloppy, silly or annoying. It is formulaic, very few kids movies aren't, but it adds a few nice touches of its own to the genre. It will also appeal to those kids brought up in a home that adores the Indy 500.

Don't rush out to hire the DVD, but if you feel like something light and animated, it could be an option. And no, I won't be adding this to my collection.

But the list of great talent who lent their voices to this film deserves mention.
Owen Wilson is Owen Wilson - animated car or not.
Paul Newman is fantastically understated as Doc Hudson.
Bonnie Hunt strikes a nice counterpoint to Owen Wilson as Sally Carrera.
And of the "minor characters" my favourites were:
Larry the Cable Guy as Mater (absolutely fantastic) will bring into being a whole new sport - Tractor Tipping !!
Tony Shalhoub as Luigi does a very nice turn here.
John Ratzenberger takes the mickey out of himself. (As a result of how many characters he has voiced for Pixar!)

It rates a 2.5 out of 5.

The Wanderer Returns

Hello all,

I thought that I had better put forth something on the blog or you might all make the assumption that the warm weather of Singapore had inspired me to stay forever.

We got back on Monday, and haven't stopped since landing. We travelled to Tauranga to collect our boys from their holiday with Grandma and Grandpa, and then yesterday we made the same trip again but in this case to collect my Dad from his angioplasty operation in Hamilton.

Whirlwind. Yes, it has been a bit of one.

Singapore was as expected, with the exception of easy internet access. This would be why the blog has had a week of being an accomplished hermet.

The silence should end shortly, and all the observations I have accumulated will be sent forth to your RSS feedreaders in orderly succession. I even managed to take a few photographs, and yes, some of them are even worth sharing.

In between doing the following:

• laundry;


• cleaning the house;


• mowing our new hayfield (the neglected back lawn);


• buying a new refrigerator (old one is on its last legs - you know what I mean, like the wobbly marathon runner who really has hit the wall, gone through the other side and you can't look away from because it is just too awful);


• and most importantly - sleeping.

I promise to try to start my Singapore serial.

The travel bug is back

It's almost summertime, and those pesky darn travel bugs just keep biting at me. They finally got a good big bite in, and as quick as you could blink I'd called my travel agent and I'm off on holiday from this weekend and returning a little over a week later.

Details for the curious:-

Destination: Singapore
Why: Where do I begin on this one?

It's warm.
I love the ease of getting around.
I know it from previous business trips.
John's already there. [Work, again!]
The variety of cultures.
The food.
The calligraphy.
The shopping. [Choices, not really the prices anymore]
The heritage.
The food.
Oh, and did I mention... it's warm there?

Gee, how tough a choice is that to make then? Not very!
And yes, you can probably expect a few movie reviews. It is a 10+ hour flight, I will need to watch at least one film to relieve the tedium. Hopefully they'll have a selection of kid's cartoon films again; they were much better than some of the dry adult offerings for entertainment value.

I might even manage a few photographs to share too as my dear mother has loaned me her recently purchased Olympus 725 SW digital snapper for the trip. Since that's a bit of a step-up in megapixels from our old Canon, they might actually be worth sharing.
However, I offer no promises on the photograph front as I am under strict instructions that this is to be a "relaxing" holiday. Apparently I am not allowed to drag "he who should be obeyed, yet strangely enough is not" around every sight on the entire island. I really don't see the problem with that myself.

Anyway, if there is something that you absolutely love about Singapore - and you feel that I must not have a holiday there without seeing it - please just leave a note for me in the comments.

The Singapore 2006 Travelogue will begin Monday 13th November.

Fantasy Triptych - October Progress

Yes, the picture clearly shows that I was mad to suggest that I would get the entire section of the Castle finished this month.
But I will say that I managed to get over half way there, which is an improvement over the last couple of months.



This month's goal is to finish what I said I would do by now.

Next week is looking promising for some quiet, at home time with the cross stitch. And as this weekend is Guy Fawkes I will need to be sitting home at night with the TV up loud to try and mask the banging and whizzing noises from my sookey old dog; what better to do when your evening entertainment is a shivering dog who is trying to sit on you and marginal TV choices - that's right, cross stitch!

What's On The Bookshelf? - IV

This is bookshelf number 4. It contains a mixture of my own books and a range of books 'gifted' to me that I may or may not have read, so I do not claim them to be a true reflection of my character or taste.

Fourth Shelf, Small Bookcase

The gift books:

• Reader's Digest Condensed Book, containing:
  
  
  
  • Daddy - Loup Durand
  
  
  • First Light - Carol O'Biso
  
  
  • Death Train - Robert Byrne
  
  
  • A Gift of Life - Henry Denker
  
  
  
  


• Challenge - Warwick Collins


• Gorky Park - Martin Cruz Smith


• Dangerous Lady - Martina Cole


• Blood Red, Snow White - Diane Henry & Nicholas Horrock


• Death of an Angel - Warwick Collins


• The Tears of the Tiger - Christie Dickason


• Wolf Winter - Clare Francis


• The Legacy - Lynda La Plante


• Eternity Road - Jack McDevitt


• Red Crystal - Clare Francis


• Looking for Trouble - General Sir Peter de la Billiere


• Miss Smilla's Feeling For Snow - Peter Hoeg


• Sarum - Edward Rutherfurd


• Compelling Evidence - Steve Martini


• Loves Music, Loves to Dance - Mary Higgins Clark


• A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth


• The Hope - Herman Wouk


• The Talisman - Lynda La Plante


• Bella Mafia - Lynda La Plante


• The Cuckoo's Egg - Clifford Stoll


• Take No Farewell - Robert Goddard


• Bridget Jones's diary - Helen Fielding

The books that are my choice by purchase:

• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock - Vonda McIntyre


• Life, the universe and everything - Douglas Adams (John's book actually)


• The Complete Stories of Lewis Carroll


• Olympia - Complete Guide


• The Alhambra and the Generalife (Tourist guide)


• Wild Swans - Jung Chang


• Living Dangerously - Ranulph Fiennes

And the shelf ends on that derring-do note.
What does this entry tell me?
Boy do I keep a lot of unread books around the house!

If anyone wants to give a strong recommendation for any of the gift books, feel free to leave a comment. Of that list, I think that Bridget Jones is the only one that I have read, and that was because it was a gift for my 29th birthday. What was the gift-giver thinking, I ask you? :D

And because I like balance in my world, if you have comments on the gift books that contain phrases such as: "run away", "use it as a doorstop" or "burn it" (sacrilege, so be very sure before you go there) ; feel free to leave expletiveless comments too.

Oh, and before I leave you to your day, I thought I would give forewarning that this is the last of the small bookcase. The next "What's On The Bookshelf?" will be bigger, and the shelves after that have books stacked two deep across the entire length. Did I mention I'm a bit of a bookaholic? That I can't leave the public library without at least five books? That I have to be dragged out of Borders with glum backward glances if I don't have a little plastic bag bulging with a new addition to the collection? No? Okay...

...perhaps I should have mentioned that at the start.