Christmas in Singapore (3) シンガポールのクリスマス

30 December 2009 (Wed): Second last day to the end of 2009!
This year the Christmas 'atmosphere' began early, sometime towards the end of October. My eye doctor greeted me 'Merry Christmas' then and added, 'The Christmas lights are up'. (How sweet of her).
I cleared M.'s home for her with R. and A., and found some of my old Christmas gifts from Germany, Finland and S. Korea where my penpals were from about two decades ago. Sis A. kept them well in a box for me. The white candles had discoloured-but one of them could still be lit. However, its wax melted very rapidly away and in no time it turned into a waxy puddle on the stand.

While doing that very tedious and stressful clean-up of M's place in early October, I was already reminded that Christmas was coming soon.

The grocer stores were and still are well-decked with goodies from Europe, especially from Italy, Austria and Germany; also from Australia and Russia as well as Japan. Restaurants quickly put up their trees and spread the year-end mood:

Providence showered and the overall temperature dropped although it does not snow:

People rushed to get their loved ones gifts in the last few days before Christmas. The usual comment from my Japanese acquaintances is, ' There's no snow. You don't feel like it's Christmas'. One said 'Yuki ga nai; henna kibun' (No snow; strange feeling).
But I never experienced the Christmasy atmosphere at all while I was in Japan even with the snow and cold. Christmas is not a national holiday there, and very few commercial offices are dressed up with lights and trees.
A.'s office (in Singapore) dressed up its big tree, and staff deposited their gifts for exchange, and whatever they brought to their office, under it.

Despite having picked up a few gifts since early November, I did not manage to deliver them before the day arrived. I also had a list to add later on.

My gift-stockings bulged this year (see above), thanks to kind friends and kin! But I was determined that the same did not happen to my belly. So what I had for Christmas was just:

We liked the sashimi:

I'll remember this evening eve anyway.

Christmas in Singapore (2) シンガポールのクリスマス

Paragon
28 Dec 2009 (Mon): I can't help feeling that I've accomplished little this year or, have I been too ambitious? I feel that there've not been many activities - both academic and economic. I wonder if it's due to the prevailing mood of recession in the world? But Singapore is out of the gloom, technically speaking. There's no feeling of a glut here.

For instance the Orchard Road decor forebodes an excellent 2010 - or has it just been my hope? I find the decor this year more intricate, and more colorful than last year's - but not all might agree.
There is, as usual, no lack of carefully dressed-up Christmas trees,

(Above: Tree in Takashimaya)
of varied characters as well:

Goodwood Park Hotel's main entrance

(Above: Tree by Soo Kee's at Bugis)
Scotts Road is also a buzz:

It's glittering within ten metres above us - all around - and not just inside a building:

(Above: Wisma Atria)
Something 'festive' peeks at you from the least conspicuous corners:

And at the Scotts-Orchard Road junction (see below):

Outside a building (see Tangs below):

At a side entrance (Goodwood Park Hotel):

We have all forgotten how last year's (2008) looked like. I didn't recall it being fancier, except for the golden-framed slide on the stories of Christmas outside Tangs...or was that the year before last?

Outside Raffles City last year (2008):

(To be continued...)

Parks in Singapore (1): Opium Hill Park (Bukit Chandu ブキット チャンドゥ）

28 Dec 2009 (Mon): It's heartening to know that efforts have been made to preserve the indigenous flora of Singapore.
During my restful holidays, I thought that after the feasting, some fresh air and tranquility would be just perfect.A. took me to this place where I have never known. He knows every nook and corner of this island well.
We turned into Pepys Road after coming in from West Coast Road. It was a straight narrow road uphill after that, passing some condominiums and lush greenery. Absolute tranquility - quite out of this world. There were two small car parks for vehicles. We sighted the first one and parked our car there. Then we walked to the top of the hill. There is a museum and archives on World War II. Beside it there are some short houses that blended with the flora. We walked into this small entrance with signs which was the 'end' or 'beginning' of a bridge covered with leaves and branches which were not overly protruding.

Along the way there were signs to inform on the flora and the history of the place. I have always enjoyed reading about the folk uses of plants:

This used to be the oil deposit in the British colonial days. It was called the Normanton Oil Deposit, as the board informs.

Mid-way on the bridge we spotted an old British army house in the distant.

Ferns and other tropical parasitic plants decorated this walk-way 'in the air'. The birds were chirping occasionally. No human voices were heard even when some people were walking on the bridge. Everyone seemed to prefer silence to words.
After some turns we exited and saw another 'bump' on the hill. We walked upward and came to another flat trail that leads to the Kent Ridge Park. Very lush and clean. No litter was sighted.
We saw two pavilions and told ourselves to come back one of these weekends for a picnic. From the pavilion, the panorama of the sea and the PSA Pasir Panjang Wharf which was undergoing expansion unfolded.

Part of the wharf will be built on reclaimed land. The works are currently being carried out by Hyundai. We spotted its site office from the peak.
We saw another car park some height below from the pavilion. We turned back to the route we had came from. Along the way, old stones and trees lined the path.

If we were lucky we would be able to see some birds.

A. said that he saw a kingfisher the last time he was there.
A 'project' on weeding out exotic plants such as the Australian Wattle, Bearded Smilax, Batai/Albizia and Koster's Curse which that are overcrowding the indigenous species is currently underway - as we found out on our way back to the bridge.
This park is almost unknown to tourists and many locals, which was great for us as we had serenity and peace on a hill top all to themselves. But we thank the National Parks for its great work.

Christmas in Singapore (1) シンガポールのクリスマス

09 December 2009 (Wed): Christmas shopping this year in Singapore has been fun. Good music at shopping malls and boutiques, a continuous stream of special offers, an enormous range of gifts and very cool weather,generally, though not wintry. I try not to leave Singapore during Christmas, but in fact have flown to Hanoi for some days and am back again.

Surprisingly this year I have received more than the number of gifts I'd expected, and I am sure they are still coming in. My first one is a Rolex oyster perpetual datejust steel and gold, M116231-0017, thanks to M. and Sis A.

E., that nephew of mine with caustic humour, commented that I finally own a 'Kopitiam watch'! 'Kopitiam' refers to the 'working class' cafe where prices are relatively cheap compared to restaurants. That is quite a keen observation, I thought, as even washers, food servers, and lorry drivers are wearing, or aspire to have, Rolexes.

"What a lift to the Swiss economy!"- C. acknowledged with thanks after I e-mailed him this information. He promptly accompanied his reply with a spiritual gift - my fourth X'mas gift. His gift, air-flown from Davos, is a book on how to combine Christianity and materialism ("Rolexes and Chopards", as he defined it-ha!). I will open the gift on Christmas eve.

I met up with Cy. whom I have not seen for over a year. Nothing has changed-which is good. We wanted to go to the sale at Takashimaya, but thought of having a good sushi dinner first. We both agreed to try out Itachoo, a chain from Hong Kong.

The ambience at Itachoo resembles that of a crowded cafe or a dim-sum restaurant-which explains why it's described as the 'dim-sum style sushi store'. Its culinary standard is slightly above average; it also performs better than Sakae, Sushitei, and the rest in terms of service.

Cy. and I ordered the hamachi, the salmon tataki, the salmon and flying fish roe:

The best deal is the lightly grilled salmon for 40 cents a piece! Only the early birds catch this succulent 'worm'- I will have to emphasize.

At the end of our dinner, we headed to Takashimaya's B1 - a big square stacked with glittering Christmas displays. What variety! We chose a Christmas wreathe (S$18.90)and gift ornaments (S$2 each), and finally dragged our feet into Cedele for warm Camomile tea and ice-cream. Cy chose sea salt with caramel which she found too sweet. My choice was fig with cinnamon. I enjoyed it.

Cy. took a picture of me, selected some which she took for this blog and sent all of them to me through her iPhone. Cool speed.

I asked Cy. for a pix her lovely long-time companion:

At 10:20 pm the staff came and told us to leave.

A note to add, though: Christmas decor along Orchard Road this year is fabulous. I appreciate the attention to detail and colors. (More photos coming up).