storage - sometimes practical, sometimes not!

Yesterday in my blog post I mentioned that we had moved to Palm Mansions. I have been in Melbourne the past week or so and only just starting to find my way around our new apartment. We moved here on January 14 but the unpacking was not done as it should have been as I was in a hurry to fly back to Melbourne ... most things were just placed in "possible area's of permanency" until my return!

So now the re sorting has started.

This apartment is the same size as our previous apartment, but not as well structured and so is taking a while to get used to it. There is a lot more storage space, but not practical at all.

I sometimes wonder who gets to design these 'renovations' or even the basic design of the apartments here. The fixed shelving in most apartments and rooms are not practical either. In our bedroom we have a TV shelf on the wall opposite the bed, great idea if you want to watch TV whilst in bed, but if you don't watch TV then the shelving is a waste and really not 'usable space' for anything else!

But one item of 'storage' that we have here is innovative and very, very useful ..... perhaps making up for everything else that is not!

It is in the kitchen.

above image is walking into the kitchen 

from the lounge area.

below is in the kitchen

to the right is the laundry / store room / maids area

and here you can see what hides behind the 

frosted glass cupboard

yes, it is a dish drainer!

all the dishes are stacked here as they are washed

and on the lower level is the drain tray 

that can be emptied every day or so.

clever idea indeed

dishes can be washed and hidden away out of sight!

so yes, sometimes someone comes up with an idea 

that is practical AND useful!

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sincere apologies to my 72 loyal followers .....

sincere apologies to my 72 loyal followers .......... my last blog post was January 9. But a lot has happened and I needed to put the blog on the bottom of the priority list for awhile.

To start with I was house hunting in Singapore from December, we had to move out of The Jade by February 18. That's a long way off I hear you say .... yes it is. BUT, I knew my mother was declining rapidly, knew that I would have to fly to Melbourne at some stage, knew that John was to be away and I knew we had to find a place as soon as ...

 above image is THE JADE and the one below is PALM MANSIONS

which is very, very different!!

Found one on Pasir Panjang Road that seemed to be suitable and at a lower price than we were paying at The Jade. Similar in size to where we were, but a very small balcony,  we signed the lease and opted to move in on January 14. So the packing started as soon as we returned from the Cameron Highlands after the Christmas Break.

The furniture removalists were to arrive at 9.00am on Friday 14th.

The Jade management requires a $50.00 fee for us to use the elevator and a $500.00 (refundable) deposit for any possible damage that may be done. My removalist (Tony) said it is usually $1000.00 ..... but as we had no furniture, just boxes, clothing etc we got away with it..... but $50.00 for the use of the elevator is a bit rich!

Anyway, in the early hours of Friday January 14th - in fact 1.11am - my brother calls from Melbourne to tell me my mom had just passed away.

It was expected. But it does not take away the pain of losing a parent and even more so - a mother. The pain of the umbilical cord being cut forever goes beyond description. Eventually I fell back asleep and up by 6.00am to get ready for "Moving Day".

I truly do not know how I functioned that day. I was a walking robot. But the removalists were amazing, they were considerate and very helpful during the move and it was all over and done with by noon!

Then the unpacking had to take place, but I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Where to put what and it did not help that John was at work. When he did arrive home his main concern was to organise a flight for me to return to Australia. He was on the phone for what seemed like hours .... there were no flights from the Saturday thru to the following  Friday ..... so he tried again the next morning which was Saturday, then again on Sunday and Monday .... still no flights and the funeral was to take place on Monday 24th. They could not hold off for a funeral any longer than that.

Late Monday afternoon a call came from Singapore Airlines to say they had a seat on Wednesday mornings flight. With a return flight being the Thursday after the funeral .... PERFECT!

With the booking of the flight confirmed it then allowed me to relax and get on with the unpacking of our new apartment and the packing of my bag for the Wednesday flight.

Regardless of the reasons for my return to Melbourne, it was good to catch up with family and friends that I had not seen for years. The funeral took place after much stress over the actual preparation of the service which included a piper, the RSL component and the Power Point Presentation as well.... but in the end it all worked out well.

A few more days with family which included an Australia Day BBQ and I flew back to Singapore on the Thursday afternoon. The flight back was 'down the back' of the plane whereas the flight over was in Business Class ...... but it really did not matter as I am just grateful I could get a return ticket with Singapore Airlines!

Am back in Singapore and trying to get used to living in a new area as well as a new apartment.

Today - Saturday January 29 - we have started to explore our new area and will start to blog about this again within the next day or so.

Stay tuned my friends!

I have not deserted you.

Rose Mary ROBERTS

b. 01 August 1922

d.14 January 2011

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a walk along East Coast Park

Another blog in my 'walk series' and this one we did today (Sunday Jan 9 2011) along East Coast Park .

We left Bukit Batok just after 7.00am and boarded bus 506 far as Jalan Eunos, from there we changed to bus 55 opposite Eunos Mansion and went as far as Victoria School along Marine Parade Road where we alighted. 

As we walked towards East Coast Park Parkway we realised we would not be able to cross it and could not see any pedestrian overpass in either direction. But as we walked towards Changi Airport, we came across an underpass. It is a shame that is was not signposted at all.

In fact it looked like a toilet block!

We continued over to East Coast Park to meet our friends P + C who were waiting for us at Jumbo Seafood. Note where we started our walk on the right hand side of the map below.

if you follow the red line going to the left, this is where we walked. The "U" turn will be explained a little further along in the blog!

The 185 hectare East Coast Park belongs to the National Parks of Singapore and is the largest park in Singapore, and is built entirely on reclaimed land with a man-made beach, where swimming is possible. The beach is protected by breakwaters, with no other natural features.

With a total land size of 185-hectares, and a scenic coastline that stretches over 15 km, East Coast Park is one of Singapore's most treasured urban getaways, attracting more than 7.5 million visitors a year. 

Themed "Recreation for All", East Coast Park offers an exciting diversity of sporting, dining and recreational activities catering to various segments of the public. Bowling alleys, volleyball courts, holiday chalets, restaurants and a hawker centre can all be found in this park.

Come to the park on weekends, sit under the swaying coconut palms, Casuarinas and Ketapangs, and enjoy having your picnics with your families or friends. Sit back and let the inviting waves and fresh perennial sea breeze provide you with an invigorating relief to the stifling city heat and humidity.

For those looking for action, East Coast Park also offers a myriad of sporting opportunities such as cycling, in-line skating, cable skiing and water sporting activities as well as a Xtreme SkatePark for action sports enthusiasts to hone their techniques. In the evenings, bring your families and friends down for a barbecue or indulge in sumptuous cuisines at the East Coast Seafood Centre.

The park is a popular place for families and friends to relax and enjoy themselves. The park has barbecue pits, entertainment facilities, chalets, food and beverage, and amenities for sports activities. A cycling and inline skating track runs along the perimeter of the park, which measures over 15 km long.

 

as we walked - and talked - and walked some more, we realised that the park had become less frequented by walkers, cyclists and bladers ..... it turned out that they knew more than we did!

After walking quite a way, we came across THE DEAD END!  Why was that not sign posted back at the main road?

So this is where we did the "U" turn and retraced our steps! 

not that it was any chore to do so as it really is a beautiful park with lots of shady tree's.  We came to the crossing for the Katong Underpass and this is the direction we decided to take as we were looking for coffee by this point.

On the other side of the roadway where we expected the underpass to be is fenced with corrugated iron and a lot of construction work being done. 

But we did find the 'entrance' to the underpass as seen below:

and we actually made it out to the other side safely regardless of how it might look in the above photos!  By this time we were in the following area after crossing East Coast Parkway via the underpass and walking towards Fort Road.

Now I need to do some research on this interesting and historical area known as Fort Tanjong Katong and the little boy that sits on the edge of the pathway will certainly have a tale or two to tell I am sure!

stay tuned for the next blog posting on the Fort Rd area.

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a few of the blog posts in my "walk series" are as follows:

a walk back to The Smokehouse Hotel, Malaysia.

a walk into Brinchang, Malaysia.

a walk along Pasir Panjang Road in Singapore.

a walk along Neil Road in Singapore.

a walk through West Coast Park, in Singapore

an early morning walk in Koh Samui, Thailand.

a late afternoon walk in Koh Samui, Thailand.

a visit to The Peranakan Museum

I had been wanting to go to the Peranakan Museum for quite awhile, but kept putting it to the bottom of the priority list. Yesterday it was at the top of the list!

The museum is located at 39 Armenian Street, Singapore.

We arrived there at 11.00am just in time to take the guided tour.  It was fascinating and we did learn a lot about the world of the Peranakans.

The word "peranakan", which means "locally born" in Malay, is used to describe people who descended from interracial marriages between foreign traders and local women.

The Peranakan Museum explores the culture of Peranakan communities in the former Straits Settlements of Singapore, Malacca and Penang and their links with other communities in Southeast Asia. It is a boutique museum with one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of Peranakan artefacts in the world.  Three floors of permanent galleries illustrate important rituals, practices and the material culture of the Peranakans, as well as how this unique fusion culture is viewed today.

The Peranakan Museum provides an enjoyable and educational experience for all, with intricate displays innovatively presented in ten galleries, children's interactives and special merchandising in two shops. Two temporary exhibition galleries will present a programme of special exhibitions throughout the year.

The Peranakan Museum is a National Heritage Board Museum under the Asian Civilisations Museum.

The Peranakan Museum showcases the world's finest and most comprehensive Peranakan collection in displays that trace the main episodes of Peranakan life.

Nonyas were trained for married life from a young age. They were expected to devote long hours to perfect the art of bead work and embroidery. Discover the intricacies of traditional tools and techniques used by the Nonyas in their textile arts at the museum.

In the above image you can see the beading being done by a lady in Bussorah St, Singapore. The other two images were taken at the museum of the beading work. These beads are so fine and it takes approx three months to make a pair of slippers.

The following YouTube clip on beading is fascinating to watch:

A Kebaya is a traditional blouse-dress combination worn by women in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Burma, Singapore, southern Thailand. It is sometimes made from sheer material and usually worn with a sarong or batik kain panjang, or other traditional woven garment such as ikat, songket with a colorful motif.

The kebaya is the national costume of Indonesia, although it is more accurately endemic to Java, Sunda and Bali.

The traditional Peranakan Nonya Kebaya is seen in the following images. Take note of the intricate embroidery done by these women.

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and of course not forgetting the beautiful pieces of pottery as seen below.

The next image has an example of the head gear worn at their wedding.

The Blue Ginger Restaurant in Singapore has been given a Peranakan-style decor. It maybe worth going in and having a look if you are interested in seeing more Peranakan architecture and decor.

But do visit the Peranakan Museum soon, you will be pleasantly surprised at what is on display.

The opening hours are 1.00pm - 7.00pm on Mondays.

and from Tuesday to Sunday they are open from 9.00am till 7.00pm ..... except Fridays when they stay open until 9.00pm.

Photography is allowed but without flash. So turn off the flash control on your camera prior to entering the museum.

Do not use your cell phone in the museum and food, drinks and smoking are not allowed within the museum itself.

Enjoy your visit to the Peranakan Museum - soon!

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the "Long Sand Road" and it's history

In three weeks time we will be living on Pasir Panjang Road, on the West Coast of Singapore ....... while visiting the Peranakan Museum yesterday I heard that Panjang meant LONG, that inspired me to find out a little more of the meaning of PASIR PANJANG!

The name Pasir Panjang appears as "Passir Panjang" in 1851. The Malay word pasir panjang literally means "long sand", a reference to the long sandy beach that stretched along the coast in this area.

Pasir Panjang Road, which once hugged the coastline, was laid down as far as the Jurong River by John Turnbull Thomson by 1850. Thomson was Government Surveyor of Singapore from 1841 to 1853.

NOTE: According to the above map, the area showing West Coast Park, West Coast Highway and the Pasir Panjang Terminal Building is on reclaimed land! The reclaiming of the land in this area started as early as 1972. 

Have circled where we will be living at Palm Mansions on the following aerial map.

Singapore's land area grew from 581.5km² in the 1960s to 697.1km² today, and may grow by another 100km² by 2030.

In 1910, the Government took over the opium industry and a state-owned factory was established at Pasir Panjang. In the 1920s, many of the wealthy Chinese built holiday and residential bungalows along the coast, some of which are still visible today in this area. 

In 1930, some of the Malay families from the Kallang River Basin area were resettled here when Kallang Airport was constructed. In 1957, the Malay settlement here became known as the West Coast Malay Settlement. Right up till the early 1960s, this area contained many Malay fishing villages.

Since the late 1960s, the whole length of the coast, from the Singapore River to Jurong, has been reclaimed for wharves, almost entirely devoted to containerisation. The coastal area at Pasir Panjang has also been extensively reclaimed for the Pasir Panjang Terminal of the Port of Singapore.

 

Battle of Pasir Panjang

From 13 to 15 February 1942, a decisive battle for Singapore in World War II was fought on the slopes of Pasir Panjang, now Kent Ridge Park.

The Japanese 18th Division, well-armed and heavily supported from the air, descended upon the ridge, determined to capture it from the Allied forces. Defending the ridge were the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Malay Regiment, the British Second Loyals Regiment, the Australian Bren-Gun Carriers and the 44th Indian Brigade. Although the Allied defences on Pasir Panjang Ridge outnumbered the Japanese, the attackers had more ammunition and were far more ruthless fighters.

The Allied forces put up a heroic show, especially Second Lieutenant Adnan bin Saidi of the Malay Regiment who led the combined Allied forces in battle. The Allied forces fought the Japanese to the bitter end. When ammunition ran out, they took on the Japanese in hand-to-hand combat and did not give up even when they were down to their last few men.

The Japanese did everything they could to force a surrender, including creating a lethal oil fire in a drain that the soldiers had to cross to clear the ridge. Despite this, the brave Allied soldiers refused to abandon the ridge, preferably to die honourably than surrender. Two soldiers were burnt alive when they tried to cross the drain, while four others collapsed before they even got there.

Second Lieutenant Saidi, like a true hero, was one of the last defenders on the ridge. He was captured by the Japanese and bayoneted to death. On 14 February 1942, the Japanese won Pasir Panjang Ridge. The following day, the British surrendered.

There is a lot of history around this area and I am going to spend some time exploring most of it over the coming months .... so stay tuned for "history updates of the Long Sand Road area" as I explore this new area (for us) of Singapore!

 

In the meantime, you may like to take a look at the Habitat News website and the upcoming events and walks in the area. 

In particular, the early morning Battle of Pasir Panjang Commemorative Walk in February and the shorter Museum Fest nightwalk in May or the Heritage Fest walks during July.

Click HERE for some info on the geography of Singapore.

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a nice big bowl of Pho Ga for lunch

Today we visited the Peranakan Museum and before going home, we decided to have our lunch and headed off to one of my favourite Kopitiams ...... the one that is on the corner of Bencoolen St and Bras Basah Road, not far from the National Museum of Singapore.

they have some great food stalls in there, from Mexican to Indian, from Thai to Vitenamese and everything in between.

Today I had Vietnamese.

Chicken Pho - or Pho Ga - with a fresh spring roll.

For a great Chicken Pho recipe click HERE

or check the following...

If you don't want to make it yourself, 

go have a delicious bowl of it at the above Kopitiam. 

Nothing fresher or more tasty!

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the BEST Chinese Food in the Cameron Highlands

.... and I honestly cannot tell you the name of it either ...... but if you stay at The Smokehouse Hotel, all you need to do is ask Alex for the directions to the best Chinese Food in the Highlands and that it is on the other side of Brinchang!

So the secret is to stay at The Smokehouse Hotel first!

the above dish was the long runner beans with roasted hazelnuts and cuttlefish. The beans were fresh and crunchy with loads of flavour.

The dish below is their famous kampong chicken.

 

 the two images below are of the Deep Fried Fish .....  crisp and tasty. Loved this dish.

 and this dish is the Deep Fried Pork Belly.... and before you turn your nose up at it, do try it. It tastes so much better than it 'sounds'.

all foods prepared and cooked at this cafe is fresh and you can certainly tell that by the flavour of the food!

Next time you stay at The Smokehouse Hotel in the Malaysian Highlands, do remember to ask Alex the directions as to how to find this wonderful Chinese Restaurant.

a few links that maybe of interest to you:

The elusive Rafflesia Flower

The Garden of The Smokehouse Hotel

an earlier walk in the gardens of the hotel

The Coach trip to the Cameron Highlands

The Smokehouse Hotel in May 2010

The comfort of a trip to The Highlands

a walk into Brinchang

a feast of Strawberries

Traveling to the Boh Tea Plantation

the following map may guide you as to where the Cameron Highlands are located in Malaysia.

The A on the map is where the Smokehouse Hotel is situated in the Highlands, and Singapore is way down at the bottom of the map.

Between those two points is a nine hour coach trip!