The Duck Tour

Last weekend, we had our first Duck Tour.  Singapore Duck Tour has been around for many years so it is a little ashamed that we were experiencing this first time.  The duck tour uses a World War II amphibian vehicle, a military vehicle that can drive on the road and cruise in the water.  When my elder brother was in the Singapore Army (30 years ago), he was one of the fortunate one to pilot such vehicle.  

Coming back to the duct tour, it is about an hour long with about 40mins in the water and the other 20mins on dry lands.  The route introduces Marina Bay building including The Singapore Flyers, The Floating Platform (for National Day Parade or other event), The Esplanade – Theater by the Bay (local call it The Durian), The Merlion, The Marina Bay Sand casino, and the upcoming Botanic Garden by the Bay and of course the Civic District.  Not going to talk too much on this, you would be able to more information if you do a Google search for Singapore Duck tour.

Overall experiences was great and I do pick up a few history about Singapore even though I am a Singaporean. Enjoy the pictures

The Singapore Flyer

The Swimming Duck

The Merlion

The Marina Bay Sand

More goodies

1. NWC clearest calls for higher wage hikes since the 1990s
2. HDB Purchase Income ceiling to be revised within 6 months
3. S'pore to participate in human rights review for the first time

I love General Election

Not to sure about other but i love general election. why do I say so.

1. Grow and Share package 2011
2. Launches of new HDB flats
• Many new launches of HDB flats since H2 of 2010 

3. Cement walkway instead of muddy walkway

• Just an example.  Look at this google map, both the left and right leading toward Compass Point has been a small walkway (muddy during raining season) is now (just) laid with cement.  Pictures taken this morning.
4. No GST increase for the next 5 years.
5. New bus service for Seng Kang West. 
6. Remaking Hougang, East Coast, Jurong Lake. 
7. what else?  do a search in the WWW, you will see it.

So, what else can I ask for?
Or maybe cut short the term of the ministers and MP, so that we can have General Election every 3 years.

Kite Flying

Suzhou, China usually people fly kite during May time frame when the wind is strong and the weather is not too hot or too cold. In Singapore, kite flying is all year round. The most common place for kite flying is Marina South where big open green field allow interested person to fly all sort of kites. As there are more open fields within many new towns, many people just travel to those open field for kite flying.

Yesterday, while cycling at about 7:30pm, I pass by a open field near Anchorvale Community Club, I saw about 20 people fly kite with blinking light. It looks wonderful. Today, I know that many people will be flying kites at about 4 to 5pm so I went to the open field again with Keith at that time. In fact, many are flying kites.

Some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

almost injure

yesterday morning, as usual left my place at 6:35am and took service #136 to work. nothing special and i was still sitting at the 2nd right row of the 2nd deck of the double decker. this sit has been my favorite sit because i could watch the mobile TV as well as enough light to read my "Today" newspaper during my 45mins trip to work.

the trip was smooth with many students boarding at various bus stops at sengkang and 80% of them alighting at Serangoon Secondary School. Well, the journey went on smoothly till the bus was approaching Serangoon Garden along Serangoon Garden Way. Out of sudden, there was something flashes right in front of me with a loud bang. The windscreen was cracked by a coconut felt from the coconut tree along the road side. To my amuse, it must be a very big impact otherwise the windscreen will never crack. Fortunately, it was just a crack and not fully smash else I will be injure. Right in the first row on the left was a school boy who take it that nothing had happen.

Soon, the bus was stop at the bus stop and the bus captain (Singapore way of calling the bus driver) came and asked if we were fine. We told him everything was fine other than the cracked windscreen. He proceeded to call and report the situation to the bus headquarter while we waited in the bus. 5 mins later, another bus of the the same service came and we transferred to that bus.

Well, this add some spices to the normal and monotonous riding life of the bus journey. I hope that there will be more excitement but no injury or death. haha.

look at the crack, the force must be very great to crack the windscreen.

our living room in singapore flat

for the last few weeks, we have been purchasing stuff (furniture, etc) to make our home cozier than when we left singapore 2 years ago. we go with white color as our place at suzhou was white and it look good.

this is the picture of the living room, thanks to selina for the decoration. i just make sure i do the drilling.

horrible sight!!!

we flew and reached singapore on the 10th Jun 2009. We were having mixed feeling leaving china. Good to be back to Singapore due to the food and family members that we missed. Also, sad to leave china with lot of good memories and good friends, and activities with many both work and non-work.

whatever, when we reached our apartment in singapore, it was a horrible sight. The living room is a mess. the tenants left many unwanted stuff such as empty boxes for modem, notebook pc, some clothing, and worst, the calender still at the page when we last left our place... 30th june 2007.

kitchen was a mess too... used pot, plates, bowl, and many many more... boh bak kuang(in hokkien, basically it referred to sight that no one wants to see)

floor was dusty, we mop twice in 3 days and we still feel the floor is dusty... :(

school search

this morning, walked for one school to another and apply for P1 admission for my son. went to a total of 3 school nearby where we will be staying when we return home. basically, rivervale area. none of the school has vacancy for my son. has to put him in waiting list and the list is at least 15 application before him. aiya... damn bloody tough, are there really so many children staying nearby these school? or are they from other area and trying to getting into these school... when i called up MOE 2 weeks back, the officer ask if i were a helper to the school, do i have other kids studying in that school or am i a alumni to the school. well, these schools are only max 10 years old, would i be a alumni? no way right?

anyway, i have another school that i will be heading to and i understand the school do have vacancy but it is far from my place... do not really like my son to travel that far...

enough of garbage...

新加坡-小偷

那天和一位中国朋友聊天 以下是我们的对话

中国朋友：新加坡的行法怎样？
我：蛮严的
中国朋友：我看报纸说小偷要砍手指的
我: (我笑了笑) 要是真的可能也好, 不是的, 没那会儿事
中国朋友：那你说严?
我: 打个比方, 强奸鞭行, 贩毒死刑, 枪械打抢死刑, 不过小偷最多罚款坐牢
中国朋友：原来是这样的

so, i am actually very surprised that there are such report that is so inaccurate. i never heard of a pick-pocket will have his finger chopped off when caught in singapore . probably, next time when a rapist is caught, his "bro" will be chopped... like china eunuch. haha