Damper and Vegemite for Anzac Day

If it hadn't been for the Aust and NZ colleagues at work on Wednesday last week, ANZAC Day would have slipped by unnoticed. Eric was on afternoon tea duty so he shared his precious vegemite (especially precious since the largest jar was confiscated as reported last week) and damper (cob of bread really, but as closes as he could get). We also enjoyed Anzac Biscuits, NZ honey and Tim Tams. Just a pity we had to share this scrumptious spread around the workbench. We did think of all our mates in Aust in the pool or at the footy. What a match in Melbourne; but it would have been so much better if the Bombers had won by 1 point instead of the Magpies.  ANZAC Day will be likely even more significant for us after our trip to Turkey in June. This last week at work was busy assessing reading levels and 'Show and Tell' performances in the lower levels ahead of parent teacher interviews next week. I'm hoping I can find something positive to say about all the students but more importantly that I match the right parent to the right student! I have been meaning to get a photo of one of theses Crime Alert boards for a few months now.  At last this week I remembered.  You occasionally see them as you leave an MRT station and it is a real shame job for the community to have a board on display. Imagine how big the board would have to be for any neighbourhood in an Australian city, a traffic hazard.

On Thursday morning we visited the Ancient Civilizations Museum, we were lucky to arrive just as a tour was about to begin so we joined that and a volunteer lead us through the different galleries.  There is a lot to see here and we will need to return again. This tour focussed on the different religions as they have swept through and lived alongside one another in this region. There was also time to take a brief look at the temporary textiles and River Life displays before we went to work.

Bianca returned Sunday night after a long flight from Toronto. It was here car we were driving around in Darwin the week of the wedding. She continued on her way back to Darwin on Monday after a sleep in and late lunch with us. Fortunately she was able to be in the apartment when the air-con guy came back to sort out the continuing problem with our bedroom unit.  How she managed to sleep through all the noise of the painters and repairmen right outside the windows I don't know? It can be sometimes quite disconcerting to see the gondola go by.

Meanwhile we were out walking a series of linked trails through the Southern Ridges with the group. We  met at VivoCity above Harbourfront MRT and took the Marang Trail up to the Jewel Box on top of Mt Faber where the cable cars run across to Sentosa. From here you get a panoramic view of the harbour and southern islands although on this day it was thankfully quite overcast. It sounds extraordinarily steep but in fact you only cover an elevation of 70 m so not really a good training ground for trekking in Nepal. Next, we took the Faber Walk which meanders through the hilltop park which is almost exclusively dense secondary rainforest and ends at the start of the Henderson Waves. This is a 270m long pedestrian bridge connecting Mt Faber Park with Telok Blangah Hill Park. The undulating, wave-like structure is both easy on the eye and easy underfoot.  It would be good to see it at night when apparently it is lit between 7pm and 2 am.

We took the Hilltop Walk through Telok Blangah Hill Park which finishes at the colourful Terrace Gardens. Isn't it time to turn back yet????? Apparently not! We continue along Forest walk and find ourselves on an elevated walkway, traversing through the park with the canopy at eye-level.  It was from here we spotted our first sighting of the white throated kingfisher, a great thrill.

The final leg was across Alexandra Arch and onto Floral Walk which leads to Hort Park; a gardeners' paradise which boasts more than 100 flowering plants - many of my favourite heliconias amongst them.

How's this for a bunch of bananas?

By now we had been walking for about 1.5 hours so it was high time we retraced our steps to the MRT, not to mention find lunch.  If we wanted to though, we could have continued on to the canopy walk which links into Kent Ridge Park.  Amazing to find all these connecting trails that walkers/cyclists can utilize, we haven't had to walk beside or across a road since we left the MRT. There is a massive project being undertaken to extend this park connectors idea right around the island. This section is just a tiny part of it and we loved it. We met Bianca for lunch back at VivoCity and then on the way home called in to Chinatown to search out Pink Floyd t-shirts for Mervyn.  I'll have to send Luke and Tahlia back to make a decision on the ones I found at CityHall when we had no success and my accomplices headed for home.

There is a public holiday here today for Labour Day (trust Territorian readers are also making the most of it) but since it isn't a work day for us I had forgotten until I went to the shops for groceries.  Wow, it was so crowded. apparently it is always like this on the weekends but we never see it since they are our long days at work. next Saturday is Vesak Day, another Public holiday for the birth, enlightenment and passing away of Buddha. Since it falls on the weekend we don't take the holiday but instead the company give us double pay.  But we are not looking that far ahead yet.  Luke and Tahlia arrive Thursday morning on their way home from the cruising honeymoon. Can't wait to see them and hear all their news, see their pics.