Big Cats and a Jazzy Jam

We visited the Singapore Pinacotheque de Paris, a local offshoot of the renowned private art museum in Paris, which opened at the end of May in the newly-refurbished Fort Canning Arts Centre.  This former barracks of the British Army is a building we have admired many times as we have wandered past. It has been under renovation for years but now holds more than 40 rare masterpieces from artists like Rembrandt, Picasso and Monet on permanent show in the Collections gallery. 

The larger Features Gallery is currently showcasing 'The Myth of Cleopatra' which had almost 200 artefacts and artworks including frescos from Pompeii, an Egyptian sarcophagus and resplendent costumes from the Cleopatra movies.

We met for dinner with a few other friends at Glutton's Corner, right on the waterfront of Marina Bay and indulged in a variety of local street food such as kway teow, chicken rice, spring rolls and murtabak. Then we all went to see Steve Winter's 'My Nine Lives' at the Esplanade Concert Hall. It is the first time I have actually been to see a performance at this venue which many of you would recognise as there are few buildings in Singapore as eye-catching as the two domes that make up the complex. They are fondly referred to as 'the big durians'  by locals as they resemble the spiky tropical fruit that is unique to this part of the world. 

Steve is an extraordinary wildlife photographer who has developed a passion for the big cats. His images were amazing, but just as interesting was to learn what it takes to get those amazing shots of (clockwise from top left) tigers in northern India, lions in South Africa, snow leopards at high altitude in India and a curious tiger with a camera mounted on a robotic car. The shots below are all courtesy of National Geographic.

After the show we walked to Clarke Quay to collect a package for Richard from John Chee at the Crazy Elephant. On the train coming home I discovered Adrian had been trying to get in touch. He gave up and left this short video for us instead. I trust he doesn't mind me sharing

The Hungry Ghost Festival passed the halfway point on Wednesday night and there was a big concert at the HDB across the street for all the residents to enjoy and help to entertain the wandering spirits. 

On Thursday morning we met up with June to explore a new walk from Marsiling MRTvia the Woodlands Town Park East to Woodlands Town Garden and on to the new Woodlands Waterfront overlooking the Strait of Johor. From there we walked through Admiralty Park and on to Woodlands MRT. It mostly worked as I had planned but sometimes it was guess and go, then backtrack. We were happy with the loop and will include it in next term's walking schedule for the Monday walkers.  We saw a number of birds including kingfishers, orioles and the less common pied triller. Below you can see the Woodlands Checkpoint at immigration through which everyone must pass to cross between Johore and Woodlands and the traffic jam it causes. the waterfront looking to Johore Barhru and bottom left the more tranquil Woodlands Town Garden.

The rest of the week disappeared in a daze, they are flying through now. 
We met some of the other MAE staff for end of term drinks at Wala Wala in Holland Village on Sunday night as next weekend most will be flying off to all points of the compass again. The good thing was not having to get up early for a walk as this week it was scheduled for the evening. After a lovely sleep-in, I got the sewing machine out and got started on a new project and Eric went off to have his ears syringed. Thank goodness he can hear again after complaining ever since we flew home that he felt he had a bubble in his left ear. We joined the walkers at Sengkang and walked out to Punggol Point in the cool of the evening which everyone enjoyed. It finished with dinner at Georges By the Bay and then we caught a bus back to Punggol then train home. 

On Tuesday I decided I was disappointed with the state of the sewing project so it was back to Spotlight and also to Kinakunya, the best bookstore in the country in Orchard Rd as Eric was after a new release for friend Peter (who he will be visiting next week in Ballarat). After several purchases I no longer need the sewing project! What do you know! But I will anyway. Then we walked on by ION Orchard and the colourful, larger-than-life  "Urban People" sculptures, created by Swiss sculptor Kurt Laurenz Metzleron to Jamie's Italian (Jamie Oliver) at the Forum. The decor is rustic and cozy and the service spot on. It was so good to both be served our meals at the same time! Such simple pleasures we crave here! We both enjoyed our meals and I think Eric may be planning to purchase yet another recipe book. Apparently you can never have too many. 

So now its back to the sewing project and unpicking those puckered seams. 

Night Festival

MAE held the annual Trivia Afternoon on Tuesday. Syd, Kim and Kathy organised it all and did a terrific job. For the first time there hadn't been a sports tipping lead-up but the afternoon was well attended. I found myself on a team with Heather and Neil from Punggol branch and Pip from Bishan. We didn't bring home any prizes. At the end of the event I deputized for Eric, who had felt too sick to attend, and thanked the organisers (yes I know I talk with my hands) after which we had dinner at Wild Oats.

On Thursday Eric had his blocked ears candled and feeling better, we then walked to Serangoon Gardens and bought some treats from the French deli which we shared with Heather for lunch. She and I have been working on a revised Whales unit for P4. The food was fabulous; baguette, pate, soft cheese. All such rarities on menus here. In the evening we had a quick meal with Peter at Kovan again.
Friday morning was overcast so we walked around Eco Green out at Tampines. We saw lots of different birds but the skies were so overcast we didn't get a lot of good shots. More woodpeckers and weaver bird nests than we have ever seen in one spot before though. 

After work on Saturday we met up with Bev, Kris, Heather and June at Molly Roffeys Irish Pub in Bras Basah for a quick dinner then joined the crowds on the streets enjoying the Night Festival. Our highlight was the stunning light installation on the National Museum featuring Anooki (the world's smallest inuits apparently, I thought of the android logo as I was watching them). The designer is from France but they paid a special birthday tribute to Singapore as part of their shenanigans. 

Spark were a perfectly choreographed LED-lit drumming group who entertained with both their fabulous music as well as their marching antics. 

But the place was so crowded. I soon felt very weary after a full day at work and we headed back on a train from Dhoby Ghaut. Needed a good night's sleep as a full day on Sunday was to follow. We finished that day and the working week with dinner at Grapevine. We were a bit disappointed to learn that the management are finishing up at the end of the month. Hopefully there wont be a lot of changes. 

A bike ride at East Coast Park was scheduled for Monday but to be honest we were both wishing it would be washed out or the bike shop announce it was closed. Neither of those events took place so we dragged ourselves out the back gate to the bus stop. Turned out we were the only ones to turn up! June was doing her best to make the deadline but caught a bus that took her via Bedok so was very, very late and we rode off without her. Once we got riding we were both happy we had made the effort as it was pleasantly cool and we were rewarded with a great sight - a pair of pied hornbills, once thought to be extinct in Singapore, but now breeding again on a recovery program. Now that makes it all worthwhile. 

We rode east along the coast for about 50 mins and were at least halfway back when we came across June. She joined us for the last leg then took off on the rest of her 2 hr bike hire period while we walked back to Parkway Parade, a shopping centre that caters for a lot of expats and where I was hoping I might find trousers for our annual dinner this year. No luck so then we took a bus to Dhoby Ghaut. This turned out to be a very interesting ride which swung over the Kallang River, by the Fountain of Wealth at Suntec City, the F1 track which is currently being prepared for the next race and Marina Bay Sands to name a few landmarks. 

At Dhoby Ghaut I went to Spotlight and bought a pattern and material so now have a new sewing project about to get underway. I was standing in the queue at the cutting counter when Judy rang to update me on news of Mum who has now gone to Col's place until we get back, and that there are locals interested in purchasing her home. Some things can move faster than you expect? I thought we would find her a new home first.

A huge incinerator was being filled with stacks of hell money and paper offerings at the HDB across the road when we returned. Later in the afternoon it was burned by relatives to appease their deceased family members – taking care of their material needs even in the afterlife in accordance with the rituals of the Hungry Ghost Festival. Meanwhile a truck full of more offerings was being unloaded at the store. 

Back to work and warmth

We returned to work on Thursday where I found my colleagues had been very thoughtful, providing great support while we were away and it continued through the week. Most of my lessons for the rest of the term are already printed off for me. I would never have been so organised. We have a great team at Kovan.
Met up with Peter on Thursday night and heard all about his new class at the Overseas Family School which uses the International Bacculaureate curriculum. He is still getting to know his little class of Year 2 EFL students and has a parent information night this week to get to know some of the parents. 
It was the opening night of the Hungry Ghost Festival, when the souls of the dead are believed to roam the earth. After closing time, some of the locals set up an alter, laid out offerings and lit candles. Besides “money”, people have been known to burn paper replicas of anything they believe their deceased relatives might be craving in the afterlife – watches, jewelry, cars, luxury villas, sports cars, servants – even condoms and Viagra. We will need to watch our step in the next few weeks to avoid trampling on food left out in the open. Although many observers place their food offerings (oranges, rice, cake or even suckling pig) and joss sticks on proper altars, others tuck them at the side of footpaths or beside tree trunks. 

On Friday I walked through Bidadari on my own as Eric has come down with a cold. I met a local playing frisbee golf or disc golf as it is known here. Apparently there has been an 18 hole course there since 2009 but only recently the holes were marked with proper posts rather than tree branches. The course is on the grounds of the Muslim and Hindu section of the cemetery, exhumed in 2001. It is the first and only semi-permanent course in Singapore. The layout follows the natural rise and fall of the landscape, utilizing materials found on the grounds (broken tiles and stones etc) and taking advantage of the shady, sprawling trees. Tees are marked with sticks or stones (often remnants of tombs) and targets are now white PVC pipes. Like the walkers, birdwatchers and training Gurkhas who enjoy this area, the disc throwers urge everyone to maintain the pristine and sacred beauty of this space as they try to establish a foothold for disc golf in Singapore. At left is the narrow fairway between obstacles to the 5th hole. At the bottom you see one of the new holes. 

Eric struggled through Saturday but stayed home on Sunday so it was a quiet weekend. I caught up with a few social minded colleagues on Sunday night at Joe's then he left it to me to lead the walk on Monday. Negotiating my way through the Botanic Gardens was more difficult than I expected, I usually just follow along and talk and don't take a lot of notice of which path we choose. Anyway, with a few false leads we eventually got to the Tanglin Gate. From there we were heading to Dempsey Hill but June offered to take us to the abandoned Woodneuk House, one of the town residences of an earlier Sultan of Johore that was badly damaged by fire. Eric, Peter and I went looking for it last year but found entry prohibited. Later June found a way in and she tried to lead our group in but.....

We found ourselves struggling through jungle, scrambling up steep slopes and battling our way through long grass all in vain, there was no sign of the mansion. Amazingly a path was obvious, with ropes to assist on the steepest sections but we can't figure out who uses it or for what purpose. I gave up first, knowing my knees were going to suffer, and headed back to the road and everyone followed which was just as well as it soon started to rain. Two of the group quit after that, but the rest of us crossed the road into Dempsey Hill and we found our way to the Museum of Contemporary Art where they are currently hosting a retrospective of Chinese Contemporary Art, featuring a number of artists. I was pleased to find even more of the works of Jiang Shuo and her husband Wu Shaoxiang which I really enjoy. Below you can see the colourful flying Chinese Cats of fortune, the celestial characters in red guard uniform as Mao's People's Liberation Army and in the foreground the lotus flower rider. 

We finished the walk at Casa Verde, the cafe in the middle of the Botanic Gardens which is about to close for renovations. 
Eric was still feeling pretty flat so I cooked dinner. Yes, I heard that gasp of surprise, but I can still do a fine stir fry. Tuesday was spent mostly doing housework in which we had got quite behind. In the afternoon I attended the MAE Trivia Afternoon and without Eric's help my table only came second. It was held in Hougand so a number of us enjoyed dinner at Wild Oats afterwards. 
Jude and Col have been terrific keeping me in the loop with news of Mum and I have spoken to her a few times. She seems to be enjoying the short breaks at each of their places but also looking forward to a few days back out at Yarra Glen if we can manage it when we return at the end of term. Today she has an assessment to determine the level of care she now requires so that will help direct the next round of choices and decisions to be made. 

Melbourne Trip

With Mum deteriorating rather than getting stronger we made the decision on Wednesday to fly to Melbourne to see her. This presented a few problems as we already had flights and hotel bookings in Krabi that had to be cancelled. We're hopeful travel insurance will help defray the costs. That's what you pay those premiums for isn't it? But at the same time we won't be holding our breath. Family is more important than money though.
We got away midday Thursday via Brunei. Hadn't been to Brunei before and on approach it felt a lot like flying into neighbouring Kota Kinabalu or Kuching. 

The airport terminal is very new. So new that as yet there is only one retail outlet in the transfer lounge. We spent 4 hours in Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf or wandering through the vast empty spaces.
I'm so glad I'm not doing this on my own. And from now on, every time I hear "Take my hand/take my whole life too/For I can't help/Falling in love with you" I will be reminded of the Muzak version I sat and listened to on loop for 4 hours there.


And then 3 movies later (Age of Adeline, The Longest Ride and Enough Said) we were in Melbourne, landing at 4:30 am on a brisk morning. Col arrived a short time later to collect us and we were soon in a cozy bed at his place in Mooroolbark. Beth greeted us but was gone when we re-emerged a few hours later having caught up on some sleep, and the kitchen smelt like a bakery with fresh scones and muffins just out of the oven. We met Judy at Maroondah Hospital just before lunch where Mum was waiting to be discharged having been told in the morning that she could go home once she had the all clear. Since she last went home she has had a fall in her own home and collapsed at Col's requiring an ambulance call, not to mention breathlessness and coughing. We had planned that Eric and I would accompany her home, though we all knew she couldn't have done it independently. We all spent a long afternoon waiting for the Dr, the Occupational Therapist and then the Physiotherapist to each do their clearances. Eventually we escaped but it was so late in the day we decided a night at Col's suited everyone better. We lit a fire and with the central heating soon the house was warm, then we had a family dinner together (again provided by Beth who had a commitment in Mitcham) and then Jude went home and the rest of us got an early night. Mum was tired too after all that waiting around, poor thing.

In the morning we walked through Elizabeth Bridge Reserve enjoying the birds before Col took us out to Yarra Glen. That's the Crimson Rosella, Little corellas, tree dwelling Pacific Black Duck, Magpie and Eastern Rosella. We also lots of water birds around the wetlands so a good variety in a short walk. The next few days were spent with Mum at her home in Yarra Glen. We were happy to do whatever it took to make her comfortable and arrange whatever help might be required to allow her to stay there independently after we left. However it became more and more evident as the days moved on that it wasn't going to be possible. While they seem to have been able to arrest the blood condition her heart is too weak now for her to manage anything more than getting from the bed to her favourite chair in the living room. She sat there each day enjoying the Spring-blooming garden through the window, frequently interrupted by her loyal dog Benji coming by to check on her. Deaf as a post now, he didn't seem to understand why she wasn't out in the garden pulling up weeds in the veggie patch and giving him an occasional pat. From her chair beside the fire she called the shots as I sorted out her pantry and began on her wardrobe. Progress was hampered though by the regular arrival of friends who kept calling in to check on her, everyone impressing on us how inspired they have been by her independence and interest in the local community. The Caddy's moved to 'Lindemere', a dairy farm at Dixon's Creek in the Yarra Valley in November 1960. The 3 kids all grew up there and moved away for tertiary education and onto career pathways. Mum and Dad stayed on until 1988 when they moved into 'town', 5 miles down the road. So many people knew Mum and Dad as they were both involved in so many ways in the community. Mum nursed at the hospital, not only on general wards but also helping bring many babies into the district and providing palliative care for others. Growing up on the farm I remember many times when Mum was first point of call for accidents or for confidential advice in difficult personal circumstances. She volunteered help for the Red Cross, the fire brigade, the RSL, the church, all our sporting teams and was a founding member of the committee that got the Community House up and running. I'm sure I have overlooked others but one community group she was very passionate about was the tree planting program where she planted more than her fair share, and mine and yours. In keeping with this community spirit, local charities were the grateful recipients of boot-loads of donations and Benji has a good home to go to. I emptied and washed countless jars from the pantry which have all gone to an upcoming community lanterns project on the lake. I'll have to get some photos of that, my dishpan hands are still soaking up the moisturiser as I type this. Eric cooked our meals, mowed lawns and cleaned up the garage then helped to warm the bed at night. My goodness it has been chilly at night. We did have some sunny days which were pleasant if you could keep out of the wind. We managed some bird watching together in the late afternoons and it was on one of these walks he announced that if we ever did move back to Vic he would like to live in 'The Glen'. But once the sun dipped below the horizon and the chill began to seep in around the neck and wrists he couldn't remember saying that. Among others we saw the New Holland Honeyeater, Superb Fairy Wren and Red Wattlebird.

On Tuesday I had a heart to heart with Mum, a most difficult conversation where I couldn't hold back the tears from her any longer. Physically she is just not capable of living on her own in the big family home anymore and fortunately she has all her wits about her and didn't try to resist, although this must have been a most difficult admission for her to make. We all would have preferred that she stay in her own home until she passes but her weakened heart just doesn't allow for that. So first Col arrived to help see her off and then Roger collected all three of us and we went to their home in Beaumaris for the night. 

They say owls aren't as wise as their reputations purport, but one visited us, sitting on the boundary fence between the house and the golf course. It wasn't at all perturbed by our wonder and I felt an incredibly strong connection with this bird of the wild. Was it Dad telling us he appreciated that we had Mum's best interests at heart and we were making the right decisions? I'll never know but I want to believe it. Mum will stay with Judy initially and then Col and so on until we can find the best long term solution for her.


Rog dropped us at the airport on the Wed morning. We had to leave early as a teetering crane on a construction project in town has caused major disruption to city traffic flow. We managed to avoid the worst of it but could see he was going to have to be very patient on the way home or take a further detour across the Westgate. On the flight back I watched another movie (Danny Collins) and had another good cry. When is this going to stop? Gotta pull myself together!
It is very difficult to be flying back to Singapore today, eased only by the fact that we have another trip already booked to return in September. I thought typing this up as we flew would be therapeutic but I'm not sure the flight attendants understand why I keep weeping.

SG50 hits Fever Pitch

We traveled out to Punggol on Wednesday for joint branch meetings where announcements were made about changes in leadership and positions for next year. It has caused some unrest among a few colleagues but means little change for us as we see it. There may be further developments yet to come. Early days, we'll keep you posted. Taking the light rail to Coral Edge, which Eric regularly does on his way to the Punggol Branch, we saw this sewing project hung on an HDB through the carriage window, pretty impressive. Each individual flag is regulation size. And walking under the HDB across the road we found the preschool children out on a hunt looking for SG50 symbols. All students from the primary to tertiary level, will receive the SG50 Lego gift set from the Ministry Of Education. It is called Building My SG: Reflect, Celebrate, Inspire.

On Thursday we went for a walk along the Punggol River looking for birds. We saw plenty, the highlight being a close call with the Lesser Common Flameback, one of the woodpeckers here. In the afternoon, before we went to work, Richard came over and made good use of the guitar. Amazing how well it stays in tune when no one has been playing it.

The good news is that my Mum went home to Yarra Glen on Friday. Over the last few weeks she has been quite unwell and is now on a long slow road to recovery that sees her spending a lot more time in the recliner taking it easy instead of attending classes, growing fabulous veggies she shares with all the neighbours, coffee mornings and regularly walking the dog. At one stage it didn't look like she would get back to the Glen so we all have our fingers crossed she can manage OK, as this is what she insists she wants. Don't overdo it Mum! 

The 2015 Singapore Food Festival theme is ‘A Fresh Taste of Tradition’. There are a number of events taking place, one of which is 'A Wok down Memory Lane at Ellenborough Market'. Apparently, during the 1800s through to the 1960s, the Ellenborough Market (Teochew Market) was home to some of the best local hawker and street food before it was burned down in 1968. To relive the good old memories of this very special market, it has been recreated for the festival at Read Bridge, Clarke Quay. 

For 10 days the bridge has been crowded each evening with diners enjoying local treats. Heather and I went in after work on Saturday night and the array of food on offer was impressive; popiah, char kway teow, wanton noodle dishes, braised duck ..... but I was too tired to cope with all the people and piles of used dishes.The durian creme brulee or DurianCanBoleh was tempting.....just kidding. 
Instead we ended up back at Senor Taco for authentic Mexican, just beside the belly dancers at Shiraz who serve authentic Persian cuisine. There is no shortage of food options in Singapore. Meanwhile Eric and Richard relaxed together at Serangoon and even got to see more of the SG50 fireworks from the parade rehearsals as they take it around the suburbs. 
On Sunday night we had dinner 
with Peter and June at Saturday 
House and then went out

to Terminal 3 at Changi Airport to meet up with Judie MacMillan who had a few hours in transit between flights. She is on her way to Gallipoli to attend the commemorative service to mark the centenary of the Battle for Chunuk Bair, in which her grandfather participated. Judie walked to Gudel with us in Dec 12 and we last caught up with her after Jason and Georgie's wedding late last year as she now lives back at Ocean Grove. Bev made the journey out to the airport too. It felt really strange since we weren't about to go anywhere but we discovered a massive underground area with food and beverage outlets as well as the Giant Slide a number of our students have mentioned. The Slide@T3 is the tallest in Singapore at 12m. The latest in a diverse range of attractions at the airport and explains the growing popularity of the location as a family weekend destination. Yes, that's right, families go there for entertainment, not just arrivals and departures. 


We woke to showers on Monday but figured they never last long so the walk went ahead. We met at Macca's near Raffles Place MRT then walked all around the temples of Telok Ayer. 

 The ERA Building is always interesting, their models of the island always developing. This time we enjoyed all the sketches of Singapore displayed on the building's external columns, an SG50  “Let’s Draw! SG” project. At least 50 artists have contributed their own unique drawings of locations in Singapore, many of which we are familiar with. Do you recognise any of them below? 

We finished at the Maxwell Food Centre across the road. Unexpectedly the rain just kept on falling all morning but it was light and we actually enjoyed the cool conditions for a change. 

On the way back to the station Steve showed us  Erich’s Wuerstelstand, an Austrian butcher stall, he sells bratwursts straight from the grill along with pretzels, sourdough and muffins in Banda Street, in the heart of Chinatown. We had just eaten so settled on returning sometime soon. Steve is a regular relief teacher at our branches with a Welsh background and laconic sense of humour.

Then Steve led us to the doorway of The Olde Cuban. Tucked away on the second floor of a shop house in Chinatown where we have often shared a cool drink and a meal, this seems the least likely spot for a Cuban style bar. Apparently inside you can expect a good range of vintage whiskey and a full range (over 250) of specialty cigars. Steve is proving to have a wealth of information for things most unexpected in Sg! In the evening we enjoyed lovely Sri Lankan curries that Eric cooked up and listened to all the Cilla Black hits of the '60s. Another one gone.

The annual MAE HIgh Tea was on Tuesday at the Grand Hyatt in the heart of the shopping centre on Scott's Rd. We left home without breakfast and I drank several pots of white tea while Eric chose a Darjeeling variety and we ate plenty for both meals. After coming home we went for a walk through Bidadari which was very pleasant in the late afternoon after rain. 

No sign of snakes this time but we did meet a man who was training with his drone. We mentioned that we had seen one operating at this year's Chengay Parade and it turned out it was his. Small world! He was filming for the media as they don't have one.