The Year of the Dragon seems to have brought a fire in the sky with it. We in Singapore have been treated to some stunning shows of colours during the sunrise and the sunset, including a particularly dramatic one that came on during last evening’s sunset.
Vote for me!
The Long and Winding Road has been selected as one of ten finalists in the PANASONIC ECO BEST PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG category of the Singapore Blog Awards 2012. I would very grateful for your kind support. Votes may be cast at Singapore Blog Awards 2012 PANASONIC ECO BEST PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG page. One vote may be cast per day from now till 30 June 2012.
At least nine Dragon (or Snake) Kilns were once found along the 13th to 18th Milestones of Jurong Road, attracted by the availability of Jurong White Clay - ideal material for clay latex cups. The cups were fired by the kilns to feed a huge demand from the rubber estates in the area. Over the years, most of the kiln closed due to the vanishing demand as the estates gave way to urban development. Only two, both of which have stopped operating commercially, have survived. The area the two, the Jalan Bahar and Thow Kwang kilns, are in is slated for development as a CleanTech Park, and the future for these kilns now looks bleak.
Articles relating to the Dragon Kilns:
Viva Bukit Brown
Bukit Brown Voices
Trailer for BUKIT BROWN VOICES. The a short independently-made documentary tells the story of Singapore's oldest Chinese cemetery on the cusp of major change. Filmed during what is the last Qing Ming (grave sweeping) festival for some families whose ancestors are buried there, we hear their thoughts and memories about what the place and the customs they practise mean to them (a Film by Su-Mae Khoo & Brian McDairmant of Two Chiefs).
A Road, but not the End of the Road
25 Mar 2012 : Bukit Brown and the soul of Singapore (Ignatius Low in the Sunday Times)
19 Mar 2012 : Announcement on Road Alignment through BBC
05 Mar 2012 : Speech by MOS(ND) Tan Chuan-Jin during Budget Debate
16 Feb 2012 : URA Reply to Letter to Today on Drainage Impact Assessment
20 Nov 2011 : Bukit Brown Road Project 'Can't Wait': LTA
12 Sep 2011 : Announcement on Construction of the Road
19 Jun 2011 : ST: An Uphill Struggle Saving Bukit Brown
18 Jun 2011 : URA Reply to Letter to ST on Destroying Natural Habitat
11 Jun 2011 : URA Reply to Letter to ST on Shutting Window to History
What promises to be a spectacular section of the Gardens by the Bay, the Bay South Garden, opens to the public on 29 Jun 2012. I've attended two media previews of it including a recent one which included a visit to the still under construction Cloud Forest - one of two cooled conservatories at the garden. I was also invited for a dawn and dusk photo shoot in May - two of my photographs are among 20 that have been selected for a roving exhibition which is now making its rounds. Here is some of what I saw:
May 2012 : In the merry month of May
Apr 2012 : Ascent into the Clouds
Nov 2011 : New Light in the Old Harbour
Nov 2011 : Sneak Peek at the Gardens
Share your personal memories on the Singapore Memory Portal - an initiative by the National Library Board (NLB) as part of the Singapore Memory Project (SMP). The SMP is a national initiative started in 2011 to collect, preserve and provide access to Singapore’s knowledge materials, so as to tell the Singapore Story and aims to collect 5 million personal memories by 2015.
i Light Marina Bay 2012, the 2nd edition of Asia’s 1st and only sustainable light art festival, was held from 9 March to 1 April 2012. Themed “Light Meets Asia”, i Light Marina Bay 2012 featured environmentally sustainable light art installations by 31 artists.
Posts on i Light Marina Bay 2012:
Lighting up for Sustainability and Philips Supported Installations
Meet on a little street in Singapore 
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my posts on asia!
Jun 11: A Tearful farewell to Romance
Jun 11: That One Man Isn't Alone
Apr 11: Sea of Light
Jan 11: Wonderland without Glasses
Sep 10: Keeping Track of Time
Aug 10: Tides of Yesterday
Nov 09: School Days in Singapore
School Days in Singapore was ranked #2 among the top ten stories of 2010 on asia!
Divas Anita Sarawak and Ning Baizura and a host of stars at the Malam Anugerah Seri Temasek 2011
Artistes from the Golden Era of Malay Film and the filmmakers of today from both sides of the Causeway gathered for a Gala Night on 5 Feb 2011 in Singapore, and were entertained by Divas Anita Sarawak and Ning Baizura, as well as Fredo of Flybaits, Sarah Aqilah, Didi Cazli, Rudy Djoharnean, Syamsul Yusof, R. Ismail and Rozita Rohaizad.
Beyond the Slumber (Sembawang - 27 Mar 2011)
Highlights of a heritage tour of Sembawang, with a focus on the Sembawang that I was familiar with in the 1970s. The two and a half hour tour included a visit to the last kampung mosque in Singapore, as well as to several other points of interest in Sembawang. Information relating to the walk and some of what we saw or were transported to can be found in the post “Sembawang beyond the Slumber”.
One Hundred Steps to Heaven (Central - 26 Feb 2011)
I took participants on a walk with the NLB up a hundred steps to the heavenly world of Mount Sophia that was home to the fairy-tale like mansions such as Eu Villa (demolished in 1981). We also explored the neighbouring Mount Emily, the site of Singapore’s first public swimming pool and along with that, some of the areas that were once part of a Jewish and then Japanese quarter. Information relating to the walk and some of what we saw or were transported to can be found in the post “One Hundred Steps to Heaven”.
A Journey through Time (ToaPayoh - 20 Nov 2010)
I took an enjoyable walk back in time with several participants in a heritage trail at the Toa Payoh Library, to a Toa Payoh that was taking its first steps as the first planned satellite town. Details of some of the places we visited can be found in the post “A journey through time: a heritage trail through Toa Payoh”.
Journeys on the railway out of Tanjong Pagar and adventures in and around the railway corridor.
Please sign this online petition if you would like to see Tanjong Pagar Railway Station converted for use as a museum.
Join the party on the Last Train into Tanjong Pagar
Explorations through the railway corridor which the Nature Society (Singapore) proposes should be retained as a Green Corridor.
A collection of posts related to that old Singapore that I grew up having so many wonderful experiences in.
My fascination with all ships big and small.
The day in 1972 when the Queen of England visited my humble HDB flat.
Remembering the National Stadium which is in the process of being demolished to make way for the new Sports Hub.
My Melbourne Experience
An adventure in springtime Melbourne courtesy of Tourism Victoria, Jetstar and omy.sg with nine other bloggers. My set of experiences can be found on this site or at the Colours of Melbourne omy site.
Courtesy of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), I had the opportunity to have a 4 day adventure in Hong Kong with 9 other bloggers. To read our collective Hong Kong Travel Blog entries, please click on the icon below:
The world spinning ’round …
What brand of camera and lenses are you using? Great pics:)
Yes. Great pics
Have read most of your articles and find them very interesting. especiall the ones about ‘old’ Singapore. have lived thru those says as well and agree with all you have written. The sunset shots are excellent too.yellow