Destination Singapore — Experiencing Singapore through Travel

Even before mass tourism took root with the arrival of the jet age, Singapore has fascinated would be travellers from the West. The romanticised depictions of the island penned by the likes of Rudyard Kipling, Joseph Conrad and Somerset Maugham, in the late 19th and early 20th century have more often than not, made Singapore out to be an exotic destination, as have travel guide books of the day. Singapore was after all a great port city, the crossroads of the East and West in more ways than one, and a cultural melting pot in which the well-heeled traveller could travel to and be accommodated in the lap of luxury in the days when the romance of travel seemed at its height, and yet have that experience of the exotic East.

It was in fact travel guide books that provided the inspiration for the curators of Now Boarding: Experiencing Singapore through Travel, 1800s–2000s, to bring Singapore out as a travel destination. One of two exhibitions opening at the National Museum of Singapore this last weekend in May, the exhibition will offer its visitors an experience of Singapore from the perspective of a traveller to the island.

Postcards and Posters on display.

The exhibition will have visitors explore four common travel themes or chapters if you like in a (modern) travel guide book, Getting Around, Places to Stay, Eating Out and Sights and Shopping. But before all of that, as in the case of the days of mass travel, one has that small matter of getting to the “airport” at the museum’s Rotunda — where one will be greeted the all too familiar sight of a Changi Airport flight information flip board (or at least a part of the decommissioned Terminal 2 flip board), and having to collect a “boarding pass” — which serves as an entry ticket and more at the check-in (museum ticketing) counter.

Exhibition Boarding Pass.

The former Changi Airport flip board.

Exploring the exhibition — especially in the first two sections, one is struck by how much getting here and its associated experiences — even today, has an emphasis that is placed very much on luxury. In Getting Around, depictions of long, luxurious and somewhat leisurely voyages on the passenger liners of old or even train journeys on the Malayan Railway seen in posters on display confronts the visitor. It seems no different when it comes to the modern day, with a unmissable Singapore Airlines’ A380 Suites Cabin in plain sight.

SQ A380 Cabin Suites

Once one is in Singapore however, there options of getting around the island that are on offer are a lot more down to earth. A trishaw on display, which has a rather interesting backstory to it, was an affordable means of conveyance for the person-on-the-street, as was its predecessor the rickshaw. It was also popular as a means to move around for tourists, for whom the trishaw was not only cheap, but a novelty!

A Trishaw.

In Places to Stay, the lure of the Raffles — an enduring Singaporean icon and the epitome of luxurious stays in Singapore — seems unescapable even in a museum setting. There are also other luxurious names of the past that will pop up such as the Adelphi (there is a small glass on display that tells yet another interesting story), and the Hotel de L’Europe.

Uniforms on loan from Raffles Hotel.

Eating Out at Singapore’s coffee shops, outdoor eateries and hawker stalls has undoubtedly been one of the must-dos for a visitor. It may not always have been the case given the issues we faced with hygiene in the past but this caught on in the 1950s and 1960s when street fare came to the fore. From a range of tools and kitchen utensils to kopitiam cups, drinking glasses, soft drink bottles and serving trays carrying advertisements of popular brands, to photographs and postcards featuring hawkers, visitors will get that sense of what the experience of eating out may have been like. In addition to this, there is an assortment of restaurant menus that can be viewed through an interactive display. The menus include one from A&W — the first fast food restaurant chain to set up shop in Singapore when it opened its first outlet at MSA (later SIA) Building in 1968.

Kopitiam memories.

Besides shopping at Orchard Road, a tourist draw since C K Tang opened its store in 1958 even if the shopping destinations then were at High Street and Raffles Place, Sights and Shopping also explores areas such the cabaret, night club and more recent clubbing scene. One popular and rather famous (or some say infamous) tourist spot — at least until the early 1980s, Bugis Street, is glaringly missing in the mix.

Recalling the club and cabaret scene.

To complete the exhibition experience, visitors can reflect on the portrayal of Singapore over the years and add personal impressions home at digital kiosks located within the gallery. Limited edition postcards featuring what’s on display from the National Museum’s collection are available with a donation to the museum. These can be sent to any address across the world by dropping them in at the Singapore Post mailbox placed just outside the exhibition gallery. Also, playing an accompanying Now Boarding mobile game will also yield a bonus digital gift. And if you have some energy left, there will also be pop-up rooms — with a disco room opening with the exhibition. In August, there are two other rooms to look out for that will feature transportation and a hotel-themed room.

The pop-up disco themed room.

The exhibition opens on 27 May 2023 and runs until 19 Nov 2023. For more information, including ticketing, please visit https://www.nhb.gov.sg/nationalmuseum/our-exhibitions/exhibition-list/now-boarding.

A second exhibition opening on 27 May 2023, Get Curious: All About Food! is aimed at families with kids. More information on this can be found at: https://www.nhb.gov.sg/nationalmuseum/cs2023.

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Jurong will never be Jurong again

It is sad to think that Jurong will soon be without Jurong Bird Park. The attraction, which brought many into the heart of what might have been an unattractive industrial estate if not for its presence, will welcome its last guests on 3 January 2023 — exactly 52 years after its 1971 opening. Its closure is in anticipation of its move to Mandai, where it reopen as Bird Paradise as part of the larger Mandai Wildlife Reserve. When the bird park does close, Jurong will certainly be a poorer place without it. What will become of the lush green space that the bird park occupies, one that has taken half a century to grow, is not known. I would certainly love to see that it is retained as a green oasis in the midst of the industrial sprawl that surrounds it. It will be quite a shame if we were to also lose it once after the bird park closes.

The old and very industrial looking entrance to the bird park. The park would have been in operation for 52 years when it closes its doors for the last time on 3 Jan 2023.
(Photo: Mandai Wildlife Reserve).

For those like me who grew up with the bird park, Jurong will not be Jurong without it. Developed as part of the effort to provide the then newly minted industrial town a greener and softer face and a space to also live and play in — some 12% of the Jurong’s land area was set aside for parks and gardens, the bird park and the plan to make Jurong a “garden industrial town”, was the brainchild of Dr Goh Keng Swee. A trip that Dr Goh made to Rio de Janeiro for a World Bank meeting as Finance Minister in 1968, during which he visited the city’s zoo, provided the inspiration for the bird park. The zoo’s aviary caught Dr Goh’s eye and he hit on the idea of the bird park. When asked why not build a zoo instead, Dr Goh reportedly quipped, “birdseeds cost less than meat”.

Among the bird park’s visitors in its early days was HM Queen Elizabeth II in 1972.
(Photo: Ministry of Information and Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore)

Like Jurong Industrial Estate, the new bird park’s host, the bird park was a huge success story. Given the “wow” factor through what was at 100 feet high, the world’s tallest man-made waterfall, which was set in the world’s largest walk-in aviary, the bird park captured the imagination of many of us in Singapore in the early years of nationhood and very quickly became a favourite destination for many. In a matter of less than twenty months of its opening, the bird park welcomed its one-millionth visitor in August 1972. It was especially popular as a destination for school excursions, as learning journeys were then known as. Besides the many family outings to the bird park, I also remember numerous long and usually uneventful journeys to it on the school bus. Getting that whiff of cocoa in the air, as the bus carried us down the grand avenue-like Jalan Boon Lay and past the Van Houten chocolate factory, was always something to look forward to. That meant always increased that sense of anticipation as it meant that the bird park was close by.

Once the pride and joy of Singapore. At 100 feet or 30 metres in height, Jurong Bird Park’s waterfall was once the tallest man-made waterfall in the world. See it for the last time before it closes its doors for good at the end of 3 January 2023.

To celebrate its legacy ahead of its closure, Jurong Bird Park is inviting all of us in Singapore to embark on A Flight To Remember. The four-month long last hurrah of sorts for the park, being held from 3 September 2022 till 3 January 2023, will see a series of activities held at the bird park. During this time, visitors will be able to recall some of the park’s more memorable moments as well as their past experiences through a self-guided heritage trail, mock-ups of the park’s features over the years such as its one-time cuckoo clock tower and the panorail (which operated from 1992 to 2012), and, a memory wall at the Penguin Coast to which visitors can add their own memories of the park. An opportunity will also be provided for visitors to see Jurong Bird Park through the eyes of its dedicated team of staff through a staff-curated Insider’s Guide.

The iconic cuckoo clock tower that once graced the park’s entrance.
(Photo: Mandai Wildlife Reserve)

Come November 2022, visitors will also be able to join the bird park’s Nostalgic Signature Tour, which will be conducted by seasoned guides and will delve into the park’s much storied past. Bookings can be made for this tour from 19 October 2022. Adding to the sense of nostalgia, the bird park will launch a nostalgic dining experience in November, when traditional pushcarts offering local hawker fare make an appearance. More information on A Flight to Remember can be found on the Jurong Bird Park’s website.

A mock-up of the cuckoo clock for A Flight to Remember with a count down timer.

Jurong Bird Park, opens from 8.30 am to 6 pm (last entry is at 5.00pm) from Thursdays to Sundays, and on the eve of public holidays, on public holidays, and during selected school holidays.

A mock-up of the 1992 panorail at which visitors can take photographs.

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“Old Birds” of Jurong Bird Park

Maggie Ang, Deputy Vice President, Jurong Bird Park, dressed as Doctor Squawk.

Maggie Ang as Doctor Squawk as part of the Bird Park Goes to School programme that she helped launch (photo: Mandai Wildlife Group).

Roslee Mustaffa, Manager, Facilities Management, who joined as a Penguin Technician and who met his future wife at the bird park.

Mohammad Saad Bin Yahya, Assistant Manager, Animal Presentation, High Flyers Show.

Sadali Bin Mohamed Tali, Senior Keeper, who contributed to the programme that saw the successful reintroduction of the Oriental Pied Hornbill to Singapore.

Daisy Ling, Vice President of Corporate Services, who joined the park as an Education Officer.

Clarence Saw, Senior Manager, Animal Presentation, Kings of the Skies Show, a former Military Policeman who works with raptors.

Clarence Saw in his younger days (photo: Clarence Saw).

Chandra Mohan, Manager, Animal Presentation, Kings of the Skies Show

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A tour of Jurong Bird Park on 30 August 2022

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Seeing Bras Basah.Bugis in a new light

After an absence of two years, the Singapore Night Festival is back! Running from 19 to 27 August, the 13th edition of festival is not just a celebration of the Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB) precinct’s heritage, but also a celebration of life being returned to normalcy after a pause of more than two years. Over 55 events and installations will feature over the nine-day festival period, which in the words of Festival Director David Chew, has gone “hyperlocal” in zooming in on the stories of the precinct and its people, and in celebrating local artists.

More on the night festival can be found at https://www.nightfestival.gov.sg and an overview of the installations and locations. In addition to this, there will also be programmes running at the National Archives of Singapore at No 1 Canning Rise on which a projection mapping, Midnight Show at Capitol, will feature. The projection, by visual artist MOJOKO, will highlight Singapore’s cinemas of the past through a remix of images from the collections of the National Archives of Singapore and National Library in what will be a contemporary twist to the classic movie posters that once adorned the many cinema façades of the precinct. The programmes include talks and performances. I will also be conducting tours, School Bells and Hallways: Memories of Former School Buildings which unfortunately have already been sold out. More information on the programmes at the National Archives of Singapore can be found at: https://curiocity.nlb.gov.sg/events/curiocity-encounters-snf/programmes.

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Some photographs from a media preview of Singapore Night Festival 2022:

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  Fēcundus | SMU Green

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  We can no longer be strangers after this | near Banyan Tree @ National Museum of Singapore

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  Palimpsest | Armenian Street

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  The Melting Pot | Stamford Clock Tower

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  Paddy Fields | Stamford Walkway

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  Cathay Hotel | Cathay Green

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  Stories from Forbidden Hill | National Museum of Singapore

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  An Ocean without the Anchor | Raffles City

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  TERRARIUM | National Design Centre

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  Discoloo Centre | Waterloo Centre

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  Nhawfal Juma’at, the artist behind NOCTURNE : Conversations with Waterloo | Waterloo Centre

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  Celebration of Life+Style | Stamford Arts Centre

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  A Date with Tradition | | Stamford Arts Centre
  https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChZ9M3sDjHK

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  NOCTURNE : Conversations with Waterloo | Waterloo Centre

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Wei-ing in on kueh

Kueh (also spelt kuih) — a range of snacks popular in this part of the world — is something that almost anyone who lives in Singapore finds pleasure in. A firm favourite, especially amongst the young, is the rainbow-like assembly of sticky and individually coloured layers of sweetened and flavoured rice flour that is known locally as kueh lapis sagu. Most will agree that this snack seems most enjoyable when dismantled and then consumed one layer at a time.

The unusual, a rather yummy kueh salat laksa.

For me, stuffing one’s mouth with kueh of any variety, counts as one of the simplest of pleasures of living in SIngapore, even if I did have a rather traumatic experience once doing just that. It happened the Chinese New Year when I was seven at a kampong house of a family friend in Punggol. As tradition would have it, snacks and goodies were placed on the table, including a plate of ang ku kueh or red tortoise (shell-shaped) snack. Unable to resist the call of the red tortoise shell, I helped myself to an ang ku kueh. Biting into the sweet, somewhat sticky but soft and quite delicious bean paste filled snack, I promptly swallowed. It was at that point of swallowing that I realised — to my absolute horror — that I had quite literally bitten off more than I could chew when I felt a shaky milk tooth going down the mouthful of kueh.

Wei of Indie Singapore Tours.

My subsequent encounters with ang ku kueh would prove far more enjoyable, the most recent of which involved downing a variety of kueh, including ang ku kueh, in (and with )good spirits as part of a specially curated tour. The tour Whis-Kueh, offers an interesting perspective on kueh and what passes off as kueh in Singapore, taking participants first on a walk through the streets of Chinatown in search of the traditional makers of kueh and kueh’s many local variations. Why Whis, one may ask? Well, the reward at the end of the walk is not only a really tasty platter of kueh — some of which is now rarely found, but also a few swigs of whiskey (and rum) that quite surprisingly is able to bring out the best in some of the kueh.

In search of the original location of one of the traditional pastry shops.

Curated by Wei, the founder of Indie Singapore Tours which is running the experience, the tour offers quite unique and interesting insights into kueh. For the experience, Indie Tours has partnered with Furama City Centre (FCC) — the venue for the whiskey and kueh pairing session during the second half of the tour, and with INTERCO-MLE — the source of the whiskies (and rum), all of which are sourced from various distilleries, and independently bottled by the company. Besides kueh sourced from traditional kueh makers such as Ji Xiang Ang Ku Kueh, Tong Heng Traditional Cantonese Pastries, and Poh Guan Cake House (the source of the now hard-to-find Teochew chi-kak or “rat-shell grass” kueh (鼠壳粿), even if it is a traditional Hokkien cake maker), the kueh platter will also feature two of FCC offerings — the durian pengat and a really delicious kueh salat laksa. Much like ang ku kueh in my childhood, I am never able to resist durian and a good kueh salat, which traditionally sees a glutinous rice base topped most often with a pandan flavoured sweet custard layer. The laksa salat reminded me of a savoury salat that I once tasted, only this, as my fellow participants would attest to, was really out of this world!

The reward.

The short and sweet but thoroughly enjoyable, highly educational, and most definitely weight gaining two-hour experience runs every Saturday from 3.30 to 5.30 pm (minimum 4 to go) and is priced at $120/-. For more information, and bookings, please visit https://indiesingapore.com/tour/whiskueh/.

Chinese Cake.

Traditional Teochew kueh from top and clockwise: png/tao kueh (饭/桃粿); soon kueh (笋粿); and chi-kak kueh (鼠壳粿) – served at the Chui Huay Lim Club.

What is kueh?

The word kueh in Singapore is used to describe many types of snacks or even dishes. Kueh can be colourful, but can also be rather colourless. Kueh can be savoury, but are more often than not sinfully sweet. Locally, the word is often translated as “cake” or “pastry”. It however is hard to really translate what a kueh actually is, and describing any kueh as a cake, does not in my opinion do any kueh justice. While the word kueh may be Chinese in origin, the use of that single syllable extends also the rich array of locally adapted and created kueh, or kuih in Malay, that reflect regional tastes and flavours, and ingredients used in the region.

The origin of the word is in the Minnan languages such as Hokkien or Teochew, which was spoken by a large majority of Chinese immigrants to Singapore and the region and amongst who were some of the earliest Chinese settlers in the region. The Minnan word kueh (粿), describes types of snacks that are usually made from glutinous rice flour. Here however, sweet potato flour, and even mung bean flour — known locally as tepung hoon kueh (hoon kueh being Minnah for “kueh flour” and tepung, the Malay word for flour) is also used. Some examples of traditional Chinese kueh includes savoury steamed rice “water cakes” or chwee kueh (水粿) and chai tow kueh (菜头粿) or carrot (more accurately “radish”) cake and soon kueh (笋粿). Sweet(ish) kueh includes huat kueh (发粿) or “prosperity cake”, often used for prayer offerings, and ang ku kueh (红龟粿).

The hard to resist durian pengat, which surprisingly goes well with the stronger whiskies.

Highlights of i Light 2022

i Light Singapore is back — after a two-year hiatus. This year’s edition of the popular light art festival sees twenty eye-catching and highly instagrammable light installations scattered around Marina Bay, featuring the creations of artists from fourteen countries. A key focus and message of the festival — as always, is sustainability and this is seen in the use of energy-saving lights and materials that are environmentally-friendly and/or upcycled.

Meet Me Under the Moon at Esplanade Park

Organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and presented by DBS, the festival’s theme this year is Spark of Light, with the colour violet serving as an inspiration. The colour, which has the shortest wavelength, is also the most powerful electromagnetic energy in the visible light spectrum and was chosen to signify the awakening of senses when an idea in is sparked in one’s mind.

Fallen at the Lawn next to One Marina Boulevard

The festival runs from Friday 3 June 2022 up to Sunday 26 June 2022. Besides the twenty installations, there are also exciting festival programmes to look out for, including walking tours and forums. An interesting addition to the festival is Lightwave: Isle of Light (which is ticketed). The installation, which is empowered by OPPO, features five immersive and highly instagrammable zones. More information on this and the festival, including a festival map and information on installations, can be found at the i Light 2022 website.  

Underworld, at Esplanade Park

The crowd favourite: Firefly Field at The Promontory at Marina Bay

Firefly Field, long exposure taken hand-held – one reason to bring a tripod!

One of the zones at Lightwave: Isle of Light

Swans, at OUE Tower

Florescentia, at Clifford Square

Re-Act at Queen Elizabeth Walk waterfront steps

Keep on Moving, at Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade

Alone Together, at the Marina Bay Link Mall Entrance

Collective Memory, at the Breeze Shelter

Here and There, at the Event Square

Plastic Whale, at Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza

 

A last Hari Raya open house, Last Kopek Raya

The MHC’s or Malay Heritage Centre’s Hari Raya Open House, “Last Kopek Raya” — a reference to the last bits of the celebration of Aidilfitri (Eid al-Fitr), which is celebrated over the “Raya month”, Syawal, in this part of the world — opened with a bang last evening (27 May 2022) by Minister for Social and Family Development, Masagos Zulkifli. The launch party featured senior members of Firaqatul Wannazam and Keroncong Jazz Band, Nobat Kota Singapura, providing guests with a nostalgic treat through a wonderful and truly nostalgic keroncong performance.

The open house this last “Raya” weekend (27 to 29 May 2022) will be the last to be held before MHC closes in August for a two-year revamp and sees a series of events, activities and displays that include live performances, art installations, craft workshops, and storytelling sessions. More information on the events for the open house can be found at the MHC’s website and also on the event registration page.

Minister for Social and Family Development, Masagos Zulkifli.

The event launch.

The Singapore debut of The Capitol of Singapore

Anyone stepping into Capitol Theatre will get an immediate sense of a grace and elegance that is a reflection of the age that the theatre was built in and that and the building’s evolution over the years has been captured on film, through a documentary “The Capitol of Singapore” that makes its Singapore debut this Friday, 6 May 2022, at The Capitol! Two screenings of the film have been scheduled in conjunction with Singapore HeritageFest 2022, the other screening being on 7 May. Directed by French filmmaker Raphaël Millet, Friday’s screening of the film — also known as “Le Capitol de Singapour”, the film, will mark the first time that it will be seen outside of France. More information on the screenings and a link to the booking page can be found at this link.

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Capitol Theatre

Built from 1929 to 1930, the theatre was designed by Keys and Dowdeswell at a time when the formerly government employed pair had ventured into private architectural practice. The cinema, the most progressive of the day in Singapore and Malaya, reflected the aspirations of the architect, as much that it did those of its wealthy owner, Mr Mirza Mohamed Ali (M A) Namazie — a Madras (Chennai) born Muslim of Persian origin who had substantial holdings in property and also in the rubber trade.

No expense seems to have been spared in the building of the Capitol. Not only was it large by the standards of the day, but the Capitol was also the first cinema hall in Singapore and Malaya to feature forced ventilation. Maximising the comfort of its patrons, the ventilation system reduced the necessity for large ventilation openings, thus keeping noise at a minimum. This would have been especially desirable, given that the cinema was built during the progression from the silent age of cinema to the new era of the talkies.

Before its refurbishment,

That Capitol Theatre is still with us over 90 years after it screened its first movie, is itself a remarkable story.  The cinema faced a string of challenges from very outset; its opening night plagued by the poor performance of its audio system due to Singapore’s high levels of humidity. Caught up in the excitement of watching Bebe Daniels and John Boles star in the musical production “Rio Rita” in a cinema of Capitol’s stature, not many apparently noticed.

At the end of its refurbishment in 2015.

The death of Mr M A Namazie in July 1931, and the effects of the Great Depression, prompted a change of ownership at the end of 1932. The Japanese Occupation of Singapore would see the cinema utilised as the Kyoei Gekizyo, opening in November 1942. Besides screening movies, the Kyoei also played host to recitals, concerts and other performances, as well as rallies and meetings, some of which were organised by the Overseas Chinese Association. Anti-Japanese saboteurs set off an explosion in early 1945, which caused sufficient damage to see that it would never used by the Japanese again. Capitol Theatre was given a new lease of life in January 1946 when it reopened, having been refurbished by the Shaw Brothers at a cost of half-a-million dollars. The cinema screened its last movie in December 1998 before being revived as a theatre in May 2015.

The Capitol’s elegant interior.

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Synopsis

At the heart of Singapore’s Civic and Cultural District stands Capitol Theatre, a historical landmark that has borne witness to Singapore’s transformation over the years.

The documentary film, The Capitol of Singapore, traces the evolution of this historical building, from its founding in 1930 as a state-of-the-art theatre and shopping arcade; its requisition by the Japanese during the Second World War; its years as a top cinema where Hollywood blockbusters and local movie premieres were shown; its eventual decline into disuse and disrepair; and finally, its resurrection, after undergoing preservation and conservation works, to its present day incarnation as part of the integrated development Capitol Singapore, which is owned and managed by Perennial Holdings Private Limited. Capitol Singapore houses The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, Eden Residences Capitol as well as a retail mall and the iconic theatre.

The film delves into the heritage of Capitol Theatre through a look at the theatre’s original architecture and personal stories recounting what it has meant for many Singaporeans. Like a phoenix reborn, Capitol Theatre has stood the test of time, reinventing itself at every turn to stay relevant for each generation to come. In telling the story of Capitol Theatre, the film also explores, in parallel, the history of Singapore cinema, highlighting the golden years of film production when Singapore was at the centre of Southeast Asia’s film industry, producing films in Malay and the various Chinese dialects and drawing talent from across Asia.

During this period, Singapore was also a known locale for international film productions, attracting filmmakers from both Hong Kong and Hollywood. The Capitol Theatre made Singapore a top Asian destination for many film stars, with celebrity visits from the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Ava Gardner and Douglas Fairbanks who graced their film premieres in Singapore.

Through the story of Capitol Theatre, the film journeys into Singapore’s past and in doing so, reflects upon its present and future.

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Singapore Airshow 2022

The Singapore Airshow, probably the last large-scale trade event that was held in Singapore before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in early 2020, makes a return this year to position Singapore to tap on the anticipated strong recovery and growth in civil aviation especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

The ST Engineering stand

Held from 15 to 18 February 2022, the biennial event is being held in the midst of a still ongoing slowdown in civil aviation that even in its scaled-down eighth edition will see some 600 participating companies from more than 39 countries or regions. More than 70% of the top 20 global aerospace companies will be present and the show expects to see in excess of 13,000 trade attendees. This edition of the show will however not be open to the public and will be a trade visitor only event.

The Boeing 777-9 during the Flying Display

A key area of focus for the airshow will be sustainability. The inaugural “Sustainable Aviation Forum” is being held on 16 and 17 February to bring experts in to discuss challenges and opportunities within sustainable aviation and sustainability of future technology in areas of air mobility and aviation operations. The Singapore Airshow is also making its own efforts towards sustainability. Not only will it be largely paperless, the show is also being powered by solar energy. Some 15,000 solar panels have been installed on the roof of the Changi Exhibition Centre!

Airbus 350-1000 during the Flying Display

A popular feature of the airshow is the flying displays. This edition will feature a total of eight such displays that will see the participation of four air forces, as well as Airbus and Boeing. Aircraft that will be seen for the first time at the airshow will be the highly manoeuvrable and rather impressive Indian Air Force’s single engine Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas. The Airbus’ A350-1000 and Boeing’s wide-bodied B777-9 will also be making its show debut.

The Tejas on the ground

Returning to the flying displays will be Indonesia’s Jupiter Aerobatic Team, which was last seen in 2018. Also coming back are a F16C fighter jet displaying solo aerobatics, and a pair of AH-64D Apache attack helicopters from the Republic of Singapore Airforce and the United States Marine Corps’ F-35B Lightning II and a United States Air Force’s B-52 Stratofortress in a fly-by.

The Tejas doing what it does best in the air.

The flying displays will be held once a day at 12:30pm on 15 February, and 11:30am on 16, 17 and 18 February and the public can catch these displays via livestream at go.gov.sg/sa22live or on the Singapore Airshow’s Official Facebook page.

The F35-B Lightning II with up to 40,000 of thrust directed downwards (in hover mode)

Other highlights of the airshow include the many innovative defence and security products on show at the Singapore Technologies Engineering stand. This includes the Terrex 8×8 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, configured as a “mothership” or a launch pad for unmanned aerial vehicles and robots. Equipped with vehicle mounted cameras that give its operators an all round view through a virtual “windscreen” and “rear-view mirror”. It is also able to see through other eyes such as drones and robots and unmanned weapon mounted vehicles it operates remotely.

The hybrid drive system of the Terrex.

Another feature of the Terrex is its hybrid Diesel-DC electric drive system that features an externally mounted system which maximises space within the vehicle. The Terrex can operate silently with its diesel driven generator turned off using battery power. It has a range of 20 to 100 kilometres in this mode, depending on its configuration.

The “windscreen” inside the Terrex

The revamped Changi Chapel and Museum – a quick walkthrough

This walkthrough follows on to my previous post on the revamped Changi Chapel and Museum, which will reopen to the public tomorrow (19 May 2021).

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Booking of visits slots to Changi Chapel and Museum:

https://nhb.vouch.sg/ccm

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More on …

The museum: The Refreshingly Revamped Changi Chapel and Museum

Changi and its history: History Misunderstood: Changi Point

Selarang Barracks: A Changi Well Hidden from Sight

Roberts Barracks and the Changi Murals: A Light where there was only darkness: The Changi Murals

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A quick 15-minute walkthrough

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Discovering the “China” in Singapore’s Chinatown

Unlike many other cities around the world where “Chinatowns” exist, a “Chinatown” in Singapore — where three in four of its population are ethnic Chinese — does seem rather odd.

The roots of the Chinese quarter do of course lie in Singapore’s very first urban plan, the so-called Jackson Plan of 1822, hatched at a time when the settlement was still very much in its infancy. That plan, placed the main settlement for migrants from China in the area where Chinatown is today also had a “Chuliah campong” for settlers from the Indian sub-continent adjacent to it. To the Chinese speaker, Chinatown had long been known as Tua Poh (大坡) or “the greater town”, or Ngau Che Shui or Gu Chia Chwee (牛车水) — a reference to bullock-drawn water carts carrying supplies of fresh water to the settlement in its early days. It is perhaps in recent times that the notion of the former settlement being Chinatown has taken root, and this seems rather ironically to have coincided with the quarter losing its original Chinese-ness through resettlement and redevelopment, and its subsequent association with the modern Chinese immigrant and the tourist crowd from modern day China.

The Town Plan of 1822.

These developments do in a way, mimic the evolution of the Singaporean Chinese identity — something that the “Not China Town” tour that has been put together by The Real Singapore Tours — seeks to examine. The tour, which I had the opportunity to attend a preview of, involved a long but leisurely walk through Singapore’s Chinatown. Together with the realisation of how widely spread Singapore’s so-called Chinese quarter is, the tour provides its participants through the stories told at various touch points and through songs, is a much deeper understanding of what the “China” in Singapore’s Chinatown is really all about.

Chinatown at the Crossroads – Cross Street was in the area where the “Chuliah Campong” was.

The tour, which can be forgiven for being too long due to the depth into which its guides expertly explore the evolving Chinese identity and for the refreshment stop — is certainly a must do — if the question of what shapes the Chinese Singaporean identity does bug you. Do look out for them at The Real Singapore Tours.

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Highlights of Not China Town

Guide Jamie Lee giving an overview of what Singapore’s Chinatown is all about.

Listening to the first song – before the continuation of the “dance” through Chinatown.

Why Pagoda Street?

Another of the guides, Mark Tan (who sings very well), explaining the politics in the simplification of the Chinese character “sheng” in taking the king (王) out and giving power to the ground (土). The simplification of Chinese characters was an effort initiated by the Peoples’ Republic of China in the mid 20th century.

Celebrating the recent addition of hawker culture in Singapore to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the new age and very touristy hawker street on Smith Street?

A modern addition to Chinatown – around where the street of the dead was. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple may have little to do with the collective memory the Chinese Singaporean may have of Chinatown, but it is an example of Tang architecture — the dynasty with which the Chinese immigrants of the past from Southern China identify with. Many descendants of the earlier Chinese immigrants to Singapore would have been identified as T’ng Lang, T’ng Nang or Tong Yan – 唐人- or Tang Ren in Mandarin or People of the Tang, rather than as Han Chinese.

Mark Loon – on the ma-jie and their vows of spinsterhood.

Of animistic practices and the natuk kong.

On the visit of Deng Xiaoping and the sinification of the Chinese in Singapore.

Clues that point to the migration from Amoy (E-m’ng or Xiamen).

A last song – at where it all began for many early immigrants from China.

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Calligraphy in the skies: 八一 at the Singapore Airshow 2020

A first look at the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s (PLAAF) Ba Yi (八一 or August 1) aerobatic team painting the skies off Changi. The team, who will be making their first ever appearance in our skies, will be one of the highlights of the flying displays lined up for the Singapore Airshow 2020. The appearance of the team came under careful consideration both by authorities in China and medical authorities here due to the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak. Other aerobatic displays visitors to the airshow can look forward to are the US Marine Corps’ F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, the US Pacific Air Forces’ F-22 Raptor and a RSAF (Republic of Singapore Air Force) aerial display team of an F-15SG fighter jet and two AH-64D attack helicopters. Additionally there will be a flyover of a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress on 15 February 2020.

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Flying display schedule (subject to change) :

Date	Time	Duration
11 Feb	12.30 pm – 1.35 pm	65min
12 Feb	11.30 am – 12.20 pm	50min
13 Feb	11.30 am – 12.05 pm	35min
14 Feb	No flying display
15 Feb	11.30 am – 12.10 pm	40min
	2.30 pm – 3.10 pm	40min
16 Feb	11.30 am – 12.10pm	40min
	2.30 pm – 3.10 pm	40min

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Powering Pasir Panjang with the raw power of music via The Alex Blake Charlie Sessions

It is wonderful that the former Pasir Panjang ‘A’ Power Station, with its voluminous turbine and boiler halls that offer immense possibilities, is getting the attention it deserves.  Come 7 December, the wonderful building will turn into what promises to be a magical music venue – when the space’s very first big music event and Singapore’s newest music festival, The Alex Blake Charlie Sessions, makes its debut.

Pasir Panjang ‘A’ Power Station.

Promising a feast of music across genres such as pop rock, R&B, indie, folk and electronica, the all-day event will see a line of of both international and Singapore artists with a strong female focus.

Among the international acts are Perth based indie pop/folk singer-songwriter Stella Donnelly and SOAK, an indie folk/dream pop singer-songwriter from Derry, Northern Ireland. Donnelly was recently nominated in the category of Breakout Artist at the 2019 ARIA Music Awards, Australia’s most prestigious music awards and came in at no 6 in Happy Mag’s list of “The 15 Australian female artists changing the game right now”.

Stella Donnelly (Photo by Pooneh Ghana)

The local line-up includes Vendetta, electrco-soul R&B artist and Ginette Chittick, a multi-disciplinary artist, professional DJ and bassist.

Ginette Chittick.

The event, which also brings shopping, food and art to the space, is being brought to the station by 24OWLS – a collective whose people were behind the last five editions of the Laneway Festival in Singapore.

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Event details:

Date: 7 December 2019, Saturday

Time: 10am till Late

Venue: Pasir Panjang Power Station, 27 Pasir Panjang Road

More information can be found at :  www.alexblakecharlie.sg

Ticketing:

Tickets now start from S$500 for a Bundle of 3 Tickets and S$180 each for Phase C Tickets.

On sale via:

• APACTix (https://www.apactix.com/events/detail/alexblakecharliesessions-2019)
• Phone Booking (+65 3158 8588),
• Box Office at Singapore Indoor Stadium, Scotts Square Concierge, The STAR Performing Arts Centre and at all SingPost Outlets.

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By Brute Force

Photographs, from last evening’s action packed media preview of Fuerza Bruta. The Argentinian performing group has made a return to the Singapore Night Festival – as its headline act. The troupe’s energy packed performances will take place over 3 evenings at Cathay Green from 29 to 31 August. Tickets are priced at $15.

More information can be found at https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/csnf2019.

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Memoirs of Nanyang – a Nanyin Musical

It is wonderful what Siong Leng Musical Association is doing to help keep memories and culture alive not just through their promotion of Nanyin (南音) – “music from the South”, but also through their attempts at cross-disciplinary productions that make Nanyin and the various perfomance genres involved much more relatable to the modern day audience.

Their most recent attempt “Memoirs of Nanyang” brings together the cultural practices of two ethnic groups and three different cultures – a mixed that is a reflection of the mixing and intermingling of races and cultures that have made Singapore and much of the “Nanyang” what it is.

The production, which will also provide the audience with a sense of nostalgia through its musical repertoire and costumes, is commissioned by Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre. There will only be one performance on 25 May 2019 at 2.30 pm and tickets are still available at https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/csccce2019.

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Ticket giveaway

I have one (1) pair of tickets priced at $28 each for the performance tomorrow (25 May 2019) to giveaway.

First reader to drop me an email before 7pm today (24 May 2019) with your full name gets your hands on the pair of tickets. The winner will be notified by return email.

Update: the pair of tickets was given out at 12:47 pm

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A Sypnopsis 

Memoirs of Nanyang – a Nanyin Musical

A Siong Leng Musical Association’s production commissioned by Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre.

One photograph, two ethnic groups, three different cultures – this is the unique label of the Peranakan Chinese.

In the course of preserving their culture, the Peranakan Chinese, with a typical pioneering spirit, headed West in search of greater knowledge and more advanced technology Upon their return, they put their knowledge to good use and have played key roles in the enrichment of the Peranakan culture.

The performance highlights the bold fusion of Nanyin and Peranakan culture, as well as Siong Leng Musical Association’s courageous spirit to innovate and explore new horizons for their art form. We are privileged to feature the works and successors of three cultural medallion recipients, Mr Yip Cheong Fun, Mr Teng Mah Seng and Mdm Som Bte Mohd Said.

Audiences will be treated to a unique harmonisation of Nanyin, Malay cultural music and Mandarin pop, which lets them experience the deep elegance of Nanyin and the boundless artistic ambit of music.

Following the thoughts and emotions of the two generations, an immigrant came to Nanyang for a better life and married a local Malay woman. Since then, his business flourished and he had a comfortable and happy family. In spite of his success, his heart still thinks about his family in his hometown day and night, wanting to reunite with them. Realizing it may be impossible, he is deeply saddened and unable to accept the reality.

To make him happy, his grandchildren discussed how to combine two polar genres: Nanyin and today’s music. This interesting and bold attempt at fusing Nanyin with different music genres such as Malay music and Pop, helped them to create a new style of song that showcases multiculturalism and their strong spirit. This spectacle portrays the happiness of a family after reunion, leading a blessed and fulfilled life together.

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Lighting the Mid-Autumn up

Lighting this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival is the story of Chinatown, as is interpreted by the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens’ Consultative Committee – the organisers of the annual Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival. Centred around the theme of “Our Chinatown, Our Mid-Autumn” the celebrations this year aims to recapture images of Singapore’s Ngau Cheh Sui / Gu Chia Chwee in the 1950s and 1960s as well as the lives of the Chinese immigrants in the area.

Central to the celebrations is the OfficiaL Street Light-up, which will brighten the streets of the “Greater Town” – as Chinatown was also referred to in the past in the various Chinese languages – from 8 September to 8 October 2018. The light-up features more than a thousand lanterns including a 10-metre tall centrepiece, a Chinese junk, at the meeting of New Bridge Road / Eu Tong Sen Street with Upper Cross Street. There are also some 168 sculptured lanterns depicting some of the more visible trades-people of Chinatown’s past such as Samsui women, coolies, street hawkers and rickshaw-men; as well as 1288 lanterns made to resemble paper accordion lanterns over New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street and South Bridge Road. An additional 180 hand-painted lanterns with orchids, peonies and hydrangeas will also decorate South Bridge Road.

As usual, there will also be a host of activities during the month long celebrations, the highlights of which are an attempt to set a new Singapore record for the number of oriental masks worn at the same time, the regular street bazaar, nightly stage shows – with dragon dances during the weekends, and a Mass Lantern Walk. There is also a new night event this year – the Singapore Culture and Heritage Trail – Cantonese Chapter: “Reliving the Yesteryears Once More”. Over two nights, on 21 and 22 September, participants are taken back in time to the colourful night markets of the Chinatown of old. There is a particular focus on the Cantonese, whose presence was in Chinatown and there is an opportunity to taste lost-in-time Cantonese cuisine as well as a getai.

More information at : http://chinatownfestivals.sg/.

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A sneak peek at this year’s Official Street Light-up:

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Expect an electrifying finale to the Singapore Night Festival this weekend

The Singapore Night Festival draws to a close this weekend with several not-to-be-missed performances, including one that is quite literally electrifying. That, The Duel by the Lords of Lightning, takes place on Cathay Green and sees a high voltage battle fought with bolts generated with century old technology that takes the form of a Tesla coil.

The Duel by Lords of Lightning.

Other performances to look out for are the enchanting FierS à Cheval by the Compagnie des Quidams, Automatarium by David Berga and Elements – Water by a local Urban Dance company Six.5.

FierS à Cheval by the Compagnie des Quidams.

Automatarium by David Berga.

The performances take place on the evenings of 23, 24 and 25 August. Do note that 100% bag checks will be carried out at the Festival Village and Cathay Green and festival-goers are advised to head over to the festival bag-lite.

Elements – Water By Six.5.

More information on the performances can be found at :

https://www.nightfestival.sg/programmes

See also : Night Lights.

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Performance Highlights

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Automatarium By David Berga

23 Aug to 25 Aug
8:00 PM – 9:00 PM, 10:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Queen Street

https://www.nightfestival.sg/programmes/detail/automatarium-by-david-berga

     

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FierS à Cheval By Compagnie des Quidams

23 Aug to 25 Aug
7:45 PM – 8:15 PM (Capitol)

9:15 PM – 9:45 PM (NMS/SMU Sch of Economics & Social Sciences)

10:30 PM – 11:00 PM (SMU Sch of Infosystems/Queen Street)

https://www.nightfestival.sg/programmes/detail/fiers-a-cheval-by-compagnie-des-quidams-fr

 

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The Duel By Lords Of Lightning (UK)

23 Aug to 25 Aug
7:45 PM – 7:51 PM, 9:15 PM – 9:21 PM, 10:30 PM – 10:36 PM

Cathay Green

https://www.nightfestival.sg/programmes/detail/the-duel-by-lords-of-lightning

 

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Elements – Water By Six.5

23 Aug to 25 Aug
8:00 PM – 8:10 PM, 10:15 PM – 10:25 PM (23rd Aug);

7:30 PM – 7:40 PM, 8:40 PM – 8:50 PM, 10:00 PM- 10:10 PM (24th Aug);

7:20 PM – 7:30 PM, 9:45 PM – 9:55 PM (25th Aug)

SMU Amphitheatre

https://www.nightfestival.sg/programmes/detail/elements-by-six5

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Night Lights at the Singapore Night Festival 2018

A sneak peek at some of the Night Lights installations for the Singapore Night Festival, the 11th edition of which starts properly on Friday 17 August.

Running until 25 August, the festival features light installations (switched on over the festival period) and performances that will take place from 23, 24 and 25 August across 5 zones.

Some of the eye-catching installations, which are featured below, are Pulse at Armenian Church (the model will only be at the display on the 23, 24 and 25 Aug), Aquatic Dream at the National Museum Lawn, The Search and World of Wearableart at the National Design Centre and Before the Word at Chijmes.

More on the festival can be found at www.nightfestival.sg.

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AQUATIC DREAM

BY AUDITOIRE & LEKKER ARCHITECTS, CO-PRESENTED BY PUB, SINGAPORE’S NATIONAL WATER AGENCY

National Museum Lawn

https://www.nightfestival.sg/nightlights/detail/aquatic-dream-by-auditoire-and-lekker-architects

 

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PULSE

BY GALINA MIHALEVA, HEDREN SUM, PAT PATARANUTAPORN, KATHRIN ALBERS, AUDREY NG

Armenian Church

https://www.nightfestival.sg/nightlights/detail/pulse

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THE SEARCH

BY THE SEARCH PARTY

&

WORLD OF WEARABLEART™

(NZ)

both at the National Design Centre

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https://www.nightfestival.sg/nightlights/detail/the-search-by-the-search-party

—

https://www.nightfestival.sg/nightlights/detail/world–of–wearableart-nz

A WOW piece entered by Maria Tsopanaki and Dimitri Mavinis, who now design for the likes of Lady Gaga.

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BEFORE THE WORD

BY PIERRE RANZINI & CRISTINA DI PASQUALI (FR)

CHIJMES

https://www.nightfestival.sg/nightlights/detail/before-the-word-by-pierre-ranzini-and-christina-di-pasquali-fr

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The jamban @ Armenian Street

Happening this weekend (20-21 April) along Armenian Street – the annual Armenian Street Party, which this year, aims to transport you back to the good old kampung days complete with a jamban (makeshift toilet). The jamban, one that its creator Hafiz Osman recalls from Kampong Bugis, is one of several site-specific installations that visitors to the party can interact with at the Substation and the Peranakan Museum over the two days. Lots of talks, interactive installations, food, music and performances! More information at http://peranakanmuseum.org.sg/programmes/festivals/armenian-street-party-2018.

Jamban 1956 by Hafiz Osman.

A perfectly framed photo taking spot for Amek Gambar – for an upcoming exhibition on photography at the Peranakan Museum.

Peranakan Museum GM John Teo with the cast of Si Nyonya Manis – a display of Peranakan fashion and music presented by True Blue.

A real time projection in the dark room of We Stop to Watch the World Go By at the Peranakan Museum.

Members of the Armenian Street Party “Cast”.

The dizzying reflections of OH! Corak Corak at the Peranakan Museum – highly instagrammable trip through a little nyonya’s imagined instagram account!

Flower Power!

The dark days of 1942 revisted

This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the fall of Singapore, which the National Museum of Singapore is commemorating with an international exhibition Witness to War: Remembering 1942. The exhibition, which opens tomorrow, revisits the unfortunate period in Singapore’s history through artefacts that have not been seen on our shores since the war, as well as new takes on the darkest of days through previously untold stories of survivors. To add to that, artefacts from our own National Collection, including a recently acquired 25-Pounder Field Gun used by British and Commonwealth armies in World War Two, as well as never displayed before Japanese Army bugle, an Enfield No. 2 Mk. 1 revolver and personal artefacts of the war survivors, make their appearance. The exhibition is centred on the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942 and its immediate aftermath with a section that also explores the lead up to the fall.

The recently acquired 25-Pounder Field Gun.

What is possibly one of the highlights will be a ceremonial sword that belonged to General Tomoyuki Yamashita. This, on display in its sheath, is on public display outside the United States for the first time since the war ended in 1945. The sword, the blade of which was made by a famed swordsmith, Fujiwara Kanenaga, sometime between 1640 and 1680, was surrendered to the Americans on 2 September 1945 in Luzon, Philippines and was given to the United States Military Academy at West Point. This will be the first time that the sword is being displayed outside the United States since it got there in 1945.

Yamashita’s ceremonial samurai sword.

What makes the exhibition worth the visit isn’t just the numerous artefacts but also the never heard before accounts, the collection of which rather interestingly involved school children, from war survivors and veterans. Speaking of the kids, there is a special family activity space, entitled “A Child’s Perspective”, that will appeal to the young ones – the interactive activity space includes a mock-up of a bomb-shelter which will allow the young ones a feel of what it may have been like.

School children were involved in the process of collecting previously untold stories of survivors.

Witness to War: Remembering 1942 is open to public from 23 September 2017 to 25 March 2018, and is chronicled on social media via the hashtag #remembering1942. More information on the exhibition and events related to it can be found at http://www.nationalmuseum.sg.

Poster of Hong Kong entrepreneur Ho Kom-Tong (Bruce Lee’s maternal grandfather) performing at a Hong Kong St. John Ambulance charity show Drunk Overlord in the Pavilion of a Hundred Flowers, 18 January 1941 (on loan from Hong Kong Museum of History, Leisure and Cultural Services Department).

The portrait of Sir Shenton Whitelegge Thomas painted by artist Xu Beihong, which was previously displayed in the Singapore History Gallery, makes its return in Witness to War after a period of conservation.

Artefacts from the pre-war Japanese community, who were centred on Chuo-Dori or Middle Road.

A family from the pre-war Japanese community, who were centred on Chuo-Dori or Middle Road.

Personal belongings of victims of war.

A Japanese bugle from the National Collection.

A Union Jack captured by Japanese troops marked with the date of the fall.

Changi Prison key.

Inside the mock-up of the bomb shelter.

The mock-up.

A mock-up of a kitchen.

Contributors of some of the stories.

 

Going green – with Slime

The Nickelodeon Slime Cup is back for the fifth time this weekend, which means it is times for the kids to get all green and gooey. Bigger than ever, it features stage activities, photo-taking sessions with beloved Nickelodeon characters, and game stations to train up Slime Fans, and that chance to be drenched in Nickelodeon’s trademark green Slime. Presented by Singtel TV, the free-entry event will be held at City Square Mall – the event’s venue sponsor – on Saturday, 15 July and Sunday, 16 July 2017, with Saturday’s session exclusively for Singtel’s Mobile, TV and Broadband customers.

Slime Cup goodie bags await kids aged 4-14 (while stocks last) who collect enough stamps on their Training Cards by completing each of the game stations. More at http://www.nick-asia.com/slimecup.