Sunset in Singapore

After admiring the beautiful tulips at Gardens by the Bay this Wednesday, I went to Marina Bay sands area to look at sunset at Singapore financial city. 

Merry Christmas Eve!

Today is Christmas eve. In Singapore, it is raining heavily with loud thunderstorm! I don't celebrate Christmas as I'm a Buddhist but I love Christmas day as there are beautiful Christmas lighting decoration along Orchard Road and Gardens by the Bay. 

My brothers are celebrating Christmas eve with their friends. Since I'm single and I love to stay at home, tonight I accompany my parents. Luckily my youngest brother brought a Christmas cake, so maybe tonight or tomorrow we eat Christmas cake and my mum will cook fried kway teow later. 

To all my Christian friends and readers, wishing you all Merry Christmas in advance!

Gigantic Christmas tree at Ngee Ann City shopping mall.

Enchanting Christmas Lighting in Sunny Singapore 2016

One of my favourite activities in Singapore is walking along buzzy 2.88km Orchard Road during Christmas season to see enchanting and glittering Christmas lighting.

I love this year Christmas decoration with sparkling blue white theme with geometrical deers along our busy Orchard street. Normally on Christmas eve and Christmas day, Orchard Road street will be packed full of people. For me, I will avoid the crowd and only visit Orchard Road on weekday when there are not many people. 

The light-up will end on 2 Jan next year.

 Christmas on a Great Street in Singapore!

 Tang shopping mall is inspired from Chinese architecture.

 I love Ion Shopping mall futuristic Christmas decoration.

 Somehow I feel Wheelock place is not the same without Borders bookshop. I rarely go there now.

 Dancing to power up the light

 Mandarin Gallery

Travel Revolution

The anticipated Travel Revolution will start tomorrow at Marina Bay Sands! I love to attend travel fair as I can collect useful travel brochures or books. I plan to go to overseas  next year for a short course. It will be a break for me. Think I will update tomorrow on Travel Revolution fair tomorrow.

Flying with Singapore Airlines!

Singapore Airlines is the pride of Singaporeans. It has won numerous international airline awards for their great service. If not for the price consideration, I would fly with Singapore Airlines all the time. 

I travelled to Sydney and returned from Melbourne via Singapore Airlines. I think the service from Melbourne is better than Sydney flight. The flight attendants smiled more and also one of the flight stewards is very handsome. He looks like a Hong Kong movie star. :) 

I must say service at Singapore Airlines is awesome. Their captains are also very efficient. We reached Sydney in about 6 hours plus instead of 7 hours. We arrived early at Sydney and I guess it must be their super flying skills. 

There is no dull moment in SIA as there is inflight entertainment. You can watch the latest movie like Zootopia or just select the songs for your playlist. Also it is only in Singapore Airlines that I get to drink Singapore Sling, a famous cocktail. Also if you can afford, fly with Singapore Airlines! You will enjoy the flight experience. 

 At Changi Airport Terminal 3, departure hall.

 Coincidentally, there is a display on Australia and yes, I went to Great Ocean Road to see 12 apostles! Awesome view and cool weather! I wanna bring the weather back to Singapore! 

 Exchange rate for Australian dollars is very attractive for Singaporeans now.

 At gate B4 waiting for our flight!

 Walking to the plane. 

 Inside SIA plane.

 I always order Singapore Sling whenever I fly with Singapore Airlines. This is a famous Singapore cocktail of dry gin, Dom Benedictine, orange liqueur and cherry brandy, with lime, pineapple juice, Angostura bitters and Grenadine. 

 With SIA, there is inflight entertainment. These are my playlist. I still like the 90s songs like Come and get your love by Real McCoy. I used to dance to the tunes of their songs. 

 For refreshment, I had warm chicken satay and potato wrap which is really delicious and it was served warm! Thumbs up!

 Besides this delectable chicken satay wrap, I also had orange juice and coffee for refreshment

 This is the breakfast set.

 In the breakfast set, I chose cheese omelette with creamy cheese inside, with chicken sausage and roasted potato. It also comes with fresh fruits, yogurt, bread bun, orange juice and coffee.

 View of Australia from the plane. Australia is really big.

 Could not really sleep well in the midnight flight as there were many air turbulence.

 So just look at the beautiful sky.

Heading to Sydney soon.

National Day Parade Ticket Application Starts Today

From 13 May this year, Singaporeans and local residents can apply for this year National Day Parade (NDP) tickets.This year Singapore will be celebrating 51 years of independence. 

Successful applicants will be informed from 2 to 8 June. I've been applying for the past 10 years but did not get the tickets. Hopefully this year I am lucky and can ballot the NDP tickets successfully. 

Click here to apply for this year NDP tickets. 
To read 2014 NDP preview, click my previous post.

Sizzling Hot Weather in Singapore

How I wish I could travel out of Singapore now. Weather is sizzling hot that I could feel heatwave even in the shelter. Luckily I work in air-conditioned office now. Is it due to global warming? Recently Singapore highest recorded temperature is 36.7 °C and it happened last month on 13 April. In this hot weather, I have to open my umbrella and shield myself from this treacherous weather. Normally April is the hottest month, followed by May. 

Never mind, in a month time, I be in Sydney and Melbourne and it will be winter in June in both these cities. I can't wait to explore Blue mountain and Great Ocean road. 

Want to escape the heat wave? You can visit Gardens by the Bay Flower dome and Cloud forest dome or in any air-conditioned shopping malls.

Look at the sky in Singapore. Can you feel the heat wave?

Our Defence Forces Keep Singapore Safe

I attended the first Basic Military Training (BMT) Graduation with my parents at Marina Bay Platform in 2010. My youngest brother was the first batch to graduate at Marina Bay Platform. It was a tiring day for my youngest brother as he had to match 24km from Changi Coast Road to Marina Bay platform starting at about 7pm till morning. Many parents, siblings and girlfriends awaited at the Marina Bay Platform for the recruits to arrive. 

I was glad to witness my youngest brother graduation in this beautiful landscape with the stunning Marina Bay Sand as the backdrop. Weather was good too and it was the first time the nation can witness BMT graduation at such an iconic place. 

In Singapore,all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents have to serve two years of compulsory national service. Once they reach 18 years old or complete their tertiary education (polytechnic/Institute Technical Education) or Junior college education, they have to serve the nation. Bearing in mind Singapore has no natural resource and with unfriendly neighbors surrounding us and who have no qualms to threaten to cut off water supply or dismiss us as little red dot, it is important we have the capability to protect ourselves. Don't forget the British deserted us when Japanese invaded Singapore in 1942, leaving Singapore residents to fend for themselves resulting in 50000 Chinese sacrifices in Sook Ching exercise. 

From Wikipedia
National Service in Singapore, (commonly known as NS), is a statutory requirement^[1] for all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents to undergo a period of compulsory service in the uniformed services. Depending on physical and medical fitness, they serve a two-year period as Full Time National Service  (NSFs), either in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force (SPF), or the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). A 2-month reduction in full-time National Service is given for pre-enlistees who are able to pass their National Physical Fitness Award(NAPFA) at the silver or gold standard.^[2]

BMT Graduation At Marina Bay( From Mindef website)

The Basic Military Training (BMT) graduation parade is a major milestone for all recruits. It is the culmination of weeks of intensive and rigorous military training, signifying the transformation of raw recruits into fighting soldiers. Traditionally, such parades are held in camps. In a stark departure from this, 3,200 recruits from 13 companies of the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) will graduate on 2 October with the Singapore skyline as a backdrop. For the first time ever, the BMT graduation parade will be held on the floating platform at the Marina Bay.

Besides experiencing a new venue, this batch of graduating recruits will also claim another first. Their final challenge before graduating,  the iconic 24-kilometre route march will not be through the jungles of Pulau Tekong. Instead, the recruits will march from the SAF Ferry Terminal in Changi Coast Road, and along the eastern coastline before ending at Marina Bay. The route is lined with historic sites like Changi Beach where numerous Singaporeans perished during World War Two. 

COL Simon Lim, Commander BMTC explained the new approach, “Our intent to shift the parade from Pualu Tekong to the mainland at Marina Bay is to deliver to our recruits and parents a positive and memorable experience. As part of their defining moment, these recruits will march 24 kilometres tirelessly across half the island to reach the very heart of our city. Enroute they will be walking pass many of our Singapore's famous landmarks and be in touch with Singaporeans, reinforcing their purpose for defending this country and our way of life.”

First published on 17 May 2013

The first BMT graduation in 2010 at Marina Bay Platform.

Young BMT recruits marching in! I was proud of my brother.

End of the graduation

One of my favourite local songs. Really catchy melody. You can learn Singlish.

Short Respite from Hot Weather

Finally, yesterday we enjoyed a short respite from sunny hot weather. Yesterday it rained and temperature was 26 degree Celsius. If only temperature is around 20 degree celsius every day.

Outside City Hall MRT station