Dreams Do Come True

My lifelong dream of publishing book has finally been achieved! My heartfelt thanks goes to Amazon KDP. I decided to start small by publishing simple flower photo book and flower sketch book. If I don't start now, when will I ever start? One must take action to make dreams come true. From this project, I learnt how to self-publish with this wonderful platform by Amazon KDP. 

For the past few weeks, I had been busy with preparing the book, selecting the best flower photos from thousands of photos I took in Singapore especially at Gardens by the Bay and Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Natural photos are the best as you can feel the positive vibrant energy from the nature.  Besides the two books, I also decided to design my own weekly planner journal with inspiring quotes and flower photos. 

It might not be best flower photography book for now, but one thing for sure, it's a labour of love. Despite working late into the night, I felt energised to fulfil my dream. 

Do provide review on Amazon if you purchase the book.

If you like my work, you can go to Amazon to purchase. You can buy the book in the upcoming Amazon sales.Thank you.

There are the books I just published. Do give constructive feedback. 

1) Where Flowers Bloom, Wonder Grows. Click here to buy. You can read sample here.

2) Let's Sketch Flowers! Discover The Joy of Sketching! (108 Breathtaking Floral Photographs) Click here to buy. 

3) Weekly Planner and Journal With Floral Photography. Click here to buy. 

4) Blooming Flowers Click here to buy

You can buy this photo book Where Flowers Bloom, Wonder Grows. Click here to buy. 

Sample page from Where Flowers Bloom, Wonder Grows

Let's Sketch Flowers! Discover The Joy of Sketching! (108 Breathtaking Floral Photographs) Click here to buy. 

Sample pages from Let's Sketch Flowers! Discover The Joy of Sketching! (108 Breathtaking Floral Photographs).

Weekly Planner and Journal With Floral Photography. Click here to buy. 

            Sample pages from Weekly Planner and Journal With Floral Photography

 Blooming Flowers Click here to buy

Delicious Home-cooked Fried Bee Hoon (Rice Vermicelli Noodles)

The best food in the world is definitely my mum's speciality fried bee hoon (rice vermicelli noodles). Yesterday my mum cooked my favourite fried bee hoon with carrots and cabbage and I had a big plate as usual. I think I have to learn how to cook this dish from my mum soon.  

Unique Cleome Flowers

If you are interested to see more flower, you can visit my other blog on Blooming Flowers and Arts and video. 

Blog link is here.

Just for Laugh: Tremendous Trump From China

This Chinese guy from Chongqing is hilarious and is really awesome in impersonating Trump. His mannerism and voice are tremendously Trump.  Chongqing looks very modern and exciting but most of the food is spicy.  I like that he spread happiness and peace and bridging two different cultures namely both USA and China. 

Early Christmas Feast at Vegetarian Elemen Restaurant

I enjoyed the latest Christmas 8-course meal at Elemen, a vegetarian restaurant recently at Millenia Walk. I defintely be back to enjoy this Santa feast again. My favourite are the Mango Tango Fruit Salad, Roasted Butternut Squash soup and the dessert Molten Choco Malt Cake with Strawberry Yogurt Gelato.  

This Santa-Licious 8-course is available now at $42.80 to public and $38.80 for Elemen members till 31 December this year. 

Mushroom Wellington with Peppercorn Demi is filled with king oyster mushroom ballotine. This is the first time I tried fresh figs.

Molten Choco Malt Cake with Strawberry Yogurt Gelato .

Shroom Ball Bolognese with Shaved Parmesan. I love these tender mushroom balls with aromatic herbs. 

Roasted Butternut Squash soup is tasty too. Can this be placed on the menu permanently?

This Mango Tango Fruit Salad should be placed on the menus permanently. Love the refreshing juicy orange taste.

Festive Appetisers

Sunflower Surprise at Gardens by the Bay

I just updated Sunflower Surprise on Blooming Flowers blog. You can click herehttps://bloomingflowersnarts.blogspot.com/2025/10/bright-cheery-sunflowers-at-flower-dome.html to read more. 

I love the wide varieties of bright cheery sunflowers at Gardens by the Bay.  This presentation is a collaboration with the High Commission of India in Singapore to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and India. 

Did you know? 

The sunflower is not a single flower. It is a composite flower as the brown centre is made up of hundreds or even thousands of tiny tubular flowers known as disk florets. 

Young sunflowers has the ability to track the sun across the sky (heliotropism) to maximise the amount of sunlight exposure for photosynthesis. Mature sunflowers stop tracking and face the east.

从2025年10月20日到2025年11月16日，星期日，沉浸在印度重建的哈瓦·玛哈尔宫殿中，斋浦尔是联合国教科文组织世界遗产城市，周围环绕着各种颜色的向日葵，如棕色和红色，还有常见的不同物种的亮黄色金色向日葵。向日葵惊喜是滨海湾花园与印度驻新加坡高级专员公署合作举办的，旨在纪念新加坡与印度建交60周年。 

向日葵的有趣事实 

向日葵不是一朵花。它是一种复合花，因为棕色的中心由数百甚至数千朵被称为圆盘小花的微小管状花朵组成。 

年轻的向日葵具有在天空中追踪太阳的能力（向日性），以最大限度地增加光合作用的阳光照射量。成熟的向日葵停止追踪，飞向东方。

The recreated Hawa Mahal palace from India, Jaipur, a UNESCO World Heritage City currently on display at Flower Dome. 

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Looking Forward To Christmas Light-up At Orchard Road

 Counting down to Christmas light-up.

Lunch At Nan Hua Chang Fish Head Steamboat At Kaki Bukit

As a Teochew, I enjoy fish steamboat, a popular Teochew dish with my family. Recently I had lunch at Kaki Bukit, Nan Hua Chang fish head steamboat with my family. 

We are impressed with the tender red grouper fish. I also enjoyed the fried bee hoon and the cereal prawns. We be back for the steamboat as the price is reasonable at $108.00 with no gst charge. You can check out the menu below.

Red grouper steamboat

Oyster omelette

Cereal prawns 

Fried bee hoon

Signature tofu

Interesting Chinese Language Game For Secondary School Students

My friend Li Yan, a passionate Singaporean Chinese language educator came up with this interesting Chinese language game for secondary school students. This game is interesting and fun and I think it can inspire and motivate students to learn Chinese language. The younger generation prefer to converse in English and in time to come, the younger generation in Singapore might not be bilingual compared to earlier generations. When my young relatives speak to me in English, I replied back in Mandarin and explained so as to teach them Chinese. 

My friend generously let me share the game link but the link shared from WhatsApp is not able to be shared here and the other website showed my identification number. Maybe they have encrypted the link. A wonderful educational game should be easily shared. 

I had fun playing the game and also learnt a new word, 掰(bai). It is interesting to see how different combinations of Chinese characters produced new character and meaning. I need to recall the Han yu pin yin for the word which took some time. Thanks for sharing my friend!

A Joyous Day

Finally there is peace and hostages have returned back home. It must be a joyous day for their families! Peace can only be achieved through talks and not violence as it only lead to vicious cycle of revenge. May there be peace always.

Donald Trump really deserves Nobel Peace Prize! May his wish come true next year! Meanwhile Donald Trump can just make do with Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor. 

Forever Idol Aaron Kwok 永远的偶像郭富城

时光飞逝。没想到我喜欢郭富城也快三十五年了。当时我才九岁。他现在也快六十岁了。听说他的第三孩子在多几个月会到来了。 我的偶像真是宝刀未老！恭喜恭喜！

Time flies. Aaron Kwok has been my idol for the past 35 years. I was 9 years old when I first heard his iconic song, 对你爱不完 or Love for you never ends. He is definitely the best singer dancer.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival

 Time for the mooncakes and pomelo with family. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

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Peace or War in Asia?

First published on 31 July 2022 (from 2nd paragraph onwards). Straits times should fact check and not publish false information from western media that Taiwan is not China. Officially, Taiwan is known as Taiwan Republic of China (ROC). Now I rarely buy Straits times. Politicians should be mindful and not create unnecessary conflict by retracting the One China policy that was agreed by both Taiwan ROC and China. Don't take peace for granted. I posted the following post 3 years ago.

I enjoy going to the National Palace Museum in Taipei to admire the exquisite antiques and arts. These antiques spanning from Shang dynasty to Qing dynasty were secretly transported from China to Taiwan when Chiang Kai-Shek realised that they might lose the Civil War (1927-1949) with the Chinese Communist party in China.

Chiang Kai-Shek served as the leader of the Republic of China from 1928 to 1949 in mainland China but retreated to Taiwan, officially known as the Taiwan Republic of China (ROC) and continued to serve as a leader there until his demise in 1975.  He and his Kuomingtang party had always dreamed of winning the civil war and return to China. That is history.  Both mainland Chinese and Taiwan leaders agreed on the One China policy. 

Nancy Pelosi is making the situation worse by going to Taiwan. What is her purpose?  They are already supporting the wars in Afghanistan and Ukraine, advocating democracy movement. Yet left them in tattered and leaving these countries in worse states then before. These countries are still mired in wars. They are repeating similar strategy- divide and conquer. The world needs to speak out and not keep quiet. 

It is just weird that she chose to visit Taiwan during the Hungry ghost festival period, also observed by the Taiwanese Chinese.

USA greatest threat will be from within. I don't think they will enjoy peace for provoking wars around the world. I would like to share the following poem ironically by US Holocaust Memorial Museum.

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
     Because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
     Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
     Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

I brought this replica of Revolving vase with swimming fish in cobalt blue glaze in Taiwan National Palace Museum (Qianlong reign- 1736 to 1795, Qing dynasty). National Palace Museum houses these rich historical treasures spanning from Shang dynasty to Qing dynasty. These should be valued and not be secretly given away to other country.

超好听《一路生花》周深/张韶涵

Recently I heard this awesome performance by Zhou Shen and Angela Chang. I love how their beautiful pristine voices blended harmoniously. It's also an inclusive performance where the autistic boy played the ocarina (陶笛), a ceramic wind musical instrument confidently well. It's important that parents observe their children's strength and develop further from their interest and strength and high probability they grow up to be happy and confident. Do not force them to be what you want them to be. 

最近从《天赐的声音》听到这首动听的歌。分享给你们。 

最近我听了一首周深与张韶涵的精彩演唱。我特别喜欢他们纯净嗓音的完美融合。这是一场包容性的表演，其中一位自闭症男孩自信地演奏了陶笛，一种陶制吹奏乐器，技艺十分熟练。

父母应关注孩子的天赋，从兴趣与强项出发进一步培养，这样他们长大后更有可能成为快乐自信的人。切勿强求他们成为你期望的模样。

Alpine Adventure Starring Begonias at Singapore Gardens by the Bay 新加坡滨海湾花园高山探险秋海棠

Hi all, I visited Gardens by the Bay, Flower Dome for the Alpine Adventure Starring Begonias recently and this is definitely my favourite theme at the flower dome as I love Switzerland and the stunning vibrant begonias!

Click here to visit my Blooming Flowers and Arts blog here. You can also watch my flower channel here. If you love flowers, travel and art, like and subscribe my channel. 

Blooming Flowers, Arts and Travel channel. Like and Subscribe if you like the videos. 

Interesting Insights From Thomas Campbell

It's quite rare to see Joe Rogan's face softened when talking physicist, Thomas Campbell. Highly recommend that you listen to their conversation.

Superstar Teresa Teng

I don't watch Channel 8 show often but there is always exception. Channel 8 is now showing Taiwanese drama based on superstar Teresa Teng life story. I grew up listening to her songs and really love her uniquely sweet and mesmerising voice and songs. She was definitely born to sing and almost everyone in Asia knows Teresa Teng and her popular songs like the The Moon Represents My Heart. 

Happy 60th Birthday Singapore!

Today Singapore is celebrating 60th years of independence. I be spending the time in Singapore watching NDP show with my family. 

This year, all Singaporeans from 21 to 59 years old received $600.00 SG60 vouchers and above 60 years old Singapore citizens received $800.00 SG60 vouchers in July which they can use to purchase groceries and hawker food. In addition, they can also use it to buy phone or spectacles at Heartland merchants as shown here. 

It's a thoughtful gift to Singaporean and to support local merchants and hawkers. Happy holidays to all Singaporeans!

Awesome Chinese Music 关大洲《象王行》

Today my friend from China shared with me this awesome Chinese music 象王行 Elephant King Walk composed by 关大洲 Guan Da Zhou. I really like the inspiring melody by 关大洲. In this music video, you get to see Chinese musical instruments like erhu, pipa, dizi, drums and guzheng. Awesome performance! 

I Light Singapore Festival 2025

The annual light festival, i Light Singapore at the Central Business District  Marina Bay is available from now till 21 June 2025. This year theme is To Gather. There are some interesting and fun light arts sculptures spread around Singapore Marina Bay area.  

For more information on i Light Singapore 2025, visit the website here.

Piano Walk

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