Chin Woo Athletic Association in Singapore Chinatown

Did you know that in Singapore, there is this famous  Chin Woo Athletic Association (精武体育) made popular by the movie Huo YuanJia and starred by Jet Li? You can find the association in Singapore Chinatown.

Chin Woo (Athletic) Association, Chinese martial arts school was started by Huo Yuanjia in Shanghai with the aim to teach fellow Chinese martial arts or Kung fu for learning the art of defense, improvement of health and mind. Currently there are many Chin Woo (athletic) association around the world.  He rose to fame when he won the challenge against a Russian wrestler (between 1909 and 1910) during the time when China was weak. His association was supported by Sun Yat-Sen, the revolutionary Chinese hero. 

Coincidently, Singapore Chin Woo association was set up around the time when Dr Sun Yat Sen came to Singapore in the early 1900s with the aim to raise funds from the rich Chinese in Singapore to overthrow the despotic Qing dynasty in China. There was a saying that Dr Sun Yat Sen invited Chin Woo association to Singapore for personal protection as he was worried about assassination by the Qing government from China. During the chaotic time, Qing government who was ruled by the manchus were worried about revolution from the mostly Han Chinese in China.  

First posted on 17 Dec 2013

For more information on Chin woo, you can visit http://www.chinwoo.com/

Singapore Chin Woo (Athletic) Association is very near to the Duxton HDB flat. This beautiful shophouse is more than a century old. 

 Singapore Chin Woo (Athletic) Association

The real Master Huo Yuanjia. Photo from wikipedia

Jet Li starring as master Huo Yuanjia. Photo from google.com

Huo Yuanjia movie theme song sang by Jay Chou

五月天演唱会Mayday Concert 2016 Singapore

Today is the last day of May and just in time, I received 五月天 (Mayday) Just Rock it concert ticket via mail! About two more months to their rock concert! By the way, according to Chinese calendar, today is Water Ox day. I love Ox day.

I like Mayday songs as they are very inspiring. One of the songs is  将军令.

 将军令.

词 曲：阿信

在等谁 一声下令以后
才想起 呼吸你的自由
从何时 习惯这种生活
Oh
不相信 或是相信什么
其实你 早已被决定过
你忍受 但是不愿接受
Oh
历史 落在 赢家 之手
至少 我们 拥有 传说
谁说 败者 无法 不朽
Oh
拳头 只能 让人 低头
念头 却能 让人 抬头
抬头 去看 去爱 去追
你心中的梦

此生到尽头
你是谁 曾怎么活
他们说
就让他们去说
生命如长风
吹过谁 的心头
你想被记住 的那个名字
将会是什么

大时代 你我都是蜉蝣
在昨天 你我还是顽童
而今天 双肩如此沉重
Oh
一首歌 只是靡靡唱游
或者能 让谁看见宇宙
全看你 愿意听见什么
Oh
星月 从来 只能 沉默
微光 多难 照遍 角落
只求 点亮 你的 瞳孔
Oh
战场 不会 放过 你我
直到 人们 觉醒 自我
何时 不盼 不求 不等
将军或英雄

此生到尽头
你是谁 曾怎么活
他们说
就让他们去说
生命如长风
吹过谁 的心头
你想被记住 的那个名字
将会是什么

苍空盼飞鸿
苍生等英雄
我们颠沛千年依然还在等候
失去了土地 失去了天空
自问 不能失去什么

此刻到永久
你是谁 要怎么活
为什麼 还在问为什麼
生命如长风 
风中 谁在问我
你想被记住 的那个名字
将会是什麼
你相信什么 你执着什么 
你就是什么

                    Mayday五月天

將軍令

Roti Prata

There was a stall selling very crispy and tasty roti prata near my flat about 10 years ago and I used to buy the egg prata quite often. Price was only $0.80 or $1.00 then if I'm not wrong. It was so much cheaper compared to today. Today one egg prata costs about $2 or $3 depending on the location. What gets on my nerve is when the prata is served cold and not hot as expected. If I have to wait for 20 minutes for the prata, I expect the prata to be hot and crispy and not soft and cold. It is really unacceptable. 

Egg roti prata with curry sauce. Unfortunately it was served cold and soft which is really horrible. 

Are you Ready for Mayday Singapore Concert?

Every time I go to KBox for singing session with my buddy, I'll alway sing Mayday 五月天 songs; especially those rock songs that are also inspiring. I always sing my heart out and swayed my body while I sang my heart out. Singing is a great relaxation hobby for me. 

So it is with great anticipation when I woke up early today to purchase the Category 1 tickets price at $238.00. Alas due to high demand for Mayday concert, I could not purchase the tickets until much later. By then I could only purchase Cat 2 tickets at $198.00. My buddy was lucky to purchase $238 ticket. 

Anyway looking forward to their concert on 5 August this year! I'm going to sing with them. 

Singing at KBox Cathay Cineleisure

Last Friday after work, my colleague who is like my sister treated me to a singing session at Kbox Cathay Cineleisure. We sang from 3.30 pm to 6.30 pm. The price is $18 per adult. We had a spacious room and sang to our hearts' content. 

Nearest MRT station: Somerset MRT station

 Inside Kbox

 We were given this spacious room to sing.

 As usual, I sang along to Jay Chou, Sammi Cheng and SHE songs.

 I also like Stefani Sun and May Day songs.

After singing, we went to Honeymoon shop for dessert. As usual I have my double boiled milk with almond and chopped walnut. 

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.

Wishing Mr Heng Swee Keat Speedy Recovery

Mr Heng Swee Keat is one of the rare few ministers whom I respect. He is my MP (Member of Parliament) and he has been serving Tampines for the past 6 years. 

My mum and I attended some of the grassroot events and thus met him. He always has a smile on his face and he is humbled. When I was doing election duty in last year general election, he smiled and thanked the officers on duty.

He must be exhausted from all the work load and thus suffered a stroke. Today I went to the KuanYin temple at Waterloo street to pray for him as he is a great and responsible person. Really hope he can recover soon. Regardless of your religions, let's pray for his full recovery!

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?

French Movie Posters at National Design Centre

Every time I'm on my way to Raffles City shopping mall, I always pass by National Design Centre which is located near Bugis MRT station. I like the artistic French cinema posters currently on display at National Design Centre level 1. The exhibition is 120 Years of Cinema and is on display from 15 April to 15 May this year. Maybe one day, I buy one of those artistic posters and decorate my living room or bedroom. 

 I like this primary colour combination.

 

Yummy Noodles at Tampines Coffee Shop

At Tampines coffee shop at Blk 826, there are several noodle stalls that sell really delicious noodle. One noodle stall that I like is Merchant Road Minced Pork Noodle that sells fish ball noodles and their signature minced pork noodle. The springy minced pork noodles is doused with delicious and tasty sauce. I don't really like minced pork so I always ask them to replace with pork ball. I know some people find it weird. But I just prefer pork ball to minced pork. Another noodle stall I like is Face Ban Mian that sells really delicious ban mian dry with their awesome spicy sauce. But it is expensive at $4.50 for a small bowl of noodle.  

Where?
826 Tampines Street 81
Singapore 520826

How to get there?

At Tampines bus interchange, take bus 291 to Tampines street 83.

Alight at the stop when you past by Tampines St 83.

 Pork ball noodles ($3.50) at Merchant Road Minced Pork Noodle stall. Really yummy!

 Fish ball noodle and fish cake noodle. Yeah we are typical Teochew and love fish ball noodles!

 Ban Mian noodle at Face Ban Mian ($4.50)

 Ban Mian noodles comes with soup and egg.

TulipMania at Gardens by the Bay Flower Dome

Did you know that tulips first originated from Central Asia and there are so many varieties of tulips besides the ubiquitous tulips bulbs? This year TulipMania setting in Gardens by the Bay, flower dome is set like the ancient Otterman empire (today Turkey) instead of the usual windmills decoration inspired from Holland.

Last weekend, my friend who is like my elder sister and I went to flower dome to admire beautiful tulip flowers. I've never been to Holland so this is a good alternative for me to see so many tulip varieties. There are currently 75 known tulip species. From now till 22 May, you can admire different tulip species at Flower Dome. Well, if you are going with your girlfriend, you can buy her tulip flowers in the shop outside Flower Dome. 

TulipMania at Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay

Nearest MRT station: BayFront MRT station (About 10 to 15 minutes walk to Flower Dome)

Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2016 - Sun, 22 May 2016

Time: 9am to 9pm.

Wow! So many lovely flowers!

 I love these artistic looking flowers.

Bright red Tulipa "Makarsha"

Cheery pink with jagged petals Tulipa 'Canasta'. This is a really unique tulip. 

Sea of tulips in flower dome.

If you feel sad, just see bright colourful flowers and it will sure cheer you up!

Tulipa 'Foxtrot'

You can also view some cherry blossoms.