River Hongbao Show 2017

From now to 4 Feb, you can watch free performances, dazzling firework and beautiful lanterns at River Hongbao show at Marina Bay platform. On 31 Jan, there be Xinyao (新谣） night. I be going there with my friend to listen to Xinyao songs.  

Senior citizens singing and dancing to old melodies.

                             财神God of Fortune

                   Another Rooster theme lanterns

Nathan performed 2 songs

Reunion Dinner on Chinese New Year Eve 2017

How time flies. Today is finally Chinese New Year eve, the day we have reunion dinner together as a family. Prior to the dinner, I spent the day spring cleaning my bedroom, cleaning the windows, some bookshelves and changing the curtain and finally sweeping the floor because we don't sweep the floor on the first day of Chinese New Year. 

Reunion dinner is very important to us as we don't normally have dinner together as a family as we reach home at different time. Sometimes my brothers work late. So on Chinese New Year eve, everyone of us will have a lavish sumptuous dinner together. 

While I was cleaning my room, my elder brother who is a great cook helped my mother to prepare reunion dinner. Well, my elder brother used to work at a restaurant as a cook. Together they prepared 12 delicious dishes which include abalone and vegetables, tasty soup filled with quail eggs, pork and fish balls, pig skin, sea cucumber, vegetables, fried egg, fried chicken wings, fried prawns, steamed prawns, steamed fish, braised pork, fried squid balls and ngio hiang or five spiced pork roll, a typical Teochew dish. Wow, I felt really full after the dinner. I also treasure the time we eat together as a family with my parents and my 3 brothers at home. 

After dinner, we'll watch China CCTV Chinese New year show and maybe later watch channel 8 new year countdown. Later in the night, I watch Stephen Chow comedy movies. Today my brothers and I will stay up late maybe till 3am to 5am to 守岁 shou sui with the hope our parents can enjoy longevity. My youngest brother will be going overseas today.

I had a great dinner tonight, I hope you too.

To all the Chinese and fellow Teochew nang around the world, I wish you a Prosperous and Happy Rooster New Year 2017. 恭喜发财 Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Wow we had 12 sumptuous dishes for reunion dinner this year! What a spread!

We had steamed fish topped with ginger, tomatoe and chili, fried chicken wings, fried egg with vegetable.

We also had a bowl of shark fin soup, fried prawns and steamed prawns.

Vegetables with abalone and ngoh hiang or five spice pork roll

My elder brother prepared most of the delicious dishes like the awesome soup with quail eggs, abalone, pork and fish balls, dumpling and vegetables.

Steamed prawns with huatiao wine and ginger.

Steamed fish and fried chicken wings.

Vegetables with abalone and ngoh hiang.

We'll watch China CCTV show which features popular artists from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan singers.My father like the program.

Chinese New Year at Chinatown

To experience Chinese New Year festive season, the best place to visit will be Chinatown. The streets are adorned with magnificent and beautiful Rooster and her plentiful chicks and eggs. During this period, there are bazaar where we can shop for Chinese New Year decoration and goodies. Of course, during this busy period, you can find snaking queue for bak kwa or barbecued pork especially at popular Lim Chee Guan shop. Frankly speaking, I don't understand what is so special with their bak kwa. I think it taste the same as Bee Cheng Xiang. 

Chinese new year decoration are much cheaper. I found a very pretty pair of pink slippers at $6.00 and some Rooster decoration at $1 after negotiating with the vendors. I must say I'm very happy with my purchase. 

I decided to shop at Chinatown Point shopping mall to wait for the street light up so I can capture the beautiful Rooster lanterns along the street and share with my readers. You can catch the stunning street light-up along Eu Tong Sen street, New Bridge road and North bridge road from now till 25 February.

  What a magnificent and beautiful glorious Rooster! 

I love this year design.

Bazaar setup outside Chinatown point shopping mall.

                                    Cute rooster toys.

                              Gigantic Rooster in the day.

                   You can buy bak kwa here.

I love the historic beautiful architecture here in Chinatown. 

             Just alight at Chinatown MRT station.

Chinese New Year decoration. 

In the past, Samsui women worked in construction and built many buildings in Singapore.

             This is Chinatown Heritage Centre.

You can buy Singapore souvenirs at Chinatown Heritage Centre.

      I didn't know there are many varieties of peanuts.

          I love this snack! Really crunchy and tasty.

Buddha Tooth Relic temple and museum.

                                      Long queue as usual for this popular bak kwa shop.

           Inside Chinatown Point Shopping mall.

Public Buses in Singapore

I enjoy traveling via our efficient public buses in Singapore. All public buses are air-conditioned and they are very clean. Of course, I only enjoy taking public buses during off-peak hours else it will be very congested especially in the morning 7am to 8am and evening 6pm to 7pm.

Public transport is similar to other cities. It is cheaper by scanning EZ link card instead of paying by cash. In Singapore, most citizens travel via public transport because Singapore is the most expensive place in the world to own a new car. Before you can buy a brand new car in Singapore, you must have the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) which can costs between $46,000.00 too $55,000.00 (depending on the bidding and car category) which is more expensive than owning a car in other countries. So owning a normal brand new car from South Korea or Japan can cost a total of $90,000 to $110,000.00. If you want to buy a brand new branded car like BMW, be prepared to fork $250,000.00. 

Currently besides SBS Transit bus, there are also SMRT and Australian bus Tower Transit in operation. Fares depend on distance travelled and the cheapest fare is $0.70.

 Buses at Tampines Bus Interchange

I love double-decker bus as I get to see more at the top.

 Inside the public bus.

This year COE bidding results.