Out & About in Singapore Tour Reviews

Bright Hill Monastery, May 29, 2013

Our morning had a strange start when we coordinated 2 taxis from Bishan MRT station.  Our taxi misunderstood our destination and did not speak much English.  I knew immediately we were going the wrong way, but could not get the driver to change course!  He heard Bright Hill as Red Hill and would not stop until we were approaching Red Hill.  Eventually he realized where we needed to be and proceeded there.

Upon our late arrival, we joined the group for our tour with a volunteer from the Monastery.  After a flustered start to morning, the Monastery was a very peaceful place to calm me.  Our guide walked us through the Monastery and answered many questions from our group.  Modelled after the southern Chinese style of architecture, the building structures of the monastery are an interesting and unique combination of Chinese art aesthetics and Southeast Asian architectural styles.

Most impressive is the Hall of No Form, which houses an awe-inspiring Giant Buddha, standing 13.8 metres from the lotus base.  This hall can hold up to 2,000 persons and despite its size, there are no inner pillars in the hall.  The Giant Buddha is made of bronze and weights a hefty 55 tons.  It was made in Taiwan and disassembled before shipping to Singapore and reassembled again in the hall.

Rooted in the Mahayana Buddhism Tradition, the monastery embraces other traditions through organizing or co-hosting their activities.  It also participates actively in National Racial and Religious Harmony programmes.  Their on-going community projects include inter-faith programmes, management of Bright Hill Evergreen Home, Buddhist College of Singapore, events of the Singapore Buddhist Federation, and humanitarian relief.  At the conclusion of our tour, we made a donation to the monastery.

Church of St. Mary’s of the Angels, June 12, 2013

We assembled in the courtyard of the church and were warmly welcomed by Father Derrick, who led us into the beautiful church.  We sat in the ‘crying room’ – a term not favoured by Father Derrick, but it was air-conditioned and we sat comfortably while Father told us about the church.  Very modern in design, it encompasses the teachings and philosophies of St. Francis.  The crucifix, is both beautiful and shocking at once.  From one angle, he appears to be smiling, from another he is grimacing. There are no stained glass windows, because they would keep out light and the stations of the cross are placed outside on the perimeter of the courtyard – further emphasizing that church (religion) should be outside for everyone.

Father Derrick was very candid in his talk and no questions were avoided (even about vows of chastity).  His enthusiasm was refreshing, and his passion for his faith is genuine.  While viewing the baptismal pool, he explained that as you walk into it for baptism, you walk into the shadow of the crucifix and when you go under water, Christ enters you.  He showed us his many colourful Cossacks and he took much pleasure in telling us the significance of the colour, and design of each and who had given it to him.

The peace garden hosts glass sculptures, which allow light into the Columbarium below.  Upon entering, the elements of light, air, and water are present.  The water fountain, plants and light make this Columbarium beautiful and much different from the dark (and creepy) ones I have visited.

We offered a donation to the church for our most pleasant and informative tour.  We ended our morning with a healthy, light lunch at Sunny Choice Organic Vegetarian Cafe near Butok Batok MRT station.

/ Lynda Sellars

Chinatown, March 27, 2013

By Lynda Sellars

We began our morning in the lobby of the beautiful Park Royal on Pickering Hotel where we were warmly greeted by David Sullivan, the general manager of the hotel (and also a friend and neighbour). We enjoyed a light breakfast in the Orchid Lounge - the top floor of hotel. Surrounded by windows on all sides, we were given a fantastic view of the Chinatown area.

We then proceeded to the Presidential Suite. It is not quite finished, but the features of the suite amazed us. Natural wood and fibres have been incorporated into wall coverings, flooring, and furniture. The room amenities are similar to the furnishings and all rooms have soaring views with remote blinds for privacy.

There are sky gardens on 3 different levels and as the plants mature, the hotel will truly have living walls. The infinity pool is spectacular with unique hanging birdcage cabanas and the eco features of hotel include rain water harvesting and solar panels which have earned the hotel a platinum rating.

Next, it was a short walk to Yixing Yuan Teahouse (30/32 Tanjong Pagar Road). Vincent Low, is a former banker with an MBA from London, but his heart belonged to China. He studied at Taiwan’s famous Lu Yu, “university of tea” and returned to Singapore to establish the Teahouse.

Mr. Low gave us a fascinating talk on tea. He showed us the difference between a fresh tea and a supermarket type. The fresh tea still had proper colour (green, white, or black) and a lovely scent. Chinese tea making is an elaborate process designed to draw out the drink’s finest nuances and to be savoured over good conversation with friends. The doll-house-style cups and pots are deliberately sized to slow you down and relax. We did just that were seated in preparation for a dim sum lunch. Delicious dumplings, pancakes, and fried rice were savoured by us all along with generous servings of tea. The teahouse sells varieties of tea and lovely tea sets. Make your way to this quaint teahouse and enjoy a good cup of tea in a lively cultural scene!

Tiger Tales: Haw Paw Villa

By Janey Schueller

Photos by Fran Wilson

Previously known as ‘tiger balm gardens’, Haw Par Villa was definitely a colourful, must-see, stop on the CAS out & about tour map this year.  It is like no other place in the world (that I have seen) and reportedly consists of over 1,000 statues and 150 dioramas that depict Chinese legends and folklore.

Haw Par Villa was later renamed after its former owners, the Aw brothers – Boon Haw and Boon Par, who made a fortune in the early 1900s selling Tiger Balm, a cure-all paste created by their father.  Tiger symbolism is scattered throughout the park and although the historical mansion is no more, the tiger-themed car is displayed for all to admire.

Based on Chinese legends and values, this unique theme park has statues of all shapes and sizes that depict famous legends and feature characters like Fu Lu Shou, Confucius and the Laughing Buddha.

There was less laughter in the infamous Ten Courts of Hell exhibit – which depicts very graphic scenes of punishment and reincarnation popular to Buddhist belief, but we found it educational nonetheless and we will continue to be law-abiding citizens as
a result!

Without a doubt, we were all fascinated by stories and images of ancient times at Har Par Villa and the colourful tales that we conjured up while touring the unique park.  Special thanks to Lynda Sellars for coordinating the tour with me, Fran Wilson for her vivid photography and the Wilson kids for joining the tour and entertaining us with their own interpretation and stories.

Tour of the Kranji Countryside : 30th January, 2013

By Lydna Sellars

Photos:  Heather Lussier

The day started at Boon Lay MRT station and after gathering for a morning coffee, we boarded our bus and proceeded to Thow Kwang Industry (Jungle Pottery).  We were greeted by Mrs. Tan Teck Yoke (Yulanti) who is the daughter-in-law of the owners and she gave us some historical insight on the kiln and the family business. 

Years ago, there were several such kilns in the Jurong area, but as technology progressed, their use became redundant and very time consuming for production and eventually most of the kilns disappeared.  This kiln has continued to operate because the family has a keen interest in preserving the art and firing technique.  Firings are usually conducted once or twice a year, but for the year of the dragon, they are planning a few more.  They were actually preparing the kiln for a firing two days after our visit.  Hence we were able to walk inside the kiln to see where the pieces would be placed and saw the wood ready for burning to raise the internal temperature to 12000 degrees.

We wandered through the wonderful collection of pottery.  There are lovely pots for outdoor plants, vases, dishes, figurines...too many items to list!!  Since there is much construction in the area, the Pottery Jungle’s future is unknown.  They have a lease for another year and then they are uncertain, so a visit to this lovely facility really should be made while they are still there!

We then proceeded further north to Bollywood farms.  We were given a tour of the garden by the herbologist.  They farm completely organically and we were able to see, taste, and smell the delicious produce grown on their farm.  In place of pesticides are pools of water with turtles or fish to eat insects.  Flowers are also planted at roots of plants to attract insects away from fruit.  We were served a delicious lunch made from ingredients from their garden.  Our morning was then complete and we had run out of time, but I am sure many will return to the area for another day!

Tiong Bahru

By Lianne Chilton 

Tiong Bahru has attracted the attention of up and coming businesses, artists, and professionals in recent years. The once quiet, old-fashioned kampong-style neighbourhood is now home to a number of new coffee shops, bakeries, casual and fine dining establishments and upscale one-of-a-kind boutiques. These new businesses co-exist with family run provision shops, eating stalls and long-time residents. The sights, smells, sounds and tastes of both the old and the new in Tiong Bahru were the focus of the CAS October Out & About.

Our tour began with Lynda taking us through the colorful and often surprising history of Tiong Bahru. The name translates as "new tomb": Tiong from the Hokkien for tomb, Bahru from the Malay for new. The once hilly area with mangrove swamps, pig farms, and a sago factory, also once housed a cemetery that no longer exists except for two tombs. Those former residents were moved to the location of the November’s tour, Bukit Brown cemetery, when the area was developed. Needing more space for the housing needs of Singaporeans, the Singapore Improvement Trust undertook the task clearing the land and preparing it for development.  In 1936 they began building the first "new town" or suburb to the city. The unique blend of shophouse and Art Deco architectural features such as rounded balconies, flat roofs, exterior spiral staircases and air wells are unique in Singapore, and priced the flats out of the reach of most average Singaporeans.  Building continued in the area after the end of WWII, including the building of housing more affordable to the average person.  Over time as more and newer HDB flats were built in newer estates, the area began to decline and "grey" as the average age of the residents increased.  In 1993 twenty blocks of the pre-war flats were gazetted for conservation and will remain preserved despite the modernization taking place in the area.

Our first stop in the area was Yong Siak Street. The 40 Hands coffee shop, which many believe was the catalyst for the rejuvenation of the area, opened here in 2010. In addition to the coffee shop, an independent bookstore and several F & B establishments and boutiques have relocated/opened on this street. As we neared the end of the street we turned down a back alley and found ourselves in the secluded back parking area, which lead to the area being known as the “den of beauties”. Wealthy businessmen were said to house their mistresses in the flats because of the privacy of the back entrances and courtyards afforded them. We were also able to take a look at the entrance to what is believed to be the last public air raid shelter on the island and was in use when the Japanese  bombed Singapore between December 1941 and January 1942.

We then headed toward Qi Tian Gong Temple taking time to admire the beautiful architecture and foliage and also take note of the many renovations in progress. Lianne told us of the temple’s origin, dating back over ninety years and that it is considered to be the first temple in Singapore dedicated to the Monkey God. From the corner temple we made our way up Eng Hoon Street, passing yet more eateries and coffee shops, to the Tiong Bahru Wet Market for a cold drink and a sampling of hawker stall goodies. The market on the main floor, considered to be one of Singapore's finest, sells everything from fruits and vegetables to extremely fresh fish and meat, to household wares, clothing and even paper effigies and locally roasted coffee beans.

Our last stop before lunch at a local Thai restaurant was at the home of Chinese-Canadian artist Billy Ma. Billy generously welcomed our group into his gazetted flat, where we were fortunate to view not only the relatively unchanged style of it, but also some of his work and hear from the artist himself about the inspiration and the stories behind the prints. His company, Booda Brand, sells a line of conversation and thought provoking limited edition prints. (www.billyma.com/billyma.com/Booda_Brand)

Tiong Bahru, with it's wonderful blend of old and new, beautiful architecture, funky shops and delicious food is definitely worth a visit!

Tiong Bahru : 31 October, 2012

If you think the first public housing estate in Singapore was Toh Payoh, you are not quite correct.  Before the advent of HDB, there was the colonial Singapore Investment Trust (SIT) and their first estate was Tiong Bahru.  Built in the 1930s, Tiong Bahru was made up of 30 apartment blocks of two to five stories high. 

The late shop house architecture and art deco feel of this area are unique in Singapore.  For some time, the estate slipped into genteel decay, but after the gazetting of 20 buildings in 2003, it has gradually come to the attention of the artistic and bohemian community - to the point of becoming popular again. 

Come join us on a walk around the area, exploring some temples and the popular wet market, as well as some of the wonderful shops and restaurants.  Lynda Rousseau and Lianne Chilton will be your guides for this ramble around a largely unknown gem of Singapore.

Please register for this fascinating walk before October 28 to liannechilton@gmail.com.  We will update you on meeting time, location and lunch details closer to the O&A date.

/ Lynda Sellars

Cooking Class: 30th May 2012

A very fun and delicious morning was enjoyed by all.  Gourmet Guru’s kitchen welcomed us with Nanyang Technical University students serving a lovely Pandan Tea .  Our instructor, Madame Rosni was well prepared for us.  The large cooking area was perfect for display of the ingredients used in the recipes.  We were able to bring our chairs right up to cooking surface to watch and learn.  Ingredients used in recipes were explained to us with many questions answered.

The Coconut Crab Curry was the first recipe for us to follow.  The ingredients went into a mortar and were pounded into a paste.  A few of us were given the task to help prepare the paste.  The curry was begun in pan and ingredients layered into the sauce.  Volunteers stirred and helped in preparation. The coconut cream and finally the crab were simmered in the pan.  The second recipe, a Kampung Fried Rice was then begun.  The fresh vegetables were also pounded into a paste. As ingredients were added and rice added, the wonderful aromas were intoxicating. 

We then moved to tables and the students artfully placed rice, and curry into dishes.  Garnishes were served and fish crackers and a sambal were also at the tables.  The dishes were heavenly and we were all pleasantly stuffed.  The pandan tea and a fruit salad were offered at end of lunch (for those who had room left).  We all learned how easy the recipes were to follow and I am sure many of us were heading to local wet markets with renewed inspiration.

 / Lynda Sellars

Chinese Circle Theatre Tea House: 25 April 2012

We were welcomed to the tea house with Chinese tea and delicious dim sum snacks.  Joanna Wong gave us a fascinating glimpse into the world of Chinese Opera.  The Chinese Circle Theatre is government funded to keep this tradition alive since the traditional opera tea houses have long disappeared.

With a small stage and minimal props, Chinese Opera makes use of body articulation.  The sleeves (water sleeves) can show a wide array of emotions with graceful movements.  Like mime, hand movements can give impressions of opening doors and windows, and climbing up and down stairs.  With a simple prop like a paddle, one can envision climbing into a boat and gliding along water. 

Two ladies entered the teahouse in full costume and we learned that the female part takes over two hours to prepare makeup, hair styling, headpiece, and costume.  The male’s time is slightly shorter, but no less impressive when completed.  They performed a short segment of an opera (with English subtitles) which was truly beautiful (although very sad).  At the conclusion, we had an opportunity to take photos of the beautiful performers and also put on robes to pose with them.

We had a short walk to view the beautiful Sri Miriamman Hindu Temple and the Jamae Chulia Mosque.  We then made our way to Club Street for our lunch at Savanah Indochine Restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious lunch to conclude our morning.  The Chinese Circle Theatre offers programs on weekends along with a meal or snack; a wonderful experience for your visiting family and friends.

/ Lynda Sellars
/ Photos: Monica Guevara

Eurasian Community House

Another month gone and another fun out and about tour behind us.  A dozen of us met up at a local coffee shop in the Joo Chiat area and enjoyed drinks and conversation.  We began the tour with a brief introduction to the area and admired the ornate shop houses that surrounded us.  After a short walk we stepped into the Eurasian Community House and met our lively and informative Eurasian guide, Lucille Markus.  She began by showing us a beautiful ceramic mural of Lisbon that was presented by the Portuguese Embassy in the year 2000.  She then took us through the museum and explained the history and culture of the Eurasians in Singapore as well as the part they played in the war years and beyond.  Lucille’s personal connection to the history and some of the displays made the tour extra special.  We finished up with a video of the Jingli Nona; a Eurasian folk dance with Portuguese roots.  Also very special was the authentic Eurasian food at the lovely Quentin’s restaurant on the ground floor of the community house.  The chef explained all the dishes, (the beef semur was a big hit) and we topped off our lunch with traditional “sugee cake”.  A sweet memory for me to end on, as this will be my last Out and About before moving back to Canada...  Luckily for the rest of you, Singapore is packed with interesting destinations and Lynda and Sara will go on planning monthly outings to enjoy. 

/Dolores Parker
/ Photos: Lianne Chilton (Group Photo) & Dolores Parker (Ceramic Photo)

Pasir Ris

By Dolores Parker

Photos: Dolores Parker & Ester Tay

Crabs that climb trees!  Poison pong pongs!  Roots that grow up from the ground and fish that breathe air!   We saw these amazing things and more at Pasir Ris Park.  Although the area feels very remote from Orchard Rd, it is easy to get there by transit.  After a short walk from the Pasir Ris MRT station we met up with our National Park guides. 

Mr. Yusoff and Yvonne led us through the fascinating Mangrove forest.   As we strolled along the shady boardwalk we learned about this important ecosystem and what is being done to protect and propagate it.  The guides pointed out plants such as the nipah  palms, cabbage trees, pong pong trees and the mangrove trees.  They explained the uses and dangers of some of these plants as well as the creative ways they have evolved to propagate themselves. 

The animals were also really interesting. we saw mud skippers, mud crabs, a mangrove eel and grey herons. The guides answered all of our questions about these creatures and even provided several buckets with examples of molluscs for us to examine and handle. after our tour, we had just enough time for a quick tour, we had just enough time for a quick walk toward the sea to have a look at the Kalongs before heading back to the white sands mall for a very welcome air-conditioned lunch. Many of us are planning to return with our families to explore more of Pasir Ris Park and to share what we learned about its unusual plants and animals.

Marina Barrage

Lynda Sellars and I are beginning to feel like we’re not very effective tour organisers. Before Christmas, Debbie Glenen led our tour for us because we were both back in Canada.  Then at the end of January, Lynda was in Laos. I was all set to lead the tour, but my husband had a nasty bicycle accident while we were on our CNY holiday and we had to stay on longer in Sumatra while he healed up enough to travel. Luckily, Lynda Rousseau downloaded some information and rallied the participants so the tour could go ahead without us.  It was a small group because so many people were away on holiday, but she tells me that the tour went very well.  They began with a stroll around Marina Barrage, admiring the architecture, the view of the city and some of the unique art works.  Then they met the guide who gave them an engaging tour of the Sustainable Singapore Gallery and talked about the Marina Barrage’s role in flood control, water supply and the lifestyle attraction of the Marina Basin.  The group finished up with a tasty lunch at the Verve restaurant at Marina Bay.  For those of us that missed this fun outing, free tours are available almost every day and information can be found on the Marina Barrage website.  Barring any last minute travel plans or accidents, Lynda and I are very much looking forward to seeing you at the next Out and About tour.

Reflections of Bukit Chandu

Our small but enthusiastic group met at Pasir  Panjang MRT station and then made our way up Pepys Rd to the museum. Reflections of Bukit Chandu is a World War II interpretive centre developed and managed by the National Archives of Singapore. The museum is housed in one of the few remaining bungalows which were built at the turn of the century for British officers.

We were heartily greeted by our guide, Vincent, a retired geography teacher. Immediately we were impressed by his knowledge of the history leading up to the Battle of Bukit Chandu and his enthusiasm for our questions and discussion.

The Battle of Bukit Chandu took place just two days before the surrender of Singapore on February 15, 1942. Malay Regiment soldiers, led by British Commanders were forced to retreat to this hill and engaged in fierce battle for 48 hours. When their ammunition gave out, they resorted to hand to hand combat to try and defend the hill. The museum is a fascinating interpretive centre which brings to life the horrors of war in Singapore at that time.

We thanked Vincent and walked back to Pasir Panjang Rd to E-Sarn, Thai Cuisine, where we enjoyed an authentic Thai lunch and more lively discussion about our tour. We all agreed that we would like to learn more about that period of Singapore’s history. One historical fiction novel, which chronicles the events leading up to and including the war in Singapore, is Tanamera by Noel Barber. After lunch we went our separate ways, all anticipating the next CAS Out & About in Singapore Tour.

/ Deb Glenen

Singapore City Gallery and Neighbourhood Tour

Text and photos by + Dolores Parker

This is such a rich area of Singapore that our main problem was deciding what to leave out of our tour.  Last Spring’s exploration of Tanjong Pagar focussed on different highlights and there are still at least two more tours worth of interesting sights...

Our first stop this time was the little known Seng Wong Beo Taoist Temple on Peck Seah St.   This is where some traditional Taoists still perform “ghost marriages”.  Paper effigies of deceased family members are married to ensure higher status and the ability to receive offerings in the afterlife.  We watched quietly as an old lady and a priest chanted before an alter with offerings and effigies.

Next, we walked past some lovely shophouses with their spiraling fire escapes.  We also stopped to look at the Samui women sculptures on our way to the Singapore City Gallery in the URA building.  There was an informative display of the plans for the railway corridor lands on the main floor.  The scale models of Singapore were fascinating to look at and we enjoyed the sound and light show.  The recent renovation of the gallery added quite a lot of interactive displays as well.

We ended with a quick look at the Maxwell hawker centre as well as the Jinricksha station.   We were glad we didn’t try to pack any more into this tour because about two minutes after settling down for lunch the skies opened up and the Singapore rain poured down.

THE PERANAKAN TRAIL OUT & ABOUT TOUR

Text and photos by Dolores Parker

This was a wonderful tour to kick off a new season.  We were fortunate to have Irene Boey and her colleagues from Far East Organization sponsor this tour, beginning with a lovely breakfast at the Orchard Scotts condominiums and a tour of the impressive grounds and show flats.

Once aboard the tour bus we were introduced to the Peranakan culture enroute to the Peranakan Museum.  Our guide, Agnes, showed us the highlights of the beautiful museum and explained Peranakan customs as we admired the distinctive beadwork and pottery.  Many of us have plans to go back and spend more time there. 

Our next stop was the Kim Choo Kueh Chang shop on East Coast Rd, where we had tea and Nonya snacks.  We watched a dumpling making demonstration and Joy tried her hand at making one.   It’s harder than it looks!  Next we learned more about the unique beadwork and how to wear the sarongkebaya.  Our model, Sara, looked gorgeous.

We ended with a delicious lunch at the Kim Choo Kueh restaurant.  The only problem was that the tour ran over an hour!  Oh well, I suppose that can happen when you spend a fun morning with 30 old and new friends, mix in some good food and shopping, and explore another aspect of Singapore’s history. 

October Out and About Tour: Singapore City Gallery and Neighbourhood

Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Time: 9:30
Friends and visitors are welcome to join!
Tour fee: $0, Lunch: Under $25 per guest

With 10 thematic areas and more than 50 audiovisual and interactive exhibits spanning three floors totaling 2,400 square metres, the Singapore City Gallery offers an exciting, multi-sensory learning experience about Singapore’s planning journey. The Gallery has been recently renovated, so even if you have been there before, you’ll find new areas to explore and new things to learn about Singapore.

Some other points of interest in the area will be included such as the fascinating Seng Wong Beo Taoist temple, where “ghost weddings” are held, and the former Jinricksha station. We’ll finish off, as always, with lunch!

O&A Tours take place on the 4th Wednesday of the month, but as it is Deepavali holiday and CIS is on break the last two weeks of October, the tour is a couple of weeks earlier.

Contact: Lynda Sellars: lyndasellars@hotmail.com, with email subject: “October Out and About”.

Please advise names and mobile numbers of participants and if how many will be joining for lunch. Lynda will send detailed info a few days before the tour.

Looking forward to seeing you in October!
Dolores Parker and Lynda Sellars

Out & About In Singapore: 22 June, Morning Glory boat tour aboard the Cheng Ho, a Ming Dynasty imperial vessel Tour

Photos by Moonlake Lee

We had a picture perfect morning aboard the Ho Cheng, Chinese style junk.  Our lively group included six children as well as well as twelve youthful adults.  We took advantage of the pick up service from Orchard Road hotels, and were then escorted to the South Marina Pier.

Upon boarding we had plenty of room to roam the three levels of the ship.  With indoor air conditioning  and various decks to enjoy the breezy morning air, we were comfortable to wander.  The children enjoyed the space to play, yet were still in view of the adults.

The ship set out and we enjoyed the views of Singapore from the water.  The Marina Bay area and then the Central Business District are breathtaking!  We passed by the tankers and small islands.  The view of Sentosa is also captivating.  A couple of ladies aboard were able show us their condo on Sentosa and pointed out some of the new developments in the residential area.

Coffee, tea, and snacks were available on board as well as a bar offering more refreshments.  The highlight of cruise is the stop over at Kusu Island.  There are three Malay shrines and a Chinese temple as well as a turtle sanctuary.  The well developed island with beautiful garden setting, picnic areas, covered pagodas, and two lagoons make for perfect day trip.

For those who could not make this fun morning, I hope you will consider a fun cruise to entertain your family or visiting friends!

Robertson Quay Area

By Margaret Wallace / Photos by Sara Tanner & Isabel Jones

On May 25th, our “Out and About” tour was of the Robertson Quay area.  We met at the DeliFrance in UE Square Shopping Centre on Clemenceaux St.  UE Square was constructed to house United Engineers Ltd., one of Singapore’s pioneering listed companies which has played a prominent role since its creation in 1912.  This role is still visible today in many landmark projects, including the Supreme Court, Shangri-la Hotel and the Cavenagh Bridge.

After a short introduction to the morning’s program and the area of Robertson Quay our group of about 15 headed to the Hong San See Temple (meaning Temple on Phoenix Hill) on Mohammed Sultan road.  This Chinese temple in its current location was constructed starting in 1908 with materials imported from China and originally overlooked the sea.  In 1978 it was gazetted as a National Monument and following a major restoration project was granted the highest UNESCO award for excellence in heritage restoration, the Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2010.  We were very fortunate to have the temple’s manager and caretaker, Mr. Lim, provide a very in-depth tour, pointing out so many important aspects that we would never have understood without him.

Leaving the temple, we walked towards the Singapore River and on the way learned about some of the history of the river, including its commercial importance with its many go-downs (warehouses) and shops and how they were serviced by hundreds of bumboats.  We saw how some of the older buildings have now been converted to government and arts uses, e.g. the Singapore Repertory Theatre. 

We stopped to admire one of the most interesting pedestrian bridges across the river, the Alkaff Bridge.  Shaped like a Songkang it was named after a prominent Arab family, the Alkaffs, who were among the wealthiest in Singapore during the early 20th century.  The eye-catching bridge was repainted by Phillipine artist Pacita Abad, an artist in residence at the Tyler Print Institute, and her crew, using 52 different colours and more than 900 litres of paint in 2004.  Pacita envisioned the design and worked with the SIngapore government to obtain approvals to transfer her vision into a gift and legacy to the people of SIngapore.

This was a very suitable introduction to our next stop, the world-class Singapore Tyler Print Institute.  There we were very fortunate to have the services of not one but two wonderful docents from the Friends of the Museums guide program.  Our first young guide introduced us to and explained the current exhibition, David Hockney: Through the Eyes of the Artist.  A very interesting artist, his exhibition will be at the STPI until July 30th.   Our second docent took us to the learning wall which details the many processes which are used at the institute both to make paper and to produce the various types of prints they are renowned for.  Although we did not have the opportunity to actually tour the workshop area, many of us will return on our own for the tours which include the workshop offered each Saturday.

Enthused by all we had seen and learned, we sauntered over to the nearby Wine Connection for a lovely lunch to top off our morning.

Chinese Heritage Centre at Nanyang Technological University

By Isabel Jones  (Additional photos can be found on the CAS website)

A small, but keen group participated in our ‘Out and About’ tour on April 27th. We made the journey to the far west side of the island to Nanyang Technological University’s beautiful Yunnan garden campus to visit the Chinese Heritage Centre.

The Chinese Heritage Centre is housed in the former Nantah administration building and specialises in the study of Chinese communities outside China.  This 1950s building is now a National Monument and houses a library, a resource and research centre, and exhibitions. 

Our dynamic student guide gave us a good introduction to the history of the university through the exhibit ‘Nantah, a Pictorial History’. This university began as Nanyang University (Nantah) in 1955. It was started through private funding by the Chinese Community. Chinese language education was not supported by the British Colonial government so under the leadership of Tan Lark Sye the decision was made to found the first Chinese language university outside of China. Donations from the Chinese community from all walks of life, helped create the institution built on 523 acres of land donated by Singapore’s Hokkien Association on Upper Jurong Road.

In 1980 Nantah merged with the University of Singapore to become the National University of Singapore. It was sad for the Chinese community to see the university they founded disappear. Nanyang Technological Institute opened on the Nantah site and in 1991 it absorbed the National Institute of Education to become the current NTU.

Our guide also led us through the fascinating exhibit ‘Chinese More or Less’. Through pictures and artefacts, the theme of “Chineseness” and Chinese Identity is explored. It was interesting to see studio portraits of Chinese people in Canada in the early 1900’s and to ‘read’ what the subjects wanted to communicate about themselves in their photos. We learned a great deal about Chinese history and the issues of identity that come with being Chinese but not from China. A good discussion was had around photos of images of Chinese in western movies and the fact that for a time Chinese characters were not allowed to be played by actual Chinese people.

After the tour, we strolled through the lovely Yunnan garden. Within the garden are two national monuments: a memorial tablet from 1958 which honours the donors who contributed to making the university possible and a replica of the original entrance Nanyang Gateway Arch. Of course, lunch followed the tour. We had a varied Chinese meal at the modern Executive Cafe on campus.

Out & About In Singapore: Dairy Farm Nature Reserve

By Lynda Sellars / Photos by Moonlake Lee

On March 30, our “Out and About” tour was at The Dairy Farm Nature Reserve.  We met at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at the Rail Mall.  This row of converted shophouses on Upper Bukit Timah Road
has a variety of bars and restaurants as well as a Cold Storage grocery store.  Named because of the proximity of the rail line which links Singapore to Malaysia.

The 63 hectare park has walking and biking trails and borders on the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.   It was once Primary Forest, but much of forest is gone now with 400,000 people visiting Reserve each year and housing encroaching from the north.

We followed one of the trails through rolling terrain to view the Dairy Farm Quarry.  Originally the stones were used for building the causeway and betters stones were used for buildings in the city.  This quarry has been filled in after no longer being in use but the nearby Singapore Quarry is developing naturally into wet land rich in diversity.  It is now home to many insects, birds, and fish; some never seen before in this area.

We then continued on our walk to the Wallace Centre.  Wallace was a contemporary of Charles Darwin.  He had also came up with a theory of origin of species by natural selection.  His and Darwin’s theory of evolution were published at same time.  The two men differed over the years in details of their respective theories, but remained on friendly terms.

The Wallace Centre is a converted cow shed building.  We were able to cool off under the fans and read details of Wallace’s life and also information on the flora and fauna in reserve today.  What was originally jungle with tigers and other wild life have become extinct.  There are also videos to view in the beautiful interpretive centre.

On our walk, we enjoyed the serenity and beauty of the reserve with vast plant life, beautiful birds, and even spotted a monitor lizard.  Luckily for our group, we did not encounter the large cobra snake that Dolores and I spotted on a previous walk there.  Although we had a very warm and sunny morning, there was a pleasant breeze and the natural canopy of forest provided us with plenty of shade on our walk.

We returned to the Rail Mall for a lovely Thai lunch at Sweet, Salty & Spicy Restaurant.

OUT & ABOUT IN SINGAPORE: Kampong Glam

Text by Lianne Chilton 

Photos by Isabel Jones  (except for the photo of the drumming which is by Lianne Chilto) 

After a quick coffee and even quicker history lesson we headed off for our first stop in the Kampong Glam Historic District. Haji Lane was quiet and peaceful as most of the businesses do not open until later in the day. We were able to stroll down the middle of the lane and admire the shophouses and storefronts of the often one of a kind fashion boutiques and cafe/bars. We cut across Arab Street to Bussorah Street and wandered up the pedestrian mall. The Little Shophouse owners gave us a Peranakan beading demonstration and talked about their hand-crafted Peranakan slippers.  

In the Sultan Arts Village on Sultan Gate we were treated to a drumming demonstration by the owner of Tribal Arts.   I must say, some of the ladies showed promising talent as they beat out a rhythm on the drums with Sonny Wee.  Our final stop was a batik workshop with batik artist Imelda Sarkasi in a classroom at the Sultan Mosque.  We all tried our hand at batik painting and left with our signed masterpieces as a reminder of our morning.  Lunch was a delicious Malay buffet at Tepak Sireh Restaurant in the “Yellow Mansion” beside the site of the Malay Heritage Centre.  Moe, the restaurant manager, welcomed us warmly and gave us a brief history of the building as well as a tour of the upstairs throne room.  Who knew we were all queens at heart??