[Laksa on the left, and otak on the bottom]
[Deb, Uncle Soon, Steven, Uncle John, Aunty Fely and Grandpa]
dH
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Farewell Singapore
We will be leaving for the airport in about 45 mins but i wanted to share another picture with you of our dinner yesterday evening. We went to a neighbourhood that is famous for its Laksa, a seafood noodle soup dish that is spicy...yum! we also ordered some otak which is a fish paste sausage-like snack that is BBQ'd in a banana leaf. the last dish we had was called rojak, which is a malaysian salad like dish consisting of pineapple, chinese donut, turnip, and cucumber all tossed in a prawn flavour dressing, topped with peanuts. Uncle Soon was able to join us, as was family friend Steven. we are so thankful for our family here in Singapore and the hospitality and generosity extended to us :)
a couple more things...
we had a fantastic visit with Uncle Tom, Aunty Stella and cousin Celine yesterday evening. they invited us over for a home cooked meal and we enjoyed it over conversation and laughs. Uncle Tom is on my dad's side of the family, and i've really enjoyed getting to know the Lim side of my family better.
we've also enjoyed spending time with Uncle John and Grandpa, and our family caretaker, Aunty Fely. conversation usually take place over meals, and we'll enjoy another one tonight as we head out for some Laksa that Jeff also requested!
Jeff shared a little bit about our time with our cousin Carolyn and i thought i'd share a picture of us feasting at a Hawker Centre over an oyster omelette, some satay sticks (skewered meat) and a chili sting ray!
[Jon, Deb, Jeff eating dumplings]
i hear in the background that Jeff is watching Wheel Of Fortune. I did hear earlier, however, a Chinese soap opera. I'd like to leave you with this tune...this is the song that Jeff can't stop singing...well, he really only knows the beginning of the chorus that goes "wa meng ti, wa meng ti" but it's a start to his Mandarin, haha. it means "i ask heaven" in Mandarin.
my last note is to share with you how laundry is done in Singapore...it's a bit different because of the heat. the clothing dries quickly, so we usually hang it up. it's a bit scary at first as our flat is on the 11th floor of the building, but you get used to it after awhile. take a look:
[Step 1: reach outside the window and grab the metal rod]
[Step 2: hang your laundry and make sure you clip it or it might fly away! (i don't know how to rotate this image)]
[Step 3: lay the rod in the appropriate slot outside, and hope you don't drop the darn thing!]
dH
we've also enjoyed spending time with Uncle John and Grandpa, and our family caretaker, Aunty Fely. conversation usually take place over meals, and we'll enjoy another one tonight as we head out for some Laksa that Jeff also requested!
Jeff shared a little bit about our time with our cousin Carolyn and i thought i'd share a picture of us feasting at a Hawker Centre over an oyster omelette, some satay sticks (skewered meat) and a chili sting ray!
[food!]
[Deb, Jeff, Lina, Carolyn]
our trip would not have been complete without visiting my good friend Jon...for some of you, he's often referred to as "Jon in France". Jon and i met back in 2003 when we were both at SFU. He moved back home to France shortly after. Well, "Jon in France" has been in Singapore for the last couple of years, and will be returning back to the south of France in a couple of months. We were able to meet up twice with Jon where he treated us to Taiwanese dumplings. We also slept over at his place last night and we woke up to a crepe breakfast - what a guy! :)
[Jon, Deb, Jeff eating dumplings]
[Jeff and Jon swimming in his skyroof infinity pool]
i hear in the background that Jeff is watching Wheel Of Fortune. I did hear earlier, however, a Chinese soap opera. I'd like to leave you with this tune...this is the song that Jeff can't stop singing...well, he really only knows the beginning of the chorus that goes "wa meng ti, wa meng ti" but it's a start to his Mandarin, haha. it means "i ask heaven" in Mandarin.
my last note is to share with you how laundry is done in Singapore...it's a bit different because of the heat. the clothing dries quickly, so we usually hang it up. it's a bit scary at first as our flat is on the 11th floor of the building, but you get used to it after awhile. take a look:
[Step 1: reach outside the window and grab the metal rod]
[Step 2: hang your laundry and make sure you clip it or it might fly away! (i don't know how to rotate this image)]
[Step 3: lay the rod in the appropriate slot outside, and hope you don't drop the darn thing!]
dH
a step back in time
**we apologize but we forgot to bring our camera on this trip so i've used some links i found on google to help narrate our day**
Amidst the bustling concrete jungle of Singapore lies a natural wildlife sanctuary a mere 1 kilometre away (or less!) away called Pulau Ubin. Pulau means "island", and Ubin means "Granite" in Malay. Seeking some adventure, Jeff and I visited this island that has been described as "Singapore in the 1960s". We were trying to get a sense of just how large, or small, it really is and the best way we can describe it is that it is most likely the size of Stanley Park in Vancouver (about 10km in circumference)
To get there, we had to hop on a 10 minute bumboat ride from Changi Village Ferry Terminal (on the east side of the country) to the other side. The high-rise buildings, HDB flats, and shiny new cars faded behind us as we headed towards this island known for its preservation of mangrove forests and other wildlife native to what Singapore once was. We knew this was going to be an adventure.
We arrived and quickly oriented ourselves with a bicycle and a map. The local bike man told us to not go near the Police Cadet Training area as it was, "not so nice". Darrell, if you're reading this - did you do some of your training on Pulau Ubin?? That said, we knew where else on the island we could go and we set on for a visit to the Chek Jawa.
Chek Jawa is known for its seagrass coastal line. This furry ocean carpet is home to thousands of species, and is vital to the ecosystem. To my ignorance, i never really knew that seaweed served such an important purpose in the oceanic environment. The coastal trail connected us to a mangrove trail. Our first sighting of mangrove trees was as our bumboat was pulling in..a full sized tree stuck out of the ocean..the salty ocean! We saw more along this mangrove trail. These eery trees with long extended limbs resemble long legs that dive deep into the ocean to root itself. within the network of trees is yet another ecosphere of fish, crab, and other ocean critters. we saw a number of these things, and had no idea what they were until we read somewhere that it's known as "atap chee". Dad Lim, i remember this term from when i was a kid...what is it and did we get it from something that looked like this??
along the route, we saw a few Malay houses known as "kampong houses". They are built on stilts to withstand the surrounding water.
After a couple of hours of biking and walking around the island, we called it quits, mainly because we were sticky from head to toe. We treated ourselves to a couple of coconuts, sambal squid, and a noodle dish. within half an hour, we were back to the mainland hopping on a air-conditioned bus headed back for a shower and a rest.
but wait - Jeff was craving mangosteen! he had tried it before during Chinese New Year's at my parents' and he really liked it. so we hoped that a market nearby would have some and they did. we bought some mangosteen, jackfruit, and mangos to share with the family. for those of you who are unfamiliar with what a mangosteen is, it is a fruit. the outside is a firm, shell-like layer, with the inside of the fruit resembling a clove of garlic. sounds strange but tastes delicious! it's got a flavour similar to a mango but more tangy, and i'd say it's like a berry mango if it's possible to say that.
dH
Amidst the bustling concrete jungle of Singapore lies a natural wildlife sanctuary a mere 1 kilometre away (or less!) away called Pulau Ubin. Pulau means "island", and Ubin means "Granite" in Malay. Seeking some adventure, Jeff and I visited this island that has been described as "Singapore in the 1960s". We were trying to get a sense of just how large, or small, it really is and the best way we can describe it is that it is most likely the size of Stanley Park in Vancouver (about 10km in circumference)
To get there, we had to hop on a 10 minute bumboat ride from Changi Village Ferry Terminal (on the east side of the country) to the other side. The high-rise buildings, HDB flats, and shiny new cars faded behind us as we headed towards this island known for its preservation of mangrove forests and other wildlife native to what Singapore once was. We knew this was going to be an adventure.
We arrived and quickly oriented ourselves with a bicycle and a map. The local bike man told us to not go near the Police Cadet Training area as it was, "not so nice". Darrell, if you're reading this - did you do some of your training on Pulau Ubin?? That said, we knew where else on the island we could go and we set on for a visit to the Chek Jawa.
Chek Jawa is known for its seagrass coastal line. This furry ocean carpet is home to thousands of species, and is vital to the ecosystem. To my ignorance, i never really knew that seaweed served such an important purpose in the oceanic environment. The coastal trail connected us to a mangrove trail. Our first sighting of mangrove trees was as our bumboat was pulling in..a full sized tree stuck out of the ocean..the salty ocean! We saw more along this mangrove trail. These eery trees with long extended limbs resemble long legs that dive deep into the ocean to root itself. within the network of trees is yet another ecosphere of fish, crab, and other ocean critters. we saw a number of these things, and had no idea what they were until we read somewhere that it's known as "atap chee". Dad Lim, i remember this term from when i was a kid...what is it and did we get it from something that looked like this??
along the route, we saw a few Malay houses known as "kampong houses". They are built on stilts to withstand the surrounding water.
After a couple of hours of biking and walking around the island, we called it quits, mainly because we were sticky from head to toe. We treated ourselves to a couple of coconuts, sambal squid, and a noodle dish. within half an hour, we were back to the mainland hopping on a air-conditioned bus headed back for a shower and a rest.
but wait - Jeff was craving mangosteen! he had tried it before during Chinese New Year's at my parents' and he really liked it. so we hoped that a market nearby would have some and they did. we bought some mangosteen, jackfruit, and mangos to share with the family. for those of you who are unfamiliar with what a mangosteen is, it is a fruit. the outside is a firm, shell-like layer, with the inside of the fruit resembling a clove of garlic. sounds strange but tastes delicious! it's got a flavour similar to a mango but more tangy, and i'd say it's like a berry mango if it's possible to say that.
dH
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Cultural Observations
Singapore is the most developed country in South East Asia. Because of this, there are some similarities to western culture, but after many conversations and experiences the differences are quite obvious as well.
Singaporeans love nothing more than eating and shopping. One person explained to us that "there is nothing else to do." While there could be some truth to this, there are also other reasons for these two favorite pastimes.
Eating is a very social experience. Home cooking is rare in Singapore because the price of food is quite reasonable at restaurants and Hawker Centers (the irony in the word is obvious... Hawker Centers are large food courts). People plan their meals weeks in advance in order to organize schedules with family and friends. Every day is a feast. The locals recognize that the dinner table is a great place for conversation. Since everyone needs to eat three times a day, they might as well eat together. Most of the time one person will pay for the whole meal. The recipients of the free meal occasionally joke about being "chiat-free's" (chiat means "eat"). When this is said quickly it sounds quite similar to "Jeffrey". Again there is irony in the word. Because we are guests in Singapore, our friends and relatives will not let us pay for meals and we continuously experience their generosity. We will try to host them well when they come to Vancouver.
Shopping is popular for a couple reasons. The malls have air conditioning, which is a refuge from the hot and humid tropical air. In addition to this, people are conditioned to be consumers in order to drive the economy. There was a campaign about the six C's: credit card, country club, car, and clothes. Singapore amazes visitors with its extravagance. All throughout the city there are fancy hotels and country clubs. There are two casinos, where foreigners get in for free, but locals have to pay $100 at the door (this builds the economy by bringing in foreign money and dissuading Singaporeans from losing their money). Almost all cars on the road look brand new, or five years old at most (cars cost twice to three times as much money in Singapore compared to Canada and taxes actually make it more expensive to own an old car than a new one).
It is strange that Singapore's economy is doing so well when it actually has no natural resources - no forests, no fresh water, no metals or minerals or precious stones, no oil, etc. However, we have been able to experience a little bit of nature in the midst of the concrete jungle. Our uncle Tom and his daughter Celine took us to the Botanic Garden, which somewhat reminded us of Stanley Park. It is quite manicured - every tree and bush is strategically placed - but it is quite beautiful.
[Jeff, Deb, Uncle Tom, Celine]
In the center of the gardens there is an orchid garden, which has hundreds of different species of orchids (these are hybrid cross-breeds). The colors and shapes of these flowers were stunning. The orchid is actually Singapore's national flower. We also enjoyed some walks along the sandy beach. Speaking of sand, Singapore expands its landmass with "reclaimed land" by dumping sand (taken from Malaysia) into the ocean. Perhaps someday they will reclaim so much land that they connect with another nearby island.
Family is very important to Singaporeans. Most children will stay at home well into their adult years and that is seen as a positive thing. The parents will do everything they can to give their children a good life and to get them educated. Since there is a lot of competition for University, some families will move away for the sake of their children's future. This was the case for Debbie as well as much of her extended family. Senior's homes are rare in Singapore because the elderly tend to live with their children. The government supports this financially.
Housing costs are quite high in Singapore, but there is an abundance of government subsidized HDB flats available, which are simple basic apartments that all look the same. If you get lost in Singapore near an HDB development, it would be nearly impossible to find your way.
Cleanliness is strictly enforced in Singapore. Chewing gum is illegal and there is harsh punishment for littering. The MRT (similar to Vancouver's skytrain) stations and trains are good examples of how clean Singapore is. They look brand new even though some of the lines first opened in the '80s.
Religion in Singapore is a mixed bag. Many people are practicing Buddhism or Taoism. There is also a strong Catholic population, while some people are caught in syncretism (picking and choosing certain elements of the different religions). The Christian church in Singapore is also diverse. Some churches are preaching a prosperity gospel, while others are truly seeking to live out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). We had the opportunity to attend a worship gathering at cousin Carolyn's church. The people there were very friendly and welcoming. There was plenty of participation in the congregation as we had time to share what we were thankful for, pray together, greet one another, and respond after the sermon. We chatted with some people about local and international missions. Reaching out to the poor and oppressed in Singapore may be difficult because they are often hidden. Some issues that are concerning us are the treatment of foreign workers/maids/nannies, homelessness (which we haven't seen), prostitution, as well as the lack of environmental responsibility (such as a basic recycling program). There is a lot to pray about and plenty of work for the local church to do.
-Jeff
Singaporeans love nothing more than eating and shopping. One person explained to us that "there is nothing else to do." While there could be some truth to this, there are also other reasons for these two favorite pastimes.
Eating is a very social experience. Home cooking is rare in Singapore because the price of food is quite reasonable at restaurants and Hawker Centers (the irony in the word is obvious... Hawker Centers are large food courts). People plan their meals weeks in advance in order to organize schedules with family and friends. Every day is a feast. The locals recognize that the dinner table is a great place for conversation. Since everyone needs to eat three times a day, they might as well eat together. Most of the time one person will pay for the whole meal. The recipients of the free meal occasionally joke about being "chiat-free's" (chiat means "eat"). When this is said quickly it sounds quite similar to "Jeffrey". Again there is irony in the word. Because we are guests in Singapore, our friends and relatives will not let us pay for meals and we continuously experience their generosity. We will try to host them well when they come to Vancouver.
Shopping is popular for a couple reasons. The malls have air conditioning, which is a refuge from the hot and humid tropical air. In addition to this, people are conditioned to be consumers in order to drive the economy. There was a campaign about the six C's: credit card, country club, car, and clothes. Singapore amazes visitors with its extravagance. All throughout the city there are fancy hotels and country clubs. There are two casinos, where foreigners get in for free, but locals have to pay $100 at the door (this builds the economy by bringing in foreign money and dissuading Singaporeans from losing their money). Almost all cars on the road look brand new, or five years old at most (cars cost twice to three times as much money in Singapore compared to Canada and taxes actually make it more expensive to own an old car than a new one).
It is strange that Singapore's economy is doing so well when it actually has no natural resources - no forests, no fresh water, no metals or minerals or precious stones, no oil, etc. However, we have been able to experience a little bit of nature in the midst of the concrete jungle. Our uncle Tom and his daughter Celine took us to the Botanic Garden, which somewhat reminded us of Stanley Park. It is quite manicured - every tree and bush is strategically placed - but it is quite beautiful.
[Jeff, Deb, Uncle Tom, Celine]
In the center of the gardens there is an orchid garden, which has hundreds of different species of orchids (these are hybrid cross-breeds). The colors and shapes of these flowers were stunning. The orchid is actually Singapore's national flower. We also enjoyed some walks along the sandy beach. Speaking of sand, Singapore expands its landmass with "reclaimed land" by dumping sand (taken from Malaysia) into the ocean. Perhaps someday they will reclaim so much land that they connect with another nearby island.
Family is very important to Singaporeans. Most children will stay at home well into their adult years and that is seen as a positive thing. The parents will do everything they can to give their children a good life and to get them educated. Since there is a lot of competition for University, some families will move away for the sake of their children's future. This was the case for Debbie as well as much of her extended family. Senior's homes are rare in Singapore because the elderly tend to live with their children. The government supports this financially.
Housing costs are quite high in Singapore, but there is an abundance of government subsidized HDB flats available, which are simple basic apartments that all look the same. If you get lost in Singapore near an HDB development, it would be nearly impossible to find your way.
Cleanliness is strictly enforced in Singapore. Chewing gum is illegal and there is harsh punishment for littering. The MRT (similar to Vancouver's skytrain) stations and trains are good examples of how clean Singapore is. They look brand new even though some of the lines first opened in the '80s.
Religion in Singapore is a mixed bag. Many people are practicing Buddhism or Taoism. There is also a strong Catholic population, while some people are caught in syncretism (picking and choosing certain elements of the different religions). The Christian church in Singapore is also diverse. Some churches are preaching a prosperity gospel, while others are truly seeking to live out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). We had the opportunity to attend a worship gathering at cousin Carolyn's church. The people there were very friendly and welcoming. There was plenty of participation in the congregation as we had time to share what we were thankful for, pray together, greet one another, and respond after the sermon. We chatted with some people about local and international missions. Reaching out to the poor and oppressed in Singapore may be difficult because they are often hidden. Some issues that are concerning us are the treatment of foreign workers/maids/nannies, homelessness (which we haven't seen), prostitution, as well as the lack of environmental responsibility (such as a basic recycling program). There is a lot to pray about and plenty of work for the local church to do.
-Jeff
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