Mr. Sanguine's Home

The Overland Track in Tasmania

2009-02-17T19:50:00.003+08:00

Looking for a holiday with a difference, Mrs S and I finally planned a long overdue hiking vacation this month. We set off on a wonderful journey of discovery in the Tasmanian wilderness where we traversed along The Overland Track. Joining a guided group track operated by Tarkine Trails, we set off on an eight day adventure which saw us walking in an alpine plateau, crossing mountain ridges and gorges, skirting tarns and wild moorlands, and meandering (toiling) through alpine rain forests. Located within the Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park, it is one of the most glaciated areas in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area. The shot above was taken from the top of the compost toilet at the New Pelion Hut after my morning ritual.

Mrs S contributed this picture taken at the Labyrinth (this link includes some other spectacular pictures of this desolate lake).

Pausing for a quick breather on our way to the Windermere Hut.

View of the large field in front of the helipad at the Pine Valley Hut.

Relaxing after a long day of walking on the helipad at the New Pelion Hut.

Taking a quick dip in the cold waters of Lake Windermere.

Enjoying a hot cuppa. Tea featured a lot in our time in the Tasmanian wilderness, a sugary cup of mint tea really got me going in the frigid mornings.

Giving a hand in stretching out those achy muscles after a tiring day of bushwalking.

Mrs S's laundry line at Windermere Hut.

Probably a lot more appetizing than it looks, our first dinner of fresh vegetables and rice noodles at Waterfall Valley. Our guides spared no effort in making sure we got hot fresh meals at all times, which explained why our food bags were always so heavy. So if you are ever looking for a trekking operator which provides great meals, please surf on over to Tarkine Trails.

Making nori rolls in preparation for the ascent to the Labyrinth. They were loaded with wasabi, which certainly helped with the climb.

Our trip ended on the shores of Lake St Clair where the group spent an idyllic time relaxing on the jetty and skipping stones on the still waters of the cold lake. The lake is also the deepest in Australia, bottoming out at 200m.

All in all, a wonderful trip which allowed us to connect with our holiday destination on a very different level. The pack weight took a bit of getting used to, since we were carrying our food, water, tents, sleeping bags and personal supplies on our backs. I did manage to shed 2kg, though it would take a couple more trips to bring my weight down to a sensible level.

Being in the outdoors, especially one as grand as the Tasmanian wilderness, has etched a lasting memory. I found myself continually inspired by the surroundings whilst enjoying a quiet solace which I haven't experienced in a long while. We were fortunate to have a great group of people with us, who arrived as strangers to each other but left as friends. That made the experience so much more rewarding and enjoyable as everyone brought a kaleidoscope of different backgrounds and humor along. I won't be surprised if we returned for another trip in a different part of Tasmania. The 80kms or so we hiked only revealed a fraction of what the island state had to offer and there is just so much more to see.

Aviation Photos 7

2008-11-10T14:16:00.002+08:00

Continued from Aviation Photos 6.

While I've taken quite a back seat to photographing airplanes these days, there are still a couple of images of these metal birds which I'd like to share.

No, I wasn't flying in formation with a B-2 Spirit when this was taken. This is a scale model close to Lockheed's famed Skunk Works where it spends its days as a gate guardian.

I've always liked this livery of Air Tahiti Nui. It kinds of transports me to an idyllic desert island setting whenever I set my eyes on it.

This little unusual airplane is the Northrop N9M Flying Wing. The only one of its kind left in the world, it first flew as a developmental aircraft in Northrop B-35 program. I was quite fortunate to see this airplane in flight as shortly after this picture was taken, the aircraft suffered an in-flight fire and has not flown again since.

This is probably the last image of my aviation series of photos. My interest in aviation photography has waned over the last few years and I hardly have any new material on this topic. So I guess it's apt that this one is flying off into a golden sunset.

Lunch's Over

2008-11-06T22:47:00.004+08:00

The long break has been great, but it's time to get off my ass and to start posting again.

The past year and a bit has been a strange blur, dealing with the major renovation project of my new home and doing quite a bit of soul searching in the midst of yelling at contractors whilst enduring nosebleed after nosebleed. If you ever want to shorten your life span by a couple of years, try building yourself a new house.

My camera equipment survived the transition but I'm not quite sure if I still remember how to use most of it. I actually found myself referring to my camera manual a couple of days ago when I decided to reach for the sorely neglected Canon.

Wife has been a great source of encouragement (or nagging, depending how you see it) in getting me off my lazy butt and to start doing something with photography again. I'm seeing the little beginnings of some ideas which have been floating around in my head, of course seeing them through to fruition is another matter altogether. Nonetheless, I find myself thinking a little bit more seriously about executing these ideas.

So, please watch this space.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, that's my lunch for today. Tweaked the recipe some to suit my taste but the original can be found here.

Walkabout in Serangoon Road

2007-03-30T00:16:00.001+08:00

It's been a bit since my last walkabout in Joo Chiat so I packed the Widelux and Ricoh for a spot of shooting. I haven't walked the Indian enclave of Serangoon Road with my camera before so a trip to Little India seemed appealing. Below are a couple of frames from the 3 rolls I shot, I'll let the pictures do the talking. Enjoy!

MV Doulos - Part 2

2007-03-16T00:03:00.000+08:00

This is a continuation from Part 1 of my recent trip on the MV Doulos.

Although the Doulos has seen many modifications throughout its long history, much of the work on board is still done manually. Here the deckhands stow the lines in preparation for the departure from Manila.

Safety drills are practiced regularly, while at sea and in port. The lifeboat crew is seen here preparing to lower a lifeboat in a man overboard scenario whilst underway to Cebu.

Approaching the main harbor of Cebu, a pilot boat approaches to board a local pilot to help guide the bridge crew of the Doulos steer the large ship into the confines of the harbor.

Volunteers are eased into shipboard life through their family groups. Older crew members act as surrogate parents to a group of volunteers. These groups meet weekly for prayer and social interaction.

The volunteers on board aren't just young adults, there are several whole families on board, some with young charges.

A schooling program is available on board, as well as recreational facilities catering to the kids.

I learnt to look forward to the freshly baked loaves of bread emerging from the bakery every morning. They really stood out from the simple fare found on board.

Dr. Carter attending to one of his many patients for the day. The ship had been without a dentist for the last several months and the recent arrival of Dr. Carter was a welcomed one as the list of dental cases started piling up. Dr. Carter also provides dental care in the land missions where teams are sent to remote areas where medical services are sorely lacking.

A glimpse into the world's largest floating bookstore. This is a typical public crowd which can be found on the Doulos on any given day in port.

Visitors, both young and old, browse through the many selections available on board.

Not quite your regular Borders, but there are unused shelves to rest yourself on for a quick browse.

On a typical land mission, a team of volunteers helps build a day care center for a village in Cebu.

Everyone on board is involved in the ministry side of things. Captain MacDonald leads a group of Manila volunteers in a quayside ministry session.

It was but a short stay on board the Doulos for me but the trip left me with deep impressions of the sacrifices many of the volunteers made to spend time away from their homes and families. It was just incredible to hear the many wonderful testimonies from young christians who have made a decision to devote their lives to mission work or just came on board to discover more about themselves.

Thermal imaging

2007-02-12T20:32:00.000+08:00

Watch what the thermal sensors at this airport catch on tape.

MV Doulos - Part 1

2007-02-05T22:32:00.000+08:00

Back in 1978 when I was a kid attending Sunday school, my favorite teacher left to start her new life as a missionary on board the MV Logos. The ship sailed around the world serving as a floating bookstore which brought literature and the Good News to the global community. I remember being excited at hearing the news that she would be spending up to 2 years on board the Logos. The notion of leading a seafaring life visiting ports around the world really appealed to this 8 year old, and I secretly made a decision to do the same one day.

Well, it's 29 years later and I've yet to give up my secular life to become a sailing missionary, but I did get to live out part of that dream 2 weeks ago when I hooked up with the sister ship of the Logos, the MV Doulos (Servant in Greek). It would have been great to visit the Logos but unfortunately, she ran aground off the coast of Argentina during a storm in January 1988.

The Doulos is currently the oldest ocean-going passenger liner in the world. She was built 2 years after the Titanic, which makes this grand dame 93 years old. She started life as the SS Medina in 1914 and has gone through a number of refits and name changes (you can read more about its interesting history here). In 1977, the ship was purchased by a German organisation Gute Bücher für alIe or Good books for All and renamed the Doulos; then, it joined its sister ship Logos bringing books to all corners of the world.

The ship is unique, not only for its mission, but it is crewed entirely by volunteers who come from all over and from all walks of life. During my time on board, there were about 320 crew members hailing from over 50 different countries. They spend up to 2 years on board though there were a number who have stretched their time to almost 4 years. The volunteers often come on board with little in common apart from their wish to do good works and their Christian backgrounds. When I say everyone is a volunteer, I mean everyone from the Chief Engineer to the Captain. Coordination and training of the volunteers is through OM International, with local coordination provided through OM Singapore.

I joined the Doulos while she was in the Philippines the afternoon before she was due to leave the port of Manila for Cebu. It had been a successful month-long stay in Manila with over 20,000 visitors to the book exhibition during the last weekend she was in port. There was a buzz of activity as the deckhands went about loading the ship, these vans travel with the ship and are used for transportation in and out of the port area.

There are departments handling various tasks to keep the ship going, and one may be assigned to the galley, engine room, welding shop, ministry offices etc... the list goes on. Every single person among the 300-odd crew members contributes to the smooth running of the ship. Here the deckhands have a timeout from loading the ship.

Pushing off from the berth in Manila during a sunset departure for Cebu.

Getting a helping hand from a tugboat. The Doulos is devoid of any thrusters which help modern ships manoeuver in the confines of a port and needs a push or pull in the right direction to get it going.

A member of the bridge crew keeping a lookout during our 2-day voyage to Cebu. Many of the volunteers who come on board have no prior experience of sailing on a ship, let alone operating one of this size. Most learn quickly on the job and pick up new skills along the way.

Preparing hot dogs for our first lunch at sea, this former lawyer from the Netherlands is 5 months into his 2-year stint on the Doulos.

Kim Chye was one of the Singaporeans I met on my week-long stay on the Doulos. The former caretaker had come on board with his wife and is almost coming to the end of his time on the ship. He has been engaged in full time ministry work for almost 10 years and finally convinced his wife to join him in the missions field when they came on board the Doulos in 2005.

With his past experience working as a welder in a shipyard, he was a natural choice to run the welding shop on the Doulos.

The welding shop produces metal parts and provides repairs that are required throughout the ship.

I spent quite a bit of time with Kim Chye during my short stay, not only because of his general hospitality, but also because of the continuous stream of great food which he and his wife often turned out from their tiny galley. Here everyone is cramped into their cabin for a popiah party. Everything was home made, down to the skin used to wrap the springrolls in. David, a retired dentist from the US, and his wife Nancy join other Asian volunteers to get their first taste of this local delicacy.

Stay tuned for the rest of the images from my Doulos trip. There are plenty more pictures of the vessel and her activities, enough for 2 or 3 more posts, I'd like to share.

Part 2 of my visit to the Doulos may be found here.

Cowboys & Aliens

2007-01-21T16:41:00.000+08:00

Some very long overdue snaps from a pre New Year's Eve costume party. Cowboys & Aliens was the theme and I was glad most who came made the effort to be in costume.

Interesting use of a baby bib from Ikea.

One of the few DIY costumes of the night, a crazed cardboard robot with a carrot stick for a nose/mouth.

Ling, protector of the Blue Planet.

Isn't that the prettiest gaylien you've seen today?

Another baby bib alien on the prowl.

Mars, the Red Planet and Toxic Avenger sidekick.

Our Tequila mama.

Chinese dudes do not look good in cowboy hats.

That's a lobster suit in case you're wondering.

Didn't know the Silver Convention was back in town.

Tequila mama, hard at work dispensing her awful concoction.

Almost lost her hair there.

Call me... yeah right.

Wouldn't want to wake up next to this one in the morning.

Cross species erotica in full swing.

Has it been a year?

2006-12-31T19:45:00.000+08:00

What a year it's been. Never quite knew where that initial foray into the blogosphere exactly one year ago would lead me but it's turned out to be one incredible journey of self discovery, forging new friendships and refining my creative juices.

A special word of thanks to you, my readers, for sharing this trip with me. I especially look forward to the comments which come my way through comments left on the blog or via email. You have no idea how every little word of encouragement keeps me going. The coming year holds the promise of new and exciting projects which I hope would eventually end up here.

Birthday wishes to this simple blog of mine and a very happy new year to each and every one of you who make the stop here at Mr Sanguine's Home. Be well...

Christmas lunch

2006-12-26T17:48:00.000+08:00

I know the posts have been a little scarce of late over here at mrsanguine.com but it's been an eventful couple of weeks with work and Mrs Sanguine's broken finger on my mind. Things have finally begun to settle down after the Christmas feeding frenzy and I thought it was high time I got back into the photography game. A couple of new projects lined up for the coming year but we'll start with a simple series of shots from my Christmas lunch.

In my line of work, it's a wonder whenever I get time off during any of the holidays. It was a real stroke of luck I managed to spend Christmas Day back at home this year. My good pals M and D opened up their home, cooked up this great huge feast and invited us freeloaders over for a lazy afternoon of grazing on many treats.

Chicken, duck, sausages, salads, ribs... the list was seemingly endless.

Not to make light of the main courses that were served, but we were certainly spoilt for choice when it came to the desserts. I counted 7 cakes, possibly more, that were brought out one after the other. This gorgeous fruit cake by D's mom took the cake (oops!). Lovingly made over 2 weeks ago, it's been bathed regularly with generous helpings of highly intoxicating brandy over the fortnight it sat in the refridgerator. I had a mild high after my second piece. Guess who ended up carting a third of the unfinished cake home? ;)

Not to be outdone was this equally delicious carrot cake, also by D's mom. Moist yet firm, like how every piece of carrot cake I've had this year have failed to be.

Nothing like hanging around a kitchen table stacked full of food.

Topped everything off with a generous serving of Gula melaka flavored ice cream from The Ice Cream Gallery. Good stuff.

Geri's Paintings

2006-12-03T14:50:00.000+08:00

My pal Geri has been working at her paintings for the last couple of years and it's great to see how her works have evolved over time. Was down at her place taking some shots for her portfolio so I thought I'd share some of them here.

Off off Broadway - A Christmas at Eton House

2006-11-28T17:45:00.000+08:00

The kids at Eton House were putting on a Christmas musical. Here's a behind the scenes look during the full rehersal a couple of days before the big production opened.

Applying makeup to more than 120 young talents was no easy task for the teachers, and not a quiet one either.

Getting ready for her teenage years.

Looking quite a few years beyond his five after missing a shave.

Not missing a day of preschool while waiting for the rehersal to begin.

This little one couldn't help showing off her new pink costume whenever the camera was trained on her.

Looking like a nomadic tribe, the young shepherds prepare to take to the stage.

A sudden case of backstage jitters.

View from stage left.

The lively choir doing its thing.

An attentive audience during the second act.

All in all, an impressive production considering the young ages of the kids involved. A professional stage lighting and sound crew added to the polished touch and not one line was forgotten by any of the talents.

Down under with U2

2006-11-23T22:22:00.000+08:00

If you ever look at my iPod play chart at the bottom of the sidebar, you'd quite often find U2 amongst the playlist. I've been a fan for as long as I can remember and when the opportunity to catch them on their Vertigo tour Down Under came up, I jumped on it immediately. Made a short holiday out of it, Adelaide isn't a place one can spend too much time in. The crowd was surprisingly tame, perhaps due to the fact that quite a number of people around us were strung out on weed. The puff of smoke you see in the image is probably someone blowing out a cloud of happy smoke.

Kanye West was the opening act which we were fortunate enough to miss due to the rather late arrival of my cousin who was holding our tickets. Apparently we didn't miss much, guess I'm just not into the hip hop, r & b, whatever he was playing.

A RAAF P-3C Orion graced the occasion with an impromptu fly by. The aviation buff in me had to take a snap of it though the compact camera I was restricted to using did not really do it justice. I think only myself and 10 others in the crowd of 60,000 noticed when it started flashing its landing lights when directly overhead. This concert was a historic event for Adelaide, apparently it's the largest ever held in South Australia.

The cascading backdrop which dominated the stage was approximately 100 feet high and about 120 feet wide. The 12,000 individual LED spheres reproduce moving images and were a sight to behold, especially when up close, it could literally turn any venue into a city of blinding lights.

I'm not exactly a regular concert goer, my last rock concert I attended was Richard Marx (that was a strange time in my life, don't ask) at the National Stadium back in the 1980s! Was a little apprehensive about our choice of tickets but it worked out pretty good in the end. We had opted for the general admission tickets which let us stand anywhere in the field of the stadium and we ended up only about 50 feet or so from the extended stage, not bad for getting in after the concert started! Here's Bono and The Edge doing their thing.

I thought the Coexist logo was cleverly done, let's see if peace ambassador Bono gets anywhere with it. Interestingly enough, there's some controversy surrounding the use of the symbol.

Like I mentioned earlier, I could only sneak in a compact camera which I had purchased specially for the trip. I wasn't real familiar with the use of it but decided to go ahead and do some short video clips with it. I honestly didn't have any high expectations of the results but was pleasantly surprised when I reviewed the clips. Anyways, this is a short compilation of my experience at the show, please excuse the shaky hands, unlevel horizon and freaky panning, I'm no James Cameron. I spent about 2 hours editing it so the least you could do is hit the play button! Mrs Sanguine can be heard mouthing off the words to With or Without You, the last segment of the clip. I think the new beat the band played destroyed what is probably my favorite U2 song. Enjoy...

In flight entertainment

2006-11-18T20:53:00.000+08:00

Back from vacation but still Powermacless. My eyes kept getting drawn to the follicly challenged head in front of me while on the flight back this afternoon, especially when Homer came on. Love the pause button on Krisworld.

What the?

2006-11-11T08:35:00.000+08:00

I figured if I can't put up more of my own pics for the time being, I might as well plug some others in. I've visited Cambodia and Vietnam before, and I've always tried to look out for the incredible wares that are often loaded up onto the motorcycles. Below is a collection of shots that I wish were mine, they offer glimpse into the ingenious methods used which border on incredulous. I've taken the liberty of giving them titles.

Hoola hoops

3 dozen little piggies went to the market(This one is my personal favorite, especially the little fella at the bottom, straightly strung out with its nose looking like another exhaust pipe!)

Stretched limo

Gate crashing

Warning: Objects in the rear view mirror are dumber than they appear

Break-me-not

Anyone need a spare?

Fowl mobile

Pipe dreams

Basket case

Strict vegetarian

Cool operator

Intestines

Sad Mac

2006-11-10T15:39:00.000+08:00

They don't make Macs the way they used to. Had to cart my Powermac off to the tech shop this morning after it started developing strange symptons about 3 weeks back and began to behave much like a PC, ie refusing to boot up, applications hanging all the time, cooling fan running full blast for no apparent reason etc... It looked so sad lying on its side in the back of the car when I brought it to the service center, much like a corpse in a hearse. Hope they are able to revive it... all this happened after I've had the machine for only 6 months.

This brings me to the point of this entry. The dearth of posts of late has been a direct consequence of my beloved Powermac dying a sudden death on me, all my image archives are contained within it and it's my main editing platform. I'm like an artist without his palatte at the moment, working on my images on the powerbook just isn't the same. Thanks to the concerned readers who emailed me about this but really, it's not for the lack of blog fodder but Mr Sanguine's Home is experiencing technical difficulties at this time. I'm off on a short vacation next week so hopefully the folks at the club21iShop will do a good job of fixing it by the time I get back.

Cityscooped!

2006-11-07T15:17:00.000+08:00

It's seldom that I get psyched up by a new book launch but the second edition of Cityscoops really got me all excited anticipating its release. An experience guide with a difference, reviews are all 100% natural, no reviewer was paid and no animals were harmed in the production of this book. Its pages include a collection of all things eclectic in Singapore, as well as the hip and happening side, there's something for everyone. It's got a great collection of vibrant pictures shot by 5 photographers in differing styles. Available at major bookstores and also direct from the publishers (take note if you're overseas!).

Hospice care in Singapore

2006-10-23T13:50:00.000+08:00

The Assisi Home and Hospice is situated within the grounds of Mount Alvernia Hospital, off Thomson Road. You'll be forgiven if you've missed the hospital completely as it is built atop a small hill and mostly hidden from view from the main road.

The restricted visibility of the hospital and the Assisi Home somewhat reflects the state of awareness towards hospice palliative care in Singapore. A recent survery showed that hardly a third of the local population were aware of the existence of hospice care even though about 70% of patients suffering from terminal illnesses are dying without undergoing hospice palliative care in Singapore.

Organizations like the Singapore Hospice Council aim to promote awareness and synergy amongst the various hospice resources in Singapore. The council seeks to coordinate hospice activities and enhance the level of hospice care through the establishment of training programs to provide healthcare workers, volunteers and doctors with the necessary skills to work effectively with patients.

So, what is hospice care? The mission statement of of the Assisi Home captures the essence of it through a simple definiton, "to maximise patients’ quality of life, right up to their natural end". The home admits patients in one of three categories.

Respite care
To give home care givers an opportunity rest and recover, these patients are admitted temporarily.

Sympton relief
Patients suffering from pain and stress are admitted under this category. When relieved of their symptons, these patients are discharged.

Terminal care
End of life patients are admitted when it is deemed that they have about 3 months of life expectancy remaining. The majority of warded patients at the Assisi Hospice fall into this category.

My visit to the Assisi Home began with a glimpse of life in the wards. Doctors and counselling staff make their rounds in the morning, checking up on patients and determining the course of treatment for the day. Here, a counseller speaks to a patient regarding the progress of her illness.

Statistically, 30% of admitted patients end up being discharged, the remainder will live out their last days within the confines of the hospice.

In recent years, there have been a greater number of children stricken with cancer and to address that need, a children's centre was set up in the Assisi Home. The centre caters to children between the ages of 4 to 15 and provides a number of activities to support the needs of these young cancer patients and those who are in remission.

Such children are confined to their homes while recovering from their illness and oftentimes miss out on a lot of schoolwork. The centre runs several educational programmes to help the children catch up with missed lessons and to also help them with the transition of returning to their schools.

It's not all work and no fun for the kids, a multi-sensory room equipped with various activities provide the fun factor for the children.

A day care centre for adults operate from Mondays to Fridays. It runs several programmes catering to the needs of adult patients which include recreational therapy, emotional and psychological support and, pastoral care amongst several others.

I experienced several poignant moments during home visits where I accompanied Home Care nurses on their rounds to patients located all over Singapore. Some patients choose to remain in their homes where the surroundings are familiar and their families closeby as they live out their last days.

Home Care nurses tend to interact with their charges on a more personal and informal level, and operate almost independently. There were several occasions where the nurses had to determine the best course of action on their own when faced with a difficult situation with a patient. It's no wonder that only the more experienced nurses are trained to be Home Care nurses.

A typical check up includes recording of blood pressure. This old gentleman of 94 years kept recounting the time he learnt of the Assisi home and could not stop singing praises about his Home Care nurse.

One of the more distressing cases I experienced was this severely handicapped girl who was hardly a meter tall, she did not look a day over 10 but her actual age was 17. A Home Care nurse changes her head bandage before arranging for admission to a hospital to treat her infected sores.

Treated to a display of the family album during a home care visit.

The most touching moment of my time spent working on this project occurred at the Tampines home of this old lady as she lay in bed dying of cancer. Her fear of passing on commonly reflects the emotions felt by many other end of life patients. She reminded me of the basic need to have family and loved ones around when the time comes to move on, no one ever wants to die alone.

If you feel moved to want to do something more, there are many volunteer opportunities at the Assisi Hospice as well as the other hospice agencies in Singapore. A good place to start would be the Singapore Hospice Council where one can get an idea of what hospice care is all about and who to refer to regarding queries on hospice services and volunteer opportunities.

Uniquely Singaporean 3

2006-10-14T08:24:00.000+08:00

Seeing this contraption along East Coast Park reminded me of the many motorized bicycles which were recently the rage with aspiring motorcycle enthusiasts who could not afford a motorcycle. Funny how they all seemed to fall into a certain demographic – older men (perhaps reliving their youth).

These illegally motorised bikes are often decked out with tacky modifications... car-like spoilers, hi-fi systems, flashing lights, flags etc. It was a relief when the local authorities declared them illegal on the roads – along with their bike kits came an alarming Hellrider bravado making them a menace to real motorists.

This specimen was different though. I'd have thought a motor would lie under all his gizmos, but it seemed to be pure leg work powering the bike. With the prices of cars in Singapore, it's no wonder ordinary citizens are resorting to more exotic forms of transportation.

Do check out Uniquely Singaporean 2.

Walkabout in Joo Chiat

2006-10-09T23:08:00.000+08:00

One of the least best kept secrets in my neck of the woods is the quaint old neighborhood of Joo Chiat. I remember wandering these streets as a kid and not much has changed in terms of the architecture and the laid back feel of the place. Many of the shophouses are still around though most have taken on new roles as boutique hotels, bakeries, eateries, girly bars and commercial offices gradually move in.

The following images are from a recent walkabout through the alleyways and side streets. There's always something new to discover everytime I go out there even though I've lived in the area for over 30 years.

Happy food @ Azhang

2006-10-08T13:16:00.000+08:00

It isn't often that I get overly excited after a visit to a new restaurant, maybe somewhat new in this case, but Azhang did make my week after a meal there about 2 weeks back. Formerly located in Joo Chiat, it recently moved to its new premises along Mohd Sultan. Its clientele seemed to have changed to the youngish pre-yuppy crowd or so I've been told, apart from the regulars who make weekly visits to the restaurant.

Its interior is simple and cosy. Eva, part owner and server at the eatery, told me that the surroundings were designed to encourage a sense of homeliness. I thought the front half of the dining hall a little cold, and the real warmth only began past the teak wood sofa in the middle and through the end of the hall. Go down and see for yourself.

One doesn't quite get the sense of the food at Azhang solely by reading the menu. This corn salad tasted nothing like what the menu described it to be. The kernels were grilled to perfection with distinctive spicy smoky aroma about it. Tossed in a light asian-tasting dressing, it caused a lot of oohs and ahhs from our party. It's not often to see people reacting this way to corn. Two servings of the salad later, a third was ordered when everyone couldn't have enough of it.

So happened that the special on the menu that evening was a seafood paella. This was quite unlike any paella I've ever tasted, an eclectic mix of indian spices, seafood curry and chillies. We were fighting for the charred bits which were stuck to the bottom of the pan. For lack of a better word, it was shiok!

Not to be outdone by the paella, this huge grilled platter of jumbo prawns, calamari, meats and fatty salmon belly appeared next. I thought the prawns a bit overcooked, which was a real pity as they were nice and large, and just a little chalky. The rest of the dish was nicely done thought he calamari could have spent about 5 more minutes on the grill. Seasoned with middle eastern spices, this platter was another explosion in taste that characterises the fare served at Azhang. A robust bottle of shiraz would be a great accompaniment.

Chef/owner Patrick appeared several times in the dining room as the night was winding down. We were curious as to how he'd label his cuisine and when asked, he simply remarked that it was "happy food". I wonder if that large goblet of wine in his hand had something to do with it. But really, it is food that makes one yearning for more, and that makes me happy.

Patrick does host a number of social nights where invited diners sample some of items which are not featured on the regular menu. So, get on his good side and he might just let you in on the dates.

Azhang
6 Mohamed Sultan Road
Singapore 238956

Tel: 6836-3436

Uniquely Singaporean 2

2006-09-30T18:51:00.000+08:00

Spotted this Pooh-mobile as it pooh-led into the Bedok Central parking lot. Kinda reminds me of the Hello Kitty craze which hit Singapore a couple of years back, the folks at Mickey D's certainly got more than what they bargained for when the idea of giving out Hello Kitty dolls erupted into scenes pandemonium as the crowds battled for the stupid stuffed toys. I personally know of a 36 year old acquaintance who had devoted a room of his apartment to display his prized dolls which he so patiently waited in line for.

Do check out Uniquely Singaporean 1 if you haven't already done so.

The Living Apsaras of Cambodia

2006-09-25T17:08:00.000+08:00

If you've ever been to the ruins of Angkor Wat, chances are that you'd have noticed the Apsara carvings that adorn the walls all around the temple remains. Traditional Khmer classical dancers bear more than a passing resemblence to these bas-reliefs and are often referred to as Apsara dancers, a somewhat inaccurate term but generally accepted nonetheless. The dance dates back to the Angkor period when court dancers performed in the thousands. Its long history was disrupted when in the post Angkor period, Cambodia was absorbed as a vassal state of Siam and much of its cultural identity was lost. The modern day revival of Khmer dance came about in the post WW2 period when the royal court under the auspices of then Queen of Cambodia, Kossamak Nearireath, sought to reintroduce the art form in Cambodia by reestablishing the Royal Ballet of Cambodia.

More recently, Khmer classical dance was put to a stop when Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime gained power in the 1970s. Thousands of dancers lost their lives in the genocide which followed and many thought that the art would be lost forever. The surviving dancers banded together after the Khmer Rouge fell from power and under the direction of HRH Princess Norodom Bopha Devi, a renowned Apsara dancer herself, brought about yet another rebirth of the dance in modern day Cambodia.

Apsara dance today lives on in the form of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia and other professional dance troupes, in Cambodia and other places around the globe. I was fortunate enough (thanks Chivan!) to be permitted to observe a practice session with the principal troupe of the Royal Ballet while in Phnom Penh and these images are from the 2 short hours which I spent with them.

The dance form is often characterised by delicate and complex hand gestures which represent various meanings or things. Great flexibility is required and the dancers will start a session off by stretching their fingers and limbs. I witnessed some of the dancers pulling their fingers far back enough to touch their forearms.

Performance costumes are far more elaborate than what is worn during rehersals.

A rather mind boggling pose, it's a real joy to watch such contorted movements performed with such grace and finesse. Do not try this at home folks.

An instructor provides guidance to a young Apsara dancer. The two ladies in the background provided the musical accompaniment which included lyrics which are sung. The lyrics describe the story of the dance and are usually accompanied by a full ensemble of gongs, xylophones and other traditional musical instruments during actual performances.

Dancers are selected at a tender young age and put through a regime of dance training as well as schooling. Many of the principal dancers have been with the Royal Ballet for 10 years or more.

After painstakingly seeking out the old dance teachers from around the country, and bringing them together to train a new generation of artistes, Princess Norodom Bopha Devi is said to almost have brought Khmer dance once again to its pre-Khmer Rouge level of skill and artistry.

A chorus line of a different sort.

At 75 and still going strong. This former dancer recounted the Khmer Rouge years where she avoided attention and possible death by practising the hand gestures of the dance as she lay in bed each night.

My time spent with the dancers of the Royal Ballet was one of the many highlights of my visit to Phnom Penh. If you're in Siem Reap in November of this year, be sure to look out for the Royal Ballet dancers as they perform at Angkor Wat during a week long festival to be held there. Ironically, as the beautfiul ruins of Angkor are increasingly overrun by tourists, we might find Apsara dance to be the real remaining untouched treasure of Cambodia left in coming years.

Barely legal - Banksy in Los Angeles

2006-09-21T18:15:00.000+08:00

Spent the last weekend trolling around Los Angeles and one of the highlights of the trip was a show by Banksy, a subversive artist specialising in witty and provocative stencils and other street art. His works are usually found plastered around major cities like London and San Francisco, this is one of the few times he's actually had a show with a collection of his artworks housed under one roof. The show was set up in total secrecy and the location of the exhibits wasn't revealed until opening day. The exhibition itself lasted only 3 days and I figured out why when I found the live elephant trotting around the makeshift living room, make that a live elephant painted like wallpaper. The installation piece spoke volumes but it bordered on illegal. Animal rights activists were up in arms when the discovery of the elephant was telecast over the news channels and tried to get the show shut down. Best that they could do was to have the paint removed and the elephant was exhibited in its natural color on the last day of the show. I was personally okay with the animal being there, it seemed pretty well taken care of, with an ample supply of carrots and water within easy reach.

A characteristic of Banksy's works is the often not too subtle hints at anti-establishment, subversion and anti-war, all portrayed in rather humorous situations. Combine that with unconventional methods of displaying his pieces (he likes slipping in his works into museums like the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Natural History Museum in London), Banksy has a strong underground following and with the mainstream media as well.

The following is but a small sampling of works from this talented guerilla artist, many more examples may be found here.

The Apache gunship looks almost cute in this scene. Banksy often uses the Apache helicopter as an anti-war icon in many of his works.

Prior to the opening of the show, Banksy managed to pull off this stunt with a similar hooded figure in Disneyland.

A very different sort of Jungle Book.

This one literally had me in stitches.

This simple piece was somehow my favorite piece of the show.

"Picnic" was purchased by Angelina Jolie after she showed up to the opening with boyfriend Brad Pitt. At £120,000 it sounds like the most expensive Banksy piece sold to date. Trust the stars to spoil the market.

Don't think you'll find this diagram in any airline safety card.

Even Mother Theresa wasn't spared!

Might want to check this video out of Banksy screwing with Paris Hilton's album.

Top of the world

2006-09-16T12:39:00.000+08:00