iLight at the Marina Bay

Now on its second year, the iLight Marina Bay 2012 is a sustainable light art festival that features more than 30 light art installations displayed along the Marina Bay waterfront. Here's some of the installations that I find interesting and visually stimulating.

Thaipusam 2012 in Singapore

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated by the Tamil community here in Singapore. The festival is a religious ceremonial worship in which devotees implore physical burden as offering to their God of War Murugan. 

The physical burden or kavadi comes in various types, from simple carrying of pot of milk to piercing the skin, tongue or checks with skewers.

Chingay Parade 2012

Claimed by the organizers as the grandest in Asia, the Chingay Parade is an annual event held as part of the Chinese new year festivities in Singapore. This year the parade was confined at F1 Pit. A 360m waterway was built along the parade grounds. 

The Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2011

On its ninth year, the annual Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore was held last sunday December 4, 2011. Just like in previous years, different categories have different starting points. The full-marathon begins at Orchard Road near Ngee Ann City, the half-marathon at Sentosa Bridge, and the 10km race starting point at the Esplanade. All routes end at the Padang.

Orchard Road Singapore Christmas Light Up 2011

 The Christmas season in Singapore  is officially on. Last saturday the annual Orchard road Christmas Light Up ceremony was held in front of Takashimaya Shopping Mall along the Orchard Road. No less than the president of Singapore graced this annual event. This year theme is "Christmas Blooms in Singapore" where the whole stretch of the famous road is adorned with glittering silver and blue lights. Flowers of blue colored heart-shape petals hanged on the trees transforming the shopping strip into a wonderland garden.

Haw Par Villa

Its been months that I have been eyeing to check out Haw Par Villa but since it is located in a place I am not familiar with, I did not take it seriously. Now that the new mrt circle line  had opened and one of the stations is at the theme park doorstep I went there  during the hari raya haji holiday. Feedback has it that the place is empty most of the days, but the day I was there its quite a bit crowded, maybe because it was holiday. 

Exploring Kampong Buangkok, Singapore

There is a last rural village standing in Singapore up to now. And last Wednesday, I had the opportunity to explore the place and observed how is a rural village in Singapore look like then. As almost of Singapore land area has been  developed and transformed into a modern city state, this one spot of secret tropical eden has been left behind and kept into its original condition as in the early years of Singapore.

Though it is just a compact village with just over twenty houses, it still  provide a glimpse of how a traditional rural way of living in the early days in Singapore. All one-story houses were owned by a single owner and being rented at a nominal amount to mostly the owner family friends who where living there ever since.

Singapore Flyer

 I finally got the chance to experience being inside the capsule of the world's tallest observation wheel, the Singapore Flyer. Since the day I arrived here I made a mental note to visit and experience the flyer only because it was designed by my former office Arup. For me there is nothing exciting riding in a ferris wheel when I was a kid, so I never have tried one ever since. So because I was not too eager to try  and just waiting for the right timing, it takes me 3 years to finally be in there. 

Exploring Palau Ubin Singapore

Last monday was a national holiday here in Singapore being Labor day falls on a sunday. So I took the opportunity to finally explore Palau Ubin located off the north eastern end part of Singapore. For a background, Palau Ubin is an interesting place to visit and explore since its present condition reflects a typical village in Singapore way back in the 1960's. 

The journey begins at the Changi Ferry Terminal where I took a bumboat for 2.50 sgd. The bumboat is allowed to carry 12 passengers only, if someone carry a bicycle that included in counting for the number of passengers. The boat ride is about 15 minutes. Upon alighting from the boat at the Ubin jetty and walk through towards the island, you will be directed to the island main center. Within the vicinity are shophouses, mostly bicycle rental shops and eating establishments. 

A Wet Christmas 2010 in Orchard Road

The Christmas day celebration along Orchard Road was a wet one. It rained heavily when the show was about to begin. But as soon as the rain stopped, the show pushed through. Orchard Road was closed to traffic just like in previous years to give way for the celebration. Beautifully-decorated Christmas floats parked along the road and revelers had a grand time taking pictures.

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2010

60,000 runners joined this year's annual Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore. The race has three categories such as the full marathon (42.195km), half-marathon (21.1km), and the 10K Men/ Women/ Wheelchair marathon. Unique to this year event, is the starting points of the three categories. The full marathon flag off at Orchard Road at 5:00am as the Christmas street lightings and malls were lighted up especially for the event. The half-marathon kicked off at Sentosa Island at 6:30 am, and then the 10K starting point is at Esplanade Drive at 7:45 am. All races ended at the Padang.

Of the 60,000 runners who participated, few stands out from the rest. Or so I think..

Chasing Sunrise at Punggol Beach

Doing sunrise photo-shoot is an interesting but can be frustrating sometimes because there is always no guarantee that it will turn out to be as you want at that particular day as the weather always factors in. With all the planning and effort of waking up early only to be robbed by cloud is a bit disappointing. This happened to me few times already and the one I can never forget is the sunrise photoshoot at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia months back. Arriving on site still dark on cold weather only to be greeted by darkened cloud and hid the sun until  midday.

Orchard Road Singapore Christmas Light Up 2010

November 20, 2010 marks the beginning of Christmas celebration here in Singapore when the Christmas light up event on Orchard Road were switched on by no less than President S R Nathan.

Exploring Universal Studios Singapore

A friend from the Philippines visited me here in Singapore so I finally got the chance to explore the Universal Studios for the first time and maybe my last for now unless someone invited me for free. And why is that? I believe that to me as an adult the 72 sing dollars is over-charged because most of the exciting rides and attractions were either closed or under maintenance that day.  But it would be different experience for kids and young at hearts which the theme park is for them anyway. 

iLights at the Marina Bay

I felt exhausted upon completion of photo shooting the different installations as scattered around the Marina Bay. I commenced from the Floating platform climbed up the Helix Bridge down to the Marina Sands, then to the City Gallery at the Waterfront Promenade. Though it was a leisurely stroll but still exhausting one. 

There are 26 light artworks, each is accompanied by a signage explaining what the work is about, who the artist, and also what's smart about the work. The works were created by both local and international artists addressing the theme of people, place, and time.

The Fire Walking Festival

I was quite disappointed not to be able to watch the actual fire walking event held at the Sri Mariamman Temple two sundays ago, blame it on procrastination and limited information I have about the event. I came just in time when the ceremony is about to begin, little did I know that it will going to be held in a constrained area inside the temple. I was not able to squeeze inside the temple because it's full of devotees and also quite hesitant to come in as I am an outsider. I know that the fire walking will only commenced after 12 midnight so I roamed around at the Marina Bay area first photo shooting the I Light Marina Bay, a lighting installations scattered within the Marina Bay area. So when I arrived at the Sri Mariamman Temple the ceremony has already started and the temple and the surrounding streets is crowded.But thanks for the live coverage mounted just outside the temple I able able to glimpse the going on inside.

Matilda House

The history of the Matilda House can be read here. 

I am a Wedding Photographer for a day

I volunteered myself to be one of the wedding photographers for a wedding event held on 10.10.10.

October 10, 2010, a rare coincidence of date being 10.10.10, is an auspicious day in Chinese almanac for couple to get married. On that day there were 800+ couples in Singapore took advantage of this rare opportunity, of whom 118 couples were solemnized at 19 venues scattered in different locations within the Sentosa Island. This is the event I took part to be a wedding photographer.

There were 100 of us photographers who covered the 19 venues of the event. 15 of us were assigned to cover one of the venues. The assigned location was very conducive as it is surrounded by greenery and within the hundred year old ficus tree. And the golf course serves as backdrop of the 4 gazebos set up for the solemnization.

National Art Gallery, Singapore Open House

For two weekends starting last Saturday, the Old Supreme Court and City Hall along St Andrews Rd. fronting the Padang, is opened for the last time to the public to see, appreciate and experience both buildings as they are before it will go major renovation and will be transformed into National Art Gallery, Singapore.

Curiosity was my main motivation why I was there last Saturday. The first time I came to visit Singapore years ago, it was these two buildings while standing in the middle of the Padang were I have myself photographed. Back then I was wondering why it was closed on a weekday. Last Saturday was my chance to see the interiors of these grand buildings.

Lunch at Bonifacio

Last June I got the chance to have lunch at Bonifacio. Right after we've done with the photo shoot at Mandai Orchid Garden, Kath's Eye and I agreed to have lunch at Bonifacio in Kreta Ayer Road in Chinatown area. It was a Sunday and surprisingly when we arrived only one table has been occupied by a family of 4. When I inquired to the staff if it is always the case he replied not at all and added that the day before it was full due to Independence day celebration being held nearby. It was my first time so I was excited to be there.

I heard about Bonifacio from Filipino friends and colleagues here in Singapore saying only good things about the food and even recommending a must try dish. When we were seated and looking around the place I said to myself that the restaurant is just like an upscale version of typical restaurant found inside Lucky Plaza, but the moment I opened the menu I was in for a new experience.