It was pretty intent on pecking at both sneakers. This photo was taken at about the same time it started pecking at the second sneaker.
I’ve recently been so enamored with this collage by Anthony Zinonos that I’m actually using it as my MacBook wallpaper. Which makes it rather surprising that I failed to see the connection until J pointed it out. Oh you tricky beady-eyed hypnotic monster of a bird.
A rather impromptu reunion of sorts with the students’ council guys, it’s slightly creepy how these pictures exude quite a timeless feel. Put us back in uniforms and we’ll look no different from 10 years (!) back.
Also funny how back in those days, the hawker centre was the last place I would suggest when I meet with friends, it’s more where I go to dine with family. But of course in recent years, whenever I’m back in Singapore, the hawker centre increasingly becomes a natural dining location of choice for meet ups. Trendy restaurants are everywhere and I rather divide my time between homecooked meals and hawker centres during my limited number of days there.
Speaking of which, I’m already back in Hong Kong and ought to scamper off to bed now as gainful employment starts tomorrow. Mixed feelings abound.
Singapore 1960
Venue: National Museum of Singapore
Date: 3 June 2010 – 22 August 2010
Time: 10am – 6pm
Admission: Free
Yesterday marked a one-day mid-week siesta for Hong Kong as it celebrates this year’s Dragon Boat Festival. We appropriately spent the afternoon at Stanley Beach watching the dragon boat races and bustling crowds.
I’d promised mom I would eat a rice dumpling but it completely slipped my mind so I guess I’ll have to go look for one today. Wish me luck !
First, an aphorism by famed Persian poet Saadi at the entrance.
Then a showcase of the country’s technology advancements…
… industrial progress…
… and natural resources.
There was also a little booth set up to attract foreign investment, the sort that materializes at non-trade expositions.
But the highlight of the pavilion has got to be the carpet showroom on the second floor. Persian hand-woven carpets are among the world’s finest and so do not make the cheapest souvenirs (such as this one at RMB 40,000), that I know.
But I’m rather flabbergasted by the seeming mindlessly-chosen designs.
A year’s worth of hard work by an unknown weaver somewhere in Iran, priced at RMB 46,000…
Why ??
At the cafeteria, we had tasty saffron pistachio ice cream and watched an Iranian staff endlessly water the brick floor. We tried querying the purpose of this act…
… unfortunately none of the Iranian staff spoke enough English to tell us why.
Right next to the Iran Pavilion, nice touch.
Cross the pretend bridge to view the pretend Juche Tower and pretend Pyongyang cityscape.
I spoke to a North Korean for the first time. Not surprising that she could speak reasonably alright English and Mandarin.
We bought a couple of books so we have officially contributed moolah to Kim’s despotic regime.
Seems like whoever’s in charge had edited the selection of books to ensure there are none of the fervent propaganda content intended for domestic consumption I had heard so much about.
Disappointed.
I was seven years old in 1989 and yet I remembered seeing the Tank Man on telly. It left such an impression that when I finally stood at the square in 2004 (my first time in China at a ripe old age of 22), I was overwhelmed by the historical significance of being actually there in person: the very venue where Red Guard fanatics waved crimson books at Mao… and its proximity to where blood was shed years later in the tumultuous summer of ’89.
Despite pro-democracy agendas of the various activist groups present at Victoria Park, I’m touched by how 150,000 Hong Kongers (or so the organizers say) from all walks of life have come together for the event – young, old, very pregnant and with kids in tow. Singaporeans, I guess, still have a long way to go in this respect. I left the park with two songs in my head, wondering about the mainlanders in today’s crowd – are they ordinary Chinese nationals or outspoken individuals already on the party’s radar ? Not that it matters, of course.
Not in my top form last Saturday as I sneezed my way from Shanghai to Hong Kong, home for the next couple of years. Being sick-ish in Hong Kong made me feel claustrophobic for the first time. Fingers crossed it won’t happen again. On a cheerier note, wireless internet connection in the apartment was set up within the first hour of our moving in. Yay.
We found ourselves at the Shanghai Botanical Garden, even then the skies turned somewhat grey not too long after. We had intended to head to Chongming Island for a leisurely day trip but the throngs of people queuing to buy ferry tickets scared us off.
Look what a last minute change of plans brought us – chirpy Haibao all decked out in Santa Claus gear balancing on his ribbon with a bouquet in hand. Haibao effigies are annoyingly everywhere in Shanghai these days, I’m afraid.
Don’t think I’ve seen tulips out of vases growing in the soil before this.
We stared at this colorful horticulture attempt for the longest time: What are the two pandas in the foreground doing ? Is this a ritual of sorts ? Why is the girl panda lying down ? So many questions, no answer to date.
Then a little stroll in a pretend bamboo forest.
I haven’t had a balloon in years ! I was happy, so was 小虎 !
Not as fantastic as the ones by Terry Richardson and Tommy. I need to learn to take better pictures.
There were still alot of people everywhere though, families out in full force with grandparents and kids in strollers. I might have been the only adult with a balloon but it was good fun reliving childhood.
