I’m not a big fan of Musical Movies, but I definitely recommend everyone who have not watched this movie to watch it, especially if you are a fan of a successful pop group Abba.
It is the most hilarious, fantastic Musical Movie of all time. The movie is about a single mother, Donna (Meryl Streep) who has a daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) who’s getting married at the age of 20. Sophie never knew her father and discovered that she got three potential fathers, Sam Carmical (Pierce Brosnan), Harry Bright (Colin Firth) and Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgard) that her mother have kept secret. Sophie secretly invited all three of her potential fathers to her wedding to find out which one of these men is her father. The movie got lots of unexpected twists and ending.
The whole story is woven together with the music of ABBA.
To find out more you should watch this great movie, as for me I won’t mind to watch it again in the theatre and can’t wait for the DVD to be realeased.
Rating 9/10
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Melamine found in China made Products
Singapore has suspended the import and sale of all milk and milk products from China since 19 September. A total of 8 findings of affected products were found to contain the industrial chemical melamine. The Agri—Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) says the public need not be unduly concerned as only low levels of melamine were detected in the affected products. Consumers have to consume large quantities of the contaminated products over a prolonged period of time to have any potential ill effects on health.
All 8 products that have been detected containing melamine:
1. Dutch Lady Banana Flavoured Milk
2. Dutch Lady Honeydew Flavoured Milk
3. Silang – House of Steamed Potato – Potato Cracker
4. Puffed Rice Rolls – Butter Corn Flavour
5. Puffed Rice Rolls – Cheese Flavour
6. Yi Li Choice Dairy Fruit Bar Yogurt Flavoured Ice Confection
7. Dutch Lady Straberry Flavoured Milk
8. White Rabbit Creamy Candy
My beloved family and friends in Singapore please take not of the above products.
All 8 products that have been detected containing melamine:
1. Dutch Lady Banana Flavoured Milk
2. Dutch Lady Honeydew Flavoured Milk
3. Silang – House of Steamed Potato – Potato Cracker
4. Puffed Rice Rolls – Butter Corn Flavour
5. Puffed Rice Rolls – Cheese Flavour
6. Yi Li Choice Dairy Fruit Bar Yogurt Flavoured Ice Confection
7. Dutch Lady Straberry Flavoured Milk
8. White Rabbit Creamy Candy
My beloved family and friends in Singapore please take not of the above products.
Deepavali, Diwali or The Festival Of Lights
One of the biggest festivals celebrate by all Hindus worldwide is Deepavali or Diwali in India. This festival is celebrated with lots of enthusiasm and happiness for five continuous days, with the third day being celebrated as the main Diwali or as Deepavali 'Festival of Lights'. One important practice that the Hindus follow during the festival is to light diyas, candles or oil lamps all around their house. By lighting their house the Hindus are thanking the gods for the happiness, knowledge, peace and wealth that they have received.
The auspicious day of Deepavali or Diwali is decided by the moon position & according to the Hindu calendar, Amavasya or the "no moon day" is considered the perfect day for the Festival. The dark night comes after every fortnight & in the Hindu month of Kartik (October/November), it marks the festive occasion.
There are various alleged origins attributed to this festival. Some hold that they celebrate the marriage of Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu. In Bengal the festival is dedicated to the worship of Kali. It also commemorates that blessed day on which the triumphant Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. On this day also Sri Krishna killed the demon Narakasura. People celebrated this occasion by lighting diyas, candles or oil lamps to drive away the darkness of amavasya.
Preparation for Deepavali or Diwali usually starts at least two to three weeks before the festival. Most families will be busy cleaning and decorating their houses, some would even renovate their home for the festival. Usually families will shop for new clothes and accessories for their home, forexample, in Singapore most Hindus will go to Little India to do their shopping.
The Hindus will be awake as early as 3am for the first ritual to take an oil bath in the morning and wear new clothes, the oil is regarded as purifying as a bath in the holy Ganges. One of the important practices for the Hindus is to pay their respects to the elderly and most families would go to the temple after having breakfast. The reason why they would be going to the temples is to pray to get happiness and prosperity on Deepavali or Diwali. On the first day usually the Hindus would not go visiting but would stay at home to welcome the guests who visit them. Everyone forgets and forgives the wrongs done by others. There is an air of freedom, festivity and friendliness everywhere. This festival brings about unity and it instils charity in the hearts of people.
Visiting Hindus during Deepavali will be an interesting activity in most countries, as you will get to taste a wide variety of delicious food. Every home that you visit you will be served with a tempting spread of sweets. Some of the popular sweets are halwa, burfi and laddu. Hindus love eating spicy food and for non-vegetarians they indulge in favorites like prawn sambal, chicken tandoori, korma and fish head curry. As for vegetarian Hindus you would find vegetarians popular dishes like thosais, idlis and naans.
The auspicious day of Deepavali or Diwali is decided by the moon position & according to the Hindu calendar, Amavasya or the "no moon day" is considered the perfect day for the Festival. The dark night comes after every fortnight & in the Hindu month of Kartik (October/November), it marks the festive occasion.
There are various alleged origins attributed to this festival. Some hold that they celebrate the marriage of Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu. In Bengal the festival is dedicated to the worship of Kali. It also commemorates that blessed day on which the triumphant Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. On this day also Sri Krishna killed the demon Narakasura. People celebrated this occasion by lighting diyas, candles or oil lamps to drive away the darkness of amavasya.
Preparation for Deepavali or Diwali usually starts at least two to three weeks before the festival. Most families will be busy cleaning and decorating their houses, some would even renovate their home for the festival. Usually families will shop for new clothes and accessories for their home, forexample, in Singapore most Hindus will go to Little India to do their shopping.
The Hindus will be awake as early as 3am for the first ritual to take an oil bath in the morning and wear new clothes, the oil is regarded as purifying as a bath in the holy Ganges. One of the important practices for the Hindus is to pay their respects to the elderly and most families would go to the temple after having breakfast. The reason why they would be going to the temples is to pray to get happiness and prosperity on Deepavali or Diwali. On the first day usually the Hindus would not go visiting but would stay at home to welcome the guests who visit them. Everyone forgets and forgives the wrongs done by others. There is an air of freedom, festivity and friendliness everywhere. This festival brings about unity and it instils charity in the hearts of people.
Visiting Hindus during Deepavali will be an interesting activity in most countries, as you will get to taste a wide variety of delicious food. Every home that you visit you will be served with a tempting spread of sweets. Some of the popular sweets are halwa, burfi and laddu. Hindus love eating spicy food and for non-vegetarians they indulge in favorites like prawn sambal, chicken tandoori, korma and fish head curry. As for vegetarian Hindus you would find vegetarians popular dishes like thosais, idlis and naans.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Hari Raya Puasa
Hari Raya Puasa is celebrated by Muslims all over the World. It is a joyous occasion for Muslims, as it signifies a personal triumph, a victory of self-restraint and abstinence, symbolising purification and renewal. Most people mistake Hari Raya Puasa for the Muslim New Year, it is actually known as the festival that Marks the end of one month of fasting. ‘Hari Raya’ means day of celebration and ‘Puasa’ means fasting.
Ramadan
Ramadan is one of the names from the Muslim calendar, it’s when all Muslims start fasting for the whole month from dawn till sunset daily. During this period of fasting, apart from eating and drinking Muslims are also prohibited from smoking and any intimate relations during daylight. Muslims are encouraged to avoid cheating, hypocricy and other wrong doing behaviour during the whole month of Ramadan. Only sick Muslims and woman who have their menstruation are excused from fasting during this month, even the young children are taught to fast from the age of 7.
Preparations
The joy of Hari Raya Puasa actually begins before the first day. A week or so before the big day, excitement mounts as the house is readied for the celebration with new furnishing and decorations. Some families also do renovation for the house so that the house would look better when the guests visit it during the festival. Most family would shop for new clothes, curtains and other accessories for their home, an example in Singapore most Muslim would go to the popular muslim area such as Malay Heritage Centre or Geylang Serai to do their shopping. After fulfilling their one-month of fasting, the Muslims would be joyful to celebrate Hari Raya Puasa.
A time to forgive and forget
On the morning of the festival, the Muslims would wear their new clothes and go to the mosque to pray. They offer their thanks to God and after that they would ask for forgiveness from their elders. This is an important custom followed by the Muslims.
They feel that the young ones asking forgiveness from their elders is very essential. On the day, they also visit their relatives and friends to celebrate the happy occasion. If you visit Muslim homes on Hari Raya Puasa you can expect to taste a wide variety of delicious spicy dishes. Some favorite dishes that can be found in Muslims homes on this special occasion, especially in Singapore and Malaysia, are ketupat, lontong, nasi padang, beef rendang, sweets and cookies. The Muslims also have the habit of giving packets of money to kids when they go visiting. The packets are usually in green color and children often look forward to get these money tokens on Hari Raya Puasa. Overall, Hari Raya Puasa is a delightful festival for the Muslims.
Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all my family and friends in Singapore Maaf Zahir Batin.
Ramadan
Ramadan is one of the names from the Muslim calendar, it’s when all Muslims start fasting for the whole month from dawn till sunset daily. During this period of fasting, apart from eating and drinking Muslims are also prohibited from smoking and any intimate relations during daylight. Muslims are encouraged to avoid cheating, hypocricy and other wrong doing behaviour during the whole month of Ramadan. Only sick Muslims and woman who have their menstruation are excused from fasting during this month, even the young children are taught to fast from the age of 7.
Preparations
The joy of Hari Raya Puasa actually begins before the first day. A week or so before the big day, excitement mounts as the house is readied for the celebration with new furnishing and decorations. Some families also do renovation for the house so that the house would look better when the guests visit it during the festival. Most family would shop for new clothes, curtains and other accessories for their home, an example in Singapore most Muslim would go to the popular muslim area such as Malay Heritage Centre or Geylang Serai to do their shopping. After fulfilling their one-month of fasting, the Muslims would be joyful to celebrate Hari Raya Puasa.
A time to forgive and forget
On the morning of the festival, the Muslims would wear their new clothes and go to the mosque to pray. They offer their thanks to God and after that they would ask for forgiveness from their elders. This is an important custom followed by the Muslims.
They feel that the young ones asking forgiveness from their elders is very essential. On the day, they also visit their relatives and friends to celebrate the happy occasion. If you visit Muslim homes on Hari Raya Puasa you can expect to taste a wide variety of delicious spicy dishes. Some favorite dishes that can be found in Muslims homes on this special occasion, especially in Singapore and Malaysia, are ketupat, lontong, nasi padang, beef rendang, sweets and cookies. The Muslims also have the habit of giving packets of money to kids when they go visiting. The packets are usually in green color and children often look forward to get these money tokens on Hari Raya Puasa. Overall, Hari Raya Puasa is a delightful festival for the Muslims.
Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all my family and friends in Singapore Maaf Zahir Batin.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
End of Summer and Autumn begins
Say goodbye to this year’s summer and welcome the cold autumn. Anyway this year’s summer was not that great, it was sunny but sometimes it was very cold. Autumn starts on the 21st of september here in Belgium, its when leaves dry and fall and most of the trees will go naked and everything will look dull and gray.
After living in asia for a couple of years I almost forgot whats the weather like here, in Belgium. It’s getting colder and cloudier each day. I had to put on thicker clothes everytime I leave the house to work and today its raining and I’m sure it will continue raining much longer as winter is just around the corner.
At least now my wife has something to shop for, to get herself ready for the winter. My wife didn’t complain about the rain yet, I bet she likes the rain more than I do, but once in a while she does complain about the temperature. It must be pretty cold for her now and she must be wondering what would it be like when the winter comes. She told me that she’s looking forward to the winter hopefully there would be some snow falling, it would be nice for her to see the snow and feel it for the first time in her life.
As for me, at least the weather reminds me where I came from and to be honest I’m glad to be home with my wife to show her the ground where I grew up and what my culture is all about.
After living in asia for a couple of years I almost forgot whats the weather like here, in Belgium. It’s getting colder and cloudier each day. I had to put on thicker clothes everytime I leave the house to work and today its raining and I’m sure it will continue raining much longer as winter is just around the corner.
At least now my wife has something to shop for, to get herself ready for the winter. My wife didn’t complain about the rain yet, I bet she likes the rain more than I do, but once in a while she does complain about the temperature. It must be pretty cold for her now and she must be wondering what would it be like when the winter comes. She told me that she’s looking forward to the winter hopefully there would be some snow falling, it would be nice for her to see the snow and feel it for the first time in her life.
As for me, at least the weather reminds me where I came from and to be honest I’m glad to be home with my wife to show her the ground where I grew up and what my culture is all about.
Agricultural Farms in Singapore
Singapore, the world's most advanced city state, with its buzzing centre.
Surprisingly, one third of Singapore is farm-land. Singapore houses over 200 working farms spread out over six Agrotech parks.
These farms grow everything, from vegetables to flowers, from fish to goats and other animals.
The largest Agrotech Park is situated in the north-western part of Singapore, which occupies 858 hectares.
The Kranji Countryside Association, formed by a Group of farmers, opened some of these farms to the public to raise public awareness.
Some of the farms open to public are:
Aero-green Technology: Plot LCK 114, Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore 718925
Aqua Fauna Fish Industries: No. 11 Pasir Ris Farmway 1, Singapore 519355
Bollywood Veggies: 100 Neo Tiew Road, Singapore 719026
Dream Fish - Arowana Breeding Farm: 105A Neo Tiew Crescent, Lim Chu Kang Agrotechnology Park, Singapore 710000
Farmart: No. 67 Sungei Tengah Road, Singapore 699008
Fire Flies Health Farm: Plot 75 Lim Chu Kang Lane 2, Singapore 719842
Hausmann Marketing Aquarium: Plot 113, 291 Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore 718903
Hay Dairies: No. 3, Lim Chu Kang, Agrotech Park Lane 4, Singapore 718859
Orchidville: 10 Lorong Lada Hitam, Singapore 778793
Nyee Phoe Flower Garden: 240 Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore 718898
Qian Hu Fish Farm: No. 71, Jalan Lekar, Sungei Tengah, Singapore 698950
Surprisingly, one third of Singapore is farm-land. Singapore houses over 200 working farms spread out over six Agrotech parks.
These farms grow everything, from vegetables to flowers, from fish to goats and other animals.
The largest Agrotech Park is situated in the north-western part of Singapore, which occupies 858 hectares.
The Kranji Countryside Association, formed by a Group of farmers, opened some of these farms to the public to raise public awareness.
Some of the farms open to public are:
Aero-green Technology: Plot LCK 114, Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore 718925
Aqua Fauna Fish Industries: No. 11 Pasir Ris Farmway 1, Singapore 519355
Bollywood Veggies: 100 Neo Tiew Road, Singapore 719026
Dream Fish - Arowana Breeding Farm: 105A Neo Tiew Crescent, Lim Chu Kang Agrotechnology Park, Singapore 710000
Farmart: No. 67 Sungei Tengah Road, Singapore 699008
Fire Flies Health Farm: Plot 75 Lim Chu Kang Lane 2, Singapore 719842
Hausmann Marketing Aquarium: Plot 113, 291 Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore 718903
Hay Dairies: No. 3, Lim Chu Kang, Agrotech Park Lane 4, Singapore 718859
Orchidville: 10 Lorong Lada Hitam, Singapore 778793
Nyee Phoe Flower Garden: 240 Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore 718898
Qian Hu Fish Farm: No. 71, Jalan Lekar, Sungei Tengah, Singapore 698950
Saturday, September 20, 2008
My Wife's Cultureshock Experience
It’s been more then a month now since I’ve moved back to Belgium with my wife who’s from Singapore. She is homesick and looks sad most of the time, she doesn’t want to leave the apartment on her own even to the shop, she would rather wait for me to come back from work.
When I First met her, she was living and working in Thailand. She had lived there for almost three years all by herself and she told me before that she loved to be away from home.
Well, I guess Thailand is not that far from Singapore, it’s only about 1 and half hour journey to Singapore by flight and she could even travel by bus to Singapore which only cost about $50 Sin dollar.
It’s a bit different here in Belgium, as it is thousands of miles away from Singapore and the cost of a flight is much more expensive, so she can’t just go home to see her family whenever she want to.
Thailand is still part of south east asia while Belgium is in Europe, the environment is so much different including the weather, maybe I should give her more time to settle down getting used to her new surrounding.
I’m a bit worried about my wife, wish I could do something to ocupy her time. I guess signing her up for a dutch class or even french class would do her good so she would make friends and get out more often. I really hope she would be more happy in few months time.
After all my travels I know it’s sometimes hard to adjust to a new culture and lifestyle, but I know my wife is a strong woman and she will find her way here in cold, cold Belgium.
When I First met her, she was living and working in Thailand. She had lived there for almost three years all by herself and she told me before that she loved to be away from home.
Well, I guess Thailand is not that far from Singapore, it’s only about 1 and half hour journey to Singapore by flight and she could even travel by bus to Singapore which only cost about $50 Sin dollar.
It’s a bit different here in Belgium, as it is thousands of miles away from Singapore and the cost of a flight is much more expensive, so she can’t just go home to see her family whenever she want to.
Thailand is still part of south east asia while Belgium is in Europe, the environment is so much different including the weather, maybe I should give her more time to settle down getting used to her new surrounding.
I’m a bit worried about my wife, wish I could do something to ocupy her time. I guess signing her up for a dutch class or even french class would do her good so she would make friends and get out more often. I really hope she would be more happy in few months time.
After all my travels I know it’s sometimes hard to adjust to a new culture and lifestyle, but I know my wife is a strong woman and she will find her way here in cold, cold Belgium.
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