Seletar Base Golf Club

The Seletar Base Golf Course, formerly known as the Seletar Country Club, is one of the best public golf courses in Singapore. It's a 9-hole public golf course located within the compounds of the Seletar Base Air Force Camp.

The golf course was developed for British Air Force personnel in 1930. The British withdrawal in 1971 and later developments in Singapore, led it to become a public golf course in 1995.

The Seletar Base Golf Course opens 7 days a week for everyone holding a proficiency certificate .

To get in - proceed to the guard house at the entrance to the Air Base. Fill in a form which require particulars of yourself. Give this form together with your identity card or passport to the guard. In exchange he will issue to you a visitor's pass. Don't forget to return this pass in exchange for your idendity card or passport when you leave the Airbase.

Anyone can play here subject to the following:
1. Members of the public who are not members of any golf clubs in Singapore or overseas must take a proficiency test conducted and issued by Seletar Base Golf Course. The test is conducted on Monday and Thursday mornings.
2. Members of Singapore golf clubs must produce at least a proficiency certifcate issued by their respective clubs
3. Those who are from overseas (including members of any Malaysian Golf Clubs) must produce at least their handicap card issued by their respective clubs.

Other facilities at the Seletar Base Golf Course include a Swimming Pool, Tennis and Squash courts, Billiards and Karaoke Rooms. The Clubhouse at the golf course boasts Restaurants, Members' Lounge, and Beer Garden etc.

Address
Seletar Base Golf Course,
244 Oxford Street Singapore 798420

Telephone
+65 481 4745

Holes
9 - hole , Public course

Visitors
S$30 and S$45 on weekdays for locals and foreigners respectively
S$40 for locals and S$60 for foreigners on weekends

Check out other Golf Courses in Singapore

Chelsea's bad week

Chelsea played three games in a week and was not able to win one of them.

It has been quite different in the past.
They did not deserve to loose the game against Arsenal today.

Dominating the game for more than an hour and then Arsenal scored a goal that not should or could have been a goal.

While Van Persie was standing offside almost one meter, he was allowed to score.
The linesman was standing on the perfect spot to see it, but for some reason he kept his flag down.

Final score: Chelsea 1 - Arsenal 2

Getting all the best players to the Premier League is not enough, they should also try to get the best referees, so halfwits like today can not make such mistakes!

But Chelsea is not doing all that well this year, although they are still ahead of Manchester United.

From their games against their biggest rivals they only managed to get one point out of nine. A draw against Man. U and lost against Liverpool and Arsenal.

Even worse, from all their home games in the Premier League they won only 12 out off the 24 points! And that for a tam that didn't lost a home game in almost four years.

Anelka is not that top striker that Chelsea wants and need, that is clearly Drogba's Job. Although the man scored already twelve goals in the Premier League, he doesn't score the big ones. And that is just where they miss a striker like Drogba!

It is clear that scolari still has a lot of work to do before they can consider themselves as challengers for the title.

The Premier League

After 13 games two teams seem to running away from the pack, Liverpool and our great Chelsea.

Already 8 points clear from Manchester United and 9 from Arsenal. OK, Man U. still one game in hand.

Think the title race will be among the first three.

It's fair to say that Arsenal already dropped out of the race and tat even their fourth spot might be i great danger. A young good team they have but they seem to mix to many bad games with good ones.

Liverpool might have their best chance in years to win the title, the have mature payers and a super striker.

Chelsea seems stronger then ever, they can afford to keep Drogba on the bench and rightly so with Anelka in super form.

The Chelsea striker already scored 12 goals in the Premier League this season.

The only problem for Scolari's squad seems to be winning the big games.

Let's hope that will change soon and who knows, we might be Champions again this season!

Chelsea back on Top

It was a typical hangover Sunday afternoon game. Because of the rain it looked more like a waterpolo game than football.
But Chelsea did what they had to do: WIN!!
Blackburn Rovers - Chelsea ended in a 2 - 0 victory for Chelsea with goals from Anelka.

It seems the striker is always at the right place at the right time.
Anelka already scored 10 goals for Chelsea this season.

So Chelsea back o top together with Liverpool and thanks to a win from Arsenal Manchester United are now 8 points behind the two leaders.

Yes, a good day indeed for a Chelsea fan!

Green Fairways

Green Fairways, situated in the Bukit Timah area and close by to Holland Village, is a tropical green oasis, only a ten minute drive from central Singapore.

Green Fairways is a public facility with a pleasant 18 hole golf course, one of the few purely public golf courses left in Singapore.

They have a sixty bay under cover driving range with great mats, good balls and a huge grass landing area surrounded by lush jungle.

Address
60 Fairways Drive,
Off Eng Neo Avenue at Bukit Timah

Telephone
+65 4687233
+65 4687043

Holes
18-hole

Visitors
Opening Hours: 6.30am to 5.30pm (golf course) 7.00am to 10.30pm (driving range)

Green Fees (Weekdays) Guest: $45, Visitors: $60
Green Fees (Weekends/Public Holiday)
Guest: $55, Visitors: $80

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Obama first African American elected President of the USA

There was this feeling in the air that the elections in the US would be different. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama where fighting it out as candidate for the Democrats. In the end Obama won and he would have to fight it out with John McCain.

Obama's campaign raised $58 million during the first half of 2007, of which donations of less than $200, classified as "small donations" by campaign laws, accounted for $16.4 million. The $58 million set the record for fundraising by a presidential campaign in the first six months of the calendar year before the election.

He again broke fundraising records in the first two months of 2008, raising over $90 million for his primary.

After McCain was nominated as the Republican presidential candidate, polls indicated that he had closed the gap with Obama.

But to no effect as Obama defeated McCain on the 4th of November to become became the first African American to be elected President of the United States.

The world was desperate for a change and the world got it. For some reason there is suddenly hope again all around the world.

But a big task lies ahead for Obama because a certain Mr Bush will leave a big mess behind and it will take years to recover from it.

Lets hope that peaceful years lay ahead.

Roma 3 - Chelsea 1

Thank God Terry can score goals or it would have been 3 - 0.
Did Chelsea deserve to Lose with 3 goals difference? As a Chelsea fan I have to say no. But I guess Roma deserved to win.

The problem is that the Blues don't have that super striker as long as Drogba is not 100%.

Chelsea had a few chances with shots from Deco and Lampard but that was about it.

I don't think that Chelsea bought a super striker with Anelka. Maybe they panicked last year when they bought him.

I didn't see much of him in the game.

They made a few mistakes and you know those small mistakes will be punished in a competition like the Champions League, even when it is against a team that is ranked 17th in the Italian Competition.

But nothing lost. Still number one in the group. They shouldn't have any problems to qualify for the next round.

Panama's Casco Antiguo

When I traveled through Central America a few years ago, Panama was definitely one of the highlights.

The old city or Casco Antiguo is a marvel of history, packed with old restored buildings on narrow streets that date back as far as the 17th century.

If you have ever been to Havana in Cuba or Cartagena in Colombia and you loved those places then you will definitely love Casco Antiguo in Panama. No wonder it is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List

I wondered around for days in the cobbled narrow streets draped in plant shaded terraces, with great photo opportunities around every corner The place still has that authentic feeling of almost 400 years ago.

As it is located in the Caribbean you are never far away from some splendid white beaches.

Now you can own a suite in the Historic Hotel Casco Antiguo. The hotel was built in 1915 and is a landmark in the district of the Casco Antiguo.

Hotel Casco Antiguo will be a condominium-hotel with 34 suites. As most suites will have their own private balcony overlooking either the quaint streets of the Casco Viejo or the inviting courtyard of the hotel, it is a great investment. What a great place as a second or holiday home!

Interested? Easy! Just Register for an eBrochure Here.

I think it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a piece of history in one of the most beautiful cities in Latin America.

Citroen 2CV

“More than a vehicle, a lifestyle,” read an article on the 2 CV in the French press at the end of the 1940s. Some may dismiss it as nothing more than an old tin can. But the Citroen 2CV, One of France's most iconic cars, also called “The Duck” is definitely my favorite car.

In 1936, Pierre-Jules Boulanger launched a project to develop a “TPV” (for “Très Petite Voiture”). The first prototype came out of the workshops in 1937, fitted with a 500 cm3 motorbike engine.

The war put the development of the 2 CV on hold.

The 2CV was finally unveiled at the Paris Motor Show on 7 October 1948. It was hard for motoring enthusiasts to get excited about this odd-looking little car. The design was considered shocking. It had one headlight, no starter motor and even its own designer, Pierre Jules Boulanger, admitted it looked like an umbrella on wheels.
But the level of technology in the 1948 2CV was remarkable for a car of any price in that era, let alone one of the cheapest cars on the planet.

The 2 CV was first and foremost an ingenious design. All of its body parts could be taken off and put back on thanks to sliding hinges and a few judiciously placed nuts and bolts.

The 2 CV weighed in at just 500 kg, reached a modest top speed of 65 km/h, and consumed a mere 4.5 litres of fuel per 100 km.

The 2CV was designed to be able to carry four people (or sheep) and a basket of eggs across a ploughed field without breaking any shells.

The car became very popular among the French population, even so popular that within months of it going on sale, there was a three-year waiting list. The waiting list was soon increased to five years. At that time a second-hand 2CV was more expensive than a new one because the buyer did not have to wait.

The 2CV was updated in 1954, when Citroën increased the 2CV’s engine capacity to 425 cm3. And in December 1956, Citroën launched the type AZL version of the 2 CV. With its large, rectangular rear window and fabric hood, this was Citroën’s luxury version of the 2 CV.

At the 1961 Paris Motor Show, Citroën presented the 2 CV AZLP, a new version of the 2CV. This more powerful vehicle reached a top speed of 85 km/h and required 5.5 litres to travel 100 km. The 1960s were the heyday of the 2CV, when production finally caught up with demand.

With the introduction of the 2 CV 4 and 2 CV 6 in 1970, Citroën now had several versions with top speeds of over 100 km/h.
Citroën launched a “special” 2 CV in 1976 for fans of the traditional, old-style 2CV. With round headlamps, minimalist interior and an overall rustic look, this model looked almost exactly like the very first 2 CVs.

The “Charleston” opened the special series dance in 1981. With its 30s look featuring round headlamps and bordeaux and black body paint, the model was an immediate success.

In 1986, the 2 CV was still the symbol of the “people’s car” in France. But the 2 CV production line in France was finally closed in February 1989.

The Deux Chevaux is often unfairly accused, however, of earning its name because it only had a two-horse power capacity - in fact it had an eight-chevaux capacity and its name refers to the very low tax category into which it fell.

Perhaps, its indestructibility, as the car was so tough that it rarely needed repairs, was its downfall - a car which never needed spare parts was not going to make big profits for manufacturers.

Between 1948 and 1990 3,872,583 2CVs were produced.

The 2CV is "not just as a car, but a way of life".

Executive Golf Course

The Executive Golf Course is the very first 9-hole public course in Singapore, surrouded by tranquility and greenery of the Seletar Reservoir Park. It is a $2.9 million community project which was developed in the year.

The Executive Golf Course has two golf courses, a 9-hole course which is ideal for the beginners who just obtained their proficiency certificates and would like to get their confidence before proceeding to the actual golf courses and also for those who would like to sharpen their short game skills. As for the 18-hole course that caters is more for the adventurous and experienced golfers.

Address
Upper Seletar Reservoir, Mandai Road
Track 7, Singapore 779384

Telephone
+65 6556 0600

Fax
+65 6556 0680

Email
egogolf @singnet.com.sg

No. of course
1 x 9 holes It is the first links-style Par-3 golf course in Singapore and possibly the region

Description
(18 holes) Blue Tee: 2824 metres, Par 58, Rating 54.9, Slope NA
White Tee: 2500 metres, Par 58, Rating 53.3, Slope NA
Red Tee: 2050 metres, Par 58, Rating 52.6, Slope NA

Yardage
1558 / 1367

Par
27

Visitors
Teeing-off times from 7am to 5.45pm.
Current golf handicap certificate required.( Or test to judge proficiency.)

Green Fees
Non-members : Weekday -A, Weekend -B

Facilities
Cafe, Clubhouse, Pro-shop, 42-bay driving range, Changing rooms, Golf Shoes on hire, Lockers on hire, Trolleys on hire, A recreational ground nearby.


Check out other Golf Clubs in Singapore

The Chelsea Fan

Ho Yes, we are Chelsea fans, my wife and me. My wife that little bit more passionate then me!

And isn't it a joy to watch them play this season under Felipe Scolari.

It was said that maybe he wasn't the right man for the job, after all what experience did he have in the Premier League?

Well, I guess they're all talking different now.
Chelsea never played such attacking football under the special one, did they?

Scoring 27 goals in 11 Premier League Games says it all.
They deserve to be on top off the table and it will get even better.

O.K., loosing from Liverpool last week was a bitter pill to swallow but they responded well with 8 goals in the last two games.

Now the Champions League game against Roma is next and I can tell you that my wife will be screaming and jumping in front off the screen!

Changi Golf Club

The Changi Golf Club, situated on the eastern point of the island of Singapore, has a stunning, hilly 9-hole course.

The Golf Club was initially formed as the Royal Air Force Changi Golf Club in 1946. Changi is a reminder of Singapore's historic association with the Second World War, because the golf course meanders through an area full of mementos of the British times like the officer's quarters, old barracks, air-raid bunkers and gun- positions.

When the Royal Air Force left Singapore in 1971, the club became privatized and civic members were allowed in. Then onwards the golf course has been upgraded on a regular basis.

The Changi Golf Club in Singapore is a tight course, sprawling over the wavy landscape.

The course was once one of the narrowest in the world, but now has been widened. The Golf Club is one of the few areas left in Singapore that retains a village atmosphere.

Address
Netheravon Road
Singapore 508505

Telephone
+65 6545 5133

Fax
+65 6545 2531

Holes
9 (different tee boxes)
Tight Bermuda Fairways

Yardage
Blue Tees : 5224
White Tees : 4993
Red Tees : 4948

Par/SSS
Blue : 68 / 64.1
White : 68 / 62.6
Red : 70 / 68

Visitors
Closed Monday Mornings
Normal golfing attire required
Visitors: Weekdays –D, Weekends & Public Holidays - N/A
Members Guest: Weekdays – C Weekends & Public Holidays – D

Location
Eastern Tip of Singapore, Head for Changi Village and keep Going until you get to the Golf course

Facilities
Caddies, Pro Shop, Club Hire, Trolley Hire, Buggy Hire and Food Outlet

Check out other Golf courses in Singapore

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Golfing in Singapore

Golfing is highly popular in Singapore. The glamorous island of Singapore is a magnificent place to play golf. With the great sunny weather, throughout the year and lush with greenery all around present the perfect condition to play Golf. Singapore provides excellent golfing facilities to the tourists, take your pick from the huge and well-equipped public courses, or enjoy at a more intimate atmosphere of the Golf Courses in Singapore at the country clubs and hotels.

While golfing in Singapore you are provided with the option of a rapid weekend getaway to a neighbouring country, where most of the golf courses are great as well as affordable.

In Singapore most of the Golf courses maintain a strict dress code, which is, collared shirts with trousers or short pants and Golf shoes are a must it is part of the dress code. Caddies or golf carts are usually available, and the courses are usually equipped with locker rooms and showers. Most of the Golf courses have entertainment outlets, cafe’s and restaurants to enjoy.

Below are all the Golf courses in Singapore you can choose from:

Executive Golf Course
Upper Seletar Reservoir, Mandai Road, Track 7, Singapore 779384
Telephone: +65 453 2700
Fax: (65) 453 3158
Course: 9 holes, 1425m, Par 29

Green Fairways
Fairways Drive (off Eng Neo Avenue), Singapore 289631
Telephone: +65 468 7233 Fax: (65) 468 7047
Course: 9 holes, 1887m, Par 32

Seletar Base Golf Club
244 Oxford Street, Seletar Base, Singapore 798420
Telephone: +65 481 4745 Fax: (65) 481 8877
Course: 9 holes, 2927m, Par 36

Tanglin Golf Course
Minden Road, Singapore 249543
Telephone & Fax: +65 473 7236
Course: 7 holes, 973m, Par 21

Changi Golf Club
20 Netheravon Road Singapore 508505
Telephone: +65 545 5133
Fax: (65) 545 2531
Course: 9 holes, 2378m, Par 34

Jurong Country Club
9 Science Centre Road Singapore 609078
Telephone: +65 568 5188
Fax: (65) 567 1900
Course: 18 holes, 6219m, Par 72

Keppel Club
10 Bukit Chermin Road Singapore 109918
Telephone: +65 273 5522
Fax: (65) 272 1563
Course: 18 holes, 5879m, Par 71

Laguna National Golf & Country Club
11 Laguna Golf Green Singapore 488047
Telephone: +65 541 0289
Fax: (65) 542 9289
Master course: 18 holes, 6400m, Par 72
Classic course: 18 holes, 6200m, Par 72

Orchid Country Club
1 Orchid Club Road Singapore 769162
Telephone: +65 750 2112
Fax: (65) 755 7972
Dendro course: 9 holes, 3262m, Par 37
Aranda Course: 9 holes, 3051m, Par 36
Vanda Course : 9 holes, 3012m, Par 36

Raffles Country Club
450 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim Singapore 639932
Telephone: +65 861 7655
Fax: (65) 861 5563
Lake Course: 18 holes, 5819m, Par 72
Palm Course: 18 holes, 6081m, Par 72

Safra Resort & Country Club
10 Changi Coast Walk Singapore 499739
Telephone: +65 542 8288
Fax: (65) 545 6508
Airforce Course: 9 holes, 3200m, Par 36
Navy Course: 9 holes, 3085m, Par 36
Army Course: 9 holes, 3015m, Par 36

Seletar Country Club
101 Seletar Club Road Singapore 798273
Telephone: +65 486 0801
Fax: (65) 481 0311
Course: 18 holes, 6386m, Par 72

Sembawang Country Club
No 249, Sembawang Road, (next to Sembawang Air Base) Singapore 758352
Telephone: +65 257 0642
+65 257 4714
Fax: (65) 752 0446
Course: 18 holes, 5980m, Par 72

Sentosa Golf Club
27 Bukit Manis Road Singapore 099892
Telephone: +65 275 0022
Fax: (65) 275 0005
Serapong Course: 18 holes, 6493m, Par 72
Tanjong Course: 18 holes, 6420m, Par 7

Tanah Merah Country Club
25 Changi Coast Road Singapore 499803
Telephone: +65 542 3040
Fax: (65) 542 9294
Garden Course: 18 holes, 6402m, Par 72
Tampines Course: 18 holes, 6437m, Par 72

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Renault R4

The 4L set a string of records. Produced for 33 years in more than eight million units, it was exported to more than 200 countries. Everybody loved it. Workers, managers, farmers, tourists, the old, the Young.
The Renault 4 was Renault's response to the 1948 Citroën 2CV. Renault was able to review the pluses and minuses of the 2CV design and come up with a larger, more urban vehicle.

The idea was simple: to create a more relaxed car, a car that would break down the barriers assigning one function to each vehicle.

Renault wanted self-employed workers to be able to use the same car to carry their ladders during the week and to take their family on a picnic at weekends.

The Renault R4 was presented in July 1961. It was a 5-door vehicle with a tailgate and modular cabin. The rear seat could be tipped forward to turn the car into a van, if required.

The 4L was simple but strong, at ease on both city streets and rutted country tracks.

The R4 always had a four-cylinder watercooled engine. These engines were considered as durable.

Another detail which made the Renault 4 different from other cars was dash-mounted gear lever.

In the 1970’s the car became a the cult object, when the student movement regarded it as ideal revolution car. Its actual success it however probably owed to the circumstance that it was simply practically, inexpensive and durable

Today, the Renault 4 is still treasured by collectors the world over.
Former drivers love to recall its dash-mounted gear lever, its astonishing ability to soak up bumps in the road, and the way the engine purred on idle…


Data sheet

Name: Renault R4
Start Production: 1960
Engine: Renault four-cylinder in-line unit - Capacity: 747cc - Bore: 54.5 mm - Stroke: 80 mm
Horsepower: 24.00 BHP (17.7 KW) @ 4500.00 RPM
Brakes: Drums on all four wheels
Gears: 3
Weight: 589.7 kg
Seating Capacity: 4
Dimensions: Length: 3.65 m - Width: 1.48 m - Height: 1.55 m
Performance: 110 km/h

Visiting Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur (KL) is the capital of Malaysia, it was founded in 1857 at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang rivers as a settlement for tin miners.

Since tin mining proved to be a profitable activity, the settlement developed over the years into a major city.

Kuala Lumpur became capital of the Selangor state in 1880 eventually becoming the capital of Malaysia after independence. It has grown from nothing to a modern, bustling city.

Kuala Lumpur has expanded substantially during the boom years of the 1990s, with many skyscarpers being added, of which the Petronas Towers, until recently the world's tallest buildings, are the most famous.

Despite the frantic growth of the past 20 years Kuala Lumpur is a very nice and livable South East Asian capital.

Kuala Lumpur is a modern Asian city, but it retains much of the local colour that has been wiped out in other Asian boom-cities such as Singapore. It has plenty of colonial buildings in its centre, a vibrant Chinatown with street vendors and night markets, and a bustling Little India.

Some of its main attractions are :

Petaling Street

The center of Kuala Lumpur's original Chinatown. Petaling Street maintains much of its traditional atmosphere, particularly at night when vendors spread their wares out on the street.

Central Market

The art-deco structure of the Central Market is a centre for the display and development of Malaysian culture, arts and crafts. There are many performances, demonstrations, and activities offered here, including batik painting, fortune telling, shadow puppet plays, glass blowing, dance classes, art classes, and many others. Fifty years ago this site was occupied by a wet market, the building won the Coronation Architecture Design Award in 1953.

Twin Tower

With a height of 1,453 feet, twin tower is one of the world's tallest buildings rise above the skyline of Kuala Lumpur. They are called the Petronas Towers, and, inevitably, they have become the symbols for the astounding growth that has taken place in Malaysia over the last two decades.

National Zoo and Aquarium

Thirteen kilometers north-east of Kuala Lumpur is the National Zoo. It contains hundreds of different species of animals, birds, and reptiles. The aquarium has an extensive collection of marine and freshwater species. Both the Zoo and Aquarium are open daily.

My favourite get away, Tioman Island

Tioman Island is situated on the east coast of Malaysia, facing the South China Sea. Best time to visit Tioman Island is from March to October, the rest of the year is monsoon season. There are plenty of activities you could do on the island: diving, snorkeling, tracking and more. I still remember the first time I set foot on Tioman Island, more then 10 years ago. I could smell the fresh sea water and the surrounding nature was overwhelming. It was my ideal of a tropical island, with white sandy beaches and crystal clear sea water. There was no vehicle on the island and I thought to myself it's going to be a great holiday, just me and nature. For me the most peaceful time on Tioman Island was in the evening, watching sunset, with a colourful sky, like you only see on postcards. I felt so warm inside me even though I could feel the cool breeze making my skin goose boom like from the chill wind. The sun was slowly descending, I imagined hearing the sun touching the ocean while watching it. The best food you can get on the island is seafood, most of the time it's fresh from the sea and in some restaurant you could even request them how you want it to be cooked. During day time you could hire a boat to go for a day trip or just to visit other beaches and if you don't have any snorkelling items, there’s no need to worry, you can always hire them from most of the shops. I felt in love with the island and have returned for more over the years. Every time I visited the island, I never felt tired of it and always had something to do during my stay. It was really a great place for a get away, especially if you work in a city. Tioman is also well known for diving and snorkelling. In Tioman, I had the experience to see a lot of fish swimming around me while I was snorkelling or swimming, it was magnificent to see lots of colourful and different sizes of coral and fish. The underwater life was amazingly beautiful. I even saw sharks for the first time in my life. It was a group of baby sharks and one of them which was bigger, I guess, had to be the mummy, but I was too afraid to go near them so I swam away. Later I told a friend of mine about the sharks that I saw and she told me that I had just wasted an opportunity which lots of people would love to see.

My favourite place to stay was Salang beach. I only stayed once in Paya beach but I returned to Salang beach because I prefer it more then other beaches. From my view Salang was best choice, it was situated at the end of the island and it was so much quieter there then any other beache. I always stayed in a small hut right at the end of the beach and always enjoyed my stay. My last trip to Tioman island was my seventh visit, which was four years ago. It was a trip with a group of my working colleagues. They wanted me so badly to organise a trip to Tioman Island as that year we had a long weekend due to Chinese New Year and it would be difficult for us to get another chance for a long weekend together. I did mention to them it was not a good time as monsoon was not over yet but they still insisted to go. In the end all six of us continued with the plan and it was the most frightening experience of my life. When we reached Mersing the mainland where we could get a boat to Tioman Island, there was only one boat which agreed to take all of us there. There were about twenty other people just waiting around hoping that a boat would take them to the island too. At first I could not see why it was too dangerous to be on a small boat during the monsoon until we were in the middle of the sea. The sea was so rough that the boat almost capsized twice, the engine stopped several times and people were throwing up everywhere on the boat, it was the most disgusting sight. There was a couple who brought along their baby on the boat, she never stopped crying, I really pitied that kid, and she was only just about a year old. Usually it only took us 45 minutes to get to the island from the mainland but that day it took us 6 hours or more. After a long journey in the boat we finally arrived safely, we checked in to our hut and immediately went to a restaurant without taking a shower because we were all starving. As we were ordering our food the waiter told us that we were very lucky to reach the island safely because there a boat capsized on the way to mainland. We were in shock and I had learned my lesson not to visit the island during the monsoon season. Other then that all of us did have a very good time and managed to do a lot of activities because day after the monsoon was over and the sea was back to normal.

Travel Malaysia

One of the most pleasant, hassle-free countries to visit in southeast Asia is Malaysia. It's buoyant and wealthy, and has moved towards a pluralist culture based on a vibrant and interesting fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian and native cultures and customs. Malaysia is as diverse as its culture. The Federation of Malaysia comprises Peninsula Malaysia is separated from the states of Sabah and Sarawak by the South China Sea. To the north of Peninsula Malaysia is Thailand while its southern neighbour is Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak are north of Indonesia in Borneo while Sarawak also shares a border with Brunei.

Malaysia's love for Western-style industrialisation is abundantly clear in its big cities. Aside from the gleaming glass towers of the 21st Century, though, Malaysia boasts some of the most superb beaches, mountains and national parks in Asia.

Malays, Chinese, Indians and many other ethnic groups have lived together in Malaysia for generations. All these cultures have influenced each other, creating a truly Malaysian culture. The largest ethnic groups in Malaysia are the Malays, Chinese and Indians. In Sabah and Sarawak, there are a myriad of indigenous ethnic groups with their own unique culture and heritage.

Multiculturalism has not only made Malaysia a gastronomical paradise, it has also made Malaysia home to hundreds of colourful festivals. It's no wonder that Malaysians love celebrating and socialising. Malaysians are very laid back, warm and friendly people. One of Malaysia's key attractions is its extreme contrasts. Towering skyscrapers look down upon wooden houses built on stilts, and five-star hotels sit several metres away from ancient reefs. Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is the official language, but English is widely spoken. Ethnic groups also have their own languages and dialects.

For the perfect holiday full of surprises, eclectic cultures and natural wonders, visit Malaysia and you will never get enough of it’s warm, sandy beaches and rich, humid mangroves.

Sentosa History and more

Here you can experience the magic behind the history of Singapore, where legend, fact, and folklore are innovatively interwoven for guests to enjoy a first hand experience. The Images of Singapore in Sentosa offer a journey to the very soul of the city-state offering a myriad diversity and yet unity of culture, values, adventure, perseverance and honor. The modern marvels of 21st century here offer you a gateway to the 14th century. The life-size figures, rare artifacts provide you a rare experience. With a little help from ultramodern science technology, the sights, sounds and smells of a past era has been brought to life. The Images of Singapore in Sentosa offers you chances of reliving the past; the maritime history of Singapore is narrated through the eyes of a Chinese merchant, you are brought face-to-face with towering and charismatic personalities on the likes of Sir Stamford Raffles, and you are made to experience Singapore's darkest hours at Surrenders Chambers. You go through the colorful festivals and events of the Chinese, Malays, Indians, and Peranakans, recreated in their full glory. Sentosa emphasizes 'theme' over 'amusement' and proudly puts Singapore's wonderful history on display amidst displays of light, color, and water. As each amusement park has its signature feature. The Merlion (the "sea lion"), the very symbol of Singapore itself, lording over the Musical Fountain. The Fountain is a lively display of water that dances to a wide selection of songs from classical to jazz to rock to country, for 30-minute shows held two to four times daily. The Merlion is a very tall structure, representing the half-lion and half-fish creature of Singaporean legend. This Merlion is a tower that allows access to an observation deck on the top of the head, and a smaller deck inside the jaws.
There are two attractions that cover Singapore's history, Images of Singapore and Fort Siloso both attraction are highly recommended. Images of Singapore is a combination wax museum and photo/art gallery that takes you through the 17th-20th centuries, especially covering the turn of the century and World War II (particularly focused on the Battle of Singapore that saw the Japanese overrun western Malaysia and Singapore). Fort Siloso was a major stronghold by the British, guarding the western access to the Singapore harbour. It has been converted into a museum, allowing visitors to get a flavour for life in the British army at the time, and the fort's role as one of the last strongholds during the Battle of Singapore.
There are plenty of other things of a more 'amusement' nature to explore, the Underwater World, where you are allowed to travel in one of those underwater tubes that 'immerses' you in a huge aquarium filled with fish, sharks, and a real-live endangered dugong (or 'sea cow'). Fantasy Island, the Dragon Trail nature walk, the Asian theme village, all of these are enjoyable.

Sentosa also has a lot of beach. Running from Fort Siloso at the west end all the way across the southern part of the island, Sentosa provides plenty of room for the thousands that congregate there on a summer day. In the middle lies a point claimed to be the 'Southernmost Point on Continental Asia', a peninsula that becomes an island at high tide and only accessible by rickety bridge. No doubt that Sentosa is highly recommended to all tourist visiting Singapore.

Sentosa Island

Sentosa was once a fishing village known as Pulau Blakang Mati, later it became a British military fortress until 1967 and was handed back to the newly independent Singapore Government in 1968. The Government decided to develop the island into a holiday resort for locals and tourist. The public was invited to suggest names for the island and eventually “Sentosa” – meaning peace & tranquility in Malay was chosen for the island.

Sentosa today is Singapore's premier island resort getaway with versatile petition, swarming with events all year round. Only 15 minutes journey from the city to the island, accessed by cable car, bus, taxi or car, the island is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is a distinctive blend of leisure and recreational facilities as well as family attractions, golf, sea sports in addition to hotel accommodation and retreats. A canopy of secondary rainforest covers 70 per cent of the 500-hectare island and is home to tropical animals such as monitor lizards, monkeys, peacocks, parrots as well as other native fauna and flora. The island has a 3.2-kilometre stretch of white sandy beach, and is the only location in Singapore to offer beachfront accommodation and over 670 hotel rooms with full facilities. Offering a variety of experiences for all ages, Sentosa is a must-visit destination for tourists and a popular recreational playground for local residents.

Travel Singapore

Singapore is one of the richest countries in Asia, which consists of a multi racial society. Even with so many races in Singapore, there are no language barriers as English is the main language spoken. It is an ideal place for tourists who love sightseeing in a fast paced modern city.

The Island has a wide variety of places to visit such as Fort Canning where you can find out more about World War II, when the Japanese invaded Singapore, City Hall, where you can find the monument dedicated to the founding of modern Singapore by British Sir Stamford Raffles in late 1818.

For animal lovers there is the World renown Singapore Zoo, Underwater World and The Bird Park.

Singapore also hosts plenty of Museums, exhibiting art from all over the world.

Due to the different cultures, you can find many interesting temples, mosques and churches.

Singapore is mostly known for shopping as it has a wide range of top brand shops, from all over the world. They are clustered along Orchard Road to Suntec City. You are always in walking distance from one of many Shopping Malls.

Food is luxuries in Singapore, you can choose from fine dining to small hawker centres or fast food. All the different tastes from all parts of Asia are present as well as European Cuisine.

There is also plenty of night live such as Hard Rock Café, pubs along the stretch of Singapore River, called the boat quay and clake quay, or you can choose to be on the top of mount faber where you can have a drink while enjoying the lights of Singapore port and Sentosa Island.

If you like to visit different cultural quarters while you are in Singapore you can always go to Chinatown for a glimpse at the Chinese culture, Little India for Indian culture and Geylang Serai for Malay culture.

Before you organise your visit to Singapore you can always check the Singapore Immigration
for visa details and information.

Mamma Mia Movie

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Rain Is Falling

Still here in cold Belgium.

Six more days and we have our own appartment.
The first of September I also start working.
We hope to have everything sorted out by the end of next week.

We are still looking for good places to eat but soon we can prepare our own meals, looking forward to eat some spicy curry!

And while the weather takes a big turn here every 10 minutes and we experience the four seasons in one day, we here that it rains almost every day Singapore.

I almost start thinking that Singapore is crying for us.

No Maggi Noodles here in Belgium, so we might order a case to be send to us.

Miss you Singapore.

Cold Belgium

After more then three and a half years finally landed again in Belgium.

After such a long time it was a bit of a shock and freezing cold!

It is the first time for my wife and she quite excited.

It is a lot of adjusting but we will manage.

We wont be in Singapore for a while but we know that we will return next year.

For now I wish all the best to all the people we met in Singapore.

Greetings from Belgium.

Football at the Olympic Games a disaster

I watched Belgium - Brazil, a first round game in the Olympic tournament.

There has been so much written in the newspapers about teams that didn't want to send their players too the Olympic games.

While at first I was against those teams, I now understand why.

Sending good players to such a tournament is one thing, but then sending referees too those games that don't have any idea what football is, is another thing!

It is insulting to the players and there teams that somebody who obviously never led a big game can show there stupidity at the Olympic Games.

In a rather friendly game giving 10 yellow cards! How absurd!!!!

Brazil won in the end with 1-0 with thanks to the referee.

Maybe that will be the only way that the Brazilian team can win the gold medal.

No surprise if their won't be any football tournament at the next Olympic Games.

Forest Adventure Singapore

After another day in Singapore’s busy city life, you might opt for a day out of the buzz.

A place to get away from it all is Forest Adventure at Bedok Reservoir Park.

Forest Adventure offers recreational outdoor activities for young and old with an aerial course through the trees comprising ladders, bridges, swings, nets, trapezes and slides where participants move unaccompanied, from tree to tree, 5 meters above ground.

The Grand Course, for the adults and adventurous ones, has 32 different stages including 4 zip lines (flying foxes) across the water – the longest zip will be 176m!

The kids course has 16 stages including one zip line 67 m long. The course is laid out in 2 loops of 7 activities each that commences from a central platform.

The Grand Course Tour costs S$ 28
The Kids Course costs S$20

More than 1 million visitors for Singapore Flyer

Since the Singapore Flyer started operating, five months ago, more than 1 million people have visited the Flyer.

Half of those tickets were sold to tourist, the other half was bought by Singaporeans.

A new visitors centre for tourists has been launched at the Singapore Flyer, to further boost ridership figures, which should help to reach the 2,5 million visitors mark set for this year.

It is expected that the Singapore Flyer peak period will be during the Formula 1 race in Singapore and the Youth Olympics.

Prom Night Movie Review

Well, the title of the post is called Prom Night Movie Review, but I'm asking myself if this thing is worth calling a movie!

Ok, a quick summary.

A female student was stalked by a crazy teacher and she witnesed how he killed her mother.

Three years later it's Prom Night and that same killer escaped to come back for her.

In his quest for his princess he kills everybody that crosses his path before getting shot himself.

This movie suposed to be in the horror/suspense genre but there is little of all that.

It proves once again that Hollywood movies are not always great. There have been to many of this kind of movies, where mediocre directors and actors try to make some money.

This movie is a waste of money and a waste of time.

Rating: -5/10

I created a minus rating just for this movie, which means they should pay you money to go and watch this movie!

Singapore is 13th most expensive city in the world

According to Mercer Worldwide Cost of Living Survey Singapore is now the 13th most expensive city in the world and the 5th most expensive in Asia.

Singapore's rise in rankings is partly due to the appreciation of the Singapore dollar against the US dollar.

The research confirms the global trend in price increases for certain food products and petrol.

After living in Singapore for almost a year I find it not surprising.

A disturbing factor though is that still a majority of the people work for a salary of around 1200S$ which is very little if you live in the 13th most expensive city in the world!

Here the top 20 as published by Mercer:

1. Moscow
2. Tokyo
3. London
4. Oslo
5. Seoul
6. Hong Kong
7. Copenhagen
8. Geneva
9. Zurich
10. Milan
11. Osaka
12. Paris
13. Singapore
14. Tel Aviv
15. Sydney
16. Dublin
17. Rome
18. St. Petersburg
19. Vienna
20. Beijing

Boat Quay Singapore

Boat Quay was the busiest part of the old Port of Singapore, handling three quarters of all shipping business during the 1860s. It was the hotspot for trading and so it became the starting point of Singapore’s success as a business hub.

In those days Raffles had signed an agreement that made Boat Quay a free port for Singapore which caused a big influx from immigrants of neighbouring countries.

Boat Quay's decline as a Port began in the 1960s.

The shophouses have been carefully conserved and now house various bars, pubs and restaurants.
Boat Quay now offers Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Thai, Italian and other international cuisine.

It is the probably the best place for the Singapore entertainment scene where most professionals and expatriates go to chill out after work.

Boat Quay is a great place to spend the evening and have a nice dinner at one of the riverside restaurants with great views.

It is all a bit pricy and touristy but still a great spot to plunge into the night life.

To get there just take MRT to Raffles Place and head towards the Singapore River.

The Strangers movie review

When Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) are staying at a secluded vacation home in the woods after attending a friend's wedding scrary events start to occure.
Opening the door after a loud knock they found a dazed young woman in front of the door wish they send away.
When James head back to the city for a short while, Kirsten gets terrorised by three people and when James finnaly gets back he founds Kirsten in shock.

During the long night they try to find a way out of this terrorising nightmare.

The movie was made with a very small budget to Hollywood standards.
Tyler and Speedman put down a great performance in this horror suspence movie where the violence happens off camera.

A great movie that gives you a few jumps in your seat. It seems to be the new trend of movies.

Rating: 6/10

£350,000 to give peace a chance

£350,000, thats what has been paid for John Lennon's handwritten lyrics for 'Give Peace A Chance' at a rock memorabilia auction.

John Lennon wrote the lyrics on a piece of paper in a hotel suite in Montreal during Lennon and Yoko Ono's historic Bed-In for Peace in 1969.

The framed lyrics where sold by Gail Renard who was in John Lennon's company when he wrote the lyrics.

Reading the lyrics makes the whole thing a bit ironic as a piece of paper is sold for that amount of money.

At the same auction another Beatles memorabilia was sold at a record price. A drumskin used by the Fab Four on the front cover of their 1967 album Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, fetched £450,000.

I geuss The Beatles still stand for big money!

Hancock Movie Review

Hancock is Super Hero Movie directed by Peter Berg and staring Will Smith and Charlize Theron.
Will Smith plays an alcoholic Super Hero whon saved many peoples lives in Los Angeles but gets no respect because of his unusual way of saving people.
One day he saves a public-relations spokesperson his live and in return this man will try to change Hancock's public image for the better.
Hancock will have to spend some time in prison as part of this public image improvement.
After some time the Chief of Police asks Hancock to rescue people in a chaotic bank robbery and Hancock becomes popular again.
Soon after he finds out that the wife of the public-relations spokesperson, Mary, is actualy his wife who also has Super Powers.
Mary reveals that they are the last two Super Hero's and have been a couple off and on for 3,000 years. When they meet their other half they become mortal and Hancock starts loosing his Super Powers.
During a revenge plot by some criminals that Hancock put away he and MAry gets serious injured.
To save Mary, Hancock leaves the city, restoring both of their power.

Altough the movie has received mainly poor to average reviews it is still a great action Super Hero Movie.
The movie has got some great special effects and Will Smith puts down a convincing role.

If you are looking for pure entertainment and not to much thinking then Hancock is what you are looking for.

Rating: 7/10

70-year-old woman gives birth to twins

Omkari Panwar, a 70 year old Indian woman gave birth to a twin. The boy and girl where born premature but are in perfect health.

The woman and her 77-Year old Man always wanted a son to continue their farm. They already have two adult daughters and five grand children.

The poor family sold their buffalo’s, used all their savings and took a loan to get a special treatment to get pregnant.

They are delighted to finally get a son, as it is tradition in India that the son has the right to a dowry when he gets married. And that’s the reason why they spend so much money and tried one last time to get a son.

According to the proud father he can now die as a happy man.

The Return of the Leatherback Turtle

Malaysia witnessed the return of the Leatherback Turtle last month after a one year absence.
The leatherback Turtle can grow up to 180 cm and 600 kilogram in weight. They are the largest of all sea turtles.
The biggest ever recorded leatherback turtle was a male stranded on a Welsh beach that reached 256 cm long and weighed 916 kg.

The nesting of the Leatherback Turtle fell drastically in Malaysia due to over
fishing, pollution and poaching.

While 50 years ago there where around 10,000 female turtles laying there eggs every year on the beaches in Malaysia, the number dropped drastically with only 800 in the eighties and even none last year.

As it becomes increasingly more difficult to find male Leatherback Turtles, most of the eggs found are not fertilized. No eggs hatched since 2000 because of this.

So even today after two Turtles returned to the beaches in Malaysia there is still big skepticism for the survival of the species.

Playing football in Cambodia can be dangerous

Three football players where killed during a football game after lightning struck.
Three other players got injured and had to be rushed to hospital. The incident happened in Phnom Phen, the capital of Cambodia.

The victims where all in their early twenties. The Cambodian football association recommends its members not play anymore during bad weather.

This year there have been killed 40 people so far by lightning.

Pulau Ubin

As Legend goes, Pulau Ubin was formed when a frog, a pig and an elephant challenged each other to a race to reach the shores of Johor. Whoever did not make it to the shore would turn into stone. As all three where unable to reach to shore, they all turned into stone. The Pig and the Elephant turned into Pulau Ubin and the Frog turned into Pulau Sekudu.

Pulau Ubin is the last Kampung in Singapore. Ubin is a reflection of days gone by with its wooden houses, plantations, rich and preserved wildlife. Situated in the northeastern coast of Singapore, it is being developed into a nature park.

It is a place where the inhabitants live as relaxed as possible. There are still about a hundred villagers living on the Island.

As Some villagers still depend on traditional farming and fishing for subsistence, others tend to their provision stores, eateries or bicycle shops as tourism is finally catching up.

Ubin is a great day trip. Just walk or cycle around on the rustic deserted roads, sunbathe on a secluded beach or chill out in hammock under a palm tree.

Chek Jawa is a natural beach at the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin where marine life such as the horseshoe crab and sand dollar are still abundant. Several different ecosystems can be seen in one small area here.

Rare birds like the Oriental pied-hornbill and the Red jungle fowl can be spotted around this area.

Amenities in Chek Jawa Wetlands include an information kiosk, boardwalk, viewing tower, viewing jetty and a visitor centre with seminar room and workroom.

There are camping facilities and a number of guesthouses on Ubin for those who like to stay for a few days.

Pulau Ubin is a 10-minute boat ride from the Changi Point jetty.

Ugly Gus

Gus, a pedigree Chinese crested, was in California(USA) elected as the ugliest dog in the world.
The Poor dog has only three legs, one eye and a little bit of white fur on the head.
Gus and his owner who lives in Florida traveled thousands of kilometers just to enter the bizarre competition.
Gus might be ugly but by winning the contest he got $500 and a guest appearance on national TV.
The $500 is more than welcome says Gus’ owner who will spend the money on treatment for Gus' skin cancer.
Well, don’t worry Gus. I’m pretty sure that a lot of dogs are uglier than you but they just couldn’t make it to the contest.

Biofuels cause Great Poverty

According to aid agency Oxfam, biofuels are an important cause of the raising food prizes in the world. Biofuels are responsible for 30 percent of the increase in global food prices. Because of this around 30 million people worldwide are pushed into poverty.
Developed countries try to reduce their dependence on imported oil and cut emissions of carbon dioxide which led to a shortage of grain, pushing up commodity prices.

Biofuels are taking over agricultural land in the poorer countries and forcing farmers to expand into lands that are important carbon sinks, like forests and wetlands.

An Official report states that Rich countries spent up to $15 billion last year supporting biofuels while blocking cheaper Brazilian ethanol, which is far less damaging for global food security.

So think twice before you think you are saving the world by using biofuel!!!!

Miracle Pig survives 36 days under debris

Soldiers came across a fortunate pig that was trapped beneath debris at a collapsed pig farm in Sichuan.
The Pig survived 36 days by drinking rainwater and munching its way through a bag of charcoal. During its 36 days ordeal the pig lost around 120 kilograms.

A local museum bought the animal for 3,008 yuan and will take care of the animal for the rest of its life. They renamed the pig Zhu Jianqiang or Strong Pig.

The Earthquake that devastated southwestern China leaves 90,000 people either dead or missing.

Geylang Serai in Singapore

The cultural heart of the Malay community in Singapore is Geylang Serai.
This district is the best place to experience the typical ethnic group of Singapore as the Malays are the native inhabitants of Singapore.

In the early 1920s, after the British authorities dispersed their floating village at the mouth of the Singapore River, the Malay population moved out to Geylang Serai as a consequence of the keen competition for land in Kampong Gelam.

Geylang is still partly untouched by urban projects and developments that has changed the face of Singapore since the 1970s. The district is regarded as one of the happening districts with a glittering and vibrant nightlife.
Geylang Serai district is particularly famous for shopping, eateries and nightclubs, including a red-light district.
Many restaurants still have a strong Malay influence and offer traditional Malay cuisine.
Check out the Malay Village and feel the vibe of the traditional 'Kampung Days' lifestyle of Malays in the 1950s and 1960s.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is a great time to visit Geylang.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and is a time of abstinence, contemplation and worship for Muslims. It is one of the most significant celebrations for Muslims.
During Hari Raya Aidilfitri the streets in Geylang are colorfully lit with night bazaars offering traditional Malay handicraft, clothes and accessories, numerous food stalls offering traditional Malay food.

Smokers getting paid to stop smoking

Smokers are offered £12,50 per week to stop smoking in deprived parts of the big cities in Scotland.
The organizers hope that around 900 smokers will be helped with the £500,000 pilot scheme.
Participating smokers will be offered £12.50 per week with which they can buy food in their local supermarket.
The participants will also be provided with nicotine replacement therapy through their local pharmacy.
Smokers can take part in the project for 12 weeks.
This new incentive scheme is a partnership between NHS Tayside, Dundee City Council and the Scottish Government and is launching in the autumn.

I been planning to stop smoking for while and I just wonder if money will do the trick.
And how will the participants be tested, what stops them from smoking during the project?
And what after those 12 weeks?
Smoking is a habit that is hard to break and it takes a lot of self discipline to quite.
Stating that they want to help the deprived by giving them some money for a few weeks will not do the trick I'm afraid.
Instead they should try to get jobs for those people as boredom is the biggest problem for people who want to stop smoking.
Good luck to all of you who want to stop!

Stuff Legends are made of

Are they still around now a days? Those super Football Players that can carry their team to victory. The kind of players that make a Wold Cup or Euro Cup worth watching.
The Kind of player that rises above the others when trouble is looming and is able to turn a game around with a single action.
The kind of player that makes their country triumph.
Their are plenty of wanna bees, the kind of players that will lead their teams to victory in a Champions League.
Once they accomplished something like that they will start to ask for a pay raise or a transfer to a bigger or better paying team( not mentioning any names but sure most people now the ones).
But doing that doesn't make you a legend.
There don't seem to be any more players of that special kind.
I think I can say that maybe Zinedine Zidane was the last great one.
Leading the French to European and World Cup victories.
Ending his career with a header probably made him even more legendary.
Ronaldinho came close but then it all went wrong.
Ronaldo( the Brazilian one) might be among those legends, after being top scorer in the World Cup when Brazil became World champions.
But at the moment?
NO, I don't see that kind of player on the fields.
Maybe they should watch some old footage and learn and focus more on the game instead of thinking of the big money!

Getting Paid For Blogging, PayPerPost is the place to be

I had this Blog for a while but only recently I really got into the Blogging Vibe.
Blogging is a great way for me to write about the things I love or to share experiences.
A while ago a friend told me about PayPerPost, a service that allows you to earn money for Blogging.
I had many questions and doubts about this service. Do you have to be a very good writer, do they really pay you and how do they pay, were some of the questions that popped up in my mind.
It all sounded to good to be true and so I waited for a long time before I signed up.
Last month I finally took the big step and signed up to write blog ads for PayPerPost.
It wasn’t as hard I thought it would be! Signing up took me only five minutes and within one week my Blog was approved for the market.
The rules are simple:
Your Blog has to be 30 days old and have minimum 10 Posts.
For every opportunity you take their should be one non sponsored post before and after.
PayPerPost gives you the option to choose from different categories which fit best with your Blog, in that way you can still write about the things you like and get paid for it at the same time.
You get paid through your paypal account which is easy to create.
The site also offers Pay Per Post Direct, a way for bloggers to negotiate directly with an advertiser.
Advertisers also get the opportunity to place blog ads in numerous Blogs to promote their products.
PayPerPost offers Plenty of possibilities for Blogers to earn that little extra by doing the thing they love!
Just sign up for PayPerPost and try to write some blog ads I would say!

The Incredible Hulk Movie Review

Going into the movie theater with a big dose of skepticism but coming out quite pleased.
The Incredible Hulk is not the best movie I have ever seen but it provided the dose of pure entertainment I was hoping for.

Edward Norton plays Bruce Banner, a fugitive living in Brazil, who is looking for a cure for the disease called “Hulk”. Whenever he gets angry ( not hungry!) he will turn green and gets superpowers that allows him too even throw cars in the air. Being a man who is not happy with what he became he wants to find answers.


Tim Roth plays Emil Blonsky, a soldiers who wants the power that the Hulk caries in him. He will be injected with a dose of some radioactive stuff so he can become as powerful as the hulk.
While the actors perform very good in their roles it comes all down to the animated characters to fight it out in a great climax.

Marvel produced a comic movie that is far above standard and by far an improvement over Ang Lee’s Hulk.

Rating: 7/10

Driving into the City in Singapore is getting more expensive

With 7 more gantries going live along the banks of the Singapore River on July 7, there will be in total 65 gantries island wide.
While gantries in the business district will stay on an hour longer, the ones in Orchard road will go on an hour earlier.
There will be higher Electronic Road Pricing (ERP)charges at 37 gantries.
The higher prices are part of an effort to speed up the traffic in the city during peak hours.
Inflation is no excuse to keep the prices low says MR. Cedric Foo.
What ever way helps to get money out of peoples pocket. And again it is the middle class that will suffer the most!
They also say that there are more people taking public transportation.
Then why don't they start to put more busses in use so that the people are not packed like sardines?
The public transportation companies should not put timetables on the board when they can not stick to it!
960 please be on time for once!!!!!!

Makers of Angels and Demons banned from the Vatican

The makers of Angels and Demons, a prequel to The Da Vinci Code, have been banned from the Vatican.
In Angels and Demons a sinister elite known as the Illuminati to install their candidate as Pope and blow up the Vatican.
Crucial scenes where to shot in the churches Santa Maria del Popolo and Santa Maria della Vittoria.
The Church also condemned the Da Vinci Code, the first Dan Brown novel turned into a movie.
Tom Hanks also stars in Angels and Demons, which like The Da Vinci Code, is directed by Ron Howard.
Archbishop Velasio De Paolis stated that It would be unacceptable to transform churches into film sets so that his blasphemous novels can be made into films in the name of business.
The cast will have to shoot some scenes in the studio.
But it is a big question to me if Angels and Demons can satisfy the movie goers as The Da Vinci Code was far below average.

Singapore's Chinatown

Chinatown was the heart of the city's trading activity in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
It is a bit funny to have a Chinatown in a country where over 70% of the population is Chinese.
Chinatown comes from the early British days where the city was partitioned into neighborhoods. The British divided the city into districts based on ethnic groups, in order to keep racial tensions minimized. At that time the Chinese population was a minority.
In those days the Chinese immigrants were pore and Chinatown was a place of many brothels and opium dens.
Today it is a fast developing area with plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants.
The old architecture has been preserved resulting in a neighborhood with traditional shop-houses, full of color.

Visit the Thian Hock Keng Temple, also known as the Temple of Heavenly Happiness. Completed in 1841, it is one of Singapore's oldest and largest temples.

The Sri Mariamman Temple in Chinatown is Singapore's oldest and most important Hindu temple. The Temple, covering Hundreds of brightly painted statues of deities and mythical animals, honors the Goddesses Devi and Mariamman.

Located on Telok Ayer Street, The Nagore Durghar Shrine offers a unique blend of Classical and Indian-Muslim motifs.

The Jinrikisha Station, now restored and turned into a shopping and recreational centre was once the station for up to 9000 jinrikishas.

One of the best times to visit Chinatown is a few days before the Lunar New Year or Dumpling festival.
Chinatown is just a short walk from Outram Park or Chinatown MRT Stations.

Singapore's Little India

Little India is the focal point of Singapore's Indian community. Walking into Little India is an overdose of inputs on your senses.

You will smell the strong, heady scent of spices and the beautiful smells of incense and hear the music of India blasting thru speakers around the neighborhood. Colorful silk saris, sculptures, silverware, brassware and wood carvings are displayed in the abundant shops.

If you enjoy hunting for bargains then Little India is the place to be.
Do not miss the Mustafa Centre, as it has quite a reputable name with the locals for selling goods at reasonable prices and it is open 24/7.
Worth a visit on your shopping spree are Tekka Mall and Sim Lim Square.

Visit one of the many Colorful Hindu temples, Mosques or Churches . Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple on Serangoon Road is Little India's oldest temple, first built in 1881.
Abdul Gaffoor Mosque, founded in 1859 , is an historic monument in Singapore.
Tuesday and Fridays are the Hindu holy days, gods are honored with simple strands of flowers and on those days you will find plenty of small stalls selling flowers to be offered to the Gods.

There is no lack of restaurants in Little India. Make sure to try the “Teh Tarik”, a hand pulled cup of tea or some spicy Indian curry before you leave. For only a few dollar you will get a good meal in any of the restaurants.

During Deepavali (usually between Oct/Nov), the Indian Festival of Lights, Little India is transformed into a explosion of colorful lights and music and the streets are bustling with shoppers.

EURO 2008 in Singapore

Watching EURO 2008 in Singapore will cost you your sleep. As all the games start in the evening in Europe, it means that you have to stay up till 5 in the morning to watch the games.
I only watched two games so far and thats not only because the games are so late.
The rights for EURO 2008 went to STARHUB in Singapore and if you don't have the sports channels in your cable TV package you have to pay for every game you want to see.
Yes, it's all about the money again!
Offcourse, the late schedule of the games will not attract to many advertisers so they will have to get their money in some ways.
Luckily there is still the Malaysian channels.
TV3 shows a game live every two days what is a bit bizarre. They must have some kind of agreement with some other channels.
For now I decided that my sleep is more important than football, but as soon as it comes to the quarter finals I don't think that my Football loving genes can resist the excitement.

Scolari new coach of Chelsea

In between all the bustle of EURO 2008 it was announced yesterday that Portugal Coach, Scolari will be the new Chelsea coach for next season.
Scolari coached Brazil to their 2002 World Cup success and reached with Portugal the EURO 2004 Final and World Cup 2006 Semi Final.
But the man has no experience in the European Champions League or Premier League and does not speak English.
The 59-year old coach will get a yearly wage of £6.75 million and is promised an astounding £ 100 million for new players.
Some names of top players on the request list of Scolari are Kaka, now playing for Milan; Fernando Torres, now playing for Liverpool; Frank Ribery, now playing for Bayern Munich and even Ronaldinho of Barcelona who had a very bad season.
Another Barcelona player, Deco might put his signature on a contract within a few days time.
It is still not sure what players will leave Chelsea, but it's guaranteed that they will have a great squad again next year.

Cheaper attractions in Singapore

While the bigger attractions in Singapore tend to be very expensive, there are some smaller attractions that are cheap and some even free.
Take a day of and go with your children to the Choa Chu Kang swimming complex.
The swimming complex houses competition Pool, Toddler's pool, Interactive pool, 3 water slides, a rapid river, a whirlpool and a spa. With an admission fee of only 1,5 S$ for adults and 80 cents for children, it is a great alternative for those with a smaller budget.

If you like flowers you can visit Orchidville Singapore, It occupies 43 hectares of land in the Mandai Agrotechnology Park. try one of the Orchid courses and find out more about the National Flower of Singapore. The Orchid farm is located in the Western part of Singapore, in the Mandai Agrotechnology Park and admission is free.

Visit Marina Park for a breathtaking view of the city skyline and the sea.Gaze at Sculptures ranging from contemporary ones such as Soaring Vision, Spirit of Youth, and Sculptural Fountain to historical ones like the 12 Chinese Legendary Heroes or enjoy the marvel of a spectacular two-tier large pond with a fountain sprouting water 18m high. The park is near Marina Bay.

Kung Fu Panda Movie Review

All Po(Jack Black), the Panda, wants is to be a Kung Fu Master but being a Panda doesn't help him much to realize his dreams.
But during a formal ceremony Po is chosen by tortoise Master Oogway to become the next Dragon Warrior.
And so Po's training starts to become the ultimate Kung Fu Fighter.
He is trained by Shifu(Dustin Hofman) in an attempt to get him ready to fight the evil snow leopard warrior Tai Lung.
Po, will also get help in his training of the Furious Five, Tigress(Angelina Jolie), Monkey(Jacky Chan), Viper(Lucy Liu), Mantis(Seth Rogen) and Crane(David Cross).
After intensive training Po will face the evil snow leopard warrior Tai Lung to reveal who is the one and only Dragon Warrior.

Hilarious from beginning all the way till the end!
Maybe the best animated film of the last few years, together with Shrek.
Although there are a lot of great actors in the cast,it's all about the Panda or should I say Jack Black.
And it is what he does best: being super funny.

Rating: 8/10

Singapore Top Attractions Getting Too Expensive?

A survey held by The Strait Times revealed that 18 out of 20 parents find the Top Attractions in Singapore too expensive.
On average a family of four would have to spend around S$ 125 for a day out at one of the top attractions, that would include a small meal and souvenir.
Singapore Night Safari tops the list with S$240 for a family of four.
Although some of the attractions give discounts, the parents still think it is too expensive.
The costs for the theme parks might be worth the money but are these still affordable for the middle class?
If a production worker earns around S$50 per day, it will take a whole weeks salary for a trip to the ZOO!
Well, there is always the beach, its cool, its free, its fun!

Manny, The Labrador, Is No More

Yesterday, a Labrador named Manny died.
His death was announced in the newspaper today. Now what can be so special about this dog that they write about it in the newspaper?
They where even planning a post-mortem on the dog to figure out the cause of death.
Well, the dog was special, very special.
This dog was trained to sniff out pirated discs!
Does a pirated disc smells different from a normal one?
The was to become part of the first anti-piracy canine unit.
A pair of Labradors in the unit sniffed out US$ 1.6million worth of CD's and because of this the counterfeiters decided to put a price on the head of these dogs.
So, did Manny died of natural causes or was he murdered by the counterfeiters?

A Visit To The Jurong BirdPark

Visiting Jurong BirdPark is probably the best way to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city life.
The BirdPark is one of the best attractions in Singapore, even one of the best Bird Parks in the world.
Build on the Western slope of the Jurong Hill, it houses around 9,000 birds of 600 different species spread out over an area of 20+ hectares.
With a show about every half hour of some kind an amazing number of exhibits it will keep you busy for the whole day. It is actually almost impossible to see everything in one day.
Some of the Highlights at the Jurong BirdPark are:

African Wetlands: This Exhibit aims to present a more balanced eco-system display, with unique bird species such as the Shoebill, Storks, the African Crown Crane and much more
Waterfall Aviary: This is the world’s largest walk-in aviary with the highest man-made waterfall and it houses around 1,500 free-flying birds from Africa and South America.
Penguin Exhibition: The exhibit is the star among the exhibits in the park and includes Humboldt, Rockhopper, Macaroni, Fairy and King Penguins. Take a glimpse at the World’s largest colony of Humboldt Penguins bred in captivity
Lory Loft: With over 1,000 free-flying lories it is the world's largest walk-in flight aviary for Lories and lorikeets. Walk around on suspension bridges, 12 meter above the ground.
Pelican Cove: Watch the Pelicans dive for fish at the first underwater gallery for Pelicans.
This is just a small part of things to do and see in the BirdPark.
Although it is a great escape from the hectic life of the city for adults, it is definitely a great daytrip for children.

Admission: Adults S$18.00
Children S$9.00

Opening Hours: 9am to 6pm daily

Adress: 2 Jurong Hill Singapore 628925

Getting There: Take the MRT to Boon Lay Station and transfer to SBS number 194 or 251 at the Boon Lay Bus Interchange.