Sunday, October 05, 2008

Sunday's Silent Structures


Trapped at home during this festive Hari Raya period with nothing much to do.

Just like this family, most families are postponing their Raya visits for now until the final year exams are over. So there is not much celebration going on for now.

With Sonny buried in books and revisions with Wifey, I decided to take my bike out for a ride. My first one since we stopped during the month of Ramadan.


It was a perfect day for biking.

The sun was out today after many days of cloudy skies and rain, against the prediction of the weatherman who said today would rain too. It did not and I was happy to busk in the afternoon sun, riding my bike topless today for God knows why.

I decided to ride along Old Tampines Road... along the route where I take the bus Service 72 every weekday to work.


I especially like the stretch of road where the rain trees on opposite sites meet and form a covered stretch of road that is cooling and with not much traffic, actually was serene.

Once passed the Paya Lebar Airbase, the stretch of Tampines Road has one of the most beautiful display of pink and purple blooms in the centre of the bidireictional road. Flanking on both sides are yellow Golden Showers.


Though not much of a display was for this afternoon, but a glimpse of what is to come can already be seen... usually after several days or weeks of downpour and followed by a stretch of sunny days, these trees will display their spectacular blooms lavishly.


Yet this afternoon, what took my attention was not the blooms so much, but the permanent structures along the route. I did not go far down Tampines Road until the KPE flyover, but I would like to do it one of these days.


The most imposing stucture has to be the NEWater Service Reservoir. One of our local answer to used water recycling apart from the many reserviors - natural and man-made ones, on this island for drinking water.

Yes, we live on an island... surrounded by water, but not a drop to drink... until desalination is done. One of the more expensive methods to convert into drinking water here.

With its very strange funnel shape, it could have been used in the Man In Black movie to masquerade and house a couple of spaceships if these were in Hollywood.


The once busy national airport, now converted to an airforce base, the landing guide lights have always intrigued me. I got to see it up close for longer instead of passing it by while on the bus.

Traces of old, long gone villages still visible if one observed properly. Not from the structures of the kampong houses, but the very few surviving fruit trees that are still there. One such tree is the Buah Betik or papaya tree... flowering along the road near a bus stop.


One intriguing moss-like plant that I have been meaning to get up-close for about two years now is actually just vines... lots and lots of yellow vines with no leave at all. The vines twirled everywhere, choking the tall Lalang and stretched all the way to the tree tops.

These vines are so dense, they look like moss to me all these while. I have no idea what this species of vines is called.

There is a cluster of houses a stretch further called Jalan Telawi that I wish to explore, but will save it for another bike-riding day.

Good bike ride today, and I got a good enough tan too. Loving it.



Papaya Leave behind the sun



Moss vines atop mango tree



Tapioca shoots growing wild



Papaya flower & budding fruit



Lalang flower blowing in the wind

8 comments:

  1. It's interesting to see how school years work in other countries. School started here a month and a half ago. Nothing important going on.
    Your pictures are breathtaking! They could make a book by themselves. :)

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  2. wow, i really missed your pics bro - you really have the ability to capture natures true beauty!

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  3. Gambar2 yg menarik Imran.. tapi bestnya kalau Imran leh tunjuk gambar2 beraya ke sana ke mari, nak belajar juga suasana beraya kat sana...

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  4. Glad your getting to go on your bike rides again...and what absolutely lovely photos...I love the close up of the flowers the best. Your very good with taking photos of plant life.

    Sorry I've not been around much of late..there's a lot going on in my life right now I must take care of. I haven't forgotten you....or any of my dear fellow blog friends.

    Blessings,

    Rhiannon

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  5. Hello Everyone,

    Thank you for stopping by and leaving your nice messages.

    Andrew | In the tropics, there is not much weather change, so the school year is not dependent of it.

    The school year starts as soon as New Year's day is over.

    Two major long holiday breaks are a month in Jun and about 1.5 months from Nov through Dec. In between they have a short one and two weeks of breaks in Mar and Sept repectively.

    I am quite lucky to get to take the photos which turned out quite well. The time of day and the weather itself brought out what already were beautiful subjects I found along my bike rides.

    The rest was done by my trusted Panasonic Lumix FZ10 camera... no fancy settings needed fortunately.

    I should learn much from Sister Celtic and George if I should ever become that good to publish a photography book. That's a thought!

    Crashy | I missed going on bike rides too during the fasting month.

    Since there is a breather for Hari Raya celebration because of the students' final year exams, I got to ride again instead of going visiting or being visited.

    At least I got to satisfy my craving to ride, sweat, tan and take lots of pictures... all in one go.

    BeruangMadu | Tahun ini, ziarah menziarahi di tangguh dahulu kerana ia bercanggah dengan peperiksaan penghujung tahun.

    Cuma selepas itulah kebanyakan orang akan mula beraya. Hujung minggu ini habis sudah peperiksaan dan akan bermulalah kita semua keluar beraya.

    Tentu sekali akan banyak bergambar, dan akan Imran postkan untuk semua yang minat menjengok diblog ini.

    Rhianon | Getting back riding is heavenly indeed.

    I am always fascinated by flowers... its delicate structures and breathtaking colors are already natural attractions to me together with the pollinating bees and other nectar gathering insects.

    I understand that you have lots of stuff that need settling. You're one strong-willed lady.

    My thoughts are always with you...

    Though I understand, yet I cannot help but worry when you are inactive with your blog... my only indication that you're there and doing fine.

    I enjoy when you post your opinions on subjects you are passionate about and showing that creative talents when the artworks and poems pour out in your posts to share with everyone. Always love that.


    Thank you very much again everyone for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  6. Isn't it great to just hop on your bike and go on a mystery tour...no definite destination planned...I love trips like that...nothing planned.

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  7. Hi and thanks for commenting on my virtual bunny Powder. YOU are the blog friend whose hamster I first saw and had fun playing with it! So it was YOU who showed that to me, and now I have my own bunny. Yes, it is heartbreaking when we lose our pets -- the bunny I named Powder after was a little Netherland Dwarf Siamese Albino, white with grey ears and he got a respiratory disorder and I held him for 4 hrs when he was dying, and very tight at the moment he died. He wanted to be right on my neck and in my face so I let him, and suffered a horrible allergy attack for the following 3-4 days, but I didn't care. It was worth it to me to be there for him. Your hamsters sound adorable. I like yours a lot but haven't gotten him to eat his strawberry yet!?
    Blessings on your week, Bloggie Friend ;oD

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  8. Such a beautiful world we all live in. Wish all could see it and appreciate it the way it deserves to be.

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Hello Everyone,

Thank you for stopping by and leaving me your messages. I will also try to answer any questions you may have for me.

Thanks again and have a good day.

Regards,
Muhd Imran
PAL Blogger