Quest For Immortality

Sphinx of Amenhotep III

Wifey is finally happy today.

We finally made it to "The World of Ancient Egypt" at the National Museum of Singapore exhibition called "Quest For Immortality."

It has been exhibiting since 22nd December 2009. And all that time, Wifey got excited each time the advertisement flashed on TV. With what had been going on with Dad's declining condition and eventual demise, we put the matter to rest permanently.

National Museum of Singapore @ Stamford Road

Yet today, it was a spontaneous response by Wifey when she heard my complaint about not able to go biking this weekend due to the wet weather. In fact, nothing outdoors! It has been a heavy downpour since early morning... nice to sleep though.

I know the saying... wishing too hard... is very true because it has been pouring on and off for the whole day throughout the whole week after a couple of months of hot and dry weather.

Entrance to the exhibition gallery

It intrigued me when I saw the weather forecast on my iPhone indicating a week of rain after the Al Nino effect we had just experienced. The weather, however kept its promise every single day!

Flowers did bloom here and there after the first two heavy downpours and when the skies were clear again for a few days, but the colours disappeared fast, being pounded by the continuous downpour. Well, at least the trees and grasses are happy and green again.

Dumbfounded, I had no more idea until Wifey mooted the idea again to spend time on a weekend indoors... visit the museum!

Wifey actually has stable hands to take a shake-free picture of me!

Sonny was not interested "to see a bunch of dead mummies" as he asked that we go without him, after all, "we've seen it at Louvre, in Paris, right?" He was right, but he was only 4 years old then.

We went to Paris, France for our family vacation in year 2000. We toured many places within France, even going to a wine tasting tour minus actually tasting the wine.

We got a wine glass as a souvenir each from the tour and some knowledge of winery which we will never use because we are Muslims and are not permitted to consume alcohol.

Sonny would have flipped if he knew now that we skipped Europe's Disneyland for shopping! In retrospect, I regretted that decision too. Hopefully Wifey does not reading this.

Mummy of Nes-Khon in cartonnage cover

Back to Ancient Egypt.

Against our usual "home retreat" nature when it rains on the weekends, we braved the downpour and made our way to the museum at Stamford Road by taking an express bus Service 518 at Temasek Polytechnic.

There was already a long queue at the ticket counter but the queue was moving fast. We could have gotten 50% discount if my MasterCard would work, but it did not. Dang it!

Wifey with enlarged replica of ancient markings

Instead we paid the full ticket price of S$16 per adult... Sonny would have gotten in for free because he is a student but it was a couple's day out today.

We spent about 3 hours inside... like many world class exhibits, only flash-photography was not allowed... of course! Fortunately.

Scarab Beetles represent rebirth to the ancient Egyptians

While Wifey was immersed in the whole ancient world of the Egyptians thousands of year ago, I was busy snapping photos... with great difficulty, because of low light, the shutters had to opened longer for a longer exposure to capture the subject.

Most times, the photos are blurry because I did not bring along my tripod for a stead shot. Come think of it, there was not much room for a tripod because the place was crowded with tourists and mostly student since it is March the school holidays.

Mummy in linen cloth with scarab beetle for rebirth

I will post more photos that are presentable enough... without the shakes to share on my next post but may never do justice to those brilliant ancient artifacts on display if one were to view them up close.

We left the exhibition happy and with some refreshed knowledge about the ancient and most elaborate religious practices by the Pharaohs to be immortal in the afterlife, thanks to the guided tour we attached ourselves to.

Night lights filled skyline over at Finance & Commercial District

We had the most satisfying lunch at Magic Wok... the Belachan Fried Rice was heavenly, the Tom Yam Seafood Soup was out of this world. That was because we had our lunch late... it was more like an early dinner.

No man can survive on a tuna sandwich for lunch. Not this man.

The rain stopped and being the "spontaneous and wild couple" that we were today, we threw caution the the humid wind and walked to The Esplanade to watch the sun... behind the dark clouds somewhere, to set.


The Kopichino we bought at Makan Sutra hawker centre was Wifey's great idea to sit and sip, and while our time.

We however were greeted with good live music pounding loud from the open-air amphitheater. We listened to the popular hits of the 1980's music dished out by the local band.

Esplanade Theater By The Bay open-air amphitheater

The Mosaic music festival, where artist from all over the whole are here to showcase their work, is on for this whole month.

We watched what little sun setting behind the skyline. Well, Wifey did because she sat still and watched. I was busy taking pictures of the city skyline and the new Sands Bay IR or Integrated Resort, still under construction.

Bay Sands Integrated Resort under construction

It was time to go home when Sonny text Wifey for a cheeseburger to go... I guess the fried rice and tuna sandwiches were not enough for our growing son, stuck with his Chemistry homework to finish.

Bay Sands IR sky garden

Wifey overlooking papyrus Book of Death belonging to Pay-nefer-nefer

Wifey among stones of ancient gods