Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Bag To School

Tampines Mall AtriumHad a last minute back to school shopping today.

Though he could still use his school bag from last year, but it ripped at the seams when my son was filling it up with his Primary Six books.

Yikes! It was an emergency alert to get his school bag replaced by today for tomorrow's first day of school for year 2007.

Fortunately is was still early in the day that it happened. So we were able to go shopping for a new one.

It pays to prepare early... so that there can always be a last minute, desperate scampering of sorts to look for stuff before the dateline!

We went straight to Popular Bookstore at Tampines Mall branch. It was madness!

Thought we were silly to rush things at the final hour, but there were literally hundreds more parents as silly as me... desperate look on their faces as they thronged the bookstore for their school-going children needs.

It was as if there was a one-time crazy-knockdown price sale on Christmas. A Black Friday maybe in the US, as I have learnt recently...

Frantic and desperate-looking parents with children tailing them, with a never-say-die dateline to meet. Wow! Just crazy.

Really unnecessary stress brought onto oneself, but I guess the hunt was thrilling at the same time. The queues at all the cashiers were long, but everyone seemed patient enough, no injuries reported from sneers and claws there. Phew!

The Priceless SChool BagThe elusive school bag was not to be found there, instead I bought spare stationary for him since we were already there.

Headed down to Metro Department Store at Century Square next and Viola! Finally found a school bag of his choice.

Just before that, a handsome black pair of Black Hammer shoes caught my eye as we were ascending down the escalator to the atrium. Isetan Department store was having the last day of its Post New Year's Sale.

At 50% off, it is worth the money to step into the New Year at work.

The pair that I have been wearing to the office for the past 3 years has already worn-off. Water sips in at the front on rainy days. It was my favourite pair of shoes, but I have to let it rest in peace since it no longer keeps my feet dry.

We had Tom Yam Noodles for dinner at Food Junction in Century Square and... yes, there is that last minute hair cut for my son. He has been avoiding it since the last two weeks.

The queue number was ridiculous! Scores of children with their parents crowding the Sri Nada Barber Shop on the 4th floor, so we decided to head down to Tampines Street 81 barber shop instead.

Centure Square Heavy Rain
Outside, the sky started to open-up and heavy rain poured down without a warning. Stuck at Century Square until I could not wait any longer and took a cab to Tampines Avenue 3.

My son chose the Little League hair style for himself... short and decent looking... a handsome young man, ready for school for year 2007.

Finally got to check-off all the "Things To Do At The Last Minute" list. But will never want to do this last hour type a thing anymore. I am too old for this.

It is back to school for my son after a month and a half of school holiday, and back to work for me after a fun-packed long-weekend. Hopefully a good year for all of us.

Monday, January 01, 2007

New Year Visitor

The Swedish Gotheborg @ VivoCity 01-Jan-2007
Well, we missed the fireworks on the eve, but we made up for it when went on board the East Indiaman Gotheborg 3.

The reconstructed 17th century Swedish ship in 2003... more than 250 year after it ran aground off the Swedish west coast of Gothenburg Harbour in 1745 was a magnificent replica, given only salvaged remains and no drawings to make the reconstruction that much harder and such an astonishing achievement.

Today, the first day of 2007, it is docked at VivoCity to welcome well-wishes from Singapore on board... with a ticket entry of course.

The Gotheborg @ VivoCity
S$10 for adults and S$5 for children under 12. With "The Friends of IKEA" membership card, we got to go on board for a mere S$5.00 only. 50% off for me and free my son. Yes!

This was the second ship to call at the Harbourfront Bay in a span of a few months. The last one was the 1914 MV Doulos from Texas USA - the World's Floating Bookshop in November 2006.

Yes, yes, Wifey was not with us for the outing.

She whisked us out of the house so that she can have a quiet recuperation from her bout of flu, without her 2 "children" making too much noise around the house.

The Swedish Gotheborg Danish on Gun Deck
Like all die-hard tourists that I am, I splurged about S$60.00 on T-Shirts each for my son and myself and insignia pins for Wifey since there was no snow globes for her collection.

The 1 foot long Gotheborg model ship was too tempting, but at S$90.00 it was just not affordable for me. It would look nice to place the Gotheborg model ship it beside my 1765 Victory British I got from our Mauritius vacation a few years back.

I got an MV Doulus commemorative mug as a souvenir when it docked here. Now proudly sitting amongst the many mugs that I have collected over the years when we toured around the world on our vacations.

The Swedish Gotheborg Danish on Spar Deck Stern
The ship's construction was spectacular. Ingenious even during that time. Equally impressive were the shipmates' spirits who volunteered to braved the rough stormy seas for months while making the historic journey.

Heard their stories of bad weather that made everybody sea-sick and unwell for sometime despite their tough endurance and will, out in the open sea for months.

4 of the crew members are Singaporeans, fortunate enough to trace back the ancient sea trail to journey from Sweden, to China and back which would be about 37,000 nautical miles long.

The Swedish Gotheborg Stern Danish Outside
Making stops to several continents along the way... and fortunately enough for us, for them to make Singapore one of their stopovers till 14 January 2007 when they head back to Gothenburg, Sweden in September 2007.

More pictures will be posted, though it started raining while we were on the ship, the wet and slippery deck is nothing as compared to poundings the crew endured during their journey at sea.

A very nice experience to kick off in the new year!

Happy New Year!



Wishing Joyous Days Ahead
To All Friends Of The World!

Explosions Of Peace

Marina Bay Countdown 2007 Fireworks By SingaporeSights.com
Well, with all the preparations of the Marina Bay Countdown to 2007 for the Imran's Family outing, something unexpected happened.

At my parents place, while we were celebrating Hari Raya Haji with Mom and Dad, and the rest of the siblings, Wifey condition started to turn for the worse.

She started coughing badly coupled with a bad headache. The flu symptom was kicking in aggressively despite her defensive fight for several days now.

Marina Bay Countdown 2007 Light Spheres By SingaporeSights.com
We had to abandon our plan to go to Marina Bay after dinner for the 2007 Countdown Concert and watch the fireworks at midnight. Instead we left my parents place at about 8:30pm to go straight home. Sigh.

Well, time to nurse Wifey back to health and watch the concert and countdown at VivoCity on TV instead.

All was not lost anyway. True to the weatherman's prediction, the rain did not come to wash the spirits off the revellers. I am sure they enjoyed their celebrations thoroughly out there.

Marina Bay Countdown 2007 Fireworks By SingaporeSights.com
So, for the Imran's Family, the countdown was limited to watching the countdown live on TV instead... minus Wifey who already retired to bed once we reached home at about 9:00pm. A far cry from the all-niter to return tired but satisfied in the wee hours of the morning. Guess there will be it other times.

VivoCity celebrations had no fireworks though, unlike Marina Bay. It was tough for me to actually stay awake after all that food at my parents' place. My son had to stir me up several times during the concert.

All was good and joyous until I switched channels to see if Channel News Asia would telecast the fireworks display. A very sad and disturbing news came in the midst of year 2006 ending its reign.

Marina Bay Countdown 2007 Fireworks By SingaporeSights.comBangkok had suffered 6 separate bomb explosions all within an hour of each other. The first time it happened at its capital. What?! Why?!

What good is it to kill? What significance is there for such acts of violence? What cause is there to justify such barbaric act?

2006 did not end well at all in Thailand, nor Indonesia which has been battling with natural calamities and now the sinking of its ferries killing hundreds.

Our nearest neighbour, Malaysia had 90,000 of its people displaced from the recent flood. Only to return home to rebuild their lives the past 2 days.

I vote for peace for 2007. I pray for mercy from The Almighty. These calamities... are these signs for man to unite and help each other?

Let there only be explosions of fireworks in good festivities for peace and not for violence. I pray for peace and unity above anything else.