Dad-icated To You

Dad & Mom at National Cancer Centre Clinic D waiting area

Though I was a quite worried for the past few weeks leading to the date today, I kept it in me and not show it outwardly.

I hid the worry lines on my face with smiles, but Mom saw little glimpses of them anyway. A mother's intuition is always so strong... I was like an open book to her.

I know the cab ride to the National Cancer Centre at SGH was a little quiet. A little unnerving for me actually. I worried for Dad. I cannot help but worry the both of you, my beloved parents.

NCC Level 2 Clinic D Reception

Dad. It has been 3 years since you had your operation, The removal of that growth in your large intestine was a benign growth as you knew it, but at stage 3, the cancerous tumor was the most devastating news your children had to bear.

The symptoms came to a painful realization to you, the prognosis had seen sleepless nights with me. I am sure to the rest of my siblings too, though I know we could never imagine the pain and extreme worries you had to endure.

We had to hide the truth from you and Mom knowing that you both will worry more than concentrating to have it removed and recover. You had more than enough to worry about.

So, what is like a routine annual colonoscopy procedure for you is actually heart-pounding weeks for me until the results come out. Remission is a good word to hear.

Five years is a determining time for survival. You had your third and it came out just as good, like the previous two times.

And like the previous two years, the unnerving feeling that I felt waiting for you outside the waiting room remained just as scary until you came out of the Endoscopy Theater, with your blue kimono scrubs... all smiles and pronounced "Dr. Ooi said everything looks good."

My heart could then stop pounding so hard. I said a silent prayer to The Almighty for that good piece of news. We are given the opportunity to be with you for longer.

So the cab ride back home was a total opposite from this morning. I know, I was chatty myself.

As we sat at your dining table eating good food for our late lunch, I could not help but stole little stares at you as my heart swell with joy.

The food we bought from the Woodlands bazaar never tasted so good to me.

So we are going to enjoy each others' company and live our lives healthy, happy and free. Time we have cannot be taken for granted but fully use and appreciate.

Congratulations for being at the pink of health. I dedicate this post to you, my beloved Dad.

NCC Main Waiting Atrium

NCC Endoscopy Theater

NCC many consultation rooms

Patients Locker No #4. Superstitious Cantonese for "death"

Labrador Of Love

Aerial view of Pasir Panjang Jetty

"Let's go to Labrador Park..." Wifey suddenly uttered while I was talking to Sonny about geeky computer stuff, "it's been quite a while since I've been there."

Growing up in Clementi as a child and through her teens, she is familiar with the southern part of the island, especially the picnics she had with her family at Labrador Beach Park.

Though it was not reclaimed and still the rugged rocky beach then, she already got to see some of the more prominent and exposed remains of World War II relics there. The ones beyond the thick, over-bearing jungle were totally unknown then.

Sonny at entrance to a revamped historic beach

Since our marriage, we moved to Tampines to set our home in the eastern part of Singapore. It was this nostalgia that prompted her to suggest going to Fort Pasir Panjang today.

Fort Pasir Panjang and Labrador Battery were built by the British to defend the southern part of the island, anticipating a coastal attack by the Japanese Imperial Army before World War II. The fort was completed in 1878.

The fort and battery were upgraded further before the war with more gun emplacements and already with comprehensive labyrinth of underground tunnels and ammunition stores amid its numerous strategicly positioned observation posts.

The World War II Memorial Plague

The popular belief of the invasion to come from the coastal area was a terrible mistake when the Japanese entered Singapore from the north from Johor, Malaysia instead.

The fort with its mighty guns meant to fire off the steep cliff to invading enemy ships were turned 180 degrees instead and proved useless since the trajectories were flat.

The mistake in intelligence strategy cost the British army, together with the Malay Regiment a loosing and bloody battle. Thousands of lives were lost.

The 6-Inch Quick Fire Gun WWII relic

Nowadays, the old and forgotten war structures have been given a new lease of life accessible to the public especially for the young generations and tourists alike to learn some fractions of Singapore's rich and varied, in this case, bleak history.

To honor the brave soldiers who fought to the death for the love of one's country, one outstanding honor was given to a Malay soldier, Lieutenant Adnan Saidi who lead the 1st Malay Brigade to fight against the invading Japanese army to a bloody end.

They succumbed to defeat when the last ammunition rationed to them was fired and fought in hand combat armed with their courage and bayonets at the end of their rifles to the death.

To boast their might and shame this brave soldier, the Japanese hung his dead body to dry as a symbol of triumph.

Gun Turret at the beach

A museum located at Bukit Candu dedicated "The Battle of Opium Hill" to him and the Malay soldiers. Converted from one of the old Colonial building, it is situated not far from the Labrador Battery... but that will be our next visit one of these days.

The British surrender to the Japanese in 1942 saw the occupied country its worst treatment to its people by the ruler yet. My Mom and Dad, so do everyone still living who were caught in those bleak few years can attest to.

There were just so many gruesome stories to told, so many cruelty and hardships the people of Singapore endured during the Japanese Occupation period. Then again all wars are cruel.

Wifey & Sonny at Harbourfront Bus Terminal

I guess the atomic bomb was a cruel necessity to stop the prolonged cruelty to humankind itself A total human tragedi.

We took the MRT all the way to Outram Station to change to North-East line to Habourfront Station for the weekend bus Service 408 to Labrador Park.

Wifey & Me with Sentosa Island as background

We alighted at Carpark A to start our walk through Singapore's history in the jungles off Batu Belayar overlooking Pulau Belakang Mati which has been redeveloped and renamed to Sentosa Island Resort.

The following photos and information board tell the story as we walked through the darkest years of human nature.

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if you are willing to wait for a while.

The Casemate & Labrador Battery

Gun Emplacements 3

Sonny at one of the Observation Posts

Gun Emplacement 4

1892 Storeroom Entrance sealed

The 6 Inch Quick Firing Gun

The 4th Gun Position

Red Brick & long-gone Iron Gate Fort entrance from sea

Bike Trailing East

Where does it lead to?

A question that always played in my mind whenever I was at the bus stop at Changi South Lane... going back home after meeting my Customer at their site.

I got fired-up whenever I saw bikers appeared from behind the Richfield Warehouse building, a distance away from the bus stop... dismounted from their bikes, crossed the road and continued on to somewhere great.


Last Friday, I told myself that I had to explore the trail soon or bust. And explore I did last Sunday afternoon.

Wifey was with her Sis, while Sonny was at his Malay language tuition, so I went off on my bike alone right after my afternoon prayers.

Armed with the usual essentials - my iPhone, my Lumix FZ10 camera and a bottle of ice water to discover other parts of the island using the bike trail.


Took the route along Tampines Avenue 5, I passed by Changi General Hospital at Simei and then came to pass the bus stop where the bike trail was.

The signboard said "East Coast Park." My heart jumped for joy. To enjoy the serenity a park offers is one thing good, to be at the beach... my favorite haunt, is heaven.

I got to cycle fast and hard as the Simei Park Connector track was flat and wide... I had a good cardio workout.


I was sweating like a pig as I dismounted when I came to the tunnel crossing the Pan Island Expressway or PIE.

That part I felt like I was competing in a rugged mountain bike competition where one had to dismount and carry one's bike down the rugged terrain. I had to carry the bike down into the tunnel to cross the highway and up a flight of stairs again.

I felt the burn in my thighs. It was a nice workout! Totally worth it.

The sight of the sea and the fresh, cool sea breeze were a welcomed reprieve. Serenity felt like heaven.


I then realized that it was not at all that far from our home in Tampines if we were to use the short cuts the bike trail offered. Then again, living on a small island... a dot in the world map called Singapore, I guess, nowhere is too far.

Though we had been to East Coast Beach for picnics many times before, last Sunday was the first time I actually went further along the coastline, towards the direction of the city and it was also the first time I set foot on Bedok Jetty... the haunt for weekend fishing enthusiasts I have heard so much about.

Discovering this route made me felt like a soldier doing recce work before the battalion of Wifey and Sonny can come forward to wage war against daily stresses.


We never attempted to cycle from our home to East Coast Park knowingly so that it will take a great distance to use the road. The Simei Park Connectors have made it possible to do so easily and conveniently... especially for Wifey.

The tarmac tracks made for joggers and cyclists are wide and in fact cooling under shades of the tall trees along routes, that stretches all the way to the beach park. I am thrilled for her.

I am planing for all three of us to set off on our bikes early morning one weekend to cycle to the beach.

We only need to pack our picnic essentials in my backpack and take our time to enjoy the sights along the tracks and have a picnic together at the beach. A swim in the sea will be refreshing after a good sweat.

We will get our required exercise, relax our minds enjoying nature while build closer bonds with one another... not to mention no transport money is required.

Just happy, healthy living. Life is sweet!

Happy Birthday Love

Though our dates are a day apart
We are now a year older
Nonetheless, it is our happiest day
Of the year for both of us
Because we know in our hearts
We have each other
Forever

Happy 42nd Birthday Wifey

Loving You More With Each Passing Day