::welcome to slow rock::

Uniquely Singapore \

Sunday, November 29, 2015

After my visit to my friends' synagogue on Friday and sharing with them some aspects about Singapore over dinner, I was pleasantly surprised to see them so interested in Singapore's policies. An interesting question I got was about HDB's ethnic quota and how it affects mixed race couples. I didn't know how to answer that but managed a guess that the husband's race will be considered. Turns out that HDB allows the couple flexibility by categorising them into the race which has a more favourable quota. Another question was, where do you guys conduct your military training? On the rooftops?!

I'm fascinated that I am learning about my country even as I'm living so far away from home. And it makes me proud to be a Singaporean seeing people from other countries take interest in this tiny island nation. Majulah Singapura!

Entered by platinum at 1:07 PM

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Well, i should really make it a habit to journal my thoughts. I find that typing them out feels much more fluid than writing,, but i'm half apprehensive about leaving my thoughts straying around on the world wide web. Yes, WORLD WIDE.

On to the meaty stuff. I got baptised today! As people asked me after the event what it felt like, I found myself struggling to find where to start my account. To be honest, the weight of the event didn't sink in until I reached church and was waiting for service to start. I was chatting with some of the others who were going to be baptised with me, asking about who's going to witness this occasion for them. To my amazement, some got almost the entire family along, together with friends and relatives. As for myself, I could only explain wryly that most of my family is back in Singapore and only a few of my connect group members were here. I didn't feel the need to tell my other friends, namely the CCF gang, cos' well, it felt like a rite of passage to me and it's just gonna be a short and snappy process. No need for so much fanfare. Haha. But I was wrong. As I was back on my seat after getting baptised, I sorely missed their presence. How I wished they were here to witness the occasion! But indeed only God knows the desires of our hearts and grants them. My friends "magically" appeared after the service to greet me. Haha. Praise God!

As I was standing by the stage waiting for my turn to get into the pool, I was suddenly overwhelmed and i could feel tears coming to my eyes. Kept blinking to get rid of any trace of it. I didn't wanna ruin any photos. But that's how great the spirit felt. Walking up those stairs, a sense of calm fell over me. I was at home, at the church I grew to love over the past 2 years. I know this decision to be baptised here instead of back home in Singapore was the right one. And then it was my turn. I was beckoned over to the pool. Very carefully, I took my first step in, wary of the slippery looking surface of those steps. And my, that water was warm. Soooo warm. Will and another lady (i think her name was Sophie) ushered me over to them, before Will said a short prayer and the next thing I knew, I was down in the water. I'm not sure if I kept my eyes open, cos I actually saw the surface of the pool from underneath and all the lights from the church ceiling. And I even saw myself being lifted up towards the surface and out of the water! I'm not sure if those images were planted in my head by God's divine communication link, cos' I couldnt have kept my eyes open. That just wouldn't make sense. But the experience was so real I must have witnessed everything. Arrrgh. photo evidence needed! haha. I guess it wont really matter actually and I shall leave that tinge of "mystery" hanging.

Dinner at Wong Kei after with Uncle Jeff, Aunty Emily, Aunty Margeret and the CCF peeps. Andita couldn't join cos of her early start tomorrow. All in all, a night I definitely wont forget as long as I live.

Entered by platinum at 6:19 PM

Thursday, March 19, 2015

This is another long post in a long while. I've not had much time to pen down my thoughts (and I must admit I didn't have much motivation to do so as well) but I thought I should at this moment in time. My mind needs to relieve itself of some baggage.

It's time to decide if I should leave for Masters overseas or stay in the UK. For the record, I've yet to receive any offers but say that I do, will I really want to take that gamble and "downgrade" to a BEng, hoping that I'll get my first class honours which will qualify me for masters sponsorship? I'm not sure. There's just too much hassle with that option, and the risks are big. Fall short of first and I'm due to return for studies one year earlier.

So hassle #1, where do I put my stuff over summer?! I can bring some back home to Singapore and leave the rest in London, then collect them when I'm back here travelling with my family (say I'm going for an overseas masters). But say I don't get to qualify for overseas masters sponsorship, I need to get someone to ship my stuff back to Singapore. Arrrgh..

Hassle #2 - family trip to UK. Alright, the tentative plan is for my whole family to come to UK before my sis begins her exchange. Well, tentative. And nothing is really concrete at this moment. An ideal time will be mid-Sept, but if i'm in Columbia for Masters, school would have started. And if I'm in Tel Aviv, school wouldn't be starting till October and I got to apply for no-pay-leave to be here for 2 weeks, plus pay for my air tickets, and we wont have any place to stay in while we're in London!

Hassle #3 - graduation. It's really for my parents. Not for myself. I don't think I've got much to be proud of about my 2.5-coming-3 years in UCL. I cherish the friendships, experiences made in London, but there's nothing much about the school experience that has left me saying good things about it. Well, I shan't turn this into a ranting session about the inadequacies of the uni, it's teaching resources and facilities, but let's just say it's barely acceptable. Lol. Anyway, graduation could be in August, and if that's so, it will be too early for any of us to make it cos' the plan is to travel when my sis arrives in UK. But well, she could come a few weeks earlier. Guess she would be happy to.

Guess these are the 3 main ones. There are others such as visa application + programme fee downpayment which most probably need to come out of my own pocket first while I the outcome of my masters sponsorship. Fail to qualify and I'll need for forfeit the sum. More $$$.

So much to think about, all for a masters course which I think is "more interesting"? I can't really be too sure. Maybe it really isn't worth all the hassle. Someone should have warned me against it last summer. I wouldnt have needed to spend so much time writing up those naggy personal statements , contemplating my course options, studying for GREs, and paying so much in application fees!

Entered by platinum at 6:03 PM

Sunday, July 14, 2013

i can't rmb the last time when i had so much food in a single day.. met up with jack from halls at chinatown and we started off at Smith Street Hawker Center.. had chee kueh, carrot cake, peanut pancake, youtiao, barley, iced milo, teh bing.. that's for breakfast.. went over to Mustafa for a quick look around, before heading to Sungei Rd Thief Market.. my gosh, it's definitely less bustling than the last time I was there some 2 years back.. fast disappearing from the face of Singapore maybe?

After that, it was sim lim square, bugis village and then HarbourFront.. had some muah chee and cha ye dan at bugis village, which were surprisingly good (hadn't expected that kinda standard from "bugis village".. lol..).. late lunch at Seah Im where we had Ayam Penyet, Nasi Lemak and bandung to go with our meal.. wanted to go up Mt Faber but the weather didn't look too good, so we took a walk to Sentosa instead.. tried the luge ride for the first time (yes like finally..).. loved the skyride up to the top.. the breeze provided some cool respite and pretty good views..

Back to vivo for dinner at Food Republic.. the mutton soup we had was insanely expensive.. $13!! to be fair, it was good, but nah, i'm definitely not going to buy it again coz for food court food, it ain't worth the money.. bought my favourite dao xiao mian, together with satay and bbq chicken wings to complete the meal!

Entered by platinum at 8:39 AM

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Probably, I'm too comfortable with where I am in my career right now. I realised that I haven't really thought about my career directions after commissioning. In fact, I'm on a "take one step at a time" approach, allowing circumstances to shape me rather than me determining how circumstances should shape me. It's time that I start planting a vision for myself instead of allowing circumstances to "drift me forward". That'll entail setting new goals and objectives. I should start crafting my list...

Entered by platinum at 1:37 AM

Saturday, June 22, 2013

:: LONDON Travelogue - 22nd June 2013, Saturday

>> 1130H - Spitalfield Market

Nothing much to see or do in this market, which i think has lost most of its "market-ish" charm with the modern compound in which it is housed. It's clean, organised, very unlike what you'd expect of a typical market. The only indications that this is a market are the temporary stands which line up neatly in rows. Sells mainly clothing, bags and accessories. I was done with this place in 20mins.

>> 1230H - Bayswater

While on the way to Portobello Market, I decided to make a short detour as I passed Queensway Tube Station along Bayswater Road, to Bayswater itself. Stopped by Papa Roti to try their famous coffee bun (which I know costs much cheaper in sg but I wanna try the papa roti version from across half the world map). The coffee smell wasn't as rich as the one back home. It's much sweeter too (maybe coz the brits have a soft spot for anything sweet.. think of their cupcakes).. Roamed around the area for a bit before hitting the road again

>> 1300H - Eggs Benedict Lunch! (Daylesford)

Tucked in a small corner just off Portobello Road, this shop is set amongst a row of lively coloured houses. It sure didn't feel like London as I walked through the place. This made me anticipate what lunch could offer even more. Without hesitation, I went for the eggs benedict with smoked salmon, with a cup of carrot juice fused with apple and a tinge of ginger. Boy, that concoction was heavenly. The ginger sounds out of place, but it's the reason why the drink tasted soooo good. It gave the drink... more character - adding a tangy, zesty feel to an otherwise mild mannered combination of apple and carrot. Then came the star - 2 poached eggs delicately balanced atop a toasted slice of bread with a generous amount of hollandaise sauce spread over it. Ironical as it may sound, I am always reluctant to progress from the "admiring" part to the "eating" part. I just can't bear to poke that "little bundle of joy". But when I finally do, that decisive moment where you see the yolk oozing out is what determines a good eggs benny from a bad one. The first egg I poked wasn't quite what I was hoping to see, but the second was delightful. Lunch wasn't heavy at all, which meant that I have room for more as I throng Portobello Market soon after :)

>> 1400H - Evans Cycle

Got on my bike for a short 3 mins cycle to the start of Portobello Market, but that 3 mins was all it took for my front tyre to start making funny noises. I stopped the moment I heard them, but what followed was a squeal which grew increasingly louder and then "poof"! dang, not again.. tyre failing on me, this time at the other end of central london. I contemplated taking a cab back to my apartment, but some quick calculations told me that it's ridiculously expensive to do that. Besides, I only have got a day left on London. I don't wanna waste it repairing my bike. Then I thought about my Galaxy Note and what google can do for me - search for bike shops nearby! True enough, there's an Evans Cycle outlet just 10 minutes from where I was. Got my bike fixed in 30mins, for 14 pounds. But it's money well spent in my opinion, coz it would have signalled the end of my adventure otherwise.

>> 1445H - Portobello Market

Now this is what you call a true market - shops lining the streets, crowded walkways, the smell of food drifting through the air... I had such a good time looking at the antiques for sale. Walking along Portobello Road was in itself thrilling enough coz it's one long stretch of road lined with shops selling interesting gems from yesteryears, such as a toy figurine of an American Sergeant from the Vietnam War, a rusty red london bus, LDs of bands like Pink Floyd and the Beatles etc.. just too many to name..

>> 1700H - Bak Kut Teh with Line and Shiyun

Was invited over to Dylan's place (where line and tungsy are currently putting up) for a meal that means so much to Singaporeans - Bak Kut Teh.. Great meet up over some great home-cooked food, though the soup became a tad too spicy towards the end as we left it to simmer. Last dinner in London with the remnants of Commonwealth.. kinda sad..

>> 1930H - Buckingham Palace

Had intended to head straight back to my apartment after dinner, but I can't stand the thought of lazing around in my room when there's daylight still.. so I decided to make a trip to Buckingham Palace. I dunno why I've never made time to go see it, so I felt I needed to before I leave for the summer. it felt great to cycle down the red coloured roads running outside the palace grounds, with the union jack hung from every lamppost which lined the streets. It sure made me feel grand. haha.

>> 2030H - Thames (Embankment to Blackfriars)

Just felt inclined to head to my favourite chill out spot in London to relive good ol' memories and soak in the scenery for one last time. Took a leisurely walk with my bike down the river till about 9pm before cycling back to Farringdon.

>> 2115H - 30 St Cross Street

Was starting to get hungry and I went around my area looking for some classic British food to eat. First on my mind was Fish and Chips. But dang, almost everywhere was closed! save for wetherspoon. But me no wanna try wetherspoon coz I tried it a few times already and the atmosphere in that pub is, well, pretty much dead. Contemplated buying some ready made meal from sainsbury's but once again, I just couldn't stand the idea of getting back to my room! So i decided to head back to Blackfriars and go across the river to this pub I saw earlier.

>> 2130H - Doggett's Coat and Badge

Went for their signature dish - beer battered fish and chips, with a pint of Fuller's London Ale. To finish off the london experience, I decided to go al fresco, dining in the open by the Thames. I watched the sky go dim as I waited for my fish and chips whilst sipping on the ale. When it finally came, I was thoroughly impressed. The fish was really crisp on the outside, and this crispiness stayed throughout the 30mins i took to complete the meal (yea i know it's long, but well what to do when you've got the river sights to distract you?) The meat (by the way, cod fish was used here) was firm and had texture, not like those nua ones that simply break off in your mouth. It wasn't too oily too - i swear some british fish and chips joint just drown their fishes in oil. I felt it only had one minor flaw - the batter was overfried. It had a bit of chao ta smell, which I would gladly welcome if this was hor fun, but no, I felt it masked any hint of beer in the batter. I'd definitely visit the pub again to try the fish and chips, to reaffirm today's assessment of it.

>> 2300H - Home at last!

Yessss, with great reluctance, I end off my last day of adventure here. London, it has been a pleasure to be your guest. I sure look forward to September!

Entered by platinum at 7:28 PM

Friday, June 21, 2013

back from lampeter.. finally, no more sheep, no more shit.. but to be honest, the sheep were dang cute though.. the annoying part was the shit.. was littered everywhere in the field we worked.. they say in NS, you grow used to the mud.. in lampeter, we grew use to both mud and shit.. lol.. shan't talk more about lampeter.. i'll need to find another time to consolidate my thoughts about it..

so i arrived one day early in London coz i bought a train tix from Carmarthen.. did a brief stopover in Cardiff and boy did I feel a sense of nostalgia.. it didnt seem too long ago that i was there (btw, that was back in November).. finally reached my new place in Farringdon around midnight, with less than 72 hours left before my flight.. time to get things started..

spent the next morning packing up my room and dropping by argos to get a plastic storage rack.. went for a haircut in the afternoon before cycling to Stamford Bridge (i made it one of my must-dos before i return), Harrods, and then Selfridges (first time i set foot inside).. I spent an entire hour at the section selling travel books, browsing through those written about London.. lol.. and UK in general.. i really should explore this country more.. there're just so many gems within.. had dinner at Boldein's (finally, after being turned down so many times before).. the beef brisket and pulled pork i had was awesome.. went to Lilywhites to try and find an Arsenal jersey for Kelvyn, but it's out of stock.. decided to leave my bike at the bike shed and take a walk down regent's street instead to do some "sightseeing", but i couldnt help but be tempted by all the signs which screamed "SALE".. lo and behold, i got myself a blazer, on a 50% discount from H&M.. ahaha..

been a fulfilling day.. now for some market frenzy tmr.. spitalfields, then portobello, and hopefully an eggs benny lunch at this restaurant called "Daylesford", which has received rave reviews about its eggs benny.. :D

Entered by platinum at 5:22 PM