Tribute to Mr Lee Kuan Yew

The passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew has left a whirlwind of emotions in Singaporeans, as evident in the flood of tributes and comments all over Singapore and social media. Mostly were respectful manifestation of gratitude and awe in grieving, with a minute camp of 'slightly sad' whose opinion lingered a sliver of skepticism on LKY's legacy. Whatever ones' opinion, let this be a mourning week and leave the differences aside.

After 2 days of private wake at the Istana, Mr Lee Kuan Yew's body is lying in State in the Parliament House and members of public have been streaming endlessly to pay their respects. In fact, it is an incredibly long queue of 8 hours wait to enter the parliament building but it doesn't deter most people in queue, despite the hot and humid weather. Such a solidarity show of the Singaporean spirit is heartwarming. Even in the mournful state, the authorities displayed their trait of efficiency and reacted speedily to keep the Lying in State open 24 hours to the public, easing the queue time. Nonetheless, the waiting time in queue stands at 3 hours at 12 midnight... Hats off to my fellow countrymen!

As for myself, it has been a moving target from original plan of 4pm visit with family to 1am visit with hubs but alas, he has limited waking power, as I pen this, he has drifted into dreamland with no holds barred. We will play by ear over the next 3 days depending on queue situation to pay our last respects to the founding father of modern Singapore.

Singapore is where I am born and educated, where I work and raise my own family. Over the years, I feel more and more appreciative of Singapore - for its safety and security, cleanliness and greenness, efficiency and orderliness, compactness and convenience, etc etc - things that my generation has taken for granted. While there is imperfection (as with any place on earth), I have learnt to make the best out of the flaws and whine less. At the end of the day, I feel blessed to have been born and grow up in a progressive and just society, study and work in a meritocratic environment, raising my kids in a safe and  invigorating country. It seems cliché to attribute the progress of Singapore to Mr Lee Kuan Yew but had he not been the driving force, I cannot imagine how Singapore would have been carved out from 50 years back. Think what you wish, but all I want to do is give thanks to Mr Lee Kuan Yew for his vision, wisdom and energy, bringing Singapore to where it is now, including his team of cabinet groomed under his wings.

My Salute to you, Sir!

My Firstborn

My firstborn is 11 going 12! It's amazing how time flies, from a new born baby to an adorable feisty toddler, sweet pre-schooler to an artsy pre-teen. She's been my sunshine since she came into my life, despite short bursts of tyranny - 1st 5 months she simply refused to sleep through the night, demanding to be carried at differing positions to go into slumber and her 'terrible two' stage. In general, she's a sensible, sensitive and gregarious child, with an inclination and passion towards creative crafts, which takes priority over her academic studies. Unfortunately, Singapore school system is not conducive for her type of personality that tends to learn better in a creative environment, even in areas of academic studies.

My firstborn is a cheerful and charming girl. Even as a toddler, she'll be beaming smiles at people. When she was about 14 months old while in the arms of my mom who was doing her grocery shopping at a supermarket, she flashed her signature smile at a lady who was so captivated that the lady invited my mom and daughter to her home right after. My mom called me later to inform me that they were at a 'stranger's' house, to my horror! I quickly went over to fetch them and it turned out that the stranger lady was a kind lady who had a boy about the same age as my girl. Thereafter, both kids became playmates and the stranger lady has become a dear family friend, all thanks to a charming smile ;p

As my first born grows, her smiles and laughters continue to warm my heart, as well as others'. Many people commented that my girl's laughter is spontaneous and contagious and brightens up everyone's mood :-) May my girl be a joyful person always!

Tapestry

This is the first piece I am writing since onset of 2015... It's been a hectic beginning - adjusting kids back into the routine of school term, attending Meet-the-Parents sessions, social gatherings, work and family. Now I can finally sit back and pen my reflections, which may not be much, as it's a haphazard swirl of thoughts. These thoughts unravel in my mind as I needle felt or weave, which is one of the reasons why I enjoy poking. Needle felting is a slow, philosophic and silent occupation, which keeps you busy but gives you time to think of other things. It allows my mind to wander freely, pondering on life and its mysteries.

Too many incidences have transpired lately, social, societal and global, they serve as food for thought to life in general, leading to no satisfactory answer to each bit of wonder. Restlessness surfaces as the thoughts swim about, leaving me more thankful to each day, to each blessing bestowed, to each love in my life and hopefully I am able to give back all the blessings to all around me.

Maybe life is like a tapestry, with all the entanglements and weavings, everything is intertwined. There's no exact blueprint, the tapestry is weaved based on instinct and freedom of choice, and sometimes due to restraint, it's weaved in a different manner from original intent but still yields a fulfilling result. It echoes my experience with life, as well as my first tapestry weaving. I had an idea of what I want (breads), a vague design of the backdrop (baskets of breads on shelves) and my ideal (French floor tiles) and started weaving without outlining the exact count. I went along as it flowed. Not every tile is perfect but in the big scheme of the entire tapestry, it looks coherent. As I weaved on, I ran short on a color and could not replace it with the exact color and texture, I re-designed the backdrop into a store frontage instead. It turned out pretty well, a French Boulangerie :-)

Hollyford Track

My love for the mountains began when I did a trek in Mount Kinabalu 16 years back. I was awed by the grandeur of the mountain, the magnificent views atop the summit and the pleasing humdrum of simply walking on the tracks. Trekking has a therapeutic effect for my spirit, the mountain my sanctuary. There's always a longing to return to the mountains to rejuvenate my soul...

Tramping in New Zealand had been on my to do list since but somehow I went on other treks instead. I was in NZ this Nov for a fibre retreat and took the chance to extend my stay for a trek, albeit a short one!

I was alone on the trip and sensibility rules - instead of being an independent trekker, I opted for a guided trek. The Hollyford Track seemed luring as it covered a less tramped region, spreading from pristine native forests, valleys and lakes, historical sites, natural seal colony and climaxing it with a helicopter ride to Milford Sound, a wide range for a 3-day trek! I signed up without hesitation.

The experience with the Hollyford Track is in a league of its own! I had many boo-boos during the 3 day trek but every situation was salvaged by the organising team and scenic route. We had to carry our own backpack of 7kg and trekked 19.5km on the 1st day; by the end of the day, my shoulders were sore from the weight. Upon reaching our lodge, we were greeted by a lovely and cozy lodge furnished with beds and fireplace! A good night's sleep on a comfy bed does miracles to the body's healing. Furthermore, we were served a michelin style dinner with wine :-) What better way to pamper oneself after a hard day's trek?

Weather for Day 2 was rainy, which is usually a bummer for a trek. However, our knowledgeable guides perked the day imparting interesting history about the route which we trekked. In actuality, it rains most of the time at Hollyford Valley, making it a rain forest valley, with mists setting in, casting a mystical landscape, beautiful in its own way. We jet boated a bit, reaching the far out inaccessible places due to rain. During mid day, my right boot quitted on me, its sole ripped open - a nightmare for any trekker (I only had a pair of walking shoes)! Thankfully the guides were equipped with a handy kit, my boot was mended to withstand the rest of the trek.

At the last stretch of trek, we traversed the natural colony of fur seals and it was such a delight to watch them up close! Another highlight was the Fiordland crested penguins which were usually shy. However, due to the rain, most of them clambered ashore. In fact, one of them was so curious, it came as close as 1 metre from where I was. I was brimming with smiles :-)

Upon returning to the lodge (yet another luxurious hut), my boot protested after a treacherous 12km walk and totally fell apart. My resourceful guide managed to procure a pair of track shoes for me. It was a wee bit big but with stuffing of napkins, they worked pretty well for my Day 3 trek, which was a mere 5km walk on a sand dune island.

We were again spoiled rotten at Martins Bay Lodge with a generous spread of cheese board and wine, followed by a grilled salmon meal. The bar is certainly raised sky high for a trek! I may reconsider doing any independent trek in future ;p Breakfast affairs were equally sumptuous.

Day 3 was a relaxing trek despite bits of rain and hail. The route was scenic - undulating dunes with breaking waves and misty mountains as backdrop. We bade farewell to the Hollyford valley by climbing onto a chopper onward to a majestic descent to the Milford Sound, absolutely stunning!

Toy Soldiers

My boy has a penchant for soldiers, as with most boys. In his toddler days, he aspired to be a soldier when he grew up. I cannot fathom being one in any stage of my life... A soldier is essential as a country's defence force but the association of a soldier with violence seems inevitable in my mind as news of territorial fighting with armed violence in the world seems rampant. The entertainment industry tends to glorify war movies but the atrocities in a war immensely overwhelm any justified victory :-(

While Singapore is a small nation, it is beefed up by a strong defence force. Other than the political argument, I see the mandatory 2 years of National Service for its male citizens at age 17-18 as a plus from a social standpoint. The boys grow to become more mature mentally and emotionally! It roughens their charisma, makes them rugged, fosters comradeship and patriotism. Some may argue it as a waste of time for Singaporean men economically but the character that's built in the 2 years is priceless...

When my boy was introduced to soccer in his kindergarten days, he began a love for soccer and played in league matches with his academy team. His ambition changed - he aspired to be a professional soccer player! We didn't want to discourage 'the ambition' as his passion is admiringly hot at his age. He follows world class soccer players and their matches, his wealth of current soccer knowledge is impressive. 

As he grew into his preteen years and became acquainted with maths and economics, his love for soccer hasn't dissipated. However, his logic grew. It dawned on him that it's excruciatingly difficult to become a world class player with Singapore as the base and when he realised that even the top player in Singapore rarely commands high price, his 'ambition' wavered with his pragmatism. As we all know, our ambitions change over time ;p Nonetheless, he still loves the idea of soldiers and soccer. 

London Trip with Mom

London never ceases to bore me even as I have visited it many times. Its wealth of culture, heritage, arts and scenic outskirts is constantly amusing visitors. Perhaps my comment is skewed - being Singaporeans naturally makes us more familiar with England since Singapore was once its colony, we are more informed due to Singapore's history. It applies more with my parents' generation, as evident in my recent trip to London with my mom.

I had travelled with my mom for vacations aplenty since my firstborn 11 years ago, however it was always as a family vacation. Over the years, I realised that such family vacations were always centered around the kids - the programs were geared towards kids such as beach vacations, theme park vacations or places of interests that appeal to the kids. Even the choices of holiday cuisine were limited as the children are not as adventurous in their tastebuds. Hence, all of us suit our itinerary and meal choices towards the kids. Imagine no sushi nor sashimi when we were in Japan :-(

Meanwhile my mom will make other travels with her own friends, while I ventured on couple travels or adventure travels, which were neither suited to an elderly lady. My mom's circle of friends always chose Asian destinations (especially China and Japan), likely due to language, culture and cuisine similarity. When I decided to bring my mom on a birthday trip this year, one that's tailored entirely to her needs, she surprised me by choosing London. 

So off to London we went. I planned the entire itinerary, bringing her to the essential sights and museums in London, peppering up with gastronomic experiences. Thankfully London is cosmopolitan, there are great restaurants that serve up excellent Asian dishes to satiate her savoury and spicy palate. We had a fair share of fine western meals too. The highlight was Claridge's Afternoon Tea that was reserved months in advance. Lovely assortment of sandwiches, scones with their infamous dollop of clotted cream, pastries over exquisite tea in a regal and charming ambience. The serving was too much for us but I made sure I had a bite of each. 

My mom was particularly delighted to visit any places of interest that relates to the Royal family - Birmingham Palace, Claridge's, Diana's memorial fountain, etc. She chirped happily and repeatedly that Singapore used coins and notes with the royal queen imprinted during the olden days. Even the post box was the exact british post box we see installed in UK now. Then it dawned on me that she was more acquainted with British history by first hand experience :-)

Parking Day SG 2014

September had been a hectic month, with the beginning a preparation of my first roadshow, figuratively and literally! Parking Day, which is part of an annual worldwide event where community members transform parking spots into temporary public spaces, became my first project showcasing my needle felted creations. While it was a simple installation of an Art Gallery, it was a logistically challenging feat, having to almost single handedly shoulder the entire project. Thankfully I had gracious friends and my little ones who chipped in to help, lifting some burden.

My main aim of the roadshow is to promote the art of needle felting - creating an awareness and understanding of the craft, as well as an appreciation of the intricate yet amusing art. The event turned out rather meaningful, having a fair stream of lunch time crowd and friends who came to support and visit the gallery. My girl assisted to demonstrate the craft to the public, as well as teaching the curious ones the art of needle felting.

The day panned out well despite the relentless scorching sun. It poured suddenly during midday and I had to scramble to shift the installations under shade (with the help of visiting friends) and not long after, the sun came scorning on us again. We moved the installations a couple of times depending on the sun intensity and human traffic. Logistically comical but it added to our memory bank of fun moments :-)