Everyone loves flowers; they make people smile and tend to cheer up even the most somber of occasions. When you think of iconic flower-filled destinations, the Netherlands and its tulips probably come to mind. Lots of people travel to the Netherlands in the spring, in order to see the famous tulips fields and the Keukenhof gardens. If you’re a flower lover and are wondering if you can see some blooms,  there’s some flower experience you shouldn’t miss in Singapore. It's around the corner of Marina Bay, No, I am not referring to Gardens By The Bay - it's actually located at the open field facing directly opposite the Marina One Residences. Although it’s technically not a flower field, this huge open space is home to many potted bougainvillea flowers. The best part is that access is free and as there are not many people around, you don’t have to wait to take the perfect picture!

In case you are lamenting all those lost pandemic vacations, ✈ or if you have been craving a holiday or want to escape into another "country", this amazing field of blooming bougainvillea flowers could be a sight to behold. I know that we are unable to travel out of Singapore to enjoy such sites due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but hopefully these bougainvillea flower field photos will make you stare in awe as much as they did for me. 

It was a sunny day as I wandered through the field, a quiet place to walk and see huge array of colours. Flower field make gorgeous backdrops for photos and Instagram posts. But they are also great stress relievers because they offer a peaceful and relaxing ambiance. Walking along the ticklish bushes, grouped in rows, gives me an immense sense of joy as it shows nature at her prettiest. 

The big, bright red apple…spinning, spinning, spinning, that’s the memory I remember most about my favourite playground as a child. Can you think back to yours? And how often nowadays do you see kids at the playgrounds around your neighbourhood?

In an urban landscape like Singapore, kids find themselves going from classes to malls to school and home. Hence, it's my personal mission to scout out the best creative playgrounds locally so they can enjoy a bit of fresh air in their daily lives.

First, here are three airplane playgrounds where aviators can let their imaginations soar. Lamenting all those lost pandemic travels? That’s no reason to let your wings be clipped. Instead, take flight at some airplane themed playgrounds. After which, you'll see railway train and military vehicles themed playgrounds which I managed to find in Singapore too. Planes, trains and automobiles are a big hit in any community. Kids love the creative play that all types of transportation provide, and there are transportation-themed components that make-up imaginative themed playgrounds in Singapore. 

Do you remember how you used to like going to playgrounds as a child, hanging from bars, running up the slides, or playing hide-and-seek? 
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Playgrounds are a welcome sight for weary parents looking for a place for their kids get a chance to expend some energy. While a simple park with a slide and swing set will usually do the trick, visiting unique play spaces can also be an interesting way to explore new destinations. Beyond high-tech features, many modern playgrounds feature unexpected and unusual architecture. 

I’ve rounded up various themed playgrounds island-wide just for you; each with a unique adventure to offer! This "project" took me a few months to finally complete. From whimsical, transportation, housing to play sets featuring oversized animals, these wow-worthy playgrounds in Singapore are worth adding to your islandwide travel bucket list. Here's the first today where you can bring back that innocence and fun at these two whimsical playgrounds.

What’s an artwork without an audience? Without getting bogged down in philosophical discourse, let’s just assume artists create their works to be seen by others. I think street art photographers, bloggers and supporters who document street art play a key role in sharing street artworks that might disappear tomorrow.
 
I am always on the lookout for new art showing up on the walls and surfaces of cities. I capture, exhibit and provide context for these artworks and I think this is a great way to feel the pulse of a dynamic city’s street art scene. Singapore’s bustling street art scene is evident every single month of the year. Often times, art extends itself past the traditional canvas. We see this in the world's most beautiful public sculptures, or even sandcastles along a beach. Yet, what can be a bigger space to express ones creativity than the sides of buildings? It's with these murals we see in neighborhoods throughout the world that the thoughts and fears and dreams of a city come to life. They show us that something as simple as painting a mural on the front of a building really could make a difference and bring so much joy to passers-by.

Today's blog post showcases more street art in Singapore, specifically at (1) Little India; revisited (2) Armenian Street; (3) Kampong Glam district (including Haji Lane); and (4) Orchard *SCAPE YouthPark. There is no reason why we shouldn’t revisit existing murals (in fact, all the more the reason to revisit them). I hope the new murals would bring lots of hope and inspiration, especially during these challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Heads up. This is an image-heavy blog post.

Hats in portraits of women reflect all of these functions and etiquettes. A hat is a flag, a shield, a bit of armor, and the badge of femininity. A hat is the difference between wearing clothes and wearing a costume; it’s the difference between being dressed and being dressed up; it’s the difference between looking adequate and looking your best. You may own a bag, a bottle of scent, or a pair of shoes bearing the label of a famous fashion house, but you are perhaps less likely to own a hat - which we should have at least one. Hats have always been a complementary part of a woman's attire. It's a very beautiful expression of one's self.

Being inspired of that, I am happy with how things have pan out for my painting journey of this series since last year. I am so glad that I have created a mini art studio for myself for whenever possible to break away from a busy day job. It is just so therapectic to see all of my paintings and it is really an indesribable accomplishment feeling. This entire painting series is truly my labour of passion. I started this series since April 2020 and I finally completed all of them recently. I wrote a short commentary on the Part I series in July 2020 and today's post showcases all of them together.

Christian Dior himself wrote in his Little Dictionary of Fashion: "A hat is essential to any outfit. It completes it. In a way, a hat is the best way to express your personality." Through this series, I got to know the different types of hats. I have been looking through fashion magazines and websites to get ideas about the different shapes women can look with hats. There are hundreds of hats styles, so I always take a bit of time to explore before painting each and every piece. Each painting features a lady with hat and the wide brim gives the wearer an edge, a confidence boost, a simple reassurance. 

Here's how you can display my portrait painting elegantly and gorgeously in your house. Each painting's size is 16" (40cm) x 18" (50cm) on canvas.

Most of us had studied History as a subject in our secondary schooldays and learnt about the Japanese occupation of Malaya and Singapore during World War II (WW11) but little did I realised how much emotions that this visit to the revamped Changi Chapel and Museum had evoked. 

The Chapel and Museum have been here since 2001. The Museum honors Allied prisoners-of-war (POWs) held in Changi Prison camp during the Japanese Occupation in  WWII. Their stories are told with an impressive collection of personal artifacts and news coverage. In 2018, the museum was closed for a complete revamp. It was reopened recently on 19 May 2021 with an expanded collection of artefacts, a more immersive experience to tell the heartwrenching personal stories of the POWs held at Changi Prison during WWII. The stories suddenly became a reminder of how much sufferings there was during the war. 

Remember the atrocities of Japanese occupation and the treatment of the prisoners. Least we forget what occurred here. ​With objects that hold such riveting tales to tell, there was no dull moment in my journey through the Museum. ​

People who are familiar with urban art would have heard of the Hall of Fame, which refers to a space legally dedicated to street art. In the graffiti world, a Hall of Fame is a vibrant hub where artists new and renowned can hone their craft. Some of the major cities in the world – including New York and Sydney – have said spaces where artists can work their magic; and now, Southeast Asia’s first official graffiti Hall of Fame can call Singapore home.

Southeast Asia’s first official graffiti Hall of Fame was recently launched in Singapore by precinct association One Kampong Gelam and the Singapore Tourism Board on 28 April 2021 on an unprecedented scale.  The Hall of Fame is set to be one of the most prominent street art experiences in the region. There are altogether 17 Singapore-based artists unleashed their works on tall metal canvases along Bali Lane and Ophir Road. The enclave has long been famed for its colourful street art splashed across its back alleys. In 2019, it also welcomed Singapore's first outdoor gallery, Gelam Gallery (click here to read my post on Gelam Gallery).

But the interesting part about Singapore’s Hall of Fame is that a construction site has become an unexpected canvas for art. Originally erected as noise barriers for ongoing construction works, the tall metal canvases have become the stage for the best muralists from Singapore. Each mural comes with a handy QR code, allowing you to check out artwork descriptions and artist info through the Hall of Fame microsite.

If you have been following my blog for a long time, you'll know that I travelled to Hong Kong faithfully every year for street photography (before the COVID-19 conquered the world), as often as twice or even thrice a year.  I get asked all the time why I love Hong Kong so much, and I have a hard time explaining it. I don’t know, I realised I’m all over the place, because I can’t actually put into words why I love Hong Kong. And I think that’s actually what makes travel beautiful. If I could put into words what I love about it so much, then it could be experienced “virtually” and there would be no need to visit at all.

If your memory serves you well, I wrote a commentary about the iconic pawn shops in Hong Kong after I returned from a trip there in October 2017.  Pawnbroking in Hong Kong has a history as long as that of the city itself and are situated in almost every district of the city. Click here to read my photo commentary if you had missed it. 

A whisky specialist cum collector based in Hong Kong, Mr Freeman Ho contacted me via Facebook in February this year, offered licensing fee to obtain one of my Hong Kong pawn shop photos as whisky label, so I agreed. He read my blog and felt that the photo is very nostalgic and serves the purpose of a personal whisky collection which he had created with his group of friends. I supported his passion and felt it was a pleasure to help other people in their passion, while I pursue mine at the same time. Today I finally received the Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky in Singapore shipped from Hong Kong ! I placed the whiskies against the backdrop of a Mona Lisa pop art poster at home, and fancy seeing Mona Lisa tasting it :)  The whiskies are exclusively for sale in Hong Kong only. 

As announced in November 2020, each eligible Singapore citizen received $100 worth of vouchers to spend on any approved hotel stays, attraction tickets and tours, as part of the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers ("SRV") scheme. The SRV scheme started in December 2020 and will expire in end June 2021. With just two months left to use the SRV vouchers, have you redeemed yours ? 

I understand that not every attraction may inspire you to go out there and rediscover Singapore but there are actually nice tours and plenty of hidden gems to appreciate about Singapore. For me, I surfed the Klook website for almost an hour, and I finally clicked the button to select on a Limousine City Tour to experience sitting inside the luxury car and having everyone’s eyes on my entry is something I would love to have. The Limousine City Tour which was organised by Royal Wings Travel took place last week. Luckily it was not raining that day and I must say the whole experience was smooth sailing and enjoyable ! 

Everyone dreams of riding in style and luxury and wants to get it fulfilled. Limousines are superb luxury cars that are designed exclusively to give a ride to make anyone feel like a celebrity. If you want to enjoy a luxuriously comfortable ride, think no further than a limousine. No other car can match its level of elegance and style. Some people may think that traveling in a limousine is just about getting from one point to another. From the outside, it may seem that limo is just another vehicle with an extended body. However, a look inside this car told me that it offers much more than a spacious interior. The amenities fitted inside a limo make sure that traveling experience of this vehicle is nothing short of first-class.

Also, who would actually get the chance to really sit in a limousine as compared to other types of vehicles? Riding in a limousine is a luxurious, breathtaking experience, so I would like to encourage all of you to consider pursuing this opportunity, if you have not redeemed your SRV, because why not, right? We might not be able to leave Singapore’s borders for leisure right now, but there is no reason why we cannot bring that sense of adventure into our explorations of this little red dot to gain a travel experience of a lifetime. 

A series of community initiatives has recently been implemented to make some of the neighbourhood estates in North Singapore more dementia-friendly. For the people staying in North Singapore, did you notice that the facades of some Housing Development Blocks in high-traffic areas near Yishun (a.k.a. Nee Soon) were painted recently with striking colours and symbols? 

Similar to zoned carparks, the blocks feature icons - pineapples for red blocks, fish for blue blocks and rubber trees for green blocks. Block numbers were painted prominently on the sides of the blocks and their pillars.  The colours stand for different zones in the neighbourhood, comprising Blocks 837 to 850 Yishun Street 81/82. They are part of an effort in making the area more dementia-friendly, in other words, to better help persons with dementia find their way around the neighbourhood. 

Persons with dementia often find it difficult to navigate even their own neighbourhood, and risk losing their way. Mature residential environments are especially difficult for wayfinding due to high-rise almost identical height buildings. ​One promising intervention to make an environment more supportive for wayfinding is to enhance it with salient cues, especially since many environments that seniors inhabit lack salient environmental information. Salient cues are those that grab the user’s attention and stand out from the surround such as a large brightly illuminated statue. The rationale for using salient cues is that they address the problem of wayfinding both visually and cognitively. Visually, salient cues can stand out from the surround, attract the wayfarer’s attention, and are more likely to be seen by the aging eye.

If a person with dementia were to ask for help, or if somebody were to find him looking lost, even if he cannot remember exactly which block he lives in, he might be able to recall the colour or icon. This will help people to lead him back to where he lives.

Today's kids spend time playing virtual games in virtual environments. They play away everyday from life and the streets. They are unaware of social games of the past. There were once children's games that colored our lives. Nowdays the kids grow up without knowing the life, touching the life and sharing but only touching the screens. This is especially more apparent in big cities. Children growing up in big cities today neither know the street nor are they aware of the neighborhood culture. The adults cannot hear the joyful sounds of children rising from the streets.

I’m one for nostalgia. There’s something nostalgic about looking back at all the traditional games we played while growing up in Singapore. The games of my childhood always bring back fond memories of carefree afternoons spent outside. These games take us back to a simpler era when life seemed to move at a slower pace and all we really cared about was having a good time with our buddies. There is a set of murals at Blk 857 Tampines Street 83 featuring nostalgic childhood games from the past. They were done by a local artist Jaxton Su. It was a flashback to the past when I saw these murals ! Although not all traditional games were showcased in this artist's collection, let's remember the forgotten children's games and in the name of the joy of the streets!

My Singapore photo series titled《夕阳渔歌》under my pen name 蓝天游 is published in today's LianheZaobao 联合早报光影之“世界未戴上口罩时”版 full coverage dated 21 March 2021 ! 感谢、感恩! They were taken at various places in Singapore, ie, East Coast, Bedok, Changi Point Beach, Lim Chu Kang Jetty (before it closed down). Thrilled to see it being featured nationwide in print! Special thanks to Lianhe Zaobao, you made my day! :) 

Note: These photos were taken before the COVID-19 outbreak. ​

​There is actually so much street art in Ang Mo Kio. Ang Mo Kio may be the latest town decorated with beautiful street art that make the walls of the town attractive. Not only attractive, beautiful or Insta-worthy. All these street art pieces of Ang Mo Kio tell a story about Singapore, its culture, rich heritage and history.
 
It is so heartening to know that there are two areas in Ang Mo Kio where the wall murals were painted by school students. The creation and presence of public works of art provide immeasurable opportunities to those students involved and those who experience them.  These projects show that Singapore is a place that not only values the expression of local artists, but is a country that is eager to share opportunities with others for the sake of art education and community building.
 
The first set of murals are known as “Void Deck REVAMP” project. Art students from Canberra Secondary School, Ang Mo Kio Secondary School, Maris Stella High School, Presbyterian High School, Chong Boon Secondary School, Mayflower Secondary School and Nanyang Polytechnic, led by local artists revamped a total 11 void deck areas at various Housing Development Blocks (“HDB) at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, 3 and 10. The  murals were completed in July 2014. I know I am a bit late to write about them, but  better late than never, right? The aim of Project Void Deck REVAMP was to allow engagement between the artwork and the residents, promoting community arts, getting everyone to beautifying the environment and lastly, and also to promote our local artists.

If the memory can serve Singaporeans well, Singapore was the host of the inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympics Games (“YOG”). It participated in all the 26 sports, with a total of 129 athletes representing the nation.
 
Art is one way to bridge the community. Back in 2009, students from Damai Secondary School spent part of their holidays to transform some empty walls of housing flats at Bedok Reservoir Road into larger-than-life canvasses. The theme of the murals was “Sports” and there were 15 murals in total, created with brilliant colours, depicting various sports such as swimming, table tennis and basketball.
 
There was a special link between the YOG and Damai Secondary School, even before these murals because in 2008, the students painted two Olympic-themed murals to support Singapore's bid to host the YOG as well as the nation's athletes in their quest for glory at the Beijing Olympic Games. This mural project was also a double celebration as it marked the 15th anniversary of the school.