Month: December 2012
16) Winter is the beginning of all season
Today, is one of the twenty-four solar terms of the Chinese calender the “Winter Solstice“. The winter solstice is the beginning of the twenty-four solar terms in ancient times. In Chinese belife, the Winter Solstice is greater than the Chinese Lunar New Year.
今天是”冬至”，华人二十四节气中之一。在古时候冬至是二十四节气的起点，所以有冬大过年的说法。
The arrival of the winter solstice, is floating in the festive atmosphere. You will see everyone gathering together for celebration. It’s just like the western Christmas seasons, one celebrating with turkey, another with rice ball dumpling.
冬至的到来，充满着浓浓的节日气氛，你会看到大家聚在一起大肆庆祝一番。这好比西方的耶旦节，吃的是火鸡，华人吃的则是“汤圆”。
Rice ball dumpling, in additional to its shape of delegative round, it is wrapped with flour and stuffed with knead, lotus seed paste, peanuts, sesame etc. The lightly sweet taste filled and warm the stomach in the winter.
汤圆，它的外形除了代表团团圆圆外，以面粉搓成包住的不同的内馅，有莲蓉，花生等等，吃起来让人感觉甜甜蜜蜜。
This warm in the winter, fullfilled my stomach and warm my heart just like rejoicing the human race and traditional close relationship. Just like the tree roots wrapped around the earth, it is the image of the extension to the traditional practices of intergenerational, how appropriate!
这种温暖在冬季，吃在口里，暖在心里，代表人情与传统有密不可分的关系。那天，偶然拍下树根的照片。如果把树根缠土的精神，延伸到传统习俗对世代相传的贡献，不是再贴切不过吗？
Today, is not end of the world, is just the beginning of all seasons. Let’s have the rice dumplings as wine and toast to our heart content, I wish all of you a wonderful festives, happy and healthy life all year round!
今天，不是世界末日，是新的一年的开始。在此，我借汤圆当酒，祝大家圆圆满满，幸福安康！
46) We are all shouting out loud in IKEA
We are not going to be like this dull fellow anymore.
I want to be a prosperous flowerpot, making your word and world upside down!
I want to be the up and coming Christmas super star, shining on your wall and ground
I want to be a dangling dancing cushion, making your home look smart and smitten!
I want to be a jelly cup, filling up rainbows in your stomach!
I want to be an Eco reindeer, waiting for Santa happy cheers!
I want to hang myself in a graceful way, leading you all the way to Christmas Day!
I want to clean your space with my creativity, as this is my duty.
We want to be the flag of IKEA, joining force to capture your heart!
And enjoy a colorful dream at dark!
Here you come, a brand new you after walking out from IKEA and after knowing us!
45) I lost my Christmas Tree this Christmas
I asked a mangrove tree, he presented me with a creative idea in return.
I asked a poster, which told me the story of the forest.
Asked a tortoise, which told me it is not in the water.
Asked an autumn leaf, which told me it is not far away.
Asked the fern trees, they reply “aren’t we gorgeous enough?!”
Asked the restaurant staff, they showed me the Christmas set meal.
Asked a delicate flower, she said, “I am not a tree”.
Asked a mini-waterfall, he said, “I couldn’t hear you”.
Asked a cannon ball tree, he said, you could take me as the ornaments.
Asked an antique clock, he told me time is running out.
So, so, where is my Christmas tree? Is it hidden with you somewhere?
I lost my Christmas tree….lost it in the Singapore Botanic Gardens
15) A bottle of Coke in you and me!
This traditional local branded bakery shop, is more than enough for you to explore their recipe for your entire life, not only the secret method to produce, but the persistency and the spirits of hardship.
Today, I passed by this bakery. With a glance, I guess I have missed the lunch crowd and the Moon Cake festival. Just like others, I like the moon cakes of this bakery. This bakery may not be a favor with people who likes fanciful moon cakes, but to the local, we know he is someone standing on his own ground firmly, with pride and vision. The good taste never changed!
The shop was established in 1938. Since then, the hands of this traditional bakery shop never stop its hand movement! With original recipe and without preservations, the art passed down from one era to another. Bake instantly with fresh ingredients, this is the slogan for every single cake lovers of our nation.
During the Moon Cake Festive seasons, shoppers queue in rain and shine with paper carrier printed with the Chinese name on it. If you have the cheek to ask them why not go for the fanciful cakes made of durians, birdnests, chocolate or even ice-cream! I believe the answers are the same for sure! “I love the traditional moon cakes”!
In fact, by looking at the long queue, it’s not hard to know they are not an ordinary celebrity, with fans from all ages and from every corner of our country.
Though Moon Cake Festival is over and a snowing Christmas with Santa is arriving soon, but I still think this is just like a bottle of Coke in you and me, with sweet memories and sense of belonging, deep down in our homeland.
44) I can’t find my way back home!
This is not an ordinary street buzzing with pushcarts selling souvenirs in the core of Chinatown. It has a certain background we should recall or try not to recall…the Sago Street.
Sago Street alias “sei yang gai” in Cantonese refers to “street of the dead”. Back to the last century, funeral parlours stretching from one end to another are not an uncommon sight.
In the funeral living room, you see bodies covered merely with cloth lying on pallets in open cubicle, each with a table placed with offering items. As the shops are usually small and dimly lighted, the atmosphere then was chilly and creepy. It is definitely not for the feeble hearted.
When I was young, I remember having to pass by a few lying bodies just to reach the toilet situated right behind the backyard of the shop. To me, attending funeral wake is always a hair-raising event. It’s a frightening experience and one that left a deep impression behind.
The picture was captured in the Chinatown Heritage Centre at Pagoda Street (a few lanes away from Sago Street) depicting the bitterness of life during that century.
Those offerings are the basic needs for the deceased, it’s offered to serve them with a better life at the other side of the world.
Today, if your soul traveled back home from the other side of the world, you maybe surprised by the overwhelming tourist crowd, waking you up next to the side of your soul bed. Or maybe you would consider starting a new life again, this time with a more graceful surrounding.
43) Please drop me a card this Christmas!
You may be able to spot this pillar post box at the Fullerton Heritage Gallery at The Fullerton Hotel. But these are the last two left since 1873, which were specially shipped from Great Britain. These special pillar post boxes feature the EIIR (Elizabeth II Regina) British Royal Cipher on its door as symbol of the ruling monarchy at that time when the pillar post boxes were produced.
In 2001, the Fullerton Hotel has transformed himself from a General Post Office to a super star Hotel. It was during that time that the post box was preserved as his iconic memories!
The other pillar post box is still serving the public outside Singapore Philatelic Museum. It stands in front of the museum welcoming people from all over the world.
And this handsome guy in the Fullerton Hotel, is gladly asking if you would like to drop him a card this Christmas!
This FLOOR COMPASS shows you the direction to your destination.
Whether you are going Hong Kong or Saigon, it takes you over thousands of kilometers from this direction
Or you want the distant Cairo or the nearby Penang?
My home Sydney or neighbor Auckland?
16) Whose feet are those?
A) Skinny but master of wings
B) Northern survivor
C) I am not Lion King!
D) I am not Godzilla!
E) I am not Vampire!
F) I am not Meat Eater!
G) Deep! Deep! Deep!
H) I am not a Horse!
J) I am not birdie!
K) Ho! Ho! Ho! Where is my best friend?
A) Crane
B) Polar Bear
C) Tiger
D) T-Rex
E) Bat
F) Ant Eater
G) Angler Fish – http://wp.me/a2DqYS-Q0
H) Donkey
J) Big Bird – http://wp.me/a2DqYS-Q9
K) Reindeer
13) Jokes of the day by Off the Leash Facebook
Comics adopted from Off the Leash Facebook, if you happen to know him/her, spread the words, if you don’t, happy and good luck!
42) We are non-ordinary buildings (Part 2)
Is a numerical figure prominent in this particular row of buildings?
A closer look can make one guess what the number is? Though, the view might be block by some building beneath.
Yes, it is number 13. This is on the exterior of Conrad Centennial Singapore. The number 13 in Cantonese coincidently sounds like “实生”, and it means “sure to survive” or some interpret it as “sure to prosper”. However, this could be tittle-tattle, the number 13 could have belonged to a Friday!
- ← Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- Next →
AddGrainOnEarth 