Fullerton Hotel Singapore
Wild growing Albizia tree
Due to the fast growing speed, Albizia tree (Falcataria moluccana) has never been the roadside tree in Singapore. The trees were first grown in Singapore Botanic Gardens in 1870 and later shifted to waste ground where it start proliferate.
Albizia is a can grow from sapling to a tree in 35 feet (10.7m) tall, within 13 months. The huge number of seeds in pods can multiply in the wild.
Although, the tree is beautiful and widely spread like a green canopy. But the branches may prone to fall over the stormy rain, and cast a danger to the road users. Since then, Albizia tree has been out under Tree Conservation Area (TCA) due to it reality and practicality.
A Tour to Toa Payoh Town Park
If you happened to ask a local, “Which particular park holds the most sweet memories in your childhood?” I bet 9 out of 10 will give the same answer: “It is Toa Payoh Town Park!” If you are too young to answer this question, ask your parents then!
Toa Payoh Town Park is sitting on the southern part of Toa Payoh Housing estate. In the 70s, this is a place famous for outdoor wedding photography. You will see dozen of visitors, couples, families enjoying themselves with photo shooting, having their picnic on the open grass field on weekends and public holidays.
Today, I return here to trace back some footage of my memories for my long faded album.
This pond-side restaurant is one of the iconic landmarks on this piece of greenery. To hold a wedding dinner, celebrate an event is not uncommon here and it’s exclusive in those days.
The brick-tiled broadway has been witnessed by many couples and happy families throughout their entire life.
The preceding willows replaced by reeds blend so naturally well with the clever thoughts of the landscape designers.
A snake-like design bridge with bolt nuts-like balustrade, give weight to recollection of certain bits and pieces of our faded memories.
The 2 curvy stone bridges are the pioneers in this green community.
The ‘Bottle Brush’ trees are the most humble and gentlemen around.
This 4-storey viewing tower is one most significant feature in this land. In the past, it was a joyful twirl walking up to the top of the floor to catch the bird-eye view of the entire garden. But in the present, we look for elevators or escalators to fulfill this task.
This park is filled with breeze and songs of bees. Last and not least, you’ll bump into a jaywalker like me!
Crouching Tiger and the Hidden Dragon Pt 2
One blogger put up a request to me for more pictures of these wooden tree stump sculptures displayed at the Green Pavilion, Singapore Botanic Gardens.
In fact, some of the sculptures were also placed as an art deco at the lobby. This is the one placed as a backdrop of the counter. No visitors would dare to confront the counter staff with the three dragons behind them. Perhaps, visitors may have mistaken them for the real ones and wonder why the dragons are let loose from their enclosures.
Do you fancy two gigantic lizards crawling on top of your head?
A miniature Godzilla having a good life here!
I still can’t figure out what animal is this? Could it be an eagle?
Is that real? Is up to you to judge!
Are these pumpkins? What are they doing here after the harvest, waiting for the next Halloween?
Just relax and take a sit, while you enjoy the works of art with our hands, provided by nature.
A thoughtful car parking lot
Whenever we look at a car parking lot, it doesn’t appear to be unusual, but at least to me, it is unusual!
对一般人而言，这个停车位是在普通不过了。但对我而言，它有异于一般。
An ordinary public car parking lot is usually made of cement, asphalt, bricks or sometimes just a layer of stones screeds.
一般的停车位用的建筑材料都离不开混凝土，沥青，砖块再不然就是铺上一层小石子。
This parking lot featured here is made of broken strips of thin concrete slab laid out sparingly.
这个停车位是以瘦长的混凝土块以间隔的方式铺设而成。
Nature will fill up the remaining gaps with weeds and gravels.
混凝土块之间的空间就由小石子与植物填补上。
Imagine a little foliage living under a tyre day and night, on the road for months and years. No passer-by realizes or knew their existence.
想象这些小植物日以继夜在车轮下生活。可曾有人留意它的存在？
Are we able to feel the hands of hard work behind these thoughtful parties, who are doing a great job for our Garden City? With intelligent ideas that combines concrete forest with nature green into a song. A beautiful song composed by a harmony melody and an activist conductor, the orchestra just goes on and on…
你可以感受得到那幕后功臣在这花园城市里所付出的努力吗？把绿意与钢骨森林结合成一首歌曲，这首美丽的歌曲由和谐的旋律与活跃的指挥家组成，不止如此，旋律会不断地播下去，继续地播下去。。。
A 300 feet long counter in this Historic Building
While we enjoying the sun-ray casting down through the skylight bringing down joy of the day and a smile splashing over high tea set in this Jade Restaurant. Do you have the thoughts of the nostalgic past of this General Post Office ever emerge your mind?
With thousands of incoming and outgoing mails waving at us a day, the human flow of this post office is no doubt, self-generating.
The now Fullerton Hotel was built in 1928, it was a General Post Office then. The post office was converted into a hotel in 2001 under the URA conservation plan.
In the past, postal counters used to stretch from one counter to the other. It took up to a 300 feet long, and was reputed to be the longest counter in Southeast Asia. The current location of the Jade Restaurant took the place of the former but with a very different ambience all in all.
This is a scene of a new stamp issue on 9th July 1972. The picture show a large crowd buying postage at the counters while others are affixing stamps on their ready mails.
The architectural elements of this historic building speak a story of its own early days, and it keeps going. No one can ever stop it…
How we grow up in this garden
We have grown up together inside this enchanting garden. We feel contented living inside this gate, to be an orchid plant forever! Visiting hour is the happy hour, but not for beer, but for our open heart and bright smiley cheers!
Some of my friends live in the lab, shaking their bodies day and night looking for a fertile time to stick out the neck and say hello!
Some of them may have to wait as long as 3 years to be a hybrid, it is an honorable journey to demark them a reputation status.
Some just grow up a normal way and happily dress up every day in satin red.
Or being a yellow tie?
Or being a purple butterfly?
And station outside the National Orchid Garden as a cheerleading live rock band!
Please drop us a note if you are fond of us and want to be our long life fans!
We always welcome you with open hands and greet you from far before you land!
32) Be a Happy Monkey
This is the front cover of positive thinking campaign post card by the Singapore Health Promotion Board. Though the campaign was held many years back, but the post card is still sticking on my wall. It pose as a reminder to me and the cute monkeys always made my day.
The campaign is also broadcasted on TV, with a few animated monkeys talking about how they feel so blessed though they are only getting peanuts for their salary.
At the back of the card, the Authority concerned throw 3 questions asking for feedback for a positive mind. This is an effective way of getting people to think and find a solution to their own answer.
I’ve chosen “I think about the good things in my life” among the 3 answers.
First of all, there are too many good things in my life. I’m not here talking about how much I have in my savings, and not referring to how complete a life cycle people always define to be.
I’m talking about the living up to an age with a moderate health condition, moderate standard of living, moderate unevenness of my path. That is good enough for me to conclude how much good things I owned in my life!
I’ve yet to include the blogging trails with the world that I have started 6 months ago. And I have not included my good bonding friendship with all my dear friends, my family members and my other half. Last but not least, how about my pet dog, Cougar!
All these enhance my quality of life and are comfortable enough to be treated like a 5-star dinner. I have so much side dish to recommend if I wanted to!
I can be served with a simple meal just with vegetables, though I’m not a vegetarian. I can bring in plants to add lush to the dinning hall, but I prefer to eat under the sky beside the green.
That’s the reason why these cute monkeys are still swinging on the wall without resting for a day! My gratitude to them for serving as a reminder, reminding us to create positive energy for our own and extension to others beyond your own circle. How about that?!
27) Not a Lonely Song
Nature is getting further
Weather is getting warmer
And someone gives him a pat on his shoulders
Friend of greens
Friend of moss
Friend of aged old stone
Sydney is not snapping alone
Flowers getting brittle
Winter getting chiller
Sydney sling with his camera
And someone gives him a pat on his shoulders
Chat about garden
Chat about animal
Chat about aged old stone
Sydney is not talking alone
People getting colder
Garbage getting closer
Sydney sling with his camera
And someone gives him a pat on his shoulders
Blog about jokers
Blog about environmental
Blog about aged old stone
Sydney is not blogging alone
Definitely not blogging alone!
26) Song Of Pasir Ris Park
I’m launching a runway to fly
To open up my eyes
Without any yearly resolutions
They asked me why
The sun is lovely bright
People warm and not shy
Whispering wind calling once
Whispering wind calling twice
I said I got to go
I got a flight
I’m looking for a Park where I can write
Write-up about the sky
Without any yearly resolutions
They ask me why
The tree is enchanting
Stroller warm and polite
Whispering wind calling once
Whispering wind calling twice
I said I got to go
I’ll be back for my Pasir Ris Park ride
I’m searching for a coconut tree to climb
Reach up my next higher tide
Without any yearly resolutions
They asked me why
The sky is bluish calm
Moon is gentle white
Whispering wind calling once
Whispering wind calling twice
I said I got to go
I have got another coconut tree to hike
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?
AddGrainOnEarth 