Surprise surprise!
Okay, I’m having a blog overdose here. I hope Emmanuel, my greatest blog fan, is happy.
It’s not easy to surprise me. I think I’ve only been truly surprised once in my life when I thought GSM (a company I worked for) had a blackout until Junfeng appeared with a fruity cake, and everyone started singing happy birthday.
Yesterday, was a second.
As we were walking back to the car from work, Matt told me he had a headache, passed me the keys, and asked if I could drive. I obliged, but not without a little mocking grumbles.
When we got to the car, I opened the door to see a brown paper bag at the accelerator. I was wondering, “What’s this? Do I have so much junk it got here too?” When I opened the bag, it was a LOMO LCA+!!!
Wahhhh!!!!!!!!
I’m so utterly thrilled! To top it off, it comes with the LOMO Big Book which will arrive this week! Woohoo!
Many photos to come my friends!
And Matt, I love you!!! Hee hee.
Night Tour!
I went for a Night Tour organised by Sunbird-Apollo Estate with my mom and Matt. The night’s itinerary included a bumboat ride around the Singapore River, visits to wholesale vegetable and fish centres and night skyline viewing at Kent Ridge Park.
The tour lasted from 8pm to 5am and we were accompanied by 70 other good ol’ sunbird-apollo folks, most of whom I’ve never seen before in my last decade of stay. Strange.
The most memorable must be the Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre (for fruits and vegetables) and the Jurong Fishery Port. Business starts late at night spanning to the wee hours of the morning. The number of workers and buyers should grant wholesale centres a nightspot of the year award. At one point of time, I thought I was going to faint at the fish port.
I couldn’t resist taking these straight-on shots at the markets. It was so colourful and bustling that every shot had a certain unintended energy in it.
So, MDS & LRH, how about having a shoot there soon?
PASIR PANJANG WHOLESALE CENTRE
A rare quiet alley
These workers gladly posed for me when I requested! I should’ve asked them for an email address to send this to. Hmm…
JURONG FISHERY PORT
I was told no photography is allowed. Hence, only 3 pictures. Also, I seemed to be constantly in the way of the rowdy fishermen, “ZAO! ZAO! ZAO!”
“Better get out,” I thought.
Sunbird Apollo Estate
I’ve been staying along Sunbird Circle for most of the years I remember.
When I was first brought to see the house as a little girl, I was gushing over the name of the road, much to the delight and benefit of the house agent.
My reply to where I stay never fails to bring bemusement to the people who ask.
And now 15 years, 2 renovations/paintjobs and countless episodic moments later (my closest friends will know this best), I’m just getting to know this place.
Please allow me to share this with you.
History (1960-1980)
Prior to the current development, this area was a tropical fish farming village. Due to the large number of Hainanese living in the village, it was often referred as “Hainan Village”. In fact, several original villagers still live in the estate till today.
In the 60s and 70s, this area was also referred as Changi 10 Miles.
History (1980-2000)
The initial development was the rows of semi-detached and terraces houses facing Sunbird Circle and along Sunbird Avenue. These were built between 1980 to 1983. Mr. Chia who is the architect of this development still lives along Sunbird Circle.
North-eastern corner of Sunbird Park looking westwards along Sunbird Circle
Junction of Sunbird Road & Circle looking northwards
South-western corner of Sunbird Park looking eastwards along Sunbird Circle
Part of Sunbird Circle looking northwards towards Simei Green CondoSome local stories recounted that the developer of the estate was advised that for better FengShui, they need to have a block of higher development to contain the “good fengshui and prevent it from escaping” from the estate. This was why Apollo Garden was built in 1985.
How Apollo Gardens got her name is many residents guess. Amongst many logical explanations was that the apartment was named after the US’ NASA Apollo Lunar Missions which started in 1961 till 1975. Other reasons were that it was built with the intended market of RSAF personnel serving Changi Air Bases and the newly built Changi International Airport which came into service in Dec 1981.
Historically, Apollo is the name of a Greek mythical god. He is the son of Zeus and the nymph Leto, and the twin brother of Artemis. The Greeks often thought of Apollo as being the same as Helios, the Sun god, and so he is one of the sky gods who always beat out the earth gods in Greek myths.
The apartment is managed by her own elected Management Committee.
Sunbird Park is located within Sunbird Circle. This is where many events of the neighborhood were held. This park is special in that the trees are at least 30 years old or more meaning some of them has been here before the estate was even built.
Sunbird Phase 1. These houses were completed around 1992. In total, there were 41 houses built in this phase. These were sold well during the period of property boom in the 90s.
Sunbird Phase 2, which was built along Sunbird Road and completed around 1993 consisting of 41 houses.
Sunbird View, a 4 storey walk-up apartment was added and completed by 1993.
The final and last addition to Sunbird Apollo Estate were these 8 semi-detached houses built along Sunbird Avenue and Sunbird Circle. (This is where I stay, right at the end of the row!)
As of today, the estate has a total of 220 households. It’s anyone’s guess if there’s possibility for more houses to be built.
How Sunbird estate got her name is not clear. But the truth is that Sunbirds, such as the one shown above, are a common sight in our estate and have probably visited many gardens of our fellow residents.
Lunchtime!
Not sure what to eat for lunch?
Introducing Authentic Malacca Wanton Mee!
That’s the lady boss, Gina, standing right there.
Still undecided? How about this?
Mmmmm…
Slurp slurp!
Not convinced? Let the queue seal the deal for you!
Even the ang moh came to try it! (Well, actually, that’s Joey’s husband Fran. Heh)
And the peeps from Black Magic Design. On the right, is the TOWKAY! Soon to be spotted with permed hair and gold accessories.
The hardworking crew. On the left hailing all the way from Malacca, Jerry’s sister, the famous wanton mee seller! And on the right her son, Joshua!
Thumbs up!
Go try it yourself at Allson Food Court along Victoria Street, Stall 7A.
All the best Jerry!
Ride No. 1
My first proper cycling experience took place last Sunday. I covered approximately 30km at an average speed of 16km/h (my fastest was 23km/h!) and took off 1500 calories!
My companion was not the blue Jamis as I mentioned earlier, but the grey Jamis TrailX2 2009 model! I don’t have a picture of it now, but it looks almost the same as the blue one, except in grey and with better parts!
I’m going to zhng it to a grey/white/pink colour scheme so it looks fierce yet feminine. Heh heh.
Well, the cycling experience was literally, a pain in the ass. Traveling from East Coast Park to Changi Village via the Park Connectors could have been really relaxing if not for my “professional” bike mates – Matt, Emmanuel and Kim May. I was always way behind the pack and for a moment, I thought I wasn’t utilising the gears properly. But when I started feeling exhausted just 10 minutes into the ride, I knew the cause was the mere state of my health.
Although I’ve quit smoking for more than 2 months now (surprised? shocked?), I’m still super unhealthy. And if stamina can be measured from 0-10, I’ll be a panting 2. The fact that I used to be a sprinter for more than 10 years (from primary school to the start of polytechnic) is quite unbelievable, and is no longer a saving grace when I meet exercise advocates.
When we reached Changi Village, it felt like an oasis at the end of a desert. Yes, I could’ve drank from my bottle along the way, but my seat was so high (your legs are supposed to be almost straight when the pedal is at its nearest to the ground), and every stop was a potential fall. So to avoid that, I just kept cycling.
I devoured a coconut, and I figured since I was burning calories, I might as well eat an ice cream too! Suggestion of lunch was met with the disapproval faces of my bike mates. Basically, I was pulling all stops (contradictory to before) to postpone the ride back.
Inevitably, the ride back began, and this time, I got to cycle leisurely… Until some idiots in a car hollered vulgarities at us just because Kim May told them to siam from the path earlier on, for their own sake! I mean, how bo liao are they to digress from their walk in the park, get onto their car and chase a bunch of harmless cyclists? Jeez… Little did they know how fast bicycles can go with good parts. I think they got a huge shock when Matt and Emm started chasing them on their bikes, unleashing their excellent ah beng education at the same time.
Not so harmless anymore, huh?
Nothing happened eventually of course. Bikes are not meant to go faster than cars on flat roads. Our moods were undeterred and we carried on till the end of our journey, right before heaven started pouring on us.
All in all, I took back good experiences, better cycling basics and sore shoulders. Next ride is on saturday night during Project Lighthouse, an annual charity event organised by the SAF Yacht Club. If keeping fit while helping a good cause sounds good to you too, you can get more details here: http://www.safyc.org.sg/update19092008/lighthouse08.html
Wow, this must’ve been the longest I’ve wrote since film theory essays. More to come!
