Tuesday 24 February 2015

River Hong Bao 2015 (春到河畔2015)

It was indeed grand celebration on the CNY and the ceremony light up which started on the 17th Feb 2015 managed by Mr Lee Hsien Loong on marking the beginning on the 12-day festival. Mostly Singaporeans would visit this place once every year on CNY to celebrate on their special year as Singapore's 50 years on Independence and Lunar New Year together.
I was blessed to visit on the six day of CNY at River Hong Bao 2015.
River Hong Bao's FoodStreet
On reaching the destination, I was surprised to see a makeshift tent as high as if it was a towering hilltop with vast variety of local delicacies - Bak Kut Teh, Hainanese Chicken Rice..etc that served at the River Hong Bao's FoodStreet which many people, young and old alike would love to eat.
Gateway Arch (entrance)
Entrance to the River HongBao float gateway to the amazing lanterns, God of Fortune, SG50 Giant Mural Wall, Lion Dance Cheers!,Giant Pine tree, Heritage Playground, Merdeka Bridge, 12 Zodiac and Wishing Well and to name a few. Great foods, lovely colourful atmosphere has allowed many people to see something new in the beginning.
Let's Celebrate Together (Lovely pair of Peacocks)
Wishing Well
Old Singapore River
SG50 Giant Mural Wall
Heritage Playground
Heritage Playground is everyone's favourite childhood during younger days and many old folks, great pioneers who either live or left us, will not be forgotten.
Giant Pine Tree and Playground
Heritage Postbox
The Stage and National Theatre
12 Zodiac
River Hongbao welcomes the Year of the Goat with celebrations over 12 days from 17 February to 28 February 2015 with lots of programmes. Admission is Free.
Gateway Arch (Exit)
At last but least, I managed to exit from the crowds to the Gateway Arch (Exit) point and took direct bus home.




Monday 2 February 2015

Botanic Gardens of the Past

I was flipping of my old photos which was kept for the past 50 years, when I was as little as a toddler. Seeming going back to past, everything was blank and I wouldn't recall much of the old, largest with lots of ponds, beautiful flowers, monkeys, swampy area of more than a century place called Botanic Gardens. In the past, it was used to be a little zoo back then.
My mum's car - Ford Prefect in 1950s
While flipping back to the history of it, only I remembered my mum mentioned to me that there was lots of monkeys around during and after the WWII when she drove her old "Ford Prefect" car in 1950s. My mum mentioned that she brought her old friends and drove her car and travelled around Straits of Malaya at the time before Singapore's Independence in 1965. She parked her car along the Botanic Garden's entrance, her hands held out to wave at a monkey as seen above picture.
White PAP in Straits of Malaya 1950s
At the same time, she was a member of PAP in white in the Straits of Malaya 1950s. She v drove a van to ferry the PAP staffs to the office. My mum was in the photo among them.

Now back to the past in 1950s, where my mum brought her friends, one of her younger sisters, relatives, me, my brother and her old friends to the Singapore Botanic Garden in 1950s and 1960s.

My Mum (long pant) & her friend@SBG 1950s
Every other occasions, she would bring her friends for a ride in her car that was in 1950s and 1960s within Singapore including Singapore Botanic Gardens. At that time, the vehicles were allowed to enter the Singapore Botanic Garden and there were lots of monkeys roaming around. Now there's hardly seen monkeys nowadays.
My family & Mum's old friend 1960s
 My mum sometimes brought her old friends, my god-sister's mum and her old friend's daughter including god-sister's grandpa along to the Singapore Botanic Garden during school holidays. Well, my god-sister was not born yet as the photo was taken in 1960s when I was in primary school back then. I was sitting on the grass with my younger brother, behind me is my mum, sat next to me is my god-sister's mum and her old friend's daughter about 2 year old sat on her lap.
Singapore Botanic Garden's footpath
The footpath at Singapore Botanic Gardens is still remain the same back then whenever we stroll along within garden's compound. My god-sister's grandpa stood far behind with my younger brother and my mum old friend's daughter walked on the footpath that reminds me of the times spent with my family and childhood friends of the good old days.
Me and my 'young' auntie
When I looked at this photo that make me wonder why this auntie loved to be close to me whenever she followed me. My mum told me that her friend loves to stick with me because I look very cute whenever she took photo with me around. I was wondered where she is now as I missed her alots since. My mum said that she has no ideas where she is and I presume she must be around 60 plus now, at that time I was told that she is not married yet when she followed me and my family to the Singapore Botanic Gardens in early 1970s.
Me and my mum's best friend on wooden bench
I recalled there were lots of 'long' wooden benches at Singapore Botanic Gardens during the times I visited in 1980s with my childhood friends. But now, there are few left and has been changing over the years. It was a long wooden bench at the shelter near the old 'Bandstand' on the left where I sat with my 'cute' auntie taken in early 1970s and love this bench as it brings back 'sweet' memory of my auntie whenever I stroll along Singapore Botanic Gardens when I am free.
There are many historical places; 12 National Orchid Garden landmarks,  17 Historical landmarks and 8 Singapore Botanic Gardens Landmarks.
I am wondering if a century year old of Singapore Botanic garden would be our country the first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Well, time will tell.