Welcome to Swinging By

These are the places of interest that I've been to and I would like to share them with you. I hope you find them interesting too.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Chinatown, Singapore 2013

I swung by Chinatown a couple of mornings ago to see the much touted snake that is currently the main décor for the incoming lunar Year of the Snake.

As expected the predominant color in Chinatown is red, an auspicious color and de rigeur for the Chinese New Year. Most of the clothing on sale in the shops would be red, the flowers are red and of course the hong pao or red packets are also red.

The long undulating snake is made of red square boxes and its tongue is a long string of firecrackers. At night when lighted up, it would look more spectacular but during the day, it wasn’t anything really to shout about.
Hung across the main street were also the red square boxes.
On one part of the central divider were some multi-colored lanterns.

In one of the narrow alleys in Chinatown are small shops selling Chinese New Year paraphernalia, mostly red, auspicious calligraphy, paper cut-outs, sweet meats, confectionery, biscuits, etc.
Red and yellow pineapple shaped lanterns also adorn some shops, the pineapple being a symbol of prosperity ( “ong lai” or inviting prosperity ).
The pussy willow are also a must for homes during this festive season.
The sticky glutinous cake or “Nien Gao” is also a delicacy enjoyed at this time. In fact it is an offering made to the Ktichen God who after partaking of it, will not bad mouth the family when he makes his annual report to the Emperor God.

Pomeloes are also another offering commonly found on altars in the Chinese temples or before the ancestral tablets at home.
The days before the lunar new year are busy days, with spring cleaning and preparations to welcome in the new year. All family members will head for the family home for that most important event, the reunion dinner on the eve of the New Year. This is the time most precious for aged parents who get to see their children and grandchildren, many of whom make this annual visit to pay their respects to the old folks. Many families drive, catch the bus, train or fly across the length and breadth of the country for this dinner.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Ponggal Thanksgiving

Ponggal is a festival celebrated by the Indian community in Malaysia either at the temple or at home. It is a harvest festival giving thanks to the Sun God in appreciation of an abundant harvest.

Plain clay pots or gaily decorated clay pots are used and these are quickly snatched up by the women who usually prepare the ingredients and rice to be used.
Sweetened rice is cooked together with milk, raisins, cashew nuts, jaggery and spices in a clay pot and the milk is allowed to boil over. This signifies happiness and prosperity for the family.
Sugar cane and fresh fruit also feature in this festival which will be celebrated in two days' time.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Love, Heaven or Hell?

The world of Love is either a Heaven or Hell on earth. Some have said that Love is what makes the world go round.
Love can also make your world go flat, pock-marked and colorless.

Have you ever been betrayed or rejected by someone you love? What was your reaction?

Did you feel depressed and hurt, wishing to crawl into a hole and never want to emerge?
Or did you get angry and become resentful, wanting to hit out at anything? Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned. Did you want to take revenge? To hit back and hurt just as you were hurt?


Perhaps you belong to the former group of people who feel hurt, bewildered at how things could have changed so fast between the both of you. Perhaps you keep holding on to hope, that somehow he will call and you could resume where you left off. Or you could be in limbo, wondering what happened, why you were betrayed and rejected.


If you have been betrayed, you will empathise with the protagonist in “Missing You”. Click here to find out if you are a kindred soul in “Missing You”.