Small But Beautiful

Parks, big or small, are green lungs in cities and they provide the people a place where they can relax, exercise or just to admire the lovely plants and flowers.

We go for early morning walks in a small park not too far from where we live. It's small but it's beautiful.It is known as Ujana Rimba Tropika or Rainforest Park. This park was created to commemorate the fallen warriors.

There is ample shade along the walking path so that we won't get sunburn.Many people do different kinds of exercises here in the early morning, such as tai chi and line dancing.

What I like about this park are the flowers, the varieties of our national flower, the Hibiscus.

There are small trees and big trees and also exercise stations.

2012 Computer Camp for G-Oldies

This year the annual computer camp for the G-oldies came with a difference. In the past we were bussed to the place where we were assigned projects and at the end of the day, we were bussed back to the meeting point and we returned to our respective homes. However, this year we were provided with a 3 day 2 night beach resort accommodation, all expenses paid. We were also bussed there and at the end of the camp, were bussed back to the pickup point. Weren’t we lucky seniors, all 60 of us?

It was organized by the Sabah Computer Society in conjunction with the information technology month (always in November) and sponsored by the State government. As well as being taught how to use either the Ipad or Samsung Tab we were well-fed, with breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and even supper! How not to put on weight?

The purpose of the camp was to familiarize us seniors with the latest in technology, hence the Ipad and the Samsung Tablet, which were loaned to us for the duration of the camp. Those who had the means brought along their personal gadgets. As for me, it was the first time that I laid my hands on a Samsung Tab.

On the first night there was ice breaking and we soon got to know one another. I must say that seniors have a very good sense of humor and we were very competitive too. We had to erect a free-standing tower using spaghetti, a piece of sticky tape, a string and a marshmallow which had to be placed at the top of the tower. The group with the tallest tower was adjudged the winner. It was a lot of fun, trying to make sure that the tower could stand.Here are my team mates and our tower.

On the second day we were divided into teams of three and were assigned to come up with a story incorporating the list of ten items that could be found in the resort and which we had to look for. We could use the camera or the video to do our presentation on the last day of the camp and we had three prizes to vie for.

My team won the third prize. Each of us took home a RM100 voucher to use at a local supermarket. Came in very handy indeed.

What was important was the camaraderie and the new friendships forged over the weekend. It was good that the organisers took into consideration the comfort of the seniors as the youngest was aged 55 and the oldest was 78. After all we do like our creature comforts and a good night’s sleep would enable us to focus better on the tasks we had to perform. So we had that and more! I would like to express my appreciation to the organisers and the sponsor for the opportunity to participate in this year’s camp. All of us are looking forward to next year’s camp.

Cloud Forest, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

A 35 meter waterfall dropping from a man-made mountain greets you as you enter the Cloud Forest. The immediate chill in the air and the rushing sound of water is a world away from the heat outside this specially constructed dome.

Beautiful orchids grew from the surface of this mountain covered with different types of ferns and plants.

We took a lift up to the 6th floor level and climbed the stairs to what was deemed "The Lost World" and walked our way down along the specially constructed walkway, the Tree Top Walk, that gave us a bird's eye view of the plants, flowers as well as the trees in the Cloud Forest.

We also had a good view of the buildings outside this Dome.

As we made our way further down, the type of plants were different.

Then we came to where there were displays of crystals.

There were two videos that showed how the Dragonfly Lake is used to sustain the system in the Gardens by the Bay and a 3D model that showed how it worked.

The time spent in the Gardens was time well spent and it is certainly worth going again although the entrance fees are a tad on the high side.

Supertrees by NIght, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

By night, the supertrees undergo a Cinderella change. What looked like giant steel structures with its vertical trunks clothed with plants and flowers are now transformed into lovely graceful columns of twinkling colors with its cups at the top changing colors in tune with the music entitled OCBC Rhapsody.

One can view the spectacle from the vantage point of the OCBC Skyway 25 meters above ground or from below, looking up.

The hundreds of cars parked in the underground car park testified to the hundreds of people including children, thronging the gardens to watch this magnificent display of lights. There are two shows each night.

Fortunately the skies were clear after the heavy rain in the afternoon. These pretty lights light up the walls of the path leading into the Supertree Grove.

This one shows the Golden Cluster with the Cloud Forest Dome in the background.

To appreciate the beauty of these super trees, one needs to see them in the light of day as well as by night. A most enchanting experience it was for me.

A Feast Undampened by Rain

When the heavens opened to the angry roars of thunder with lightning streaking in jagged lines, lighting up the dark skies in the late afternoon,what was uppermost in my mind was the aftermath of the storm. The traffic would be hopelessly snarled as commuters struggle to make their way home. My daughter would be among them and we were looking forward to the birthday dinner which had been planned for that evening.

When she got home we immediately set out for the restaurant, in bumper to bumper traffic and what should have been a five minute journey took more than half an hour.

Some of our guests were already waiting for us while the rest were still on the way, caught in the horrendous jams. It took my brother two hours before he made it to the restaurant and it was another half an hour before my youngest brother stepped up to our table.

Everyone was hungry but the dishes were worth waiting for. We began with a starter called "The Three Treasures" which consisted of scallop, shrimp in some kind of sauce and soft shelled crab.

The next course was Roast Suckling Pig, its crispy skin with a thin layer of meat accompanied by a sweet dark sauce.

Fried cod fish was next, followed by "Hokkien" towfoo with minced pork and mushroom topping in lotus leaf.

Then we had spinach soup with "Teochew" fishballs with pork filling followed by the birthday longevity noodles.

The last dish was dessert, a clear sweet drink boiled with aloe vera, longan and sea coconut.

A chocolate black forest cake ended the evening.

Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

The Flower Dome is a huge structure that is air-conditioned so that the flower gardens within it flourish at optimal temperature. There are different gardens offering displays of plants that grow in that particular region, e.g. the South African Garden, the Australian Garden, etc. The variety of plants and flowers is amazing. The colors are a visual feast that takes your breath away.

The Hibiscus flowers are of different colors and variety, some of which are achingly beautiful. Their blooms are much larger than our local hibiscus.

There are different types of cacti and unusual Baobabs from the Mediterranean and sub-tropical regions.

I took so many photographs of the beautiful flowers that it is impossible to post them all here.

The Marina Bay Sands Hotel & Casino is a stone's throw away and stands imposingly in the background just across the highway. You can easily walk from the hotel to the Gardens via an overhead bridge that takes you across to the Dragonfly Bridge, leading to the Supertree Grove.