Accidental Tourist – Museum exploration: National Museum

For those in the know, Singapore is actually a fabulous place for museums. Frankly I didn’t know this even though I stayed here all my life until it was pointed out by an overseas cousin. Then I discovered that there are many many museums in Singapore – something like 15 or so (large and small). That’s quite some for a tiny island country.

I got my “Friends of the Museum” card earlier this year (entitles me to free entry to many of the museums) and explored a few of the known ones like National Museum, Peranakan Museum, Singapore Art Museum, Asian Civilisation Museum and not so known ones like Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (long way down to National University of Singapore), Singapore Philatelic Museum and Mint Museum of Toys.

I blogged about my little trip to Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research earlier and this write-up is about my trips down to the National Museum.

2 Photos taken at the “Quest for Immortality – Egypt” exhibition (all photos of this exhibition were taken using a "point & shoot" Olympus U-tough camera which accounts for the high noise level given the low light conditions in the museum):

Colossal head of a king – 332-222 BCE. Location probably Alexandria, Lower Egypt. The deep eye sockets were probably once inlaid with another coloured material.

photo of Egyptian Mummy

3 photos taken at the recent “Pompeii – Life in a Roman Town 79CE” exhibition:

iconic image of the victims of the deadly volcanic blast

Detailed mosaic work from one of the exhibits

(you can see the seashells used as part of the decoration on this piece)

Vibrant fresco that survived the volcanic eruption

Onto the world and beyond!

Accidental Tourist – iLight @ Marina Bay

For those not in Singapore, we are in the middle of our first Light Art Festival called “iLight” (more information on this unique event at www.marina-bay.sg/ilightmarinabay). It is filled with light installations around the Marina Bay area. I went down last Saturday on opening night of 15 October 2010 with some pals from the photography class to capture the opening night scenes. I only managed to canvas the Promontory Sidewalk area that evening & will be planning for a follow-up shoot either this week or the next for the remaining light installations at the Esplanade section.

Till the next trip out, onto the world & beyond!

Accidental Tourist – Chinese Opera

Chinese Opera is something I am deeply mystified about. It falls within the category of the “the known yet unknown” - it is really interesting to me personally but an alien mini-world as the words are simply beyond me. I recalled watching the operas at my estate when I was much younger (especially during the Chinese Seventh Ghost Month) but not understanding a single word since my Mandarin is at best passable and the opera singing is either in Peking dialect, Cantonese or Hokkien dialect so I am confirmed hopeless in this.

Been wanting to take some photos of the performers as they are always decked out in nice costumes and thick thick make-up. Learnt that it was because in the old days, lighting was non-existent so thick thick makeup helps in seeing part. I was most amazed with the facial expressions and mannerisms (used as they don’t have many props – e.g. doors or animals or boats etc). Thoroughly enjoyed my little introduction to this mystical world. Here’re my 2 shots – both close-ups of the actors since I am sitting next to the stage…..

Accidental Tourist – Morning Shoot at Marina Bay area using only 50mm lens

Recently did a morning shoot at the Marina Bay area. It was actually quite a long walk from the Marina Bay MRT – initially wanted to head down to the Promontory but ended up at the MBS side. I willed myself to only use my 50mm for that morning so here are some of the shots….

2 photos of the view from Marina Bay Sands side – in both photos, I used 2 different post processing tools like inverted negative & fake tilt shift. For the 1^st time, the effects of the post processing looks nice to me… what do you think?

Testing of portrait framing - something about the bumboat meeting the reflection of Raffles City Tower in the horizon looked appealing to me :)

Till the next trip out, onto the world & beyond!

Accidental Tourist – MacRitchie Reservoir – 2nd trip: Monkey trails

Was down at MacRitchie again last weekend – this is one of the few weekends I don’t have classes on Saturday so decided to pull myself out of bed again at 6a.m. to take some photos.

This time round, I went down the other garden path towards the winding bridge (currently under renovation). I was fascinated with an old sign along the waterworks bridge that indicated that the waterworks was done some 110 years ago in 1890s. Wow!

Managed to hook up with monkey friends – one even spared me the time to pose for some photos for me! :)

Saw some interesting human-monkey behavior which reminded me of a sign that I saw on another trail which is on the other end of the MacRitchie trail – here’s the sign that I saw in my earlier walks…..

I actually wondered what that sign meant. Now I realize that the monkeys have become quite familiar with humans. I saw a monkey leap towards an old couple carrying plastic bags in their hands & was not frightened even after they were chased off by the man. I think they were thinking the couple was carrying food.

Overall, it was fun photographing the monkeys but when you are around there, you really have to be aware of your surroundings (I got one creep up on my bag to rummage through my waist pouch when I was sitting down on a bench).

My poser monkey

Drop by my JPG link as I posted some other photos there as well…..till the next trip out, onto the world & beyond!

Accidental Tourist - Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research

This post is about a trip down to the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research which is now housed in National University of Singapore.

Firstly, it’s not easy getting there (even though I am a Singaporean and supposed to know the way around my little island). Secondly, the display is a bit morbid (preserved animal specimens no less). Thirdly, it’s one of a kind in Singapore. Pity that it is not really that accessible to the general public as it’s only open from Mondays to Fridays working hours and closed for Saturdays, Sundays and Public holidays. Thankfully, it is reported that the Museum will be moving to another new building in 2014 – hopefully, it will be more accessible at the new location.

Here’s what I extracted out from a ChannelNews Asia article in July 2010 about this museum:

“The museum is the custodian of one of the earliest natural history collections in Southeast Asia.

The 160-year-old collection was inherited from the then Raffles Museum and Library at Stamford Road in the 1970s, after the museum was renamed the National Museum and refocused its attention on the arts and history.

Over the past 40 years, the collection has grown to more than 566,000 specimens.

Today, NUS said the museum is the leading biodiversity research centre in Southeast Asia.”

My 2 photos:

1^st photo shows a picture of some of the biggest preserved specimens at the Museum – this photo shows the fox, turtle & tiger most clearly. I recall some of these specimens are some 100 years old.

The 2^nd photo of the rhino head was displayed since 1900.

Until my next foray to places I have never been in Singapore, onto the world and beyond!

Accidental Tourist- Out of the Urban Landscape

Finally had a chance to take some photos out of the urban landscape. Considering the proximity of the place that I was going, I should have done this photo excursion eons ago but somehow, the bed always calls louder in the morning!

As the bed call was softer last Saturday, I managed to slowly make my way down to Mac Ritchie Reservoir to soak in the morning air. I found myself wandering around for some 2 odd hours stopping ever so often to take in the greenery & the tranquility of the place (when it’s not punctuated by the voices of the morning walkers)!

My pic of dew drops on a leaf – I think this particular plant actually retains the dew drops more prominently……

My picture of an elderly man taking a breather on one of the bridges – I was aiming for an artistic shot of his reflection on the water as opposed to a direct shot & frankly I quite like it!

My last picture shows the many waterways along the walk that reminds me somewhat of China’s Guilin…..

I am hoping to take another route & capture more in my next excursion…..

Onto the world and beyond!

Accidental Tourist- Singapore City Skyline photos

Was down at the Esplanade the other day & decided to try some long exposure photos using my recently acquired wide angle lens. Read the “PhotoCaddy” app in my iPhone that indicated that night photography needs a tripod, long exposure times of at least 20 secs and above at shutter priority mode so that’s exactly what I did. The route that I took started from the Merlion before getting on the bridge to Esplanade before heading down Helix Bridge to Marina Bay Sands before stopping for a drink at Fullerton Bay Hotel.

Singapore city skyline from Esplanade

Helix bridge with a huge crowd & the national flag reflected on Marina Bay Sands (MBS)

Pool bar (Lantern) on top of Fullerton Bay Hotel (with the MBS on the background)

If you have a chance, do take that same way around & see what you can find!

Onto the world & beyond!

Accidental Tourist- Singapore Flyer at Dawn

Was adventurous & decided to take some dawn pictures…the best photo opportunity came along with the “First Light” festival that was organized by The Arts House over the weekend at the Singapore Flyer.

After a groggy wake up at 4.20a.m. followed by a quick taxi ride - I actually considered taking a bus until I found out that nothing moves on the road at that time except for the taxis…I reached the Flyer at 5a.m. We managed to get our tickets almost immediately & proceeded to queue for the capsule. Figured that will be able to catch the break of dawn on top of the Flyer if I only board the capsule at 6.15a.m. At first, thought I had miscalculated as the sky was still dark when we boarded the capsule. Then, the sunrise came from the east & it was beautiful….I picked 4 photos this time as this is my 1^st attempt at dawn….

1st picture -the view of the CBD & MBS casino at dawn. At first I thought it looked like my night shots but I think the blue sky made the difference!!

2nd picture -the sea view. I LOVE the blue sky & how it reflects on the water!

3rd picture – view of the boardwalk along the F1 circuit. I LOVE the sky (no longer blue but a few shades of orange & how the (to be completed) building on the right side of the photo seems to fit in - just in-between the railings...

4th picture – There's something about the reflective view of the CBD & MBS casino

in this picture that speaks to me...

Onto the world and beyond!

Accidental Tourist- Thieves Market

Sungei Road Flea Market (aka Thieves Market) is another place I used to frequent cos there’s really quite a bit of "un-Singaporean" feel to it. Why is it called "Thieves market"? Well, back in the ol' days, it was reputedly a place where goods of unknown origins are sold. Now, it's more organised and stretches over 2-3 streets. My photo buddy tells me that the market used to be quite big (like over 2 football fields or 5-6 streets) during the previous financial crisis...

Pics showing people jostling to get a look at the numerous things on sale….old cameras alongside with Buddha statutes & metal containers

Accidental Tourist- Street Graffiti

Was down at Arab Street area the other day. Frankly love going there cos of the cultural feel of that locale. It’s good that I can also get my goodies here for those long ago when I used to make my own jewelry & dress watches. This time however I decided to head out to streets that I somehow don’t go when I head down & I am surprised at the finds I see. I am particularly intrigued with the graffiti that I see – this is NOT usual for “sanitized” Singapore as some of the expats will say…here are my 3 shots…..

Accidental tourist - Singapore from the sky: The Singapore Flyer

I have been on the Singapore Flyer several times....yes, I know it is a tourist thing but hey! Where else can one view the Singapore city skyline?

It is definitely not a cheap expedition because it costs approximately S$1 for every minute you are on the ride….but the other 2 occasions was subsidized fares (due to company sponsored trips) so this is my 1^st real full-fare ride…

Having gone on for both the day and night rides, I will definitely take the night ride anytime! Here are the reasons why…

1. There are basically 2 sections when you are in your little capsule going round the giant wheel– the sea section and the land section. Small trivia: originally, the spinning of the wheel starts from the land view and ends with the sea view. In 2008, for feng shui reasons, the turning changed to start from the sea view section and ending with the land view section. For more information about this trivia, hop over to http://www.singaporeflyer.com/en/media-releases/singapore-flyer-flying-high-with-feng-shui.html
2. Personally, I think you can get a nicer city skyline at night. This is especially if there is construction going on (which in Singapore’s case, it is almost an everyday affair). In the day, it is just boring construction sites but in the night, even the lights surrounding the construction site make the area more "fairy like".
3. If you are up there anytime during the day (worst time is high noon), it can get quite hot inside the capsule even though it is air-conditioned. Personally, being a pampered soul, I prefer a cool environment than a heated up capsule.
4. From the sea-view section, twinkling lights on the ships look great to me…

There a many places that you can see whilst riding on the Flyer – the official website has a great summary: http://www.singaporeflyer.com/en/visitor-guide/views-from-the-top.html

My expedition is to try to capture Singapore skyline @ night whilst on the Flyer – unfortunately for me, there will be some challenges:

1. night scene – I am at best a struggling amateur on DLSR so this is going to be tricky
2. no tripod – I did my preparations but frankly, it turned out not enough as I forgot the catch that is needed to place the camera on the tripod
3. since I will be in the capsule that moves ever so slowly, I will basically be in-motion AND trying to take night shots. *sigh*

Here’s my 3 best efforts of the Singapore skyline from the Singapore Flyer:

Skyline @ Night

Skyline @ Night.2

Skyline & Singapore Flyer Capsule - *sigh* the irritating blue/ white lights of capsule

Onto the world and beyond!

Accidental tourist - Vesak Day celebrations in Singapore

For Vesak Day, I took a leap of faith and went to places I never ventured before….together with my friends, we stepped into Chinese temples and I saw a world that's totally alien to me even though it's in my backyard (literally at times). To a certain extent,I was a "fish out of water" as I didn’t know whether the temple devotees will object to my presence holding a camera and taking photos of the religious activities during this special day for them...

In the night before the Vesak holidays, I hopped down to Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery (better known to me as “Bright Hill Temple”), one of the largest temples in Singapore and best known for it’s “3 steps 1 bow” ceremony held only during Vesak Day. I am challenged in using my DSLR for the 1^st time at night but I do need to “practice, practice, practice”.

The temple’s website showed many many places I didn’t manage to go in my short 2-hours there but here are some photos.

Photo of one of the temple towers in bright lights

Photo of 3-steps-1-bow ceremony

(out of focus) Photo of a man praying before Buddha

On Vesak Day itself, I went down to the other side of Little India at a temple called “Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple” or “Temple of 1000 lights”. This is an earmarked historic site by Singapore National Heritage Board. It’s a Thai-Buddhist temple with a 15m Buddha. Again, I have never been anywhere near here all my life (this is becoming a “story of my life” statement) so we decided to drop by there….3 photos showing what we saw:

Photo of 15m Buddha surrounded by hundreds of lights

Photo of worshippers putting down incense sticks outside temple

Photo of devotees placing gold-leaf on statute of Buddha

Of course, I did the thing that most people will do in such places, I did my gold leaf placement and wish for good luck and health as well!!

Opposite this Temple of 1000 lights was another temple called “Leong San Buddhist Temple” or “Dragon Mountain Temple”. Unfortunately, I couldn’t capture any nice photos of this place. I totally blame this on my limits as a photographer as it was definitely a shame since as the temple has some lovely sculptures on its roof….

But there was a dragon dance troupe that came by while I was at the location so I will be showing some shots of the dragon & lion dances instead:

Photo of dragon head coming out of temple – it is a bit orange

Photos of the dragon dance troupe hard at work

Photo of the pink lion that followed after the dragon dance

Next was a MRT train ride down to Chinatown for a trip to the “Buddha Tooth Relic Temple”. Its website is quite impressive so do hop over if you have some time: http://www.btrts.org.sg/. Again 1^st time venture in there even though I heard much about the huge complex of some 4-5 floors with a roof top garden coupled with the largest cloisonné Buddha Prayer Wheel in the world. It houses a museum together with a shopping gallery cum library within its premises. During Vesak Day, the priceless tooth relic is displayed for veneration. Here goes the photos:

Photo of the front entrance

Photo of the countless candle tea-lights (again only during Vesak Day)

Photo of girl tying on prayer knot by monk

Personally, I feel that I do not do much justice to this gorgeous place with my 3 photos cos it’s quite beautiful in that place and pretty impressive.

Anyway, till the next time...Onto the unknown and beyond.....