On the 26th Feb, 2021 is the last day of our Chinese Lunar New Year although there is a restriction on the movement and visiting of the household no matter what comes may it is still our New Year. On this day the Chinese called it a Lanterns Festival or Chap Goh Mei (Yuan Xiao Jie) signifying the end of our new year celebration. What we did on this day visiting my missed day murals walk 05 at Ang Mo Kio and today we are doing the night shots just our way of celebrations.
The 280 metres long Helix Bridge was constructed in 2010 connecting Marina Bay Bayfront to Marina Centre as part of a continuous 3.5-kilometre waterfront promenade around Marina Bay just above the Youth Olympic Park the very first Youth Olympic held by Singapore and it continues for more than ll.7-kilometre waterfront route around Marina Reservoir, Garden by the Bay, Marina Barrage and the Singapore Sport Hub. The double helix structure resembles DNA and symbolises life and continuity reflecting the Marine Bay area as a bustling business hub where people can live work and play in an environment nestled among garden and flanked by water. (Text: URA)
Today (22th Feb) is the last day for the solo's exhibition painting of Yip Yew Chong which was held at the Sub-station which coincidentally will be closed for upgrading. As you all know that Mr Yip is well known for his street wall murals which he had painted in Singapore and many other countries. His murals are more or less the lively hood of everyday life during the early years of the Singapore transformation era. Stories from Yesteryear depict his early childhood years living around Chinatown where he experiences the lives of people engaging in street hawkers, death house caretaker, letter writers, and many other colourful occupations which had ceased to exist.
In Chinese folks religion, the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Dadi) or (Tian Gong) is considered the highest deity ruling the universe in Chinese Taoism mythological stories he is the most powerful god and controls all gods from the Buddhist and Taoist together with other religion. The Hokkien communities celebrate this day, the 9th Day of the Lunar New Year is the Jade Emperor birthday and make offers to him, preparations begin on the eve and as the clock struck midnight the celebration begins. Today our household still hold this celebration passed down from my mother, I could hardly think that this custom will still go on with my next generations to come, well I hope so.
Today on the 7th day of the Lunar New Year is known as Renri literally translate as Human Day and is considered to be the birthday of common human beings. It is not only celebrated not only in China but also in the surrounding region influenced by Chinese culture and celebration varies from the different ethnic group and the most famous dish is the Yusheng/Lo Hei.
Today's 5th Day of Lunar New Year attends murals walk 04 started at Mountbatten MRT Station, today participants number 03 inclusive the mentor of MentorgraphyZ, myself and KM Chan. We took a bus down to East Coast Road and explore the murals at Katong and down to Joo Chiat, Koon Seng Road, we took a break at Joo Chiat Complex and start to locate the missing mural which eludes us and found it at Everitt Road and Joo Chiat Terrace junction which is opposite the Joo Chiat Terrace Park and mission accomplished and headed for home.
This year the annual show for the Chinese Lunar New Year event River Hongbao 2021 was held at Garden by the Bay because of the pandemic, the event had been scale down from 9 days of celebration to just only 6 days without the fireworks. This year the public had to book a slot to attend the event and without fail the slots had been quickly snapped up till the last day of the event tomorrow (16th Feb) although it lasted for only 6 days the spirits of the individual had not dampened. Luckily I was given a slot on the 4th day of the Lunar New Year Hopefully, the event will return with a bang next year when the pandemic eased...bye and see you next year.
Today's is the third day of the lunar new year, we had an early meet with MentorgraphyZ mentor and participant for our final Murals Photo Walk. Today the route taken was the famous Haji Lane within the Kampong Glam area the weather was in our favour as we slowly explore the murals and the nearby surrounding after that we took a 15-minute break before we proceed to our next destination of Victoria Street and we took a bus and headed straight to Tiong Bahru where we pause for lunch at the hawker centre. After lunch, we started our walk and wrap up at about 5pm where we had a light drink with coffee and headed for home.
Today the second day of the Lunar New Year, again we are on the road again to explore the various wall murals this time round was at Little India, Singapore. Here we had the most murals located mostly around the back lane of the many side roads along Serangoon Road another 6 participants lead by mentor Andrew JK Tan of MentorgraphyZ and again I was there, suddenly the weather change than the rain came and we are forced to end our walk but the adventure continues tomorrow location will be announced soon looking forward to tomorrow walk.
New Year New Rules maximum 8 persons are allowed to have a house visit during the pandemic, so there is a lot of ample time so I decided to join our MentorgraphyZ group there is 6 participant for taking a Wall Murals Walk around Chinatown the heart of the Chinese Community. Most of the shops are closed and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple are full fo worshippers to offer incense only outside the temple gate. We finally complete our walk around 6pm and have a break for light food and drinks before we headed for home. This being the first Photography Walk during the first day of the Year of the Ox.
We are sending away the Rat and usher in the Ox but before that, all households are having their Lunar New Year Reunion Dinner but first all make an offering to our ancestor. This year we are unable to witness the countdown as what we have been doing every year at the River Hongbao but not this year due to the pandemic, anyway, life still has to go on hoping the viruses will be over soon.
Caishen is the God of Wealth which most Chinese welcome him on the 5th Day of Chinese Lunar New Year, many families and business worship the God of Wealth in the early morning, people burn firecrackers to invite the God of Wealth into the house but not anymore this day because it had been banned in our country. There are more that one God Wealth in Chinese society. The first God of Wealth is Zhou Gongming, next is Guan Yu who is a general during the Three Kingdom the most worship within the business circle because he's a man of honour and personal loyalty.
A pop-up exhibition titled Once Upon a Time on the Orient Express which was open to the public on the 12th of December and will last until 13th June 2021 showcasing at the West Lawn of the Garden by the Bay we are lucky to be the first destination for the Orient Express which was shipped of France. Orient Express was a long-distance train which was created by Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. And 137 years later, part of that same historic train arrived in Singapore for the exhibition. The Orient Express had a long history and some of them are made into movies and novels.
Reunion dinner (family reunion dinner). During the Chinese New Year, "eating" tends to be the main activity for most people during the festival. The family sitting around the steaming dining table is full of joy and excitement. This can be regarded as the biggest feature of Chinese folk New Year. The phrase "food is heaven for the people" seems to be even more sensible in the traditional festival of the Spring Festival. The Spring Festival is the longest and most solemn traditional festival of Chinese folk history, and it is also a common festival for the Han and most ethnic minorities and all Chinese around the world. This year it falls on the 11th Feb 2021 amid the pandemic with lots of restriction even goes house visiting. We use to have our traditional steamboat yearly set out by our late mother.
The Chingay Parade celebrate its 60 years anniversary last year before the arrival of Covid19. It is the largest street and floats parade in Asia's that set an example of the dynamism of Singapore's vibrant and multicultural society, we can always expect a 6,000 strong of the volunteer from all walks of life and different organisation to showcase their passion and skill with a vivid display of songs and dances accompanied by colourful floats put up by our People's Association of Singapore. This year due to the pandemic, for the first time it will be held via live streaming.
Sitting within the compound of the Kreta Ayer Community Club is the Kreta Ayer People's Theatre was officially opened in 1969, it is synonymous with Chinese theatrical arts and Cantonese opera it also screens films in conjunction with Cathay Organisation and during the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration distributing red packets to low income elderly living in the area.
