Kampong Lorong Buangkok

I recently visited what is known as the last kampong on mainland Singapore, Kampong Lorong Buangkok.  The kampong was built in 1956 and is still a privately owned piece of land.  Kampong is the Malay word for village and at one time Singapore was dotted with kampongs but as Singapore has grown and developed these have all been lost, all that is, except this one.

This is a place I'd hoped to visit for a long time, to get a first hand glimpse of what Singapore must once have been like for myself.  Finally myself and a fellow blogger planned our trip having found out the best route to get there and how to then get from the nearest main road to the kampong. 

I have to admit that I was a bit nervous about going when the day arrived.  I'd read articles about how residents feel like show pieces with the relentless trail of people all keen to have a look at this little slice of history and their village and how little some of these people respected their privacy.  I really wanted to see the kampong to get an appreciation of how Singapore once was but I also didn't want to intrude too much on the residents. 

We visited on a weekday morning and the first man we saw greeted us with a beaming smile and a friendly 'good morning'.  A real delight when so many will barely raise a smile ordinarily.  This instantly put me at ease and made me feel more comfortable about visiting the kampong.  Secondly I heard chickens!  I can safely say that is the first time I've heard chickens since I've been living in Singapore.  Usually the only ones I see are wrapped in cling film and on display in the chilled cabinets of a supermarket.

Other than this man we only saw a couple of other people during our visit, a couple were in their home and the other lady we passed also greeted us with a friendly smile.  I'm not sure what I was expecting to see but I was surprised by the number of homes there, it really felt like a community where everyone knows everybody else.  I was also taken aback by how close it actually is to the rest of modern Singapore, just a short walk from the main road and we were there.  For some crazy reason I imagined having to travel a long way to get there.  I guess because it is such a contrast to the Singapore I see everyday.

As I mentioned we were there on a week day and I imagine a lot of the residents were at work or out but even if we'd gone at a weekend I think I'd have still found it an incredibly peaceful place.  The only other part of Singapore that I could describe as being really peaceful before this was when I visited the Bukit Brown cemetery.  Being here it felt as if nature really was on the doorsteps of the kampong houses, with the greenery all around and the narrow paths leading between the houses.  

This got me wondering too what it must be like there at night, with very little lighting to disturb the wildlife.  Similarly whether you can see stars in the sky from here, something that is often impossible in towns and cities with so much artificial light.  What's it like to be here during a storm, especially at night, how much more intense is it and how much louder does the rain sound?  We actually came to close to experiencing that one ourselves as it poured with rain soon after we left.  I have since read that the area is prone to flooding and was also known as Selak Kain in Malay which means, 'hitching up one's sarong' as you would do to wade through flood waters.  

Something that I didn't even think about until I read more about the place after my visit is that this is also one of the only places left in Singapore that you'll see overhead power cables.  Now I think about it, I can't believe that for something that is common in the UK I've never realised until now that it isn't in Singapore. 

As with much of the untouched parts of Singapore I can't help but wonder how much longer this kampong will be here for.  I am amazed it is still here if I'm honest but pleased too that for now this piece of Singapore's history has been allowed to remain. 

If you want to visit I can only reiterate that you should remember these are people's homes and property and respect them and their property accordingly.  I took my photos with my point and shoot digital camera which I was far happier using as I felt it allowed me to be more discreet in capturing my memories of my visit and I hope therefore less intrusive. 

Lorong Buangkok still has a four digit post code unlike the rest of Singapore which is now six digit

Tulips in Bloom at Tulipmania

Having helped with planting some of the tulips for Tulipmania a couple of weeks ago I was excited to be able to return to the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay last week and see the tulips in all their glory.  

I think it was the row of pink tulips here that I helped to plant

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines are celebrating 80 years of flying to Singapore (the first plane, a KLM Fokker F-18, landed in Singapore on the 3 May 1933) and as part of their celebrations they are sponsoring Tulipmania at Gardens by the Bay.  KLM are assisting with this event by flying in 14 tonnes of tulips (about 48,000 bulbs) from The Netherlands!  That's a lot of bulbs.

KLM will also be celebrating this milestone with a number of other events in Singapore as well.  The band of the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will be playing for free at the Botanic Gardens, Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage on the 11 May 2013 from 5.30pm - 7pm.  Whilst on the 12 May 2013 you can enjoy a performance by the band at the School of the Arts (SOTA) concert hall from 4pm - 6pm.  The KLM Royal Dutch Airlines band will be playing with the Singapore Wind Symphony at SOTA, tickets cost $20 (excluding $1 handling fee), check out the website here for more details.

Returning to the tulips, it was wonderful to see them fully bloomed in an amazing array of colours.  I can't exactly remember the row I helped to plant but I think it may have been the row of pink tulips you can see in the photos above.  Regardless though they looked stunning and it is definitely worth visiting if you can do before the display ends on the 20 May 2013.  As you can also see from my photos there are some cute clogs and windmills dotted around the Flower Dome too, as well as some other gorgeously scented Spring time flowers.

Tulipmania is on now until the 20 May 2013 at the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay.  Admission charges to the Flower Dome apply.

Check out KLM's website for details of all the other events being held to celebrate their 80th anniversary of flying to Singapore.


Thanks to Integrated Marketing Solutions Group (IMSG) and KLM for the kind invitation to view the tulips.

The Ground Cafe & Bar

I've mentioned before about the numerous places to eat along Tanjong Katong Road, close to where I live, and which has also seen the arrival of a couple of coffee shops too.  I recently paid a visit to this one and finally got around to trying The Ground Cafe and Bar a couple of weeks ago as well.

I have actually been here once before this visit, one evening, but it was only a brief stop for a drink after dinner at another place on Tanjong Katong Road.  When I arrived I had a proper look at the food menu, it looks good but I didn't sample anything just settling for a coffee this time.  One thing I noticed was the breakfast section, I'm very tempted to come here one morning on one of my non-working days just as something different from my usual weekday (or weekend) routine.  

Similarly to when I went to the other coffee shop on Tanjong Katong Road there were only a couple of people here but again I visited on a weekday afternoon.  It was busier when I visited in the evening and I imagine is busier at weekends.  It had a totally different feel to it, possibly because of the extensive beer range that they also serve but it felt too much more like somewhere you could go and easily while away an afternoon.  It was late afternoon when I dropped in and my fellow customers were themselves enjoying a beer rather than coffee.  I liked the atmosphere though and I think it is somewhere I need to return to again in the evening as well as in the day.  Although I'm not a beer drinker (which they serve a lot of) they also have a range of ciders on sale which suits me fine.

As for my coffee, like I've said before I'm no expert but I enjoyed it and I think of the two coffee shop options near me I'm tempted to return here again just a little bit more.

Planting Tulips for Tulipmania

Last week I was involved in an incredibly fun morning at the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay - planting tulips for Tulipmania which opens today, 29 April 2013.  

Like many here we don't have a garden, just a balcony with a few pot plants on it and whilst we've tried to grow plants in the past we've had varying degrees of success at this.  I'm not a massive gardening fanatic (though I reckon if I had a garden I'd love it) but the opportunity to get my hands a little dirty and do something a bit different sounded like a lot of fun and something not to be missed!

I arrived bright and early and there were already a lot of volunteers busy planting the bulbs in the Flower Field area of the dome.  It was a very organised morning, with limited time to get the planting done it certainly needed to be.  The bulbs were planted sections at a time (you can see the tape dividing the sections in my photos) according to a plan which will see the tulips bloom in rows in a variety of different colours.  It was fascinating to watch how quickly the rows were planted up.  Of course as well as watching the others doing it I got to do a bit myself.  I was nowhere near as efficient as those who had been doing it all the morning but it was great fun and certainly not something I ever imagined I'd be doing at the Flower Dome.

Tulipmania is a three week event beginning today, 29 April 2013.  It has been organised to bring people 'closer to the wonders of nature' and to take 'visitors on a botanical journey into the world of tulips'.  There will be an amazing 20,000 bulbs all flown in from the Netherlands on display during these three weeks in many different colours, including red, pink, yellow, white and purple.  You can also see a variety of other beautiful spring blooms in the Flower Dome such as lilies, hyacinths, daffodils and muscari.  There are plenty of activities arranged as well for everyone to get involved in whilst Tulipmania is on.  These include activity sheets for children and events such as Dutch cheese tasting as well as special promotions, including a 15% discount on admission into the cooled conservatories during Mother’s Day weekend (10-12 May), and a chance to win a pair of tickets to Keukenhof, Holland in 2014.  Take a look at Gardens by the Bay's website for more details of these and everything else that is happening.

The Flower Field is sure to look amazing when all the tulips in all their beautiful colours are in bloom.  I really hope to get back there again to see them, especially as I helped plant a few of the bulbs!

A few tulips that had already been planted

This was the row I helped to plant

Tulip Facts - how many did you know?

Tulipmania is on now from the 29 April 2013 to 20 May 2013 at the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay.  Check out their website for more information and 'tip-toe through the tulips' there soon.

The Flower Dome is open from 9am - 9pm.  Admission charge to the Flower Dome applies.

Thanks to Gardens by the Bay for the kind invitation to take part in the tulip planting.

April - Yellow #worldcolors #worldcolours

The #worldcolours colour for April is a very Spring like yellow.

Bangkok, Thailand

The Reclining Buddha, Bangkok, Thailand

Bintan, Indonesia

Bukit Brown cemetery

The Year of the Snake, Chinatown

Flinders Street station, Melbourne, Australia

National Orchid Garden

Sentosa Flower festival 2012

Bull ring, Ronda, Spain

Little India

'Delightful Durian' - Elephant Parade

Masjid Sultan mosque by night, Kampong Glam

If you missed any of the previous months colours check them out here.

Extreme Sailing Series 2013 - Part 2 - Singapore

The weekend before last saw the second stage of the Extreme Sailing Series 2013 come to Singapore, beginning in Muscat, Oman it arrived here on the 11 - 14 April 2013.  The Extreme Sailing Series sees eight teams with forty of the world's best sailors from eleven nationalities taking part.  This time around these sailors have between them competed in twenty Olympic campaigns, twenty five Americas Cup campaigns and amongst them have had twenty eight World Championship wins, so there were definitely some first class athletes taking part.  For the first time ever this year a team representing Singapore was also taking part as an 'invitational team'.

Singapore staged test and exhibition events in 2010 and 2011 but this year was a host venue with the race taking part in the Marina Bay Reservoir.  Singapore is part of an eight-venue global circuit (next stop Qingdao, China - 2-5 May 2013) hosting this year's event.  

The Extreme Sailing Series pits some of the best professional sailing teams in the world against each other on identical catamarans.  The courses are close to shore, challenging and tactical to provide maximum entertainment.  Singapore is set to host the event for the next three years, so even if you missed it this time you can hopefully catch it next year.

The action began on the Friday but we weren't able to get there until the last day, the Sunday.  It was a wet, drizzly start to the day but not enough to dampen spirits too much.  On each of the days there were a variety events taking place on and out of the water.  We caught some windsurfing amongst other things. 

Sunday was the culmination of the racing in Singapore and saw the Swiss team, Alinghi sail to victory.  The placings after the action in Singapore were:

1st - Alinghi (SUI) -198 points

2nd - Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) - 163 points

3rd - SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) - 161 points

4th - Realteam (SUI) - 159 points

5th - The Wave, Muscat (OMA) - 153 points

6th - Team Korea (KOR) - 144 points

7th - GAC Pindar (NZL) - 143 points

8th - Team Aberdeen Singapore (SIN) - 127 points

The overall standings after Act 2 - Singapore are:

1st - Alinghi (SUI) 18 points

2nd - Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) 18 points

3rd - The Wave, Muscat (OMA) 16 points

4th - SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 12 points

5th - Team Korea (KOR) 11 points

6th - Team X Invitational 10 points

7th - Realteam (SUI) 10 points

8th - GAC Pindar (NZL) 9 points

We had a fun late morning, early afternoon there, though the action continued after we left and into the evening.  Although I'm not an expert on sailing it was fun to watch the boats sailing in the familiar waters of the Marina Bay area. Definitely something to catch next year when it returns, or, if you happen to be somewhere it has yet to come to on this year's circuit, to check out when it arrives in your city.

Next stop is Qingdao,China 2 -5 May 2013, after that it moves on to Istanbul, Turkey 20 - 23 June 2013, Porto, Portugal 25 - 28 July 2013, Cardiff, UK 23 - 26 August 2013, Nice, France 3 - 6 October 2013 and finally Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 14 - 17 November 2013.

Red Dot Roaming - Botanic Gardens MRT

My latest Red Dot Roaming via the MRT took me to the Botanic Gardens.  Of course I've been there countless times but only once before have I taken the MRT and so entered the gardens from that side.  I tend to always go in via the entrance nearest the Ginger garden and National Orchid garden.  So I figured it would be interesting to explore that side of the gardens a little more.

Entering on this side brings you into the Eco area of the gardens and close to the Eco lake.  You are also close to the Jacob Ballas Children's garden.  Probably the only part of the gardens now that I've never been to, but one I've heard great things about.  There were some parts of the Eco garden area closed off for work unfortunately on the day I visited but still plenty was accessible.  According to information in the gardens the Eco garden area gets its name from two sources: economic and ecological.  This reflects both the many plants grown in that area of economic importance and the attempt to keep a natural feel to the landscape, particularly around the lake.

For me perhaps the best part of this side of the gardens was the area around the Eco lake.  Visiting on a week day meant it was reasonably quiet and it was lovely to watch the swans swimming gracefully in the lake.  This is certainly somewhere I could happily sit and while away an afternoon or perhaps enjoy a picnic.

My walk ultimately took me as far as the Evolution garden, a part of the gardens I've walked around several times previously.  I did, however, wander around it again as it is a fairly shady area.  The Evolution garden tells the evolutionary story of plant life throughout the ages, though somehow I always seem to walk around it the wrong way, going back in time instead of forwards!  On this occasion I decided not to walk any further and wandered slowly back the way I had come from and towards the MRT station.  Walking towards the Evolution garden from this direction includes some slight hills and though not steep, in the hot sun of that day I was in need of a drink by the time I'd finished wandering around this side of the gardens.

The Eco Lake

Given that, from the MRT station, you practically step right into the gardens it seemed very peaceful in this half.  Even when I went via the MRT before on a weekend it didn't seem as busy as the other side of the gardens sometimes does.  Perhaps controversially though I think I actually prefer the side of the gardens I usually enter from near the Ginger garden and National Orchid garden.  Although the Eco lake area was lovely and very peaceful.  I suspect future visits will see me favour that half of the gardens over this half if I'm honest but it was a lovely stroll around one of my favourite parts of Singapore.

If you've missed any of my previous Red Dot Roaming posts, take a look here, don't forget to let me know if you think there is somewhere I should be visiting.

Botanic Gardens MRT station is on the Circle line (CC19).