Saturday, May 31, 2008

Childhood Games-Five Stones

Do you still remember the childhood games you played? While the country is still recovering from World War II, many could not afford to buy toys for their children. So many of us made our own toys.

One of the game that we made our own is the five stones. We just sew three sides of a little bag and put some beans into it and pinched the ends of the open end of the bag to made into into a triangle shape and sealed the ends.

Game Play

Step 1: Throw all five stones. Whilst throwing a stone, pick up one stone and catch the stone in the air before it falls to the ground. Do this for each of the stones on the ground.

Step 2: Repeat step 1 but pick up two stones at a time.

Step 3: Repeat step 1 but pick up a combination of three stones and one.

Step 4: Throw all five stones. Pick up four stones whilst one stone is in the air and catch the later before it falls to the ground.

Step 5: Whilst throwing one stone, place the four on the ground. Throw one stone up again and catch it whilst picking all four stones on the ground.

Step 6: Throw all five stones on the ground. Pick two stones. Throw one in the air and exchange the other with one on the ground. Do the same with the remaining stones on the ground.

Step 7: Throw the two stones held at the end of Step 6. Pick up one stone and then catch the two falling stones separately in each hand. Do this until there is three stones in one hand and two in the other. Throw the two stones and catch it separately. Throw the remaining stone and catch it with the hand that has all the stones.

Step 8: Throw all five stones on the ground. The opponent selects a stone to be thrown in the air. The player has to pick this stone without moving any others. The player throws the stone in the air and picks the remaining on the ground in one clean sweep.

If at any point of time the player fails to complete this set of eight steps, he/she will have to forfeit his turn to his opponent. Upon his opponent's failure to complete, he will return to the incomplete step, starting from the very beginning of that step.

AuthorBonny Tan
Source: http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_194_2005-01-07.html

Friday, May 30, 2008

Skywatch-Colourful cranes

These colourful cranes found at the Sands Casino at Marina. They looked like Lego Sets.



Thanks to Tom for hosting Sky Watch. For other sky watchers, you can go to Tom's website.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

The Benjamin Sheares Bridge

The Benjamin Sheares Bridge is the longest bridge in Singapore. It is named after Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares, the 2nd president of the Republic.





Another view of the bridge.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Double Helix Bridge at Marina

There are so many constructions going on in Marina and Singapore River. To see the map of Marina, click here. Singapore is undergoing a make over, so lots of construction all over the island.

The new bridge at marina is known as the double helix bridge. When completed, it would looked very pretty and one can walk from the esplanade to the yet to be completed Sands Casino. (Note the flyer in the background (equivalent of the London Eye)-I will post photos of the Flyer in later posts.)

To see how the completed bridge would look like, you can see it at this website.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Video of Ducktours



Just a short video of ducktours to those interested. I know my nieces and nephews love them.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Marina Bay Sands Casino at Marina South


If you think the above construction looked ugly in Singapore River. I agreed too. It spoilt the view of the financial district buildings. But in a few years it would looked pretty.

Many colourful cranes - so much construction going along Singapore River.

All the digging and banging are for the future Sands Casino in Marina Bay. It would be the first casino to be allowed on Singapore, the other casino will be at Sentosa.

The Marina Bay Sands is Singapore's first casino developed by Las Vegas Sands at Marina South and expected to be completed in 2009. To see how the casino looked like when completed, click here.

The second casino being constructed is in Sentosa. See my earlier post.

Tourists and foreigners get to gamble free in the casino while Singaporean needed to pay an entrance fee of S$100 or $2000 annual fee to gamble in the casino. Families can banned their family members from gambling in the casinos.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Two Moons

There are two moons in the sky. OMG, I must be seeing double. This happen when I was in the kitchen bending over to clear my rubbish bin and I happen to look up and saw two moons. I thought I need to see an eye specialist but when I stand near my window, I only see one moon. So I bend down again and there are the two moons again....lol

It is actually a reflection of the moon on my window. As it was very dark, the frame of my window could not be seen. The one on the right is a reflection of the moon while on the left is the real moon. :)
Thanks to Tom for hosting Sky Watch. For other sky watchers, you can go to Tom's website.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Duck Tours (Part 2)

Here is where we begin our descend from land to sea.
Everyone were so excited to watch the boat splash right into the Kallang River.

I was in the first boat, the boat behind were the group of lucky students with their teachers out on an excursion.


As our boat started to descend into the water, it was a bit bumpy.


Then splash into the river the boat went, the wheels of the boat could not be seen and we spend about 40 minutes on sea cruising the Kallang River and Singapore River.





The boat with the students and teachers caught up with us and I managed to take a nice photo of the boat.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

DuckTours (Part 1)

Today I will post a series of my adventure onboard the ducktours. The ducktours is actually a refurbished ex-military amphibious vehicle which can travel on both land and water. The tour is an hour long adventure both on sea and land.

Look closer at the boat where you can see the markings at the side.

The boat is real huge and everyone were so excited onboard the boat including me as this is the first time I am riding in one.

Look at the signboard, it is so funny. It read: " No eating, smoking and YAWNING allowed....hahaha.

More photos in later posts. To read more about the ducktours, you can visit their website.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Time Out Part 3 - Duck Tours

Time Out Part 3 is about another group of students being brought out by teachers on another adventure. The students were so lucky and they are so excited too.

The students get the chance to ride the ducktours which could travel both on land and sea.
I too was excited...hehehe...cause I was one boat ahead of these students that was why I saw the students having fun and excitement.

I will post about my adventures on board the ducktours in another post. :)

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Time Out (Part 2)-Hippotours


Here is another post on hippobus. You can see my earlier post on the bus.

Students had a good time taking the hippobus round Singapore. Exam is out so the teachers brought the students out on the hippo for an excursion

There is another fun way for time out in my next post. :)

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Time out (Part 1)-Magic Show

The mid year examinations for Singapore school children are over. One more week will be the month long school holidays for the kids.

So it is time to relax and de stress. Parents can bring the kids to Suntec City this weekend to watch some magic show at the atrium and some korean performance organised by Korean Tourism Board from 15th May to 21st May 2008.

The magician is so cute, he loved to swallow things. At first he was swallowing some big balloons and then he swallowed some fires...hahaha. I hope the kids are intelligent enough not to follow as the magician is well trained.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Find the aeroplane


I caught this on camera.

The sky was full of small clouds that looked like cotton wool. I have no idea what this type of clouds are known as. From this link , I think they are known as Cirrocumulus.

Now can you find the aeroplane among the clouds.

For more information on clouds, you can see this website.
Thanks to Tom for hosting Sky Watch. For other sky watchers, you can go to Tom's website.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Fruits in season - Mangosteen

It is the middle of the year where the seasoned fruits are sighted in fruit stalls and supermarkets. One of my favourite would be the mangosteens. They dont looked pretty but the flesh in them are so juicy and sweet.



Closer look at the juicy flesh inside.

Studies have shown that phytoceuticals in Mangosteen (in some cases known to be its xanthones) have properties such as: anti-tumor (shrinks tumors), anti-leukemia, antifungal (critical for all cancer patients), antibacterial (to protect DNA), antioxidants (at least two dozen different kinds of xanthones are in the mangosteen fruit), antiproliferation, kills cancer cells and causes apoptosis (programmed cell death) for some types of cancer. (Source: http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer/Mangosteen.html)
So start eating more mangosteen. :)

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Escalators

More photos on escalators. You can compare the escalators in these photos with my previous photo in my earlier post to see the big wheels that can be seen in the transparent panel of the escalators in the previous post.

Escalators at Causeway Point



Escalators at Vivo City.
Geez, I dont think I did a good job taking photos of them, they looked untidy....lol.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Escalators at Suntec City Link


The link from City Hall MRT Station to Suntec City is now open. If you come from The Link, you can take these escalators straight to suntec city. Take note of the escalators, they are transparent and you could actually see the machines moving inside.

Geez, I did not know they have giant wheels in them...lol.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Hippotours


This is one of the way to go sight seeing Singapore. It is known as the hippobus. I just missed taking photo of the ducktours - a boat that can travel on land and sea. More information on them, you can view them on their website.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Mother's Day


This trophy was given to me about five years ago by my two sons. Every mother's day, I would take it out of the cabinet to look at them. I like them so much sons and trophy.....hahaha. I guess in every child's eyes their mom is the World's Best Mum.

I know I had long given the title to my late mom who was also in my eyes the World's Best Mum. :)

I wondered why Mother's Day is so well celebrated and commercialised, while Father's Day is a little so quiet. Maybe women love to be pampered. :)

Well we celebrate Mother's day one day ahead to avoid the anticipated huge crowd in all restaurants/eateries in Singapore on the actual day of Mother's Day.

We had dim sum and of course our favourite chilli crab at Jumbo Seafood Restaurant. Yummy.

Wishing all mothers a very Happy Mother's Day.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Dark Clouds above the highest hotel in Singapore


This photo was just taken in the evening. It looked as if it was about to rain. Swissotel The Stamford stand at 741 ft used to be the highest hotel in the world. For the list of the tallest hotel in the world, look here.

Thanks to Tom for hosting Sky Watch, please see his website for other sky watchers.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Egg with two yolks


Do you find strange things like this? I break an egg and found two yolks in it. I wondered if it is safe to eat, so I google and found this information.

Quote:
Some hens will lay double-yolked eggs as the result of unsynchronized production cycles. Although heredity causes some hens to have a higher propensity to lay double-yolked eggs, these occur more frequently as occasional abnormalities in young hens beginning to lay. Usually a double-yolked egg will be longer and thinner than an ordinary single-yolk egg. Double-yolked eggs occur rarely, only leading to observed successful hatchings under human intervention, as the unborn chickens would otherwise fight each other and die.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_(food

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Hobby and Interests

I am proud of these little crafts which I hope to share with all.
I would like to give this pearl ring to my eldest sister. But I wondered if she like it. :)

This is a necklace which I crochet out of wires and added some stone beads to them. I needed to find the matching colour claps to finish it off. I would like to keep this for myself. I think it is very lovely.
I saw this tutorial in asiafanatics, thanks to these people who are not selfish in sharing the patterns that I could make a beaded star. Thank you so much.

If you are interested in crafts, it is still not late to do one for your mom for mothers day. I know my late mom would love these.

Monday, May 5, 2008

A rose from son


WOW, I am so touched. My eldest son send me a picture via the email.
It was a red rose with a heart shaped made of sugar grains. He did this when he was with his friends idling the time away and playing with the sugar grains. No sugar were hurt or wasted in the process...hahaha.
Although it was just a picture, it was really the thoughts that count. Now I wondered who he gave the rose to and of course he licked the heart shaped sugar....lol.
Son, if you are reading my blog, thanks to you for brightening my day.
Now does this photo reminds us that Mothers Day is just round the corner.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Activities on Kallang River

What to you do on a hot day? Go near water. Here are some of the activities along Kallang River that are a favourite with many sporty people including my son. But I rather hide myself in the air conditioning shopping mall...lol.





Kayaking, Canoeing, Dragon Boating are very familar sights along Kallang River. My son's favourite is the kayak.