What Went Wrong . Complacent. Singapore?
First, F1 ticket chaos
Then, Traffic and crowd problem of Singapore air show 2008
And now, Escape of JI leader
29 February, 2008
27 February, 2008
West Side Story
The Straits Times report today "Hotel rates up, as visitor arrivals hit record".
The take up rate for HDB flats in the west is low. People do not like to stay at the west because there are many factories, people believe that the air quality there is not too good.
Since Singaporeans do not want to stay at the west, can we not create a hotel zone there and move the middle class hotels, budget hotels to the west and let the tourists of package tours stay there ? These tourists are taken by tourist buses for sightseeing and only come back to hotel to sleep at night. They do not need to stay in expensive city area.
By doing so it may help to slow down the increase of hotel room rate and may also ease the congestion in the city and China Town areas.
The take up rate for HDB flats in the west is low. People do not like to stay at the west because there are many factories, people believe that the air quality there is not too good.
Since Singaporeans do not want to stay at the west, can we not create a hotel zone there and move the middle class hotels, budget hotels to the west and let the tourists of package tours stay there ? These tourists are taken by tourist buses for sightseeing and only come back to hotel to sleep at night. They do not need to stay in expensive city area.
By doing so it may help to slow down the increase of hotel room rate and may also ease the congestion in the city and China Town areas.
24 February, 2008
23 February, 2008
Lucky Plaza, Singapore
Went to a shop in Lucky Plaza to buy a LCD screen protective film for my camera. Last time I bought it in a shop here was $13. I went back to the same shop but they had run out of stock. So I went to a neighbouring shop to buy. This guy took out the same thing that I bought before. The price tag showed $39. I shook my head and wanted to leave. He asked me why. I told him it was too expensive. He then said "ok I sell you $30". I told him that I bought it from neighbouring shop at $13. And he said "ok, loh!".
Guys, do not go to Lucky Plaza if you do not know the price.
Guys, do not go to Lucky Plaza if you do not know the price.
22 February, 2008
Youth Olympic Games 2010
Congratulations Singapore, for winning the bid to host the First Summer Youth Olympic Games 2010. We are proud of Singapore, proud of being a member of Singapore.
Many young participants of the games may not know Singapore well and many may have misconception of Singapore. This is an opportunity for us to show it to them and show it to the world of the true Singapore.
We should not just do well in organising the games; we should also take this opportunity to take Singapore to higher levels in all aspects like what Beijing is doing.
One area that I like to see improvement is our social behaviors. We don’t stand on the left when using escalator, we rush in before people could get out of MRT train, we sit at staircase, we walk in one horizontal line and therefore causing obstruction, we do not have the habit of saying ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’.
Wrote to PM Lee one Saturday afternoon. He replied within 20 minutes and said :
"I agree completely with you that we should use this opportunity to take Singapore to higher levels, especially in our social behaviours. We intend to learn from what Beijing is doing, and get the Small Kindness Movement to participate in this effort"
Many young participants of the games may not know Singapore well and many may have misconception of Singapore. This is an opportunity for us to show it to them and show it to the world of the true Singapore.
We should not just do well in organising the games; we should also take this opportunity to take Singapore to higher levels in all aspects like what Beijing is doing.
One area that I like to see improvement is our social behaviors. We don’t stand on the left when using escalator, we rush in before people could get out of MRT train, we sit at staircase, we walk in one horizontal line and therefore causing obstruction, we do not have the habit of saying ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’.
Wrote to PM Lee one Saturday afternoon. He replied within 20 minutes and said :
"I agree completely with you that we should use this opportunity to take Singapore to higher levels, especially in our social behaviours. We intend to learn from what Beijing is doing, and get the Small Kindness Movement to participate in this effort"
20 February, 2008
Japan 日本
Stayed in Tokyo for a year from 2004 to 2005.
English
I do not know why most Japanese do not speak English well. They studied English in school and there is at least one English language school nearby most train stations.
I have a funny thought. Maybe the government does not want to encourage people to know English too well ?? Easier to control the people when they read only Japanese newspapers, Japanese books, watch only NHK TV, surf only on Japanese websites ??? But why so many English language schools ? For show, so that you can't blame the government for not encouraging people to learn English ???
Met many Asian friends, from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam and etc. They too, do not speak English well. I found Singaporean having advantages over our Asian friends in many areas because we know English. I also met young Singaporeans traveled on their own in different parts of the world. They can do it because they speak English (and of course they can afford too). Japanese need to go in group.
I went to Chinese schools. I was quite upset with the government when I saw Chinese schools being replaced by English schools in the old days. But now, I think it was the right decision.
Household Appliances and Cars
In Singapore we import a lot of Japanese products, we watch 40 inches TV, use big refrigerator, drive big Japanese car. But in Tokyo, the Japanese watch small TV, use small fridge, drive small car because their houses are small, car parks are small, roads are narrow.
Women
Japanese women prepare breakfast for husband to eat and lunch for husband to bring to work. After work, they do housework and look after children. They have no foreign maid. When go dating, Japanese girls will take their own train ride there, pay their share of bill.
As compare to them, Singapore women, girls are so lucky.
Bicycles
Other than crowded city centre, people cycle in Tokyo. Women with high heel shoes cycle with a child in the front basket and another one in the rear basket. The working class cycle from their apartment to train station to take a train to work.
People cycle at footpath. It was annoying at first but later I got used to it.
As compare to Singapore, the cyclists in Japan are better protected from road accidents. How many cyclists were killed on Singapore roads ? Shall we not change our policy to protect them ?
Food
Used to love Japanese food before my stay in Tokyo because Japanese food here in Singapore is very expensive and going to Japanese restaurant is such a high class enjoyment. But after eating Japanese food everyday in Tokyo, I started to have a funny thought. I doubted the Japanese really know how to cook. That is why they eat raw food most of the time.
English
I do not know why most Japanese do not speak English well. They studied English in school and there is at least one English language school nearby most train stations.
I have a funny thought. Maybe the government does not want to encourage people to know English too well ?? Easier to control the people when they read only Japanese newspapers, Japanese books, watch only NHK TV, surf only on Japanese websites ??? But why so many English language schools ? For show, so that you can't blame the government for not encouraging people to learn English ???
Met many Asian friends, from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam and etc. They too, do not speak English well. I found Singaporean having advantages over our Asian friends in many areas because we know English. I also met young Singaporeans traveled on their own in different parts of the world. They can do it because they speak English (and of course they can afford too). Japanese need to go in group.
I went to Chinese schools. I was quite upset with the government when I saw Chinese schools being replaced by English schools in the old days. But now, I think it was the right decision.
Household Appliances and Cars
In Singapore we import a lot of Japanese products, we watch 40 inches TV, use big refrigerator, drive big Japanese car. But in Tokyo, the Japanese watch small TV, use small fridge, drive small car because their houses are small, car parks are small, roads are narrow.
Women
Japanese women prepare breakfast for husband to eat and lunch for husband to bring to work. After work, they do housework and look after children. They have no foreign maid. When go dating, Japanese girls will take their own train ride there, pay their share of bill.
As compare to them, Singapore women, girls are so lucky.
Bicycles
Other than crowded city centre, people cycle in Tokyo. Women with high heel shoes cycle with a child in the front basket and another one in the rear basket. The working class cycle from their apartment to train station to take a train to work.
People cycle at footpath. It was annoying at first but later I got used to it.
As compare to Singapore, the cyclists in Japan are better protected from road accidents. How many cyclists were killed on Singapore roads ? Shall we not change our policy to protect them ?
Food
Used to love Japanese food before my stay in Tokyo because Japanese food here in Singapore is very expensive and going to Japanese restaurant is such a high class enjoyment. But after eating Japanese food everyday in Tokyo, I started to have a funny thought. I doubted the Japanese really know how to cook. That is why they eat raw food most of the time.
Jordan Israel Feb 2008 约旦，以色列
Went for a trip to Jordan & Israel from 6 Feb 2008 to 14 Feb 2008.
Preta was great, a must go.
Israel too was very interesting and educational. Lots of feeling on why different religions killing one another.
孟子曰：‘春秋无义战。’
Jordan
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Petra
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Petra
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Jordan Israel border
Israel
Getting into Israel from Jordan border took us a couple of hours. I do not know why they need to take so long.
到过了以色列，对基督教有了另一种看法。
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Sea of Galilee. It is just a lake and nothing much.
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Capemaum, the centre of Jusus's Ministry
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Church of Tabgha where Jesus performed the miracle of the Loves and Fishes
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A church next to Capemaum
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Port of Acre
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Old Jafa Port
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Tel Aviv
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Spot where Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
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Bahai Gardens, Haifa of Israel.
I was impressed and wrote to relavant authoritirs in Singapore asking if we could do up our Mount Faber like this too ?
Jerusalem
From the days of Roman Emperor Constantine until the Arab conquest in 638, Jews were banned from Jerusalem but were allowed back into the city by Muslim rulers.
In 1099, Jerusalem was besieged by the first Crusaders, who killed most of its Muslim and Jewish inhabitants - Wikipedia.
由于耶路撒冷是三大宗教圣地，为了争夺圣地，自古以来，在这里不知发生过多少次残酷的征战。耶路撒冷先后１８次被夷为平地，但每次之后都得到复兴 - 新华网.
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View from Mount of Olives at Jerusalem
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Western Wall (Wailing Wall)
Solomon's Temple was built atop the Temple Mount in the 10th century BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Second Temple was built in 516 BCE. In around 19 BCE Herod the Great began a massive expansion project on the Temple Mount. He artificially expanded the area which resulted in an enlarged platform. Today's Western Wall formed part of the retaining perimeter wall of this platform.
Herod's Temple was destroyed by the Roman Empire, along with the rest of Jerusalem in 70 CE during the First Jewish*Roman war. However, the Western Wall was spared.
Jews around the world turn their eyes to the Western Wall, also know as the Wailing Wall, which is the closest location to the place where the temple used to stand where Jews can pray. The wall we know today was a part of the temple's western wall, hence its name. Believers leave notes in the cracks between the wall's stones.
Today, the Wailing Wall is a part of the wall surrounding the Muslim Mosques on Temple Mount.
哭墙
公元前１千年犹太大卫王的儿子所罗门兴建了一座华丽的圣殿，这就是著名的耶路撒冷第一圣殿。公元前５８６年，巴比伦军队攻占耶路撒冷，第一圣殿被毁，后来犹太人两度重修圣殿，但又在罗马占领时期两次被毁坏殆尽。当年圣殿留下的一堵西墙，犹太人认为是唯一最神圣的祈祷地方。许多世纪以来，犹太教徒都到这里来面壁祈祷，每当追忆历史上圣殿被毁情景，便不禁嚎啕大哭一场，“哭墙”因此而得名。
圣殿的原址现是一座清真寺。
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Hall for The Last Supper
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Museum of the Holocaust Yad Vashem
Bought a book at the museum, it says " The Hatred (of Jews) nutured by ancient Christian concepts regardded the Jews as the people of Israel and the people of Messiah, but also as the people who had rejected its redeemer Jusus, and thus ....."
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Masada
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Masada
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Dead sea
Preta was great, a must go.
Israel too was very interesting and educational. Lots of feeling on why different religions killing one another.
孟子曰：‘春秋无义战。’
Jordan
p.jpg)
Petra
p.jpg)
Petra
p.jpg)
Jordan Israel border
Israel
Getting into Israel from Jordan border took us a couple of hours. I do not know why they need to take so long.
到过了以色列，对基督教有了另一种看法。
p.jpg)
Sea of Galilee. It is just a lake and nothing much.
_edited.JPG)
Capemaum, the centre of Jusus's Ministry
p.jpg)
Church of Tabgha where Jesus performed the miracle of the Loves and Fishes
p.jpg)
A church next to Capemaum
p.jpg)
Port of Acre
p.jpg)
Old Jafa Port
p.jpg)
Tel Aviv
p.jpg)
Spot where Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
p.jpg)
Bahai Gardens, Haifa of Israel.
I was impressed and wrote to relavant authoritirs in Singapore asking if we could do up our Mount Faber like this too ?
Jerusalem
From the days of Roman Emperor Constantine until the Arab conquest in 638, Jews were banned from Jerusalem but were allowed back into the city by Muslim rulers.
In 1099, Jerusalem was besieged by the first Crusaders, who killed most of its Muslim and Jewish inhabitants - Wikipedia.
由于耶路撒冷是三大宗教圣地，为了争夺圣地，自古以来，在这里不知发生过多少次残酷的征战。耶路撒冷先后１８次被夷为平地，但每次之后都得到复兴 - 新华网.
p.jpg)
View from Mount of Olives at Jerusalem
p.jpg)
Western Wall (Wailing Wall)
Solomon's Temple was built atop the Temple Mount in the 10th century BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Second Temple was built in 516 BCE. In around 19 BCE Herod the Great began a massive expansion project on the Temple Mount. He artificially expanded the area which resulted in an enlarged platform. Today's Western Wall formed part of the retaining perimeter wall of this platform.
Herod's Temple was destroyed by the Roman Empire, along with the rest of Jerusalem in 70 CE during the First Jewish*Roman war. However, the Western Wall was spared.
Jews around the world turn their eyes to the Western Wall, also know as the Wailing Wall, which is the closest location to the place where the temple used to stand where Jews can pray. The wall we know today was a part of the temple's western wall, hence its name. Believers leave notes in the cracks between the wall's stones.
Today, the Wailing Wall is a part of the wall surrounding the Muslim Mosques on Temple Mount.
哭墙
公元前１千年犹太大卫王的儿子所罗门兴建了一座华丽的圣殿，这就是著名的耶路撒冷第一圣殿。公元前５８６年，巴比伦军队攻占耶路撒冷，第一圣殿被毁，后来犹太人两度重修圣殿，但又在罗马占领时期两次被毁坏殆尽。当年圣殿留下的一堵西墙，犹太人认为是唯一最神圣的祈祷地方。许多世纪以来，犹太教徒都到这里来面壁祈祷，每当追忆历史上圣殿被毁情景，便不禁嚎啕大哭一场，“哭墙”因此而得名。
圣殿的原址现是一座清真寺。
_edited.JPG)
Hall for The Last Supper
_edited.JPG)
Museum of the Holocaust Yad Vashem
Bought a book at the museum, it says " The Hatred (of Jews) nutured by ancient Christian concepts regardded the Jews as the people of Israel and the people of Messiah, but also as the people who had rejected its redeemer Jusus, and thus ....."
p.jpg)
Masada
p.jpg)
Masada
p.jpg)
Dead sea
Tunisia Dec 2007 突尼西亞
Tunisia is in North Africa. It was ruled by the Roman, Span, Turk & French before. Other than Arabic, the people speak french too. The tour attrcted me because I wanted to have a feel of Sahara desert. This tour has a bit of everything. Roman colosseum, Fortress, salt lake, train ride, canyon, cavehouses, beaches, and etc.
We arrived in Tunisia at around 12.30pm. This photo is taken when leaving the airport at 3.45pm. They took a long time to issue visa to us.
La Kasbah is our hotel at Kairouan. It was conveted from a fortress.
Street hawker
Coffee shop where there is no women
Beautiful Tunisian door
Tunisian Carpets
Tozeur
Market in Djerba
El kantaoui
Sidi Bou Said, an interesting town with only blue and white buildings.
We arrived in Tunisia at around 12.30pm. This photo is taken when leaving the airport at 3.45pm. They took a long time to issue visa to us.
La Kasbah is our hotel at Kairouan. It was conveted from a fortress.
Street hawker
Coffee shop where there is no women
Beautiful Tunisian door
Tunisian Carpets
Tozeur
Tunis train
This is not the Great Canyon but Mides canyon in Sahara Desert of Tunisia
Mides, Algerian border
Chebika
Chebika
Nefta - Star Wars site
Nice roadside toilets
Salt Lake of Chott El Jerid
Douz
Market in Djerba
El Jem Colosseum
Butcher in Sousse
Poultry seller in Sousse
Cat woman
El kantaoui
The aqueduct bringing water to the Roman town
Sidi Bou Said, an interesting town with only blue and white buildings.
Doha and Iran Jan 2008 多哈及伊朗
Not much to see in Doha but quite an experience in Iran. The people there are very friendly too. They approached us for conversation and sometime for photos together.
Doha
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Qartari Desert Safari.
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Satdiums for Asia Game 2007.
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New Doha Business Centre
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Shopping Centre
Iran
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Arriving at airport in cold weather
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Persepolis, Shiraz
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Persepolis, Shiraz
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Karim Khan Citadel, Shiraz
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Nasirol-Molk Mosque, Shiraz
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Pasargade
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Tower of Silence (Sky Burial), Yazd
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Fire Temple, Yazd
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Badgris (Wind Tower) which is a wind catcher for buildings, Yazd.
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Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque in Imam Khomeini Square, Isfahan
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Imam Khomeini Square, Isfahan
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Siose Pol, Bridges of 33 Arches, Isfahan
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Saad Abad Palace
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Persian Teardrop Vases for women to keep tear when husband is away.
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Who is uglier ? National Museum in Tehran.
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