Yishun’s Bottle Tree Park

On a beautiful day, the KL shopping kakis decided to meet up and do something different for a change. They didn’t manage to travel to Malaysia for holiday this year, a pity, due to differences in schedule. Therefore, they decided to find retreat in Singapore instead. A relaxing place with never-done before activities…

This bottle-shaped tree is aptly known as Bottle Tree. It is native to Australia and cost the park owner quite a fortune to fly them from Australia, so that they can be transplanted in Singapore…

The dilemma is that we have basically done everything that we could do in Singapore. There are only that many songs to sing in Karaoke, that many shopping centres we can shopped in, that many movies we can watch, that many one for one buffets we can enjoy…

So, after a brain storming session, we decided to do something “outdoorsy”, something close to natural, something which we have heard a lot, but never tried before.

We decided to …

…go Prawn-Fishing ~! I first got know of prawn fishing activities from this nasty “Ah Beng” intern. Don’t know why, but he always bring the gang of intern to go prawn fishing in the middle of night. I always wondered then whether it is really “fun”.

We reached there at about 1 pm. There were few groups of people already fishing. Each of them occupied certain area of the pond, patiently waiting for prawns to hook. Seriously, it doesn’t looked like it was a difficult task. Every few minutes, there will always be a prawn hooked up somewhere.

 

Prawn fishing charges hourly. I remembered we paid about $13 dollars each for 1 hour worth of fishing time. Rods and baits are provided. It looked easy enough, but strangely experience does play an important part.

The uncle-in-charge was a very nice guy. At Bottle Tree Park, there is no such things as “to prevent people catching too much prawns”. Somehow, I got to a slow start. Prawns just avoided my bait. Uncle though busy with other chores, still managed to keep an eye on me. After 15 mins without a hook-on, he came back and check my rod. Eventually, he decided to change a new rod for me and even directs me to a good fishing spot.

He said “Let’s get you another rod, if not you will be bored and not be able to enjoy fishing with your friend.” I was so impressed with their service standard.

True enough, less than two minutes after his coaching, I caught my very first prawn. It was a female prawn with roe. Somewhat, I pity it a lot and did not want to eat it. Thus, I secretly missed the net when trying to put it into the net. Big sister caught eye of it and I was scolded for wasting time and money. Well, as long as my conscientious felt better (briefly) then. 

Here’s some inside tips about prawn fishing. The bait used is actually chicken heart. Usually, you only need a small piece at the tip of the hook. Uncle says the heart will expand when comes in contact with water, so don’t be greedy and use a big piece. Also, prawn had a small mouth, so if it is too big, you might not be able to hook it.

Then when fishing, try to place your line near ventilators, Uncle said that prawns usually congregated there for more air. The next thing to take note is to be able to spot the slight, very gentle tugging. When the prawn is eating the bait, it would tug the line. 

 

While you might not agree, but sometimes it pays to be the “weaker sex”. Even with uncle’s tutorage, I did not fare too well, only managed to catch about 3 prawns. (I thought I have committed enough sins…) Mindy caught slightly more than me but still lost to the winner - Jade who caught more than a dozen of them. She practically got prawns up her hook every few minutes. I guessed she is their cup of tea.

Maybe our laughable awkward action caught eye of those experienced fisher, one of them actually gave all of his catch, about 20 of them, to us. I jokingly exclaimed that Jade is not only good at catching prawns, but also caught attention from some men. LOL.  

The good thing about bottle tree park is that they have an electrical grill near the pond, for people to grill prawns on the spot.

The thing about prawn fishing is that it is rather cruel spots. Called me a hypocrite, although I am a meat-eater, but I can’t bear to kill them myself. In the end, Mindy and Jade had to wash, cut off their long claws, skewed them for me to cook them. Mindy joked that if we were back to prehistoric times, Jade will be the hunter, she will be the processor and I will be the chef.

Nope I did not felt better after hearing it. I was really bad.

It was interesting, but somewhat cruel activity. I think I still prefer to delude myself with packed meat and dead seafood.

To those prawns that I have cooked that day, may your souls rest in peace and be born a better being.

Amibatha…

For those who are not that sentimental, please do visit Bottle Tree Park. It is a relaxing place with many back-to-natural activities for one to rub off those city-stresses.

Visit their website for more details:
http://www.bottletree.com.sg/

Swissotel's New Asia Bar - Best City View in Singapore

I am not exaggerating on the title. This place is probably Singapore’s best kept secret as not many locals frequent it. The bar has the most beautiful city view in Singapore. Best of all, it is not expensive as you think it might be. It is in fact so affordable that the taxi fare back home would probably cost more than a drink there! Don’t believe? Read on!

Again, this bar was introduced to us by the same “rich” secondary school classmate few years back. Since then, I really believed that rich people know more than commoners like us. I would always bring my friends there to experience ultimate night life in Singapore. Swissotel as everyone would know is Singapore’s tallest hotel. At the top of the hotel, level 70th is the famed restaurant – The Equinox. However, one level above The Equinox which is the 71st level is Singapore’s highest bar – New Asia Bar.

So,what is so special about New Asia Bar? Located at the top of Swissotel , you get the bird eye view of Singapore business district and the surrounding Singapore River area. The view is especially spectacular come night time when the Central Business District lit up. The other thing about the bar is that their drinks are discounted during happy hours from 3 pm till 9 pm. There is 30% off selected drinks during happy hours or "Sundown period" as they termed it and the offers applies to all their lounges in the hotel.

The interior design of the bar is sleek and ultra sexy. Upon entering the bar, one would be greeted by the majestic chandelier. (Pardon the photo, I was a bit tipsy while taking this picture... Nah, just joking my camera is not suited for night shot.)

After 9 pm, the lights will be dimed, so that people's attention will be on the beautiful scenery and the brightly lited bar.

I ordered Caipirinha in Lychee Flavour. It has a similar taste as Mojito, but without the mint. Sweet and nice, definately a lady drink. I ordered it during sundown period and it cost me $13 dollars. I was amazed! Cocktails usually cost $15 dollars at most bars.

My friend ordered Mojito. It tasted quite nice too and yes it is $13 dollars too.

This drink just screamed "Sex and the City". The classic Cosmopolitan. One of my other friend ordered Hoegarden Beer which cost $9 dollars...

Actually, New Asia Bar offers a wide varieties of Champagne-based cocktails. In fact, there is always Moet and Chardon Champagne promotion there. I think one bottle cost about $135 which works out very worthwhile if you have few friends sharing. In the picture, my friend ordered this Lychee-liquor Champagne drink, but I could not remember the name. It is however not a sundown discounted drink and cost $24 dollars, but it tasted exquisite.

There are "free" chips for every table. However, as we did not have a satisfying dinner, I ordered their bar food to share. This is of course normal potatoes wedges. The "special" touch of this bar food is that the accompanied garlic mayo dip tasted very nice. It cost me $18 dollars and I am "grateful" that it was served pipping hot.

After mentioning for so many times about the stunning night view of Singapore, here it is. I must stress that all photos with Photosophize watermark including the one below is copyrighted. Do not reuse them without permission.

Looking at this reminds me of the following:

A Glass of Caipirinha for $13 dollars.

A Bottle of Moet and Chardon for $135 dollars.

A View like this Priceless...

For Everything Else, you have Master Card.

LOL.

Another spectacular view of the other side of the city! This is the beauty of Singapore!

While we were there, we noticed something untypical of this lady sitting across our table. She had ordered a bottle of White Wine and was actually reading a novel while sipping through the glass. We all looked at her admirably. She had just given the term “reading a book” a whole new class and taken it up a level. Of course, I only wanted to ask her whether she really read the words in the dimed lights and if the techno music really did not bother her.

Perhaps one day in honour of her, I will bring my laptop there, ordered a bottle of champagne and start blogging there. I will then give the term “blogging” a whole new level! Hahaha…

Verdict:

Must visit. Enter the bar by approaching reception counter in the Intro Bar. You will guide to take a special lift to reach New Asia Bar. I supposed no one would want to climb up 71 floors to the bar. The lift is another special experience. I supposed it travelled in super sonic speed which brings you up there in merely few seconds.

Lastly, enjoy the night!

Note:

Their sundown period is daily from 3 pm till 9 pm. There is a cover charge of $25 dollars for Fridays, Saturdays and Eve of Public Holiday.

For more information about New Asia Bar, check them out here.

Read about other fun spots in Singapore:

• Paulaner German Pub
• Barfly Bar
• Night Scene at Clarke Quay

Sights of Singapore 1 - Waterloo Street (Kwan Im Tong Hood Cho Temple)

With Lunar New Year just around the corner and it happened to be 十五* last Saturday, we went to pray at Kwan Im Tong Hood Cho Temple to thank Guan Yin (Chinese term for Godess of Mercy or Bodhisattva) for her blessing of the past year and for a better year ahead.

*Translated to Fifteen in Chinese Characters – which refers to day fifteen of the lunar month. It is special day to Chinese because the moon is full on that day and many would make offerings to Gods.

Located at Waterloo Street, or better known as Si Ma Lu (四马路)，the iconic temple had been a popular worship place for Buddihists and Taoists. It was first built in 1884 and had been rebuilt, but retaining its original architecture and craftmanship, twice in 1895 and 1982. It was named as one of Singapore's historical sites in 2001.

I have always thought the temple was kind of magical. I heard stories from my grandmother that the Japanese war plane dropped a bomb and hit the temple during the Second World War. Amazingly, the bomb did not go off. Many thought it was Guan Yin Goddess who sheltered the bomb and prevent it from blasting the temple.

As it was"十五", the temple was rather packed with a lot of worshipers.

Next to the Kuan Im Tong was the Indian temple - Sri Krishnan Temple. Actually, there is also a church in the area as well. Singapore is one of the few places in the world where different religions and worship places can co-exist at ease.

Most interestingly, people do not just tolerate each other's religions, most of us understand each other's culture and sometimes like the above, the religion catered to “different set of believers” as well. Sri Krishnan temple has got a incense burner outside for people who is on the way to pray at Kwan Im temple to also seek blessing from the Hindu Gods! I believe this is uniquely Singapore. As you can see, there are many worshippers .


At the side, there is a sandalwood incense burner for those who wanted to pray through Hindu rituals. One just have to fan the fumes towards themselves and the auspicious fumes will somewhat expel the bad aura surrounding you. I did that then and immediately felt better already!

Even foreigners know how to pray Hindu style.

Do not underestimate the miniature economy that both temples generate. In the photo above, you can see there are many vendors selling lotus and chrysanthemum flowers which were traditionally used for prayers. In addition to that, they also sell incenses on the side for people who wanted to donate them to the temple. However, as there were many such donations and that the temple usually provides free incense too. There has more than enough incense for all to use.

It is very similar to Erawan shrine in Bangkok where there are many flowers vendors too who sell incenses and candle on the side.

Though there are many vendors, the business can be quite brisk for all as there are many worshippers per day. Just for info, one bouquet such flowers cost $4 dollars...


See, this is how lotus looked like before they bloom. They are huge! Lotus is actually the sacred flowers for both Hindu and Buddhism cultur. They are well-liked as they symbolised purity. They usually grow in muddy ground in a pond, but the leaf and flower grow above water and looked clean, thus purity. Btw, the big lotus leaf can be used for cooking as well.

Anyway, the above lotus cannot be used for prayers yet. They need to under go some processes. See picture below.

They have to be trim to the correct size. Because most of them have not bloom yet, the flowers vendor would have to "pry" the flower open and fold the outer layer of petals into special pattern like below.

I thought with the fold and everything makes the lotus looked nicer!

They comes in three colours. The violet-pink ones, the white one and the shocking red colour. I always wondered if the red ones were actually white ones sprayed with paint, thus the unnatural red colour. Btw, the yellow colour flowers are chrysanthemum. They smell nice, but I like them better in tea.

Another special popular business around the area is fortune telling specialised in interpreting divination. Kwan Yin temple is famous for providing wooden divination lots or called "qian" which devotees can used to seek for God's opinion on certain matters or future.

Because the lots are written in poems of ancient tales, they need some intepretation into modern language before one can understand what "God" is trying to advice you. Non-believer might be skeptical about this, but I sometimes would do it. So far, I have not been misled and the divination has been quite true.

This stall is unattended. The Chinese character says interpret divination as fate, palm and face reading.

Another popular icon of Waterloo street is the Laughing Buddha! It was said that one will be blessed with different things by touching different parts of the Buddha. One will get longevitiy by touching the ears, good fortune will follows by touching the belly etc.

Count Down Party at Paulaner German Bar !

Not sure if it was hangover, but I did not manage to blog about the countdown party until today. I brought my camera along with me on New Year Eve day with the intention to photograph down the last moment of 2008. However, due to an unexpected change of plan, I did not manage to hit the street until about 6 pm on New Year’s Eve.

Guessing that it would be very crowded at Marina Bay and Esplanade’s area, we decided to forsake the fireworks and go countdown at somewhere else. Paulaners – The German Bar cum Restaurant at Millennia Walk opposite Suntec Convention Hall then came to our mind. One of Secondary Schoolmate introduced us to that place some years back and ever since then Paulaners becomes a special place for us.

We reached there at about 9 pm. It was already very crowded in the pub. The pub interior area is already full-house. We had wanted to give up and go somewhere else when one of the waitresses told us that a table was available inside. A good start for the New Year, it seems.

Look at the crowd in the pub - people are already in partying mood when we reached!

Paulaners being a German pub is of course famous for their beer. Though the selection is rather limited with only lager and strout to choose from, these beers are freshly brewed at the pub. I must say their lager tasted much better than Tiger beer if you know what I mean. Tiger beer is an acquired taste for first-timer as it is very dry and bitter, but Paulaner's lager is not as dry and in fact tasted quite smooth and has a rather delicate malt taste. Their stout on the other hand has a richer flavour with a fuller body compared to lager, but not as intensed Guinness Stout.

I am trying very hard to describe the taste here since I am not a big fan of beer. However, I find their beer taste acceptable for first-timer and ladies because they tasted much better (largely because of the smooth quality) than the commercial ones. Those who like me who don't really like beer can give it a try as well.

Well, if you really don't like beer, Paulaners of course served other alcholics drinks as well. Their selection is again not as wide as some pubs, but the drinks like cocktails came in rather larger-sized glass and tasted quite delicious! Drivers, their fruit juice cost $7 dollars.

Another main attraction of the pub is the live band performance. Noticed the large copper pot looking instrument in the background? It is their brewing instrument (not sure if it can be called an instrument). There is a small walk-way concrete platform surrounding it that makes an elevated narrow stage for performers. Not sure what is their name, but the songs they sings ranges from oldies to latest chart hits. You can make dedications if you have pen and paper.

I actually wrote a very long list for them that day and amazingly they covered quite a number of the songs. I did not manage to say to them then, but the performance was great and they sing very well! Thank you for the amazing performance!

Because it is New Year Eve, there are party pack too for each of the customers. There is mask, beeper and all sorts of sound making gadgets.


With so many materials on hand, Photosophize just had to show off how she decorated the plain black party hat! Taa Daa! Cool hor?

I must say their beer refreshing taste goes very well with the German pub food.

This time round, we ordered their sausage sampler plate (for 2 to 3 people) which had Spicy Chicken Sausage, Numberger Sausage (pork) and the Cheese Knuckles Sausage (pork). It is served on a bed of Sauerkraut.


This is the Spicy Chicken sausage. It is a rather lean sausage where one can still tasted the meat texture in it. Not really spicy on my opinion, but had a savoury taste.

Numberger sausage as seen above had been grilled till the casting burst. I had thought it would had a strong intense flavour compared to their two, but it is the mildest flavoured one among the three. I like the firm and "crispy" casting which snaps in every bite.

The last flavour - Cheese Knuckles happened to be my favourite among the three. I think it is very important for sausages to have a good casting as it can determine whether a sausage is good or not. Again, this one has a good casting. Most importantly for a cheese sausage, it was served still warm and you know that it is good when you can see the melted cheese squirt out when you sink the fork into it. Yummy!

I also love their sauerkraut. German traditionally served Sauerkraut (cabbage stewed with vinger)with rich food such as pork knuckles and sausages. The vingery taste of the sauerkraut cuts the oiliness in them. Though it is supposed to be sourish, but the taste is not too strong until it is stinging. In fact, the taste is rather mellow and nicely balanced.

Before the count down, we also witnessed an unexpected surprise. Someone proposed on stage. See pictures below. He got the band to invite them onto the stage on the pretext that they wanted to do a duet.

Then once up there, the guy suddenly went down on his knees...

It was quite interesting to witness a proposal. I have never seen one before. The crowd were cheering like mad for him. The sound was so deafening that we almost couldn't hear him pop the question. His girlfriend looked quite embarrassed, but I am guessing that she will never forget that day.

After kneeing for like half-a-day and asking the question once, the nervous guy realised that he forgot to take out his ring... Haha. Hmmm, I was wondering why the girlfriend did not smile... Haha.

Like in the movies, the girlfriend was so touched that she cried. She could not even mumbled out a yes and could only nob her head. So romantic... Congratulations to them and here's wishing them love and happiness always !!!

Soon after the romantic episode, it was time for countdown! The band sang the song - "Final Countdown" to usher in the New Year! Strangly, my friends and I copied what others did there - raising our beer mug and shouted "Yum Seng" in true Singapore style for blessing and good luck!

I hope it is not too late, but here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year and may you all have a joyful and lucky year ahead!!!

For more information on Paulaners, visit their website at :

http://www.paulaner.com.sg/

Photosophize's "Advertising Campaign" at Suntec - Song and Laser Dedication System

Well, I spent a little fortune to "advertise" my blog at Suntec Fountain... See video below!

Impressive isn't it? Even better - it's actually free*!!!

How to do it?

Right outside this restaurant that sell Sharks Fin soup, there is this huge metalic dedication station.

As seen in the photo below, the system is named "Song and Laser Dedications". There are two touch screen monitors. One only has to fill in a simple questionaire about themselves and they can then dedicate a song with a special message to someone.

The questionaires are general questions like age group, purpose of visiting suntec and if it is the first time you are visiting Suntec etc.

The touch screen alignment is a little bit off, thus it is a bit difficult to type in your message fast. Nevertheless, I managed to key in my message.

After you hit "send" message, remember to rush off to the fountain area and wait to see your message displayed using laser. See above, it is where people wait to tour round the fountain. The system will then displayed all other messages that they received together. Each of them will be shown twice.

Remember to get your video camera ready and capture that magical moment!


This is what others will see. An interesting display of lasers that flickers and changes according to the tempo of music. The water spray will also differs from one display to another.


Actually, there are a lot of things that you can do with the Song and Laser dedications system. Lovers can declare their vows, interests etc to one another publicly (in fact, that is what my friend did... envy), make a wedding proposal, or if you are in area celebrating friend/family's birthday, one can dedicate a happy birthday message to birthday girl or boy. Well, I do not have anyone to make any declarations then (sad), thus can only pathetically publicise my blog using the system.


Come to think of it, I sort of spoilt market to use such a romantic tool for my blog... Then again, you can't deny that I am creative!


Wait, before you rushing off to Suntec fountain to make dedications. The Song and Laser dedication system is only available on Weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and Public Holidays. I did not manage to catch the start time, but the laser will end at about 10 pm. So, if you are planning a surprise, recee first to avoid disappointment!


Lastly, Thank You Suntec City for the fun and magical experience!!! Do continue to provide the service until I can make dedications to someone, will you?

*The laser effect is free. Video shooting and post-production services are not included. I edited the footages and added background music myself. :)