StopGap

i have not blogged for a while, not because nothing has been blog worthy, but due to a combination of the happenstance of many a blog worthy stuff and spanners thrown in my groove. cryptic much?

to say that life is fragile and that it is something we should treasure is both cliche and understated at the same time. in this first half of the year, i come to grieve alongside the loved ones of five individuals who have prematurely gone too soon. three of which were still half-fledged. all of whom left in their wake broken fragments of crumbled worlds that have come undone.

i do not offer any sagacious insights, assuring words or claim of catharsis but for the living to love like we’ve never been hurt and live our days like it’s our last. mean what we say and say what we mean. sow a little good each day and let the world reap the kindness when it’s needed most.

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The Live Turtle & Tortoise Museum, Singapore

Little did you know there is a Live Turtle & Tortoise Museum in Singapore did you? Yesterday, I accompanied my mom, niece and nephew to this museum, which is fairly near where we live, for a little jaunt before the new school year starts. My niece and nephew have been there several times and were very excited showing me around. The museum does not take a large space, but it does have a comprehensive range of turtles and tortoises on display which were pre-owned as pets. The museum assures that these animals were not captured from the wild.

The Live Turtle & Tortoise Museum is located in Chinese Garden which is conveniently situated next to Chinese Garden MRT Station. It opens daily from 9am to 6pm and charges an entry fee of $3. A favourite activity of the kids who visit is feeding the turtles and tortoises with vegetables (which you can bring your own) or with a bag of food pallets that can be purchased for $1.

I often marvel at the weird and wonderful creatures featured on Milky Way Scientists and think that such intriguing critters (such as the tiny peacock spider, the pink moth, the regal ringneck snake, and the Japanese dwarf flying squirrel) would be impossible to spot in such a place like urban Singapore or even in captivity. The biodiversity in Singapore is extensive and rich, but spotting them might need some luck and patience which comes in limited supply in hectic Singapore. And not to say that our zoological parks do not have a wide variety of exhibits, but the range in the zoos do already have a lot of press coverage.

So I was very fascinated by what I could see up close at the Live Turtle & Tortoise Museum in my own backyard. Listed in ascending order of intrigue…

The Matamata Turtle

The Indian Flapshell Turtle

The Albino Softshell Turtle

The Pig-Nosed Turtle

And the Snake-necked Turtle

The above turtles are kept in tanks, however there are other species, especially tortoises, that are “free range” and kept in larger enclosures.

The Sulcata Tortoises for example roam the grounds of the museum freely and is evidently a big fan of carrots. Notice it’s menacingly jagged and sharp jaws.

Although rather small, this museum is very educational for kids and adults and a great way to spend an hour or two.

Just in case you have not yet observed the differences between turtles and tortoises, they are:

• Turtles primarily live in water (fresh water and oceans) and so have webbed front feet or flipper-like fins to make swimming easier.
• Tortoises live almost exclusively on land, so do not have flippers, but normal feet without webbing, often with sharp claws for digging. They only enter water to drink or wash themselves off, and can in fact drown in strong currents. They may be found in arid areas.
• Turtles tend to have flatter shells than tortoises, while tortoises have a more domed shell.
• Turtles can be omnivorous, eating both plants and insects; tortoises eat only plants and leaves and other vegetation, so they are herbivorous, especially preferring moisture-bearing vegetation.
• Turtles can migrate from one place to another, swimming mighty oceans; tortoises tend to stay in one area.

View the full album here.

New Zealand

My year end new New Zealand vacation was one year in the making because it required some conscientious preparation not so much in the logistical planning but more on strength and body conditioning because a highlight of the trip was a 5-day Alps to Ocean Cycle tour with Adventure South.

Although it has been some years that I’ve learnt to move a bicycle forward, it was really in the recent 6 months that I gained enough proficiency for the cycle tour. This involved planning cycling routes around Singapore’s park connectors to clock mileage incrementally and subsequently buying my own bike, a Dahon, for mobility. Just before departing for New Zealand, I clocked my furthest distance (near 60km) to feel that I’m good to go.

Although the general gradient of the cycle tour was a downhill journey from the Alps to Ocean, there were still a number of uphills that made for a really good workout, some of which I had to get off my bike to push. Headwind was another factor that I couldn’t have conditioned for in Singapore because we just don’t have that here. I took it in my stride though, and viewed it as a lot of fresh air coming my way.

In all, I clocked 209.87km over 5 days – the most covered in a day was 59.01km (Day 4) and the shortest, 16.08km (Day 5 – a day of constant dogged headwind). There were more than sufficient rest stops to be plied with really good refueling amidst the splendour of scenic New Zealand. Picnic lunches featured frequently as midday lunch breaks which consisted of all my favourite things -  potato salad, antipasti with olives and sundried tomatoes, ham, salami, roast beef, multigrain bread and an assortment of spreads. These breaks were prepared by our impeccable Adventure South guides, Stefan and Josh, who also doubled up as our drivers, safety officers, bike mechanics, tour guides and all-round warm and friendly kiwis.

Our ride took us through an array of terrains and geological formations – from along canals, to open coastal roads,  meadows, snow-capped mountains, dams, valleys and bike-only paths by lakes. My favourite ride has to be the portion of the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail along Lake Pukaki.

Other great routes and destinations

Opihi Winery (also lunch stop on Day 1)

Lake Tekapo (first night’s accommodation)

Tekapo Canal (also site for Salmon Farming)

Aoraki Mount Cook

Twizel (second night’s accommodation at Omahau Downs B&B)

Lake Aviemore

Oamaru (fourth and final night’s accommodation)

New Zealand traffic – sheep crossing and cattle underpass!

And a cat that plots to take over the world, from Mount John Observatory no less.

Sight-seeing New Zealand on bicycle was definitely a great way to see the country. Personally, it was quite a feat because prior to this trip I never envisioned myself to be able to have the stamina or skill to cover this distance. And now I’ve become better for it. Besides us, there were nine other Kiwi grannies and grandpas on this trip in their 70s and who absolutely whipped my ass and left me to bite the dust. At their age, I am in awe of their fitness, good humour and zest for life! I can only aspire to lead the next half of my life to arrive as such.

Other than the 5 days on the road, we spent a few days exploring Christchurch and its surrounds. Although devastated by the earthquakes, and not fully recovered from them, the resilient city shows creativity and determination to make the best of it. The main shopping stretch has taken the form of a strip mall set up in containers – a project aptly named Re:START. It was heartening to see in mostly quiet Christchurch, that people were out and about enjoying the festive spirit amidst the visible urban ruins cordoned by fences.

An art initiative called Gap Filler that seeks to “temporarily activate vacant sites within Christchurch with creative projects for community benefit, to make for a more interesting, dynamic and vibrant city” takes site-specific art installations new heights.

On our way back from dinner one evening, we noticed a suspended disco ball in what seems to be an open-air club near a carpark. Nearby, was a souped-up coin-operated washing machine that invited people to activate the sound system from our own mp3 player with a 2 dollar coin. And guess what? The Dance-O-Mat worked! The theme song from Wrack-It-Ralph was blasted from the geek’s iPhone into the streets of Christchurch. No dancing flash mob appeared though.

Near the shopping area of Riccarton is Riccarton House & Bush where the Saturday Farmers’ Market is held weekly. Alongside the picturesque gardens runs the Avon River and the attendant dawdling ducks. The Avon river continues its course through the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.

 

The Christchurch Botanic Gardens

A short 2-hour leisurely drive away from the city is the harbour town of Akaroa of French orientation. History has it that the French were a little late in claiming this coastal village because the British had beaten them to it just days before. Regardless, because they found Akaroa so lovely, they stayed anyway attested by the current French flags, street names and accent we encountered. In fact, one of the founding operators of the Akaroa Dolphins Cruise can trace his lineage to the first French settlers.

Because this sagacious looking dog can detect the frequency of the Hector Dolphin’s echolocation, he will alert us when they approach. How clever!

Other marine life – seals and sea lions along the cliffs

The waterfront of Akaroa, on a beautiful day.

Within Christchurch, the other places of interest that are worth spending a day at are the International Antarctic Centre and the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. There is so much more to New Zealand I’ve yet to get acquainted with, however, in the span of nine days, the pace and depth at which I explored the places was just right. Future trips to the other parts of New Zealand Middle Earth are in the horizon.

Complete photo album here.

The Lull after the Storm

so it has been raining a lot in tropical singapore. i love the showers, the downpour, the deluge, the torrent rain in singapore where it cools the weather down tremendously and still not rear its ugly head as natural disaster as it can in other places. when overcast, the sky has a brooding personality and a gravitas that commands reckoning, thereby evoking a pensive mood.

i perceive the recent heavy rain to be chipping away at the distractions and stripping away what’s unimportant as if in a cleansing of our minds. this central idea germinated in my mind and after hacking away at it for about an hour or two, the follow poem emerged.

 

The Lull after the Storm

 

Upon my pruning feet and in muddying pavements,

The monsoon rain beats down relentlessly.

Puddles form rapidly,

And in quick ricocheting succession

Link arms like a call to arms,

They merge and finding solidarity,

Defiantly surround me in a moat.

Taken captive, I yield

And stand before the watery fortress

Transfixed.

At first indeterminable, inscrutable,

The rain pitter-patters to a drizzle

And pools into a glassy pane.

As if having washed away the day’s

Defeats with its dust and grime,

The slate is wiped clean to try again.

Venturing forth, I step ahead

Making my own ripples in

The lull after the storm.