Places: Adventures on The Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail

The Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail was officially launched on 14 Apr 2013, if you have missed the launch, the good news is that there will be monthly Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail every first Saturday of the month starting May 2013, at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

To get a glimpse of what to expect on a Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail, please read my account: Places: Adventures on The Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail

Recollecting nostalgic moments from the past at Night Festival 2012

(Note: This blog is one of my entries to the Heritage 2012 Blog Competition. 
Recollect, reflect and reconnect with heritage, start blogging and stand to win attractive prizes. Entries must be submitted online before 11.59 p.m. on 1 Oct 2012.)

 Passion and energy would aptly describe the Night Festival 2012 that had just passed. I was mesmerized by the variety of interesting programmes that the festival had offered that I attended all the four nights. My experience of it was a mix of interesting visual experiences and nostalgic moments.

The light installation Mimoid II by Stephane Beve, Milosh Luczynski and Philippe Rizzotti on the building facade of the Singapore Art Museum combined seamlessly with the music composed by Vuk Krakovic and mixed and SFX designed by Ctrol Fre@k (Jeffrey Yue) to transform one of my favourite museums in Singapore into what seemed to me was a paradise out of this world.

As I walked past the Singapore Art Museum, I was reminded of how this very building had evolved from the former St. Joseph's Institution to an art museum. I wondered how it would have been to be a student studying in a school building that was located in the heart of the city area. Out of curiosity, I started rereading a blog titled Whispers of an otherwise silent world by an award-winning blogger, Jerome Lim. As I read his account, I painted in my mind the images of school children making their way to their schools. I imagined book shops with thriving business because in those days, the students will find their way to the book shops after their school hours. If I were a student studying in St. Joseph's Institution more than three decades ago, I would have looked forward to going to school every single day since there were so many beautiful buildings in the area.

It was rather interesting to realize how attending the Night Festival could have led me to reflect on a moment in past that I had never experienced personally. Somehow, I felt connected to an unknown moment in history.

Night Festival 2012. Singapore Art Museum.

The Armenian Street was one location that has led me to recollect moments from my past. One of the highlights of the Night Festival 2012 was the spectacular aerial performance named La Argentina - Fuerzabruta presented by Ozono Producciones (Argentina). The entire Armenian Street was filled with excitement. I attempted to capture the visually spectacular aerial performance from a distance and was grateful that the lenses from my simple point-and-shoot camera had captured a glimpse of the magical moments of the athletic dancer travelling in the air.

The excited crowd at Armenian Street.

Along the stretch of Armenian Street sits the former MPH Building. Originally known as the Methodist Publishing House when it was built in 1908, the building was later renamed the Malaya Publishing House. Today, this building is now known as the Vanguard Building. While making time to catch a glimpse of the performances named Night Painting | Cast in Light by Li Cassidy-Peet and Terry Wee, I fondly recall a time in the past when I would visit the former MPH Building to browse the books, buy interesting gifts and sniff the wonderful aroma of coffee and waffles.

To add to my quest for the nostalgia, I found two food stalls during the Night Festival that reminded me of the food that my parents had treated me to when I was a young child. Food has the power to trigger memories indeed!

The Putu Piring stall along the alley between the Substation and Peranakan Museum reminded me vaguely of a time in my childhood when I savoured Putu Piring during visits to night bazaars, otherwise known as pasar malam by the locals. Interestingly, I learnt from Singapore Infopedia that Putu Piring has the same ingredients as Putu Mayam, one of which is steamed ground rice flour. The joy of eating Putu Piring comes when the gula Melaka (palm sugar) in the centre of this rice cake snack oozes out at the first bite. The experience was heavenly as the gula Melaka melts in the mouth together with the bite of the Putu Piring.

Kurnia Putu Piring stall.

Putu Piring.

The Putu Mayam stall along Stamford Green reminded me of a time in my childhood when I was occassionally treated to this interesting snack that was made from steamed rice flour that had been pressed into noodle forms and served with granted coconut and sugar. I was not too keen with the vermicelli-like rice noodles. It was the grated coconut and the sugar that had interest me when I was a child. When I was a child, the Putu Mayam that I had was served flat like pancakes. It therefore intrigued me when I saw that the Putu Mayam that I had ordered at the Night Festival was served like a roll of spring roll.

Stamford Green and the traditional food stalls.

Putu Mayam.

Putu Mayam.

Overall, the fifth installment of the Night Festival has not only delighted me with the many spectacular light installations and exciting performances, it has in its humble way touched me with a mood for nostalgia. As I reflect on my memories from the past and recollect moments in history that I had not personally experienced, I felt a little more rooted to Singapore, a place I call my hometown.

The Ramadan Trails at Sultan Mosque

A two weeks ago, I was visiting the area near Sultan Mosque. While I was in the area, I saw a banner that caught my eyes. It reads: "Come experience Ramadan Trails!"

The finer prints on the banner informed that each of the Ramadan Trails will cover three components. These were:

- Presentation: What is Ramadan all about?
- Guided Mosque Tour (with demonstration of the prayer)
- Buka Puasa (Breaking of the fast with Muslims)

This year, the dates of the Ramadan trail were on 23, 25, 27, 30 July and 1, 3, 6, 8 Aug 2012. It was necessary to make bookings in advance. Email: info@sultan.mosque.org.sg

I have had a positive experience when I attended a similar tour during Ramadan at the Sultan Mosque last year. As such, when I learnt that the Sultan Mosque will be organizing similar tours this year, I asked if a few of my friends would be keen to join me for one of the Ramadan Trails. We signed ourselves up for the Ramadan Trail on 8 Aug 2012, which happened to be the last of such tour for this year. Special mention to Belinda Tan and Brother Jason Wilson for putting together a Facebook events page to provide another means to sign up for this Ramadan Trail at Sultan Mosque.

Finally, the much anticipated day came. At about 5.30 p.m., I headed to the registration counter near the auditorium of the Sultan Mosque to register myself and my friends for the tour. Since the tour started at 6 p.m. and we were a little early, I suggested that my friends could browse through the nearby Ramadhan food bazaar. This food bazaar will take place from 21 Jul - 17 Aug 2012, from 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Bussorah Mall and Muscat Street. There are many interesting stalls at the food bazaar.

Ramadan Bazaar. Taken on 21 Jul 2012.

Brother Jason was the presenter for the presentation. During this enlightening presentation, I learnt more about the significance of the month of Ramadan which begins with the sighting of the new moon in the ninth month of the lunar calendar.

The presentation also gave the guests on the Ramadan Trail an introduction to the following:

1) The history of the mosque. This can be dated back to the time when Sultan Hussein Shah, the appointed ruler of Singapore, proposed to build a mosque within his Sultanate Compound.
2) The architectural style of the current Sultan Mosque building which was designed and built by the architectural firm, Swan and Mclaren.
3) The use of the arabesque to decorate the mosque.
4) What is Islam?
5) Who are the Muslims?
6) The importance of Ramadan.
7) Why do Muslim fast?

I looked around and saw that the participants of the Ramadan Trail are from different faiths and races. There was a group of Muslim female youths who attended the Ramadan Trail too.

After the presentation, the participants grouped ourselves into smaller groups. Guides led each group on a guided tour of the mosque.

Our very kind guides explained to us about the many interesting features of the mosque. For example, the dark-green-colour base of the mosque's dome is decorated with glass bottles that were donated by the poor. The significance is possibly that the Sultan Mosque has been made possible with the contributions from everyone in the community: young and old, rich and poor.

A device in the Sultan Mosque that informs the times for prayers.

Our guide was mindful to ensure that everyone in the group would be ushered to the auditorium of the mosque before the call to the evening (Maghrib) prayer. We were to break fast together with the Muslims at the auditorium. While waiting for the call to the evening prayer, learning points from the presentation earlier the evening flashed through my mind. It would have required a considerable amount of self-discipline and faith to fast.

When the call to the evening prayer was heard, I observed the Muslim friends breaking their fast. I understand that it was recommended that one break his fast with dates or water, so I started the meal with eating a date. I tried to imagine that if I had abstain from food and drink for 12 hours or more, I would feel the sense of gratitude when it was time to break fast. Each bite of food and each drop of water would have been precious because I would have learnt not to take them for granted.

The organizers were very accommodating. I observed that at the mosque, the males and the females were usually seated separately when it was time to break fast. My friends and I were allowed to be seated together during the "Buka Puasa" (breaking of the fast with the Muslim) experience. Special thanks to the organizers for their thoughtfulness.

At the end of the tour, our hospitable and kind hosts gave everyone who took part in the tour a goodie-bag. I appreciated that in the goodie-bag, there was a brochure that explains about fasting in Ramadan, a note-book with a brief history of Sultan Mosque printed in the inner cover, and a pocket guide on the Prophet of Islam.

Here, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the generosity and kindness of the community at Sultan Mosque for making the Ramadan Trail possible. It was an insightful cultural appreciation experience. I was very pleased to know that my friends enjoyed the experience too.

Sultan Mosque, Singapore
3 Muscat Street
Singapore 198833
Tel: 6293 4405/ 6293 4043
Fax: 6293 2463
Email: info@sultan.mosque.org.sg
Website: http://www.sultanmosque.org.sg
Nearest MRT train station: Bugis.

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Also read: Ramadan Trails at Sultan Mosque by Sengkang Babies.

Good Morning Yesterday: Growing Up in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s

Congratulations to Lam Chun See, who started the blog Good Morning Yesterday, for having published his latest book Good Morning Yesterday: Growing Up in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s.

Life in the Singapore today is very different from the life in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s. How was life in the kampong (i.e. rural area) in those days? How did people relate to one another in those days when Facebook, mobile phones and smart-phones were non-existent? How did children entertain themselves in the days when there were no computer games and iPad? Where did family go to in those days when air-conditioned shopping malls were not the norm?

In Good Morning Yesterday: Growing Up in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s, Lam Chun See embarked on his significant project to share the stories from the past. The book is a compilation and reorganization of the stories that Lam Chun See has written about what it was like to grow up in a Singapore that was vastly different from today.

Keeping the Singapore story alive through writing about memories from past.

Who may enjoy this book?
The author wrote in the introduction section, that the positive feedback from the faithful readers of his blog gave him the much-needed courage to embark on the project to work on getting this book published. This book is as such, definitely a must-have for faithful readers of his blog.

Anyone who is doing research about life in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s may also find this book an invaluable resource as it is written from a direct personal perspective.

Lam Chun See is an alumnus of the Chong Boon Primary School, Anglo-Chinese School and National Junior College. Existing students and alumni of these schools are likely to find it intriguing to read about school life in the 1950s and 1960s.

This book is also a worthwhile souvenir for anyone who wishes to have a glimpse of Singapore's past. The book contains numerous photographs that were taken decades ago. Grandparents may find this book an apt gift for their younger ones who are eager to learn about the good old days of the past.

At the soft launch of the book.

The relationship between this book and the Prime Minister's National Day Rally speech:
Interestingly, I learnt that our Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, had played a part in motivating Lam Chun See to write this book. Lam Chun See wrote in his introduction how a part of the Prime Minister's National Day Rally Speech a few years ago had reminded him of the necessity for our young generation to know the heart of the Singapore story and the stories of Singapore's past.

Where to get a copy of this book?
If you are, like myself, all geared up to get yourself a copy of Lam Chun See's Good Morning Yesterday: Growing Up in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s, you will be pleased to know that the book is available from selected Kinokuniya and Times bookstores. The recommended retail price for each copy is $18.

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Note: The publication is supported by the National Heritage Board's Heritage Industry Incentive Programme.

Acknowledgement: A heartfelt thanks to Lam Chun See for inviting me to the soft-launch of this publication. It was held at the Peranakan Museum on 4 Feb 2012. Many thanks to National Heritage Board for organizing the soft-launch too.

Appreciating Bukit Brown: Remember Our Ancestors Day 9 Oct and 16 Oct 2011

Event: Remember your ancestors' day cum DIY Tour
Dates: 9 Oct 2011 (Sun) and 16 Oct (Sun) 2011, 
Time: From 8.30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Meeting point: In front of Bukit Brown Cemetery Gates at Lorong Halwa, off Kheam Hock Road


Bus services available: 52, 74, 93, 157, 165, 852, 855. 
Directions to the cemetery Gate: Alight at bus-stop, #41149, opposite Singapore Island Country Club (SICC), Adam Road. Walk towards Sime Road, walk along Kheam Hock Road until you see Lor Halwa.
(For very detailed directions to get there: please check out Leone Fabre's post.)

Do you have an interest in Bukit Brown Cemetery because you have an ancestor who is buried there? Do you know of someone who has an ancestors who could be buried there?

On 9 and 16 Oct 2011, find your way to Bukit Brown Cemetery to search for your ancestors' grave. The search is ever more pressing with the Land Transport Authority's plans build a new dual four-lane road that will cut through through parts of Bukit Brown from early 2013 and with the Urban Redevelopment Authority gazetting Bukit Brown Cemetery as a site for development Straits Times, 30 May 2011).

What does a descendant who have an ancestor buried in Bukit Brown need to do to start the search?

To find out more, please visit https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=142006435895789

Visiting the Sultan Mosque during Ramadan

On a weekday evening, I visited the Sultan Mosque with a group of friends and new-found friends. The intention was to better appreciate and understand the Islamic faith. We attended a special tour of the Sultan Mosque led by one of the docents of the mosque.

The tour started off with a presentation on a brief introduction to the Islamic faith as well as an introduction to the month of Ramadan. Subsequently, the docent led us on a tour about the mosque. We saw the main prayer hall. In addition, we learnt more about the mosque building and the Islamic faith.

That day happened to fall in the month of Ramadan. It is the "Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex with their partners during daylight hours." Fasting during Ramadan is regarded as a method of spiritual self-purification. As best as I have understood, the process of fasting is intended to teach Muslims to practise self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice and to develop compassion and charity.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. The five pillars of Islam are:
1) The testimony of faith (i.e. saying with conviction that "there is no true god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God."
2) Prayer
3) Giving Zakat (Support of the needed)
4) Fasting in the month of Ramadan
5) Pilgrimage to Mecca

The tour concluded with the group joining the rest of the congregation to break fast together. When the call to start the sunset prayer was heard, it was the signal indicating that it was time to break fast. Devotee will break their fast with dates before praying.

Many thanks to the Sultan Mosque for organising the tour and for their generous hospitality. I have learnt more about the Islamic faith.

One of my new-found friends who was one of the participants of the Ramadan trail tour has written a lovely post on her visit. Please find Rose John's post here: Inside Singapore's Oldest Mosque during Ramadan.

Last but not least, here's to wish our Muslim friends a blessed month of Ramadan, and Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Heritage TV featuring the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station Tour

About two months ago, thanks to the National Heritage Board and I Love Museum, I had the great pleasure to participate in a tour of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station led by Rossane. I have put down in writing my experiences of this tour of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.

In this post, I shall share with you snippets of a tour of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station that is produced by the Heritage TV, Singapore! Have fun learning about this historically significant station that is no longer in operation, thanks to the changes of events in modern history.

The Ice-ball challenge

Ice-ball, from the Singapore Food Trail.
Special thanks to Belinda Tan for giving permission to use this photo taken by her.

What was it like to eat an ice-ball? I have read about and heard of people reminiscing fondly of the days when they ate ice-ball. Yet I did not have a clue how the experience would be, until I visited the Singapore Food Trail (located at the Singapore Flyer) recently.

The Singapore Food Trail is a food establishment with an interesting concept to let its guests relive the nostalgic days of Singapore in the 1960s. One of the interesting food available at the dessert stall is the ice-balls. To enjoy an ice-ball against the backdrop of makeshift stalls along the roadside can make one feel as if one has taken the time-machine back to the 1960s' Singapore.

I learnt that in the 1960s, ice-balls were sold at 5 cents each. One of my friends, Eastcoastlife, told me that in those days, a 5-cents ice-ball was her half-a-day's pocket money. She shared that there were occasions when she secretly ate an ice-ball against the advice of her mother. Yet, many of the times, her mother still found out about her secret treats to ice-ball. How could this be so? The coloured marks left behind by the melting coloured ice-ball had betrayed her.

Chun See who writes the blog Good Morning Yesterday has a very interesting post, titled Ice Balls, that helped me to visualize how an ice-ball could be made in the past. Go and check out the photo of the first generation ice-shaver. Apparently, the ice-shaver was made up of a wooden block with nails on it.

Fast forward to the 2011, I could have the pleasure to witness how ice-balls are made. I have a hunch that the management who have made the Singapore Food Trail possible are likely people who have very fond memories of ice-balls.

Placing the filling into the ice-ball.

Adding the colourings.

My grandmother told me that the way to eat an ice-ball was to suck the icy liquid from the ice-ball. After which, one could eat the ice. During this interesting endeavour to savour the ice-ball, there would be an anticipation to find delightful 'treasures' inside the ice-balls. My mother told me that in the past, fillings such as red-bean and peanut could be found inside an ice-ball. The popular 'treasure' appeared to be the attap-chee.

I had my first hands-on experience taking up the challenge of eating an ice-ball on 7 Jul 2011. Eating a colourful ice-ball was a slightly messy affair that required the skillful act of sucking the ice-ball so as to drain it of the melting ice. In addition, I had to train my bare hands to tolerate the cold from the ice-ball. My verdict? Eating an ice-ball is a fun and challenging experience. I felt proud that I had finished enjoying one entire ice-ball without using a spoon!

If you like to have your hands on an ice-ball, please join me in the ice-ball challenge: Eat an entire ice-ball with the mouth and by holding the ice-ball with your bare-hands. No spoon please.

The reward is, the fun and excitement that comes with eating the ice-ball.

Singapore Food Trail
Singapore Flyer
30 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039803

Opening hours:
10.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday,
10.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.


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Also see: Singapore Food Trail: Reliving the good old 1960s once more  

I sighted treasures at Goodwood Park Hotel!

This hotel has a history that dates back to 1900.
The tower wing was designed by R.A.J. Bidwell of Swan and MacLaren.

I sighted treasures at the Goodwood Park Hotel when I was there in June 2011!

What did I find? Find out here: I sighted treasures at Goodwork Park Hotel!

A glimpse of the free unguided tour of Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery

My friends and I visited Bukit Brown on 26 Jun 2011. We were there specially for the free unguided tour of Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery which was conducted by Asia Paranormal Investigators, supported by One-North Explorers. During the event, placards were put up at notable tombs to describe the notable achievements and contributions that were made by the person buried in each of these tombs.

During our visit, we found out what the following notable people, Cheang Hong Lim, Chew Boon Lay, Chew Joo Chiat, Fang Shan, Gan Eng Seng, Lee Hoon Leong, Lim Chong Pang, Mrs Lim Nee Soon, Ong Sam Leong, Ong Boon Tat Mrs Tan Cheng Siong and Tay Ho Swee, have in common.

Please check out this post by yours truly for the full account of my visit: Notable People who are buried in Bukit Brown.

A glimpse of one of Singapore's few surviving dragon kilns

Image credit: Carolyn Lim

Did you know that somewhere in this urban island, lie one of the last few surviving dragon kilns in Singapore? Where is this dragon kiln? Would this rare surviving dragon kiln survive in a rapidly changing world where at times heritage from the past disappear in the name of progress?

Find out more by reading my post titled "A visit to the Thow Kwang Dragon Kiln Firing event 2011".

Dragon Kiln Wood Firing 2011

The Thow Kwang Dragon breathes its fire again!

Read more about the event here: http://thowkwangclayartists.wordpress.com/

This firing will be extra special, as it involves firing the entire length of the kiln for the first time in many years.

Address: Thow Kwang Industry Pte Ltd, 85 Lorong Tawas (off Jalan Bahar).
The nearest MRT station is possibly Boon Lay MRT station.

Thanks to Victor for the information.

I was there last night and I hope to write about my attendance to this yesterday on this space soon enough.

Experience ancient Roman music in Singapore

This afternoon, I nudged myself to the National Museum of Singapore despite a weather and a health that would welcome improvement. It is the first official day that the exhibition, Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town 79 CE, was opened for public viewing.

Pompeii is a partly buried ancient Roman Town located near what we now know as Naples, Italy. Visitors cannot know Pompeii until they get introduced to Mount Vesuvius and its eruption in 79 CE. That very year, a plinian eruption, which was very explosive and destructive in nature, took place at Mount Vesuvius. Ironically, the effects of the volcano eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE that had destroyed the town of Pompeii, were the same elements that had preserved much of Pompeii for modern eyes to see. Enough about this exhibition, it will be held from 16 Oct - 23 Jan 2010 at the Exhibition Galleries, Basement of the National Museum of Singapore. Admission fee is $12 per adult.

In conjunction with the above-mentioned exhibition, a performance titled "E Tempore Emergo" by Ludi Scaenici (Italy) will be held on 16 and 17 Oct 2010, at 2 p.m. and at 4 p.m. at the exhibition galleries. Ludi Scaenici, meaning "scenic shows" is based in Rome. This group dedicates itself to the research and performance of music and dance of the Ancient Rome.

Thank goodness. I visited the exhibition at the right time and that meant I could catch a free performance of music and dance of Ancient Rome in addition to catching the exhibition. I was pretty intrigued by some of the instruments. Two of the instruments were the predecessors of modern trumpet and horn respectively. The soundscapes of music of Ancient Rome also felt refreshing to my ears. The dancer also danced beautifully and with her heart and soul. I love it when I could enjoy a music and dance performance live! Many thanks to the National Museum of Singapore for inviting Ludi Scaenici to Singapore.

If you would like to catch Ludi Scaenici perform music and dance of Ancient Rome right here in Singapore, visit the exhibition, Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town 79 CE, tomorrow (i.e. 17 Oct 2010). The group will perform in the exhibition galleries at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The performance is free for ticket holders to the exhibition.

For now, here's a link the website of the group: http://www.ludi-scaenici.it/ludeng.html


Enjoy!

Traditional methods of healing, the Asian way!

I was a tourist in Singapore yet again yesterday. I am wondering if it would be great if I could have a job that allows me to travel to various parts of Singapore as a resident tourist? There are many interesting places in Singapore that residents in Singapore may not be aware of.

As part of my attempts to learn more about my own country, I got myself a place onboard the tour, The Traditional Touch: Healing the Asian Way™, on a fine Saturday morning. This tour was put together by Journeys Pte Ltd in conjunction with Singapore HeritageFest 2010.

This post shall be largely on my personal experiences onboard this tour. I shall offer some leads and contact information of the relevant services that I had came across as part of the tour. However, since I am neither a trained medical professional nor a master in any of these traditional methods of healing, there will be very limited sharing on the traditional methods of healing I had came across during the tour.

Our tour started at Fort Canning Hill. At the Spice Garden of Fort Canning Park, the tour guide highlighted some of the plants and spices to us. I was rather fascinated with the turmeric though I have no photograph of it to offer here. Another plant that was highlighted to the tour group was the neem tree. I understand that it has antiseptic properties.

 Make a guess which is the Neem tree?

When we reached the Fort Canning Centre, we were given a special 30 - 45 minutes talk on Ayurveda. Ayurveda means "Wisdom of Life". This talk gave the tour participants a quick introduction to Ayurveda. I was impressed with the centuries of wisdom that had laid the foundation behind Ayurveda. It is not just a science of treatment, it is also a science of how to live life well.

Remember the neem tree that I had mentioned, the speaker from Innergy Training & Consultancy Pte Ltd was very generous and gave each participant two products by Himalaya Herbals. These were soap and facial cleanser made from Neem & Turmeric. Nature is wonderful. It somehow has provided for many of our needs in its own ways. I suppose we just need to have the knowledge to learn how to live in harmony with Nature?

During the talk, we also learnt about the three doshas (humours). These are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. I learnt that acording to their taste, different food will either increase or decrease humors in the body. One thing that was stuck in my mind is that I have to practise learning to take time to taste the food that I eat. There were times when I just eat and not bother to taste my food.

Our next destination was at a tranquil looking space along Geylang Serai. Here, we were introduced to Jamu massage. Somehow I could not quite figure what Jamu is, so I went to check out wikipedia and found out this: "Jamu is traditional medicine in Indonesia." Interesting, I learnt that many of the herbal medicine used in Jamu are natural materials, many of them are food that we eat.

The Jamu massage place that we went has a humble beginning. The massage place, Diva Elements Spa, lies in a cosy spot within the Malay Village. We learnt that the skill was passed to the owner of Diva Elements Spa by her mother, passed over generations. When she finally decided to open her own spa two years ago, it was not a fearless decision. I am glad that she perserved to share her special skills and set up her own spa. The owner struck me as a very sincere and down-to-earth lady. Hopefully, good traditions like Jamu massage can be passed down the generations.

Just outside the Diva Elements Spa, it looked like we were being transported to the good one kampong (village) days. Right inside the spa, the decor is modern, clean and relaxing. One is greeted by gentle tribal music and the smells of massage oils as one enters the spa chamber.

One of the male tour participants volunteered himself for an upper body Jamu massage. His feedback was that it was good that he wanted to come back again. Now the issue is that Diva Elements Spa does not take male customers. Thank goodness that he is married, and Diva Elements Spa can provide services to husband-and-wife who comes together.

In addition, Diva Elements Spa also offers post natal massage and even slimming treatment. It also offers foot-steaming treatment. The tour participants were most pleased when we were given discount vouchers to enjoy the Jamu Massage services at Diva Elements Spa. In addition, I thought it was generous hospitality that the spa prepared light refreshments for the tour participants despite the fact that it was the good month of Ramandan, and the folks in the spa were fasting.


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In case you wish to know:

Diva Elements Spa
No. 81 The Malay Village Geylang Serai
Singapore 409248

Tel: 67460041
(By appointment only.)

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The next main destination was at Eu Yan Sang in Chinatown area at 269A South Bridge Road . We were given an introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine. This Eu Yan Sang is also special in that it has a mini-exhibition on bird-nest. I caught a glimpse of some of the tools that were used in processing bird-nests. I also learnt that the best bird-nest in the world comes from Vietnam. Sarawak, however, is one of the countries that processes the highest quantity of bird-nest.

At Eu Yan Sang, we also met with generous hospitality. Each of the tour participants was treated to a sample of American ginseng tea.

The final stop was at the Chinatown Complex. This may turn out to be a favourite shop for the folks who wish to buy fresh herbal plants to use for cooking. At the very least, I have found out that this humble shop has a comprehensive supply of many kinds of herbal plants, imported from Johor Bahru. Each of the tour participants were given pandan leaves and stalks of lemon grass so that we can make a herbal drink for ourselves at home.

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If you would like to find your way to this shop, here are the details:

China Town Fresh Herbs
Chinatown Complex
B1-161

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You have guessed that I left the tour a contented tourist. Aside from being treated with generous hospitality at all the locations that I had visited, the tour gave me a quick introduction to Ayurveda, Jamu massage and Traditional Chinese Medicine. I would say that this tour is one tour to allow one to be exposed to the various healing practices that specific cultures in Singapore practises. While the time for the tour is too short to learn anything in-depth about these healing practices, novices like myself will find it a great way to have a snapshot of the various healing practices.

My conclusion, there is a wealth of wisdom in the Asian's traditional methods of healing.