_colour my life_ my monologue

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

It's the final moments of May, and my fondest memory of this awesome month (perhaps the whole year, perhaps even life) will undoubtedly be my 21st birthday! I celebrated this milestone with my closest friends and family from every moment in my life, at Once Upon A Milkshake in Tanjong Pagar. It was just 3 hours, but in that time, I was reminded of how truly blessed I am - with abundant love and treasured friendship that God has blessed me with (: It was also a reminder of all that I have been blessed with in my 21 years of life, and of why I have chosen the idealistic path I'm taking - to use what I have been blessed with to help make the world a better place. Thank you everyone for making my 21st so awesome! ♥

With the homies (:

With 05V13 friends (:

With 07S41 friends (:

With VJC Drama friends (:

With SHPS friends (:

With church friends (:

With my parents and spiritual grandparents (:

a moment in time.
23:26

Monday, May 30, 2011

May Days - May has always been my favourite month (second is December with Christmas and the holiday season!), and the first thing that comes to mind now is that it has passed so fast. Good things come to an end, but I'm glad that May has been such an awesome month - spending quality time with great friends, taking time out to explore the city, finding time to appreciate art and the beauty of the people and world around me, and of course, celebrating my 21st birthday! But that's for another time.

Here, I look back at a simply awesome month - simple joys, simple moments that made me smile! As always (recently), the stories are told in photos - intertwining stories and subtle joys that can be expressed best in pictures that capture the moment.

The first memories are spending a day out at the museums with Joanne, exploring the Biennale venues I missed out on. In the intense May heat, I was starkly reminded of the importance of air-con in Singapore. I love air-con. I could and do live without it, of course, and I have, in NS and home, but I just love the feel of cool air as you enter a building from the stifling heat beyond. It definitely makes appreciating finer things (art, music, theatre, cuisines) so much easier and changes the whole perspective. This stands in contrasting comparison to the crazy hot day at the Biennale in Old Kallang Airport.

Check out my favourite sign from Strictly Pancakes!

They are triplets! Talking about growing up beyond similarities, having individual personalities and styles while having that connection. It was an eye-opener, because I'm an only child.

The Singapore Art Museum!

Looking into a black-and-white office.

Yay! (:

My third time at the Biennale was with Beatrice, to revisit Old Kallang Airport. The weather was as crazy hot as before, so that didn't help much. However, we took a trip to the museums where I got to finally explore the underground National Museum exhibits - so in the end, I did see everything the Biennale had to offer! I really did enjoy the Biennale; the variety of origins, media, styles and subtle meanings behind the pieces were refreshing, especially in a nation that, while starting to find some light in art, has mostly turned its back on contemporary art until now.

Popcorn frames (:

I submitted a similar photo to the Biennale for fun, titled "The City's Been Dead, Since You've Been Gone". (Title taken from The City by Dismemberment Plan.)

A shot of the playground in a cardboard apartment block!

Don't worry, be happy! :D

A look at floating towns and villages.

The most epic day I had in May was spent exploring the city with Shakura! We travelled from Duxton Hill and Ann Siang Hill to the Singapore River and Marina Bay. We found little treasures all around - shophouses, bookstores, cakeshops, tree-lined avenues...

On Duxton Hill.

Littered with Books.

On Ann Siang Hill.

By the Singapore River at Robertson Quay!

Wonder Full at Marina Bay :D

Of course, May is an awesome month for birthdays, because mine's in there too! :D

My "twin", Ivie (:

My bubble tea friends, Beatrice and Qianyu, celebrating Qianyu's 21st (: I also hosted her birthday with her haha that was quite fun and funny too!

After three months in Travelogy as Explorer-Writer, I left my job to take a break before university. My time there has been enriching, refreshing and eye-opening. My colleagues were lovely, funny people who really took care of me and helped me to learn so much about working life! To have worked in a fast-paced startup is really engaging, and I enjoyed going on thought-tours of Singapore and beyond as I wrote my articles and crafted itineraries and walks. My articles are still here: http://comesingapore.com/user/profile/markhsx.

I end with a few shots of Tanjong Pagar and Ann Siang Hill I took after travelling down from lunch at NUS with Qianyu on her birthday (: The sky was deep blue and really reminded me of travelling overseas and I got some great shots from just walking around. The freedom was indeed refreshing! I especially love the last photo!

a moment in time.
23:17

Sunday, May 01, 2011

A Road Trip in Ten Pictures.

This weekend, I headed to Malacca with Maoqian and Najib, on a geographers' roadtrip! :D

Leaving Singapore in the late afternoon, and after 5 hours on the road, we arrive in Malacca at 9pm, which is for all three of us a distant memory.

(Sungei Melaka)

The first order of the evening is food, and we head right into the chaotic, yet authentic, slice of Malacca that is Jonker Walk. The night market is teeming, with visitors from all over who have come to enjoy the long weekend here.

(Jonker Walk)

We escape the madness into a coffeeshop, where our first meal in Malacca is some of the best chendol I've ever had, accompanied by assam laksa and rice noodles.

(Jonker 86)

We finally arrive at our highlight destination - the eponymous Geographer Cafe! This is widely regarded as the best cafe in Malacca, with great live music and a casual ambience right in the heart of Jonker. The iconic globe, old maps, old photographs and name speak for itself.

(Geographer Cafe)

We take a walk through Chinatown, where the streets and shophouses have been cast in red light. We try to find a place to stay, but to no avail.

(Chinatown)

We end up by the river again, and contemplate our fates. An hour-long foot massage, drinks at the Geographer, and a walk through Malacca's heritage district past midnight, and we're back in the car - our room for the night.

(Sungei Melaka)

A breakfast of prata and teh tarik is followed by a brisk stroll through the same route we took the night before, only with no crowds, but still with long queues at the chicken rice ball stalls.

(Stadhuys)

The Geographer Cafe is no less iconic in daytime.

(Geographer Cafe)

Heading back home, we pass by the heart of Malacca's historic quarter for the last time on our journey. The red architecture are the most striking images I have of the town - uniquely quaint and picturesque.

(Stadhuys and Christ Church Melaka)

Finally, we send postcards home from Malacca!

a moment in time.
22:26