Singapore Series: Shock Therapy! Part II of III

What better way to get over the shock than to expose yourself to more than you've ever imagined in Singapore? We can all learn from having a good mix of a little bit of everything. I came across heartwarming pieces of art displayed and handmade by children half my age in a mall in Singapore. This is the future of the world and we are living into it now. This is how I choose to impact the world through my stories in this blog.


SYF Visual Art Competition 2011 - Silver Award
Our Pledge - Handsomely Portrayed
Our hands join together to tell the story of our unity as a nation. 
The hands with different colors and faces depict the openness we have to one another's differences in race, language or religion.
Thus we move forward harmoniously like a symphonic band impacting the world.

- From the future of Singapore, Yangzheng Primary School

So let's continue the journey and I'll tell you more about my other Singapore finds and how I came across the exhibit in this post.

Things to Do in Singapore: Embrace Mixed Chinese Influences
We went hunting for Chinatown the next day and we passed by Pagoda Street. 


Interestingly, you’ll find a very old Hindu temple by the entrance. 


The rest of the street is full of souvenir shops for tourists. 


What made it Chinese for me are the red lanterns, Chinese characters, Bee Heng Chiang, the kind of trade that takes place and the Chinatown Heritage Center.

Things to Do in Singapore: Explore Other Hawker Centers – Maxwell Food Center


So far, I’ve been to the East Coast Village and the Lau Pa Sat and I knew that the experience was totally different. 


Aside from the ambiance, each food center has the best of something that the other one doesn’t have. The end thing being – I will go to Lau Pa Sat for the satay, the carrot cake and the milk tea. I will go to the East Coast Village for the chili crabs with mantou and the wanton horfun.

Things to Eat in Singapore: Laksa and Grass Jelly Soya Milk!
And finally, I will go to the Maxwell Center for the black carrot cake, 


the laksa, the chicken rice and the grass jelly soya milk. 


I just can’t get enough of that soya milk mix. It was really a winner thirst-quencher and hyper-maker!

Things to Do in Singapore: Bask in the Radiance of Buddha
We entered the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple just across the Maxwell Food Center because of the story about a real tooth of Buddha inside.



It was a calm and peaceful experience and what interested me most was the recount of the life of Buddha in one of the exhibits on the upper floors. 


I spent a considerable amount of time alone reading through the history I’ve learned in college and about the enlightenment I was experiencing on the boards. 


It was one of the most enjoyable and peaceful encounters I had in a place of worship.

Things to Do in Singapore: Talk to Children When You’re in Singapore
I was looking for some techie stuff in the mall when we noticed children in their school uniforms standing guard beside their art projects. We wouldn’t have stopped in our hurry if this little boy hadn’t approached us and asked us politely if we wanted to hear what he had to say. 


He told us about this handmade ceramic piece that he and his classmates made from scratch. His explanation about his contribution – the Durian bird – was a tribute to the love and his favorite durian that his family showered him at the time when he had difficulty conceptualizing about his kind of bird for the project. 


There were birds of all shapes and sizes and the audience interprets the harmony and music of the orchestra in different ways.

Even children have something inspiring to say about harmony in race, culture and whatever difference we may have. It all comes together with love.

A Palette of Orchestra
We love looking at the beautiful and colorful birds and hearing their sweet chirpings at the Bird Park. The experience reminds us of the Chinese saying “美丽如画.”

- From the future of Singapore, Nan hua Primary School