"I don't like nostalgia unless it's mine." - Reed, Lou
The day was definitely autumnal today, the first hint of autumn, perhaps. The rain we had last night had cleaned the air, cooled the temperatures and the first lot of yellow leaves from the plane trees were littering the ground. We spent the whole day working in the garden and since a neighbour was ripping out some bricks, we went and rescued them from being thrown out. Good solid red bricks are always useful and they come in handy around the garden.
Listened to some old Spanish, French and Italian pop songs of the 60s and 70s today, so here is a sample of a few. Interesting how these songs have remained with us… I remember hearing them as a child while growing up and each is associated with a host of memories.
This is Jeanette singing “Porque te Vas?” a Spanish pop song composed in 1974 by Jose Luis Perales and used to good effect in the very good 1976 film “Cria Cuervos” with Geraldine Chaplin.
Here is Salvatore Adamo in the 1965 hit “La Notte” – a classic Italian pop song about a love affair gone sour. “Even if during the day I can make myself not think of you, at night I curse you… Night makes me go crazy.”
In the 60s and 70s, a beautiful young Egyptian woman called Dalidá took France by storm and sang all the hits of those times in French and Italian mainly. Here she is singing “Marina”, by Rocco Granata (1959):
“All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!” – Charles Schulz
A busy day today and all sorts of things to do at work but also at home. Seeing I’m keeping this entry short as the bed beckons too invitingly, how about a nice convoluted recipe, just right for the weekend?
CHICKEN LIVER PATÉ
Ingredients
1 kg cleaned chicken livers (no hearts)
3 carrots
2 celery stalks (with leaves)
4 sprigs of parsley
4 sprigs of rosemary
10 peppercorns
225 g butter
2 onions finely minced
2 teaspoonfuls salt
2 teaspoonfuls dry mustard
1 teaspoonful Tabasco sauce
3 teaspoonfuls Worcestershire sauce
1/3 teaspoonful mace
1/3 teaspoonful nutmeg
1 pinch ground cloves
1/2 wine glassful of dry sherry (or brandy)
Method
Clean the chicken livers thoroughly, leaving no trace of membranes, veins or gall. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the peeled, chopped up carrots, celery, parsley, rosemary and peppercorns. Boil for 10 minutes and then add the livers, cooking for a further 10-15 minutes, until the livers are cooked. Remove from the heat and drain.
Melt the butter and heat until it starts to spatter. Add the finely minced onions and stir through until golden brown. Add the livers and vegetables, stirring through thoroughly. Add the spices, Tabasco and mustard, stirring through thoroughly. Add the sherry and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Purée in a blender until the mixture is reduced to the consistency of a fine paste. Put the pâté in a serving dish and smooth the top, decorating with sliced stuffed olives and a gelatine glaze if desired. Chill for about 6 hours before serving. Serve with slices of crusty French bread. Enjoy your weekend!
"What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." – Confucius
Happy Chinese New Year! This is the year of the Rat! The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar one and is called the Yin-Yang Li = “sun-moon calendar”. All Chinese and Vietnamese festivals are calculated according to this calendar, which is the longest chronological record in history, dating from 2600BC, when the Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the zodiac. The Chinese Lunar Calendar is a yearly one, with the start of the lunar year being based on the cycles of the moon. Therefore, because of this cyclical dating, the beginning of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February. A complete cycle takes 60 years and is made up of five cycles of 12 years each. The calendar has twelve lunar months 29 or 30 days in length, with an extra month being inserted every 30 months in order to realign the lunar months with the solar year. The first month of the Chinese calendar begins on the second new moon after the Winter Solstice. The months are not named but are numbered. Thus the First Month corresponds with January/February of the Gregorian calendar.
The Chinese Lunar Calendar names each of the twelve years after an animal. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from earth. Only twelve came to bid him farewell and as a reward he named a year after each one in the order they arrived. The Chinese believe the animal ruling the year in which a person is born has a profound horoscopical influence on personality, saying: “This is the animal that hides in your heart”. The animals of the Chinese zodiac are: Rat (zi), Ox (chou), Tiger (yin), Rabbit (mao), Dragon (chen), Snake (si), Horse (wu), Ram (wei), Monkey (shen), Rooster (you), Dog (xu) and Boar (hai).
The celebration of the Chinese New Year takes place over 15 days. The first day of the Lunar New Year is "the welcoming of the gods of the heavens and earth". Many people abstain from meat on the first day of the new year because it is believed that this will ensure long and happy lives for them.
On the second day, the Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. They are extra kind to dogs and feed them well as it is believed that the second day is the birthday of all dogs.
The third and fourth days are for the sons-in-laws to pay respect to their parents-in-law.
The fifth day is called Po Woo. On that day people stay home to welcome the God of Wealth. No one visits families and friends on the fifth day because it will bring both parties bad luck. On the sixth to the 10th day, the Chinese visit their relatives and friends freely. They also visit the temples to pray for good fortune and health.
The seventh day of the New Year is the day for farmers to display their produce. These farmers make a drink from seven types of vegetables to celebrate the occasion. The seventh day is also considered the birthday of human beings. Noodles are eaten to promote longevity and raw fish for success.
On the eighth day the Fujian people have another family reunion dinner, and at midnight they pray to Tian Gong, the God of Heaven.
The ninth day is to make offerings to the Jade Emperor.
The 10th through the 12th are days that friends and relatives should be invited for dinner. After so much rich food, on the 13th day you should have simple rice congee and mustard greens (choi sum) to cleanse the system.
The 14th day should be for preparations to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which is to be held on the 15th night.
calendar |ˈkaləndər| noun A chart or series of pages showing the days, weeks, and months of a particular year, or giving particular seasonal information. • A datebook. • A system by which the beginning, length, and subdivisions of the year are fixed. • A timetable of special days or events of a specified kind or involving a specified group: The college calendar. • A list of people or events connected with particular dates, esp. canonized saints and cases for trial. verb [ trans. ] enter (something) in a calendar or timetable. DERIVATIVES calendarize |ˈkaləndəˌrīz| verb calendric |kəˈlendrik| adjective calendrical |kəˈlendrikəl| adjective ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French calendier, from Latin kalendarium ‘account book,’ from Latin kalendae, calendae ‘first day of the month’ (when accounts were due and the order of days was proclaimed); related to Latin calare and Greek kalein ‘call, proclaim.’
“Silence is a source of great strength.” – Lao Tzu
To those of you who have wished for a flood of words when arid, stony silence was all you got, my poem is dedicated today.
The Strength of Silence
Silence, says he, is golden, Words are silvern So speak not, for it’s more precious That way, the speechless way; For even in the account book of words, His mind on profit.
Strong, silent type, he is, Or so he would have you believe him be; A man of few words, silvern – remember? But more often the loud silence Of hollow ringing as each gold ingot falls on begging ears: Taciturnity now passes off for fortitude.
When evening fell, when night cut cold When every fibre of your orphan soul Was crying out for a flood of words, Brazen, leaden, wooden even – His silence (precious but empty, golden but hollow) Met your expectancy.
And in the darkness, as your heart froze His icy golden fortress of quiet Chilled your being even more. How strong, the silent type, How motionless, immovable, How unmoved, unmoving…
The strength of silence harder than rock, Sharper than scalpel blade, Colder than arctic tundra, More efficient executioner than falling axe. The strength of silence hides weakness, Crippled emotion, cowardice, egoism.
Shrovetide is the period just before Lent when people made their “shrifts”, or they were “shriven” i.e. made their confessions. Lent is a period of meditation, fasting, doing penance, preparing spiritually for Easter and giving money to charity. No weddings should be performed during Lent, couples usually waiting until Easter Sunday, a very popular day to celebrate a wedding in many countries. Traditionally, the 40-day period of Lent was also a time that new candidates for admission into the Christian faith prepared for their baptism, which occurred on Easter Sunday.
In England, Shrove Monday is also called Collop Monday, meaning the day on which the meat forbidden during Lent had to be consumed in the form of “collops” or “rashers”. Mutton collops or bacon collops were eaten on this day together with eggs. Merry making and the playing of practical jokes was also a custom on the Shrovetide days. Carnival as such was not celebrated in England.
Rosenmontag, or Rose Monday, is a German pre-Lenten tradition. On this day, friends exchange a single white rose, this explaining the name of the holiday. Rosenmontag is included in the week prior to Lent when Carnival is celebrated with parades, processions and masquerades. The Sunday before Rosenmontag and Shrove Tuesday are termed the “Three Mad Days” as this is when the carnival reaches its zenith. The main carnival procession is held on Rosenmontag (Shrove Monday) and the processions of Mainz and Cologne are by far the most famous and grand. In Cologne, the parade stretches for up to 7 km and is watched by 1.5 million people. The leading float is occupied by the Prince of the Carnival and following this are other floats, many coaches, dancers, giant dummies depicting well-known personalities in caricature. Brass bands follow on with riders on richly-caparisoned horses, costumed figures, clowns and girls who throw chocolates, carnations and mimosa blossom (flown in from the South of France) into the crowd. Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday”, or “Pancake Tuesday” are alternative names for Shrove Tuesday. In most Western churches this is the last day of the pre-Lenten non-fasting period. It was a day during which all remaining eggs, milk, butter and cheese in the house had to be consumed, hence the custom of making pancakes.
The term Lent is derived from the Anglo-Saxon lenctene, meaning the time when days lengthen. The Scottish term for Lent is “Fasterns” while the Gaelic and Welsh terms also allude to the period of fasting. In Latin the term carnesprivium is given to Lent and means “the time of abstinence from meat”. Before the fast, all foods forbidden during Lent had to be consumed and generally this was a time for merry-making and feasting. Carnival is derived from the Latin carnelevarium, meaning “taking away of meat”. Other sources link carnival with carnevale, literally, “goodbye to meat”. No eggs, milk, cheese, meat or fish are partaken during the period of fasting, a largely vegetarian diet being followed. The Roman Catholic faith has relaxed the requirements of Lenten fasting whereas the Greek Orthodox church still applies the same stringent requirements to the faithful.
Happy Mardi Gras! Have a good Lent. Reflect, meditate, pray…
“Civilisation is the process of setting man free from men.” - Ayn Rand
We watched an excellent Greek Movie by Nikos Grammatikos, at the weekend, called Ο Βασιλιάς - “The King” (2002). This is a tense, psychological thriller about what makes us tick as a “civilised” society and how civilised we really are in these days of high technology, equal opportunity and the supposed inalienable rights of the individual. The anti-hero of the film experiences first-hand ostracism by a small, tightly-knit community, simply because he chooses not to compromise and not to capitulate on what he sees as his right to his individuality and freedom of expression and action.
This film has elements of Greek tragedy. Tragedy in its primeval theatrical meaning was a situational drama in which the hero or heroine proceeded along a course of action even though they knew that the consequences would be personally devastating. This predetermined dance of destiny, the inescapable fatal denouement, the move towards the precipice, knowing full well that one would plunge down into the abyss, is what makes us squirm with discomfort when we watch a tragedy. We wish to cry out and warn the heroes of their impending doom, but no matter how shrilly we shriek, to their doom they march.
The anti-hero of the film is a man, just released from jail after detention involving drug use and trafficking. He has made a tough decision while in jail to make a fresh start and go straight. To this end he decides to move to his father’s village and live in a dilapidated house, which he restores. He is befriended by an unconventional policeman, but the rest of the village view him with suspicion and hate. He is the archetypal outsider, more detestable than even the migrant workers that the villagers take advantage of as labourers. His past intrudes when his girlfriend from Athens joins him, bringing with her the ghosts of his past who will upset the precarious equilibrium he has fought so hard to establish.
There are some powerful, gut-wrenching scenes in the film and some raw images may shock the observer reared on Hollywood-style, arcade-game violence. The film repels and attracts with equal force. The anti-hero evinces both aversion and sympathy. There is both a deep humanity and an inhuman savage mindlessness that moves the characters of this film. One to watch and ponder on.
The film is available on DVD and if you have access to it via an outlet that is more adventurous and exotic in its stock choices, it is worthwhile seeing. It is not a great movie – the cinematography and screenplay are not masterpieces of the art, however, the cast does a great job, the story is convincingly and poignantly evinced and the film raises important points about social behaviour, xenophobia, the “us and them” mentality.
“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” - Benjamin Franklin
February 3rd is US illustrator and artist Norman Rockwell’s birthday (1894-1978). In commemoration of this, I am featuring his work and life on Art Sunday. His art was recognised and loved by almost everybody in US and in many other countries around the world. The cover of The Saturday Evening Post was his showcase for over forty years, giving him an audience larger than that of any other artist in history. Over the years he depicted there a unique collection of Americana, a series of vignettes of keen observation, warmth and humour. In addition, he painted a great number of pictures for story illustrations, advertising campaigns, posters, calendars, and books.
As his personal contribution during World War II, Rockwell painted in 1942 the famous "Four Freedoms" posters, symbolising for millions the war aims as described by President Franklin Roosevelt. "Freedom of Speech", “Freedom from Want”, “Freedom from Fear” and “Freedom of Worship” are the ideals he immortalised.
Rockwell left high school to attend classes at the National Academy of Design and later studied under Thomas Fogarty and George Bridgman at the Art Students League in New York. His early illustrations were done for St. Nicholas magazine and other juvenile publications. He sold his first cover painting to the “Post” in 1916 and ended up doing over 300 more. Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson sat for him for portraits, and he painted other world figures, including Nasser of Egypt and Nehru of India.
In 1957 the United States Chamber of Commerce in Washington cited him as a Great Living American, saying that… “Through the magic of your talent, the folks next door - their gentle sorrows, their modest joys - have enriched our own lives and given us new insight into our countrymen.”
The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts has established a large collection of his paintings, and has preserved Rockwell's last studio as well.
“Because I have loved life, I shall have no sorrow to die.” – Amelia Burr
The sweet melancholy of our days colours our thoughts and dims the sunlight of childhood memories. Night falls early and despite the summer twilight that drags on, darkness with its velvet shades obscures the luminosity of evening skies as effectively as the curtain that falls on illuminated stage sets.
Here is the adagio from Alessandro Marcello’s "Oboe Concerto in D minor". Clare Schanks (baroque oboe), directed by Christopher Hogwood.
“I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert.” - Jason Love
A short blog entry today as I am travelling for work and I am rather pressed for time. Here is a recipe for your delectation. Friends of the family gave it to us when we visited them at their farm in Zürich.
300 mL of citrus fruit yoghurt 11/2 cupfuls of icing sugar for the icing ≈1/2 cupful icing mixture chopped walnuts
Method Grease well an 18 cm square cake tin. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy. Stir in the carrots, hazelnuts and rind. Sift in the flour and baking powder, folding into the mixture. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the mixture gently. Turn into the prepared cake tin and bake in a moderate oven (180˚C) for 40-45 minutes. Leave in the tin for 2-3 minutes after taking out of the oven and then turn onto a wire rack to cool. Mix the yoghurt and the icing sugar, adding enough icing mixture to make a spreadable paste. Spread on the surface of the cake and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
“That dire disease, whose ruthless power Withers the beauty's transient flower.” - Oliver Goldsmith
Vinca major, the white periwinkle is the birthday flower for today. It symbolises tender recollections and pleasant memories. Astrologically, the plant is ruled by Venus. The vinca is rich in alkaloids, making it poisonous, but this property has also made it useful in medicine, as it has yielded two important cancer-fighting drugs, vincristine and vinblastine. These are drugs that are now used routinely in many forms of cancer chemotherapy, especially as agents in the treatment of leukaemias, lymphomas, and testicular cancer.
This brings us to our word for the day, chemotherapy, which means:
chemotherapy |ˌkēmōˈθerəpē| noun the treatment of disease by the use of chemical substances, esp. the treatment of cancer by cytotoxic and other drugs. DERIVATIVES chemotherapist |-pist| |ˈkimoʊˈθɛrəpəst|| noun ORIGIN Late 16th cent.: from French chimique or modern Latin chimicus, chymicus, from medieval Latin alchymicus, from alchimia + mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin therapia, from Greek therapeia ‘healing,’ from therapeuein ‘minister to, treat medically.
Franz Peter Schubert (1797–1828) born on this day, was an Austrian romantic composer. German lieder reached their greatest expression in his beautiful lyrical songs, especially in the great cycles Die Schöne Müllerin [Fair Maid of the Mill] (1823) and Die Winterreise [The Winter’s Journey] (1827). His symphonies are the final flowering of the classical sonata forms, and the Fifth (1816), Eighth (the Unfinished, 1822), and Ninth (1828) rank with the best orchestral music. His chamber works include the well-loved Quartet in D Minor (Death and the Maiden, 1824) and the Quintet in A Major (The Trout, 1819). Schubert also wrote stage music, choral music, Masses, and much piano music.
Unfortunately for Schubert, chemotherapy in his day was not highly developed and the drugs used in treating some common afflictions of the past were either ineffective or extremely toxic. Poor Schubert managed to contract syphilis after an unfortunate and disastrous encounter in 1822 and died at the age of 31 of this disease. Nowadays, syphilis can be treated effectively with a single injection of penicillin (or other chemotherapeutic agents, if you are allergic to penicillin).
Here is some stormy and emotionally charged music by Schubert, his famous “Erlkoenig”:
Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind? Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind; Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm, Er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.
"Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht?" "Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht? Den Erlenkönig mit Kron und Schweif?" "Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif."
"Du liebes Kind, komm, geh mit mir! Gar schöne Spiele spiel' ich mit dir; Manch' bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand, Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand."
"Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht, Was Erlenkönig mir leise verspricht?" "Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind; In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind."
"Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir gehn? Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön; Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reihn, Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein."
"Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort?" "Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh es genau: Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau."
"Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt; Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch ich Gewalt." "Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an! Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan!"
Dem Vater grauset's, er reitet geschwind, Er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind, Erreicht den Hof mit Müh' und Not; In seinen Armen das Kind war tot. The Elf King
Who rides so late through night and wind? It is the father with his child. He holds the boy safe in his arm He holds him safe, he keeps him warm.
"My son, why do you hide your face so fearfully?" "Father, do you not see the Elf king? The Elf king with crown and robe?" "My son, it's a wisp of fog."
"You lovely child, come, go with me! Nothing but beautiful games I'll play with you; Many colourful flowers are on the shore, My mother has many golden robes."
"My father, my father, can't you hear, What the Elf king quietly promises me?" "Be calm, stay calm, my child; It is the wind rustling in the dry leaves."
"Do you want to come with me, fine lad? My daughters should already be waiting for you; My daughters lead the nightly folkdance And rock you and dance and sing."
"My father, my father, and can't you see there, The Elf king daughters in the gloomy place?" "My son, my son, I see it well: It is the old grey willows gleaming."
"I love you, your beautiful form entices me; And if you're not willing, I shall use force." "My father, my father, now he takes hold of me! The Elf king has wounded me!"
It horrifies the father; he rides swiftly, Holding in his arms the moaning child. He reaches the yard with great difficulty; In his arms, the child was dead.
"If I know what love is, it is because of you." - Hermann Hesse
Many years ago when I visited Italy, I listened to a song on the radio that enchanted me. I tried in vain to find out who sang it, to listen to it again, to search for more songs by the same artist, but all my efforts proved fruitless. The lyrics impressed themselves on my mind and some years later my brain begat this version after working on the remembrance of that Italian song…
Serenata As remembered from the Italian
The pagan tribes of Araby revere the sun The Saracens all to the moon pay homage. The stars and winds in blackest Africa are adored And I my love only your eyes do worship.
In times of strife all men the saints invoke In hardship everyone to gods does turn, In tempests raging the sailors Christ recall But I my love to you in my misfortune pray.
All slaves crave for their freedom sweet, All prisoners to loose their fetters try, All cagéd birds to escape their bars attempt, And I, my love, to you myself enchain.
To war, searching for glory soldiers go, To power king and noble all would sacrifice To miser more than life the glint of gold is worth, But I my love would for your smile expire.
Enjoy the rest of your week, and visit Sans Souci’s blog for the Poetry Wednesday tour. The image accompanying the poem s called “Moon Goddess” and is by artist Susan Seddon Boulet.
“Wine hath drowned more men than the sea.” – Thomas Fuller
I am reading a book by Pauline McLynn at the moment, in case you can’t place the name, she played the inimitable Mrs Doyle in “Father Ted”, and has appeared in numerous other film, television and stage roles. Pauline McLynn grew up in Galway, and first started acting while studying history of art at Trinity College, Dublin. She has written several quirky, amusing and whodunit novels (“Summer in the City”; “Right on Time”; Better than a Rest”; Bright Lights and Promises”) and she now divides her time between London and Dublin where she lives with her husband.
The novel I am reading is called “The Woman on the Bus” (published 2005). The bus referred to in the title is the one that runs from Dublin to Limerick in Ireland. This public means of transportation never troubled the inhabitants of the village of Kilbrody much, until a mystery woman steps out of it, marches into the pub and drinks herself into unconsciousness. She finally does wake up, several days later, and discovers that not only Charlie Finn (the publican who put her to bed) but the whole village are talking about her. Her mystery disrupts the village and although the book is full of humour, it touches on some serious topics: Alcoholism, infidelity, loss…
This author’s writing style is tender and charming with the Irish warmth of a perfect Summer’s day. I am enjoying the book immensely, and even though I have not finished it yet I can recommend it wholeheartedly.
You can hear Ms McLynn in a BBC interview, talking about this book, here.
“We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality.” – Iris Murdoch
I usually hate seeing movies on airplanes. The screen is too small, the picture quality bad, the sound terrible, the lighting execrable and the interruptions legion. So I avoid it. On the flight back from Singapore, however, I could not sleep and started to watch Matthew Vaughn’s “Stardust” (2007). I was captivated as I was in that sleepless kind of mood and felt in need of a fairytale. If you have watched “The Princess Bride”, “Willow” or maybe even “Shrek”, you will enjoy “Stardust”.
The film is a fantasy for adults (which precocious children will also enjoy!) and is full of magic and witchcraft, heroes and villains, strange beasts and delightful characters. The plot revolves around Tristan, a young man on a quest to find a fallen star and bring it back to Victoria, the vain woman he loves as proof of his love for her. The star has fallen on the other side of “The Wall”, a magic doorway between England and a fairy kingdom called Stormhold.
The cast is well picked and The three I enjoyed the most was Michelle Pfeiffer, playing the evil witch, Lamia; Robert de Niro playing Captain Shakespeare, a pirate with a curious dress sense and Ricky Gervais as a receiver of stolen goods. A cameo performance by Peter O’ Toole is also a highlight and the two romantic leads Clare Danes and Charlie Cox are convincing. The film is quirky and humorous, adventurous and bewitching and just the right sort of fluff to watch when you are in that “Fairy tale” sort of mood…
“The traveller sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” - G.K. Chesterton
One of the pleasant surprises I have had in Singapore over the years that I have visited here is the palpable development in the Arts scene. Looking over the past twenty years or so, one becomes aware of a tremendous progress and increasing diversity in cultural events and increasing numbers of art venues that are available to both local inhabitant and visitor. The National Museum of Singapore, the Singapore Art Museum and the Asian Civilisations Museum have all opened their doors in the last 15 years and they are now added to the more traditional art spaces such as the Singapore Art Gallery and the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay.
The range of arts activities has also been increasing, in response to a growing interest among the population and visitors. In the last ten years, total arts activities have more then trebled in terms of total performances and exhibition days. Attendance at arts events has also increased at the same rate. In the last five years, the Singapore government has invested some $120 million (US$76 million) per year in arts and culture. This amount goes towards supporting arts development through grants for arts programmes, the running of museums and museum programmes, and the promotion of arts and heritage in the community.
The National Art Gallery of Singapore will be a new visual arts institution, which will contribute to building Singapore as a regional and international hub for visual arts. This institution will focus on the display, promotion, research and study of Southeast Asian art including Singapore art, as well as play host to international art exhibitions. It will be housed in two colonial buildings that are being refurbished and remodelled to make them suitable for an exhibition space. The two buildings are the City Hall (built 1929) and the former Supreme Court building (built 1930-9).
With its Southeast Asian focus, the new National Art Gallery aims to be accessible to its visitors and users, in physical, intellectual, cultural, social and virtual terms. The National Art Gallery will provide a regional cultural backdrop, broad interpretation framework for understanding Singapore’s culture and heritage in the context of visual arts development in the regional and international arts scene.
The National Museum in Singapore is currently hosting a travelling exhibition, “Greek Masterpieces from the Louvre”. It features 130 exquisite artworks ranging from classic sculptures to painted vases, from the Louvre museum’s Greek and Hellenistic galleries, which are undergoing refurbishment. The Louvre rarely loans more than a dozen items from any department at a time. This is the first time the Greek artefacts have been shipped out for exhibition since they were acquired 200 years ago. The showcase, which has gone to China and Japan in the past, also marks the first time the Louvre will display its works in South-East Asia. It’s one of the most costly programmes undertaken by the National Museum of Singapore. A professional group of art handlers and staff from the exhibition, curatorial and conservation staff from the Louvre, the National Museum and its Heritage Conservation Centre will manage the installation of the priceless works, some which weigh between 100 to 460 kilograms, with the two tallest sculptures being 2.1 metres high.
It was a pleasure to view this exhibition and it brought back memories of visiting the Louvre, but also memories of trips to Greece where similar treasures are exhibited in the National Museum of Athens. However, this travelling exhibition is not the only attraction of the Museum of Singapore, there many more treasures to see from the permanent collections. These include some significant historical material from the City’s past, some excellent photographs as well as exhibitions on “living history” with features of fashion, food, film and Chinese Opera. A very interesting place to visit!
This is our last day in Singapore. We are catching a plane back to Melbourne this evening, so from Monday morning things are back to normal, with a Movie Monday blog. Hope you have enjoyed the travel blogs.
Here is a video that I found on YouTube that gives you a little taste of the diversity of Singapore. Once again I iterate that the varied mix of the population of Singapore is one of its most attractive features.
“The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.” - Hanna Rion
If you read this blog, you probably know that I start my day with a morning walk. I try to do this even when travelling and it is certainly a good idea, as adherence to some sort of routine, especially when away from home makes one more comfortable with one’s surroundings straight away. This morning we walked to the Singapore Botanic Gardens. This is a favourite place of ours in Singapore and definitely an attraction not to be missed when visiting here. I like Botanic Gardens much more than zoos and one certainly is more comfortable with plants being confined in a garden than animals being confined in a zoo.
The Gardens are situated within walking distance (about 30 mins) from the main shopping strip of Orchard Rd, but one does not see too many tourists here (well, perhaps not the ones who do all of their walking up and down the malls of Orchard Rd!). The Gardens were founded in 1859 with a mission to cultivate plants of economic potential, but soon plants cultivated for their beauty or unusual features were also grown here. The Singapore Botanic Gardens made a historic milestone in 1877 with the cultivation of Malaysia's and Indonesia's first rubber plantations.
At present, the Gardens have more than 600,000 plant specimens, cultivated in a massive 52-hectare site. This is certainly one the world's largest botanical reserves and a beautiful destination for the traveler in search of peace and relaxation as well as a fantastic introduction to the flora of tropical climates. The park provides a comprehensive introduction to plants in a variety of settings, from rolling lawns and orchid gardens to a tropical jungle. Other attractions include the National Orchid Garden, Visitors Centre, tea room, spice and herb gardens, and the eco-lake. A SGD35-million redevelopment plan is currently underway to make the park's plant collections more accessible to the public.
If you like orchids, there is no better place to go than the Orchid Garden. Although entry to the Botanic Gardens is free, there is an (extremely reasonable!) SGD $5 entry charge for the Orchid Garden. One is astounded by the amazing variety of orchids growing in profusion throughout the garden and the fantastic arrays of bed upon bed of flowers, exotic as well as native. Cool houses, mist houses, open garden beds, orchids in pots, in beds, on trees, on pieces of wood, suspended overhead, all are represented and provide an overwhelming introduction to this fascinating group of plants.
It is easy to forget time as one wanders around the impeccably manicured lawns, rests under the shade of magnificent trees and revels in the fragrance of countless tropical blooms of every hue. The cries of colourful birds overhead mingle with the trickling sounds of water playing in many fountains throughout the Gardens and the delighted cries of children feeding the swans and the carp in the lakes and ponds here and there. If ever one was to behold a vision of Eden on earth, one could not go wrong if they stopped by these Gardens.
“To live is not to live for one's self alone; let us help one another.” - Menander
It was a rather full on day at the conference today with workshops and discussions with the delegates. One of the good things about attending such conferences is that one gets to meet many people from all around the world, and these are people who share one’s own passions about the field one works in. The conference has delegates from all over the world, and even though it is primarily an Asia/Pacific conference, it has delegates from the Americas, Europe and Africa also.
I met a delegate from Nepal who is very keen to collaborate with me as she is in the process of redesigning a medical school curriculum in her University and some of the work that I have been carrying out could be used there. She mentioned that they have many people from all over the world working on the project and that it has so far been very successful thanks to the expertise they bring to it. I think it is fantastic that we can work together on international projects like this, which allow us to transcend national barriers and work towards a global common good.
Working in the academic field, I am perhaps a little spoilt as I meet people who are idealistic, devoted to teaching and learning, research, and of course are like me, citizens of the world. The question is, what strategy can we use to spread this attitude outside this select group? I think given time, it is not an unlikely or far-fetched scenario. At this stage in history the world is being threatened with many global problems that require world collaboration in order to resolve them. We are isolationist and non-cooperational, not only at our own risk, but also globally.
Our only salvation is by building bridges across the divides of nationality and language, by tolerating differences in religion and political idealism, by understanding people’s different needs and wants, by accepting that all people of all races have the same rights and privileges.
“The sanity of society is a balance of a thousand insanities.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Last time I was in Singapore was two years ago when I was attending another conference at the University here. I have visited Singapore on many other occasions before that. What has struck me this time around is the change that is evident. Singaporean society has undergone rather a radical change (relatively speaking, for this extremely conservative country). One still sees the T-shirts for sale in shops and markets that in a jocular vein outline all of the by-laws that prohibit certain behaviours (eg: No spitting in public, no chewing gum, no loitering, no smoking, no littering, etc, etc). This may have been the reason for the “manicured” appearance of Singapore and the relatively low crime rate.
This time round, I have noticed a distinct change. There is litter in the streets, people are beginning to dress more adventurously, body piercing and tattooing are beginning to be seen more frequently, a more liberal attitude is being taken towards what has traditionally been unacceptable behaviour. Personal freedoms have increased, to be sure, but at the same time this has made Singapore begin to go the way of Hong Kong, say, or of Bangkok. Still a long way away from the organised chaos of these two cities, but Singapore is not the Singapore of old.
This may be a good thing and a bad thing. I am certainly one to support the increase of personal freedoms; I think that if there are more avenues for personal expression it is a good thing, but also one needs to be aware that if these freedoms are taken to extremes, then the beneficial effects for the community may decrease. The more people are allowed to place “self” before the “sum total” of society, then the more one may see any individual’s contribution to the whole reduce. It is a fortunate society in which every individual is allowed maximum personal freedom, is able to exercise their right of self-expression and follow personal goals, but at the same time each individual contributes fully to society and the good of all.
I think that when comparing Singapore to most Western nations, one is still impressed by the more regimented, structured, controlled (and even contrived) way that this Asian society functions. Introducing elements of increased individuality, more personal freedom, increased self-expression will certainly improve the way that a Westerner views the fabric of this society, but how will a Singaporean react to this further shift toward “westernisation"? One must remember that the racial and cultural mix of Singapore is quite broad and a happy co-existence of all these different strands in the thread of society may depend to a large extent on a regimented, controlled and closely monitored lifestyle.
This morning I had to go to the National University of Singapore as I had to attend a couple of pre-conference meetings. The University is one of the magnificent achievements of this island republic and comprises a well-appointed modern campus with numerous faculties, schools, and departments. It is run on the British model and its graduates are well-regarded internationally. The Faculty of Medicine, where I am attending the conference and symposia is well-equipped and staffed and is associated with the nearby National University Hospital, a teaching hospital to which not only the locals, but people from many parts of Asia are attracted for quality health care and surgery.
The campus is quite pretty, the lush vegetation alternating with modern, comfortable buildings that are well-maintained and resourced. I think of the boons of being an academic is the contacts one makes world-wide and the feeling of collegiality and cordiality one enjoys when visiting other academic institutions in other parts of the world. My meetings progressed well and I was able to return to the hotel by early afternoon. Many of the tourist-associated activities, shops and facilities that are geared towards to the visitor have hours that reflect a holiday lifestyle (i.e. most shops open somewhere around 10:30 a.m. and close late).
In the afternoon we visited Chinatown. Tonight is the full moon and this marks the occasion of the Buddhist New Year. As we are approaching the new moon on February 7th, which is the Chinese New Year, the preparations for the festivities in Singapore will reach a climax. The Chinese calendar is basically lunar, its year consisting of 12 months of alternately 29 and 30 days, equal to 354 days, or approximately 12 full lunar cycles. Intercalary months have been inserted to keep the calendar year in step with the solar year of about 365 days. Months are referred to by number within a year and sometimes also by a series of 12 animal names that from ancient times have been attached to years and to hours of the day. These names in order are rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, fowl, dog, and pig. The Chinese year 4698 (which arrived on Feb. 5, 2000, by the Gregorian calendar) was the Year of the Dragon. 2007 was the year of the pig and 2008 begins the cycle once again with the year of the rat.
The streets and shops throughout Singapore are decorated with red festoons, lanterns, rows of red firecrackers, rows of artificial gold nuggets, peaches and mandarins, as well as other symbols of long life and prosperity. Traditional sweetmeats and other foods especially made for this time of the year are for sale everywhere and people are preparing for this springtime holiday (rather pointless in this land of eternal summer). We were rather shocked by the gift packs available for purchase in some of the shops. It is not a cheap undertaking! A so-called “platinum” gift pack containing special cakes, cookies, canned abalone, brandy, mandarins and other comestibles all packed in a leatherette box costs nearly $1,000 Singapore dollars (about $790 Australian dollars or $700 US dollars)!
In Chinatown there is the Temple of Budhha’s Tooth, a magnificent pagoda of many stories housing many a statue of the Buddha in a multitude of sizes and poses. On this occasion of the Buddhist New Year, the temple was full of people worshipping and praying, schoolchildren visiting and tourists thronging. Hundreds of red lanterns adorned the temple perimeter under its eaves and numerous floats with many a scene full of chubby children brought to mind the Buddha’s childhood. The market around the temple was full and noisy, a flurry of colours and a cacophony of sounds, jostling crowds and touting stall holders. Red, red, red everywhere red lanterns, red badges, red bunting and festoons, red decorations and streamers.
Traditional foods filled the market with great piles of pomelos (shaddocks, Citrus maxima), the largest of the citrus fruits, green and large as a volleyball. Mandarins, pumpkins and gourds, sweets of all kinds, cakes, biscuits and candies. Great bags of pumpkin seeds of varied colours, flavours and appearance, smoked ducks, pickled and cured meats, sausages and cans of abalone. The festive table need be full of fancy and expensive foods!
"Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all." - George Washington
Singapore City is the capital of the Republic of Singapore. The city itself occupies the southern part of Singapore Island. From ancient times, its strategic position on the strait between the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, complemented by its deepwater harbour, has made it the largest port in Southeast Asia and one of the world’s greatest commercial centres. The city, which was once a distinct entity, became the dominating force of this relatively small island (699 square km), so that the Republic of Singapore essentially became a city-state. The passage of time allowed the city to prosper and expand, and its commercial success ensured that the city is now one of the most affluent in Asia.
Singapore is also known as the “Lion City” (“Singa Pura” as this name means) or “Garden City,” aptly so for its many parks and tree-lined streets. The city has also been called “Instant Asia” because it offers the tourist a direct glimpse into the cultures brought to it by immigrants from all parts of Asia. While predominantly Chinese, Singapore has substantial minorities of Malays and Indians (as well as many expatriate Europeans, Americans and Australians).
According to Malay tradition, the island was visited by a prince who came from the Sumatran empire of Śri Vijaya and founded it, naming the city Singapura. Portuguese records also have it that the city was founded by a Śri Vijayan prince from Palembang. Sacked by the Majapahit Javanese during the 14th century, it was supplanted by Malacca (Melaka) but remained a port of call. Its modern history began with the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles of the British East India Company, who, in searching for a trading site, landed here on January 29, 1819. The port's growth was steady, and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the advent of steamships increased its importance as a bunkering station. Its growth was assured by the demand for the tin and rubber of the Malay Peninsula, for which the port was a natural shipping outlet.
Created a city by royal charter in 1951, Singapore was administered as a municipality by an elected mayor-council government from 1957 until 1959, when the colony became self-governing. After 1963 the administration of the city and rural areas was handled by the central government. Once a British colony and now a member of the Commonwealth, Singapore first joined the Federation of Malaysia on its formation in 1963 but seceded to become an independent state on Aug. 9, 1965. Today Singapore has close to 5 million inhabitants, most them living in the city.
Singapore's port area, one of the world's largest, covers 93 square km and the Port of Singapore Authority operates six gateways that provide facilities for vessels ranging from oceangoing liners to lighters. The Keppel wharves, which lie protected between the islands of Brani and Sentosa, are deepwater and contain major docks and warehouses. Keppel is Southeast Asia's major trans-shipment point for exports of oil, rubber, plywood, lumber, and spices. The port's main imports include machinery, textiles, and rice. The Malayan rail system from Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur terminates at Singapore. Singapore's thriving banking, insurance, and brokerage firms and its excellent transport, communications, and storage facilities have helped make it the chief trading and financial centre of Southeast Asia.
The traditional city proper stretches north and east of the port area and is characterized by low hills. Within the city run the Singapore and Rochor rivers, which are tidal inlets crowded with native craft. The original settlement north of the Singapore River remains the heart of the city; it is the locale of the principal commercial, government, and public buildings, the Anglican St. Andrew's Cathedral (1862), and the Raffles Hotel. Modern housing estates have cut into some of the city's traditional cultural enclaves, especially the Chinese quarter. Skyscraper hotels and office buildings now blend with the British colonial architecture, Chinese shophouses, and Malay kampongs (villages once thatch-roofed, now tin-roofed).
Singapore is an interesting Asian city to visit, not only because of its cosmopolitan lifestyle and fascinating mixture of cultures and peoples, but also because of its low crime rate, its good range of cultural and natural beauties and of course, as most people seem to think, the good shopping here. One can find all sorts of things to do in this city, as active or as leisurely as one likes. I personally like it because it offers the modern alongside with the historic, the Western married to the Eastern, the contrasting features of the best and worst of occidental and oriental.
One may choose to stay in the bustling Orchard St area, which is absolutely crammed with shopping malls, entertainment complexes and high-rise buildings. Another choice is the City proper area, with a more sophisticated atmosphere and quite a few historical attractions, including the legacies of Singapore’s British colonial past. Towards the port, an area full of business and the rush of traffic, as well as many offices and tall buildings. The island of Sentosa offers another place to stay with numerous resort-style hotels and a relaxed holiday-like lifestyle, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. One may choose a hotel in Chinatown, where the Chinese element is most pronounced, with many markets, specialist shops, traditional businesses, restaurants and temples. Little India is another district with its many Indian shops and temples. Nearby, many Malay-owned businesses, mosques and cultural centres, shopping malls and markets.
Walking around the city is the best way to see everything and one may experience an ever-changing kaleidoscope of images, sounds and smells. Freshly brewed coffee quickly gives way to a mixture of pungent spices and an almost putrid smell of smoked meat and stir-fried vegetables. The scent of incense and sandalwood is chased away by the sharp aroma of toasting garlic; tropical flowers redolent with heady perfume are quickly succeeded by wafting sewerage smells from the slowly flowing waters of a canal nearby. Multihued traditional saris are found side by side with the latest European fashions, the bright red of Chinese ceremonial gowns contrast with the simple white garments of the Imams of mosques. The chanting of the praying muezzin is interlocked with the tinkling of bells from a Chinese temple, while a Hindu holy man intones deep-voiced prayers. The constant hum of traffic is in the background and every now and then, one may hear the banging and clanging of construction, which is ever so prominent in many parts of the city.
So this Monday was one of wanderings and meanderings for us. A rediscovery of the City that we have visited several times in the past and which is once again as welcoming as the last time one has visited here. There are several offices around the City operated by the Singapore Tourist Organisation, and which provide excellent materials and ever-cheerful help from well-trained staff. One may obtain useful information right from Changi Airport (easily the best airport in the world!), or several bureaux around the City. There is a well-situated one on Orchard Rd, but also many others.
We started the morning with a good breakfast at our hotel and then walked for about seven hours (with a couple of stops, sure enough)! We are staying at the Marriott in Orchard Rd (OK as far as big hotels go, but rather too profit-driven and impersonal – I can’t complain as it was booked by work) and we decided to walk to Little India. We took a rather circuitous route and digressed up through the Emerald Hill area, which is off Orchard Rd and has some delightful old houses, beautifully restored. One can still find quite a few colonial buildings in Singapore, although the impression one gets immediately is of an ultra modern city full of skyscrapers and high-rise apartment buildings.
The vegetation even in the busiest and most central part of the city is amazing. The high temperatures and humidity year-round make for a greenhouse environment with lush results. Indoor plants that we cosset and struggle to keep alive at home thrive like weeds here, even on the roadside. Tall trees of a resplendent green hue, marvellous flowers of every colour and the twittering of birds remind one that the tropical jungle that covered the island initially is biding its time to spring back and reclaim the land on which skyscrapers are built.
Singapore's notable buildings include the Victoria Theatre and Memorial Hall, the High Court, the City Hall, the House of Jade, the Sri Mariamman Temple, and the Singapore Polytechnic. The government maintains a national museum, library, and theatre and the Van Kleef Aquarium. The international airport at Changi (opened in 1981) was developed on reclaimed land to the northeast. The Singapore Botanic Gardens are to the northwest. The National University of Singapore was founded in 1980 by the merger of the University of Singapore and Nanyang University. The Nanyang Technological Institute was established in the former Nanyang University in 1981. Tiger Balm Gardens is a collection of statuary depicting Chinese myths and legends. Other attractions include the Jurong Bird Park (opened 1971). Its 20 hectare area make it perhaps the largest park of its kind in the world. It houses some 600 species of birds. Sentosa Island in Singapore Harbour has been developed as a major recreational area; it is connected by cable car with Mount Faber and is also accessible by ferry, providing visitors with beaches, a golf course, and an amusement park.
I have been blogging daily on this platform for several years now. It is surprising that I have persisted as the world is changing and "microblogging" is now the norm. I blog to amuse myself, make comment on current affairs, externalise some of my creativity, keep notes on things that interest me, learn something new and to surprise myself with things that I discover about this wonderful, and sometimes crazy, world we live in.
I sometimes get the impression that I am on a soapbox delivering a monologue, so your comments are welcome.
