Day 1 Lunar New Year

First day of New Year.  We all dressed up to go to the boys' grandparents home to for new year visiting.  When I get in the car to start, it refused to start.  The car locked up as the anti-theft device kicks in.  What a shock we had.  B1 read the manual and B2 go to internet.  Together they tried to fix the car.  But no joy.  Finally, we decided to take a bus to my in-laws place.  Our boys are happy to visit and see the other relatives. 

In the afternoon, my sisters visited with their kids.  One nephew-in-law came.  My baby sister's husband loved the soup my wife cooked.  This makes her very happy.  In fact, everyone loved the soup.  It is a intense soup with lots of flavor and goodies in there - abalone, dried oysters, prawns, chicken thighs and sea cucumber.  Our signature soup is really hearty and delicious.

Scout Job Afternoon

Scouts have their job week.  They will be out and about to do jobs for money.  The monies are used to fund activities for the rest of the year.  My baby sister-in-law called her sister about her visit to my mother-in-law.  Once her sister heard this, she immediately dispatch her three boys and husband to clean up the toilets for her parents.  I was supportive.  It is good character building, I told her.  I sent the boys there and I cleaned up the kitchen.  Our boys did a good job of cleaning up.  My mother-in-law just sit outside keep telling her grandsons it is ok to be dirty, not necessary to be so clean over and over again.  I told to stop saying no and tell her grandsons what a good job they have done.  Instead she keep asking them to wear slippers as the chemicals are strong, or if they wanted gloves to protect their hands, etc, etc.  It is indeed difficult for her to praise her grandsons.  When they finished, grandpa make a joke "hey, no need to pay?" in Cantonese.  He does not know how to says a few words of appreciation to his grandsons even though his body language shows that he appreciated them doing the cleaning for them.

Luckily, their daughter keeping praising her boys when they are home.  What a good job!  You have done well, etc.  So our boys do feel appreciated.  Also they have a wonderful dinner totally cooked by mummy instead of the helper.  The food really tasted so different.  Okay, so good!

Roaring in AMK NTUC

The Fairprice supermarket in AMK Hub is so crowded at 10pm.  It is incredibly difficult to get around.  The queues are too long.  We have to pick up B1 as he has volunteer work as law student.  So we thought we will do a bit of grocery while waiting for him.  But it was simply impossible to fight the crowd.  So we gave up and decide to come home empty handed.

Counting Down to Spring Festival

New Year's Eve is on Thursday.  So tomorrow will be the last day of grocery shopping.  Will need to get items for steamboat as B1 requested for it for Reunion Dinner.  We are very lucky that B1 studies in Singapore.  Otherwise, it will be too expensive for him to come home for reunion.  I will need to do all my last min shopping.  Seems like most people are done with shopping.  Most of the mandarin oranges are sold out.  We bought the leftover - Pakistanis mandarins.  I still have a couple more items to buy for my neighbour and then we are really done and ready for Chinese New Year.

This year the new year will be short as well since it falls on the weekend.  Maybe some visitings will be done the following weekend.  The year of Horse is a galloping start!

Hong Kong People

This morning, I sent out a couple of emails to two Hong Kongers.  Both responded very quickly.  One is on vacation and asked his subordinate to respond and he did very quickly too.  The other is in New York and replied very quickly.  I am totally impressed.  I send out two emails and both have responded quickly even though they are not in office.  This is totally amazing to me. 

This may be why Hong Kong is so successful as a city.  Pace of life is fast and people take you seriously. 

Jetlag

Just one week and five hours difference and I am having jetlag.  I am up at 4am in the morning or 9 am New Zealand time.  It is now day 4 that I am home and I am still getting up so early.  The night sky is very cool.  I just step out to check.  It is cloudy and no stars can be seen.  The weather is so dry.  The soil are all dried up and cracking.  Our trees are drying out too.  They need heavy dose of water.

Soon I have to start making breakfast for my boys to bring to school.  The two older boys are lucky as their baby brother do not like to queue for during recess.  So we have to make food for him.  So we cooked for all the boys to bring to school.  It is convenient and I like to get creative for them as well.  It is fun to think of what to make so that it is not the same old same old boring sandwich.  I will make bacon and eggs today. 

Nice and Cool Weather

Since I returned from New Zealand on Thursday night, the weather has been cool and breezy.  It is really nice.  Wished this is the weather all the time.  No rain, so my plants need a lot of watering.  It is quite a refreshing change with the cold air coming from China.  This is probably the coldest temperature on record.  Even Mount Kota Kinabalu has rumours of snow. 

Chinese New Year is this week.  It is so amazingly quick.  Only one month between Christmas and Spring Festival.  So quick that we have to rush to get the new notes, buy our supplies for the new year.  The new year goodies are very expensive.  So I buy only those from supermarket.  I did not purchase any from Bangawan Solo or Q Bread.  Their prices are too exorbitant for my taste.  I did spurged on abalone.  Even then, I save by buying dried kind.  I did not buy any canned abalone yet.  Many options now for abalone.  More brands and even frozen varieties offers better value although not as cheap as dried kind.

I also get my supplies from Wholesale Center in Queens Street.  This year I spent a lot less than previous years.  It is so good to save and still able to celebrate well. 

Full of MSG!!!

The food is not bad but we are all so thirsty after dinner.  Everyone of us keep looking for the teapots so that we can get our tea refilled.  I probably drank 7 or 8 cups of tea.  It is making me very full.  We had kungpo monkey mushroom, tofu with crispy bits, sweet and sour gluten, mushroom with kailan, "roast pork" with sweet sauce, 5 types of appetizers and fried hor fun and fried beehoon for carbo.  My boys like the food.  Mummy did not like the roast pork.  It tasted strange to her.

Reunion Dinner

We have reunion dinner with our in-laws tonight.  I have to go vegetarian as usual.  I always cheat by making sure I am not hungry by the time it is dinner time.  So of the vegetarian dishes are not bad.  I do enjoy them especially the deepfried with sweet and sour sauce.  The family is at stable size in terms of the number of people but the grandchildren are growing up.  My two older boys are young adults.  So more food will be consumed.  I get to meet up with the other sisters' husbands.  I am probably the oldest of all the son-in-laws. 

My boys are pretty good with the traditions.  I am happy.

Weight Loss in NZ

I lost 1 kg this trip to New Zealand.  It is rare I lose weight during my travel.  This time I noticed the difference.  I ate only two meals a day.  I do lots of walking and on hilly terrain.  My calf muscles are sore.  I also ate more fruits.  So less meals, fruits plus exercise make a sure fire way of reducing weight.  I am happy with my weight loss.  However, I may gain it back as CNY is around the corner and plenty of wonderful snacks only available during this season.  Plus all the reunion dinners - with in-laws and our own can be very fattening.

I am so sleepy due to jetlag.  Will stop now...

Honey, You Cannot Pass

NZ's custom is very strict.  No food allowed to go in and honey is not allowed to go on the carry on bags.  It does not make sense as you can buy the honey in the duty-free and carry into the aircraft.  So this look like a hypocritical move to confisticate unsuspecting travellers.  Luckily for me, Singapore Airlines save my two bottles of honey.  I keep asking them to call Singapore Airlines and they initially refuse and I refused to budge either.  Finally, they relented after getting my boarding pass.  The customer service guy came up and take my luggage to check in.  So I was lucky.  I wished I have checked-in in the first place.  I hate checking in my lugguage and did not expect any trouble but New Zealand is troublesome when it comes to their custom and immigration. 

So please check and check when you go into and out of New Zealand.

Last Walk in Auckland

Usually, when I am unable to sleep, I will take a walk.  It is considered late in Auckland at 10pm.  Most places are closed including supermarkets.  24hrs convenience shops and a few kebabs stalls are open.  People are still walking around.  Couples buying some titbits and workers hurrying home.  It was dizzling lightly.  The Domino pizza place is quite popular as a number of patrons are waiting for their pizza.  I am all alone but it seems quite safe.  Some girls are also walking alone.  So it must fairly safe. 

At night, when everything is closed, the street seems very short.  I walked right to the end very quickly since I am not distracted by the windows and do not have to wait for traffic lights to turn to my favour.  So I am back at my room, surfing the net and writing my blog.  A walk in the cool night is a good way to end the trip.

Auckland, Mini Koreantown

I am glad the weather is good today.  No wind and sunny.  So it is nice to walk outside.  Plenty of people out on the street in shorts.  It feels like home!  Auckland is full of Asian resturants.  I had trouble with the food here.  After the meals, I have to go to washroom to release.  I cannot stomach the food.  It is not good.  Maybe it is the chilli sauce.  I had spicy and sweet Korean chicken and the effect is the same.

Nice weather makes a person feel better.  When it is all gloomy with heavy clouds, it feel depressing.

Auckland is full of Asians.  I think the largest Asian group will be Koreans.  Plenty of Korean resturants and pharmacies.   The range of Korean food is almost like Seoul and all congregate around the city.  The food servings are huge.  No wonder people are overweight including students.  Along the streets, I have heard Cantonese, Putonghua and Bahasa Indonesia.   There were also European languages that I am not familar with.  This is like a huge melting pot. 

I noticed the Korean girls here are not good looking unlike those in Seoul.  Hmm!  Cosmetic surgery or treatment?   Auckland is a quiet town.   I had a short chat with a fellow Singaporean visiting.  She finds Auckland boring.  Most shops closed by 6pm.  So it is sports, gardening or home maintenance or other stuff, even extreme sport.  I am not sure if I can live here permanently.  New Zealand has plenty of space, green and good air.  It is healthy living.  So the advantages are clear.

Ponsonby

Ponsonby in Auckland is place full of resturants and it is quite interesting to see the resturants set-up in different ways.  I had lunch in a modern Chinese resturant and the food is not bad.  A big slice of pork belly on steamed bun and two slices of pickled cucumber and hoisin sauce.  I think I can do this myself! 
It is rare that I venture outside the area near the hotel.  But the taxi driver assured me it is a short walk hotel about 25mins instead of 10 mins he said.  So I explore a different place in Auckland today.  As I talk to many new immigrants or students, it seems like New Zealand is an okay country to live in although it can be quite boring.  However, all the Asian food is available.  No fishball noodles or braised duck rice.  So maybe Bangkok is a better place to live except for their political issues.

Long Way to New Zealand

This is my first time taking direct flight from Singapore to Auckland.  Usually, I will go to Australia first and then I was surprised every time I take my flights from Australia to New Zealand is 4 hours long and 2 hours time difference.  So I leave in the morning from Australia and arrived late in the afternoon.  The Sin-Auckland is almost 10 hours.  3 meals available on the flight.  Going back home seems a lot faster as the time difference give the illusion of short flight.  Leaving at 1pm and arriving 7pm seems not bad except once the 5 hours time hours difference is taken into account, the flight 11 hours, longer than the opposite direction.

Auckland is still a very small place and everything closes at 6pm.  My wife just reminded me that we stay in the Crowne Plaza when we first visited Auckland for holiday.  Wow, I did not remember the hotel but remember we were bored and she was pressuring me to drive somewhere.  I am not the sightseeing type and therefore just stayed in the city.

Teck Ghee Market

I always thought I should check out Teck Ghee Market so many times when I drive along AMK Ave 1.  It was going to the Free Buddhist Clinic that I finally explore this place after picking B3 from school.  He need to eat lunch and this is a new place to find food for him.  There is a Domino Pizza and he tried the lunch deal of 5.5in personal pizza with coke.  This was not enough for him.  So he wanted a regular 9" pizza for lunch the next day with cheezy crust upgrade.  However, the pizza become too much and he has to save half for dinner to share with his elder brothers.

There is this famous Bak Kut Teh in the hawker center.  We have our lunch there.  We tried everything on the menu with 5 bowls of rice.  Total cost is $24.50, not bad.  The soup is a little too peppery.  The pork ribs are quite tough.  I prefer the braised pork leg which is very popular.  The pig's stomach is fine and lettuce is ok too.  The salted vegetable is not as good as other place.  B3 did not rave about this place as compare to Tiong Bahru market.  So I know which one he prefers.  Anyway, it is good we tried, B1 said.  And I agreed.  Otherwise, we would know.  Next time, I think we will get two braised pork legs and stomach soup. 

I wonder if Lee Hsien Loong who is the MP in-charge ever eats at the market.

B2 Went for Amazing Race

B2 and two of his friends went to Amazing Race in Pulau Ubin.  He is exhausted by the time he reached home.  He did not complete the race finishing 7 checkpoint.  He has fun describing his day to his two brothers.  The checkpoints are quite difficult as there are swimming, kayaking and jumping off 3 storey high into water.  I hope he had fun and plenty of chance to share his adventure with his friends. 

The Conquest of Happiness

I thought I will try to continue to the book.  I find it a little dreary at first but what he says is very true.  He is born in different times.  So he talks about women becoming independent and earning their own incomes.  It is time when women are going into the workforce.  The things he write about is so true.  It is still rings true today.  It will pass the test of time.  I guess this is philosophy!  The writings become classics as the thoughts and arguments are timeless.

Removal of Stubborn Pimple

I had a pimple on my back for years.  My boys squeeze out the blackhead regularly.  I know this is very personal but I am totally transparent.  Finally, we found a doctor who says he can removed it permanently.  He cut and try to squeeze it out.  He says it is very deep in and think that he may not have removed it all.  So it may return.  Sigh!  After enduring the pain of the procedure and 4 stitches, I may need to return.  On top of this, it is quite costly at $150 for the procedure.  Pimple can be expensive!

Tooth Implant

Today, I have consulted my new dentist on tooth implant.  I needed two teeth to be implanted.  They will last me for long long time, more than 15 years.  It is quite expensive but I thought it will be better than no teeth.  The technology today has improved.  Plenty of write-up and I learned the whys and benefit for implant.

I snack a lot eating non-stop.  Hence my teeth are prone to decay.  It is embarassing to admit in public but this is the truth and I know it is important to take good care of my teeth.  I brushed a lot and brushed well.  The problem is my teeth decay in hard to reach area.  So flossing and using tiny brush to brush between the teeth is very important.

Music

B3 is in the music class.  So we decide to try to see if he can go for the Music Elective.  Tomorrow he will have a written and practical test.  Mummy is working so hard to teach him the rudiments of music theory.  He is also putting in a lot of efforts into practicing his piano.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.  He is keen to do D&T, art and home economics.  However, he does those stuff at home.  Only music he has no desire to do on his own.  I sincerely hope he get into Music Elective as he is quite good with songs and love to play Glee music pieces.

Back to School Mania in Popular

B2 is having cabin fever.  Mummy suggest going out after dinner.  B3 has some stationery requirements.  So we go to Popular to get them.  It was madness there.  The queue is very long and stayed long.  Everyone is waiting patiently for their turn.  The store is crowded with parents buying stuff for their kids.  It is incredible compared to my time.  We have only a school bookshop and the bookshops outside are rarely this crowded.  Of course the population in Singapore when I was in school was 2.3 million.  Today, it is officially 5.5 millions and rumours have it at more than 6.5 millions.  With the increase in population, the crowd will be in all the places we frequent.  No wonder businesses keep growing.  The market size has increase on daily basis.

Chinese New Year is getting near.  So the Queens Street wholesale market is doing brisk business.  The prices are so much lower than any in the shopping mall.  I will continue to buy Chinese New Year goodies from there.  It is a good way to beat inflation. 

Therapeutic Massage

This morning we have to send B3 for his tuition in Albert Street.  So I have a massage to release tension.  My shoulder and neck is tight and calf muscles as well.  Cycling to Pasir Ris does take its toll on all my muscles.  They are sore and strained.  It was painful as the masseuse release the tension on my muscles by putting pressure on them.  I feel so tired after one hour of kneading on my tense muscles.  It feel so much better now even though I am sore all over.  The key is my neck and shoulder is not so stiff now.  The masseuse must be the right one too.  The technique and pressure could also cause problem and some time even injure.  I had a masseuse who was quite elderly and I assume from her age she is experience.  She wanted to adjust my neck and I agree.  I regret giving her permission as she cause my neck to stiffen and I have problem in turning my head after she adjusted.  I had to spend another $70 to go to a chiropractor to reset my neck back.

Most Interesting PTM!

Parents-Teachers Meeting is always a boring event for me.  Since mummy is so on-the-ball about the kids' matter, I am usually disengaged.  This evening we have our first PTM.  It was to explain about the Co-Curiccular Activities all the student must take.  I will be and was intensely bored.  Then I noticed a familiar figure.  I was not sure since I can see only a partial view and from the back.  But she looked familiar.  But still I was not sure.  But the mannerisms seals it.  It was my ex-girlfriend.  What a coincidence.  I did not have an opportunity to meet and greet.  Anyway, my tigress was beside me and she put me on a tight leash.  It was very interesting meeting after all.  Although nothing interesting happen, it is the fact both our boys are in the same school.  I was joking that her boy might be in the same class as our boy.  And it was indeed!  I cannot believe this.  It is Mother of all coincidences.

B3 Falls Sick

B3 woke up not feeling well.  Mummy gave him medicine before sending him to school.  Late afternoon, he sends a sms to tell mummy that he is sick.  So we send him to Mt Alvernia after picking him up from school.  He is in bad shape and needed to sleep while waiting to see the doctor.  He has fever, sore throat and congested nose.

The medical fees is scary.  Just for simple flu cost more than $100.  The doctor wanted to do testing and it will cost another $100.  It is so unaffordable to fall sick in Singapore.  I can understand the big clamour in the internet over our government failure on this front.  It is very hefty burden for Singaporeans to live in Singapore!  How can we get relief?  I will not be surprise if more votes swing to Opposition in the next election.  It will be very deserving for the incumbents to know the pain it is inflict on the people who allow them to be their leaders.

Accupuncture

Accupuncture in the Buddhist Free Clinic is one dollar per session, yes this is true.  It is so affordable that I decided to try.  Frankly, it is gave me relief.  I am happy with the efficacy.  I did not use my Ebene waist band after treatment last night.  This morning, I cycled and it is only at night that I started to feel the low back pain.  Everyday only 25 patients for accupuncture and one week a max of two treatments allow.  I must say the Buddhist Free Clinic is a wonderful social enterprise.  The Abbot who start this program is really brilliant and it is self sustaining now with proper income and expenditure.

Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic

This morning my wife was looking for TCM for her persistent cough.   Finally, she found this Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic.  It is Chinese traditional medicine.  Cost only $1 to register.  Medicine is $3.  Total cost is $4 for the visit.  The Free Clinic is incredibly affordable.  I have never seen a Christian Free Clinic before.  This Buddhist Free Clinic just register you with your IC(identity card).  They did not check if you are Buddhist or not.  I am really impressed. 

Since I was there, I also consult the TCM and have the cough medication.  Let's see if I can clear my cough.  They have a website here.  The annual reports for the past two years are there.  I like the history of how the clinic was formed.  This is good deed.

Nanbantei Again

We decided to bring B2 and B3 to try out the yakitori.  They enjoys the food.  We ordered two pork don, mixed yakitori don and saba don sets.  We also try out the cuttlefish and have 4 sticks of chicken wings.  We had a good time!  Then we go to Takashimya as mummy needed to go to Kinokuniya.  There is a Hokkaido fair.  B3 wanted to try a deep fried giant crab craw.  Then I bought a rice with king crab meat, salmon roe, shrimp roe and seaurchin roe.  My boys like it.  B1 thought it was too expensive at $19 for a tiny box but I thought it is fine since the Hokkaido Fair is limited time only event.  My boys did not think it is value for money.  I am fine to spend for them to try and enjoy unique food from a different island of Japan.

Dinner with my Sisters

My eldest and youngest sister come over for dinner.  It is our Christmas dinner.  We had salt-baked chicken and a full ham.  My baby sister brought shepard pie and a savory tart.  I also made cucumber pickle.  The meal went well.  They enjoyed the food and we had good conversation together.  I am very happy they took ham back.  It is a compliment to the taste of our food.  My two nieces are quite engaged in having conversation with us and nephew is also good. 

I am very grateful for this good family time.  Next gathering is Day 1 of Chinese New Year.

Nanbantei Yakitori Far East Plaza

After looking at the menu and salivating for so long, finally I managed to convince The Wife to try.  The charcoal flavor of all the yakitori is simply delicious.  There is a lunch menu, so you can try the food for $13 plus plus.  We had two set lunch, chicken wings, beef with miso and grilled rice ball.  Pretty good food for $20/head.  We were not too hungry and did not want to blow our budget.  After lunch, I had coffee at the Japanese French bakery in Scotts.  Overall, we had a good meal.  The family that ate beside us in Nanbantei also go to the bakery when we were there.  After evaluating the breads and confectionery, they left.  Maybe they are still full from their yakitori lunch.  Maybe they did not like the breads and cakes.  Whatever their reason, it is interesting to see the same group in the same resturants.  We are like bar hopping with them!

First Day in Cath High

So many cars going to school!!  Cath High is a real bottleneck.  There are two schools - primary and secondary.  So the volume of cars going to the school is just so many this morning.  I think this will be for the next 4 years since there is no school bus for secondary schools.  We will have to go out slightly earlier.

It seems like B3 like the school and no so stressful.  I am happy that he is adjusting well in the school.  We adjorned to AMK hub for morning tea.  We are very lucky that B3 managed to go to a school nearby.  Otherwise, it will be a challenge in time and petrol cost.  We used Prius, so our petrol cost is low and carbon footprint is smaller.

I am thankful that for Buddha's blessings.  Of course we wished B3 go to a better school but Cath High is not too bad.  More importantly, he is happy to be in the school.

Yee Kee Char Siew and Roast Duck

This morning, we were wondering where to go for lunch.  At first, we thought we will go for Japanese since my boys are not hungry and I had thosai for breakfast.  We debated over Far East Plaza which both mummy and daddy like or Liang Court which B3 was clamouring for.  We were along CTE when mummy suggested to pick up B1's suit from Queensway.  I used the tailor when I made suits for work in 1980's.  Now it is my son's turn.  He has to made suit for his presentation in school.  So we decided to go for char siew instead at ABC Brickworks.  Since we past the Braddel exit, we have to go to Bukit Merah exit in CTE.  As we get out, I realised there is another famous char siew stall nearby beside the Fatty Cheong. 

I called my eldest sister as she is the one to recommend this place to me.  It is Yee Kee at Silat Road.  The char siew is quite good although I prefers Fatty Cheong.  The roast pork is nice and crunchy.  The roast duck tastes good but a little salty.  There is a Foochow fishball and lor mee which looked very good as well.  We tried the Foochow fishball - 5 for $3.  I must say I was not a fan of Foochow fishball because they did not taste good.  But this stall's Foochow fishballs are really good.  Real fishball with nice favorful mincemeat.  So I impressed.

The pricing of the individual plate of rice at $5 for duck rice seems a little steep.  I think Fatty Cheong is better value.  One roast duck is $38.  B1 feel that the roast duck is better in AMK Ave 4 which I am in agreement.