Taiwan - tour, drama, e-rom books

Went to Taiwan in late June - my last overseas trip during these 6 months - but what a beautiful and memorable trip.

It was my first visit to Taiwan.  My misperceptions of the Taiwanese were debunked.  They are such helpful, gracious and friendly people.  Of course it helps when you are fluent in the Chinese language.

We spent 8 very fruitful days in Northern and Eastern Taiwan, using Taipei as our base.  We went to:

1. Eastern Taiwan (Hualien) - for 3 days to do 3 things: the East Ocean National Scenic Area cum Qixingtan, East Rift Valley National Scenic Area and Taroko Gorge.  Hualien is really beautiful - fresh air, blue blue skies and the limitless stretch of the Pacific Ocean.  Honestly I thought about relocating to this place to start a minsu biz. I met this very very affable Chinese tea shop owner who also happens to be a bird lover (member of the Taiwanese Bird Watching or Nature Society).  Had a great time talking to him and spending a leisurely hour sipping tea and talking about birds in his shop, opposite our hotel (Classic City Resort) in Hualien.
2. Northern Taiwan (North - Yehliu, Northeast -Jiufen, Jinguashi)
3. Taipei (Taipei 101, Guandu Nature Park, Maokong, Shilin Market, Ximending, Dansui/Fisherman Wharf, National Palace Museum)

It was a very healthy mix of nature walks, museums (outdoors/indoors), night markets, eating and shopping.  Pleasantly surprised to be able to visit wetlands and engaged in birdwatching as well as Chinese tea drinking.  Even had the chance of seeing bats and swallows fleeting above and before our eyes; not forgetting spotting snakes and being educated on edible and poisonous plants during our Taroko Gorge jaunt.  One of the most unforgettable sights was the Fanshuliao (the permanently formed rift as a result of a past earthquake that we saw during our East Ocean National Scenic Area tour).

As part of the preparations for this trip, I spent much time reading e-books (downloaded conveniently to my iPhone and iPad) and watching Taiwanese idol dramas.  It was a fantastic way of gaining insights and familiarity with the Taiwanese culture, lingo and way of life.  It made visiting the country, experience relating to the people so much more enjoyable and real.  I found that I could understand the idiosyncratic jargon/phrases used that differ significantly or subtlely from Singapore or PRC Chinese.  Of course, I must confess that my knowledge and understanding are confined to the pop culture aspect of Taiwan.  After all, my diet of idol dramas with all the eye-candy actors and actresses as well as e-Taiwanese Rom books may have given me a skewed picture and notion of the Taiwanese.  Maybe a little idyllic but good enough for someone who is there on vacation.

I am inspired to visit the country a few more times to explore other regions - the Alishan National Park, Kaoshiung, Penghu, Kenting ie the Central/Western/Southern parts of Taiwan.  Maybe, the next posting on Taiwan can be done in Chinese (yes, my proficiency has increased tremendously in the last 6 months).

A New Beginning

Didn't realize it's more than 2 months since the last posting.  Call it procrastination or simply, I am not the blogging kind.  I have actually found providing periodic status updates via my FB account an easier and definitely more accessible task than logging on to my blog. 

My 6-month break will officially end on 31 August.  Will be moving on to a new division within the same organization.  Old ties will be renewed with some colleagues whom I have worked together many years ago; new ties will be forged - both with younger colleagues as well as the veterans. 

I was asked if I have resolved the "issues" which have prompted my request for the 6-month break.  I thought about them - maybe not long and hard enough - and still find no ready answers.  But I am certain that there have to be changes in the way I approach things and people otherwise the so-called "issues" may return to haunt me one way or another.  My Pulau Ubin jaunt two weekends ago with a good friend gave me an opportunity to leverage some psychometric tools that may hopefully help to raise my Relationship Awareness quotient and understand my motivational value systems as well as those of the people whom I will be relating with. So I am countng on the Strength Deployment Inventory and Portrait of Personal Strengths assessement tests to help make a difference in this new journey.

A "new" beginning - in a new division, new work scope, new colleagues and partners - hopefully can contribute to the ongoing re-potting and rejuvenation process of intellectual & professional development while the SDI/POPS tests hopefully can help with the self-discovery journey.  The good habits & interests developed during the past 6 months (household chore exercise, cooking/baking, nature walks, kite flying) will definitely enhance the ongoing self-renewal process.

It's been a great 6 months of rest, rejuvenation and renewal.  Time to move on or turbo on? :)

Holidays, Nature Walks & Bread-making

I did the following during the past one month of absence from this blog:

Holidayed in HK (14-16 May 2011)

Visited Sai Kung, sampled the cheap and fresh seafood, took the green mini bus at long last.  Had a long walk along the waterfront, saw dragon boat training, floating seafood/fish market.

Re-visited Tai O Fishing Village which has changed substantially.  Had a really long walk through the stilted houses in the waters, saw the backdrop of mountains and graves, browsed through all the shops that were opened for the Sunday crowd and bought some dried squid for cooking soup, fresh prawn paste and dried sea cucumber

Walking tour of HK Island (Central & Sheung Wan) through the famed Mid Levels Escalator, Hollywood Road, the antiques and bird nest streets, Cat Street, passed by Man Mo Temple, went into the Western Market before taking the tram down to Admiralty

All these are places which I have never been in my many past numerous trips to HK.  Wonderful experience although I missed the chance to visit Lamma Island and the Geoparks off Sai Kung.

The entire month of June was of course spent planning activities and supervising my niece - it's her school hols after all.  We did a series of nature walks together.

Nature Walks (June 2011)

• Dairy Farm Nature Park - Wallace Trail, Singapore Quarry
• Bukit Timah Nature Reserve - Summit and Hindhede Nature Park
• Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve

Found that the niece has an excellent memory, keen observation powers and a flair for the natural sciences.  She helped me to spot many interesting stuff during our walks - bracket fungi, dancing spider/worms, squirrels, monkeys, pond skaters, mud skippers, birds, butterflies, etc etc.

Bread-making (May 2011)

In between I had my very first bread-making course at Creative Culinaire, Eng Hoon Road.  Chef Judy is really good and very informative.  She is a true educator and baker.  Learnt a great deal from her. 

Baking is definitely an art but also a very very precise science. 

Surprisingly, bread-making is very sensual or tactile - you really must learn to feel and sense the bread in order to create the most flavourful product.  Also learnt that bread-making is very culture-centric,  as with all other foods and cuisine.  The different flour used in different countries and the different taste buds and preferences influence the kind of flavours that one can produce in the breads made and hence the type of methods used. 

Best of all, bread-making is an art of living - the product is a live organism - alive and growing before your very eyes.  It does not require lots of sugar, butter or eggs (which is something I like very much). 

But because the Family is not into bread and my autistic nephew is unable to take too much gluten, I think my bread-making opportunities will be severely limited.

Minister George Yeo's last Media Conference on Tue 10 May 2011

I watched all the Razor TV video clips on GY's last media conference at MFA yesterday evening.

He was all alone in facing the press. The image was initially a little forlorn looking.  Is that what it means when a final decision is made to call it quits? 

Somehow it brought back all those feelings when I first announced about my desire to give up my portfolio and ask for a transfer as well as a 6-month extended leave break.  The sense of alienation immediately permeates the air around and formed an indelible barrier between me and the colleagues, peers and boss whom I have worked very hard with for almost 14 years.

GY put on a brave front and made a very short but personal speech.  Sincere, genuine and personal.  One gets the sense that he is saying goodbye to his friends.  I could sense his immense disappointment and thought I saw his efforts to squash that deeply abiding sense of "betrayal" (I can't find a better word to describe) from emerging during the press conference.  After all, despite his hectic overseas travel and larger national and international priorities and concerns, he has spent the last 23 years working in the same constituency while moving to so many different ministries and taking on so many different projects.  It must have hit home really hard that the past 23 years of personal efforts, friendship and hard work somehow could not overturn the strong political tide that swept through Aljunied GRC, even in his very own ward in Bedok Reservoir.

There were a few things that he said that were etched very deeply in my mind:

• The occasional need to "shake the box" - the present structure, system, processes and mechanisms of feedback in order to reach and engage the ground more accurately and closely

• His wistful expression when he uttered "I wish I had a mandate from the people of Aljunied to be a strong advocate on such transformation, but I don't..."

• His deftness in deflecting questions about his wish to be a "voice of reform" (which he changed to "transform" during the media conference) within PAP and when asked to identify the key factors that he would bring up in order to push for such transformation.   Somehow, I wonder if he has that sense of regret of not trying hard enough during the past 23 years to be the stronger unorthodox voice and free spirit that he is within the party.  I am sure being caught up with the daily and more pressing national and international issues for the government meant that something has to give and that is ignoring the nagging sense of growing disquiet and cry from the heart of the people and the need to get the political party to take action to address

• Lastly, he was so spot on in identifying the undeniable shift in the political landscape - both in Singapore and globally - that transcends beyond geographical boundaries.  He recognized the need to engage with special interest groups with causes that go beyond the GRCs that people live in.  I was so happy when he said that cos that's why I felt that the way the PAP government has been so dependent on the PA with its elaborate structure of CCC, CC, RCs and its huge network of GROs somehow has aggravated the political party's alienation from the ground.  I believe that are so many other ways to engage and align with the present day Singapore generation (and it's not only the Gen Y but also the Gen X and Baby Boomers).

I am also excited by the fact that GY will be embarking on a new phase of his life and that he is looking forward to planning it along with his family.  Singapore has to learn to deal and live with our decision and choice.  We have "told" him in no uncertain terms that he is dispensable especially in the over-riding national need to have an elected voice of opposition in the parliament.  We must therefore live with the fact that we have lost a man of rare distinction who could have continued another 5 years of precious service and contribution to our beloved country.

I am so glad that he is not running for elected presidency...it will be too limiting and I totally agree that he is (LOL) definitely not "temperamentally suited" for such a role!

I cannot forget the last image of him both on Razor TV and as well as in the Straits Times today on page A6 - clearing and stacking his papers before taking his leave.  I couldn't help but shed tears in seeing such a good man go...

Tampines Eco Green

Bioswales - natural streams

We have not figured out what these are for



Mimosa - yellow and pink flowers

Flush-free, Eco Toilet



Spider web!



View through a bird hide window

  

Post-GE 2011 Thoughts

I have mixed feelings about the SG General Election results.  I am glad that despite the emotive tide that has swept through the minds, hearts and souls of Singaporeans for the past 9 days or so (and one that at times threatened to turn into a tsunami), Singaporeans are still a rational lot.

We have elected PAP as our ruling government.  But we have chosen to have more elected opposition MPs even at the expense of giving up 3 ministers, 1 potential 4-G leader and another MP who has dedicated so many years of service in her constituency. 

Singaporeans have made our choice.  I only wish that WP will live up to its promises to achieve a First World Parliament in Singapore through its robust, rational & realistic approach to question, clarify, and as well as offer alternative solutions.  Alternative views should not be confined to empty debates, criticisms, lofty and impassioned words but they must be accompanied by well considered questions, push for evidence-based justification, presentation of sound alternative policies etc.  Above all, they must be based on shared values and convictions as well as a genuine desire to achieve the better good for all Singaporeans.

It's time to rein in all the ventilated emotions, calm ourselves down and heal the wounds and scars that have been ripped open during the past 2 weeks or so.

As Singaporeans, perhaps this is the best time to think hard about our Shared Values (what is it that we Singaporeans really treasure most) and together with the PAP and WP, forge a common vision anchored on this set of values to bring Singapore to the next level.

Why did WP score so well at the ground level?

I see real passion - a fire in the belly and a powerful conviction that resonates, connects and unites both the party activists as well as their supporters.

PAP has for a very very long while been very dependent and reliant on the PA & GRO machinery.  Maybe the first hard look that it has to take is the channels and networks that they have long depended on - to see if the people are there for the right motivations and if they are the best people to relay the real sentiments from the grounds to the leaders.

My personal previous experience with some grassroots leaders (very few I must say) left me feeling that this could be one of the key reasons why the PAP has lost much emotional connection with the people of Singapore.

Lastly to GY - it really pained my heart so much to see him go.  He is about the only Minister whom I respect and like in the entire Cabinet and PAP government.  I remembered thinking in the earlier part of the campaign period that somehow there is no one in the PAP camp that I can identify, champion and pledge my undying allegiance to...not even LHL, not until he stepped forward to say sorry. In GY, we have lost a very outstanding Foreign Minister (also our former MITA minister who has brought us our world-class library system that has won many many accorlades worldwide once upon a time).

As a citizen, I am very grateful to our leaders (past and present) for where Singapore is now.  I look forward to the new batch of future leaders (PAP or WP) to join forces together to lead Singapore and Singaporeans to a Better and Secure Future.  I pray for the same passion and fire in the belly (even if they have different political aspirations and ideals) to remain and grow in all our elected leaders and may they be really genuine and sincere in wanting to engage, listen and act on our behalf.

Likewise, as a responsible citizen of Singapore, I should not be contented with just voicing concerns but also have a willing and open heart to engage and connect with our leaders.  Constructive discontent can be a positive force to push up to up our standards and imbue a positive competitive element to help us do better.

To the defeated PAP team from Aljunied GRC - thank you so much for your dedicated work and service to Singapore!

God's Grace

Rainbow sighting in Gothenburg, 11 August 2010

Yesterday was my second service at New Creation Church that I have attended in 2011.  This was also the 2nd one in more than a decade, I believe.

I couldn't fathom what my good friend, BL, told me about how she has learnt and experienced God's grace after attending this church.  I could not understand what is so different about the preaching in this church as compared to the previous churches that I have been.

However, after going thro the Orlando trip and the recent spat that I had with my sister in which we both hurled pretty hurting remarks at each other, I realized that the reason why I couldn't do what I set out to do was because I was trying to do things on my own strength.  I could not accept the truth about God's grace and His unmerited favour.  I felt that such a message is telling people to continue to go about in their sinful ways and mindset because God's grace and favour will bless them in spite and despite of who they are and what they did.

Hence I was still very much on this "performance-centered" approach towards maintaining my relationships with people and family; perhaps even in my relationship with God.  I could not "proclaim" God's blessings and healing like what Pastor Joseph Prince said.

However, from yesterday's sermon and the message from the key scripture verses (Hebrews 12:14-29), I realised that by insisting on a judgemental and performance-centric approach to life and relationships and trying hard to be effective via my own efforts and strength, I have fallen from the grace of God and consequently, allowed the seeds of bitterness and resentment to take root in my heart and soul.  This has no doubt resulted in the consequent sense of estrangement I had both with family, friends and even colleagues.

Pastor Prince said that in order to pursue peace and holiness, we have to be in God's grace and love. 

"Holiness is the Fruit while God's Grace is the Root" 

I have to learn to claim God's grace in my life and then let His love transform me.  I very much would want to claim His grace and love on my family - especially for my sister and her children and husband...the healing between her firstborn and her husband; the trust and love of the mother as experienced and appreciated by the firstborn; God's protection on the firstborn; God's continued favour and blessings on her second autistic son and God-given success and good health for the youngest.