Stories from around the World
By Rosemarie John – With Singapore being a synonym for food-adventures these days, the island is booming in up and coming new and trendy restaurants. As more eating spaces appear, the demand for enthusiastic chefs increase each day. It isn’t a strange occurrence to find new eateries opening up every week on the island. Culinary schools have also found an...
Adorable but sometimes menacing macaques loiter just outside the Periyar Lake Boat Cruise entrance. Bold and unafraid of people, bags with food or any bag for that matter are their only targets. This macaque managed to snatch a bag containing drinks from a passer-by. Unfortunately with only one arm, it struggled to get the cap opened. With wit and ingenuity this...
By Rosemarie John – Eclipsed with Frangipani trees everywhere that one would think its indigenous to the Island of the Gods, Bali is known for its hot spots such as Legian, Kuta, Sukawati & Ubud that boasts a variety of shopping experiences for those with a keen eye for the exotic and rustic design. You would find most markets along the beach or a short...
Rather bewildered, travellers and locals alike have been discovering a huge blown up white rabbit all over Singapore. Finding it unique and strange, passer-by’s often stop to take a photograph with it. Called WALTER, this curious colossal bunny is the creation of Dawn Ng, a Singaporean Artist based in France. Walter was found popping up around...
One of the least known temples of Bali, Pura Masceti guards the island from evil sea spirits, an important role usually taken on as one of the nine directional temples. Directional temples are known as kahyangan jagat and play an important function in the Hindu religion of the Balinese. The main entrance of the temple faces a wide stretch of pristine beach, free of...
Jimbaran Beach located just south of Kuta is a great place to take a slow romantic stroll with that special someone! The sunset is also one of its best attractions apart from the many seafood restaurants along the beach to choose from. Pedlars offering roasted corncob, a favourite snack among locals is found in many spots along Jimbaran Beach.
With sacred springs and pools of purification, Tirtha Empul’s water is said to be holy and possess magical healing elements. Founded in the 10th century and constructed on a site of a large natural spring, the temple was built by the Warmadewa Dynasty in 926A.D. The Balinese people believe it to be a creation of Lord Indra, the God of rainfall, while its streams and...
The NTUC Income Kite Festival 2011 in Singapore presented by act3 International was held at The Promotory at Marina Bay, a weekend event themed with fun. It featured traditional and professional kite flyers while also providing room for everyday folk to come out and experience what it is like to fly a kite of your own. The obvious flavour of the festival were Angry...
The tropical sunny weather in Singapore makes a visit to the zoo ideal any day of the week, but remember to bring an umbrella and sun tan lotion as the sun rays can get pretty strong. With an open zoo concept, the animals are kept in spacious landscaped enclosures separated from the visitors by either dry or wet moats. The most interesting time to view the animals is...
Made from andesite, here stands a Balinese temple guardian or better known as Dvarapala in Sanskrit. These stone guardians are usually found in front of temple entrances and holy sites as a protector from evil. Dvarapala’s in Indonesia normally depict very fierce looking creatures with a rather bulky physique. Some guardians are often found holding a club in a...