Singapore and Mid-Autumn Harvest

Hi lovely readers

The second week of September was very busy in Singapore. The city was hosting many different events in relation to different occasions like Mid-Autumn Festival; Mosaic Jazz Festival; Comedy Masala Stand-Up Comedy and Singapore international Festival of Arts. All tempting so I've decided not to miss any of it and headed to its glance.

Monday, the 8th of September, Marina Gardens was warping up the Mid-Autumn festival and Mooncake sinful consuming month with the enlightened sculptures placed around the garden's patios.

Mid-Autumn festival usually falls every year during mid of September to celebrate the moon at its roundest and brightest. The festival is an inherited custom of moon sacrificial ceremonies. The ancient Chinese observed that the movement of the moon had a close relationship with changes of the seasons and agricultural production. Hence, to express their thanks to the moon and celebrate the harvest, they offered a sacrifice to the moon on autumn days. This custom could be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046 - 256 BC).

On the festival day, family members gather to offer sacrifice to the moon, appreciate the bright full moon, eat moon cakes, and express strong yearnings toward family members and friends who live afar.



The Moon Cake is the special food of Mid-Autumn Festival.

On that day, people sacrifice moon cakes to the moon as an offering and eat them for celebration. The moon cakes are round, filled with lotus paste and whole egg yolks, therefore symbolizing the reunion of a family. So it is easy to understand how the eating of moon cakes under the round moon can evoke longing for distant relatives and friends.

Nowadays, people present moon cakes to relatives and friends to demonstrate that they wish them a long and happy life.

Tuesday, 9th September,
was marked with the performance of the jazz icon Herbie Hancock, under the organization of Mosaic Jazz Festival.

There is no need to say anything else than the concert was absolute blast and joy. Herbie was surrounded with four different keyboards and fortepiano. The band was the jazz celebrity gathering so the overall performance was incredible "state of the art". Herbie combined old and new, classic and electronic, contemporaneous and gospel, native African and r&b, new age and acid jazz. He made us trough all his 50 years of stage, with ease and humbles. He shared his beautiful personality and sense of humour. We were here to hear the alternatives to his Watermelon Man; Run to Me and classics like Take Five or Caravans. He had run over the concert time for an hour what I have never experienced in Esplanade Theatres. 

Thank you Herbie Hancock with all my jazz hart.

Wednesday, 10th September,
was all in laugh. The Comedy Masala had hosted the comedians arriving from USA. In an hour and a half we have heard a lot of real life stories represented with humor. Comedy Masala is usually good to cheer up so it didn't fail this time as well.

Thursday, 11th September,
a day before weekend getaways, passed in Singapore International Festival of Arts.  This festival celebrates its 37th year and it's usually packed with alternative theatre plays, dance, film, talks and workshops. It usually last for a month, from end of August till the end of September. I've decided to see the play 'Amid the Clouds', written and directed by Iranian brake-trough play-writer Amir Reza Koohestani.

The play is about refugees from Iran looking for a shelter in England, UK. The drama sits in their attempts to cross all the borders and distractions after arriving to Balkans to reach the UK during the Serbo-Croatian war. The play gives an oversight of the universal need to survive. Very strong and symbolic.

Well, I must say we had a lot to follow up this week.

Now, the weekend is ahead...and let see what we can do about :)

Hope you have enjoyed your week as well and that you're looking forward to the weekend.

Greetings from Singapore

Eva :)

Cavalia in Singapore

Hello lovely readers

Trough month of September Singapore is hosting Cavalia, a circus show performed by acrobats and horses http://www.cavalia.net/en/cavalia-show/about-show
The show was first performed in Canada, more than 20 years ago and it keeps its tradition of great performance and elegance. It grooms 50 horses which are in average 12 years old.
Their appearance on the stage is beautiful and gracious. True way of  showing the fantasy world.

The show is superb. It represent a mix of circus act and ballet trough acrobats' interaction with the horses. 

The scenery travels from mystique of Sahara desert to north Americas highlands, African jungle, Caucasus and Balkans, Europe and Far East, accompanied by the New Age music played alive at the background of the stage.

The horse keepers look like Legolas, the elf character in the movie Lords of the Ring.

Acrobats are coming from different parts of the world and representing the circus skills based on the folklore of the countries they represent.

The part after intermission (30min) it's estonishing by the performance of the trapeze acrobats. The ladies are stunning .

The show is dynamic, rich, colorful, entertaining and professional. I'm glad that Singapore hosted it.
Hope you'll have the occasion to see it.

Singapore Repertory Theatre and Mies Julie

Hi lovely people

Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) in cooperation with DBS Arts Centre, located along the Robertson Quay in Singapore, is presenting the Mies Julie, a play produced and performed by Baxter Centre at the University of Cape Town in association with South Africa Theatre.

Written and directed by Yael Farber, named as Artist of the Year 2003 in her native South Africa, Mies Julie is a controversial, vibrant, intensive and hard-hitting play. Director describes it as text articulating the fears, desires, resentments...

I would add the notion of freedom, search for identity, self recognition, love&hate relationship, despair, survival, heritage, pride, family, history, politics, apartheid, hypocrisy, clash of material and spiritual, religion, search for happiness, human rights, suffering....

Director's words of invitation say:
"We welcome you into the heat of Vaneen Plaa's Kitchen."

 "We hope its truths might speak to you not only of South Africa's complexity - but the unaddressed ghosts of any nation waiting to be acknowledged."

"Over as single night, a young woman and her father's servant strip away the layers that protected and kept them form each-other until now."

The play is driven by element of surprise. It shocks with abrupt changes of the tone and movement. The actors move like parkour athletes and gracious lovers in the same time.

The language is strong with the accents determined by the origin and heritage. The scenes are powerful, filled with physical interaction insinuating sex, passion and lust.

Each scene is wrapped in a symbol given in color, tool or light.

It ends in catharsis and leaves the witnesses in drama to listen the song of the sitting ghosts.

In all regards this play deserves international awards and tags like Top Ten Productions of 2012 given by the New York Times and 5th Best Production of 2012 by the Guardian.

For a Singaporean stage this play represents a brave getaway. I truly enjoyed to witness something controversial and alternative.

This is a must see play.

Hope that you'll have a chance.

:)

Eva

Footnotes:

photos: by Eva Kucich taken from the brochure about the play "Mies Julie" and shooting the allowed scenes on the stage

description: utilised fragments of the brochure about the play "Mies Julie" 

Musical Rock of Ages

Hi lovely readers,

during past month, theatre at Resort World Senotsa in Singapore, hosted the musical Rock of Ages.

The musical was produced by the book of Chris D'Arienzo and it was originally opened on Broadway during 2009. It was nominated for several Tony Awards.

It is sparkling, funny, full of rock and heavy metal music from '80 revoking the heavy metal sub-culture in the clubs of Los Angeles. Thus, the "sex, drug & rock-and-roll" was presented with a good sense of humour and trough the story of a small town girl, arriving to Sunset Strip in Los Angeles and meeting the rock world in the LA's most famous rock club (http://www.broadway.com/shows/rock-of-ages/story/ )    

 

The Rock of Ages Band (Conductor/Piano by Marshal Keating; Guitar 1 by Aureleien Budynek; Guitar 2 by Madox;  Drums by Jason Gianni and Bass by Ivan "Funkyboy" Bodley) made a great performance, rich of heavy-metal sound and acting. Some of very popular songs like "It's the Final Countdown" or "Wanted Dead or Alive" were performed to go with the story.

 

 

The more than two hours performance passed in a great entertainment.

Have a look the trailer uploaded on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF05VKU7bV8 

 

Here the review is published  http://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/what-s-on/what-s-on-in-mk/theatre-review-rock-of-ages-1-6247989

 

The musical is on its tour so if passes your place, I recommend to watch it :)

Have Fun

:)

Eva

Singapore Jungle Walk

Hi

I'm happy to share that Singapore preserves few places for the nature lovers.

Those places are know as MacRitchie Reservoir and Bukit Tima Nautre Reserve.

Both parks are located at the North Central side of the island and are placed next to each other so, for those looking to explore alternative routes and jungle walks, the one could be reached from another :).

This map represents the MacRitchie to Bukit Timah jungle walk link:

 

This one represents around MacRitchie Reservoir route :) jungle trail and boardwalk combined

Both routes are around 12km long and maintained in jungle environment :) So, for that reason these make great local getaways from Singaporean urban jungle to the nature one :)

 

To say is that before the early 19th century, most of the Singapore main island was covered by primary forest. Soon after the British established a settlement in Singapore in 1819 and commercial activity took root, there was a demand for fresh water. However, it was decades before the settlement's first fresh water supply was established. 

Therefore, MacRitchie Reservoir (Chinese: 麦里芝蓄水池, Pinyin: Maìlǐzhī Xùshuǐchí) is Singapore's oldest reservoir. The reservoir was completed in 1868 by impounding water from an earth embankment, and was then known as the Impounding Reservoir or Thomson Reservoir.

The development of the MacRitchie Reservoir brought the forest devastation around the area to a halt. The forest surrounding the reservoir has been protected as a water catchment reserve.

 There are boardwalks skirting the edge of the scenic MacRitchie Reservoir and walking trails through the forest. Interpretative signboards along the boardwalks allow for a self-guided tour along the fringes of the MacRitchie jungle forest.

The boardwalk around the perimeter of the MacRitchie Reservoir brings the visitor through interesting secondary forest in the Central Catchment nature area which confines with Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. 

The boardwalk which hugs the reservoir also allows for easy exploration of freshwater wildlife. 

In addition to the boardwalk, another popular attraction is the HSBC TreeTop Walk, a 250 m aerial free standing suspension bridge spanning Bukit Peirce and Bukit Kalang which are the two highest points in MacRitchie. The bridge was completed in July 2004, and the TreeTop Walk was officially launched on 5 November 2004. The structure, which is 25 m at its highest point, offers visitors a panoramic view of Upper Peirce Reservoir and the surrounding lush rainforest. Jelutong Tower also offers a view of the Singapore Island Country Club golf course and the MacRitchie Reservoir.

Continuing from the TreeTop Walk the trail allows a detour to Bukit Tima Nature Reserve.

The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a small 1.64 square kilometre (400 acre) nature reserve near the geographic centre of the city-state of Singapore, located on the slopes of Bukit Timah Hill, Singapore's highest hill standing at a height of 163.63 metres, and parts of the surrounding area. The nature reserve is about 12 kilometres from the Downtown Core, Singapore's central business district.

The primary activities at Bukit Timah are strolling, running and hiking. There are specially-allocated mountain-bike trails. The Reserve is popular among athletes training for mountain-climbing. There are a number of hiking trails.

Bukit Timah is know for its variety of plants and animals as well :)

Starting from September 2014, Bukit Timah Reserve shall be under restoration. NParks said that it has found damage to the forests and an erosion of the slopes and trails over the years. The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve was visited by 400,000 people last year of 2013 - five times more than 20 years ago. 

Hope you'll have a chance to go and visit MacRithcie and Bukit Timah :)

Have a good day :)

Eva

Footnotes:

photos taken by Eva Kucich

MapMyWalk maps generated by Eva Kucich

sources taken in consideration and for additional information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukit_Timah_Nature_Reserve

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacRitchie_Reservoir

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/bukit-timah-nature/1132596.html

Kusu Island Getaway

:)

Kusu Island is one of the Southern Islands in Singapore, located about 5.6 kilometres to the south of the main island of Singapore. The name Kusu means "Tortoise" or "Turtle" in Chinese; the island is also known as Peak Island or Pulau Tembakul in Malay. From two tiny outcrops on a reef, this island was enlarged and transformed into an island holiday resort of 85,000 square metres today.

Located on Kusu island is the popular Chinese temple - Da Bo Gong 大伯公 or Tua Pek Kong (Grand Uncle). Built in 1923 by a wealthy businessman, the temple houses two main deities - the Da Bo Gong and Guan Yin 观音 (Goddess of Mercy). 

The former is highly regarded as having the power to confer prosperity, cure diseases, calm the sea and avert danger, while Guan Yin is known as the 'giver of sons'.

At the top of the rugged hillock on Kusu Island stands three kramats (or holy shrines of Malay saints) to commemorate a pious man (Syed Abdul Rahman), his mother (Nenek Ghalib) and sister (Puteri Fatimah) who lived in the 19th century. Many devotees will climb the 152 steps leading to the kramats to pray for wealth, good marriage, good health and harmony. The shrines are also popular with childless couples who would pray for children.

Kusu is popular by its legends. Some of the stories listed in the Singapore infopedia website of the National Library include these:

Legend has it that during the 9th lunar month in the Chinese calendar, a huge turtle saved a group of sailors from rough seas by turning itself into an island. The grateful sailors returned there the following year to make offerings of thanksgiving and the island has thereafter been treated as sacrosanct and has become a place of worship. (Prior to reclamation, it is said that Kusu Island resembled a sea turtle.)

Another tale is of an Arab named Syed Abdul Rahman who left Singapore with his wife and daughter on a journey in search of peace. Caught in a violent storm their sampan capsized. Lost in the open sea, a giant tortoise spotted them and brought them back to safety. They were beached at an unknown island which, from a distance, bore the silhouette of a turtle. Beside them, they found not only their lost sampan but food in it.

A traditional tale includes that of a sailing boat that foundered near Kusu Island and went down in strong waves. Two survivors, a Chinese and a Malay, swam ashore. Stranded on the island, they lived on shrubs and wild shoots. Their good friendship lasted until they died. Years later, when a ship contaminated by an epidemic dropped anchor near the island, the scourge miraculously disappeared and the sick regained good health.

About 170 years ago, two holy men, Dato Syed Rahman, an Arab, and Yam a Chinese, meditated and fasted on their pilgrimage to Kusu. Yam fell ill and Syed prayed fervently for him. The sudden appearance of a boat with food and water saved both their lives. As time lapsed, the two men regularly visited Kusu to offer thanksgiving. When they died, they were buried next to one another on the island. Later the Tua Peh Kong Temple and the Malay shrine were erected and dedicated to their memory.

The place is great getaway for a day or half day chill-out from Singapore's bustling streets as it is easy reachable by the ferry from South Marina Pear. It is nicely organised with well located picnic huts and maintained facilities as toilets and showers. The only treat are the monkeys looking to share picnic food :).

The ferry schedule could be found here http://www.islandcruise.com.sg/ferry-schedule.html and the adult ticket cost is 18 SGD.

Head for your picnic to Kusu and have fun.

Greets from Eva :)

Photos by Eva Kucich

Sources:

http://www.islandcruise.com.sg/kusu-island.html

http://www.islandcruise.com.sg/ferry-schedule.html

http://iyor08singapore.blogspot.sg/2008/02/legends-of-our-turtle-island.html