Arts...Travels...Writing

Yesterday, I joined a 3.8 Kilometre Walk along Labrador Park in support of a skills training centre in Singapore. It was my first time to visit Labrador Park, and was I surprised at how scenic the trail was. Fortunately, I was able to bring my small camera and so I was able to take a few snaps. Sharing below some of them: I started taking photos the minute I saw this blue vista, which was after the first kilometre of the walk. The first leg was along the swamp area and gave a forest feel. I was busy chatting with my friends then that I forgot to bring out my camera. It was around 9:00am when this was taken, and yet the heat was already scorching (as predicted, the first two weeks of April were supposed to be very warm). So I was glad for the leafy trees that provided much needed shade and made the walk bearable. This is a historic site in the area, supposedly the entry point of earlier Chinese traders who came to Singapore Sometimes the water was too still ...

I've never really explored the entirety of Gardens by the Bay, but last week I was delighted to discover a lotus pond near the Marina Reservoir promenade. And it helps that it is in a quiet area too:-) Here are some of my snaps: Lotus is considered a rare gem for its ability to grow out of a mud. It is an important symbol in Buddhism (it can mean purity, fortune, faithfulness, the stages of a Buddhist' life - depending on context and colour)...and many books use the analogy of lotus and mud to explain the role of murk (suffering, etc.) in the bigger scheme of things, i.e., the lotus flower (beauty) needs the mud (suffering, etc) to bloom and grow...one such book is Thich Nhat Hanh's No Mud, No Lotus Bees season! There's a whole stretch of them at Gardens by the Bay The flowers apparently bloom in the morning or with sunrise, and the older ones shed off their petals in the afternoon This is what's left after the bloom...it lacks ...

This morning I went to Little India with my fellow photography enthusiasts. As usual, the place was bustling with colours and movements; with the sounds from chants, bells and drums; the fragrance of jasmines and other flowers, and the scent wafting from a burning sandalwood incense. Little India is one of the more colourful places in Singapore, and a visit to a temple and the wet market nearby surely is a great way to experience this unique diversity. On this visit, we covered the Sri Srinivasa temple, possibly the most stunning one in the area; its distinct, trapezoidal roof architecture is not easy to miss - it is made up of several tiers decked with colourful and elaborate statues of Gods and Goddesses. On a weekday, the temple is relatively more serene, and could be a perfect place for some quick meditation in the midst of the bustling area. After the temple, we went to the fresh produce market nearby. There was no dearth of vibrancy there, with rows and rows of fresh produce...