Nepenthes Ampullaria

What a day! It was absolutely gorgeous! We left in the morning to Kampung Bako to catch a boat to go the river to Bako National Park. Leaving the jetty we were already graced by the sight of a crocodile. In the park itself we decided to make the 6 kilometers Lintang trail. We are relatively good walkers having walked places like the Cradle Mountains in a record time but I must admit the heat killed us and I personally ended the trail on my knees! But it was very rewarding. Regarding the fauna, we first saw dozens of common macaques and just a few hundred meters into the trail we saw the famous proboscis monkeys with their funny noses which are quite a rare and unique sight. And for the flora, we are not specialists but we obviously encountered some interesting species including many different types of nepenthes. The ones above are the nepenthes ampullaria which are very distcinctive from any other species in the genus and they also probably are the only ones to have moved away carnivory.

Sarawak, here we come!

Even though Singapore is a good hub and is quite 'central' in South East Asia, the number of places to travel to for a short week-end is quite limited after all. Once you've gone to the surrounding cities (Bangkok, KL, Jakarta, etc...) you really need more time if you want to visit some interesting sites. I would like to go to Sapa in Vietnam, to some near places in China or further away to Bhutan but two days surely are not enough. Anyway, tonight we decided to leave to Kuching which is in the Malaysian part (Sarawak and Sabah) of Borneo. We could stay for a week or two but unfortunately we have to be back at work on Monday... Let's try to make the most of this short getaway thanks to SilkAir.

Not so far away!

I don't know if this advertisement campaign from La SNCF is still going on in France (I believe it must now be two years old) but I happened to lay my hands on an old magazine today where it was featured. It is funny because I remember the Nouillorc and Losse-en-Gelaisse ones but I could not recall seeing the Singapore's ad. It was a very effective campaign and this just proves that in the end I am really not so far away from my hometown. A reminder to my friends and family: coming to see me is as easy as logging on www.voyages-sncf.com. (How nice am I to free-advertise on my blog!)

What's this?

Isn't it fascinating? Well... that's what happens when you spend the whole day in the office, getting bored, with nothing exciting to report! That's the touchpad of my computer. It now is just over two years old but has suffered so much (and continues to do so). It is worn out and dirty but still works efficiently. I sometimes think I should change it but why succumbing to the fashionistas and consumerism. It is fonctional. It is charged with history. Hours and hours of sweating (oh yes, believe me I did) at work and may be as many hours surfing the worlwide web at home. I just thought I could share this intimate extension of my fingers with you :-)

Charcuterie

Singapore (as most of the rest of Asia) is filled with nice places to purchase pork products. They range from full piglets to sausages similar to the ones we find in Europe. The majority of those products are actually very sweet and addictive. I also know how bad they are for health but we suffer the same problems in France with our saucisson or in Australia with the tasty snags!

Martyn "All I Have Is Memories / Suburbia" (Apple Pips)

After taking you slightly into the past with my previous musical choices, let me take you right into the future this time with an amazing 12”. It is the first release from Applebim’s new label called Apple Pips. You can check him out on his myspace page. Last year consecrated Burial in the Dubstep genre, this year could see this lovely plate from Martyn rise into fame with its hybrid music that can be called dubstep whilst taking it to a new level incorporating some sounds generally found in minimal house, techno and some incredible ethereal and deep layers mixed in. This record can be purchased from the usual suppliers of good beats: Piccadilly Records, Phonica, or Boomkat.

Singlish Lesson

Today we went cycling on Pulau Ubin. It is a small Island a few kilometres away from Changi village and it is believed to give you a taste of how life was in Singapore some long time back before it grew as this big city. Along the way you might come across a few places to have a drink. One café was advertising its drinks as per the picture above. This is the ‘national’ language called Singlish. It can be very funny but the Government is trying to fight hard to get its citizens to speak a proper English instead of this interlanguage originating from a mix of mostly English and Malay, Hokkien, Tamil, Teochew and more and more Mandarin. The equivalent also exists North of the border under the name of Manglish in neighbouring Malysia.

"One Down"

Rewind. The movie I watched today ('Dead Man's Shoes') is not new as it was released 4 years ago but I just got to watch it on DVD for the first time tonight. Strangely enough I do not really recall reading anything about it and I simply bought it on the strength it was released by the always offbeat Warp label (which is primarily a record label). It is a violent but amazing piece of British cinema and I now read that the main actor, Paddy Considine, went on to win the title of ‘Best British Actor’ at the Empire Award on the strength of his play in this very movie. Strong acting and an amazing soundtrack are two good reasons to see Dead Man's Shoes. For all folks into Graphic Novels, this story was also edited in that format and was available through the Warpmart.

Clarke Quay

I’ve always been avoiding Clarke Quay for dining out as it always gives me an impression of being too touristy and overpriced. It surely is far from a real Asian experience but it obviously is a popular place to hang out on Friday and Saturday nights. Also all the original satay places have been replaced by over the top and air conditioned designed restaurants. I was supposed to meet with some friends at Robertson’s Quay and the plans changed to Clarke Quay at the last minute. We ended up going to an Iranian place, which I have to admit, was not too bad. But walking around the area just confirmed it was not really my crowd.

Macarons

At Raffles place there is this nice French patisserie called Canelé. The sweet of choice is of course... a canelé. But there are also some nice macarons. They might not be as nice as Ladurée's but they still manage to melt nicely in your mouth and come in different flavours like violet, hazlenut, rose, vanilla or chocolate.

ERP

Well before the infamous London's congestion charge, Singapore innovated as far back as 1998 with an electronic road pricing system logically called the ERP. It was the first automatic road charge syste in the world. Its aim is to 'ease' the traffic during peak hours. I have to believe the statistics saying that as a consequence the number of vehicles has decreased and the average speed came up during these busy periods thanks to the ERP even though I think it actually more likely results into a huge additional revenue for the LTA (Land Transport Authority). Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against it as long as we know the money is reinvested to develop public transports for example. Anyway, if you happen to rent a vehicle in Singapore do not forget to buy a cashcard that will have to be inserted in the specially designed box in the vehicle in order for the gantries to detect it and deuct the necessary amount while driving under.

Flutes at the Fort

I try to refrain to talk about food as I could easily turn this blog into a food blog but it is not everyday that we enjoy a dinner in the open air in Singapore as it is usually so hot and sticky. Somehow, The Flutes at The Fort located in a nice Black & White at Fort Canning manage to capture the breeze. We had an amazing dinner al fresco tonight cooked under the supervision of the French Chef. It all started with a beautiful fusion duck consommé with surprising and delicious foie gras wontons and Frog Legs vol-au-vent. For the main dish we shared a huge Australian angus beef (cote de boeuf) that was simply cooked to perfection and melted in the mouth. Unfortunately we had to cancel the mouth watering millefeuille we had ordered for dessert as our stomachs could not extend more without risking to explode. The food and service were flawless at this fine food restaurant located in beautiful surroundings. It comes right on top of my list of places to dine in Singapore.

Record of the Week: True North

I do not know what is happening but I am just noticing that the records I have been enjoying those past weeks are from bands I was already listening to in my teens. After The Wedding Present last week, here come The Occasional Keepers. My biggest record collection thrill was when the Sarah Records was created in the late 80s. They were issuing lovely crafted and highly desirable 7”. Very far away from the music consumerism of the time you could feel the heart and passion of all the bands involved. I was hooked and was impatiently looking forward to every new release coming out. From this scene came some amazing artists like The Wake or The Fieldmice. The Occasional Keepers are actually members of both these bands and they just issued this romantic and melancholic new album to follow their first effort issued in 2005. One track is particularly and absolutely gorgeous and vital and will surely be on top of my favourite tracks of 2008 by the end of the year: Town Of 85 Lights. Beautiful music for our ears.

The Occasional Keepers on MySpace.

To visit click here

Buy their new record here

Monorail

Here's the view down from our bedroom's window. You can see KL's Raja Chulan station as well as a monorail approaching. The system is quite recent as it opened in 2003 and the carriages remind me a lot of the ones used in Sentosa. This one is a bit more extensive though as it serves 11 stations running nearly 9 kilometers through the city. As we were driving around the city we did not have the opportunity to use the monorail this time. We just enjoyed its sight.

Kuala Lumpur

The Petronas Towers are the symbol of Kuala Lumpur. But I have to admit it is hard not to be impressed especially by night. There was a time where they stood as the tallest construction on earth but they have since been dethroned by the Sears Tower in Chicago and Taipei 101 in Taiwan. Last time I came to KL the neighbouring Indonesian fires where raging and it made it impossible to even see the top of the towers. This time around things are much clearer but I am still unsure it is worth taking the pain queuing for the vista. They are much better looked at than looked from.

Melaka

In preparation of the long week-end we made our way to Melaka where we also spent the night. We had been there a few years back and were impressed this time by the developments that took place in just over four years. It is nice to see that many of those really are to embellish the city that has a great tourist potential. Its location is also very strategic and that surely is what made the Portuguese followed by the Dutch, the British and the Japanese fight to take control of this city over the centuries. What remains of each of these invaders is of historical importance and should be preserved. Some sights give Melaka its own identity like the Dutch Stadhuys Square and surrounding red quarter pictured above.

Lanterns

In Chinatown, as everywhere else in town, everything seems to be in place for the forthcoming Vesak celebrations. Vesak Day is one of the biggest days of the year in the Buddhist calendar and is celebrated by Buddhists all over the world. The day marks the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha and is a day of great celebrations. It is traditional to clean the home and decorate it in preparation for the celebrations which begin before dawn and continue throughout the day with religious services, prayer meetings, meditation sessions and processions. Monday will be a public holiday in Singapore and the celebrations are supposed to be some of the finest (but I will not be there to witness them).

Fisherman's Friend

The main activity of the Riau islands is of course fishing. Those islands supply a great percentage of the fish swallowed in Singapore. You do not see so much fishing activity during the day but you always happen to see a few wooden boats cruising around from island to island.

Again and Again...

Yesterday I was in Indonesia and tomorrow again. I tend to spend at least one day a week out of Singapore. In any other places it would mean travelling abroad or even travelling ‘overseas’ as abroad is referred to in Australia. That said, and as I have mentioned several times over these pages. The atmosphere and the environment really are different when you cross the border. You really really are in another country entirely. The trip itself is usually quite uneventful, riding a ferry across for a couple of hours maximum. Above is a picture of the vessel I took yesterday.

The King!

Mixed and recorded in Chicago by Steve Albini here lands the new album from the Wedding Present. I've always had a soft spot for David Gedge and his band since I discovered them as a teenager circa 1985 with their first single 'Go Out and Get 'Em, Boy!'. So many memories. And as I am not nostalgic I will not take this opportunity to cry over the good old times of 'Pourquoi Es-tu Devenue Si Raisonable' but I will embrace this new record with wide open arms. It is indeed my record of the week even though this new album entitled 'El Rey' won't be released by Manifesto Records in the USA and Canada before the 19th of May 2008 and in the rest of the world by Vibrant Records on 26 May. But well, at this time and age it has never been easier to preview new records weeks ahead of their official release date.

The Wedding Present on MySpace. To visit click here
Buy their new record here

Mother's Day

I can already see some of you panicking... 'Did I miss something?'. Mother's day is today in countries like Australia or Singapore but as you know it is a different date in many countries around the world. Therefore, I seize this opportunity to wish my own mum a Happy Mother's Day even though being French her own real day will only come on the 25th of May. But I believe twice is not even enough. Shouldn't we celebrate everyday? Anyway, it was a good excuse for another food experience at the Fullerton and the Champagne Brunch buffet was indeed as good as ever. Oysters from France, Ham from italy, Wagyu beef, Foie Gras, an amazing cheese selection and too many desserts to chose from. I hate buffets because I can't help but overindulging!

Brel

Not that I am into musicals - I usually find them a bit camp - and I am not really into Jacques Brel neither - I never really enjoyed the way he was performing his songs - but I really enjoyed the Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris show I saw this afternoon. The cast was very professional and the translations into English worked very well (translated / adapted by Mort Schuman for the 1968 off-Broadway musical). For the first time I really got to appreciate the intensity and the depth of Brel lyrics without his annoying performance. Even though he was Belgium he has always been sacred in France and he is one of those Artists you cannot criticise. The 3-Bs as they are referred to: Brel, Brassens, Becaud. You can take my French passport away if you like and I am not sorry but I do not like Brel nor Becaud as performers (even though I can appreciate their writing as this show reminded me).

本わさび (Hon-wasabi)

I learnt something about wasabi today. I have been eating a wasabi imitation for ages thinking it was the real thing. Wasabi loses much of its flavor if exposed to air for even a short time this is why what is served as wasabi in restaurants all around the world simply is 99.9% of the time a combination of horseradish, mustard seed, and green food colouring. The real thing is pictured above on its same-gawa (grater) and let me tell you it has nothing in common with those other fakes. It nearly reminds me of a slightly spicy guacamole. Even though it is quite mild it still produces vapors that irritate the nasal passages more than the tongue. But it is an enjoyable sensation and not the pepper spray sensation that the green paste imitation usually procures.

Songs of the Sea

In the evening I did the tourist thing and went to Sentosa for the Songs of the Sea show at 7.40pm. I arrived there shortly after 7 and I was impressed by the human masses exiting from tour buses alighting one after the other. I did not really know what to expect with the show and feared the worst when the show started. It was so Mickey-mousey, so what I don’t like. But after all I believe it is mostly supposed to be a show for kids. Nevertheless, when the water, laser, light and fire show started it was difficult not to be impressed. I admit the techniques employed are quite impressive.

Paradise

Some time ago I reviewed in those pages a restaurant that came as a revelation. I therefore had to return to Kuriya to taste some of the dishes I fell in love with and try some new things (and I will make sure I will go again as much as I can afford it). It all started with the ever wonderful maitake mushrooms. Then came the most incredible sashimis I ever tasted. The fish are daily flown in from Japan and the Chef made a selection of the catch of the day. The prawns and the scallops were exquisite but what came as delight were the sea urchins that you cannot see on the above picture as they were preserved with ice in a glass bowl. The most amazing thing is that the Chef proposed to fry the bones and the head of the sardine we had as sashimi after we ate the raw flesh and let me tell you it was crispylicious! The beef was succulent and the cooked cod fish was melting in the mouth. I washed all this down with some heavenly soba tea. Paradise!

Orchids

Unlike most countries whose national flowers are found beyond their national boundaries, Singapore has the distinction of being the only nation to have a hybrid as its national flower and whose distribution was confined to Singapore's boundaries. A bit of history: on April 15, 1981, the Minister of Culture, S. Dhanabalan, announced that as part of an overall effort to foster national pride and identity Vanda Miss Joaquim was chosen from amongst 40 other flowers (including some 30 orchids) as Singapore's national flower. The ability of Vanda Miss Joaquim's to bloom throughout the year was considered to reflect Singapore's continuous quest for progress and excellence in all aspects of life, and its natural resilience which is reflected the determination of the Singaporean people to stand fast through difficult times. Apart from this special flower, orchids are surely to be found everywhere in this city with over 3000 species in the botanical garden alone!

From Little Things Big Things Grow

Monday is the day of new record releases in England. As you know I am a huge music fan and I thought I should share part of it through this blog. Therefore, I will try from now on to highlight a record or a track that I am currently enjoying but it won’t necessarily have to be a record that was out this very week nor strictly an English record. Let’s start with The Get Up Mob. From Little Things Big Things Grow is a classic Australian track originally written by Paul Kelly. Music cannot be more optimistic. Therefore, there could not be a better choice than re-releasing it a couple of weeks back after Kevin Rudd’s historical and long awaited apology to the Stolen Generation. You can download it legally and for free by visiting The Get Up Mob website.

Vegemite

A few days back I was talking about what would define Australia as a nation foodwise. As it is not really a dish in itself I did not mention Vegemite but of course this is THE national spread that is essential if you want to really identify yourself as an Aussie or if you want to experience the essence of being an Australian. I am leaving Oz today but as usual I will make sure that I have those few essentials in order not to feel homesick: Vegemite, Ginger marmalade, Cherry Ripes and Turkish Delights. Yum!

Degraves Street

There really are many places to have a quick bite in Melbourne but one groovy lane is Degraves Street which is a laneway that runs between Finders Street and Flinders Lane, near Elizabeth Street. Close to an exit from Flinders Street Station, it is a popular place for people to stop for a coffee or snack before catching a train. The above view is of Degraves Expresso bar which attracts an eclectic crowd who are all buzzing (no wonder, really, when they're here for the excellent coffee). There's a Parisian edge to the café, enhanced by the art deco interior. The menu runs the gamut from Panini to house-made desserts such as fresh muffins. Soups are always good value and often vegetarian.

Lygon Street

I am sometimes wondering where I would really like to live in Melbourne. I am quite attracted by Clifton Hill but I find it a tiny bit too far from the city centre and the CBD is a bit too expensive. St Kilda is an appealing option but I am always charmed by Lygon Street in Carlton. I particularly like the atmosphere surrounding this area. The choice of restaurants (mostly Italians) is great, there is a nice little French Deli (selling mostly pâtés and charcuterie), you are spoilt for choice when it comes to supermarkets and convenience stores, a shopping mall houses a Borders as well as a big arthouse-orientated cinema and my favourite bookstore – Readings – also sits on that street. I just have to start saving…

Black Balloon (at Nova Cinema)

It is interesting how small things can turn a little movie into a great one. I just saw the Australian flick called ‘Black Balloon’ and it was very funny and heart-warming. A coming of age story about fitting in, discovering teenage love and accepting your family. The choice of actors, the choice of filming angles, the set-up, everything made this movie extremely touching. The whole project could also have turned sour because of the subject – the main character being autistic – but you can’t keep bearing a smile all through (to the exception of a few tears here and there). Highly recommended.