Cny Day 2, 3 and 4!

Back to blogging the rest of my CNY celebration (when I know CNY is long past more than a month ago)! It's a continuation of what I've blog here though, so do read it if you have not done so.

CNY Day 2 was our only rest day for the whole of the long cny weekend break, no visiting or whatsoever, just simply resting :) We were also busy prepping the house for the steamboat session the very next day and also the food.

Derp and I went for a quick run around the park and was greeted with this beautiful sunset. Nothing new but it always amaze me because most of the time they look different from the previous one I saw. 

A need to burn some calories after all the eating during the CNY period. Ran quite slow that day though lol.

We went home and prepare a simple dinner for ourselves...

Home kong style pan fried fish :) 

Our hong baos collected for the whole of CNY period. Still feeling much loved from relatives and my close cousins.

CNY Day 3 started by heading to Ikea. We woke up early that day as we have guests coming over but yet errands to run.

The first meal of the day. Totally love to eat the fried rice from the halal food stall and what's more, the queue is definitely much shorter than the usual queues. I only discovered this gem when I went there alone back then in December last year. 

And honestly speaking, the best time to go to Ikea is during CNY. While everyone is out visiting/having gatherings, there isn't much crowd at Ikea and you can simply shop at ease.

Didn't know since when they started to have this kind of drag-able bags with wheels. But it's kind of hard to control it. My legs were knocked by it many times though, unintentionally by Derp lol.

There's never once we leave Ikea empty handed and this time round we bag back quite a lot of stuff which include new dustbin, plates and bowls and etc! 

Went home just in time to get ready for our first steam boat at the our place with Derp's family members. 

We started off with Lou Hei! Yu Sheng was from Sakae and to be honest, the sashimi they gave us was quite pathetic. No idea why the queue to collect their yu sheng always soo long when we actually find it to be so-so. 

The 'manual' for Lou Hei was printed on the cover. Hence making us easier to refer to lol.

Before the lou hei starts. Kind of regretted not buying one big packet of smoked salmon to goes with it, afterall the best part has got to be salmon! 

Group photo before the Lou Hei session

After the lou hei, we cleared the table and proceed on to our steam boat session. The whole steamboat machine is courtesy from Derp's Mum. lol. Meant as a housewarming gift but we only used it now.

The wide spread of food for the 4 of us. We couldn't really finish more than half of the prepared food and they became our dinner for the next few days. 

My brother and sister-in-law brought their WII over and temporarily put at our house then. We are still clearing the stages in New Super Mario Brother since then haha! (even after CNY, we do gather pretty often to play this game)

The whole WII session ended nearly midnight that day.

CNY Day 4 started with heading to Derp's uncle's shopfront to have potluck session and play ban luck. We spent almost the entire afternoon there before we head back home to catch up on our housework and prepare for work next day! Totally sad that CNY is coming to an end but I do have a good 6 days of rest :)

Won quite a bit of money from the ban luck session and all goes to our daily coffee money.

Our dinner that day was 盛菜的春天. We chose what we want from the leftovers of the steamboat and simply boil them for awhile and ta dah done! 

Close up or whatever I've dump inside.

盛菜的春天 with Derp's homemade chilli sauce. Yummy!

And so I've come to an end of my CNY post (yay manage to do it before April) ! CNY 2015 was indeed different but it was so much more enjoyable with the long weekend. Sad to say next year CNY's celebration ain't that long at all :(

But be glad that the whole of 2015 there's many long weekends haha! Definitely looking forward to each and everyone of them. Alright, till the next time then :)

My Tribute to our Founding Father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew

My company gave us time off from 3pm onwards to pay our last respect to Mr Lee Kua Yew at the Parliament House on Thursday and Friday. 

My colis and I reckoned it's a wiser choice to go on Thursday even though it would means feeling really tired to go back to work on Friday. We can;t really gauge what's the waiting hour as it keeps on changing back then. But all is worth it just to bid goodbye to Mr LKY.

The queue started from Padang on Thursday. But before we reached the actual queue, the crowd was too overwhelming and everyone has to loop several rounds around the war memorial park (opposite Suntec) just to get to the actual Suntec. 

I was separated with 2 of my other coli when there's this sudden road opening to the opposite road heading to Padang (a definitely much shorter way). It was a one time thingy to solve the bottleneck at the under pass to cross over to join the queue. 

The crowd heading towards Padang. Once you know you manage to cross, it's like you are really near to the Padang.

2 of my colis managed to cross over first and the rest of us tried waiting to see whether are they going to open the barricade for us to cross over.

At the end of the day, no one wishes to climb down and up that underpass. However, the official started announcing they will not open this barricade again and asked us to proceed to the underpass. It was suddenly smooth 'traffic' at the underpass and all the way up. Seems like the sudden decision to open up the barricade clears the bottleneck. 

We were in Padang within the next half hour and constantly moving all the way till we reached there. We were greeted with drinks/biscuits along the way. There were mobile toilets too and of cause we heard people asking the volunteers what's the estimated waiting time. I remember hearing another 4-5 hours once we were in Padang. They too were unsure what's the situation and what we can do is to keep moving on.

We were being directed to join in the queue at those 'tents' set up by our army  guys over the night. They were infact still setting up more when we were there so as to cater to even more people. 

The whole Padang was a holding area for everyone. They shifted people tents by tents to move out from the Padang and carry on walking to the Parliament House. It was really unclear and we only figured that out at the end of everything.

Throughout the whole queuing journey,  I didn't hear any complains even though there's full of uncertainties. I was the lucky one to join the 'tent' that was already quite packed. We did asked the volunteer on duty which tent to join and they simply replied any. We saw people from other tent's kept moving but just not ours. Soon after we kept moving and moving and the next thing we know we were out of Padang. 

The sun were starting to set and it was much cooling as compared to earlier on. Everyone was quiet, taking photos of the scenery they passed by. There were constant movement with on and offs stopping.

Soon enough, we saw this white tent and the volunteers there greeted us and assure us that we are really reaching. 

We walked and wrote our condolences card. We thought there's only one dropping point for the cards and we went to stop beside the box just to write finish. They assure us there's more boxes infront and told us to continue walking and write.

Done!

I find my handwritting too ugly so I went to the tribute center near my house the very next day to do another tribute again. More about that later on..

After all the bag scanning, we were getting nearer and nearer to the Parliament house.

One last shot outside before we get in..

Once you're in there, the volunteer signal to us with his hands to asked us to get into rows of 2. Everyone was cooperative and it was total silence. 

I took a bow and said my last goodbye to our founding father before leaving. It was a moment filled of gratitude and sadness. 

Throughout the 3.5 hours of queuing, I've seen how people from all walks of life coming together to pay tribute to our founding father. Parents with their kids in prams, elderies, pregnant ladies whom all by right have the right to the priority queue. Most of them didn't even ask where's the priority queue and just join in with the rest of them till they reach Padang area and were redirected to the priority queue. Totally no complains and anything to pay the last respect to Mr LKY.

A heartwarming day which I will remember for the rest of my life.

Though I may have paid my tribute to Mr LKY at the parliament house, that didn't deter me from going to nearest tribute site which was located just opposite my house to pay tribute again. This time round, to properly write down my heartfelt gratitude. I went there the next day after work.

The elderly volunteer has been there for quite sometime just to ensure everyone is in order. A staff from the CC came out to offer him a bottle of water and he didn't want to take it at first. But they push it to him telling him the whole thing might end at 10pm.

Really thankful to all the volunteers out there be it at the Padang or community tribute sites.

And so I wrote a proper tribute to him this time round. As I was penning down my last tribute to him, I also took the time to look through all the condolences card people have made for him. So heartwarming indeed.

There wasn't any video screening at there since it was just a small site but the amount of people who have went there to pen down their tribute was more than what I expected. 

Few days back when I first passed by after it was set up, there wasn't any gifts and etc. Just a few days the whole place was filled with flowers, cards and etc. Even the tribute book which I wrote in was fully written and there wasn't much space left. 

I totally didn't expect it in a new town where not much people are staying yet. Some might prefer going to larger tribute sites but I guess at the end of the day, we just want to say thank you to our founding father.

I have been catching up with all the shows regarding Mr LKY's contribution on the TV lately. His words were really full of insight. I'll be camping infront of the television tml just to watch his last journey with us.

Pardon for the solemn posting this whole week as I just want to write down my feelings and thoughts. Something which I will definitely pass it on to the future generation, to let them know this great man who had did so much for Singapore. #rememberingLKY #ripLKY #thankyouLKY

Remembering Mr Lee Kuan Yew

 

I was only Primary Six when my mum bought this book for me. I've totally no idea why she got it for me (perhaps I bug her too many times) but I told her I just want to have it. Till date, it's still one of the precious books around though the pages have all turned yellow.

I may not be born in the era which he was governing but to be living in the era which is enjoying his and his team of comrades who fought hard for our fruits of labour.

To be honest, I don't really know who he was when I was young and only came across him in our history textbooks. It was a compulsory subject being taught in school and topics covered were the keypoints of merger and separation, implementation of NS, HDB and etc. Basically all the basics you need to know about Singapore are being taught. I'm glad I did pretty well back then and history was one of my favorite subjects.

But how many of these points did we ever give a deep thought to it? For most of us, it was just touch and go. We just want to pass our exams and that's all. How many of us really go in depth to understand the reasons behing all this policies which were implemented and etc.

In my final year in a local uni, we have to take his particular compulsory module which talk about Singapore history (yes again). We are all wondering why is it again?

There was a assignment (which determines 50% of your grade) which we have to split up in to teams and present a topic. A in depth presentation which is not about copying and pasting word by word into powerpoint slide for sure and simply reading out what's on your slide.

The topic which my team and I chose were Merger and Separation,. We felt that it's a very broad topic and we can have lots to talk about for our presentation. But this means more work has to be done. We spent our break time heading to the library and started finding books for referencing.

And that'ts when I took out the book from my mum, flipped through it and found some referencing points for the topic.

I was tasked to talk about what lead to separation. In fact, all the riots/elections/reasons behind, I'm proud to say I know it on the back of my hand even up till date.

We did well for the presentation because we covered all the main points with referencing backing us up. There was no bias and everything was based on pure facts which we could find. From the presentation, our fellow classmates got to learned what Mr Lee has done for us. Not only our presentation, but the other presentations by others too.

In the past, we may be too young and ignorant to know about all this but not now. I can totally understand the reason why we have to take the module. I can never forget our exam falls on the 2011 election day. It was our first time voting too! We finished our paper and quickly rushed off to vote. Everyone took it so seriously even though we were just 22 at that time.

With the election news going on on TV, it was very hard for us to study because all of us were so into it. The results and everything. Hence I realised, this module being taught again during uni was no longer a touch and go kind of stuff. It's one which we kept in out heart all the things our founding father, Mr Lee has done for us.

source : http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/field/image/1321315532_lky-cries.jpg

50 years ago, he cried for the nation. Thank you for everything you have done.

My dear parents have always told me how they are able to take their first HDB flat even by earning 100 buck or less a month. How they have moved out from their kampung kind of house to a hdb, to starting a family even with low income and just a PSLE cert back then.

Everything was made possible and affordable for them. Without them, I will not be here today.

Other than being the one who gave his whole life to Singapore, his love story/marriage life with Mrs Lee was really inspiring and heart warming!

Some of my favorite photos of them together...

Source: https://twitter.com/mhlnx/status/578734102980882433/photo/1

Source: https://www.facebook.com/1557817661146139/photos/a.1557829751144930.1073741827.1557817661146139/1558827347711837/?type=1&theater

Their strong love and marriage is one which everyone should learn from especially the young generation.

You can read their love story here. 

I hardly write about any politics stuff on my blog but today, I just want to show my greatest gratitude to our founding father, Mr Lee Kwan Yee. Thank you for everything you have done and I'm proud to call myself a Singaporean. May you be reunited with Mrs Lee.. 一路走好 #rememberingleekwanyee #riplky 

Basi Thai Kitchen (By Thai Express) @ Kallang Wave Mall

Derp and I went to Kallang Wave Mall not long ago to collect my race pack for Venus Run (which I will be blogging about it really soon!). It was our first time there and the place is simply impressive.

In the past we used to run past there pretty often during our races. The whole place was filled of construction! Many places were sealed up and we totally could not see what's going on with the whole area, other than knowing they were building the new National Stadium. 

Now that the place is ready for quite sometime, we had a clearer view of what went on for the past few years and there's this new mall called the Kallang Wave Mall which is linked to the National Stadium!

I did some google-ing prior to heading there so as to know what's there and also what's for lunch! 

#OOTD that day to collect racepack. Wearing back my favourite romper from Fayth.

We decided to dine in @ Basi Thai Kitchen since we still miss BKK that much. Thai food FTW!

Me love anything that do with Basil! The whole restaurant is full of "Basil" decoration. 

Cutlery are placed in a flower pot too.

The interior of the restaurant - filled with fake basil leaves I supposed because I didn't smell any basil when I was there throughout our lunch.

We each ordered this sparkling water (as they do not provide ice water) which we later on regretted as neither of us finished it. We should have shared this in the first place. It cost $2.50 each. Quite pricey afterall

We weren't really that hungry so we shared 1 mains ,1 soup and 1 dessert.

Tom Yum Soup with Seafood - $8.90

What's Thai cuisine without tom yum soup right? :) Since Basi Thai Kitchen is by Thai Express, we got total faith in their tom yum soup and indeed we are right. It may look pretty harmless but infact very spicy.

Our main: Pineapple Fried Rice - $11.90

It's the first time we had pineapple fried rice which consists of yummy cashew nut and lup cheong! Love this combination though which makes the whole pineapple fried rice very tasty.

Our dessert is none other than Mango Stick Rice - $6.90

Pouring the coconut milk over it..

Fattening but totally worth the calories.

As usual, it's a quick fix to our Thai Food craving :) Will love to go back there to dine again if we ever pass by there again!

Basi Thai Kitchen (By Thai Express) @ Kallang Wave Mall

 #01-16, Kallang Wave, 1 Stadium Place

Cny Reunion Lunch/Dinner, Cny Day 1

Back to blogging about my Chinese New Year before I start forgetting about all the details. You know when one gets older, they tend to forget things more easily! #sadtruth

Derp and I went back to my parent's place to have early reunion dinner with them on the weekend before CNY.

Derp and I were more than happy that they were able to accomodate us to have it earlier so that on the actual CNY eve, we need not travel from east to the west and back to north-east all in a day. It's as good as travelling the whole of Singapore. Till we are able to afford a car, we will very much appreciate such arrangement.

It's my first Chinese New Year after getting married and moving out. Going back 娘家 meant a lot to me. We reached back slightly early than dinner time, so Derp and I were slacking in my old room. The room which I spent most of my time in for the past 10+ years, and as for Derp, at least 4 years. 

I do miss the good old days at times. Last time it was merely doing my own stuff till dinner is ready, and now it meant travelling all the way back. Seeing my parents putting so much effort in preparing the reunion dinner definitely warms my heart.And I go back be queen while waiting for dinner to be served lol!

Enough of my emo thoughts before I go way too off, so my Dad prepared all the dishes we had for reunion dinner. His theory is eating out is way too expensive so he rather cook himself. And he loves cooking. I always think that I get that genes from him because my mother is not a good cook and she don't like to cook at all lol. 

All the yummy dishes prepared by Dad!  

The bak ku teh soup was a first attempt by dad and the meat was soooo soft. It was one of the rare bak ku teh we had that's sooo good! Derp and I can't help but to keep praising how good it was (in terms of meat), the soup can be spicier though but my family members can't take spicy stuff as well as Derp and I, hence they didn't spam too much pepper. 

Not forgetting the long beans on the top right hand corner which I always cooked for Derp these days especially when I miss home lol. I honestly think my version is yummier! Opps! 

So reunion dinner with my family checked! 

I wasn't expecting any hong baos from anyone this year and to most of my relatives we are not yet married so in the end they still give us hong baos ( I still received quite a bit of them, will blog about that in another blog entry then).

And of cause I wasn't expected to give out hong baos but out of goodwill I decided to give hong baos to my parents, new born niece and also my aunt who brought me up. It's not the amount that matters but the thought that counts.

Took me ages to write those chinese words. It just reminded me of how long I did not write chinese words that I've to googled to see the exact look of many words.

On Chinese New Year's Eve, it was really relaxing for us. 

Derp and I need not work that day and we headed back to his side for reunion lunch.

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A selfie before heading out! #lookoftheday #nofilter

Had a pretty bad outbreak but make up does wonder and I really can't help but feel so glad that the lighting in my new house is sooo good in the day! A #nofilter/#noedit photo can turn out to be so good :)

#welfie - Our first CNY as Mr and Mrs Goh :)

#OOTD - Am in Fayth's Heidi Playsuit! 

Love at first sight for this romper and glad that the sizing was right with adjustable straps. 

The reunion lunch at Derp's uncle's provision shop.

A group photo with most of his relatives after the reunion lunch.

After the reunion lunch which ended late afternoon, we went to catch Ah Boys to Men 3 before heading home to watch the CNY countdown :) A very simple and peaceful chinese new year's eve we had. Treat it as taking a break from our stressful work, finally some time off to spend time with each other :)

Chinese New Year Day 1 started pretty late for us. We decide to have home cook lunch before heading out to 拜年 :)

Snow Pea with White Mushrooms, Stir Fry Pig Liver with Ginger Slice. 

A #selfie before heading out again.#lookoftheday #nofilter 

CNY greetings from us! Wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year! 恭喜发财，羊年行大运！

#OOTD - Miss Fleur Dress in Magenta from MGP Label.

I definitely prefer a skater dress over a bodycon dress for CNY because of all the non stop eating.

We went over to my aunt's place where all my relatives will gather before heading back to my parent's place for dinner. 

My nieces are already attending high primary school and secondary school so no more playing of old school card games with them like in the past. 

This time round, they introduced to me a game call "2 player touch" which can be played on smart phones/tablets. The games consists of various mini games which one might have played in arcade games. The famous red/blue/green buttons which everyone will have to sometimes whack very fast/hard in order to win your friends.  

Although it was a short session, but it was fun enough reliving our childhood memories haha! 

Some photos with the youngest niece around (other than my brother's daughter).. she's so cute and cheeky! Moving non stop the moment she step into my aunt's place till the moment I'm leaving she's still running around haha!

Making her stand still to take a proper photo is almost mission impossible lol.

With all of them :) There's another 5 of them which left earlier.

In the evening, we went back to my parent's place for reunion dinner again. Dad was so happy to hear that we are able to come back for dinner on CNY Day 1 since we don't have any plans that day.

What's more my aunt place is in the west too so popping by back to my parent's place is easy and convenient.

The yummy feast he whipped up single handedly again! 

And that pretty sums up my cny eve till cny day 1. Will be back to blog about how I spend the remaining of my chinese new year soon :)