If you miss the buzz and mishmash of Australia’s marketplace, pop by to Singapore’s latest shopping concept space – PasarBella at the Singapore Turf City.

Newly opens less than 4 weeks ago, PasarBella is an European-themed marketplace with lots of interesting stall concepts. Here you find Singapore’s largest community of fresh food traders, crafts retailers, bakers, connoisseurs and niche concept shops. From the second we stepped into the space, PasarBella reminded Felicia and me of Perth’s Fremantle Markets. The diversity of offers and the way the stalls are decorated made this place a colorful treasure trove of multi-sensorial discoveries. If you are a novelty-hunter like my Auntie Amy, you must pop by this “beautiful” rustic market!

Thanks Juliana for recommending this new place to me. (Enjoy the Photos!)

It has been a while since we watched a performance together. Last Sunday, Felicia brought Elkan and me to watch a puppet performance “Sticks, Stones, Broken Bones” at the Singapore Esplanade. The act was hilarious and very very entertaining. More than just a child’s shadow play, the Canadian artist, Mr. Bunk embedded little life values in his play. Truly motivational and creatively different. This is what art is all about.

After the play, three of us went to explore around Esplanade. We made many little discoveries (Anamorphic Arts) and had lots of fun cracking codes (The Labyrinth). Seating by the bay with Felicia and Elkan, overlooking Marina Bay Sands and the new Singapore Skyline, the feeling of being at home with my loved ones is pricelessly terrific.

For years, I am so used of being called “Joe” that I almost forgotten my Chinese name. Even my mum doesn’t call me by that name, she calls me as “Peng”. The only time when someone calls me by my Chinese name is when they are really angry with me.

You can imagine the surprise look on my face when someone called me by my Chinese name on the street. Instinctively, it must be someone from the past. Someone close and someone familiar.

It was Wei Qiang, my kindergarten friend. He was one of my closest primary school buddies and the captain of our volleyball team from 1985-1986. Wei Qiang led the team into the National Finals – one of the proudest moments in my childhood. (Don’t think my parents know about that.) Those were our happiest and most glorious days. We were the champions of the Eastern District. Our team was the most successful volleyball team in Kuo Chuan Presbyterian school. We were the legends. (Too bad, most of the guys were in the all-boy class, we didn’t get any special attention from the girls.)

We went on our separate roads after PSLE. His family moved out of the neighborhood and we lost contact. The last time we met was almost 20 years ago at the Air Force training school. He was an officer cadet and I was servicing my last months at the admin dept.

I was so happy to see him! That familiar smile, the familiar bond of yesteryears. It felt so good to embrace a lost brother of the past. We exchanged our Facebook IDs and I connected Wei Qiang with the rest of the old PBS boys and girls.

Last Sat, some of the PBS boys decided to gather at Jago Coffee Shop. Francis Toh (another kindergarten friend of ours) is the owner of the famous Jago Carrot Cake stall. Simon, Joachim, Wei Qiang (Eric), Caofa (Victor) and I decided to give Francis a surprise! After all, they haven’t meet for over 25 years!

Over the past few days, Facebook reconnected all the primary school friends. We setup a alumni group. Photos, stories and secrets were shared. It is a great feeling to see the old clan of yesterday active today.

Fate was kind to me for a second time. I bumped into another old PBS friend, William, on my last night in Singapore. Life is just so amazing. Just when you thought your old friends are a past distant away, they turned up at every corner unexpectedly.

Never judge a lady by her cover. For those who don’t know Tracy well may find her bubbly and sweet. The truth is, Tracy is a gutsy lady. She has more guts than most “macho-looking men” in my circle. I am very selective whenever we pick a holiday destination. She would “pressure” me to accompany for some dare-devil stunts. She is one person who doesn’t know the concept of fear.

Tracy’s birthday is here again. 4 birthdays ago, I gave her a “Reverse-Bungie” experience at Clark Quay. This year, I decided to give her a gift of “unusual-experience” – Diving with the Sharks at Sentosa. Unfortunately, Uncle Bay (her dad) disliked this dare-devil stunt gift and tried to dissuade her from accepting this gift. Tracy hated me for spilling the beans about her South Africa Bungie Jump to her old folks 3 years ago. (Wait till I tell them about her Skyfall at Macao Tower…)

Tracy’s dive with the sharks attracted my entire clan. My mum, dad and wife came specially to see the “show”. We were expecting to see her diving with the big white sharks. Luckily for Tracy, the great whites were in the other tank. What a shame, no drama.

Bradly, our business associate from Hong Kong also joined in the fun. I told him just in case if there is any shark attack, shield my colleague and buddy from harm. After all, I will be answerable to Tracy’s dad if anything bad happens to her.

The dive took place at the Singapore Underwater World where an experienced diver guided them for the 30-min dive. I had a back door access to go behind the scene where the water tanks are. There, both of them wore their diving gears and a quick crash course on “dos and don’ts”. It was more “don’ts” than “dos”. “Don’t catch the sharks, don’t wave your fingers at the sharks, don’t wander elsewhere and don’t take photographs here, sir!” The last “don’t” was for me. I was snapping the backstage of the underwater tunnels and the guide stopped me.

In the end, Tracy and Bradly had fun but struggled a little with the dive. Tracy made a couple of bumps. She wasn’t heavy enough to dive and the guide had to add more weight. We, the audience, were standing inside the tube under the water watching them. For a few minutes, Tracy and Bradly were enclosure attractions. Tourists snapped photos of their clumsy moves. It was certainly fun for the watchers (the children were wild when they saw them walking in the water). For Tracy, this is another different birthday experience she will remember for a while.

Marina Bay Sands Hotel is one of the most iconic buildings in Singapore. It’s unique shaped roof makes it one of the most recognizable casino-hotels in the world.

Despite having such fame locally and internationally, Marina Bay Sands fails to bring its 5 stars appeal into its service. I have stayed there 3 times and the experience was just disappointing. I wish the management put in more efforts in its hotel services. Here are my top Hates about Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

3pm Check-In
This is the most inconvenient and unfriendly policy, creating massive bottleneck and extremely long waiting time for guests checking in. For tourists who have just landed in Singapore, they find themselves stranded at the lobby. Queuing time takes up to 30 minutes. It is just unacceptable.

Inferior Reception Lobby
The lobby is an interior insult to its iconic exterior. The main hotel reception at Tower 1 is a plain, boring, uninspiring, institutional, flat design.

Waiting Time Music Performance
These are good respected musicians. Give them a proper stage and central space to indulge the waiting guests. Now, they are almost invisible and inaudible.

Shower Hot/Cold Knob
This is the most ridiculous feature in the hotel room. To adjust water temperature, one has to press the red button down and turn the knob. The knob was so tight that it took me massive strength to turn it. I don’t get it. What’s so special about this design that it creates so much inconvenience to the user.

Auto-Billing In-Room Mini Fridge
I was told by my colleagues that I should avoid opening the mini fridge. Cos there is a 10-sec auto-billing mechanic. Any item that is removed for more than 10 seconds will be considered as consumed and billed. Sneaky and very unthoughtful.

Outdoor Taxi Stand / Valet Parking Sofas
This is a posh hotel. Why are the guests waiting in the hot humid weather outdoor when the hotel can simply build an air-con waiting lobby. The valet parking sofas look like discarded old furniture in the middle of the road. It is just too odd looking for me.

Massive Jams at Tower 1
Somehow, this happened at every night during peak hours. There should be something the traffic controllers can do to smoother the flow. It is just ridiculous to wait 15 mins in the cab when we are just 100m away.

Many of my friends who stayed at Marina Bay Sands shared similar disappointment. It is just apathy that such a grand and iconic landmark holds little substance and style in its offerings. Never judge a building by its facade.

(Photo taken: Inflation! Exhibition, West Kowloon Art District – After a week of absence, the organisers finally got their sh*t up together literally! Mmm… wonder who left this giant pile of poo. “Fowl” play suspected.)

If you are staying in Hong Kong, it is impossible to miss this publicity stunt. Since its first appearance on 25th April, its pictures have appeared in all social and news media. It is even more popular than the H7N9 headlines.

Meet this gigantic yellow superstar “Rubber Duck“ – First popularised by Jim Henson in the 1970s with “Ernie and Duckie” in Sesame Street and brought back to life by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, the 16.5m tall inflatable sculpture has drawn tens of thousands to Harbour City since 2nd May. Dubbed for “Spreading Joy Around The World”, the Dutch artist wanted to put a smile on everyone’s face. Since 2007, the rubber duck has made appearance at Osaka, Japan, Sydney, Sao Paulo, Auckland, New Zealand, and Amsterdam. It will be at Hong Kong until 9th June (before the Typhoon Season).

Like the thousands of fans, I popped by Harbour City this afternoon to meet Ducky. It was incredibly packed with people! I have never seen such a big gathering like this at Harbour City! It is amazing to witness how a simple idea like this amassed such a big turnout! Afterall, Rubber Ducky is just a common bath toy. It bears no brand or identity. Yet, its symbol of “pure joy & happiness” is powerful enough to draw everyone (of all different age groups and nationalities) here to reminisce with their favourite childhood bath-mate. Ducky never left us, its magic is still in us all this while.

Smile. Smile. I can’t wait for it to sail to Singapore!

Inflation hit Hong Kong last Thursday in the most unexpected way. Presented by Mobile M+, six uncanny giant inflatable sculptures (15.5m tall giant poo, roasted pig and cockroach) are installed at the at West Kowloon Cultural District. The exhibition opens 25th April to 9th June. The giant poo was deflated today as it was damaged during a storm 2 days ago. Hopefully, the organiser get their shit up together before the typhoon season.

6:41pm, April Fool’s Day – Today marks the 10th Anniversary of Leslie Cheung’s death. 10 years on, Hong Kong pays tribute to the one of its most talented and greatest stars. At Causeway Bay, Times Square Hong Kong hosts a memorial exhibition “Miss You Much Leslie” (29 March – 1st May) to commemorate the late legend.  Leslie’s ex-lover, Daffy Tong unveiled a 5.5m tall statue of Leslie Cheung. Fans around the world created a new Guinness World Record for the largest display of origami cranes - 1,900,119 of hand-folded paper cranes are housed in a giant red transparent acrylic cube. The exhibition also showcases many Leslie’s collections – trophies, awards and some of the costumes he wore in the movies and concerts.

Over at Central (right outside Mandarin Oriental Hotel where Leslie fell 10 years ago), thousands of fans from all around the world poured in with flowers wreaths and photo-placards. Emotions were high and many came to pay tribute to Hong Kong’s favourite “Gor Gor”. Leslie may have departed this world but he lives forever in the hearts and minds of many. Truly a legend and a day well remembered. Rest in peace, Leslie. (Enjoy the music video below)

Say no to the new hefty fine-proposal (SGD$2,000 fine for 1st-timer litter-bug) by the government. There are better way to keep Singapore clean with stronger words and action! I have just received the latest 3rd Limited Edition “超级白” Superwhite T-Shirt! Thanks Eugene for the creative (and very additive/expressive/truly Singapore) design, excellent quality tees and superb service! I am a super loyal fan of the Singapore’s “Super White Series”! Always proud to hang out with it or simply hang them out! We are 100% the Superwhite Nation! For those who are interested to don your own 超级白 Superwhite identity, check out here: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreSuperWhite