On trip to Indochina

Dear all...

*Ahem* The Author(that's me :) will be away on a trip to Laos and Thailand to find interesting locations to share with all of you. I should be back on the 7th Jan 09. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2009!

1st time i tried Dog Meat!

Dear readers,

I shall share with you the struggle i went through to try my 1st attempt to eat Dog Meat yesterday..Not Hotdogs mind you..its real dog meat. I mean where do you find dog(s) meat dishes in Singapore?? I was invited by my friend,who is a chef from China.



When I told my friends I am going to try it, i got a range of mixed reactions.."be careful dogs will bite you!" I mean please,i was bitten by a small dog before..even when i did not eat Dog's Meat! Some say its very cruel..I mean u eat Chicken, Mutton, Pork not cruel right? Are these made from flour?

Despite my logic,I did hesitate a bit because I do accord a special status to dogs. In the end,after beers + whiskey+ brandy..it taste just like a mix between mutton+chicken and maybe pork too!

The soup was very good..

Civilian Food of the SAF Commandos

The Changi Village Food Centre was the nearest and most convenient way for Commandos to get a share of civilian food during their nights off or book out..or we even packet them back to Hendon Camp..

I have not really eaten our favorite Nasi Lemak(genuine one okay) since I stood down from National Service 2 years ago in 2006. When I 1st joined the Commandos in 1997,one such serving of Nasi Lemak(see pic below) only cost $2. When I stood down in 2006,it was $2.50..

When I ate it yesterday, the basic Nasi Lemak cost $3..there used to be price war..some selling at $2.50, some stalls would sell at $2. I guess they had a meeting just like OPEC..just like the petroleum companies..all sell at $3! Smart people.



Lets take a look at our most ordered dessert back then..see pic below..It looks a bit different now,but I assure you its from the same store..and the price now..? $2





What I finally ate for that evening, Nasi Lemak plus an Otah..$4..and the Almond Longan $2..all these for old times sake. The only thing lacking is the company..or platoon or section or your camp mates. Where are you all old guys??

Now I am beginning to seriously wonder what kind of civilian food the Commandos at the new camp eats. What food is it that still connects them to the civilian world? Anyone got the answers for me?

D'Kranji Farm Resort and Villas!

How long was it since I last stepped into a field...?




Its not that I have nothing to do,In fact I have a viewing coming up yesterday evening. I have been thinking of visiting D'Kranji for the past few days. I came across it while researching where to organise a BBQ for my team next year

Yesterday,I decided to drive to think corner of Singapore to see what has changed..

To my surprise,this is a pretty new development and they call it "Agro-tainment"..looks like there will be some activities coming up in this area..

Pls see the pictures below.



Unfortunately,the villas are too small for my group of agents,otherwise,this could be a very fresh location..

Dinner Tonight..Teppanyaki + Chicken Kaminabe!

Dear friends..

Please do not think that I am using any Hokkien vulgar words if I told you I ate Kaminabe' tonight..no pun intended..its Chicken Kaminabe' :P

I was very stressed up in the afternoon today,having to rush to Woodlands to do final inspection with my buyer and also to apply for my University studies..as I was finishing up,my best buddy Alan Koh called me up to go for dinner.

Location over the phone was this mall in Hougang,"last time got NTUC club one..now still dunno have or not.."..that shd be Hougang Mall..

We did met there..but it was the wrong location..it shd be the mall at 900 series..Hougang Pt..
We got there nonetheless and true enogh,there is this Sakae Sushi outlet that has Teppanyaki and sushi at the same time..

Wonderful meal..more because of the company than the quality of the food. I was very fasinated by this dish..Chicken Kaminabe'..a stew on a piece of paper literally..but it sounds like a Hokkien word I used to fire off when i am with close friends.. see the above picture*

My friend's 30th Birthday Celebration

How time flies..

It is at and around this age that we approach "mid-life"
It is at and around this age you get invited to many weddings..
..and baby showers too.

I have this very long time buddy named Alfred.
Recently,prior to his birthday,his ex broke up with him..

Anyway,I organized a celebration for him on his actual birthday and throw in a few good friends to make the "Drink,Drank & Drunk" series an overwhelming success for single and available just like us.

A picture tells a thousand words..I have always been fascinated by pictures..Recently,I discovered Phlook Beta..its my 1st time creating a slide show..Lets see how it turns up. Special thanks to the founder of Phlook for ur advice and guidance as I am not good with computer stuff :)

I would also like to thank the management & staffs of D'Dragonfly: Lily,Peggy,Nancy & Tina for doing us a favour(becoz I called quite last minute).

I also thank all friends who turned up and shared in the joy. Check out the photos below..they look very nonsensical..but its great fun!

I have stopped smoking since that night..lets hope I can be successful this time round.

Law minister says Singaporeans should welcome foreign workers

I was reading Lilian Lee's blog when I came across the topic being mentioned and I would like to add on my opinion(s).

Law minister says Singaporeans should welcome foreign workers

Mr Shanmugam said....

"There are some jobs that Singaporeans won't do, and then there are some jobs that Singaporeans cannot do... We need to be welcoming our guest workers; we need to be welcoming our expatriates, all of that in pursuit of our national interest."

Is it true?

I would like to share my recent observations. I see a lot of them across various industries..

Recently,I was learning to drive a boat. When I took my theory test,I came across a group of 6 or 7 PRCs taking the same theory test in Chinese.

I asked them out of curiosity as even a lot of Singaporeans do not have this license(PPCDL) yet..I asked them why they need the license for?

They replied that they are employed by the PUB..they will be driving boats all around in our rivers and reservoirs..and i was thinking.."hey,what a fun job it must be! Why would there be no local(s) wanting to take up this job?"

I do not think that our Ministers are hiding in ivory towers..the fact that this group of people I met is being employed one way or another by the PUB..the fact that their work permits are all issued by MOM for them to work here..in fact, every time they change company,they got to submit a new application. I guess our Government knows exactly what these foreigners are working as.

I have heard about a lot of complaints about how foreigners snatch away the jobs of Singaporeans etc.etc...but I also do see it from a different angle.

How about if you are the employer? Who would you employ?

Would you pay $1000 a month for a hardworking foreign employee who works 12hrs shift(+ ever willing to learn new things) or would you pay $1400(not including CPF contributions) for an older, slower local who share the nation's favorite pass time of complaining how they cannot work more than 8-hour shifts..so old already,how can they still 'absorb' if they were to go to 'study'(upgrade their skills etc).

If you are the Boss..its not a very tough choice to make indeed because your main considerations in business would be profit oriented.

What if you are the consumer? Take for example our local malay barber shop..the kind of place I visited since young to get my haircut. They price tag is about $6-$8. Would you ever be able to imagine that nowadays, some hairdressing salons that are mostly staffed by foriegners are able to do a cut + wash + blow dry for just $7.80?

If these 2 examples above are almost side by side in the same location,which one would you patronize?

I am a real estate agent and I have foriegner agents under me. The minimum requirment for them to be an agent in Singapore is that they need to be PR. One of them was studying for his PhD,but abolished his studies midway and shine out as an outstanding agent. I am not the one paying their salary..we are all self employed and they really earn their own keep.

I welcome foriegners to Singapore. I also share the Singaporeans' concern. Based on what I share here so far, make a guess who I think could be the biggest employer in Singapore?

IF you are the biggest employer in Singapore, would you think of your own pocket 1st or the pockets of the workers on the streets?

IF you are the consumer, 2 shops side by side selling almost the same thing at different prices..would you choose to buy at the cheaper one?

The 2 IFs i just mentioned,you just need to balance it. I believe that all Civil Service and Stat Boards & government linked companies should minimise foriegn employment. I believe the talent pool of Singaporeans shd be able to fill most of the jobs,they just need to pay them better for these 'talents' to step out.

I also hope that the government can really take better care of the people..these are the people who helplessly pay them the top salaries..These are the people who are their firm supporters..these people who voted them in democratically with vast majority & resounding mandate, election after election.

Talking about salaries..petrol prices has been revised downwards twelve times this year already..anyone knows when are our Ministers going to review their salaries now that we have gone though 2 quarters of negative growth?

Finally..my 1st blog :)

Ladies & Gentlemen ... *drum roll* ..

Time now 5.01am. After exploring with this thingy (blogger.com) for 4 hours in the wee morning, I have finally managed to put together what I would call a blog..

I am supposed to have a fasting blood test tomorrow morning and I cannot be doing my favorite activity(see picture to guess) on a Saturday night,thus causing me to be sleepless.

Now that I am sleepy,I dare not fall asleep because a heavy responsibility lay on my shoulders and it requires my attention and action very early in the morning(at a time when I am normally far from waking up). I will disappoint a lot of Singaporeans, residents, and members of the Workers' Party who will be selling the Hammer' if I cannot deliver my promise. That will not be the end of my day later though. Its only the beginning..

The next activity is to meet the doctor for the blood test! The next activity to follow is to attend a close friend's daughter 1st month party in Punggol, after which I will have to go to work in Sembawang. In between the above-mentioned schedule, I will need to find time to staple 1000 pieces of my name cards to the same number of fliers so that my work in Sembawang can proceed smoothly...all these under the condition of the lack of sleep. I can only hope that all these hardships that I will have to go through can get me a wonderful night of sleep tomorrow night.

The only thing I can look forward to now..I can get to eat after the blood test!