Sunday, June 30, 2024

Singapore: Merlion Park

I'd say it is a must to visit the majestic half lion, half fish symbol of Singapore, the Merlion. 
Its fish like body is symbolic of the origins of Singapore as a fishing village known as Temasek. While its lion shaped head represents the original name of Singapura which  means lion city in Sanskrit.









my hair is dripping wet so I used a headband
to control my wavy hair :D

It was our last day in Singapore. The blazing sun was fierce and humidity was quite high. We were exhausted from walking all over. Yet the view from the Merlion Park of Marina Bay was enough to cap our week long Singapore trip down memory lane. =)

Friday, June 28, 2024

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, Singapore

This Tang dynasty style architecture Buddhist Temple on South Bridge Road was one of the highlights of our Singapore trip. An actual place of worship but it is open to the public. 





There are two museums. The Buddhas of the World museum is located on the second to the fourth floor featuring numerous religious artifacts and can be reached by two small elevators. The actual relic of the tooth, housed in a golden stupa can reached by climbing a flight of stairs. At the display area, you need to take off your shoes off, maintain silence and picture taking is not allowed. 








Entrance to the museum is free. Just dress appropriately, although there are sarongs available for tourists to cover their shoulders and their legs.







At the topmost floor or the roof deck, there is a prayer wheel.





Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Singapore: Visita Iglesia 2024

We visited Singapore during the Lenten season and right before Holy Week 2024. For the uninitiated, for us Roman Catholics Holy Week is from Holy Monday until Easter Sunday. The most 'holy days' are Maundy Thursday (The Last Supper), Good Friday (our Lord Jesus died on the Cross), Black Saturday (Easter vigil) and Easter Sunday (The Resurrection).

On Maundy Thursday after the Last Supper mass, there is the tradition of visiting 7 Churches called Visita Iglesia. It is a prayerful time for meditation and  reflection and we also pray the Way of the Cross novena. We were pressed for time so we managed to visit only 3 churches for our mini Visita Iglesia, Singapore edition.

St. Joseph's Church on Victoria Street in Singapore's central business district was built by Portuguese missionaries. It was also known as "The Eurasian Church" as it mostly catered to the Portuguese and Malacca Eurasian lineage community. 







Church of Saints Peter and Paul on Queen Street is within the Bras Basah Bugis area of Singapore's arts district. An airy vaulted interior with beautiful stained glass windows, it is Singapore's second oldest Catholic Church and  declared a national monument in 2003.







The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd on Queen Street is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Singapore, the seat of the Archbishop and declared a national monument in 1973. This church is where we heard mass during our Singapore stint from 1991 to 1995. It is within walking distance from the City Hall MRT station and the Raffles City mall where we would have lunch after hearing mass on Sundays. 







Sunday, June 23, 2024

3 years

Today June 23, 2024 marks the 3rd death anniversary of my Dad.

I can still distinctly remember the tragic incident which led to his sudden demise.

It was a Wednesday morning when my hubby dropped me off at the condo.

My sister was working from home downstairs.

I went up to get some items and documents I needed.

Dad was on his way up the stairs when he lost his grip on the handrail and fell backwards 4 steps above the floor.

At first I thought he was okay and ran down the flight of stairs to help him up.

My sister also rushed from her work desk to his side.

He was unconscious and lying flat on his back.

We both screamed as blood start pouring out of the back of his head, forming a puddle on the floor.

I tried calling on the landline for an ambulance but there was no dial tone.

So I ran out of the unit to the elevator to go to the lobby and asked the guard to call an ambulance.

When I ran back up to our unit, my sister was performing CPR on Dad’s chest trying to revive him.

By then, blood was gushing out of his nose, his mouth but my sister didn’t give up.

When the ambulance came, they too tried to revive Dad.

We rode in the ambulance with our bloodied clothes and I could hear the medic trying her best to get a faint pulse.

Dad died in the ER of the hospital where Mommy passed away three months earlier.

To date, it remains the most traumatic event of our lives.

I had really violent nightmares for days even months after we experienced losing Dad in such a tragic manner.

Three years have passed but I still haven’t been able to set foot in the condo without getting the chills and I have to do everything in my power not to relive that traumatic incident.

There are more good days now than terrible days, thankfully.

I know with God’s divine grace and mercy, we will be okay.

My fervent prayer is that Dad’s soul may rest in God’s eternal peace.

And also that Mommy has forgiven me and my sister for not keeping our promise to her that we take good care of Dad.

I miss them both, terribly!

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Marina Bay Complex, Singapore

From the Lavender MRT station (a few steps away from our hotel), it is simply a couple of stops away to the Marina Bay complex. We were not deterred by the scorching sun and the high levels of humidity, we were ready with our bottled drinking water, our bimpo (hand towels) and of course our cellphone to capture snapshots to store in our memory warehouse.



No visit to Singapore is complete without soaking in the warm ambiance of the Marina Bay complex. There are several attractions all within walking distance. The imposing Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino, with a shopping mall and convention hall. The lotus flower shaped ArtScience Museum with rainwater flowing through its bowl shaped roof into a reflecting pool at the lowest level of the building

A striking landmark, the Helix is a pedestrian bridge that connects Marina Centre with Marina South. The Singapore Flyer is one of the largest observation wheels (ferris wheel) in the world.  Across the Singapore river, there is a panoramic view of the Singapore business district with the Merlion and the Fullerton Hotel, taking central stage. 

panorama feature of my iPhone camera: business district

Background of tall skycrapers and the Fullerton Hotel

Lotus flower shaped ArtScience Museum

Merlion

Marina Bay Sands hotel 

Helix bridge and the Singapore Flyer

Singapore river boat tour passing under the Helix bridge

peek a boo Merlion

ArtScience Museum fountain

Helix Bridge, a pedestrian bridge inspired by the geometric arrangement of DNA

The Fullerton Hotel

Me drinking bottled water to avoid fainting from dehydration LOL