nateniale's travels

Thaipusam fell on a Sunday this year, and I thought it was a great opportunity to catch the celebration in Singapore (since Thaipusam is not a public holiday).  Started the day late, and caught some of the kavadi carrier on the road. The procession starts from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road and ends at Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road. The atmosphere at the road was quite muted, compared to the elaborate celebration that I have seen in Penang - where there would be piles of coconuts thrown on the road, loud music, elaborate tents set up, and hundreds of devotees walking together with the kavadi carrier. In the wonderfully organised and heavily regulated Singapore, the celebration was quieter, and well, organised. Walked with some of the devotees towards the final stop at Sri Thendayuthapani Temple, and that was where I could feel the Thaipusam atmosphere. Shoes taken off, milk offered, prayers made, and even with some drums and dance. From ...

image by harriotc   Off to Cameron Highlands for Chinese New Year! This is probably the first time that my family has planned a trip away from home on Chinese New Year. Could this be a start of a new travel ritual? Wishing everyone a prosperous year of the Dragon!  Happy Chinese New Year! This is a scheduled post. Cut off from the virtual world for a week! 

Have a great Christmas with families and friends, wherever you are! And have a Happy New Year, too! I'm off to Hong Kong for Christmas, but I have lined up some posts for the week. Happy Holidays!

{ Singapore - December 2011 }  While I do not celebrate Christmas, I love the idea that Christmas conjure up in my mind - beautiful golden balls, sparkling lights, powdery snow, crackling warm fireplace, Christmas trees, mistletoe, sharing of gifts, and of course, the big fat man with a long white beard. Well, these, I have to admit, are probably from all the American movies and TV series that I have seen, but I love it anyway. So, to all of you who celebrate Christmas, have a beautiful bright and cheerful Christmas, and to those of you who just want to soak in the Christmas spirit, take a walk along Orchard Road. With the  brightly lit up Christmas trees , with streets decked out in blue sparking lights and Christmas decorations, you can definitely feel that Christmas is just around the corner. Merry Christmas! And have a Happy New Year! { Click here for other posts on Singapore and  a list of my travelogues }

{ Singapore - December 2011 } Singapore may be in the tropics, and the weather is hot and humid with lots of rain, but that does not stop this tiny red dot from going all out with Christmas decorations. You just need to take a walk down Orchard Road to soak in the atmosphere. There are so many beautifully decorated trees along the festive road, that I lost count after awhile. Love how each of them are so different, and yet unmistakably Christmassy! { Click here for other posts on Singapore and  a list of my travelogues }

Hope you have an amazing and lovely day! Here's a wonderful song by Bruno Mars that is fast becoming one of my favourite song. Remember, you're amazing just the way you are!

It's that time of the year when we think of snow, fireplace, presents under the trees...  but being here in Singapore, guess we can only think of lights .  But that should not and would not stop us from enjoying all that Christmas has to offer! My favourite song this Christmas is Baby, It's Cold Outside. It is unconventionally sang by two males - Kirk and Blaine from Glee.  Enjoy the song and, even if it is not cold outside, I hope that there are reasons that are keeping you indoor! Have a great holiday with your love ones. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Chinese New Year is a celebration of the the first day of the lunar calendar, and lasts for 15 days. However, for the Hokkien community in Penang, the 9th day of Chinese New Year is also another celebration of the new year. Penang has a large Hokkien community, whose ancestors were immigrants primarily from Fujian province in China. The Hokkien New Year is to celebrate the day when the Hokkiens escaped mistreatment by ruthless army in ancient China by seeking refuge in a sugarcane plantations. The Hokkiens emerged unharmed on the 9th day of Chinese New Year, and it was then considered as new year for the Hokkiens. The 9th day of Chinese New Year also coincides with the birthday of the Jade Emperor of Heaven ( Thni Kong Seh ). The Hokkien community in Penang celebrates Thni Kong Seh around midnight on the eighth day, by praying to the Jade Emperor of Heaven (or Thni Kong). While most homes would have their own celebration and prayers, the largest celebration was in Chew Jetty. A...

On the 7th day of the Chinese New Year , Georgetown, Penang has been organising a Chinese New Year Cultural and Heritage Celebration every year – and that was even before the city was given the UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2008. It used to be just a small scale celebration of the Chinese New Year, but the celebration has been getting bigger over the past years. This year, it fell on 20 February 2010 and was packed with activities, performances, exhibitions and stalls selling food, handicraft and painting. It was, in other words, packed with all things related to the Chinese in Penang, and swarming with people of all races and ages, and of course, with tourists who happened to be lucky enough to be in the island then. (Below is a photo of the main entrance to the celebration.) It was held at the heart of the heritage site, comprising the Acheen Street, Armenian Street (below), Cannon Street, Ah Quee Street, Soo Hong Lane, Chulia Street and Kampung Kolam. It was organis...

To everyone that celebrates the Chinese New Year...  Happy Chinese New Year!  May the year of the Tiger brings you health and happiness! As always, home is great during Chinese New Year, with many things that remained pleasantly unchanged. The Chinese New Year is celebrated on the first day of the lunar calendar and fell on Valentine's Day this year. It lasted for 15 days. I just realised that in Singapore, they used the (politically?) correct term “Lunar New Year”, which I believe is to dissociate it with the Chinese and to generalise it as the beginning of the lunar calendar. I find that quite unfortunate as the new year celebration that marked the first day of the lunar calendar is a very “Chinese” celebration around this region. In China, it is called the Spring Festival as it marked the beginning of Spring. Obviously, in countries like Malaysia and Singapore where there are not seasons, we can't really call it the Spring Festival. Regardless of what we call it, it ...