Happy 50th Birthday, Singapore!

On 9 August 2015, Singapore celebrated her golden jubilee—50 years since she declared independence in 1965. An additional day was also declared a public holiday, much to the delight of Singaporeans, many of which chose to travel abroad. Those who stayed were treated to a slew of activity, including aerobatics displays by the Black Knights… Continue reading Happy 50th Birthday, Singapore!

Rendezvous of Venus, Jupiter and the Moon

Almost exactly three years ago, I caught the “Celestial Triangle” formed by Venus, Jupiter and a crescent moon early one morning. Earlier tonight, I managed to catch the gorgeous sight again, thanks to a tip-off in the Straits Times’ website which carried the news of this celestial event. As the sun set, I started to… Continue reading Rendezvous of Venus, Jupiter and the Moon

SEA Games 2015 Opening Ceremony Fireworks—The smokiest I’ve shot

The 28th SEA Games opened with fireworks at the Singapore Sports Hub on 5th June 2015. With all the media hype on the event, I was excited over the prospect of seeing some great fireworks, but it was not to be. Joined by my friend David and his girlfriend, we went to our shooting location… Continue reading SEA Games 2015 Opening Ceremony Fireworks—The smokiest I’ve shot

A Visit to Raffles Lighthouse

It’s not often that one gets to visit one of the several lighthouses in Singapore. So when the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore organised a tour of the Raffles Lighthouse as part of the Singapore Maritime Week, I jumped at the chance. The one-hour journey began from the Marina South Pier and along… Continue reading A Visit to Raffles Lighthouse

The “Bloodless” Lunar Eclipse I Almost Missed

The lunar eclipse on 4 Apr 2015 is the third of a series of four—called a tetrad—consecutive eclipses spaced six months apart. It was also the shortest, lasting barely 5 minutes at its peak. I staked out at the Esplanade Bridge an hour before totality and waited. Nightfall came, I don’t see the moon. I… Continue reading The “Bloodless” Lunar Eclipse I Almost Missed

Grand Canyon West Rim

I’ve always wanted to go to the magnificent Grand Canyon, after not taking the opportunity to do so when I was nearby in Las Vegas some 15 years ago while attending the now-defunct Comex show. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Las Vegas again, this time for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015 and… Continue reading Grand Canyon West Rim

Disappearing Places: Sungei Road Thieves’ Market

Shortly after World War II, the area around Sungei Road grew to become a flea market. It eventually known as the Thieves’ Market due to the many stolen/contraband goods sold there. The saying goes that if your belongings got stolen, chances are that you can buy it back from there. In the 1930’s, there was… Continue reading Disappearing Places: Sungei Road Thieves’ Market