An Unexpected Meetup

About a year ago, I visited a hairdressing shop in the Serangoon area. The shop, New Chay Hong Lady Beauty Parlour 彩虹女子電髮院, had been at the same premises for 60 years. My friend experienced a "cut and wash", and I was just looking around. It was more of a novelty, and a chance to look at traditional businesses that are slowly vanishing.

A few days ago, I ran into the hairdresser in the subway. I said "hello", but of course she did not recognise me. Still it was an unexpected, yet pleasant meeting. She mentioned that now, the shop is having a 6-month rolling lease, to be renewed every 6 months. The next renewal is in June 2014. "And then I'll see", she says. "Hopefully I keep going on as long as I can." I guess, there's a real possibility that the shop may be closed down soon.

She gave me her home telephone number, and asked me to call next time before going to visit. I said I would encourage more female friends, especially my friends from abroad to go. It would be a very nice cultural souvenir to experience a "cut and wash" from a traditional hairdresser.

Dakota Crescent

There’s a neighbourhood in Singapore named after the Douglas DC-3 airplane, called Dakota Crescent. The estate is near Singapore's first civil airport, Kallang Airport. Kallang Airport opened in 1937, but closed in 1955 when the new Singapore International Airport at Paya Lebar was built. Later the international airport moved to its present location in Changi in 1981. Even though the airport has been closed for many years, its legacy remains. The estate was named after the DC-3 airplane to commemorate a crash at Kallang Airport on 29 June, 1946, during a storm with no survivors. The old runway, that was parallel to Mountbatten Road, is now called Old Airport Road. Perhaps the area was a little more lively when the airport was operating. Gone are those heady days. Today, it’s an aging housing estate that holds some old charms and memories in Singapore - old communal badminton courts, sand pit playgrounds, and traditional provision shops. Although the area is still popular because of good hawker food at the Old Airport Road Food Centre. In 2010, a new subway station called Dakota Station opened, increasing accessibility. Will this bring some life back into this sleepy estate?

*This post was updated after a reader (ccolin) pointed out some corrections. Thanks!

The Mid-Autumn Festival 2013

The Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节), is one of the feel-good traditional Chinese festivals. I remember the lanterns, drinking tea, eating mooncakes, and appreciating the beauty of the moon. It's about giving thanks, celebrating harvest, and generally to relax. Hopefully, people have worked hard during the spring and the summer seasons, and can afford to relax a bit. Children also have a lot of fun carrying lanterns at night (if they are not up to any mischief like burning stuff). Parents are less worried about their kids compared to the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts (中元节), where kids may be mistaken as offerings by the famished spirits. The time around the Mid-Autumn Festival is also considered an auspicious time to get married. For the Chinese community, it's almost like the peak period during the year for holding wedding banquets.

The Festival of the Hungry Ghosts 2013

Seven photographs from the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts (中元节), which ended in early September 2013. During the 7th month of the lunar calendar, Chinese believe that the Gates of Hell open once a year for a month. Spirits and ghosts are free to visit the human world. Humans place offerings of food, drinks, and items for the ghosts. There are also concerts, performances, and Chinese opera, where everyone is invited, but the front row seats are left empty for the ghosts. It is a fascinating festival to me because it shows the relationship to the afterlife. What happens when we die? Where do we go? I also overheard some Chinese tourists from Mainland saying that the festival is so much more elaborate in Southeast Asia.

Singapore Road Cycling Championships 2013

Last weekend, I tried something new. I photographed the Singapore Road Cycling Championships 2013. It was something different - instead of racing, I am now chasing the race with my camera. It's a different challenge to share my passion for the sport through photographs.