22 Sept 2010 4pm St Andrew's Church Service Vol.1

St Andrew's Cathedral - oldest Anglican Church in Singapore





The church entrance filled with flowers

Guard of Honor made up of prefects from St.Andrews School and Junior College

                                                          Another photoshot of the church

                                                            Hearse arriving at the church

                                                                            

Uncle Alex Abisheganaden

Canon Dr. Louis Tay conducting the service 

A section of the friends and relatives at the service

Our family

22 Sept. 2010 Vol. 2

My Mother with some visitors

                                                                                Wreath from the Bishops and Diocese of Singapore

Andrew's love note to Grandpa

Andrew preparing his note

Family friend Tuck Meng

22nd Sept 2010 pictures Vol.1

Some of the wreaths from friends,organisations and colleagues

    
                                                
                                                         Dr. and Mrs. Kwa Soon Bee

More floral wreaths

                                           Wreaths from the many organisations Geoffrey helped

The grandchildren with some of their love
notes for Grandpa

John with good friend, Ravin.

St. Andew's Cathedral Wreath

Sept 21st pictures Vol. 2

 From Left : Heng Ai Ling, Michael Lim, Betty Lim


            

      Dad's friends for over 50 years

                                      
                                          YMCA Chairman Dr. Robert Loh, and President Stephen Loh
                                                             dropped in to pay their respects

Our supportive wives                                        

                                                                                                  

Friends from St Andrew's Secondary

Back Row :Lim Kian Leng, Ow Hing Choy

Front Row: Chew Ping Nan,Chiu Loo Kwong

Also Present (not in picture):Yap Tzin Haen,

      Faisal Alsagoff,Glen Wee,Alan Wee,Andrew Lee 

21st Sept 2010 pictures - Vol. 1

                                 Mum's long time friends from right to left, Dolly Quek, Quek Li Huan,
                                                                         and Uncle Quek

                                                           Maggie from Grays' Law LLC

Senior Nurses and Nurses from Tan Tock Seng Clinic 4A

                                 Aunt Eunice and husband formerly from Stamford Primary School

                                                                  

                                                                        Mr. Harry Elias

Farewell to my Father 20 - 22nd Sept 2010

                                             My father with President S.R.Nathan in 2002

       My father, Geoffrey Abisheganaden passed away at 9 :58 am on Monday 20th September 2010. A staunch Christian, he was called to the Lord's House after serving many years in St. Andrew's Cathedral Church Choir, the Synod, Diocese of Singapore, past Chairman of the Board of Governors for St. Andrew's School, past Chairman of the Board of Governors at St. Andrew's Junior College, Past President of National University Society (NUS Alumni) from 1967 - 70, on the board for the Singapore Bible Society, the YMCA, Legal adviser to Singapore Swimming Club and a host of many other clubs and societies which my brother and I are slowly coming to to realise.

     What a legacy my father left behind for my brother and myself to follow and teach our children. At his wake on 20th, and 21st Sept and at the St.Andrew's Church Service at 4pm on 22nd September, there were hundreds of people from all walks of life from the ordinary people he had coffee with in the 1950s and 60s to many prominent lawyers, doctors and business people who came to pay their respects.

      I am indeed very touched and indebted to the outpouring of respect and love to all who turned up at the wake and service of my father's funeral and there were many of John's (my brother) and my friends who spent time with us. Thanking all of you. In particular,  I wish to thank :

a) Saint Andrew's Cathedral, Canon Louis Tay for conducting both the service at the wake, at the
    Church Service and at the Mandai Columbarium

b) St. Andrew's Junior College and School who sent a Prefects Guard of Honour (of boys and girls)
    and Mrs. Belinda Charles (principal of St. Andrew's School) for her touching speech in Church

c)  Ms. Joanna Paul, an accomplished organist based in London who graciously played at both the wake
     service and in the Church

d) Deaconess Judy Teo who so professionally arranged all service matters in the funeral parlor and in
    Church

e) our 'godbrothers' Ramani Muniyandi and David Mitchell who did alot of the legwork in coordinating
    all necessary details like the booking of the Casket Company funeral room, to columbarium time slot
    booking and all transport details.

   I leave with this verse from the Bible which is so applicable to my father's life :

" I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race and I have kept the faith " 2 Timothy 4 : 7.

   Geoffrey Abisheganaden, indeed was a faithful servant of God.  He was truly an inspirational man, my father.

The Opposite House - San Li Tun Village Beijing

                                                   Village Cafe at Lobby of Opposite House

   The Opposite House is named in its unique way because it is supposed to cater to the 'opposite' kind of person, I reckon. This hotel is quite likely to be patronised by the fashion designers, hair stylists and trendy male models, hence its unique sounding name.

                                             Splendid grilled chicken breast with satay sauce

        I had an exquisite lunch on the last day of my visit to Beijing, and for Yuan 88, (S$ 18), had a 3 course Singapore style starter of wanton soup, grilled chicken breast and Creme Brulee with a coffee.
The waitresses and maitre'd were very eager to serve me and took pains to check whether my plate or glass of water was filled. This is something rare in Beijing, there was no level of good service to speak of. Furthermore, I have a suspicion that this hotel is owned by a Singaporean, given that the cafe serves alot of Singapore dishes like Laksa, and Singapore Fried Rice among other dishes.

                                          The unlikely looking hotel called "The Opposite House"

The hotel is located at the end of the San Li Tun Village (something like our Holland Village) whereby one can walk and shop amongst all the sports and some foreign high end design boutiques. There are many eateries, and my Indian colleagues and I went to the Ganges restaurant in the complex to savour some fine Indian vegetarian food. In the evening, the place comes alive with the trendy Beijingers - mainly young 20 something, all parading in their latest fashions and pubbing. Its a little like the Xin Tian Ti in Shanghai if I can make a comparison.