White Christmas from Hokkaido

Night Scene of our Tower Hotel from the Forest Mall

     Dear friends, I was busy the last 10 days or so, and did not have time to update my blog. I heard some crustacean had 'highjacked' it for a few hours while I was intoxicated with sake and sashimi, but rest assured that nothing like that will happen again. When the SMRT says that the trains will be running fine the next day, see what happened ?  For one to maintain a high level of transport efficiency, one has to do thorough reliability checks and aging tests, like using stress screening equipment, to ensure the long term reliability of their hardware, ie. trains and their tracks is up to standard. 

       This picture was taken when we first arrived in Tomamu ski resort, Hokkaido on 18th December, the Towers in the background are where my family and I stayed for 5 days, and the weather was snowing for maybe 4 days, the atmosphere was quite unreal and the photos which I took were quite undescribable, but really pretty pictures.

         Here's wishing a belated Merry Chistmas to all my friends and followers of my Blog. Whats that picture of the Crab in a previous post  ??

A belated Merry Crhistmas from Hokkaido Japan - from a friend

                                               Thats me, with some parsely and lemon.

         Hello everyone, my name is Kani, Japanese for Crab. I have hairy legs like Mark and I have taken over writing this blog, as he is too busy eating my fellow crustaceans or crabs. He's full of crab right now, and also has too much Sake to write anything sensible in this column, so I took pity on him, and decided to write this post. He was too busy on holiday in December to post anything for over 3 weeks, shame on him !

        Anyway he threatened me that he would eat me soon enough, if I did not do something useful, so  I decided to write this post. Our species are called Snow Crabs, or Long Hairy Leg Crabs and we live off the cold waters of Hokkaido island. The Japanese have long been catching our kind for centuries and we are best eaten, grilled, deep fried or steamed with some vinegar. I don't think humans taste anything like us crabs, and we have many hundreds of offspring, much more efficient producers than humans, though I heard humans are causing havoc with the world we live in, with their cars, aeroplanes and airconditioners, leading to many natural disasters caused by their neglect. Its time for everyone to DO THEIR PART to save our world.
  
         Uh, Oh, that fellow, Mark is eyeing me right now, I better sign off and hide behind this parsely.    
If I don't see you again ; "Merisu Chrismasu " and " eat Vegetables !! " Forget Crabs ! They take too long to eat ! "          
      

Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon 2011 Route

     I have been wanting to upload the route for the Standard Chartered Full Marathon 2011 which starts on Sunday morning at 5.00 am at Orchard Road outside Mandarin Gallery,unfortunately the uploader only accepts .jpg and .jif files, so anyway to help me mentally visualise the route, I will list down the main roads,

a) Orchard Road outside Mandarin Gallery
b) Dhoby Gaut
c) Stamford Road
d) Chinatown Station (MRT)
e) Robinson Road
f) Esplanade Drive
g) Temasek Avenue
h) Park beside F1 Pit Building
i) Nicoll Highway
j) Mountbatten Road
k) East Coast Park  Fort Road
l) East Coast Park Bedok Jetty  (21 km turnaround)
m) East Coast Park return
n) Sheares Bridge
o) Singapore Flyer Road
p) Marina Barrage
q) Padang      (End Point)

    Wish me luck !  I have trained for at least 4 months on and off, so I hope I can complete it in a time below 5 hours, say 4 hr 45 minutes. Depending on the weather, and my preparation, I hope its not wishful thinking !!

 

Happy Birthday to my Mum, Anna Abisheganaden

Picture taken in 2006 during my Mum's 76th birthday,which is 30th November

She would have been 81 today.

Almost 1 year has gone by since you left us,

The pain of separation is still raw and 

The love still lingers in my heart for you,

My dear Mother,

Rest in peace in Heaven, with Papa

Happy Birthday, with much love

Your Son, Mark 

Tiong Bahru - a step back in time

The blocks retain the facade of the 1970s, 

with circular staircase landings erected on the outside of the block

      Nestled between the bustling Chinatown People's Park Complex and Bukit Merah lies the lowrise Tiong Bahru estate. It has been slated by the Government for conservation, amidst the rapid development of our country. I drop my wife and maid there every Sunday at the wet market to buy the fish, meats and fruits and vegetables. While the market is termed a 'branded' market serving only the best choice fish, cuts of meat and vegetables, it has a strong following amongst many elderly folk and a fair number of people come there in the Benzes, Audis, Lexuses  and Porshes from all over the island to buy the weekly groceries.

              The wide walkways and space for the groundfloor units to have their little 'garden'.
                                 Something which is only unique to older estates such as these

      The estate next to the Tiong Bahru market has retained its laid back charm, with the low rise HDB blocks a major attraction for many yuppies or young urban professionals. Its facade is of that from an earlier less complicated time and around the neighbourhood there sprouts many small bookstores, boutique shops and knickknack shops which give this neighbourhood a quaint 'Notting Hill' feel.

       I will find some time to explore the place and have a good cuppa while reading a book - one day.  

Happy 92nd Birthday Papa

        This picture was taken sometime in 2005,most likely around Christmas 2005,  judging from Hannah my niece's age (1 year). My Dad had suffered a fall in 2003 so he was walking with the aid of someone, though by that time, he was already 86, an advanced age. This was one of our regular Christmas and Chinese New Year's gatherings organised by my Mum every year since the early 1980s
So for 20 + years, we have celebrated Christmas and Chinese New Years, with my Mum's immdiate family and close friends of ours at our family abode.
        Papa's birthday was 23rd November.
      
        Here's wishing you a belated birthday in Heaven Papa. Happy Birthday.

Finally, a Business Class Seat

The cubicle ensures privacy, seats can recline fully, 

and I have the full entertainment centre console

     Finally, after 9 years in business on my own, I can say that I can afford to take a Business Class seat, without feeling that I am overspending. I have taken Business Class and even First Class on short haul flights to Penang, KL and even Bangkok but this is the first time (if I recall rightly) I have paid for and fully enjoyed the Business Class service on India's Jet Airways.

    The occasion was for the confirming of a new partnership with our partners based in Rookee, about 4 hours drive from New Delhi, so I decided to take the Business Class together with my lawyer, as the conveniences afforded to the Business class travellers such as the lounge and easy check - in are really what makes it premium priced. The ease of checking in, the no hassles in luggage handling and of course, the little cubicle which offers me privacy without fighting with the elbows of the neighbour or having someone's head on your shoulder and vice versa - for 5 and a half hours no less.

     Of course, as a businessman, I have to be mindful of the impact of travel costs, but for one - off visits such as these, its  money very well spent.