Somerset Bencoolen serviced apartments, Singapore

Rooftop pool. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

We stayed in three different rooms in the serviced apartments. We wanted a kitchenette rather than restaurants serving meals at hotel prices. We also wanted the space of a lounge as we were busy working rather than holidaymaking. We had one work station space with a dining chair in the bedroom and a round dining table and phone sockets by the bed.

Walk in closet. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Room 1

Our first room had no balcony and was too small for entertaining.

Room 2

So we moved to a larger more expensive room with two bedrooms and lots of space. We had breakfast on the balcony.

The location is brilliant, across the road from exit A of Bencoolen Station. If traffic is busy or it is raining exit B is a few yards away on the same side. 

Room 3

After a side trip to Thailand for a long weekend seeing family, we returned to a small regular size room with no balcony

 Room 1204 A did not have an en suite shower room but instead had an entire walk in clothes closet.

Reception

Newspapers are on the central table. You can amke yourself tea or coffee.

Plenty of seating while waiting or if somebody drops in to see you.

Lift Lobby,Somerset Bencoolen. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Security

Very secure. The lift operates only after you swipe a card. So your visitors must be accompanied to the lift. Strangers can't just hop in alone.

Swimming Pool

The swimming pool is shallow enough for you to stand. A separate Spa pool operates with the touch of a button. Towels for the area are provided. (Rooms don't have robes. Take your own, or wrap yourself in the hotel's bedroom towel.)

Parking

There is a taxi and drop off parking place marked outside with seats next to it. A parking area at the back has free spaces for motorbikes.

Service

They have 24 hour reception. When I phoned down for a sewing kit, it came up quickly. You can leave luggage in their secure room opposite the reception desk.

Useful Website

https://www.booking.com/searchresults.en-gb.html?aid=311984&label=somerset-bencoolen

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Seen in Singapore - helping hands for those with dementia

Folding bike on a train

Seen in Singapore

Folding bike on the MRT, Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Of course I had heard of folding bikes. But I was astonished to see how small they can be and that they are light enough to carry. They can be taken on a train, not just put in the luggage compartment of  an intercity train, but carried with you on a surburban or city center underground..

Useful Websites

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-folding-bikes/

Thomson Line new station - at Stevens MRT, Singapore, has amusing artwork showing books and book titles

Stevens Station in Singapore, the MRT's one of the new stations on the Thomson line. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Delighted to see the new station. They have been building it for so long. Puddles and wooden walkways directing you around the building site overhead.

Now we have new stations, more options, faster travel times.

The new Thomson line station at Stevens MRT, Singapore. Now connected to the Downtown blue line. From Sunday November 13th 2022. I went to the preview on Friday November 11th. 

I was disappointed they did not have any giveaways. Physical items. Lots of logins.

New MRT Map

You could pick up a new map, showing the new stations, but only if you thought of doing so. I think there should be a big sign saying pick up the new map. 

What about recycling the old maps or offering them to collectors? Or making a montage of old maps with the new one in the centre?

Artwork

What does Stevens have? Artwork.

At first sight, from a distance, rather ordinary. Black. Books. They are meant to be slates, with the book titles written in chalk. 

The title is alliterative. Syllabus for Stevens.

However, when you walk past, you read the humorous book titles. I remembered it as a  short history of spagetti. When I look at my photo I see it was a brief history of spaghetti.

Wiki explains that the schools alongside the MRT, Raffles , and the Chinese Girls School inspired the mural and the girls contributed to suggestions for the 100 book titles. 

Useful websites

Wikipedia

wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevens_MRT_station

Please save links to your favourite posts.

 

New train line preview today Friday 11th November opens Sunday November 13th 2022

 

Angela Lansbury between two larger than life puppets (people inside step aside or move forward and wave). Photo by Trevor Sharot.

At Orchard station's new section, the LTR staff members in their black tee-shirts were efficiently organizing the queue (line up the Americans would say) for photos.

These cute characters who have appeared in trains. The female character is the alliterative stand up Stacie.

The Singapore courtesy campaign has worked well. Earlier this month a passerby who I asked for directions to the Orchard MRT from Marks & Spencer at Wheelock Place in the centre of Singapore said, 'I am not in a hurry - I'll come with you and show you the way.' She took me down two escalators and pointed me in the correct direction.

The new stations on the brown Thomson-East Coast line are: Caldecott, Stevens, Napier, Orchard Boulevard, Orchard, Great World, Havelock, Maxwell, Shenton Way, Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay.

I got on at Stevens, went all the way to Gardens by the Bay, and stopped off at Orchard on my return.

What did I like?

Stevens Book Mural

From a distance, the grey (gray US spelling) book mural at first looks rather dull. However, in close-up the book titles are amusing.

Train lines MRT

Thomson-East Coast Line - brown

East-West line green

North-South line red

North-East line - purple

Circle line - yellow

Downtown line - blue

LRT

BP Bukit Panjang (North-West)

SK Senkang (North-East)

PG Punggol (North-East)

Alternative or connecting transport

Bus companies

Airport - Changi Airport MRT

Bicycle Hire S G bike

https://www.sgbike.com.sg/

Bus - SBS

Cab / Shared Cab - Grab (Previously Grab Taxi and Uber, then combined)

Cable Car - Harbourfront MRT

Cruise Centre - Marina South Pier MRT and Harbourfront MRT

Ferry

Sentosa Express (bus) Harbourfront MRT

Taxi - Comfort-Delgro (companies merged)

https://apps.apple.com/SG/app/

Useful Websites

https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/upcoming_projects/rail_expansion/thomson_east_coast_line.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomson%E2%80%93East_Coast_MRT_line

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevens_MRT_station

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Mass_Rapid_Transit_(Singapore)_stations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardens_by_the_Bay_MRT_station

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchard_MRT_station

https://www.mynetbizz.com/MRT/To-Orchard-MRT-Station/Changi-Airport-to-Orchard-MRT-Station.cfm

https://www.google.com/maps

TransitLink Hotline

www.transitlink.com.sg

SBS Transit Hotline (Singapore bus service)

www.sbstransit.com.sg

SMRT Hotline (Combined bus and train operator)

www.smrt.com.sg

Spot the Blue and Boats and Ships On the Bayfront MRT Mural - and more in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan

Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

As you rush into or out of the station you might be tempted to hurry past the long blue mural of boats and ships. I was in a hurry and took a photo of the mural and author's description to read later.

On my mobile phone I could hardly make out that the little blobs were boats. However, the next weekend I showed it to my husband and he blew up my picture on a big desktop screen. He was impressed by the variety of boats shown.

First, he noticed a boat with ice creams. Then a boat with fruit.

Then, different styles of boat, shown by their sails or curved bows. He guessed at or identified several. Can you see them?:

A clipper - with clipped sails, triangular

A schooner - with full sails

The curved up front of an Asian boat

Bay front MRT is underneath the distinctive Marina Bay Sands complex, with its triple towers, connected by a hotel, with an infinity swimming pool. You can buy a ticket for the observation deck, or book a table for a meal at the luxury restaurant with a view for a special occasion.

The Boats on the Mural

Our initial impression was that one artist must have spent hours painting all those little boats. No. Hours organizing the project. That boats were all drawn by children aged 7 to 12. So many families have their own connection to the mural.

Teco Enamel construction

I found a detailed description of the construction of the mural on the website of the company which provided the raw material for the construction. The product they supplied had to be able to deal with graffiti, not have colours which faded. The company is Taiwan Enamel Company Limited, for short their name is condensed to the word Teco.

Interestingly, the Teco company also makes enamel baths and bath accessories such as taps.

More Murals To See

They were also responsible for other murals you can see on the Downtown line (and on websites, and in my blog posts) such as a nearby station, Promenade, and up north in Woodlands South. Also other murals or signs in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Abu Dhabi, UAE which you can see on their websites

Useful Websites

Bayfront station

Mural Construction

https://taiwanenamel.com/projects/graphic/bayfront-mrt-station-singapore/

Singapore International Water Week

https://www.siww.com.sg/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayfront_MRT_station

Youtube  video of Singapore stations' murals

Indoor and outdoor eating in hawker centre Timbre at Expo

 

Mr Biriani, Indian food at Timbre food court (known locally as a hawker centre), outside Expo exhibition centre which is one underground railway stop along from Changi airport in Singapore. I had been to Expo several times and seen only the couple of coffee bar kiosks by the entrance near the MRT. However, this time I discovered the outside food court just across a patch of astroturf (artificial grass) beside the car park. Benches outside allow you to picnic in fine weather. We chose to sit on high stools with backs at tables in the centre of the food court.

At lunch time Mr Biriani has set meals which makes for quick ordering. Instead, in the evening I had to order separately. 

I chose a chicken biriani, a stuffed naan with a coconut filling. I also opted for a mango lassi drink, which was not the usual milk with a dash of mango but thick with generous amounts of mango.

I had spicy yellow rice. And a spicy sauce - fortunately on the side. I swapped half my spicy rice with my husband's white rice.

My husband chose food from another kiosk. Fish with white coconut rice. Nasi Lemak. Malay. Nasi is rice. Lemax is fat. A dish made for breakfast from leftovers.

I had too much food to consume. How could I wrap up the leftovers? I went back to the kiosk and they gladly gave me a nice little white bag with gold rope handles, and a sealed top container to take away my leftovers. 

We also tried pineapple from a juice kiosk. Two smiley girls were cutting up the pineapples.

If you are alone, and bored, within the building is a glass window kiosk with the invitation, take a book, leave a book.

Reasons For Eating At Expo

Why stop to eat at Expo after the show? Why not rush home?

We had been to the ProWine exhibition. My husband who is our cook said he would be too tired to cook by the time we got home. 

He also wanted  to wait and let the home-going crowds disperse so we could get seats and not be breathing over everybody else on the train. 

(Two of our friends missed the show this September 2022 because they have Covid. One of the presenters was also prevented from attending. We think he was stopped from boarding when found  to be Covid positive.

Whilst walking to and from the Timbre building and the main Expo building, you will pass three sculptures, with descriptions on small plaques on the ground beside them. 

Useful Websites

https://timbreplus.sg/venues/timbre-eastside-expo/

https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/getting_around/public_transport/rail_network.html

https://www.mrbiryanisg.com/locations

https://www.singaporeexpo.com.sg/feast-at-expo

Clarke Quay Riverside's Romantic Restaurants for strolling and sitting sipping by Daylight and Twilight

 

You can take a very pleasant walk along the riverside from Clarke Quay MRT station. The area is named after a Mr Clarke. (Clarke is a popular British name inherited from an ancestor and once derived from the trade of being a clerk?)

We started at one exit. Exit C, which has 90 steps, was closed. We walked along the southern bank towards Riverside Point, facing Clarke Quay which is on the Northern side.

I muddle up Boat Quay and Clarke Quay. Firstly, we went to Clarke Quay MRT. Secondly, we saw the sign Clarke Quay.

Clark Quay sign. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Some couples were strolling along. Others stopped to sit and watch the boats go by.

Clarke Quay couple watching passing boats. Photo by Angela Lansbury. copyright.

Notice the old shophouses. (Shophouses are shops or shopfronts with housing overhead and at the back. Usually two storey terraces. With shutters. Elaborate carved wood doorways, door shutters and window shutters. Bright colours.)

Here a consistent colour scheme has been used. The roof tiles are all orange. The shop fronts are rotating four colours, blue, yellow, pink, green.

We took a walk along to Brewkerz which has outdoor tables overlooking the river. We then returned to a Projector area for a film show.

When we left Clarke Quay, near the bridge crossing, we re-entered the station at another exit which is next to a shopping mall which includes bargain store Daiso.

We stopped at the Cheers shop for an inexpensive choc ice on a stick called a Magnum, paying with a credit card. You have to finish your food before entering the train station.

Come back for more text and pictures shortly.

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke_Quay

About the Author

About the Author Angela Lansbury

BIOGRAPHY

Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5 
The Author of several books including  Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.

Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President

Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time 

Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;

Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;

Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.

More details from Toastmasters International find a club.

Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.

Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.

Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.

Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.

Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.

Language and speech workshops in Singapore.

Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.

Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.

Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.

Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

Violet Oon Restaurants at Jewel, Singapore, Clarke Quay, National Gallery, Singapore - just watch the opening and serving hours

Entrance to the Violet Oon restaurant in Clarke Quay. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

We were looking for somewhere to eat after a film show in the Warehouse at Clarke Quay. 

We liked the look of the Violet Oon Restaurant in Clarke Quay, Singapore. Satay bar and grill, just what we wanted. 

I later looked up Oon to see who the Oons were, where they came from and what the name means. The Chinese name Oon is popular in Malaysia and Singapore (once both part of Malaya). The name means warm, soft or tender. A suitable name for a restaurant. I have friends named Oon as a family name (followed by the two one syllable first names). I am glad I looked that up.

We were shown to a lovely table for two by the window. Perfect.

Table for two at Violet Oon restaurant, Clarke Quay. Photo by Angela Lansbury

However, before we could order, the waiter told us, "I am so sorry. We are  that serving only desserts and coffee." 

Desserts 

Now, I am a desserts person. Typical British, with a sweet tooth, from years of eating Cadbury's chocolate every day, not knowing that daily sweets, or sweets several times a day, is bad for teeth. The Swedes have known that for a long time and have a sweets only on Saturday policy. They sell huge volumes of sweets on Saturdays, yet have perfect teeth, according to a recent report. 

I have since looked up the desserts. The set menu which you must order days in advance costs well over 100 dollars!  So a chance to sit in a swanky restaurant and to try just a dessert at 10 or 15 dollars plus plus would have been a bargain. For ten dollars I could have had coconut ice cream. With cashew nut crumble. Does that mean crumbled cashew nuts, or a crumble with scattered cashew nuts? Either suits me. I love coconut. I love cashew nuts. Other desserts, of which I saw four listed, feature Gula melaka (sugar syrup). Yum.

However, meanwhile, my husband was intent on the kebab promised in the name of the restaurant. Clarke Quay has so many places. So he immediately jumped up to depart.

Alas, we have to try them another time. We and you, if you are ever anywhere in Singapore, have lots of opportunity, as they have branches at Ion, Orchard, right in the centre, by Orchard MRT station, and the National Kitchen  in the National Gallery, 1 St Andrews Road.

Now that I know the meaning of the name I shall find it easy to remember them. Oon, like on, the O and the N in Ion, and O for Orchard. O for soothing. Oo, oon, soothing, soon.

I recall the good old days in Hatch End in North West London, England, when the little Italian restaurants were owner operated. If they closed for lunch at 2.30 pm or 3, but you were lunching and sat there drinking up your coffee, or ordering another cup, you could continue doing so. They never shut until the customer left. The same in the evening. Arrive early, sit by the bar and choose your drinks and order food. Ask for food which was not on the set menu, they would cook if for you, or suggest something similar, also off the menu. Sit beyond 11 pm or even midnight, the owner would stay, the chef would stay, you would get a free drink and the owner would, if you asked him, sit down at the table and talk. 

I think that things have changed worldwide. Staff want to go home. Licensing hours are restricted. Workplace hours and rules have changed. Unionised thinking of that's my job or not my job has imposed a mindset. Or maybe I am used to effusive staff in Italy, England and the USA, rather than the Japanese and Chinese style of 

I must say that the staff at this branch were prompt to approach us, told us what we needed to know immediately, and were polite and apologetic.

Despite this disruption, I did well out of my foray. Two venues in one hour. I love seeing new places. We found another outlet, Warehouse, which you can read about in my subsequent post. And still Violet Oon outlets to look forward to.

Violet Oon Opening times at Clarke Quay

6.00 to 10.30 pm. 

Last orders for food 9.30 pm. Last orders for drinks, 10 pm.

Useful Website

www.violetoon.com

https://violetoon.com/festive-offerings/

I like the look of the white coconut log cake. If price were no object. 68 Sing dollars. 

Come back soon to see more photos.

About the Author

About the author of this blog

About the Author of this blog, Author Angela Lansbury

BIOGRAPHY

Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5 
The Author of several books, including: Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.

Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President

Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time 

Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;

Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;

Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.

More details from Toastmasters International find a club.

Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.

Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.

Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.

Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.

Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.

Language and speech workshops in Singapore.

Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.

Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.

Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.

Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.

I  also have a blog on comic poems.

 Please share links to your favourite posts. 

UNESCO Award-winning Beautiful Botanical Gardens

 

Just at the entrance to the MRT is the entrance to the Botanical Garden with the exciting news that it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Plants that heal. The Botanical Gardens if full of information signs.

A good place to gather, to run alone, for a twosome. 

Photo from Wikipedia

Photo from Wikipedia

Entrance to The Garage. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

The Garage with Bee's Knees cafe downstairs and Botanico restaurant upstairs. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Upstairs patio room at Botanico.

Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Also a couple of romantic restaurants. 

Entry is free.

See my previous post about Botanico restaurant.

Useful Websites

MRT Botanic Gardens

https://www.nparks.gov.sg/sbg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Botanic_Gardens

About the Author

Angela Lansbury is a British author who has lived in the USA.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Angela Lansbury teacher of English (advanced and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, aspiring polyglot.

Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 

She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Please share links to your favourite posts.

First steps in Tamil - easy words which sound the same

Official language in	Sri Lanka  Singapore  India: Tamil Nadu[3] Puducherry[4]  ASEAN[5]
Recognised minority language in	Malaysia[6]  Mauritius[7]  South Africa[

You already know and use a few Tamil words, catamaran, cheroot, curry, mango. I didn't realise these words were Tamil. I first knowingly came across Tamil in Singapore.

Where can you hear of speak Tamil?  You see Tamil on the MRT underground railway stations in Singapore and the train map. You also hear Tamil spoken in the station announcements. The English ends with the words thank you. The Tamil ends with nan(d)ri.

I came across a handy guide to Tamil which I had forgotten I had on my bookshelves. I was looking for words in Vietnamese and picked up the Foreign Workers and Domestic Helpers Language guide. I bought it in Mustaph's department store in Little India in Singapore.

The book contains the languages English, Chinese (Mandarin), Tamil and Bahasa Indonesia. (Indonesian is almost the same as Malay.) These are the four official languages in Singapore. The book also contains the languages of Myanmar and Bengali.

The Tamil language looks very pretty, with lovely curves. However, even the shortest word in English has many Tamil letters to recognize.

Nevertheless, this time I persisted. I glanced down the lists of words looking for whatever was easy.

1 I wanted those Tamil words which were only one syllable.
2 I was pleased with words which started with the same letter as the English word.
3 Best of all, words which looked and sounded almost the same.

I was rewarded. Here are my findings which I shall share with you.

The English letter b is often pronounced as p

The English g becomes k

Short one-syllable words in English often end in u making two syllables in Tamil
You might notice that Tamil speakers sometimes add the sound oo onto the end of English words.

Tamil - English sound
one - onru (like one-u)
eight - ettu (like eight-u)

one million - oru milliyan
one billion - oru billiyan

Like other languages
morning - kailai (like the Greek kali spera, good morning)

Words starting with the same letter or sounding similar
noon - nan-pakal

The months sound almost the same
b becomes (unvoiced) p in February
g becomes k (in August); c bcomes k in October

January - janavari
February - pipravari
march - maarch
April - eapral
May - mea
June - joon
July - joolai
August - aakast
September - chepdampar
October - aktopar
November - navampar
December - disampar

Words Which Are The Same
meter - meter

I looked up Tamil Language in Wikipedia. I learned:
Words of Tamil origin occur in other languages. A notable example of a word in worldwide use with Dravidian (not specifically Tamil) etymology is orange, via Sanskrit nāraṅga from a Dravidian predecessor of Tamil nartaṅkāy "fragrant fruit". One suggestion as to the origin of the word anaconda is the Tamil anaikkonda, "having killed an elephant". Examples in English include cheroot (churuṭṭu meaning "rolled up"), mango (from māngāi), mulligatawny (from miḷaku taṇṇīr, "pepper water"), pariah (from paraiyan), curry (from kari), catamaran (from kaṭṭu maram, "bundled logs"), and congee (from kanji – rice porridge or gruel).

Now I have started Tamil ready for my next visit to a Tamil toastmasters club in Singapore, to chat to Indians about language, or to visit India and read signs and calendars.


Flag of India

Useful Websites
translate google
www.mightyminds.sg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_loanwords_in_other_languages
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/06/first-steps-in-tamil-easy-words-which.html
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/06/tamil-sentence-structure.html
Tamil Bilingual speakers' club in Singapore
https://www.facebook.com/tlcsbilingualsingapore/

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
I and my family have lived in the UK, Spain, the USA and Singapore. I am a trave writer and phtographer and teacher of English A level and English as a foreign language.

Please come to a Toastmasters International Club where the English clubs have a langauge evaluator or grammarian.  We also have French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Tamil and other language clubs based in Singapore and many more online around the world which because of Covid-19 are now meeting online.

I am President (2019-2020) of Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters International speakers' club, meeting every Wednesday, on zoom the first Wednesday of the month but the other Wednesdays are workshops on app learncool.sg
Or quicker to type and easier to remember:  tinyurl.com/BHACOOL
Please join us.

I have many other blog posts on languages. Please share links to your favourite posts.

See The Latest Underground Station Designs : New Woodlands MRT Stations Opened

English: Taken on 11 January 2020 during TEL1 open house
Date	11 January 2020 (according to Exif data)
Source	Own work
Author	yenwei

The New Woodlands South MRT has a colourful mural. Three shades of green, and red, and a mosaic.

More fun than Woodlands North.



Here's where the line goes, up to the north.

Description	English: Thomson-East Coast Line map.
Source	Own work
Author	Seloloving

Singapore Flag

Useful Websites
https://landtransportguru.net/woodlands-south-station/
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thomson-East_Coast_Line_Woodlands_South_station.jpg
https://traveltriangle.com/blog/places-to-visit-near-woodlands-bdp/
singaporeair.com
https://www.transitlink.com.sg/eservice/eguide/rail_info.php
https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/journey-with-art-on-the-thomson-east-coast-line?

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

See Odd Art at Singapore's Geylang Bahru MRT and learn the Malay word bahru

I thought Newton station had odd art until I saw this. It is at Singapore's MRT station, Geylang bahru.

MRT

MRT - Mass Rapid Transit

Malay - English

bahru - new

geylang bahru - new Geylang (the adjective is first in English; the adjective is second in Malay)

Johor Bahru - New Johor (across the causeway in Malaysia) 

English - Malay

new - bahru

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

singaporeair.com

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Singapore

About the Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, teacher of English and other languages . Please share links to your favourite posts.

Learn colourful words and colourful place names in Chinese and Malay

Chinese (Mandarin) is spoken in China and Singapore.

Flag of China. 

Flag of Singapore.

Chinese - English
ang - red
ang mo - red hair = Caucasian (Singlish or slang, could be affectionate or insulting depending on tone and context)
mo - hair

English - Chinese
caucasian - ang mo
hair - mo
red - ang

Flag of Indonesia


Malay - English
bukit - hill
bukit merah - Red hill (Bukit Merah and Redhill are two different nearby MRT mass rapid transit railway station names)
merah - red

English - Malay
hill - bukit
red - merah
red hill - bukit merah

Useful Websites
LANGUAGES
google translate
translate.google.com
duolingo
duolingo.com
memrise
memrise.com

TRAVEL
Singapore Airlines
singaporeair.com

About the Author
Angela Lansbury is a teacher of English and other languages. Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts.

Indian Vegetarian Restaurant, Conveniently in Central Singapore, Has Delicious Halwa

Singapore Flag

Nalan Restaurant is easy to reach. You walk underground from City Hall station which is on both the red north-south line and the green east-west line.



The restaurant sits beside the central fountains which are at the bottom of the staircase circling up to the level above where you find the food court.
Here are the fountains.

our friends had found a table by the wall, which I prefer. Last time we had a table of six in the centre.


Nalan vegetarian restaurant. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

We started with drinks. You can have sweet or salty or mango lassi. I opted for rose milk which is rarer.


Rose milk and mango lassi. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

We were given two menus. The simpler one is easier to follow. You can have a South Indian thali or a North Indian Thali.



South Indian Thali at Nalan. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Thali
If you can't decide just goes for the Thali, a tray of mixed food. In the centre was including white rice which got compliments.  Several flavours of food - enough to share around.

Finally, one small white cup contained the most delicious carrot dessert, a yellow liquid with teeny orange shredded carrot at the base.


Carrot halwa dessert. Nalan vegetarian restaurant. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

I avoided Masala dosai which contains potato, which I love, and ordered last time I visited here.  But often in a thin crunchy pancake. I wanted a bread which was more chewy. And to try something new.

I opted for one of the set meals, six and seven sounded similar. The dearer one, number 6, contained potato.

My friend ordered garlic bread.

Garlic bread at Nalan vegetarian restaurant. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

I finished with a final sip of the carrot dessert and found shredded carrot underneath.



Nalan vegetarian restaurant. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

The price was about 25 dollars per couple. We had the two drinks and a bottle of water water, no coffee or tea.

We had phoned and asked to book a table for Sunday lunch time. They said they opened at 10.30 am and no need to book.

I kept the receipt which was handy because it gave me the address if I need to tell anybody else for a repeat visit.

Our friends asked us, "What are you going to do next?"

The signs by the escalator point you to many local attractions including the Peranakan Museum. about the clothes and food of the families combining two cultures, Chinese and Malay, often with a Chinese husband and Malay wife.

Address
13 Stamford Road,
Capitol Piazzo
#B2-54
Singapore 178884
Tel: +65 6336 6404

Useful Websites
Malan
http://www.nalan.com.sg/

MRT
https://landtransportguru.net/city-hall-station/

Singapore
singaporeair.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

How Tactile Paving Helps The Handicapped At Stations

Those lines running parallel to the base of the picture are raised metal to guide the feet of the blind. Some blind people have tunnel vision or restricted vision, so if they look ahead or to the left or right they cannot see the floor in front of them. Others see a blur.

As you get older you get cataracts, like taking off your reading glasses. When I went to the optician for a sight test in London, England, I was told that I was developing cataracts, but they would not need, or qualify for, an operation for another ten years. Naturally you put off an operation on your eyes as long as you can. Meanwhile, clear images and bright colours on artwork are welcome, as is anything to lift your mood.

More Information
Tactile Paving
Tactile Paving is the technical term for those raised round bumps. The SMRT website points out that the tactile paving in Singapore leads to the wide wheelchair access gate where you put in your ticket to enter the platform or go to the escaltor down to the platform.

Useful Websites
http://blog.smrt.com.sg/smrt-mobility-features/ (Tactile paving)

DIY Buona Vista Artwork Tour

Spinning circles on mobile outside Matrix near Buona Vista MRT. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

You can take official station Artwork Tours or make your own DIY tour from Buona Vista.   Enjoy restful greenery, stepped water and wonderful Artwork near Buona Vista and Beautiful Biopolis

Flag of Singapore.

The name Buona Vista means beautiful view in Italian. Google translate asked if I meant buena, which is Spanish, very similar. From the Latin videre to see. A town called Vista is in California, USA. Vista, according to dictionary.com is a view, often along a passageway between buildings, exactly the situation at Buona Vista.

I looked up the Portuguese translation and found boa vista, not bom vista (as in Bombay). The word Bombay comes from bom baim.I tried beautiful view and was given vista bonita.

So, the station in Buona Vista, which is Italian.

The multi-storey mural of a tree in Buona Vista MRT railway station in Singapore. Photo by circleline4 in Wikipedia.

Arriving on the yellow Circle Line from Botanic Gardens, I and you are greeted by the sight of a multi-storey artwork showing a tree. It is a eucalyptus tree which used to grow in the area above, and was remembered fondly by the artist. The overlapping mosaic effect is supposed to pay homage to works by David Hockney. I would prefer a realistic tree.

I used to hate Singapore's Buona Vista, a vast interchange, between the yellow Circle Line and the green East West line, with crowds massing to mount the upward escalator in the evenings evening. However, now Buona Vista MRT station is a magnet to me at off-peak times because of the delights nearby. What made me go to the detested station and explore the surroundings?

I am Area Director for Area S3 in Toastmasters International so I went to visit a corporate club at lunch time to install their new committee. I had to conduct a short ceremony, followed by a speech. In advance I had asked the outgoing President who was organising the event for directions to the Matrix building on Biopolis Street. My map showed the Biopolis Street, Biopolis Way and a third Biopolis, within walking distance of the station.


Seating with fans. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Fans And Seating For A Meeting
My first decision was exit B or D through the shopping mall, indoors and aircon but possibly confusing and distracting and delaying, or out in the open? The problem was solved by a member of staff standing near the exit. She told me which way to go, and that the other exit brings me out to the same place from the other line on another level.

Upstairs on street level, my first delighful discovery at the dreaded Buona Vista MRT train interchange, after the two escalators, was a large seating area outdoors under overhead fans. The seating area is also far away from the car fumes, but with the sight of distant traffic, so you do not feel isolated. The fans were not brilliantly effective but the sight of them was soothing.

I am a fan of fans. I sat and looked at my map. However, I had to hurry on to my meeting.

Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

One North Park
Walking on to the crossroads, I saw a grassy area leading uphill, a park called One North Park. I took a photo of the attractive park. I liked the welcoming sculpture at the entrance and large name plus useful information plaque. The sign was handy in case I ever wanted to go there for a walk with friends in that area.

The road uphill was a slight challenge, but manageable and quite short. I consoled myself with the thought that coming back downhill would be quicker and easier.

When I reached the first turning I was greeted by a delightful sight of running water cascading down a series of steps.


A display of embroidered circles hanging like a mobile caught my attention next.

At the base of the gentle almost silent waterfall is a red sculpture.

The Mobile Circles
Later, after my meeting, with time, I was able to go up close to the mobile to look at it. Each circle was a surprise.

First the stunning colours. Secondly, the friendly faces embroidered. Such ingenuity. An amazing number of creatures. A pretty peacock. A fab fish. A spider. A couple of cuddling, cuddly cats.And the Singapore flag.

As they spin you keep seeing new animal faces, patterns and scenes. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Mobile of embroidered cats. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

The Sculpture
The sculpture is a double sculpture. Red. But it blends in with the greenery. It forms a landmark.

Red sculpture at Biopolis. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Around the base of the trees were plaques which answered my questions. What tree is this? I noticed one tree plaque. Then a second. Then a third.

Finally, back to the top, I found a giant sulpture with its main magnificent flower or glowerhead of gossamer depicted metal far above.

Metal tree sculpture. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

As I walked back downhill, I saw another couple of metal trees or giant flowers which I had somehow not seen on the way up. I returned to the station exhilarated. Yes, I had met charming people and eaten a delicious Indian lunch with fruit and water, but the final pleasure was the stunning sculptures and lovely landscaping of the area between Buona Vista and Biopolis. 

Tour
But there's more. Researching the area online I discouvered that you can arrange to take a tour organized by the stations, of the Singapore stations' artwork.

Useful Websites For Travellers
For first and last train times:
http://www.smrt.com.sg/Journey-with-Us/Trains/NetworkMap/BuonaVista
Information on the Art In Transit tour
http://www.smrt.com.sg/Community/Empowering-through-Arts-and-Education
Photo of tree mural and copyright information in Wikipedia
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interior_of_the_Circle_Line_section_of_Buona_Vista_MRT_Station,_Singapore_-_20110820.jpg
Getting To Singapore on Singapore Airlines
singaporeair.com

About The Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.