January 19, 2007

Friday January 19, 2007
Our first AWA walking tour with Marieke as the guest started today at 8:00 A.M. Had a hard time getting to the start as the buses were so crowded. I had to push chinese people with my umbrella to get off the bus, ( by the way, wasn't very difficult). Anyway, 2 of the other girls didn't show up so it was just Marieke and me. We walked along the street of Geyland and got on a bus to Changi Village to catch a 15 minute bum boat ride to the island of Palau (Palau means Island) Ubin, which is North West of Singapore along the Johor, Malaysia Straits. The island locals here are quite friendly and it almost appears that time has frozen (for a while) here. The two-storey shop-houses are the tallest buildings and run down de-registered taxis and rusty pick-ups ply the island. It's a strange sensation to be in these surroundings yet only minutes away from the city, which you can see in the horizon.
There are a few provision shops and seafood shops at the entrance of the island. You will also find vast stretches of virgin forests. Fruits trees such as durian, coconut and jackfruit line the island.
As we pedalled along, we came across some fairly well-kept kampong houses and fish farms. It was a really refreshing experience going back to nature, and seeing that life was after all, really simple.
Above: Walking in to the Island of Palau Ubin and and bum boats


We took the bum boat ride back after the rain had stopped. From Changi Village we took a bus to an area of Singapore called Katong.The distinctive charm of Katong can be traced back to its Peranakan roots. A quiet residential area formerly dominated by wealthy Straits Chinese families or the Peranakans, many of the older Peranakan homes in Katong, once seaside villas, still stand tall and picturesque. Katong is the place to go for colourful Nonya kebayas (traditional dress of female Peranakans), exquisite beaded slippers and handbags, and of course home-made Peranakan cuisine like ayam buah keluak.
Above: House in Katong and Restaurant that specializes in cooking and serving frogs.

We took the bum boat ride back after the rain had stopped. From Changi Village we took a bus to an area of Singapore called Katong.The distinctive charm of Katong can be traced back to its Peranakan roots. A quiet residential area formerly dominated by wealthy Straits Chinese families or the Peranakans, many of the older Peranakan homes in Katong, once seaside villas, still stand tall and picturesque. Katong is the place to go for colourful Nonya kebayas (traditional dress of female Peranakans), exquisite beaded slippers and handbags, and of course home-made Peranakan cuisine like ayam buah keluak.