Coy About Carp

Yes I know, it's a terrible pun!

Koi Carp are very popular in Chinese and Japanese cultures infact the word "koi" actually means "carp". So the name "koi carp" is in fact "carp carp", which is carping on a bit.

On a walk around our new condominium we came across the "Koi Carp Pool" referred in the apartment's promotional literature.

The fish in question are quite beautiful as they swim lazely in the direction of the currents produced by the pond's aeration system.

Being a cold water fish they prefer a deep pool and we seem to have a predominance of the Kohaku variety which has a white body with red patterns.

An adult Koi grows to about a metre in length and ours are probably three quarters of that length and must be very valuable.

The Japanese have become fantical breeders of Koi and have named many colour variations. They are symbols of prosperity in Japanese culture, so judging from the stocking ratio of our pool I should be a wealthy man in the very near future, unless of course I have to share my good fortune with the other 721 residents of the apartment complex.

Not that I am tempted to breed Koi myself, as investing in a Cyprinus carpio is similar to investing in a marriage - the average lifespan of koi can reach over 50 years, with the longest lifespans over 100 years.

First Night and Bonus Offers

First night in the new "condo" and the body is aching from the unaccustomed physical exertion.

Fortuitously there is a gym in our Queens complex so I think it’s about time I got back to an exercise regime.

The last time I ventured into such a place the exercise machines were far less complex than they are now. Modern machines have so many dials, gauges and knobs that a pilot's license is needed before setting foot on a treadmill or exercycle.

The other disturbing thing about modern gym equipment is the plethora of health signage and lights that appear when one's body fat index reaches critical mass. Signs that your blood pressure could explode like an over-ripe durian (if you overdo it) are everywhere and none too comforting.

The view of Singapore in the evening is very pleasant, with the commercial and HDB building twinkling in the distance.


The new shower has been tested and found to be satisfactory while the computerised washing machine has automatically weighed the washing, suggested the amount of soap powder to be used and started of its own accord.

Singapore has some wonderful electronics and appliances available for purchase, many of which are models that have yet to reach the Antipodes. The competition is fierce and so sales are often sweetened with "offers".
For example our purchase of a 32 inch Samsung LCD television resulted in a bonus home theatre system plus vouchers worth several hundred dollars to spend at the local Robinsons department store.

I suspect we will literally be dining out on free supermarket vouchers for the next month.