Gone Fishing

Image by Reggie Wan via FlickrWe braved the Boxing Days sales yesterday in our local town centre. For once they reminded me of the till queues experienced in the good old days of the Robinsons Sale; a Singapore institution.

The origins of 'Boxing Day' are believed to come from the practice of the British rich distributing their largesse to the luckless poor, thereby accentuating still further the class divisions of the times.

In large households the servants were expected to work on Xmas Day and were compensated by being allowed to take the next day off.  Their masters gave them a box and based on their performance over the year, varying sums of money which were placed inside the box.

Am I alone in spotting the similarity of this Victorian custom with the annual performance bonus which features so largely in Singaporean working lives?

This year we have had the "Boxing Day" sales a week or two before the actual day as the New Zealand retailers desperately canvas for customers.

Unlike Singapore which has recorded respectable economic growth despite the recession, New Zealand has very narrowly avoided a 'double-dip recession', a term which may sound like a chocolate dipped NZ icecream but is in reality far less palatable.

The Singapore government's tight stewardship during the economic turbulence is to be commended and the results are for all to see.

As a trading nation far for its markets and with a strong dollar against our major trading partners, New Zealand has some major economic challenges.  This has not be helped by the past excesses of the welfare state.

Despite the gloom and doom, sport remains high on the list of leisure pursuits in this country and with the traditional summer holidays upon us, many New Zealanders head to the beach.

Fishing is a very popular activity with local television channels featuring fishing shows and the customers purchasing cut-price rods and reels in the Boxing Day sales.

I have very fond memories of this sport with fly fishing for trout as well as rod fishing off the rocks for a catch from the sea featuring in my past.  I have done neither in recent years but the thrill of the catch is still a fond memory.

Source: Straits Times

In Singapore the fishing experience is somewhat different and I must discount fishing for one's supper at a local prawn farm.

Travelling to a raised platform called a kelong is a preferred method and nowadays with few of the Singapore kelongs remaining, Singaporeans go across to Malaysia for their sport.

Boxing Day was not a good day for Singaporean fishermen with the news that three of them drowned and another two were missing returning by ferry from a kelong in Pulau Sibu, off Mersing.

As per usual, the problem was a grossly overloaded ferry which capsized in strong winds and a treacherous current near the Tanjung Leman jetty.

Ferry capsizes in South East Asia happen with monotonous regularity, especially in the Philippines and Indonesia were maritime rules are flouted in a grab for more profit.

Malaysian incidents are fewer but do occur and arresting the captain and boat operator post-event is not going to curb such negligence.


Is prawning fishing?

Meanwhile back on land, hedonistic spending ensures that the mall tills continue to jingle a happy tune.

Crowds are returning to the Singapore malls with Vivo City recording a million more visitors compared to the same period last year and their security staff remain vigilant for any kind of misdemeanor.

According to the Straits Times, pickpockets, shoplifters and even molesters enjoy the festive season. Here in Auckland the 'molesters' usually make the malls off limits but shoplifting has always been a problem.

Both countries though enjoy a good deal and in Singapore the newly Groupon-acquired site Deal.com crashed under the weight of bargain hunters.

Even then, the online option is probably safer than venturing out?

Boxing Day in our southern city of Christchurch was an eventful one with a series of earthquake after-shocks rattling customers and the shelves that were groaning under the weight of bargains.

Related articles

• The Origins of Boxing Day (socyberty.com)
• Traffic surge crashes top Singapore deals site (e27.sg)
• Boxing Day shoppers hit by New Zealand earthquake (telegraph.co.uk)

Crossing Merdaka Bridge

Queenstown MRT                      Image via Wikipedia

In the old days a funeral procession always included a trip to Merdaka Bridge to encourage the soul to cross over to the other side.

Nowadays the procession in Queenstown detours near the MRT over-bridge as a substitute.

If one believes in a spiritual presence (and I am not sure that I do) then a good proportion of my spirit will forever be in Singapore.

Arriving at Changi airport has always felt like coming home and this has been particularly noticeable during my time with the British Council as I have been travelling frequently in South East Asia.  It is a strange experience as I can honestly say that I have not felt that about any other port of entry.

This is also my first entry typed from the Queenstown library using the free wireless@sg network. I am in the "quiet" reading room of the library which has just celebrated its 50th birthday.

Yesterday we went back to the food court at Anchorpoint; hadn't been for several months since the free bus from the Queenstown MRT re-routed to Tiong Bahru. They do say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and I was really looking forward to my favourite - Village Smoked Chicken. A bit of a misnomer as an entire village isn't involved in the culinary process.

The stall no longer exists!  The long hours didn't mix with a young family and so they have closed down.  A tragedy and I will leave Singapore with happy memories of the meals they produced.

So perhaps it is time to go, as the places I frequent change hands.  Where and what we will eat when we return to New Zealand mid year has yet to be decided.

We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

A Journey Down Orchard Road

I took a short 'photographic' trip down Orchard Road yesterday morning. The above are some of the images. Click on the book to enlarge.

A Rapturous Success

DinoTrails - Plaza Singapura

It's the Great Singapore Sale, a legendary shopping experience that draws visitors from far and wide.

Unfortunately the term "Great" is rather overplayed this year and, as several tourists have observed, the bargains are not immediately obvious.

Not that one can blame the retailers, many of whom are struggling to survive in the depths of the current recession and of course, there are only so many 'new suitcases' that one needs to buy.

From the upper level of the 111 bus going down Orchard Road I noted a feeding frenzy in the Gucci shop in Paragon Shopping Mall. Apart from that the place seemed quiet especially for a weekend.

Malls are resorting to other attractions to draw in the crowds. In Plaza Singapura a large dinosaur display had its young audience in raptures (a rather unfortunate pun). The Singapore Science Centre Explainers were excellent in the manner they entertained and educated the children.

Nearby in the Capitol Theatre, the teenage audience were queuing up to audition for Singapore Idol 2009. Many had camped out overnight to be first to get on stage.

Reports in the evening news said that 4,000 people turned up to the auditions and such was the demand that the judges are going to be subjected to a second day of excruciating auditory abuse.

This is bad news for those of us searching for some quality entertainment on local television if the previous years standard are anything to go by.

Not that all local talent shows are bad. Earlier in the year there was a series on local bands and some of these were excellent with deft musicianship and tight harmonies.

Gadgets Galore

Massage Mania - Roger Smith. May 2009

Despite the economic downturn Singaporean remain enthusiastic adaptors of new technologies. One only has to look at the full page advertising for mobile phone each Friday to appreciate this constant desire to upgrade.

The same applies to credit cards which every bank and most large department stores attempt to hook people with. It is the local custom to question any annual charges and express a strong desire not to have to pay these.

If there is a negative response from the card purveyor then Singaporeans will simply cancel the card and apply for another from a different source. This equally applies to the range of benefits that a card can provide. Electronic gadgets come in all shapes and sizes. Most malls have at least two retailers selling massage chairs that clamp your calves, or vibrating neck collars. Irradiated ankle socks and other bizarre electrical gadgets complete the self-medication kit.

In a more positive vein, it is the tropical fruit season in Singapore and we are enjoying the Thai mangoes and lychees from China (which are much more juicy than the Thai variety). These fruit are more beneficial to health than a warehouse full of massage chairs.