Bread Yard - Sandwiches and All-Day Breakfast @ Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)

Without the Lau sisters, i am sure it would be a while before i would get to know the existence of the above hidden gem located within SUTD; Singapore's fourth autonomous university.

Bread Yard, as the name suggests, is kind of like your home's backyard. The creators have no interest in creating "atas" bread limited to the privileged few and instead, take joy in baking good quality, homemade bread for the masses. 

According to a leaflet i got from the store, their breads are baked in claypots to simulate baking in a wood-fire oven and no preservative is used! Which means their expiry date is super short at only three days from purchase. 

Nevertheless, my main purpose that day was not to buy bread but to try their all-day breakfast! I am not sure if i have mentioned this before but i am the kind of person who would totally love to have buttered toasts, eggs and sausages for dinner! 

Before i began, let me share with you the items that my colleagues ordered. One was a sandwich and the other was eggs bettino; both of which were relished with great pleasure! 

Big Boy's All-Day Bread-First

The humongous (and no doubt mouth-watering) presentation said so much of the appropriateness for big boys like myself; one jumbo chicken sausage, one slice of their home-made bread, two sunny side ups, a slice of ham, two pieces of turkey bacon and a serving of healthy greenies! 

Everything was simply delicious; from the juicy sausage, the tender bacon (they were not as rock-hard as they appeared to be) to the delicious handmade bread! 

I do have a negative feedback though; couldn't they just add on an additional slice of bread to the big boy's?! Two slices are the industry norm and i enjoyed the bread so much; i eventually have to resort to buying one entire loaf! 

By the way, I topped up S$2 for an average bowl of asparagus soup and a flavourful cup of ice tea. Maybe i should also add that you are allowed to choose your slice of bread from a range of selections available that day (i got to know this only after i cleaned up my plate). :(

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Location

20, Dover Drive,

Block 4, SUTD

[the old ITE headquarters]

Opening Hours

Monday to Friday ONLY

From 8am to 6pm

Price

Big Boy's Breakfast - S$9.90

[No GST and no Service Charge]

Menu

As above. Please be aware that given the location in a school, students and staff from SUTD would be priced at a more economical rate. 

An Eco-Friendly Way to Attract Fishes while Snorkeling - Discarded Plastic Water Bottles!

I did mention a long time ago in my post of "what to bring on a snorkeling trip" that bread is essential to have hundreds of fishes worshiping you like Poseidon, the god of the sea. 

But there is a problem; once the bread soaks up the sea water, it gets very difficult to handle when you are underwater, resulting in the tendency to 'reward' more than necessary! 

Solution came in the simple form of plastic water bottles that many people would discard away! Just tear up the bread into smaller pieces and squeeze them into the bottles! Note: try your best to put in as much bread as you could and don't do it on your bed as the bread crumbs would fall all over the place!

Guess you don't need further information on what to do once you are in the water. 

Frankly, this idea came from fellow snorkelers whom i chanced upon on my trips. Alex was especially captivated (and i guess very jealous) by the fact that they managed to attract more fishes than him!

Well, he is definitely not complaining now. 

Why Spend Hundred Over Dollars on a Fishing Rod when There is Such an Ingenious Method!?!

It was with an amused mind when i caught this young boy trying to fish at a jetty in Tioman Island using something i could not imagine possible; a discarded can!

He was, however, not disturbed by our sarcastic laughter and proceeded deftly to pin some bread to the fishing hook like an experienced fisherman. 

Unbelievable huh? 

Seeing is believing! Using such a simple method, this kid managed to catch quite a number of fishes from the sea! Kaoz, to think so many people actually spent hundreds and even thousands of dollars on a fishing rod! 

Pulau Tulai (also know as Coral Island) - Full Day Snorkeling Trip Part 1 @ Tioman [Malaysia]

The full-board package i booked with Discovery Tour for Tioman included a half day snorkeling trip to the offshore Reggis Island and Marine Park. 

That would be sufficient for most people but not for Alex and i; two crazy men who are obsessed with the beauty of the underwater world!

Therefore, when we realised there was an option to top up to a full day snorkeling trip, we jumped at the opportunity and immediately signed up.

I am not going to bore you with details of the over thirty-minute boat journey and shall bring you straight to the first destination; Tulai Island which is also known as Coral Island.

As i plunged into the clear blueish water, i was disappointed to find the ground too sandy; an environment that is hardly conducive for corals and fishes.

We should never forget that Earth is 30% land and 70% water! Venture further and you would find an improved situation although it paled in comparison to what we experienced in Redang Island.

Even Alex faced extreme difficulties in enticing the fishes to feed on the bread he purposely brought along. Bet by now you would have noticed the differences in picture quality and contrast. We brought along two underwater cameras; an Olympus and a Canon!

Now, be ready for an avalanche of underwater pictures as i paddled further away from the shoreline.

Just like humans add life to cities, fishes bring life to the underwater world even if they are living in a not-too-prosperous region.

Walked up the beach to take a breather and chanced upon this sign. Bloody; you are not supposed to use the inlet as a rubbish bin! On second thoughts, it would be better to have them there rather than dumping the rubbish on the beach.

Another picture of the beach, which was the first destination of our Tulai island excursion. I didn't confirm with the boatmen but this could be the pasir panjang beach listed on the aged poster installed next to the resort's activities corner.

This would be the second destination; a bay at Coral Island that would likely be the Teluk Genting. Once again, i neglected to confirm with the locals! :(

The sight that greeted us was indeed more spectacular than pasir panjang beach!

I would have taken many more pictures if not for our dear Alex's insistence that there would be enough battery juice for the snorkeling trip. Turned out one of the cameras was almost drained and we were not even halfway through!! Bloody Alex!!!

Anyway, it takes a keen eye to spot the tiny creatures (like the hermit crab above) with amazing camouflaging skills wandering all over the places. The water current often blurred the pictures and it took me a while to take this "okay" picture. 

Coral Clams! They were in abundance in Tioman and how i wish i can scrape them out and barbecue them over charcoal! That would be so delicious! 

Final look before the whole group departed for Kampong Salang for lunch! 

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Location Maps

As above.