Upper Peirce Reservoir Park [Near Devil's Bend]

In a country that is barely 48km by 25km, this little red dot has managed to squeeze in quite a number of nature areas for the benefit of its residents.

The most inaccessible area is Upper Peirce Reservoir Park.

Look closely at the map i took from Streetdirectory.com. See the little red star? That's merely the gates to the park.

Here's another map from the same source. Notice the new position of the star? THAT, my dear, is the park. 

It's going to be a blooody long walk!!! If not for the invention of motor vehicles (thank god!), i will had no choice but to torture my legs and thighs!

In hot and humid Singapore, most residents will prefer to stay away from the heat and immense themselves in the many shopping centres we have.

There are exceptions to this preference of course.

Apart from being nearer to nature (and that usually includes the mozzies), the drive (or walk) through a relatively quiet road can be unusually relaxing and calming for the stressful urban environment. 

In addition, the opportunity of seeing the thriving monkey population (at no costs) can be tempting for a lot of urbanites. These inquisitive monkeys can be seen scattered in groups of 5 or even 20 on the road itself so motorists, please beware!! 

Yes, i know the species is called Long-Tailed Macaques but most of us know them by monkeys.

So monkeys they shall be.

Upper Peirce Reservoir Park itself provides not much excitement except for the tranquility it offers.

In the past, we used to see people catching some kind of lobster-prawn thingy (palm size) from the rocks near the banks. However, we did not manage to catch any such activity this time.

With the gates (to the park) closing at 7.30pm, it's quite a surprise to know that the road right outside the gates is not as empty as we thought it will be at night. 

Daredevils roam this area (highlighted red above) when night falls, speeding along the winding road infamously known as the Devil's Bend (with a paranormal link). 

It can be quite thrilling but always remember; 

Don't Speed!!!!!

If you don't treasure your life (or that of your family, friends), it's your goddamn business.

Just don't harm the cute monkeys okay?

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (天天海南鸡饭) @ Maxwell Food Centre

After a long hiatus, i am finally back in Maxwell food centre with a main objective to try possibly the most famous stall in Maxwell; Tian Tian Hainanese chicken rice.

Mr Kon never seems to get tired of the chicken rice from this stall and is a hundred percent adamant that it's the best in Singapore! 

For me, i tried Tian Tian around eight to ten years ago without much impression and have always preferred the steamed white chicken rice from Guan Gourmet House in Yishun! 

Of Course!

Cavin 10 years ago.. 

is not the Cavin 1 minute ago.

*For one, Cavin has gained more than 

10 kilograms over this period*

Enough on historical facts!

Have i ever mentioned i used to hate the "white" style, steamed chicken rice? Reason being the layer of whitish, fatty skin upon the meat. I would have loved the skin if it's deep fried or roasted though!

Removing that disgusting piece of skin, i popped the glistening meat into my mouth and gave that necessary bite...............

The meat was so tender and soft, the delicious meat juice did not required much, if any, chewing effort to reach my taste buds. 

This was no doubt, the best piece of steamed chicken i ever had in my whole life!!!!

Comparable to Guan, the rice was as palatable! Privately, i really love a bowl of steamed rice where the grains can be seen so distinctly from one another. 

Garlic chilli is a standard condiment for chicken rice and if you are a chilli lover, you would love this small saucer of hot hot hot chilli! 

Cavin is not a HUGE fan of chilli. 

=====


After trying both Tian Tian and Guan within a two weeks period, it's difficult to say which is better. 

No question, Tian Tian has better tasting chicken. Guan, besides having boneless chicken (for the lazy eater) and achar (for that additional zesty flavour), has an additional advantage of being located in Yishun. 


Location

Stall No.10 

Maxwell Food Centre


Price

Need i explain more? 

Additional Information

The queue can be terribly long during meal times!!

Random

A picture that narrated a typical scene in Chinatown way back in the 1980s.

Wait!

I took that picture only a few months ago! Have i finally attained the power to go back in time?!

I am afraid not.

Here's another picture to prove that the ancient street-style barber trade is still alive in the hidden, forgotten lanes of Chinatown, Singapore!

My deepest condolences to
the residents of Hong Kong

(Picture taken from the front page of The Straits Times on 24 August 2010)

As a person who always prefers to travel with tour agents, this incident in Manila is extremely shocking and sad.

It brings to picture the depressive feeling i had during the Mumbai siege back in 2008, where a Singaporean died innocently. 

No one can foresee the future and no one knows when our lives will end. My classmate from my polytechnic days aptly described what i have always advocated, in her blog;

"Since life is so unpredictable,

shouldn't we all just live for the moment?"

(as plagiarised from her blog)

Of course, we all know conditions are not always as accommodating for us to live for the moment.

BUT

We can always try.

Fishball Noodles (鱼圆面) @ Xiang Xiang (香香), Chong Pang, Yishun

I am very picky with fishball noodles!

Coming from a person who is very simplistic when it comes to food (good, average or bad), you can imagine the high regard i have when it comes to fishball noodles.

Since my primary school days (heck, that's twenty years ago!), this has been the one and only fishball noodles stall i patronise again and again and again.

The Noodles

I once sat at a table with a complete stranger who was left with no choice but just a bowl of noodles without fish balls (I had the last one in my mouth then).

She was so pleased with it although it was just noodles with a generous serving of bean sprouts and a few pieces of pork lard (my beloved)!

This incident greatly endorsed why i love the noodles so much more than the fish balls!

This is also one of the rare moments i will have mee pok instead of the more common mee kia.

The Fishballs

Xiang Xiang used to have them handmade and they were 20-30% bigger in size then. During the Chinese New Year season, you will see the employees pushing out trolleys of them for sale!

The balls were still good and at only S$2.50 for a bowl of noodles with five fishballs, i thought it was still worth it.

The morning long wait (sometimes more than 30 minutes) on weekends is usually a big turnoff and, before last Saturday, it's been more than half a year since i last had a bowl of fishball noodles from Xiang Xiang (香香鱼圆面).

With so many gems hidden in Singapore's numerous hawker centres, i need some time loads of time to slowly satisfy the uncountable cravings within me. 

=====

Location

Stall 01-177

Chong Pang Hawker Centre

Yishun

Additional Information
Two pieces of helpful hints.

One: Always mix the noodles well!!

The above is the result of an expert mix!

Two: Never, ever order takeaway!
The noodles will be hard, soggy and incredibly different from their otherwise delicious state when you have it fresh and hot!

Ablutophobic - Rubee

It's been a long time since i last posted an entry on dear old Rubee, who had a brush with death last year.

Though he recovered, other ailments associated with aging continue unabated; he is less active and his movement has slowed down drastically after that big illness.

I know it's inevitable i have to prepare for the eventual........ demise but we all know that no matter how much we prepare, we will never be "prepared".

On a positive note, he is still alive and he continues to hate bathing (aka ablutophobia)!

With the unusually wet weather we have in recent months, i can no longer procrastinate and delay Rubee's bathing schedule!

His twice-a-day walks on the moist grass have made the smell obnoxious and it doesn't help that he sleeps beside me every night!!

Some updated pictures!

That's him after the bath with that superb pissed-off look!

This was Rubee when he knew i am going to finish drying him. Guess he was pleading with me to hurry up!

His delighted look before lifting him off the table!

Breeks Cafe @ Northpoint, Yishun

Breeks Cafe has pretty much established itself with six outlets in Singapore!

Thinking it was just a normal American-cafe style restaurant that was all the rage a few years ago, i was not expecting too much on Breeks' offerings. My real intention then was to try Eighteen Chefs (again) but it was closed.

What really perked up my anticipation was the nutella milk shake! Some of you have heard i am a big fan of nutella (especially the ice cream); attributing it as a wonderful 'medicine' to curb any unhappiness!

Not feeling extremely hungry, i ordered a few items that i thought were pretty minimal. Like my mom, our assumption on food quantity is always a BIG question mark.

Nutella Milk Share

The highlight should always be the first item of review! 

It was not overly rich, which was a good thing since i can get a whole tub of nutty chocolate myself from Giant supermarket at almost the same price! 

The mixture was delicious and i was sucking the straw for more even though i can see with my own eyes that i was reaching the end of this marvellous drink!!

Safari Feast

A mixed platter of the more popular appetisers served; there were waffle fries, calamari rings, buffalo wings and this thing called smoked salmon bruschetta (no idea what they were).

Not usually a big fan for waffle fries, i was quite impressed with something so mundane. Maybe it was because they were freshly fried and came hot and crispy!

The buffalo wings were too salty, putting themselves as an entirely different class from the sweeter version (Le Muria for example) i am more accustomed too.

Nothing can go wrong with these deep fried squids! Unless they are no longer fresh!

Four words to describe these salmon thingies: i don't like these! And salmon in safari?! #$#@$&*

Fish and Chips

With Alex, this is the only type of main course he will order in a western restaurant and he believes he is a true connoisseur of fish and chips! 

Though the expert claimed that this version was bad, i personally like it for its thin crunchy batter and soft, tender dory meat. 

I supposed Alex's professional analysis took into consideration the price of this dish, which was almost double the price we paid for a comparable dish in Aston's Specialties. 

Towering Cioccolate

By the end this thing came, my stomach was already bloated. Alex is a really small eater and i am a person who doesn't believe in wasting food (courtesy of my elder sister). 

No prize for guessing who ate most of the food, including this chocolate dessert!!

This was rich! And not that small (despite the picture since the angle of my Nikon D5000 made it looked much much smaller). Layers and layers of goodness that will be an exceptional choice on a hot, stressful afternoon! 

=====

Location

#03-06/07

Yishun Northpoint

(Opposite Yishun MRT Station)

Pricing

Nutella Milk Shake - S$6.90

Safari Feast - S$15.90

Fish and Chips - S$14.90

Towering Cioccolate - S$6.20

Subject to ++; should be the usual 10% Service Charge and 7% GST. Plain water available at no additional charge.

Additional Information

It's HALAL!! 

Another eatery to meet up with my Muslim friends!

Shahrena, you owe me a treat right?

Or is it Alaki?

Random

I think i should have a blog label for motoring idiots! Okay, maybe i should use a nicer, non-offensive term instead.

*happily checking out thesaurus.com for another word with a similar meaning*

WTF! There's a difference between moron and idiot! 

According to the website, "an idiot is a stupid person with a mental age below three years, while a moron  is a stupid person with a mental age of between seven to twelve years"!

By the way, i never condone using the absolute word "stupid" on a person although i frequently use it to make a point (with special, heavy reference to Alex). 

To me, god is fair and each person has a gift that surpasses that of another human being (Alex, for one, always beat me in games!!!!). 

Coming back to my real intention; since i started driving, i have gone through loads of incidents when motorists amaze me with their antics; from driving to parking to their obsession with body kits, big ass exhaust pipes etc etc etc. 

Above is another example of what a motorist can do when the license plate has dropped off and he/she was desperate to use the car. 

Of course, pictures can be deceiving and we may not even have guessed correctly half the answer (whether positively or negatively).

I have finally decided! 

Since i will, most likely, not be able to know the truth of such interesting antics and it has always been my principle to give the benefit of doubt, the blog label for such entries shall be...

"Funny Motorists" 

Just to give some support for such an uninteresting label, two pictures posted above are, in fact, my cars!