Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery 福海禅寺

Located at 87 Geylang East Ave 2, look out for the monastery on your left if you are on a train ride from Aljunied to Paya Lebar MRT.

The temple hosts the Buddha's relics at the top level of the Buddha Relics Pagoda.

A Serene area behind the Pagoda Main Shrine

Looking at the Bodhisattva, one may be able to feel Lights of Compassion radiates from the Bodhisattva...

You can find out more about the history and activities of the temple from their web: http://www.foohai.org/
Oh, just found out from the web the Abbot also has a blog...
Located at 87 Geylang East Ave 2, Singapore 389753. (Tel: 6748 6676).
It is between Aljunied & Paya Lebar MRT and diagonally opposite the Sims Ville Condo. But with construction around Paya Lebar area, it may be more convenient to alight at Aljunied MRT, and take any bus down 1 bus stop, then turn left to Blk 129 Geylang East Ave 1, where you will passby Rice House 粥大王 .

Fo Guang Shan (Singapore) 新加坡佛光山

Fo Guang Shan (Singapore) had moved to its new building at 1 Punggol Place, a 5-10 minutes walk from Punggol MRT. Recently, I made a quick visit to it before its official opening ceremony on 8th Jun 2008.
You can find these mini garden design & small stone sculptures of monks in different postures around the building. At level 4, wall paintings of Venerable Hsing Yun and calligraphy. Hmm, I wonder what are some of the artistic characters & meaning about...

At level 3, you can find its tea house cum bookshop, Fo Guang Yuan.
At level 2, there is its Sutra Calligraphy Hall & Library.

At level 1, its main shrine and you can view the lighting of "Diamond Sutra " Lapis Lazuli Wall on 8th Jun...
You may find out more about FGS (S) from their web: http://www.blia.sg/

Forest Walk

The Henderson Waves is just a 10minutes walk hence we move on towards the Alexandra Arch that links from Forest Walk of Telok Blangah Hill Park to Alexandra road. This is a much longer walk so please make sure you do not go on an empty stomach.:-)

Guess who we met on the way......

We are rather lucky to experience a good weather that day, if it rains, it could be quite slippery on the metal bridge walk and there is no shelter except at 1 point (real shelter there:-)) near the residential area.

It is a nice walk though to be near the canopy of secondary forest and along the way we also saw some fruit trees: durian trees !!! and at least 4 monkeys !!!

But please do not feed the monkeys when you next meet them in case they attack future trailers for food.
For more information on the Southern Ridges, you may visit http://www.nparks.gov.sg/southernridges.html#cc

Henderson Waves

Much had been heard about regarding the Southern Ridges hence on a fine morning, we decided to embark on our adventure tour. We started from Telok Blangah Hill with the Henderson Waves.






Henderson Waves is currently the highest pedestrian bridge in S'pore, at 36metres above Henderson rd. It connects Mt Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park.
Along the way, it has a number of wave shelter that you can rest & be sheltered from the sun. However, not from the rain:P Personally I find it strange that why they did not include a rain shelter design. They only expect people to use the bridge when it is sunny weather? But there could be sudden storms along the way....:P
Just a thought...Always find Spore such a sunny country but the solar energy aspect is not well explored. They could add the rain shelter by building solar energy receptive cover? That will reap 2 benefits at 1 go...

National Library Singapore

If you have not yet been to the National Library at 100 Victoria Street, located between the Bras Basah Complex & Bugis Junction, do dropby one of these days for its hugh collection of books as well as to experience the "new library" concept.
Reference Library - Lee Kong Chian Reference Library occupies 7 levels of the National Library Building.

Gardens in the Library (Free guided tour on every 1st & 3rd saturaday of the month, Time: 4pm-5.30pm, Tour duration: 1.5hrs, meeting pt: main lobby, level 1, Information counter)

Permanent exhibitions: The Singapore Literary Pioneers Gallery at level 11

Children's Section at Basement 1 - What a great reading environment:-)

Beautiful city scenaries from higher floors of the library building (A good location to watch fireworks:-))

The building has won several awards to date for its environment-friendly features including its 14 gardens and vegetation forming 35% of total site area which helped lower the temperature.

There are many spots to explore at the library and to aid the public, they have now published a guide map : HOT SPOTS! ...at National Library Singapore which you could just pick up a copy near the escalators.

Strongly encouraged to join its educational tour conducted every 1st & 3rd Sat of Month conducted by Volunteers of plant lovers. You will learn how to distinguish a tree from a palm & ferns. Are banana trees really trees? You will be surprised with the stories & species of plants found in just a small garden. Know where to search for books in relation to plants in Spore? Join the tour 4pm at level 1 of their information counter.:-)

Do dropby when you are around the area. Cheers:-)

Located at 100, Victoria Street, Nearest MRT: Bugis Station

Queenstown Community Library

Wow, such nice ambience in the Library!!!
Would you have known it would turn 38 years old come 2nd May? It was the 1st full time branch library and where I used to spend my happy hours during my early school days. I really must applaud for the efforts by National Library Board (NLB) to constantly provide a conducive environment for its readers.
Below are pictures taken from its 2nd floor, when I am tired from my reading, I would just look out to the nature & relax my eyes. I recall that sometime ago, I saw those white heron-like birds resting in the surrounding.


The library is located at 53 Margaret Drive, Singapore 149297.
Nearest MRT is Queenstown MRT.