HOOKED ON ZOUK “Zouk is the place to check out once you turn 18. But I never felt out of place even though we’re now considered lao jiaos (Hokkien for old birds). People I hang out with have grown along with me ... I still go there with my husband to check out the DJs, and I even went there when I was pregnant. I still see myself there 10 years from now, and eventually maybe I’ll even take my kids.” DEANNA WONG, 32, WEDDING PLANNER. “I’ve accepted that I’m no longer young, especially when I see the young crowd ... in fact, the daughters of classmates call me uncle’ whenever they see me there. Sometimes people come up to me and tell me that they’ve seen me there since they were students, and they’re now currently working. I will keep coming until I am in no physical condition to come here anymore.” DR TONY LIM, 52, ZOUK’S ICONIC GLOVED-DOCTOR It burst onto the scene 14 years ago, and apart from a spell in 1995, when a drug bust kept it closed for eight months, the complex - made up of Zouk, Velvet Underground, Phuture and Wine Bar - has been on a serious high.It has been named Singapore’s hottest club several times, and even voted one of the best clubs on the planet by numerous international dance scene magazines. We take you through Zouk’s journey, through the eyes of those who’ve grown up going there. 38 SINGAPORE UNCOVERED PARTY TAKE THREE DERELICT RIVERSIDE WAREHOUSES, PUMP IN LOADS OF DOUGH AND AN IBIZA- INSPIRED VISION, AND YOU GET AN INSTITUTION - ZOUK. “Zouk holds a special place in my heart, because it was where many milestones in my life occured. I met my husband, Justin, there in 1993, and I actually got my first job with MTV in 1995 as a communications assistant when Lincoln introduced me to someone in the company during an event at Zouk. I still go there, actually, and it almost feels like a second home - I always bump into a familiar face.” MS SHABNAM MELWANI-REIS, 36, DIRECTOR OF JAY GEE ENTERPRISES “Zouk has not changed, but matured while continuously evolving at the same time. There is a constant, growing pool of Zouk fans, but the amazing thing is it never lost the first people that started going there. There is a sense of familiarity about it which makes things comforting, yet the energy is always fresh.” MR RIZAL AHYAR, 39, SHOW PRODUCER AND CHOREOGRAPHER “For one year in 1990, while Zouk was being built, I was doing regular one-off parties at various hotel clubs. Then we took over the old Warehouse club (on Havelock Road, behind where Zouk now stands), and changed the music to house music by bringing my own records. In just that one year, we transformed the almost- empty Warehouse’s Saturdays to a full house night. And Zouk’s earliest followers were born.” LINCOLN CHENG, 57, OWNER OF ZOUK
Transcript
HOOKEDON ZOUK
“Zouk is the place to check out once you turn 18. But I never feltout of place even though we’re now considered lao jiaos (Hokkienfor old birds). People I hang out with have grown along with me
... I still go there with my husband to check out the DJs, and Ieven went there when I was pregnant. I still see myself there 10years from now, and eventually maybe I’ll even take my kids.”DEANNA WONG, 32, WEDDING PLANNER.
“I’ve accepted that I’m no longer young, especially when I seethe young crowd ... in fact, the daughters of classmates call meuncle’ whenever they see me there. Sometimes people come upto me and tell me that they’ve seen me there since they werestudents, and they’re now currently working. I will keep cominguntil I am in no physical condition to come here anymore.”DR TONY LIM, 52, ZOUK’S ICONIC GLOVED-DOCTOR
It burst onto the scene 14 years ago, and apart from a spell in 1995, whena drug bust kept it closed for eight months, the complex - made up ofZouk, Velvet Underground, Phuture and Wine Bar - has been on a serioushigh.It has been named Singapore’s hottest club several times, and evenvoted one of the best clubs on the planet by numerous internationaldance scene magazines. We take you through Zouk’s journey, throughthe eyes of those who’ve grown up going there.
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RTYTAKE THREE DERELICT RIVERSIDEWAREHOUSES, PUMP IN LOADSOF DOUGH AND AN IBIZA-INSPIRED VISION, AND YOUGET AN INSTITUTION - ZOUK.
“Zouk holds a special place in my heart, because it was wheremany milestones in my life occured. I met my husband, Justin,there in 1993, and I actually got my first job with MTV in 1995 asa communications assistant when Lincoln introduced me tosomeone in the company during an event at Zouk. I still go there,actually, and it almost feels like a second home - I always bumpinto a familiar face.”MS SHABNAM MELWANI-REIS, 36, DIRECTOR OF JAY GEE ENTERPRISES
“Zouk has not changed, but matured while continuously evolvingat the same time. There is a constant, growing pool of Zouk fans,but the amazing thing is it never lost the first people that startedgoing there. There is a sense of familiarity about it which makesthings comforting, yet the energy is always fresh.”MR RIZAL AHYAR, 39, SHOW PRODUCER AND CHOREOGRAPHER
“For one year in 1990, while Zouk was being built, I was doingregular one-off parties at various hotel clubs. Then we took overthe old Warehouse club (on Havelock Road, behind where Zouknow stands), and changed the music to house music by bringingmy own records. In just that one year, we transformed the almost-empty Warehouse’s Saturdays to a full house night. And Zouk’searliest followers were born.”LINCOLN CHENG, 57, OWNER OF ZOUK
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(The Auntie Way)
Combine a name trusted by aunties and a megastore concept, andyou get a winning formula. At the first-of-its-kind NTUC FairPriceHomeMart, located at the former HDB sales office, you will findeverything but groceries. The 14,500 sq ft general merchandiseoutlet has sports items (bicycles, yoga mats), clothing (there’s aThis Fashion outlet within it), baby products, household items, linenand electrical appliances among the more than 100,000 itemsacross 10 departments.
All Your Home NeedsNTUC FairPrice HomeMart
3451, Jalan Bukit MerahPodium A, #01-20,
HDB Centre
This is known as the SGD 2 shop. Daiso, the leading budget shopchain in Japan, offers a department-store like variety of items spreadover 10,000 sq ft of selling space. The merchandise in the megastoreis conveniently divided into sections such as kitchen, plastic, stainlesssteel, fabrics, gardening, electrical, DIY, pets, health & beauty, toysand food. There is also a mind-boggling variety of quirky gadgetsand practical household items, from cutesy letter-openers to gardeningtools. Of course, the big attraction is that nothing costs morethan SGD 2.
Everything For SGD 2Daiso
2 Jurong East Street 21,#03-85, IMM Building
Auntie-shoppers love to dress up - but not at Orchard Road prices,no way. For costume jewellery and hair accessories, their choice isChamelon, the chain of accessory shops located at Causeway Point,Compass Point, Hougang Mall, Tiong Bahru Plaza, Parkway Paradeand Jurong Point. The outlets are loaded with stuff like SGD 0.50 hairclips and a jarring variety of earrings made in China, Taiwan and SouthKorea, all priced below SGD 10.
Dressing UpCheaply
ChamelonVarious locations
The smell of fish is unbelievably strong here, but that is not the onlything you will have to put up with if you want a seafood bargain.Most of the retail activity occurs between 2 and 6am, so if you arenot an early riser, forget it.But the rewards are worth it if you do make the trip. The prices andtypes of fish vary according to the time of year, but buying in bulkgets you the best bargains. For example, you can find flower crabs,which typically sell for SGD 8 per kg at wet markets, going atSGD 80 for 20 kg here.The wholesale fish market is 9,000 sq m in area and houses 110market lots. More than 100 varieties of fish and other seafood canbe found here. The popular varieties include the sea bream, Spanishmackerel, pomfret, grouper, and prawns of all sizes. Although itcaters mainly to retailers, households are welcome too.
Nothing FishyAbout This
Jurong Fishing PortFishery Port Road
GOODDEALHUNTINGHOW DO YOU SNIFF OUT THEBEST BARGAINS 10 PACES AWAY?LIN ZHAOWEI SHOWS YOU HOW
GONE FISHING : Jurong Fishing Port’swholesale market is the place for youif you love seafood but don’t wantto spend a huge amount of moneysatisfying your appetite. The catch -you have to be there at 2am.
Auntie shopping. First made popular by heartlanders witha nose for great bargains, it now refers to an art: knowingwhere to go for the lowest prices. These days, it is thebadge of those who know where to get the biggest bangfor their buck. But quality, convenience and ease oftransportation factor high on the auntie list too.
They now tend to head for one-stop shopping locations.For that reason, neighbourhood shopping malls make thebest auntie haunts. However, because aunties will go along way to save their pennies, there are exceptions to therule. There are the likes of Mrs Zhang Ruoling, a housewifein her 40s, who travels from Bugis to the Pasir PanjangWholesale Market each week to get the best prices forfruit. “Prices here are about 30 per cent cheaper thanelsewhere. I buy apples and oranges by the carton, enoughto last me a week or two,” she explained.
Here are some auntie secrets:
Cheaper can?
70%OFFSALE
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Aunties know that City Plaza remains one of the few places inSingapore where women can find a two-piece outfit for less thanSGD 20 together. The 25-year-old mall is a five-minute walk fromPaya Lebar MRT station. Within it, you will find about 30 women’sfashion wholesale and retail outlets, selling apparel at low prices.‘Auntie lifestyle’ is also catered for. There is a mahjong specialistshop here, selling items such as tiles, chips and dice. Prices start atSGD 40 for a tile set.
Hot In The CityCity Plaza
810 Geylang Road
The Toyogo plastic range appears everywhere, but only auntiesknow the source - where you get your paper clips and plastic foodcontainers cheaper than elsewhere. Located in Toa Payoh IndustrialPark, the wholesaler sells a wide range of plastic products fromMalaysia. These include boxes on rollers, baskets and tubs for yourstorage needs. It also stocks other household items: watering cans,pots, hangers, steering wheel cosies, stools, even remote-controltoy cars. There is even a DIY range including a circular saw for cuttingtimber for about SGD 50. Warning: The place is the auntie hangoutat weekends, so be prepared for huge crowds.
Vinyl ShowdownToyogo Supermart
Block 11, Toa PayohIndustrial Park, #01-1207
MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK : ThisFashion at the Singapore Post Centre hasthe widest range of clothes to keep auntieship. At Chamelon, you don’t have to spenda million dollars to look it, not whenhairclips cost SGD 0.50.
A good pair of shoes will go a long way, and this is where you canget them at reasonable prices. You will find hundreds of differenttypes of footwear suited for all occasions - brandless SGD 9 sandalsfor the market, SGD 90 magnetic health shoes from Japanese brandOtafuku and even SGD 500 custom-made Peranakan beadedslippers for special occasions. The service here is also known to beexcellent, and many of its customers are regulars.
It’s A Shoe InPely Shoes Co
865 Mountbatten Road,#02-72, Katong
Shopping Centre
Although there are 20 other This Fashion outlets islandwide, thoseare for amateurs. True die-hard aunties go for This Fashion’s largeststore for two reasons: It has the widest range of fashionable togsavailable and it is right next to that other specialist auntie outfitter -City Plaza shopping centre.Occupying about 22,000 sq ft over two floors, the outlet boasts acollection of over a thousand different items, including SGD 2 watchesand sunglasses, as well as f loral halter-dresses and spaghetti-strapdresses going for around SGD 25. There is even a section for uncleshere, with assorted printed tees going for only SGD 6. For thecheapest deals, you can check out the ‘bargains corner’ on themezzanine floor, where items such as tank tops and skirts go for aslow as SGD 3.
Chic ThrillsThis Fashion,
Singapore PostCentre Branch
10 Eunos Road, B1-12,Singapore Post Centre
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BY GLADYS CHUNG
THE nine-month-old Perfume Workshop offerseverything Middle Eastern, from shisha pipes(about SGD 65 onwards) to tea makers. It is thebrainchild of Mr Adny Alhaddad, 27. The lawstudent wanted to expand on his father’s 20 yearsin personalized fragrances by adding lifestyleelements. These include made-to-order Moroccanand Spanish lamps and traditional Arabic healthand beauty products. You can pick up frankincenseat SGD 25 per 100g, or agarwood at SGD 45 per50g. Or even create your own perfume to suityour style, using everything from sage to citrusorange to cinnamon.
FANCY having your own face rendered in AndyWarhol’s silkscreen style? At Repro Art Workshop,you can custom-make any painting of your choice,whether it’s a Picasso or from a free postcard. MrCalvin Ho, its owner, 40, was inspired by Parisianstreet painters, and he has engaged talent fromAustralia, China, Vietnam and Thailand to paintpieces in the style, shape and size his clients want.Prices range from about SGD 550 to SGD 650 forsimpler projects, up to SGD 2,000 for morecomplicated ones.
THE HOUSE-PROUD SINGAPOREAN HASMORE OPTIONS FOR INTERIORS THESEDAYS - ESPECIALLY IN SPECIALTY BOUTIQUES.ENTERPRISES THAT BEGAN MAINLY ASHOBBIES NOW OFFER SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS ANDCONVERSATION PIECES FOR HOMES. SUSS OUTBUSSORAH STREET, WHICH OFFERS ANYTHINGFROM MOROCCAN LAMPS TO GREEN SPOTDRINKS. OTHER SURPRISES TURNED UP EVENAT INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS.GLADYS CHUNG TELLS YOU WHERE THEY ARE.
LACQUER tableware and accessories are themainstay of this two-year-old outlet - there is noshortage of black, red and gold here. Rice bowls,plates and wine holders, all decorated with brightand bold colours or earthy hues patterned witheggshell bits - they are imported from Vietnamby Ms Pat Chia, 44, a former area manager.Prices start from SGD 15 for an eggshell patternedlacquerware rice bowl or SGD 28 for alacquered painting.
THIS shop offers conversation pieces to add toyour home, with elaborate solo Dutch lamps withwrought-iron chains, framed vintage Peranakantiles and old teak dining tables. You will findeverything from mahogany ceiling racks forhanging batik from SGD 28 to evening bags madeof silver from SGD 58.
THE huge collection of candy-coloured Moroccanlamps, starting at about SGD 79, on display at thistwo-year-old outlet is immediately inviting. Theywere all hand-picked by Ms Nurizan Ismail, 33, anex-flight attendant who collected them on hertravels. Other pretty items include wind chimesfrom the US at SGD 10 onwards, to beaded candleholders and table lamps made out of wovenwater hyacinth.
GO BACK in time to when policemen wore shorts,Green Spot non-carbonated drinks were commonand white Piaggio 150 Vespas thronged the streets.Friends Mr Ting Chung Hua and Mr Patrick Neo,both 47, started collecting curios more than 20years ago, after completing their national service.Vintage items include original clockwork tin toysstarting at SGD 3, banana money notes and rationcards from the Japanese Occupation, vintagebarber chairs and manual ice-kachang machines.
FOR those enthralled with quaint accents of Englishcottages, this small Kampung Glam outlet providesporcelain and china options. Retired school teacherMadam Zaharah Jantan, 58, started the store withtea sets, plates and figurines she had collectedsince she was 12, and over the three years shelived in England, Middlesex. Stocks include delicateand exquisite canisters, tea cups and plates fromthe United States, England, Australia and Vietnam.
AMONG the musty warehouse buildings in adoleful industrial park, you will find Javanesestatues, four-poster bed frames, drawers,cupboards, dining tables, stone Buddha headsand tile carvings at up to 20 per cent less thantheir equivalents elsewhere. If you want theBalinese resort look for your home, this shouldbe among your first stops.
ON HAJI Lane, Straits Records Shop is the perfectplace for you to browse second-hand recordsand imported underground CDs, while GregoryIsaacs’ reggae blares on the sound system.Affiliated to events company Rockstar Collective,the store was the idea of Mr Ridhwan V. Ghany,30, and his four other co-owners. Mr Ghanystarted selling imported CDs from independentlabels and second-hand vinyls at independentgigs in 1995. He is known among buyers as a‘distro’, a purveyor of obscure and undergroundCDs. True to that title, you’ll find a plethora ofunused and second-hand records, from Japanesepost-rock band Mono to Air Supply, from SGD 6onwards. Other offerings include CDs StraitsRecords released, such as Plain Sunset and Cesspit,and exclusive foreign indie labels like Jag Jaguarfrom Canada and Talires from France. Prices rangefrom SGD 5 to SGD 25.
01-01, Kewalram House,off Alexandra RoadTel: (65) 6333-6613,
(65) 6275-9793Opens 11am to 7pm
FOR some interesting Indian influences, try thisplace, a chain of nine stores in and around theLittle India Arcade. It is difficult to miss the displaysof colourful lamps, bejewelled trinket boxes andporch swings with elaborate marquetry. Thissuccessful enterprise was borne out of 54-year-old Mr Subramaniam Siva’s hobby of collectingIndian art on travels to India. You will find the lot,from porch swings (from SGD 500) and idols tostained glass tile lamps (from SGD 48) andembroidered silk curtains.
Celebration of Arts48 Serangoon Road
01-70-72/75 Campbell BlockClive Street No.26
Little India Arcade 01-62,01-26, unit 11 and 12Opens 9am to 10pm
Celebration of Arts
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Sediment is the arsenic of coral, and because ofthe reclamation and dredging work here andheavy volume of marine traffic, it is present inlarge amounts in Singapore waters. But specieshere seem to have miraculously developed someimmunity to the milky waters, thriving in theshallows where sunlight can penetrate. Researchassistant Jani Thuaibah Isa Tanzil, who has beenactively involved in the latest project, warned,however: “We can’t take this for granted. Wedon’t know if they will still survive if the situationgets any worse.”
Much of the project comprises exhausting work.For instance, about 3,000 tiny bits of coral callednubbins, harvested from existing colonies here,were painstakingly cemented to plastic pins similarto large golf tees. These were placed in meshnets in the waters around St John’s Island, andwill later be re-integrated into the reefs if theygrow. Care was taken to remove less than 10 percent from each existing colony, so that they couldregenerate, she said.
The project is part of a 2 million-euro (SGD 4million) programme, a four-year multi-countryeffort helmed by the European Commission.Singapore is one of six countries involved in theproject, and the restoration aspect is to try andincrease the success of natural coral recruitmentoccurring on the reef, where spawning hasbeen documented.
Said Italian marine biologist Lucia Bongiorni, whowas here to oversee the transplantation effort:“Singapore is a very special site, because its watershave some of the highest sedimentation rates inthe world. It will be tough, but if it works here,this is good news for similar efforts in other partsof the world.”
Meanwhile, Singapore’s most ambitious underseaconservation effort has also taken off, withstretches of artificial reefs ringing the SouthernIslands being put up for adoption. The idea is thatcoral will attach more easily to these artificialdome-shaped structures, and ultimately cover20,000 sq m, or one-fifth of the shallows arounda handful of Southern Islands developed andlinked through reclamation.
But Prof Chou warned that while levelling theundersea habitat took just an instant, regeneratingit is a slow process that would take years to bearfruit, if at all. “This is not like planting instant trees,”said Prof Chou of the National University ofSingapore’s biological sciences department.“Corals are slow growing and very delicate.”
Unlike the endless clear blue of famous dive spotssuch as the Maldives, divers here are lucky if theycan see beyond their outstretched hands in thejade green waters. Life is thriving nonetheless.A dive in the waters fringing Kusu Island, forexample, yields rich rewards for those who careto take the plunge.
Various species of hard coral are abundant,including the knobbly brown Pocillopora and theFavites, with its f luorescent green hearts. Thereare also the beautiful orange sea fans, spread outlike so many leafless trees, and tiny grey yellow-spotted nudibranchs - a type of sea slug. Seaanemone grow lushly, like carpets of glowingpurple chendol, and in each creature nestles apair of orange and white striped false clown fish.
And for people who prefer not to get their hairwet, a volunteer group organises reef walks thereduring low tide, so they can see the sea’s wondersup close. Said Prof Chou: “All is not lost, and therestoration efforts are an opportunity to showcasehow we can bring back the reefs that havebeen degraded.”
BUDDING undersea colonies are beingplanted around Singapore in an effort toreforest some of the world’s most silt-filledwaters. Large-scale efforts here includetransplanting small pieces of coral todegraded areas, where they will hopefullytake root, and providing artificial homesfor corals to attach to. The idea is to throwa lifeline to corals, the ocean’s lifebloodand home to the world’s richest store of
biodiversity. Marine expert Professor ChouLoke Ming, a key member of the twoprojects, said: “My vision is that we canbe a centre for reef restoration in view ofthe extent of reef degradation.”
Urbanisation has wiped out over 60 percent of the reefs here, but the estimated30 sq km that has survived is almost asrich as ever. The reefs fringing Singapore’smore than 50 southern offshore islandsare home to about 200 species of hardcoral - a quarter of the global total – aswell as 20 species of soft coral and morethan 130 types of fish.
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NOT a single tree was placed on the choppingblock when the National Parks Board (NParks)created its aerial walkway through MacRitchie’sverdant jungle. But getting this done seemedimpossible at first, and had the board stumped fora while. “The builders insisted on bulldozing theentire area to get their machinery in. That was notan option,” said Ms Sharon Chan, NParks’ assistantdirector of the Central Nature Reserve. “What’s thepoint in creating something to bring people closeto nature when you’re destroying exactly what youwant them to enjoy?”
So contractors were forced to go back to basics.First, they tried using bows and arrows to get ropesfrom one side of the proposed bridge to the other.But it didn’t work, so they moved on to Plan B:Getting workers to cast lines using fishing rods from
the two towers on opposite sides of the hills.The fragile lines met in the middle, bridging the150-m gap and creating a pulley system that wasthe first step towards building the SGD 1.6 millionstructure. The pulleys were used to put in placenylon string, which then carried across sturdy metalcables, one by one. Up to seven cables were linkedto form foundations of the bridge, and to haul‘gondolas’ across the stretch for construction.
Now, the 300m stretch of cable and steel linksBukit Peirce and Bukit Kalang, swaying gently asvisitors enjoy a bird’s-eye view of rainforest thathas remained virtually untouched since the time ofRaffles. Visitors can almost reach out and touch theanimal and plant life fringing the bridge. Lookcarefully at that dead tree in the middle. A hollowcunningly covered by a stretch of loose bark is an
owl’s bedroom. And that slender tree with theradiating leaves? It’s the famed aphrodisiac, TongkatAli. The lush green foliage nearby belongs to thecheng tng tree, whose fruits are used to make thejelly in the refreshing dessert.
The fauna one can see while traversing the trail isimpressive. On the way to the bridge, the trails arelined with figs, bamboo, liana, ferns and palms.Lianas are a good indication of the age of the forest.They start off as delicate green threads, but growvery slowly thicker over the years. Those here canbe as thick as a man’s thigh.
There are other uses for the foliage. Some peoplepick up fallen leaves from the giant leaf tree to useas ecologically-friendly umbrellas. While the plantitself isn’t very impressive, its huge leaves can grow
to 1m in length and width, making them amongthe biggest in the forest.
The Singapore rhododendron, with its delicate pinkblooms, is a photographer’s dream. The sugaryfruit get fermented in the sun so that when butterfliesfeed on them, they become stupefied and, foronce, stay still for shutterbugs. There’s also thekiasu, or leaf-litter, plant, which creates its own foodby trapping fallen leaves, so it doesn’t have to fightwith other plants for nutrients.
Animals abound too. Those with sharp eyes mightspot the clouded monitor lizard as it digs for worms,or the tree nymph, the only gliding butterfly whichfloats like a piece of tissue paper. People who arereally interested in identifying trees and plants tendto look to their feet. The soft f loor is carpeted with
THE MACRITCHIE AREA IS A VERITABLE TREASURE CHEST OF PLANTAND ANIMAL LIFE WHICH IS NOW MADE ACCESSIBLE BY THE AERIALBRIDGE THAT GRAZES THE TOP OF THE FOREST BY CHANG AI LIEN
GARDEN EDENof
TOP OF THE WORLD (far left):A species of lowland rainforestsand wooded parks, the ElegantBronzeback is a tree-dweller,rarely descending to theground. In the day, it can befound hunting among thebranches for prey like geckoes.
SLEEPY HOLLOW (left):An owl naps in the hollowof a tree near the bridge,hidden by a pieceof overhanging bark.
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leaves and forest fruit, such as the slim brown podwhich f loats down on a tuft of white hair like aparachute, the fruit of an unnamed tree.
At last count, the 3,043-ha central catchment areaholds about 1,600 varieties of plants, and 400species of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles, saysNParks Senior Conservation Officer Benjamin Lee.But the life here is so rich that even the experts feelthey have just begun to scratch the surface. Theyare constantly discovering species new toSingapore, such as the beautiful blue bronzebacksnake discovered slithering around just outside MrLee’s office on the fringes of the reserve last year.“If we can find something like this in our backyard,imagine what else there is out there,” he said.
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GETTING ANTSY :This ant with the yellowthorax carries a colour thatwarns potential predatorsof its nasty taste.
BRIDGING :The suspension bridge hasallowed visitors to have agreat view of the forest.
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OUT of sight, out of mind. Perhaps, but pristinepockets of lushness tucked away from the publiceye have blossomed in privacy. “Security areassuch as Pulau Tekong have served as a forcefieldto keep Singapore’s most threatened animalsand plants safe in their own bubble,” said AssociateProfessor Peter Ng, head of the Raffles Museumof Biodiversity Research here.
The trained eye can spy rare fossil ferns, survivorsof the Jurassic age - growing in colonies in thenorth-eastern island, where many of theSingapore Armed Forces’ training areas lie.Dolphins have been spotted frolicking insurrounding waters, and the elusive leopard cat,recorded only twice on the mainland in the lastdecade, also seems to have found a niche there.
Such animals and plants act as the barometer ofthe forest. So sensitive are they that they wouldperish with any slight change, say in moisturecontent or plant cover. That is why Singapore’smost threatened mammal, one of perhaps twofound only here, has holed up in an area on themainland where human footsteps are rarely heard.
The last of the highly-endangered species, thecream-coloured giant squirrel, has been spottedat Singapore’s only freshwater swamp in thecentral catchment area - Nee Soon swamp. Whilethis shy creature is almost certainly doomed toextinction because there are too few left, solitudehas helped other f lora and fauna to thrive.For instance, there may still be hope for the other
mammal unique to Singapore - the banded leafmonkey, which also calls the swampy foresthome. The protected area is a rich hunting groundfor researchers. It is home to one-quarter of theremaining freshwater crabs and fish here, includingtwo species which Prof Ng discovered and named.
When Raffles landed in Singapore in 1819, roughly5 per cent of the land – a whopping 2,900 ha -was covered in freshwater swamps. All thatremains now is a tiny pocket - 87 ha - foundprimarily in Nee Soon Swamp. Enveloping theSAF’s firing ranges, it is too dangerous for thepublic to go wandering in.
But this wet, f looded lowland, with its clear, tea-coloured pools full of shimmering fish andshadowy cool foliage, could easily have comeout of Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings. The area hasbeen carbon-dated by researchers to at least5,320 years before the Ice Age, when it was highand dry, before melting ice f looded it.
A walk through the spongy wetness will yielddelights - insect-eating pitcher plants, transparentdamself lies with electric blue heads, ‘acorns’falling from tropical oaks. Not surprising,considering this is a last refuge for all these specialcreatures hemmed in by civilisation. Said Prof Ng:“The fact that some of the animals are still presentor even thriving in these areas is testimony thatthe SAF has played an admirable role, not just inprotecting the people of Singapore, but its earlierinhabitants as well.”
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LIVINGSANCTUARYTINY NICHE AREAS ARE SAFE HAVENS FOR PLANTSAND ANIMALS, CHANG AI-LIEN DISCOVERS
FEED ME (above left): Insects that drown in the liquid containedin the pitcher plant provide growth compounds for the carnivore.
PEACEFUL EXISTENCE (above right): A wooded area on theoutskirts of the Nee Soon swamp. This area gives shelter to adiversity of plant and animal life. A damselfly dwells togetherwith pitcher plants, tropical oaks and the almost extinct cream-coloured giant squirrel in the marshy area.
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WHY did the chicken cross the road? In this case,it was the mother of all domestic chickens - thered junglefowl seen happily wandering acrossthe Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve carpark topeck at some fallen rambutans, oblivious tovisitors’ astounded stares. Sightings of thegenerally shy species, which is considered globallyvulnerable to extinction, are the first of manytreats that await visitors to the reserve, Singapore’sbird haven.
There are over 200 species of birds here, abouttwo-thirds of those found in the entire island.They come for the fish and insects which areabundant here. Sluice gates control f looding inone of the 10 brackish water ponds to ensurethat the birds can feed and roost on the mudflats. “During high tide in Singapore, many of theshorebirds congregate here”, said Mr James Gan,a senior conservation officer at the National ParksBoard and bird expert who can recognise almostall the birds there. “I have been watching birdsfor more than 25 years. Just like you recognisea person by his facial features, how he talks andwhere he likes to hang out, I listen to the uniquebird calls and look out for size, shape, profile,plumage and the way they f ly,” he said.
A keen ear helps. Visitors are likely to hear thedistinct call of the white-collared kingfisher, forexample, before they spot the electric blue figureflitting amid the mangrove trees or diving for fish.Other birds are so used to people that they ignorethem as they go about their own business. Onewhite-breasted waterhen was most comfortabledodging tables and legs at the cafe during a StraitsTimes visit recently.
Between September and March, visitors get theirbest chance to see birds that are not native tothis part of the world. This is because it is migratoryseason for birds from northern areas such asSiberia, and the animals stop over here on theirway to warmer climes such as Malaysiaand Australia.
Then, the wetland is a pit-stop for up to 3,000migratory birds on any day, including the PacificGolden Plovers, which alight in flocks of hundredswhile doing aerial acrobatics, and Redshanks,with their red legs, that can be seen foraging forfood in the mudflats. At other times, perennialfavourites include the grey and purple herons,Singapore’s largest birds, which stand about 1mtall, picking their way delicately through the mudand water for fish.
A legacy of disused prawn farms, the reserve’shealthy mangroves have produced land rich inall that is delicious to both local and migratorybirds. But the area was almost given the kiss ofdeath when it was slated for agro-tech farmingin the 1980s. Then, a group of bird watchers fromthe Singapore branch of the then Malayan NatureSociety chanced upon the site and persuadedtop government officials to visit. The rest is history.
Apart from being gazetted as a nature reserve in2002, the 130-ha wetland has also beenrecognised as a site of international importancefor migratory shorebirds by WetlandsInternational, a global organisation dedicated towetland conservation and sustainablemanagement. It was also accepted as a memberof the East Asian Australasian Shorebird SiteNetwork, and is an Asean heritage park.
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SWAMPTHINGS
CHANG AI-LIEN FINDS OUTTHAT BESIDES BEING A HAVENFOR MIGRATORY BIRDS,SUNGEI BULOH WETLANDRESERVE ALSO HOSTS A WIDERANGE OF WATERY DWELLERS
FOWL PLAY: People or not, this redjunglefowl goes about its businessof foraging for food and pecking atfallen rambutans.
BE COMFORTABLE: This white-breasted waterhen is so used tohumans, it made itself at home amidthe crowd of people in the cafe.
PRETTY IN PINK: The flowers of thesea poison tree are delightful whitepuff balls tipped with pink. They drawinsects with their scent.
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While birds are its undoubted stars, there is moreto the wetland than its feathered inhabitants. Thereare 17 recorded species of mammals, close to100 types of marine and freshwater fish, 36 reptilespecies, 50 kinds of butterflies and eight speciesof amphibians. A firm favourite of visitors and staffalike is the family of smooth otters which entertainswith clownish antics; holding fish in their pawsbefore crunching down with relish, sand bathingor just frolicking in the placid waters.
Charming oddballs include the mudskippers, thecurious fish that can live out of water in a form ofreverse-diving, by storing mouthfuls of water intheir cheeks. Then there are close encounters ofan almost prehistoric kind, with estuarinecrocodiles or Singapore’s largest lizard, themonitor lizard. Creatures up to 2m in length canbe seen ambling across tracks.
Less well-known is that Sungei Buloh is one ofthe best places in the country to watch fish intheir natural setting. Said the reserve’s assistantdirector Ng Sock Ling: “They are a very importantpart of the ecosystem and something you cansee all year round, unlike migratory birds.”Residents in its Sungei Buloh Besar river includesharp-shooting banded archerfish, which spitwater to dislodge insects from their perchesbeyond the water, as well as the green chromide,sea bass and schooling mullets.
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AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE (above):The mudskipper is a fish that is perfectlyat home in and out of the water, bystoring water in its mouth.
COOLING OFF PERIOD (top page): Thismonitor lizard, Singapore’s largestlizard, is a neighbour of the birds thatreside at the Sungei Buloh WetlandReserve. It cools itself off on a hot dayby going for a dip in the river.
COLOUR-CODED PRECINCTSIN SEMBAWANG:Sembawang’s neighbourhoodsidentified by colour, blue,orange, cream, red, yellow,purple and pink.
THEY are home to more than eight in 10Singaporeans, but to the uninitiated, each HDB(Housing Development Board) estate looks like thenext: Slabs of densely packed concrete blocks,with tiny birdholes in the sky that pass for homes,and strange open spaces called void decks wherethe first f loor ought to be.
If you have ever gotten lost in an HDB estate, youmight come away with the impression that theblocks were slapped together without muchthought, the result of having to build massiveprojects while keeping costs low.
But a closer look reveals the intricate planningprocess that goes into each estate, and the myriaddifferences from one estate to the next. HDB estatesare a mix of painstaking planning, science, processengineering and yes, art, says Mr Tony Tan, theHousing Development Board’s chief architect for22 years. Now the senior adviser to Surbana, thewholly owned HDB Corp subsidiary which doestownship planning, Mr Tan says: “You only see thephysical, but there is a lot of thinking, innovationand engineering that goes into each estate andblock that not many people will know about.”
For instance, small openings can be found alongcommon corridors. Why? So children can lookout and not be tempted to climb to try and peekover the parapet wall. Carparks are placed wherethey are for a reason: Built next to the main roads,they dampen and deflect traffic noise, so thehousing blocks themselves remain fairly insulated.
Plus, as far as possible, HDB blocks are built facingeither north or south. This is because a setting suncan really heat up a home in the tropics, says MrTan. In some cases, this is not possible because ofa need to maximise space, so flats in these blocksget little sun shields atop their windows.
To be sure, though, HDB estates began asmonuments to the mantra of “cheap, quick andplenty”. Said Mr Tan: “It was about housing as manyas possible, as fast as possible, and as cheaply aspossible.” So the first f lats were in slab blocks,because it was simple and fast to build row uponrow of them.
These blocks went up to a maximum of 12 floors,because the timber “formworks” - think of themas moulds - that were used to shape the concreterooms began to give way after around the 12thtime they were re-used. This made the blocks looka little like dominoes, concedes Mr Tan with a smile.But, he adds: “Back then, we were more concernedabout getting them up then making them pretty.”
Some of these blocks can be found in Queenstown,which was begun by the HDB’s forerunner, theSingapore Improvement Trust. The HDB came onthe scene around 1960 and added to the estate.But in 1965, things began to change. Toa Payohwas conceptualised and it was the f irstcomprehensively planned new town. It wasdesigned from scratch: Everything, from the towncentre to schools to a bus interchange, waspart of the plan.
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ON THE SURFACE, YOUCAN’T TELL THE BLOCKSAPART - BUT WE TOOKA CLOSER LOOK AND
FOUND DIFFERENCES
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in Chinese, which is why motifs of boats, sailsand fins are found there, a nod to its past as aflourishing fishing village.
Other examples abound. The shell motifs of PasirRis allude to its seaside nature, while the palmtrees in Yishun serve as a reminder that plantationsonce dotted the area. The next time you arein a HDB estate, look closely at such things,and you might get a clue about its historyand uniqueness.
Still, though, HDB blocks are HDB blocks areHDB blocks. Despite all the subtle design features,many still look like each other. Mr Tan concedesthis, but argues: “You are designing with a hostof guidelines and rules - and these had evolvedthrough years of surveys and residents’ feedback.“Efficiency and functionality are of paramountimportance, say residents, so at the end of theday, there are still going to be blocks that aresquare or rectangular!”
Slight variations have caused some trouble before.There was, for instance, a block in Potong Pasirwhich had an angled wall. Rooms there thus tookon the shape of a rhombus. Said Mr Tan: “Onechap called up his MP and complained that wehad short-changed him! So it was back to basics.”
He adds that for the most part, rules andlimitations govern the building of HDB blocks.“We built the homes by the thousands. And therewere limits like land, space and cost - plus itcouldn’t be too complicated for the constructionworkers. You can’t actually supervise the buildingof hundreds of blocks at a go. “I used to tell myarchitects: You’d better be careful. You makeone mistake on the plans, it means it will berepeated in many flats!” he said with a laugh.
But slowly, the HDB is trying. Punggol is the newjewel. The blocks there have full French windowsand integrated carparks with lift lobbies. It is hardto tell them apart from a condominium. Even aminister has said so, says Mr Tan. He said: “See?It’s not that HDB architects have no imaginationand creativity. We can build like the best.”
This formula is the reason the one thing you hearrepeatedly about HDB estates is that they are“convenient”. The formula was so successful thatit would be repeated in subsequent estates. ToaPayoh and subsequent new towns would also havebigger three-room flats to cater to a growing groupof Singaporeans who were becoming more affluent.
But even with the improvements came criticism.There was pressure to break away from the sheermonotony of the f lats. People were complainingthat it was hard to find their way around, sinceevery block looked the same. So little nuanceswere progressively introduced: Colour, roofs anddesign were used to try to give some character toeach estate. Parks were introduced to give eachlittle neighbourhood or precinct some open spaceand relief from the concrete blocks. Point blockswere the first to break away from the monotonyof slab ones. Later, different shapes were used forsome blocks. Their sizes also began to differ.
But there is only one circular HDB block inSingapore. Block 259 at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1stands like a sentinel along the Thomson Roadentry to Ang Mo Kio estate. On the choice of acircle: “It was a natural choice of shape to be differentfrom the straight linear lines of the other blocks,”explained Mr Tan. There will not be another, becauseit is meant to be part of Ang Mo Kio’s identity, andbuilding another would dilute this, explains Mr Tan.
But there can only be so many shapes for a blockof flats, so a new way had to be found to differentiateblocks and estates. Roofs were the obvious answer:An estate’s skyline could give a clue wheresomeone was headed to. For example, the sharplyangled ‘ski roofs’ of Potong Pasir have becomethe estate’s distinctive calling card. The pitchedroofs of Tampines, which give the blocks a pyramidalhat, are another example. A few precincts in JurongEast have roofs that bring a Chinese village to mind,because of the nearby Pagoda on Jurong Lake.
HDB’s architects also turned to colour. Bukit Batok’swalkways are lined with granite tiles of brown andgreen, its windows are framed in ochre and greenishhues, while dark brown bricks are used for thewalls. Tampines got its distinctive red and apricotcolours, perhaps to reflect the original sandy terrainthat was there before the new town went up.Sembawang’s neighbourhoods are also colour-coded: Orange for Neighbourhood 1, cream forNeighbourhood 2, yellow for 3, bright red for 4,purple for 5 and Neighbourhood 6 has pink.
Murals and motifs have also been used. Simei -which means ‘four beauties’ in Chinese - hasOriental-inspired motifs and windows for its block.In Bedok new town, ‘Chai’ means vegetable, while‘Chee’ means market, so the motifs around theestate depict vegetables, fruits and other marketproduce. Seng Kang means ‘prosperous harbour’
SKI ROOFS IN POTONG PASIR:The sharply angled roofs ofPotong Pasir have become theestate’s calling card,distinguishable even from afar.
THE GLAMOUR FACTOR (left) :The Punggol flats, with theirfull French windows can bemistaken for condominiums.
CIRCULAR BLOCK INANG MO KIO (below) : There won’tbe another one like Block 259 in AngMo Kio because it is meant to bepart of the estate’s identity.
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Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
Victoria Theatre
ESPLANADE -THEATRES ON THE BAYThe SGD 600-million, spiky-roofed behemothhouses a 1,600-seater concert hall (mostlyfor big music gigs), a 2,000-seater theatre(dances and musicals), a 250-seater recitalstudio (small music gigs), a 220-seater theatrestudio (small plays), and a host of outdoorarenas (live music gigs).
WHERE: Next to Raffles Avenue and oppositeMarina Square, right by the mouth of theSingapore River.
BEST KNOWN FOR: Its affectionate moniker,The Durian. But, unlike its fruity namesake,Grammy-winning global acts - notably ShirleyHorn, k.d lang and Youssoun N’Dour -are finding it an easily acquired taste indeed.
KALLANG THEATRESeats 1,744 people
WHERE: Opposite the National Stadiumand the Singapore Indoor Stadium onStadium Walk.
BEST KNOWN FOR: Being the place wherethe big Broadway musicals were staged beforeThe Esplanade was up. Les Miserables, ThePhantom of The Opera, Miss Saigon andChicago all treaded its boards in days goneby. Its latest coup was hosting wiz Canadiandirector Robert Lepage’s musical, The Busker’sOpera in June.
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SINGAPORE INDOOR STADIUMSeats 12,000 people
WHERE: Right across from Kallang Theatreand the National Stadium, next to theroundabout that links Stadium Road toStadium Boulevard.
BEST KNOWN FOR: Being the place to be forbig congregations - from rock concerts toreligious revivals - in air-conditioned comfort.This venue has seen it all. Its most recent artyguest was Odyssey Dance Theatre’s Aynesthesiaon June 1, 2005, which filled some 3,000seats - quite a feat, considering that dance has,at best, a modest following in this city.
VICTORIA THEATREAn old-world auditorium that seats 904.
WHERE: At the corner of Empress Place andOld Parliament Lane, which is a five-minutewalk away from Raff les Place MRT.
BEST KNOWN FOR: Being ‘The Grand OldDame’ of arts venues here, as it has beenaround since 1862. It began life as a town hall,but has since propelled itself into the 21stcentury by playing host to two criticallyacclaimed contemporary dance companies -Britain’s Akram Khan Company and Belgium’sUltima Vez - for the Singapore Arts Festival lastyear and this year.
THE ARTS HOUSEAT THE OLD PARLIAMENTIt comprises a corridor photo gallery, a 75-seater screening room, a 200-seater chamber(where Parliament used to be in session), a120-seater black box theatre called the PlayDen, a living room with a 30- to 60-personcapacity, and a blue room and gallery thatcan hold up to 100 people each.
WHERE: At the corner of Old Parliament Laneand High Street, right across from VictoriaTheatre and Victoria Concert Hall.
BEST KNOWN FOR: Being the only gazettedgovernment building designated as a multi-disciplinary arts centre thus far, and, mostrecently, for housing Earshot, a bookstorededicated to promoting Singaporean writersand their works, which opened last month.
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Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
Singapore Art Museum
SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM
WHERE: On Bras Basah Road, next toWaterloo Street and diagonally across theroad from salsa and jazz hub Chijmes.
BEST KNOWN FOR: Being the former StJoseph’s Institution. Since its opening in January1996, it has built up cred as a host of bothexciting mainstream and experimental art,notably a blockbuster exhibition featuring 58artworks from the Soloman R GuggenheimMuseum in New York and the retrospectiveof Colombian artist Fernando Botero’s works.Its auditorium has hosted weddings, LindyHop dance classes and talks by such respectedartists as the American war photographerJames Nachtwey.
P-10 ART GALLERYA small exhibition and workshop place forvisual artists
WHERE: 10 Perumal Road, between RaceCourse Road and Serangoon Road. It’s a three-minute walk from Farrer Park MRT.
BEST KNOWN FOR: Being a sanctuaryfounded by homegrown artists forhomegrown artists, to promote art that wouldotherwise not see the light of day here.Among its artists are Susie Wong, CheongKah Kit and Wilkie Tan, and its most recentexhibitions have included ‘Errata’ by KohNguang How (2005), mixed media exhibition‘Sixteen Degrees Centigrade - Reconditioned’by Paul Lincoln and ‘Please Take This Seriously’,an exhibition of the P-10 residency programmeby Bernice Lau.
DRAMA CENTREA new 614-seater venue in the new NationalLibrary headquarters, which opened its doorsto the public on July 22
WHERE: At 100 Victoria Street, which is abouta three-minute walk from Raff les Hotel.
BEST KNOWN FOR: Well, it’s spanking newand awaiting performances, which will not behard to come by, as it sits within a stone’sthrow of arty hives of activity like the WaterlooArts Belt institutions, the Nanyang Academyof Fine Arts and the LaSalle-SIA College of theArts. It has also chalked up quite a bit ofnostalgia, having been one of Singapore’s firstand best-loved arts venues when it wasensconced within a vale at Fort Canning beforeit moved to its new home in the heart of town.
THE SUBSTATIONIt comprises an 11-seater theatre and a gallerythat can hold at least 150 people.
WHERE: At the junction of Armenian Streetand Stamford Road.
BEST KNOWN FOR: Nurturing artists here,and putting on cutting-edge shows. Now-established theatre companies like Toy FactoryTheatre Ensemble and Drama Box wereweaned here, as are many fringe artists today.
THE UNIVERSITY CULTURAL CENTREA cosy 450-seater theatre
WHERE: 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, on theNational University of Singapore campus.There are two main entrances to the campusalong Clementi Road, from Ayer RajahExpressway to the north, or West Coast Roadand Pasir Panjang Road to the south.
BEST KNOWN FOR: Being the venue ofchoice for National Day rallies and hosting theacclaimed Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra inAugust 2003.
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9 That penchant for the most pompoussounding names which make no sense.You know the type - the ones thatcombine French, Spanish or some Eurolingo with English or, worse, somethinglocal. The posher, the better - Le MeePok anyone?
10 Complaining. Give us money, and we’llprobably gripe how the bills are not sortedright. We have plenty to say abouteverything - but try getting us to put ournames on official feedback forms, and weimmediately say, “don’t quote me ah”.
1 Our love affair with acronyms. We pay millionsof dollars for signs that say things like ‘AccidentVeh On Sh’. But we don’t know what is worse:The acronyms, or the fact that only weunderstand them.
2 Looking the other way while our children goon a rampage, converting MRT handrails intotheir own private jungle gym, playing F1 racingwith supermarket trolleys, and single-handedlyraising decibel levels. “They’re still young,mah,” we say.
3 Rubber-necking, even when we are on theother side of the road, going in the oppositedirection. Why? Secretly, we suspect it is tolook out for the wrecked car’s licence plateand try our luck at 4D with it.
4 Joining a queue just because there is one.Everyone assumes that if people are queueingfor something, it has to be good, never mindwhat it is. Queues just work to get us interested,and some people know it... ever note howthat long line at the hot new nightspotdisappears after midnight?
5 ’Choping’, or booking tables at hawker centreswith packets of tissue. Speaking of tables athawker centres, ever notice how peopleindulge in post-makan chats whenever othersare hovering around their tables, waiting fora seat? If no one was around, they wouldleave immediately. When people are waiting,they take their time.
6 That inexplicable need to rush into anopening be it a lift or a train carriage - assoon as the door opens. Nevermind thepeople exiting it.
7 Singaporean drivers seem to need to see thesmall print, specifically the serial number ofthe bumper of the car in front of them. Weare so impatient, we honk at drivers in frontof us a nanosecond after the lights turn green.
8 All SMS, all the time! Singapore is home to theworld’s fastest SMSer. Surprised? Don’t be.Pay attention to the person next to you at ameeting, on a bus, in a hawker centre, andyou’ll know what we mean.
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SEVERAL TRAITSHELP BRAND USAS TRUE-BLUESINGAPOREANS.NATALIE SOH ANDARTI MULCHANDASKED SINGAPOREANSWHAT BUGS THEMMOST ABOUT,WELL, THEMSELVES.
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1 People don’t horde information - at leastwhen it comes to the places to get the bestchar kuay teow, prata or nasi padang.
2 “Have you eaten?” translates well into allfour national languages, and several dialects.And to us, it really doesn’t mean whetherwe’ve had our fill. It’s the Singaporeanequivalent of “how are you?”
3 We like travelling, but we like coming backmore. Ah, laksa ...
4 We’re civil enough to respect the uncivilisedtissue packet method of reserving seats.
5 The surprisingly noble way we try to beatthe system. At carparks which use thecoupon parking system, we’ll give awaycoupons which have not been totallyexpended, so someone can save a few cents.
6 Plastic containers never come back empty.Put some Hari Raya goodies in them forneighbours, and they’ll come back filled withfood at Deepavali. Fill them with tarts forChinese New Year, and you’ll get curry devilat Christmas.
7 We’re one big family. Everyone older thanus is an uncle or auntie. Never mind if theyare friends’ parents, hawkers, or cleaners.
8 We haggle. Even at fixed price stores. Andwhen we’re in the region, you can spot aSingaporean a mile away. “Five ringgit? I giveyou my last offer, five sen, can or not?”
9 The chattering masses: Indians speakingMandarin, Malays speaking Hokkien, Chinesespeaking Bahasa. Living in such closeproximity to everyone else has made us‘multi-lingual’. Uncle, extra pedas hor!Xie xie!
We can laugh at ourselves. After all, whoelse would find a Singlish-speakingcontractor, a self-deprecating website andreading a list of their most annoyingtraits amusing?
FOR EACH ANNOYING TRAIT,THOUGH, THERE IS ONE THATMAKES SINGAPOREANS ENDEARING,IN A STRANGE SORT OF WAY.BEST OF ALL, THESE TRAITS SHOWEVERYONE HOW MUCH WE REALLY,REALLY LOVE THIS PLACE,DESPITE ALL THE WHINING ABOUT IT.
