Monthly Archives: July 2023

LAPC: Overlooked

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This week’s LAPC theme is “overlooked,” which I like because I like noticing things that are often missed because they are so ordinary.

When I visited the Flower Dome in Singapore for the second time last month, I noticed how people flocked towards the colorful flowers, which didn’t surprise me because they just looked so beautiful.

The succulents weren’t as popular, but I thought they were just as beautiful.

ST Doksuri spared Xiamen

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The super typhoon that is now wreaking havoc in Jinjiang, Fujian Province is named Doksuri which is the Korean term for “eagle.”

I don’t know much about movements of typhoons but as I was checking the forecast for Doksuri last night, I thought the name is really apt. There are 6 agencies monitoring the typhoon and all of them predicted a path that was west of Xiamen, but Doksuri moved towards the east of Xiamen. Like a proud bird who knows what it wants.

I was texting with a couple of friends last night, both of whom live alone. And they both said they wouldn’t be able to sleep remembering how scary Meranti was in 2016. I told them the typhoon was moving very slow at 20km/hr, which meant it wouldn’t reach Xiamen in the middle of the night.

Indeed when I woke up at 5am, there was no rain at all.

And when it did finally rain, it wasn’t the kind of rain we expected.

Apart from a few broken branches and fallen bikes, I did not see much damage at least on our campus.

Xiamen has been spared.

Workers rush to get rid of a broken branch blocking a road

Super Typhoon Doksuri

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I took this video this morning, less than 24 hours before Doksuri (called Egay in the Philippines) is expected to hit Xiamen early tomorrow morning.

If I can, I will upload videos or photos after Doksuri has passed.

When Meranti hit Xiamen in 2016, I was in the Philippines for a week. So this is going to be my first super typhoon. My husband thinks I’m over preparing, but I prefer to be overprepared than underprepared.

I missed Doksuri when it hit the Philippines; I left the country the afternoon before it made landfall yesterday. I was quite nervous boarding the plane, expecting scary turbulence but it was not so bad. I’ve experienced worse.

The weather was actually pretty nice when I arrived in Xiamen.

This is the calm before the storm.

Singapore Trip Part 3: Flower Dome and Cloud Forest

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It was my second time at the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay and I don’t regret going again. There were so many beautiful flowers, and I took several photos and I’ll post a few of them here. Let me know if you know the names of any of them.

Singapore Trip Part 2: Transportation and Connectivity

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Oxford Hotel, where I stayed in Singapore, is a 3-minute walk to the Bras Basah MRT station; it was quite convenient to take the MRT instead of calling a taxi. I bought a card from the 7-eleven store at the station. It costs 10SGD, but the card has 5SGD that one could use.

Bras Basah Station, Queen Street

You can easily top up your transportation card using either cash or bank card in a machine right at the station.

A selfie hahaha

Some MRT stations have escalators that move too fast for me. My young friend who’s Chinese but has been studying in Singapore for about 5 years, said she likes it. I’m old.

From and to the airport though I took a taxi as I didn’t want to drag my luggage with me.

Connectivity

One thing I really liked about being in Singapore is how easy it is to connect to the internet. There’s free Wi-Fi wherever you go. In the Philippines and in China you need to have a SIM card to connect to Wi-Fi as the provider will send you a code. But in Singapore you get free Wi-Fi hassle-free — in the hotel, malls, parks, airport.

Now you might think what would you need a Wi-Fi for when you’re traveling? Well, if you don’t have a SIM card that will allow you to make calls when you need to make calls, having Wi-Fi will let you do just that using WhatsApp or WeChat or whatever it is you’re using.

And of course, if you don’t like asking people for directions you can always use an app to help you find your way.

Singapore is truly tourist-friendly.

Update: Right now I’m in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and you can have free Wi-Fi even without a SIM card. (July 25, 2023)

Next post: Flower Dome and Cloud Forest

Singapore Trip Part 1: Churches

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In June I went to Singapore for a conference where I presented a paper. It was my second time in Singapore; the first time I went in 2016, I only stayed 2 days and didn’t get to see much of the city. This time I stayed 5 days, and had more time to walk around and visit places.

I’ll be writing about my trip and share photos I’ve taken. This is the first part, and it’s about the churches I went to.

I stayed in a hotel along Queen Street, which to me is like the church street as there are several churches so close to each other. The hotel I stayed in is right next to the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. I arrived at the hotel around 3pm and was able to attend the mass at 6pm.

Church of Saints Peter and Paul
Mass at the Church of Saints Peter and Paul

On the third day, after an afternoon of going around Bugis Junction which is a 10-minute walk from the hotel, I passed by St. Joseph Church which is also in Queen Street and saw that the lights were on. It was almost 6pm. When I went in, the mass was about to start, so I stayed.

St. Joseph’s Church, Queen Street
St. Joseph’s Church
St. Joseph’s Church
Statue of St. Michael the Archangel (Patron Saint of my city in the Philippines)

Then on Saturday after the conference ended at around 4 P.M, I took the MRT at Esplanade station (the conference was at The NUSS Graduate Club at Suntec City Tower 5) and got off at Bras Basah Station (just one stop) which is a 3-minute walk to the hotel. When I passed by the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, I learned there was a mass at 6 PM, and so I attended mass again.

That was 3 masses in one week. It was so long ago when I used to go to mass several times a week. But the proximity of the church just made attending mass so convenient. In China I would have to take a 45-minute bus ride and 30-minute ferry ride.

No, it’s not just churches I visited in Singapore. I did go to some exciting places, and I’ll write about those places in the next post. I need time. Time is a luxury.

Have a lovely day!

T.

Morning Gratitude

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I went out for an early morning walk, and I am so glad I did as it gave me time to be alone, to think, and to be grateful.

I have been too busy with work, studies, being a mom, being a wife. I went home to the Philippines for a Title Presentation and final exams, went to Singapore for a conference and now my husband and I are working on a project that will keep us anxious for at least a year!

So I haven’t had much time to be quiet. Too busy living to think about life.

This morning’s walk calmed me down, made me recall how the past 3 years of being away from my husband and wondering if I’d ever see him again, are being repaid with wonderful times together with our son.

All my worries and fears then were erased, and now I should just keep believing that everything will be fine. There may be troubles ahead, but they won’t be anything that we won’t be able to handle.

There are many things to be grateful for, and I am extremely grateful for everything that has been given me.

What are you grateful for today?

T.