Weather in Malaya

The Climate in Malaya is an equatorial climate. It is hot when the sun is out yet cold when it rains. It rains frequently there with flash floods.

Landscape

Malaya is a Jungle so there are lots of tropical trees growing there. This makes it difficult for moving long distances. It is usually hilly.

Where the British troops are located

The British troops were located in Malaya but had to retreat to Singapore after their defeat against the Japanese.

Where Japanese troops located

The Japanese troops landed on the Northern Side of Malaya at Kota Bhura and began their advance down the eastern coast.

The fall of Singapore

The British retreated to Singapore after their defeat in Malaya, as it was thought to be an “impenetrable fortress”. But then the Japanese landed on the peninsula and the British were forced to surrender. This was the fall of Singapore. As the Japanese attacked through the Peninsula, their troops were ordered to take no prisoners. A pamphlet was issued to all the Japanese soldiers said:

“When you encounter the enemy after landing, think of yourself as an avenger coming face to face at last with his father's murderer. Here is a man whose death will lighten your heart.”

Type of warfare used

The troops used Mule's as they can go along the Jungle Terrain which Horses wouldn't be able to do. The British in Malaya didn't have any tanks whereas the Japanese had over 200 of them, but both used guns in warfare.

Diseases

Many Troops caught many diseases as they weren't immunized against the new diseases in Malaya. So many died which created more diseases and discomfort for the troops.

Food

Has to be imported and sometimes the transport of food was destroyed so soldiers had to ration what they had.

Water

Although lots of rain it was unsafe to drink. So it had to be imported. And used wisely,

What the British people knew of the events

The British people didn't know much of the events due to censorship. The British lost to the Japanese in Malaya so the events there were not to be known by the British Public.

In the Philippines, the traditional breakfast of Filipinos consist of rice, bread, egg, meat or fish. How these basic choices or ingredients are prepared, depend on their eating habits. But typically Filipinos are heavy breakfast eaters especially those whose work entails more physical exertion.

Almost always, rice being the staple food of Filipinos, is always present in the breakfast menu. Normally cooked rice is fried with just salt and garlic. Rice is eaten with either fried dried fish or meat with fresh tomatoes on the sides. Breakfast meat comes in many forms, like longanisa (native pork sausage), tapa (beef slices), sausage, corned beef, among others. The light breakfast eaters would settle for Pandesal, native bread stuff with butter, jelly, egg or meat. Some would just take it plain or dipped into hot chocolate or coffee. Here are some samples of typical Filipino breakfast:

Tapsilog*Cornsilog*Pandesal

Longsilog *Tosilog *Daing Na Bangus

Singapore and Malaysia

In Singapore, the traditional breakfast of Singaporeans consist of bread, rice, eggs and meat. The most popular includes, Kaya Toast, Nasi Lemak, Roti Parathas, Bak Kut Teh and Koo chye kueh.

Kaya Toast

Kaya Toast is the signature breakfast of Singapore. It is actually a paste made from coconut milk, sugar, vanilla, eggs and pandan leaves. The coconut milk is cooked slowly along with the rest of the ingredients to form a batter or paste. It is then spread into a slice of bread along with a small amount of butter.

Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak is rice cooked in coconut milk with small amount of ginger, lemon grass or pandan leaves. It is served with chicken, beef or fish.

Roti Parathas

Roti Parathas is just like Pancakes but a bit crispy kind of pastry. It is served with spicy sauce for dipping.

Wonton Noodles

Wonton noodles are made of minced pork or whole shrimp cooked with ginger, onion, sesame oil and soy sauce. They are mixed with the noodles and served very hot.

Wonton Noodles

Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kut Teh is a kind of soup made from pork ribs cook with spices like garlic, anise, cinnamon, lettuce, mushrooms and dried tofu. Pork bones are included in cooking for added flavor. This dish is usually eaten with rice or noodles.

Thailand

Jok (Congee)

In Thailand, rice congee or “Jok”is normally served as breakfast. Raw or half-cooked eggs are normally added. There are different variations like jok with minced pork, beef, etc. Other ingredients are spring onions, garlic, spicy pickles, radish, etc.

Since Thailand has opened up to western society or lifestyle, traditional Thai breakfast seems to have lost its popularity. Except for the still popular congee breakfast, almost all kinds of breakfast preparations are available in every restaurant or eating places in Thailand. Some of these common breakfast menu are as follows:

My sister, who is based in SG, gave my mother a travel gift to Singapore on the latter's birthday. When my mother requested me to accompany her in this trip, I packed my things and flew to SG with her amidst the whirlwind of intertwining projects at work, to the rage to my boss.

Singapore has places that are NEVER-TO-MISS. Sentosa Island is a great place to go. You can go to Underwater Adventure, watch the Dolphin Show and have fun at the Luge. You can also drop by their zoo, or watch the safari animals at night or simply have a quiet time to the Botanical Garden. But, what I would like to present here are the mundane and the ordinary that adds flavor to the uniqueness only Singapore can spell out.

1. Murtabak

   This is an Indian food. It's mainly fish, with many spices, wrapped in a roti prata (an Indian bread of some sort). It is superb as it is healthy. There is this small halal restaurant in Killiney Road, right behind SingTel which offers this. My sister brought us there on our very first breakfast in SG. We enjoyed the murtabak so much that the next day, mom and I went there again and ordered two servings. We forgot that a serve is good for 2 - 4 persons!

2. Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee

   If you are in noodles, then fried hokkien prawn mee is for you. It's a mind-blowing piece of a noodle wonder! It's hokkien noodle sautéed with prawn and bean sprout and stuff. We has prawn mee at The Food Republic at Vivo City.

3. Kaya Toast Kaya

   This is  made of coconut jam of some sort. You will really follow its aroma anywhere your nose spots this amazing jam. It's usually spread on a toasted wheat bread with butter. I came from a country where coconuts grow everywhere but it was only in Singapore that I tasted kaya.

4. 3 for $10 Stores

   Singapore is not alien to Prada, Calvin Klein, Gucci and other big names in fashion and style. It has stores and malls that cater only to the richest in Asia and other foreign nationals. However, in its effort to serve the elite, it also serves the not-yet-so-rich and everyone in between. 3 for $10 store has an exciting collection of caboodles which you can get for every 10 dollars; from silver rings, shades, watches, hairpins, notebooks, t-shirts, wallets, earrings, picture frames, vases and everything else. Just perfect for anyone on a budget vacation.

5. Cold Storage

   I love this quaint and small store which offers just basically everything you need. They have friendly staff and the service they give is great. I was lost in somewhere in Kalang, when I went to see a friend who plays tennis at this gym of some sort there. I ended up buying goods from this store and the staff were nice enough to show me the back my hotel. Since then, whenever I need stuff for my kitchen, I only go to Cold Storage.

6. Fruits

   I am sure that Singapore doesn't have the luxury of land enough to supply the country's demand for fresh fruits. I don't know how they manage it but they have a wide variety of fruits sold at a very lovely price. Grapes, bananas, apples, peaches, kiwis, pears, ect…mom and I got them fresh. EVERYDAY!

7. Tissue here, tissue there, tissue everywhere

   Whether you are in Suntec City or in the public toilets in SG, a big fat roll of tissue paper awaits you in each cubicle. I happen to have this really bad experience of trying to relieve myself and walked into a toilet with no tissue paper. It was disaster! But in SG, even if you go to the ugliest building in the block in a very, very immediate time, CHILL! There is a roll of tissue paper. PROMISE.

8. Buses and Taxis

   Singapore has a very comprehensive transportation system. Each bus stop has a directory of buses with their routes, numbers, and time of arrival. They have electronic collection system that gives you the convenience of using top-up cards, saves you the time scavenging for coins after each time you get on and move down from the bus.
   
   Taxis are another story. Their cabs are equipped with GPS for easier address location, credit-swipe-card just in case you run out of cash and you opt to use your credit card, telephone and a service payment receipt.
   
   Drivers are very polite and very courteous. They are very neat in their crisp white long sleeves and their neckties. 10 points for them drivers!

9. Cleanliness

   First I would not believe it. Singapore is the cleanest country in Asia. So what?! There's got to be some place there which is not clean. Well, there is. BINGO! Little India, it's not very clean for sure. There are actually cigarette butts everywhere. But, who am I not to be forgiving when anywhere else in the city is SPOTLESS? I really made an effort to actually stretch my neck to see garbage. Well, what did I see instead? THE CLEANEST COUNTRY IN ASIA, if not in the WORLD!

10. People

    This country is a melting pot of Chinese, Malay, and Indian races working together in a very healthy manner such that a country's success like that of Singapore has been achieved. There are also quiet a good number of Americans, Europeans and Australian based there, representing their respective companies back home. Some, opted to spend retirement years in SG. Filipinos, Indonesians and people from mainland China choose to work there.
    
    Their co-existence is remarkable. If the world would treat and respect each other like these Singaporeans, then, world peace would not be so difficult to reach

Home to more than 300 species of animals, of which 16% are threatened species including the white tiger, orang utan, golden lion tamarin, king cobra and Malayan tapir, there are now more than 2500 specimens in the Singapore Zoo.

Where do all these animals come from?

Other than animals that were sent to the Singapore Zoo through confiscation and rescue operations by the relevant authorities as well as donations, the Zoo tries its best to ensure that the animals it acquires were those born in captivity, which is best achieved by via direct zoo to zoo contact.

However, the Singapore Zoo also recognizes a legitimate need to obtain animals from the wild for various programs, namely, conservation breeding, education or basic biological studies, therefore it has to be confident that such acquisitions from the wild will not cause a decline in the wild population.

When to Visit?

Although the Singapore Zoo is set in a rainforest environment, meaning lots of trees and shade, the best time to visit it is early in the morning, when the weather is cool.

The Zoo opens its doors daily at 8.30 am and there is a suggested itinerary for visitors who wish to spend the morning there.

As the day warms, you may wish to take refuge in the Fragile Forest and enjoy the beautiful butterflies flying around you. If you stand very still, one may just land on you.

What to See?

There are many exhibits in the Singapore Zoo and the layout of the Zoo allows you to walk from one exhibit to another.

Our favorite exhibits include the Reptile Garden and the Fragile Forest. As the name suggests, the exhibits in the Reptile Garden includes, what else, reptiles! It boosts of some 400 reptiles representing 41 species, including crocodiles, Komodo Dragons, giant Aldabraand Galapagos tortoises, king cobra and Indian rock pythons.

Another favorite is the Children's World, which is divided into the Animal Land and Play Land. At the Animal Land, children can get close up to cows, sheep, goats, rabbits, ducks, geese and other domesticated animals. Children are also allowed to hold baby animals, under the supervision of adults, in the Pets' Corner.

There is also the Primate Kingdom where more than 100 primates from 11 species are displayed.

You will be surprised to know that animals are not the only things you will see at the Singapore Zoo.

There are also plant exhibits, which include the Heliconia Valley, where yellow, red, orange and pink heliconias can be enjoyed amidst the beautiful landscaping. The Tropical Crops Plantation, which is a highly educational place, has more than 50 species of cash crops, vegetables, spices and aquatic plants on displayed.

The Garden with a View, where the well-known orang utan Ah Meng was laid to rest, was designed in the French Renaissance style. It is a horticultural display designed to complement and contrast with the rest of the Singapore Zoo gardens.

Moving Around the Zoo

The best way to see the Zoo is to take a slow walk to enjoy what the Zoo has to offer, just be sure that you have comfortable footwear on so that you can explore the Zoo without the sore and tired feet.

A tram also takes you around the Zoo for a small fee. Various strategic stops allow you to hop on and off to enjoy the many exhibits.

And if you want something different, you can even take a horse-drawn carriage!

The Singapore Zoo is a great place to visit, as attest by these visitors to Singapore. Come and enjoy yourselves!

One of Singapore's main attraction is FOOD. As a tourist here, you will be bombarded by the number of shops that sell a very wide variety of Asian cuisines.

There are informal settings where you have to order you food and bring it to your table very much like ordering from a fast-food joint. Difference is that the table where you sit may quite far away from the stall itself. These stalls, it can be up to 20 different stalls, all share a common sitting area. You are spoilt for choice as you decide what to try first.

Noodles and rice are prepared in a number of different manner - fried, soup, dry, semi-dry, chilli, ketchup, clay pot, hot cast-iron plate, mini steamboat, and the list goes on.

Then if you want to pamper yourself, and not join in the hustle and bustle of things, go to a formal restaurant. It is air-conditioned and you have waiters who will take your order and then bring the food to you. Dinning at these restaurants is easily affordable.

Of course, if budget is not an issue, go for fine dinning. You will be pampered as you enjoy the wonderful service and the relaxing pace.

No matter which is your choice of dinning experience, the food tastes simply delicious. You'll be putting on weight when you visit Singapore.

It doesn't matter if you are vegetarian, you will find vegetarian food stalls easily. Singapore is a multi-racial, multi-religious mix, thus the food is catered to all people. There are also internal cuisines easily available as well.

Now you see why Singapore is a food paradise?

The other main attraction in Singapore is SHOPPING. Clothes and electronic gadgets are the top picks for tourists from US and the UK.

Next to every shop that sells food, there is one that sells clothes or other things. It's like there is a master plan that predicts that after you do your shopping, you will be hungry and thirsty, so have the food stalls nearby so that you can replenish your body with food and drink before heading for the stalls again.

Branded clothing like Asley Isham and Wykidd Song to cheap t-shirts for tourists to purchase, branded make up to branded shoes are mainly located at Orchard Road. It is a place where budget is not an issue for you. You will fall in love with these shops here. Another newly opened shopping mall is at the Changi Airport Terminal 3. This is mainly for businessmen who are in Singapore for a one day or half-day transit. It has over 100 retail and food and beverage outlets.

You have to watch out for the Great Singapore Sale (June), Singapore Fashion Festival (July) and the Christmas Light up. These sales are really worth the effort!

These are just 2 main attractions of Singapore and because it is the hottest 2 past times, there is even a shopping mall and a great number of food stalls that are open 24/7.

Speaking of hot past time, Singapore's nightlife (some of the world's best is at Clarke Quay), shopping and fine dinning is ranked top 5 in the world (reported by Country Brand Index by FutureBrand).

These are just 2 top picks why you may want to visit Singapore. Have fun!

Night Safari

The Night Safari is the world's first nocturnal zoo, which is a popular tourist haunt, with 1.1 million visitors every year. 29% of the 1056 animals housed are endangered. These include the white tigers, Malayan Tapir, the Tahr and many others. For the adventurous family, they can opt an overnight camping experience to spend the night under the stars and the company of the beasts. For all others who enjoy the wonders of wildlife, then a trek through the 40 hectare secondary forest to observe these nocturnal creatures in their vast naturalistic habitats is an expedition not to forgo.

Esplanade

Also known as the Durian, the Esplanade has been constructed in the shape of a tropical fruit, which looks like a fusion between the papaya and the durian. It is set to be a venue for cultural and arts performances, in line with the government's vision of making the art scene in Singapore a vibrant and dynamic one, so that it would be the leading Arts hub in the region. The state of the art amphitheatres and concert halls provide excellent acoustics for ethereal music and concerts to be enjoyed by one and all. There are also outdoor performance spaces for creative and avant-garde artistic expressions by budding and top-notch professional artistes to showcase their talent to the public. The music library themed in 4 clusters of villages that include: music, dance, theatre and film is an excellent resource center for all who seek knowledge about these fields. 

Terminal 3

Terminal 3 was opened on 9 January 2008, with 28 aerobridge gates, it is capable of handling up to 8 A380s at once, increasing the airport's annual passenger capacity by 22 million. Built on a green and open concept, terminal 3 is in itself an experience, which is unforgettable. It boasts of high-level shop fronts with the latest collection of high-end products on offer and state of the art technology, landscape and architecture, which is indeed a sight to behold. For instance, as one steps into the Terminal 3, one would be drawn to the skylight roof that gives an airiness and light to the place. A green wall, 5-storey, 300 metre vertical garden boasts of the lush climbing plants and vines that can be found in our city, watered by 4 separate waterfalls. The shopping and Al Fresco dining cafes and bistros intertwine to provide its clientele an enriching multicultural experience.

These cookies differ very much from other cookies. First off, they are 2 cm in size, and they have little pictures of pandas playing sports. These biscuits are made with Choco Cream inside. One serving or eight cookies are 138 calories.

They are very tasty with tea. A good place to look for them is at the Asian Food Grocer. One serving or one box should cost around 89 cents. A box like the one above goes for $4.50. It holds ten individual servings. This is perfect to pack in a child's lunch, or to pack in your own lunch.

If international cuisine is your thing, you may find these an utter delight. The Choco Cream melts in your mouth and the biscuits are light and fluffy in flavor. If you are like me, these may be the next treasure you add to your food pantry.

From gaining capital through entrepot in the past decades, the country has risen to becoming one of the four Asian tigers along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. It has stepped up the economic ladder from the bottom all the way to the top. To date, Singapore is the fourth largest Foreign Exchange trading center after London, New York and Tokyo. It is also considered to have one of the busiest ports in the world with over 600 shipping lines in operation, and a leader in shipbuilding and repairing.

Due to its inadequate natural resources, Singapore's economy largely depends on import/ export and manufacturing. Thus the country focused on manufacturing products such as electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, mechanically engineered equipments and biomedical devices. It also houses more than 130 banks making it one of the most important financial centers in Asia. And in terms of tourism, Singapore has about 9.7 million visitors every year.

A closer look at Singapore's business trends would show that there are some methods or formula that precipitated their economic growth. According to Singapore's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Kishore Mahbubani, there are four relatively simple prescriptions. And these are: sustain a free and open economy, welcome foreign investment, aim for budgetary surpluses, and avoid any financial aid. Equipped with these factors, together with hard work, innovation and effective economic strategies, Singapore has become a country of strength and economic power.

Station buildings range from the Baroque style in the unlikely setting of Hsinchu Station in Taiwan, to the Corinthian pillars of Gare De Nord, Paris and the Gothic revival architecture of Bombay. Each of these buildings is a work of art in itself.

Here a few more unusual architectural styles applied to railway stations:

Tangjong Pagar Railway Station, Singapore

This very old railways station has the honor of being considered one of the best places in Singapore for Malaysian food, especially satay. People come here to eat as well as to travel. The building was completed in 1932 and it has a fine domed roof. There is Malaysian artwork on the panelling around the inside.

Helsinki Central Station, Finland

There are nineteen platform inside this station which is faced with granite give a cold, hard kind of look to it. The statues outside have recently been featured in an animation to promote rail travel in Finland. The original station was built in 1860 and it was redesigned in 1909 as can be seen in the almost art nouveau design of the central curved section.

Napoli-Afragola Railway Station, Naples, Italy

This new high speed station is a bridge above the tracks. It is a massive transport interchange that acts as a gateway to Naples and a major city landmark which provides a train station for high speed and regional services, bus, taxi and car parking facilities. There are retail facilities here as well as police and fire stations and the whole structure covers around 20,000 square meters. This fabulous, ultra modern construction was designed by Patrick Schumacher and Zaha Hadid Architects.

Gare de Nord Railway Station, Paris, France

Inside this fantastic building are a series of Corinthian columns made of cast iron. These support a thirty eight metre high glass roof . There are nine statues in the station which represent nine important places that can be reached from the station. The architecture here is a real mixture of styles and the grace and elegance of the original curved roof has been spoiled by alterations made in the 1930's.

Hualampong Station, Bangkok, Thailand

Click Here for a Panoramic Photo!

This railway station was built fourteen years after railways were first introduced to Thailand. It was finished in 1916 and had taken 7 years to build. It was modernized in 1998 and is now extremely busy with twenty four ticket windows and a computerized booking system. The original architecture has been preserved well in spite of the modernization.

Here are some more railway stations that combine the best in good taste and aesthetic functionability:

Paddington Cathedral

Todays more visited cathedrals in the UK are the railway terminii. Squeaky clean with an almost a religious fanaticism these are a melting pot of people from around the world.

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Haydarpasa Terminal

The first station there was built in 1872 when the railroad was opened to Gebze.

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Docklands Light Railway (Wall of Light)

One of the first light rail systems in Britain, with one of the world’s safest and most advanced automatic train control systems, DLR has expanded faster than any UK railway.

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Almere Centrum, The Netherlands

The railway station Almere Centrum was built in 1987, when Almere was connected to the Dutch railway system.

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Ano Lechonia

Ano Lechonia is another of the villages where de Chirico built railway stations.

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Light Of A West Civilization

Main Railway Station, Berlin, Germany.

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South Wimbledon

The London Underground was the first underground railway in the world.

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Gare de Lyon

Wonderful contrast of architectural order and human chaos.

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Milan Train Station at Midnight

Impressive station!

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Mystery Train

A train passes through Lisbon's wonderful Oriente Station, designed by Santiago Calatrava.

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Waiting...

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Tokyo: Ochanomizu

The train tracks are crossing on three different levels.

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Foggy Bottom: GWU

The elevators at the George Washington University station.

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Candidplatz

Subway station "Candidplatz" in Munich, Germany.

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Ladvi metro station, Prague

Dynamic, futuristic, and sheer artistry.

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Gare Désafectée Railway Station

Some railway stations still have a ways to go...

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Amazing Railway Station Design

This incredible piece of team work helped these designers win 2nd prize for their design.

You see, waiting in a train station is not so bad after all!

In the evenings and at weekends there were always cultural events; with such diverse attractions as classical western music, an exhibition of Malay art or a Chinese opera in the street, it was difficult to get bored. Perhaps most impressive, however, was the remarkable transport system, with excellent roads, a swift and efficient bus service and a state of the art underground system which could whisk commuters from the suburbs straight into the heart of the city.(This was extremely important as the government banned private cars from entering the central business district during the morning and the afternoon rush hours in order to reduce congestion on the roads and pollution from the exhausts.)

Of course, living in a city like this has its disadvantages as well. For a start, the cost of living can be very high, renting an apartment for example is very expensive. And as the city is expanding, there are a lot of building sites where new apartments are continually being built to deal with the population explosion which is a direct result of the government encouraging people to have more children.

Fortunately, Singapore doesn't suffer from problems that are common in many cities such as drug abuse, which is partly the result of the government imposing very sever punishments on anyone bringing narcotics into the country, so it is safe to walk the streets at night In fact, the inner city housing estate there are probably the safest and most orderly in the world.

Singapore wouldn't be ideal for everyone, however, especially if you come from the countryside and are used to a rural lifestyle. The traditional villages that were once common have disappeared as the residents there realized there were no prospects for their future and moved into new government housing in the city.

Nowadays, there is very little productive land around the city, which means that Singapore imports almost all of its food. And despite a green approach to city planning, the urban sprawl which has eaten into the countryside has had a detrimental effect on the environment.