Peranakan Museum

Visiting this museum,  formerly Tao Nan Chinese School, built in 1912, was a great pleasure. Everything were displayed beautifully, clearly, with a little fun here and there. Again, I'm so jealous that Indonesia can't do the same thing ( oh and If I start complaining about this, then I will keep going on and on )

The Peranakan Museum reveals the culture of Peranakan communities in in Southeast Asia, especially in Singapore. This intimate museum possesses one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of Peranakan objects. Galleries on three floors illustrate the cultural traditions and the distinctive visual arts of the Peranakans.

When I visited this place, an exhibition was held, entitled "Emily of Emerald Hill", a famous play about  a peranakan lady. It's amazing for an Indonesian like me: a play, although a famous one, would never be put on center stage in any museum in Indonesia. And this was not only that: this museum took this as a very serious project. I don't need to read the play script to know what this is all about, and what's the story behind it, in a very enjoyable way.  They didn't miss a single little detail!

Old Singapore

On my way to visit some museums, these are what caught my sight...

 I couldn't remember where these picture were taken,.. I think it's along Armenian street,.. er, or I might be wrong :-)

Chijmes

Once housed a catholic school, now this national treasure has turned into beautiful banquet hall and a heap of hip restaurants and boutiques. Well, this might not happen in Jakarta any soon, but at least we could learn something from here. Preserving doesn't mean putting it into a sterile room. It can live in our daily life and being part of present and future culture.

if you want to know more about this beautiful old building visit it's web, here.

Singapore National Museum

This old beautiful building keeps all the story about the nation's history and culture; everything you need to know and don't. It'll take days to enjoy the whole thing,  beautifully. To be honest, the collection it has, is nothing compared to - let's say- Indonesia's National Museum. But the way they present the collection, the way they tell the story, how they take it seriously... we should be ashamed. The high technology and modern art goes well with the old building and its collection, makes it a stunning museum I've ever visited. 

Two shops with interesting artsy goodies, one fine restaurant and a cafe, huge numbers of galleries and some world-class temporary exhibitions. Oh I'm so envy that Indonesia can't have one!

Istana

The Singapore's Presidential Palace is opened for public twice a year, and I got a chance to visit when I was there. Here're some pics I could take, but not inside the palace, since it is forbidden. ( no worries, the interior wasn't that interesting, anyway )

What I'm impressed was its lush garden: well maintained, but not over-trimmed. Beautiful tropical garden as it should.

one of the many pavilions in the palatial ground. A lovely tropical colonial building - my dream house!

view from the garden, outlooking the city's skyscrapers

the palatial guards; so young I bet they're still teens

Chinoiserie au Singapour

Although Singapore has a lot of ethnics, Chinese culture are inevitably dominant.. you could find the evident just anywhere.

True Religion

What's so true about religion is that there isn't any hate nor haters.
Living peacefully side by side, like what I've witnessed here in this area.
Mosque and temple and shrine in a quarter, they are wonderfully enhancing one to another.

Old & New

Head up to the heaven

aren't we all praying to the same God?

I

"I love you when you bow in your mosque, 

kneel in your temple, pray in your church. 

For you and I are sons of one religion, 

and it is the spirit."

~Khalil Gibran