March started off with the end of the Chinese New Year and welcoming my eldest sis back home after her major brain surgery. After that came the birthdays of 2 besties/gal pals and then it was a solemn week for Singapore with the death of our founding father Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
As usual, Instagram videos on blog run in fast forwards, skips and jumps. They are better viewed on iamjolene Instagram page itself for sound and image quality, as well as full streaming and on smartphone Instagram app for emoji to display.
~*1 March 2015*~
It's the same sofa but with my other family - Bestie Cyn, Godson Jase, Goddaughter Mia. Cyn and I are totally puzzled and amazed at the bond between Godpa Kh and Mia. And I totally can't wait for our full day gal pal date soon!
~*4 March 2015*~
Gal pal date with bestie Cyn starts from the salon coz we are so sick of our hair now. Cyn wanna tone down her dirty blonde fringe which doesn't look dirty right now, but it looks damn dirty blonde in flash photography... Hahahaha. And I wanna do something about my fringe and hair length that has gone into an ugly S-shape but just doesn't look ugly S-shape when I wanna show our stylist.
~*4 March 2015*~
New hairdo! Cyn had violet brown to cover the dirty blonde fringe and had her hair curled. I hacked half my hair off and was ready to go even shorter but couldn't get through the thought that my hair would qiao (stick out) outwards from then on. Did a softbre tone to save money on future hair colour. We love our new hair! Feels so light!
~*4 March 2015*~
We love our hair colour under the sun!
Top LR: Cyn's multi-colour hair is so chio and the violet parts are so obvious under the sun.
Bottom LR: I did a darker softbre which is not obvious in photos but under the sun looks a little like Cyn's hair.
~*4 March 2015*~
大姐 @kappo77 was discharged from hospital today. Since she missed almost the whole Chinese New Year, we had a mini reunion dinner and Lo Hei in the comfort of our home on the 2nd last day of CNY.
Top LR: 鱼生 from Din Tai Fung. The yam strips were good but we still miss the "满地黄金" crackers.
Bottom L: One of the get well hampers.
Bottom R: My sis can't eat certain food so she had food separate from us in containers like CUTE Mickey and Minnie Mouse lunch box! So CUTE can? I also want.
~*7 March 2015*~
Exercise time with the hub. We walked for about 8km I think and we didn't even reach our destination. 😭 So super tired!!! I'm so weak and unhealthy now. MacRitchie was so cross-country years ago!
~*8 March 2015*~
To all the strong women out there, Happy International Women's Day! 三八妇女节快乐! #internationalwomensday #三八妇女节 #girlpower
~*8 March 2015*~
Shoestring Truffle fries is LOVE. ❤️ First time here at Strangers' Reunion coz everyone on Facebook and Instagram seems to have been here already. #strangersreunion #trufflefries #instafood #ilovefood #fatdieme
~*11 March 2015*~
I really tried my best to avoid you pink twinnies but this is the WORST and LONGEST 24-h pain ever!
~*14 March 2015*~
I told my 2nd sis @kezel, "I'm hungry. What else can I eat in this house besides CNY goodies?" She readily introduced her hunger-fixer and made buttered corn with black pepper for me. 😍😍😍
Aside:
I asked for more butter but she said that I should eat more healthily. (She initially didn't want to add the butter.)
I asked for more black pepper but she said it would be too spicy and that I would be thirsty.
I said the corn wasn't enough after I finished it in under a minute but she said I shouldn't eat so much when it is so late and close to bed time.
I'm still hungreeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
~*15 March 2015*~
At Tatsuya for our belated V-Day and anniversary. We went for Omakase, a Japanese phrase that means "I'll leave it to you". So far we have been delighted by the chef. Definitely blogging about this meal instead of instagramming it.
~*18 March 2015*~
What kind of a person uses laptop until the number 1 key will become like that?! Hubby and I bought our laptops together and mine is still as good as new!
~*18 March 2015*~
The ONLY thing I miss about my long hair would be the lovely DIY curls I could achieve with it. Blogged about my bimbotic hair date with my bimbotic bestie 👭 @cyngapore a few days ago. Link in instagram bio. Included a post on my hair transformation for the past 10 years in a link there too. Yeah yeah, laugh over that frivolous post and those dumb blonde days. 😏😏😏
~*19 March 2015*~
Happy belated birthday BIMBO! 😜
~*22 March 2015*~
A swing for the monkeys? Find out where this is. Link in bio. #naturetrail #wondersofnature #walkinthepark #naturepark
~*23 March 2015*~
Dear Mr Lee Kuan Yew,
You are someone I can't say I love but I respect you... A LOT. It is time for you to go. For you to be reunited with your beloved wife Madam Kwa Geok Choo.
Thank you for all your years of service to Singapore, to us.
May you rest in peace, Sir.
Yours truly,
A Singapore child
#leekuanyew #lky #thankyoulky #riplky #proudtobeasingaporean #singaporemyhome #一路好走
~*25 March 2015*~
After walking from Raffles Place MRT and following the crowd, we finally found the start of the queue to pay our respect to Mr Lee Kuan Yew (Day 1 lie in state) at Clarke Quay. Dear Singaporeans, please come well prepared with shades, umbrellas, water, sunscreen etc. It's extremely scorching here especially for many of us clad in black. #lky #leekuanyew #thankyoulky #riplky #rememberingleekuanyew
~*28 March 2015*~
Dear Mr Lee Kuan Yew ,
I started off being a Singaporean who do not love you but respect you. After a whole week of reading numerous articles, watching videos and listening to first hand accounts of other people's encounters with you, I've grown to like you a lot .
I have lots of favourite images of you but I particularly love this screenshot from the video. I smile at the way you laughed like a little boy receiving a golden ticket in the chocolate bar when Mrs Lee said you were a handsome young man .
Tomorrow would be a melancholic day for many Singaporeans but we will also be happy to know that you would be reunited with your beloved wife .
RIP!
~*29 March 2015*~
At Nee Soon GRC tribute site at 2am. #rememberingleekuanyew #tributetoleekuanyew #thankyoulky #leekuanyew #riplky #proudtobeasingaporean #igsg #igers #loves_singapore
~*29 March 2015*~
In 1968, it rained for the first time on our National Day Parade. Mr Lee Kuan Yew sat in his seat and said "The whole world is watching us to see what we are made of. We will brave on!" Today, in his procession, thousands of Singaporeans are once again in the rain. We will brave on once again .
To all of you standing in the rain, kudos !
It's really heart warming to see how well-loved our Mr Lee Kuan Yew is with Singaporeans chanting his name, waving little Singapore flags, throwing petals, singing National Day songs etc. Majority of the crowd was dressed in black and white but the colourful rain coats, umbrellas and the Singapore flags lining the roads made everything so vibrant. As we mourn the death of Mr LKY, we also celebrate the creation of our beautiful nation .
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This week, the hot conversation topic of how long the queue is has fizzled to a nought.
This week, newspapers of all languages feature lesser pages of Lee Kuan Yew.
This week, TV is back to broadcasting its normal drama serials and variety shows.
This week, radio resumes to playing the usual tunes.
This week, Facebook news feed has images on food, celebrations and selfies, and videos of funny pets and pranks replacing the countless shares of Lee Kuan Yew articles the last week.
This week, Facebook friends replace their Lee Kuan Yew profile pictures and banners with their own pictures.
Life is gradually regaining its normalcy in Singapore. But still, some of us continue to talk about the legacy of Lee Kuan Yew.
The Final Send-off
The last week had been a week of mourning for Singapore with the demise of our founding father Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Sunday (29 Mar 15) was a melancholic day for many Singaporeans. It was the day of the final send off.
On top of queuing up for almost 6 hours to pay my respect to Mr Lee Kuan Yew on Day 1 (25 Mar 15) of Lying In State, I had wanted to line the street along the route taken by the funeral procession to bid Mr LKY the last farewell on Sunday.
I thought that that was the last thing I could do for this great man.
In the morning, I woke up to a dark room with grey skies. Thunder rumbled and soon it began to pour. I decided it would be wiser to stay at home to watch the live telecast of the funeral.
All this while, I saw status updates and WhatsApp messages like 'even the sky is crying', 'heaven is weeping', 'praise the Lord for cleansing the land to prepare for the funeral procession' etc.
It hadn't rained at all for the whole week of mourning. Then on the day of the final send-off, it poured torrents of rain. Is there any divine significance to the coincidence? I don't know.
In 1968, it rained for the first time on our National Day Parade. Mr Lee Kuan Yew sat in his seat and said, "The whole world is watching us to see what we are made of. We will brave on!"
It was really heart warming to see how well-loved our Mr Lee Kuan Yew is with Singaporeans and even non-Singaporeans working here chanting his name, waving little Singapore flags, throwing petals, singing National Day songs etc all these while braving the rain for him.
Majority of the crowd was dressed in black and white but the colourful rain coats, umbrellas and the Singapore flags lining the roads made everything so vibrant. As we mourn the death of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, we also celebrate the creation of our beautiful nation.
Instead of being clad in black or white, I donned one of my usual "home clothes" which is my hubby's SAF T-shirt. I made a decision that the last and neverending thing I could do for this great man is to keep him in my heart and to contribute to his dreams for Singapore through my own tiny efforts.
My Altered View of Lee Kuan Yew
Over the past week, the demise of Mr Lee Kuan Yew had hit many Singaporeans hard. Those who love him. Those who hate him. Those who are neutral. And those who have a love-hate relationship with him.
I'm one of those free-spirited individuals with a dislike for being too mainstream. Hence, I'm not really a fan of many of his policies as much I see the greater good of it all. There are things he had said and done that I do not agree with. I know many people are in the same camp as me as well.
I started off being a Singaporean who do not love Mr Lee Kuan Yew though I have full respect for him for all that he had done for Singapore. I'm also particularly moved by his tender love for his wife.
And that's almost it.
However, my sentiments now and from my last post has taken a different turn. He is not an authoritative figure to be feared and obeyed. He is a man to be revered and loved.
After a whole week of reading numerous articles, watching videos and listening to first hand accounts of other people's encounters with Mr Lee Kuan Yew, I've seen the many facets of Lee Kuan Yew that many Singaporeans never knew and I've grown to like this man a lot. I know many Singaporeans who were neutral towards him have also altered their views of him. Some of my friends even lamented about how we only realize things or let go of bitterness when they are gone.
It turns out that he was not just a paramount leader that ruled Singapore with an iron fist. Below that steel layer is a normal human being who loved his family, the people around him and Singaporeans so dearly. Removing that iron fist is a loving hand of flesh who supported the nation throughout his life.
There are simply too many heartwarming anecdotes about Lee Kuan Yew and his family. People spoke of his devotion to Singapore, his frugality, his kindness (a great surprise to me), his sense of justice, his integrity. The list is endless.
For the detractors who assert that propaganda has whitewashed us, I stand firmly by the fact that these articles and transcripts are from people who have personally encountered him or his family, be it the common folks or the high-profile ones. You have your views and I have mine. My view is that for so many people to say the same things about him with different examples, situation and context, it sure proves a lot.
LKY's death has brought our nation together and it is really amazing to know about all the kindness exhibited by Singaporeans during the mourning week.
LKY's death has also unfortunately caused tension in many relationships which won't be my focus in this post. His achievements far surpassed frivolous comments from keyboard warriors and haters.
Personally, I'm deeply grateful to Mr LKY for 3 main reasons.
He provided us with a safe and secure home to live in. Singapore is ranked second for the country with the lowest crime rates. Yes, he had enforced strict laws. We are called an autocratic country by many Western countries. But you know what, I've never felt more freedom in Singapore than anywhere else in the world. I'm free to walk home at 3am without any fear of being mugged or shot.
I'm also thankful for the bilingual education I've received due to his Bilingual policy back then. People are often very surprised that Singaporeans are well-versed in 2 languages. I'm ashamed to say that my Mandarin isn't at all good but at least I can switch easily from English to Mandarin to communicate my point. I'm also able to appreciate Chinese text which sometimes are more lyrical than when written in English.
I'm also very proud of our little red passport. It was Mr LKY's great foresight that led to Singapore's good diplomatic relationship with many countries. Singapore passport holders enjoy visa-free access to 167 countries. It extremely convenient for Singaporeans to travel to many countries without the hassle of obtaining visas.
I could go on and on but if ever, I would probably save it for a new post on why I'm proud to be a Singaporean.
Chronicling the Great Singapore Queue on Day 1 Lying in State
On 25 Mar 15, there was an official address by our division's head in the morning. Videos of Lee Kuan Yew were played and fellow colleagues shared their encounters with him. After that, we were given time off to pay our respects.
It was the first day and nobody knew what to expect. That day, Singapore formed the longest snaking queue ever!
We alighted at Raffles Place MRT Station and tried as best as possible to find the end of the queue. We got our updates from social media, texts from friends in the queue and people working in the area while navigating the snaking queue to find its tail.
We went by the Singapore river, walked through underpass, slinked along five-foot ways, took shelter under shophouses in Boat Quay and Clarke Quay, went up the overhead bridge and down again and lined the path in Fort Canning Park!
I've drawn out the trail of the queue on Day 1 without factoring in U-turns at various shops and bridges. Click here to view enlarge map.
We found the end of the queue at Clarke Quay. But as time went by, the end of the queue behind us snaked around the shophouses in Clarke Quay.
All of us clad in black were perspiring profusely under the hot scorching sun for it took us more than half an hour of walking just to find the end of the queue.
Singapore is well-known for queueing but it was the first time I see queues going up and down an overhead bridge.
We wondered how long the waiting time was.
And nope, we saw the overhead bridge but we weren't about to reach there yet. There was still the 2-lane queue along the shophouses to get by.
I bumped into my gal pal and her guy at Fort Canning Park but I can't reveal who she is as she actually skipped work to pay her last respect before she flew off for the week.
Some of our colleagues were activated to man the 24-hour hotline for the public during that week. They were located at MCI which is the building with colourful windows that you see behind the overhead bridge.
This is what I mean by 2-lane human traffic and U-turns. The red path that I drew did not factor in all these.
The queue got a little messy when we reached the overhead bridge. We could no longer see the trailing queue behind us and the snaking queue seemed to have been broken at various points. We were slowly led to Hong Lim Park which was the temporary the holding area where we were told it would be a 6-hour wait from there.
Some of my colleagues who had family commitment left in disappointment after queuing for 3 hours. Moreover, when the queue was broken, it seemed that anyone could just cut in anywhere. It made some people unhappy. At this juncture my gal pal had an emergency and after "saving" her, I queued together with her and her guy.
Just when we thought that we would be parked at Hong Lim Park forever, the queue started to move!
It was a long walk to the Parliament House but at least it wasn't a 6-hour wait like what was previously communicated to us.
When we saw Asian Civilisations Museum, we almost jumped for joy. That's the building to see before reaching Parliament House.
And finally the white tentage!!! It had been about 5 hours since we started queuing.
We were so glad we kept the faith despite being told "8h from here", "10h from here", "4h from here". When finally we were told "half an hour from here", we gave a loud "yeah" and the staff also "YEAH!" so loudly with us. My gal pal even high-fived with the volunteer on duty. In all, we spent about 5 and a half hour queueing.
Walls and walls of tributes.
My friends and I felt that it was a blessing that we pressed on at the Hong Lim Park holding area after the crowd control went a little messy and being told of the 6-h wait.
The fact that we belonged to that part of the queue, the perfect timing (without cutting queue like many others) and the "stars and moon aligned" allowed us to catch Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, his wife Ho Ching and Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen (blocked by PM Lee) emerging from the Parliament House and shaking hands with all in queue and thanking us for going down.
Everything happened so quickly that I muttered a "My condolences to you and your family" to PM Lee. He looked a little surprise and then he smiled, not saying anything. As for DM who is my favourite minister, I muttered something bimbotic. He too, smiled and did not say anything. They still had a long line of hands to shake.
My FIL and BIL said I need not wash my hand that night. Lol. My gal pal and I were both equally glad to have spent this significant day in the company of each other. She, a fan of LKY. Me, a Singaporean thankful to him.
Singapore, being a very efficient state, changed the queueing system from the lessons reaped on Day 1. From Day 2 onwards, tents were set up by the SAF for people to wait in line. The hours for paying respect were altered to 12 midnight and subsequently 24 hours. Public Transport services also operated for 24 hours. Public officers were activated to help out with the whole proceedings. Everything became a lot more manageable from Day 2 onwards.
My Last Tribute to Lee Kuan Yew
On the night before the final send-off (or should I say the wee hours of the final send-off), the hubz and I dropped by Nee Soon GRC Community Tribute site.
It was already 2 am, but people continued to pen their condolences at the counter manned by volunteers and watch reruns of LKY's National Day Speech over the years.
I have lots of favourite images of LKY but I particularly love this screenshot from the video. I smile at the way he laughed like a little boy receiving a golden ticket in the chocolate bar when Mrs Lee said he was a handsome young man.
I hope this card reaches him somehow somewhere.
Along with the rest of many Singaporeans' tributes.
And finally one of my favourite videos! Maybe if you had been scrolling through without reading, you might want to spend some time to watch this video? >_<
Without knowing, I've spent so many hours on this post over a period of days. It looks like there is a lack of focus but I guess I just want to put everything about Lee Kuan Yew all in a post for me to refer to and reminisce in future.
The mood has been sombre here and I will be back to updating light-hearted stuff soon!
