Her First Book (Part 2)

This is a continuation of Big Bee's book which she wrote last year, with the first 2 chapters featured here.

Another World; Another Time

Written by: Big Bee

                                          Chapter 3: The Future                                        

I held my breath and pushed the button that will enable me to travel through time. My heart hammered like a machine gun against my ribcage. At first, nothing happened. Suddenly, BANG! My machine seemed to be emitting a lot of thick, black smoke and that did not seem right. Inside my time machine, all I could see was a bright, blinding light and my machine quivered. I started to get a little nervous… Was my time machine exploding? Was I actually going to the future? A ringing sound filled my ears - it was the same feeling you feel when a plane was taking off.

Screech!!! That loud, high-pitched noise reverberated through the air. It sounded to me like a car skidding on a treacherous, slippery road. Instead, I realised that the sound was actually coming from my time machine, even though it had no tires or wheels. I rubbed my eyes and realised that I had actually survived…Am I in the year 2213? I looked around me and came out from my time machine, only to find myself standing on some sort of touchscreen floor.

I was in a totally different world. There were skyscrapers everywhere and they all looked like tall control towers. The whole place seemed air-conditioned. There were no trees, grass, flowers or any plants at all, very unlike the lush greenery we had in our time. People were travelling on hovercrafts, which were cars that hovered above ground, like my time machine. In fact, my time machine actually fit in with all the cars here in the future. There seemed to be a lot of robots drifting about aimlessly. There were even more robots than humans from what I could see, and all the humans looked so plump. Probably because they had robots at their beck and call and no one ever exercised. I stood there, bewildered, my mouth agape like a goldfish. I was really in the future!

The robots that wandered around the city seemed to be smarter than humans. They were able to answer any questions asked. You could ask a robot what would happen tomorrow and it could recite the specific schedule of its owner for the next day. They could foretell the future and even make somebody or itself invisible. Robots could walk through walls, read minds and even fly. The robots in that time had their own minds, and could communicate with you, understanding whatever you say or do. A robot in the year 2213 could help you write a book, for example, or even help you cook meals. The most incredible thing was, it could even invent anything or build anything in less than an hour. If there was a robot like this in my time, 200 years ago, it would seem just imaginary - something that never ever would have existed. 

Chapter 4: Stuck

I just stood there, blinking unbelievably, totally shell-shocked. I was in a loss for words.

All of a sudden, I smelt something burning. I swivelled my head round, only to see a sight that shocked and startled me. Gosh, it was my time machine! My time machine was on fire! My machine must have over-strained itself. I had no water to put the fire out! Unless I put out this fire in less than a minute, my time machine would be damaged, and I would not be able to go back to my time! I would be stuck here in the future! I will not be able to see Aidan again! I started panicking, looking left and right for a fire extinguisher. I spotted a teenage girl not far away, who looked just about a few years older than me. She wore a crimson-coloured silk dress and had a robot who followed her wherever she went. Maybe she knew where a fire extinguisher was.

And at that time, little did I know that this girl was going to play such a big part in my life.

“Please help me put out this fire!!” I begged her, almost turning hysterical. If there was no fire extinguisher or anything to put out the fire, I would be stuck here in the future. For my whole life.

“Sure,” she replied nonchalantly. She seemed friendly and helpful.

Muttering a string of vulgarities, I watched her as she beckoned to her personal robot and whispered something to it. I bit my lip out of frustration and worry. Would my time machine be fine? In a flash, a fire extinguisher appeared out of thin air. I could not help but feel amazed. The technology here was really good. Too good to be put in words.

The robot came to my time machine and sprayed water on it. My hands started shaking from exasperation. Despite the air-conditioning in the city, beads of perspiration formed on my forehead due to my anxiety. Oh no, I suddenly remembered something. My time machine was not waterproof! It would definitely be damaged, whether I put out the fire or not! The water and fire would both spoil my entire machine. My eyes widened in both shock and fear. I stood rooted to the ground, incapable of any speech. Does this mean I’d be stuck here?

I grumbled silently to myself as I paced up and down the touchscreen road. I let her put out the fire as it seemed to be the best solution, even though I knew my machine would be damaged.

“Thanks,” I told her, feeling depressed. I sighed heavily and frowned. I was stuck here forever, unless I find a way to fix my machine.

“You’re welcome,” she told me. “Your car caught fire? I’m Jennifer Lloyd, by the way. What happened? You look so miserable.”

There was a tinge of happiness in her voice that annoyed me somehow. If she was stuck in my shoes, she definitely would have been mad too.

“I’m Alison Taylor. And that’s not my car, it’s a time machine. I came from the past, from year 2013. My time machine isn’t waterproof so it got damaged and now… I’m stuck here for, like, eternity.” I answered, and I knew very well that Jennifer probably will not believe me.

She raised an eyebrow. “Are you kidding me, Alison?”

“No, I’m not, argh. What’s the date today?” I inquired, in case I did not go to the future. Only after my question came out of my mouth then I realised that it was quite a dumb question. When have there ever been flying cars and robots in my time?

“14^th December, 2213. You can stay with me in my house for a while until you find out how to fix your machine,” Jennifer offered, flashing a megawatt smile.

“Okay, thanks so much. I think I will need to take a few months to fix this machine though.” I suppressed a fake grin, and deep down inside me, I felt like throwing a huge tantrum. If I am not able to fix my machine, I would never ever be able to see Aidan again.

I decided to look on the bright side of life, thus I did feel pleased that I had a new found friend and I had somewhere to live while I was stuck here. Also, it was amazing that I was in another world.

To be continued...

Her First Pets

Our house has always been filled with animals from the days when the girls were little. Big Bee's first pet was a hamster, and we learned about death and life through little Pebbles. Thereafter, it was an endless parade of hamsters, fishes, octupuses (yes!) and 3 dogs...and now, 2 little terrapins.

Little Bee had been asking for her very own pet since a couple of years ago, and we had been putting her request off because a pet is not a plaything to us. Animals in our house are treated with much love and care, and every new pet takes up a lot of time and effort. Besides, we already have 3 playful and boisterous dogs which the Bees play with. So, I must admit we brushed off Little Bee's incessant requests for a long time, and hoped that it would be a passing fancy.

However, up until last month, she was still talking about her own little pet. And that was when Hubby and I decided to let her experience ownership and responsibility. Being the youngest in the family often means getting a wee bit more pampering and attention from everyone else, so we thought it might be good for her to start caring for a pet she could call her own.

And so....in came 2 baby terrapins, whom she named Pebbles (you can tell my kids like this name a lot!) and Melody. We told her to feed them daily and to play with them. Of course, kids being kids...it also meant that she needed a little reminding at times to feed them, and at times, we adults were the ones feeding these terrapins, especially if they are a little fussy when eating. However, we hope these terrapins can instill in her values of love, empathy, care and responsibility.

In the meantime, she is really excited and came up with a journal entry about her little terrapins. Here was what she wrote:

"Today, Mummy and Papa bought me two terrapins! The more active one is called Pebbles and the one which is less active is called Melody. My favourite things about them is when I feed them and when I play with them. I dislike it when the terrapins are on my hand because they will keep climbing around. They are both very cute but when I first bought them, they were very timid."

Then, she did a little sketch on the aquarium we set up for the terrapins too!

Pets are such wonderful opportunities to engender empathy, love and care for other living species. More importantly, they make us feel loved and entertained too!

Travelling Back In Time (Part 7): Horrific Dachau

"Arbett Macht Frei" (work sets you free), a poignant symbol of the suffering endured by millions in the concentration camp

A year ago, we were at the chilling Dachau concentration camp in Germany. It was the first of the Nazi concentration camps in Germany and was used as an exemplary model camp for the rest of the Nazi concentration camps.

It was horrifying to witness what the prisoners had experienced. We did not shield our 2 girls from any of the terrifying display photos that were prevalent all around the camp, and they learned about the terrors of war through stories, infrastructure and pictures of untold horrors and devastating evilness. 

The cramped beds of the prisoners

The bleakest part of our visit was at the infamous gas "shower" chambers and the crematorium where the Nazi soldiers cremated the dead Jewish prisoners in eerie ovens that were still in good condition. 

It is essential to engage a good guide who is knowledgeable about the murky history that swirled around this chapter in Germany's past. We were lucky to meet up with a guide who was highly engaging and passionate, who told us plenty of stories and historical facts sprinkled with his own interesting perspectives. 

There were very few children visiting the concentration camp, but for me, I think this was one of the most eye-opening day of our Germany trip. The Bees learned about the meaning of humanity as well as the senselessness of war, despotism and discrimination. It was a sombre day for all of us as we tried to come to terms with a destruction of fellow humankind in such cataclysmic proportions.

Exploring Our Heritage

A week before the Mid-Autumn Festival, we ambled around Chinatown and its surrounding streets just to gawk at the brightly-lit flowers that adorned the main road.

As we were in the region, we also went into some quaint, old shops to take a look at some old knick-knacks and toys, where Hubby and I were transported back to our childhood.

We showed some of these toys to the Bees, and extolled about the simplicity of life before the invention of Internet and complex electronic gadgets.

We were captivated by the sight of so many lanterns, and bought a number of them, in preparation for Mid-Autumn!

We chanced upon a timeworn aquarium shop, selling anything from fishes to terrapins to birds! It was a chaotic labyrinth within, but we wandered around the shop, peering into dark, mysterious fish tanks and ominous-looking styrofoam boxes with big, motionless terrapins. I did not think it was very humane to keep all the animals locked up in these tiny spaces, but this was nostalgia for Hubby and I. It brought back long-forgotten memories of little kids (us!) peeking at animals and fishes, almost as if aquarium shops like these were like mini zoos.

We then meandered down Keong Saik Road, and were amazed at the transformation of this street. What used to be a sleazy red-light district in the 1960s was metamorphosed into a hip, bohemian street with whimsical cafes and trendy motels, juxtaposed against a backdrop of modern, high-rise HDB flats and an exotic Indian temple. Truly fascinating.

I hope the Bees got a glimpse into a past that is fast disappearing in Singapore, understanding their roots even better. Simple jaunts like these are totally free and easy on our pockets, but they are so enriching for our hearts.

Her First Book (Part 1)

Last December was really eventful for Big Bee. She was immersed in lots of experiences and achieved a number of milestones. These milestones had nothing to do with PSLE preparation though! I know lots of parents start preparing their Primary 5 kids for the PSLE even in the December holidays. But I decided to make this holidays totally chillax and enjoyable, so that she is totally rejuvenated for the PSLE revisions this year. 

One of the fundamental things that she achieved was to complete a book with 12 chapters - the idea and plot behind the book was entirely her own idea. She was really proud of it, and truly enjoyed the whole creation process. Most of all, she was really fascinated by the fact that she could create whole new worlds and brand new personalities just through the power of the written language. 

I thought of starting a series with a couple of chapters per post, so for now, here are the first 2 chapters! By the way, it is not edited at all, so you might spot some syntax errors here and there. 

Another World; Another Time

Written by: Big Bee

Chapter 1: Alison Taylor

I added the finishing touches to my time machine - a project that I had been working on for ages - and finally, I believed that my dream of making the world’s first time machine was coming true. I had been dreaming of making a time machine ever since I was a young girl. I connected a few more wires and completed the task of making the machine. The only thing was, I was not sure whether it could really work. Nevertheless, my time machine still looked gorgeous, and I stood back to admire this project that I had been working on for years and years. I was filled with three different emotions: happiness, pride and a little bit of uncertainty.

It had not really been a difficult task for a scientist like me. Well, I was one of the world’s most famous and successful inventors, and I had to admit that I could invent almost anything. Everyone in the whole wide world knew who Alison Taylor, the famous 16-year-old inventor, was. Despite my fame and everything, I was actually an orphan and no one ever cared much for me. I grew up alone in an orphanage without any friends. Now, I even lived alone with my Yorkshire Terrier, Aidan, in this huge mansion which doubled as a science laboratory on Daffodil Street.

Aidan was my pet puppy. He was a typical Yorkshire Terrier - brown and black fur, fluffy and small, with skinny legs. Most importantly, he was the only one so far who truly understood me. He was once a stray dog and he always loitered outside my house in the backyard. He always peered into the windows, staring at me working diligently at my inventions. I could not help but smile at the cute little face staring at me every night. Thus, before long, I took him into my house and he became my pet.

My house had four storeys and an enormous backyard. The first and second floor was used as my science laboratory, and it was filled with whirring machines and tools found from almost everywhere. The third level was where my bedroom, living room and kitchen were. Lastly, the fourth floor was where I had planted a telescope, to look out into space every night. When I was a toddler, I was already inventing little things, so it was no wonder that I would turn out to be the inventor I was now.

When I was four years old, the milk bottle had not been invented yet. With a cup and some rubber found in the orphanage, I just played with those materials all day long and came up with the idea of a milk bottle. I had used it to drink my milk and the owner of the orphanage saw what I had created. Therefore, he stole my idea and introduced it to the world. As I was still a helpless, young child, I could do nothing to stop him.

After all these years, I realised that I was already a child prodigy back then, because not every young child could create such things that the whole world would use.

Chapter 2: My Time Machine

My time machine was metallic but on the inside, it was very comfortable as it had air-conditioning and fluffy, red seats. It was almost like a car, except for the fact that it could hover a few feet above the ground and could travel way faster than any sports car ever created.

“Do you like it, Aidan?” I asked him, tilting my head to one side, admiring my time machine. He stared back at me, unblinking, with those huge warm eyes of his. I knew that he just loved my invention.

The only way to find out if my invention really does work or not, is to try it out, I thought to myself. Another thought flashed through my mind. What if my entire time machine exploded whilst I was on it? What if my entire house explodes too, because of the time machine exploding? I was only 16 this year and making a time machine was an impossible task for many other inventors, so would my machine really function? 

I had to believe in myself. I left Aidan in the house with an automatic food and water dispenser so he could survive by himself whilst I was time travelling. After that, I took my time machine out to my backyard, where I usually conducted my experiments.

My time machine was only controlled by a remote control - by pressing six buttons, my time machine could travel up, down, right, left, forward and backward, so it was no difficulty for me to shift it out to the backyard. I could just sit in the machine as I controlled it using the remote and made my way to the backyard. I had to decide where I wanted to go. To the past? To the future? Of course I should go to the future! And maybe I could even try to remake some of the inventions in the future! I started setting the date in the future which I wanted to go to. I thought to myself, I should travel to the future, 200 years later…in year 2213! Passers-by were starting to crowd around my backyard to stare at my mammoth project, gawking and whispering among themselves in hushed tones. 

To be continued...

Painting Heavenly Dancers

On a cool, languorous Sunday afternoon, Little Bee decided to indulge in a little bout of painting. It was ages since she last painted and she was visibly excited. As we were currently in the midst of a Cambodian-themed homelearning spiel, I initially suggested to her to paint the Angkor Wat. However, she preferred something more feminine and delicate, so we decided on a painting with ballerinas floating above a sea of blue, thus reflecting the theme of "heavenly dancers" that is still so prevalent in Angkor Wat.

We spent less than an hour on this painting, and it was a nice, relaxing piece of art for Little Bee. I really love how ethereal and surreal the outcome was, although my mum kept questioning why these ballerinas can dance on water! Well, it just helped to illustrate the theme of magic and myth that we are exploring with the Cambodian homelearning stint!

Step 1: Brush light blue poster paint over the entire drawing paper, then paint a darker blue for the sea.

Step 2: Using white poster paint (or chalk!), paint a round circle in the sky for the moon with white reflection on the sea's surface.

Step 3: Paint a light yellow ring around the moon (you can smudge or blend the colours if you want), and paint tinges of yellow on the reflection in the water.

Step 4: Using bold, medium-sized strokes, paint one ballerina's body and her tutu in the sky (or anywhere you like!).

Step 5: Using beige, peach or beige-coloured paint, paint in the ballerina's arms, legs, neck and head. Then embellish the ballerina's costume with a tiara or head gear and strappy pointe shoes. Use your finger or the brush to smudge the tutu to create a soft, fuzzy effect.

Step 6: Paint a second ballerina in a different ballet pose.

Tada!

Homelearning: Learning About The World From Placemats!

Homelearning had become much more ad-hoc these days. Gone are the days when we had time to do a month's worth of thematic learning. Part of the reason was because the Bees had developed a lot of their own interests by now. And the other part of the reason stemmed from my own stagnation, I must say.

Still, I tried to grab hold of any small opportunity to talk to them about the world in which they live in, highlighting issues that are not covered in their very academic and rigid school curriculum. Opportunities as small as using these placemats below to talk about geography, animals and the world they live in.

We bought these placemats back in 2011 when we were exploring the theme of Planet Earth. I remember talking a lot about geographical regions, major cities and the animals around the world using these placemats and a globe when they were bright-eyed little girls. 

3 years henceforth, we are still using these placemats for our daily meals. One languorous afternoon last Sunday, when the Bees were in the throes of revising for their primary 6 preliminary exams and primary 2 continuous assessment tests, I told them to take a long break just to "chat about the world".

We relooked at the world maps on these placemats, and I conducted impromptu quizzes (the Bees are fans of quizzes). A small sampling of the questions are: 

1. Point out the city of Reykjavik on the map! Which country is it in? 

2. Name an animal that is unique only to the continent of Asia/China/Australia. 

3. Will polar bears and penguins ever meet each other? Why/why not?

4. Point out the highest point on earth? How about the lowest? 

5. Where did Titanic sink? 

6. What do you call a whale with a unicorn horn? (This was a question that the Bees asked me, and they were shocked that I had not heard about narwhals.)

Easy questions to ask. Fun answers to talk about. Without any writing, crafting, doodling or reading. Just plenty of funny, irreverent (at times) and invigorating discussion-based learning! And I must say it was a good, long reprieve from academic and book-based revision! 

Siem Reap: The Kingdom Of Ancient Kings and Heavenly Dancers (Part 2)

Formidable fortresses,

Decrepit ruins,

Sacred ancient sites, 

Simple bucolic lifestyles,

Beautiful children rising against all odds, 

And a recent cataclysmic history.

This is the Siem Reap that I had experienced and loved. A city of contrasts. Of recent horrors. Of simplicity and beauty. Of majestic temples and awe-inspiring ancient history. 

Here are some highlights of our brief Siem Reap adventure!

Ancient ruins and temples

I loved exploring the temples, wandering along the small passageways of ancient ruins, balancing atop scattered stones which dated back to a thousand years or more, strolling along labyrinths and entrance ways of powerful archaic kings. 

My favourite temples are in this sequence: 

1st: Bayon (built in the late 12^th or early 13^th century)

This entire complex of temples and towers was sprawling and magnificent. Each of its 54 towers was topped with 4 massive carvings of smiling and serene stone faces. The entire temple complex was built into two levels, and walking amidst the mammoth smiling faces on the upper level was surreal. We lost ourselves exploring the narrow, meandering passageways of the ruins, with tall imposing towers and colossal peaceful faces smiling down on us. Definitely felt like Indiana Jones! 

2^nd: Ta Prohm (built in the late 12^th or early 13^th century)

Nestled deep in the forest, this mysterious jungle temple was overgrown with huge, towering trees with immense roots penetrating into every corner of the complex. This was a temple complex that time and nature had embraced into its folds. The entire ambience was enigmatic, mystical and dreamlike.

Ruins still abounded, and there were construction work ongoing everywhere. It was amazing to see how archeologists had dug and labelled copious timeworn stones to slowly re-create the original temple structure. The reconstruction architectural efforts of all these ancient temples are brilliant. 

The Bees perching on lots of centuries-old archaic stone slabs

3^rd: Angkor Wat (built in the early 12^th century)

The opportunity to finally witness the legendary Angkor Wat was magical. As the largest religious monument in the world, the entire complex was gargantuan and formidable. We were very lucky to engage the services of an excellent local guide who regaled the stories of the ancient Khmer empire with so much relish and passion. It is essential to hire good local guides because the stories of the Khmer kingdom will make the colossal intricate carvings of Hindu mythology come alive. Our guide also knew the best entrances to ensure that we avoided the crowds, and our first encounter with the great Angkor Wat at the deserted East entrance was tranquil and solitary.

The Bees at the desolate East entrance of Angkor Wat

We climbed all the way to the top of the central enclosure, and it was really very high, with a couple of steep staircases. Children below 12 are not allowed into the top of the central enclosure, and thankfully, the steps proved to be a little challenging for my father-in-law, so Little Bee and him went off somewhere nice to sit and wait for us.

Big Bee heading towards the steep upper levels of Angkor Wat

Seeing the skills of ancient artisans as displayed in all the fascinating carvings and architecture around us was amazing. Even the architectural skills of layering rocks on top of foundational rocks without the use of cement or any support was incredible. We were captivated by the beauty, scale and brilliance of the entire sprawling complex, and were lost in centuries of history.

Children in Cambodia learn to be independent from very young

Crowds came in around 9am in the morning (we arrived at around 7am), and I must say I did get a little frazzled because of the sea of humans from all over the world visiting Angkor Wat. In all, we spent about 3 to 4 hours traipsing different parts of this “City Of Temples”.

The Bees with our friendly, passionate and highly knowledgeable guide

4^th: Banteay Srei (built in the 10^th century!)

This was a smallish temple that was slightly out of the way. However, it was the oldest temple that we had visited (1,100 years old!) and the carvings were so intricately done that the images seemed three-dimensional and leaped out at us. This temple is also known as “Lady’s Temple” because of its distinctive pinkish and yellowish hues from the yellow sandstone that was used to build this temple complex.

Can you imagine that this temple is 1,100 years old, with these intricate and beautiful carvings?

We met a couple of young Cambodian children who were playing in this temple, using lotus petals and leaves…and reminded the Bees that play could be derived anywhere. We interacted a little with the kids using sign language and these children were just beautiful. Let’s hope their futures would be bright and strong with Cambodia’s increasing development. 

Making friends through sign language and a universal curiosity for humanity amongst children

5^th: Banteay Kdei (built in the mid 12^th to early 13^th century)

We visited this temple after half a day at the Angkor Wat, and my father-in-law was relatively tired, so this was a relatively brief visit. Temple-visiting can get tiring for some elderly folks. Coupled with the hot and humid weather, it might be wiser to use half a day to visit temples and the afternoons to rest and relax in a spa or in the hotel, if one is not used to taking day-long walks.

This temple was small and compact. Compared to Angkor Wat, which was all nicely restored, this temple had more ruins and broken down temple buildings, which I was actually more fascinated with. It was also overgrown with moss and there was a shady, cool, somewhat neglected ambience to it.

6^th: Angkor Thom

This was a whole complex where the royal palace used to be. We meandered through a labyrinth that led to the top of a viewing gallery where kings of yore would travel on their elephants to watch sporting competitions. It was breathtakingly magnificent, standing atop the platform where many kings had stood before, letting our minds wander to the days when good and evil were so defined, where there were not as many shades of grey, unlike the modern era.

We also enjoyed other experiences like: 

Taking tuk-tuks around the city

Taking a tuk-tuk in Siem Reap was exhilarating and akin to a journey back in time. There were very few vehicles on the roads of Siem Reap, so the tuk tuk was able to chug along at a good pace, which brought much-welcomed breezes to our faces. We were also able to take a glimpse into the different street life of common folks in Siem Reap – groups of residents bathing and washing bedsheets in the river, ubiquitous fruit stalls on the roadside, motorbikes with whole families of 4 or 5 sitting on it...

It was truly refreshing to see ways of living that were so different from urban Singapore, and the Bees were amazed.

Night markets!

The night markets in Siem Reap were teeming with eager hawkers touting their wares. They were mostly conversant in English, and I really enjoyed haggling and bargaining with them (80% slash down as first negotiation is a must!).

There were all kinds of exotic foods on sale – we saw deep fried crickets (which Little Bee ate with relish), deep fried tarantulas (yikes!), crocodile meat, menacing-looking shellfish, etc.

Ali-baba styled pants in light cotton material were very popular and after buying and wearing a pair to a full day of temple visits, I started appreciating why. The pants were great for keeping the ubiquitous mosquitoes away, and yet they were so cooling and soft, which made trekking around the old, uneven temple grounds really easy.

Some final tips
In all, we had a surprisingly enriching time in Siem Reap. Frankly, I was not expecting a lot after seeing pictures of Angkor Wat and other temples online. However, pictures really did no justice for any temples in Siem Reap. Once there, the scale, the poignant history, the culture and the ruins made the whole temple-exploring experience truly amazing.

I thought I would add in some tips and advice for families travelling with children. As dengue was rampant when we visited, we made sure the Bees had lots of mosquito patches and we constantly sprayed repellant on them. Do watch out for huge, strange insects and try to avoid venturing into the jungles or tiny, abandoned crevices of the temples. We squeezed into a tiny, dilapidated nook once, and were bitten by a gigantic wasp! 

Lots of insects abounded in the temple ruins, and make for great study in nature! Here, Little Bee was holding on to a huge millipede!

We chanced upon a large group of wild buffaloes during lunch one day

We ate a lot at local restaurants and bought food from the night market, and as with most developing countries, food hygiene may sometimes be an issue for younger children. So, we just avoided drinking water from the tap, always ordering bottled mineral water or Coke, and make sure you order food cooked in high temperature (stir-fried or fried stuff are the easiest, insects included!)

This was a most enriching trip and the experience of being in a very different country remains indelible in our minds. We would love to return and immerse more in this country another time. 

The simplicity of life in Cambodia, where people are still using firewood as a source of fuel

Purging Urgency From Our Lives

The day I read this article, I cried. The article was about letting our children smell the roses. Dawdling in their own little ways just so they can explore the world. Being inadvertently languid because they are curious about so many different things around them. Asking all kinds of thoughtful questions at bedtime simply because they do not understand the ways of the world ("Why are there wars, mama? Is there a God in this world? Why are there different religions? Where did we come from? Did God create us, or did we evolve from apes?")

Yet, how many times have I clamped them down by telling them to "hurry up" or "you need to sleep now. We will talk about that tomorrow. Goodnight!" - only to remember days later that I did not address any of their questions "tomorrow". And how many spurious "tomorrows" have I made empty promises with?

Reading this article was a huge wake-up call for me because I also happened to have a little daughter who is just like Hands Free Mama's second girl - a Little Bee who simply has no schedules, worries or sense of urgency in her life. She is content to just observe butterflies flitting amongst pretty blossoms when all of us are hurrying to our destinations. She is happy to just sit and sing to herself when it is time for homework. She will happily squat down and blow hard at a plump dandelion when we are walking to her tuition class. At the supermarket cashier, she would sweetly (and loudly!) chirped a resounding "thank you!" incessantly, not bothering about the queue behind us - until the cashier acknowledged her with a smile.

The saddest thing is her rebuttal to my copious "hurry up" - "Mama, just one more page, please..." (when she is reading before bedtime) or "Mummy, one more minute, pleaaasseee!" (when she is doodling just before homework time).

In this time-strapped world (and in a very stressful Singapore), and for a working mother like me with very little time with the kids, how can we stop and smell the roses with our children? How do we tell them "To heck with homework and exams in Singapore, just live in the present and do what you want now!"? How do we balance a frenetic life in Singapore with the vivacity of quiescence?

Sadly, till now, I still have no answers to these questions. And although hubby and I try finding opportunities in every second to let our girls enjoy the little beauties of this splendid world, we are still saying "hurry up" in small doses, albeit in a more mindful manner.

Spending lots of time outdoors and just doing nothing helps to perpetuate the "no hurry up" philosophy for us! 

Happy 49th Birthday, Singapore!

This was taken last year when we were at the National Day Parade Preview.

This National Day weekend was spent amidst lots of bonding and lazing around. We hardly meet friends these days because time is precious and with the Bees growing up so quickly, we kind of want to hog them to ourselves as much as possible! Furthermore, with PSLE looming in the very near future, we could not afford whole days captured in leisure activities.

Still, it was a wonderful weekend which started with a secondary school class reunion with a brilliant turn-out and incessant catching up. It was incredible in the sense that all of us viewed one another with the unguarded masks of 15- and 16-year-old teenagers, mentally travelling back to the days before we had factitious and meaningless labels that are attached to our occupations, where we live, where we graduated from, how much we earn, etc. We were all stripped clean of all these labels and were convivial and genuine. It also struck me that time is cruelly trundling on, waiting for no one. A stark reminder of time's breakneck speed - Big Bee is a mere 4 years younger than the last time some of us had seen one another when we graduated at 16.

The rest of the weekend meandered languidly along with good food, lazing by the pool, a walk in a park and of course, watching the National Day Parade as a family, a time-honoured ritual since our childhood days.

The Bees were visibly inspired by this year's show of patriotism on TV, so I interviewed them in jest about what they love in Singapore. Here goes!

Q: What do you love most about Singapore?
Big Bee: "Multi-racial society, non-corrupt government and lots of educational opportunities!" (then she went cackling away and asked if I am testing her on her oral exams, hmph)
Little Bee: "Safe & clean, the trees and flowers are beautiful here, and I like the weather here!"

Q: Favourite places in Singapore?
Big Bee: "Hm, home, school and JEM (the shopping mall in Jurong, where she watched some of her favourite movies with friends and where there is a Kinokuniya)". Then she changed her mind. "No no, it is Universal Studios, Marina Bay Sands and JEM!"
Little Bee: "Oh, lots of places! Do I have any limit? OK - Kinokuniya Bookstores, Universal Studios, Esplanade, Marina Bay Sands, Gardens By The Bay, ALL our beaches, JEM and Westgate!"

Whew. And I notice they did not mention much of the nature reserves or parks that we brought them regularly to. Grrr.

Q: What was your favourite part of the National Day Parade?
Big Bee: "The video about the history of Singapore! So that the younger generation like me can understand what the pioneers had gone through to build Singapore up!"
Little Bee: "The dance performances! And the Red Lions!"

Q: Favourite hawker food?
Both girls: "Chwee kueh!"

How was your National Day weekend?