Brand new Honda Future 125cc (Honda Wave replacement) costs around RM5,728 in Johore Bahru, West Malaysia. The same motorcycle costs S$5,888 (machine price). Throw in the 10 year old COE at $10,000, insurance and other extras will cost you around $16,000 in Singapore on the road price. It’s more than 5 times the price in JB.
Brand new Honda Future in JB RM5,728
Motorcycle is a poor man transport. On this side of the causeway- one of the richest and powerful tiny economic powerhouse, we can only drool and envy those on the other side of the causeway with cheap motorcycles, subsidised petrol, free parking etc.
Brand new Honda Future in Sg S$5,888
On the surface it seems so cruel and unfair. Every time I see motorcycles coming in from the other side I feel extremely jealous. Most locals do. If motorcycle COE keeps increasing it could become a political liability. What’s the limit or no limit to the ever increasing COEs? Pray pls let us know.
When I complained about this issue to my 24 year old whilst holidaying in Vancouver, he had this to say. “Pa, if there’s no COE for motorcycles here, the Govt (HDB) building 10 storey carparks also not enough. Motorcycles will have to park anywhere, anyhow at road sides or pavements just like other neighbouring countries!”
Latest COE for bikes S$10,856
They say life is not a bed of roses. We have our space constraints and limited resources to cater to all our needs. I was in a way enlightened by George’s remark.
To sidetrack. I spent almost 20 days with my son in Vancouver and got to understand him and his thinking within that short span of time when my entire life time didn’t quite get into his psyche.
Just look at the tons of motorcycles in JB. Do we want this to happen here? Do we still envy them after reading this article? Yes, life is never fair. As citizens of this tiny rock, we have to live within the constraints and limited space where our much bigger neighbours have the luxury of space and vast land. That’s our fate and destiny in this tiny red dot.
This afternoon I had an enjoyable turtle soup with Dr Mike, Alan Taxi, George and uncle Ronnie. Dr Mike had tried almost every turtle stall but not Tai Seng. That’s why I brought him here. George never tried before. This is his first taste of turtle soup.
Delicious turtle soup
Tai Seng turtle soup is an icon in Singapore’s culinary landscape, delighting locals and visitors with its unique flavors and cultural significance. Currently located in the bustling neighborhood of Lorong Ah Soo (originally it was at old Tai Seng kumpung decades ago), this eatery has been serving up this delectable dish for decades, earning a reputation as the go-to place for turtle soup enthusiasts.
Turtle soup lunch organiser
As you step into Tai Seng Turtle Soup, you are immediately greeted by the enticing aroma of simmering broth and the warm hospitality of the staff. The restaurant’s humble and unassuming atmosphere creates a welcoming environment that instantly puts visitors at ease. They even supply their unique concoction of Chinese wine soaked in ginseng to add to the hot simmering soup!
The history of Tai Seng Turtle Soup traces back to the 1970s when the founder, Mr. Wong, started selling turtle soup from a humble food cart at Tai Seng / Airport Road. Through dedication and passion for his craft, Mr. Wong’s turtle soup gained popularity among locals who appreciated the unique flavors and alleged health benefits of this dish.
What sets Tai Seng turtle soup apart is the meticulous preparation and attention to detail that goes into every bowl. The star of the show is undoubtedly the turtle meat, which is sourced from reputable turtle farms to ensure sustainable practices. The meat is carefully cleaned, marinated, and cooked to achieve a tender and flavorful texture.
The soup broth at Tai Seng is the true essence of the dish. Simmered for hours with a variety of Chinese herbs and spices, the broth develops a depth of flavor that is both comforting and invigorating. It is believed that certain herbs used in the soup possess medicinal properties, making it a sought-after dish during the cooler months or when one needs a nourishing boost for their health.
Tai Seng Turtle Soup offers different variations of the dish to cater to a range of preferences. The signature traditional turtle soup features tender pieces of turtle meat, clear broth, and a selection of herbs and spices that result in a harmonious blend of flavors. For those looking for an extra kick, the spicy version adds a delightful heat to the soup, adding another layer of complexity to the dish.
Aside from its exceptional taste, turtle soup is also said to have numerous health benefits. It is believed to help strengthen the body, improve kidney function, and boost vitality. For many Singaporeans, a bowl of turtle soup is not only a delicious meal but also a way to maintain their overall well-being.
Tai Seng Turtle Soup is now taken over by the children of the first generation. When I started eating Tai Seng Turtle soup more than 35 yrs ago, the current owner was carrying school bags.
While some may have reservations about consuming turtle meat, it’s important to note that Tai Seng Turtle Soup sources its turtles from sustainable farms that prioritize ethical practices and conservation efforts. By supporting responsible sourcing, visitors can enjoy this culinary treasure without compromising on their environmental values.
In conclusion, Tai Seng Turtle Soup is a culinary gem that showcases the rich flavors and cultural heritage of Singapore. With its meticulous preparation, flavorful broth, and tender turtle meat, this iconic dish has captured the hearts and palates of locals and tourists alike. Whether you are a food enthusiast looking to explore new cuisines or someone seeking a taste of local tradition, a visit to Tai Seng Turtle Soup is bound to be an unforgettable experience. chool bags.
While some may have reservations about consuming turtle meat, it’s important to note that Tai Seng Turtle Soup sources its turtles from sustainable farms that prioritize ethical practices and conservation efforts. By supporting responsible sourcing, visitors can enjoy this culinary treasure without compromising on their environmental values.
In conclusion, Tai Seng Turtle Soup is a culinary gem that showcases the rich flavors and cultural heritage of Singapore. With its meticulous preparation, flavorful broth, and tender turtle meat, this iconic dish has captured the hearts and palates of locals and tourists alike. Whether you are a food enthusiast looking to explore new cuisines or someone seeking a taste of local tradition, a visit to Tai Seng Turtle Soup is bound to be an unforgettable experience.
The highlight of my recent trip to Vancouver is to meet Happy Tay in Richmond, BC Canada. I first heard of Happy Tay more than 12 years ago when my brother first migrated there. Happy Tay was Douglas’ comrade in arms during their younger days in the police service. They were buddies working together as detectives in the late 60s and early 70s before Happy Tay migrated over to Richmond. He used to be Freddie’s neighbour living in a house some distance away from Pasir Ris beach. Freddie ever met him once in Richmond when he took a train from Seattle, US to meet with him. Freddie was on a working trip in the US then.
Even though I heard often from Douglas and Freddie about Happy Tay, I never had a chance to meet him in person. When Douglas heard that I would be spending 20 days in Vancouver, he insisted that I meet up with Happy Tay. I got his hp number from Douglas. Imagine after 40 years when they were buddies in the force, they still maintain contacts with Happy Tay making yearly trips to Singapore to catch up with his relatives and friends.
I took a train from my brother’s house at Edmonds station to Waterfront station on the Expo line and changed to another train to Landsdown station on the Canada line. Around 12 stations on each line; more than 20 stations. There are only 3 MRT lines ( they call them sky trains) – Expo Line, Canada Line and Millennium Line. All the trains are driverless. The train fare is much more expensive than our MRT even though ours is much bigger, longer and more high tech not to mention much cleaner. When I took a train to McArthurGlen Designer Outlet at Templeton Station, more than 10 stations from my brother’s place, it cost me $7. Unlike our MRT jam packed most of the time especially during peak hours, there’s always place available in their sky trains.
Anyway, Happy Tay was waiting at Landsdown station at the appointed time in his brand new Hyundai SUV to pick me up. He brought me to a Chinese restaurant in Richmond for Tim Sum. After we exchanged greetings, we had lots of catching up about old frens and happenings back home. Mind you this was the first time we met face to face and still we had lots to talk about. Whenever, we mentioned certain officer(s), we had something to say about them. Most of them already retired and some passed on. Eg he told me that one late CP was his trainee when Happy Tay was a drill instructor in the old Police Academy.
The Chinese restaurant was nearly full capacity with many Hong Kongers and PRCs. I noticed some of them even reading Chinese newspapers whilst sipping their tea. The food was quite alright and every item was served in big portions. Much bigger portions than our Tim Sum here. We talked as we had our food. Happy Tay told me about himself when he first migrated here more than 40 years ago. He told me when Canada hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics, he got his chance to join the RMCP – Royal Mounted Canada Police. He was part of a massive recruitment exercise by the Federal Police. He was the person in charge of logistics with hundreds of brand new police vehicles converted for the big event.
Of course, he enquired about my brother and his family. He was asking me how my brother was doing in Vancouver and Burnaby. We also talked about our family and frens back home. The thing that struck me when he said it’s not an easy decision leaving our comfort zone to migrate to another totally different foreign land and start all over again. It takes lots of courage and grit determination to succeed in a foreign land. Not many people could that.
When I called for the bill at the end of the Tim Sum breakfast, Happy Tay refused to let me pay. He said Douglas would “kill” him if he found out that Happy Tay did not treat me. I think the bill came to nearly $100 for 4 items of Tim Sum. In Canada, it’s their culture to tip when you eat in a restaurant. When you pay your bill using your credit card, the amount of tips is stated there starting from 15%, 25% or even 35% etc of the bill. You choose the tip amount and pay the total bill plus 12% GST. If the bill is $100, the minimum tip is $15! My brother used to remind me to tip them or they would not be happy even with Happy Tay around! Takeaways also expect you to tip. When you order food at the Food Court (similar to our Hawker Centre), they also expect tip of at least 10%.
We left the restaurant and Happy Tay drove me around Richmond district to look at the houses in the neighbourhood. Richmond is a much smaller district than Vancouver in British Columbia. BC is a huge province in Canada. Most Chinese live here and the houses are much bigger and spacious than other districts. Happy Tay eventually brought me to his cosy vintage house with lots of land area in the front and back of the double storey bungalow. He told me he bought it 38 years ago at only $200,000. He has lived in that house for the past 38 years. It’s now worth more than 2 million. BTW, Canadian and Singapore currency are almost on par.
Happy Tay told me that I’m one of his few Singaporean frens ever visited his humble house. I felt so honoured when he made that statement considering the fact that we just met a while ago and he’s treating me as a buddy. It reminds me of a saying that “when men in blues meet, they just click straightaway!” Obviously, they share certain traits or else they would not have donned the blue uniform.
After a short tour of the house. Happy Tay brought me to the nearby Steveston Fisherman’s Wharf. Incidentally, my brother brought me there few days ago. I visited the Cannery Museum where it was once a factory for canned fishes caught from the sea. It’s a beautiful place with lots of restaurants and cafes. Happy Tay likes the place so much as it’s quite near to his house. It’s about 20 minutes walk from his place. He used to go there to buy fresh fishes caught from the coast. He told me that only at Steveston Wharf they sell fresh “spot prawns”. No other places in Canada or elsewhere sell this particular prawn. It’s so sweet and delicious to eat. Only available on certain times of the year. I told him Freddie used to go to Changi Village instead of the wet market to get his fresh supply of fishes brought in by local fishermen on sampans.
Happy Tay’s garden. Back of the house Interior of the MRT train Happy Tay driving me around Front view of the house with garage for 2 carsBack view of the house
My impression of the Richmond and Steveston Wharf is that it’s not so crowded and the pace is quite leisurely. There’s no rush or impatient drivers around. All the cars there travel at slow pace and not one speeding incident at all. Happy Tay told me that when he’s back in Singapore, he could see everybody rushing like mad to beat the ERP timing, chaotic morning rush hours and impatient drivers with accidents here and there. It’s totally different lifestyle there. When we were having our coffee by the road side outside a cafe under the cool weather even though the sun was quite strong yet we did not feel the heat or sweat! Like I said, meeting Happy Tay was a highlight of the entire trip. It was unforgettable.
Famous Wave Coffee in Canada
I wish Happy Tay all the best. Till we meet again in Singapore, we still keep in touch via WhatsApp and he’s still following events back home despite the fact he’s already lived there for more than 40 years! No matter how much he likes his current lifestyle, he still can’t change his roots lah – his place of birth.
Kelowna is a breathtaking city located in the heart of the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada. Known for its stunning beauty and laid-backvibe, Kelowna is a popular destination for both locals and tourists alike.
The city sits on the shores of Okanagan Lake, which stretches for over 110 km with a width of between 3km to 5 km occupying 348 sq km which is almost half of Singapore (710 sq km). It’s a popular spot for water sports, swimming, and fishing. Kelowna is also surrounded by rolling hills and picturesque vineyards, making it a haven for wine enthusiasts and nature lovers.
Map of Kelowna
One particularly notable area along the shores of Okanagan Lake is Boucherie Road. This scenic route winds through rolling hills covered vineyards and orchards, offering breathtaking views of the lake and surrounding mountains. The road is a popular destination for cyclists and hikers who want to take in the area’s natural beauty and enjoy the stunning views.
In addition to its natural beauty, Boucherie Road is also home to many wineries and vineyards that produce some of the region’s best wines. This is due to the cool temperate climate on the hilly terrain of about 10 to 15 degree and abundance of fresh water in the many smaller lakes besides Okanagan Lake. Visitors can stop at one of the many tasting rooms along the road to sample some of the award-winning wines while taking in the stunning views.
Boucherie Road and the surrounding area also offer a variety of activities for visitors to enjoy, including hiking, biking, and even golfing. The area is home to several golf courses, including the famous Quail’s Gate Winery and Golf Course, which offers stunning views of the lake and surrounding vineyards. We visited few vineyards along Boucherie Road. One of them is Volcanic Hills Estate Winery at 2845, Boucherie Road, West Kelowna.
We could not enjoy the grapes in the vineyard as it’s not summer. It is the beginning of spring, there are no grapes in the vineyard. If you come in summer, you would see rows and rows of grapes waiting to be harvested for the winery. Anyway, we did taste some of their in-house wines for a small fee of $10 for each person. I bought 3 bottles of wine after some wine tasting.
Overall, Boucherie Road and Okanagan Lake offer an unforgettable experience for visitors looking to explore the natural beauty and vibrant culture of the Okanagan Valley. Whether you’re sampling award-winning wines, hiking through the hills, or simply enjoying the stunning scenery, Boucherie Road and Okanagan Lake are a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to British Columbia.
Canadian and Sing $ almost on par. Actually Sing $ is stronger by few cents!
From 26 to 29 April 23, I visited Seattle and Portland cities in the United States. My nephew Ben drove us there from Vancouver, BC Canada to spend 2 nights in Seattle and 1 night in Portland. Seattle and Portland are two of the most well-known cities in America’s Pacific Northwest. While they share many similarities, they also have unique characteristics that separate them from one another, making each city an interesting and compelling place to visit or reside.
Seattle is the larger of the two cities, with a population of approximately 725,000 people. Seattle is well known for its coffee culture, with the birthplace of Starbucks located in Pike Place Market. I visited the 1st Starbucks outlet there. There’s always a queue outside the small un-impressive outlet which is said to the the 1st Starbucks outlet before it spread all over the world to become a global brand. There is the Pike market which I enjoyed walking around. It’s quite a big market with 3 levels of fresh produce and also shops selling all kinds of things.
We walked around the Pike market area and came across the famous “Gum Wall”. It’s a wall full of discarded chew gum pasted on the wall instead of throwing it away. Luckily chew gum is banned here and we do not have such problem. Someone said that it’s a disgusting habit.
Another highlight in Seattle that is that we visited legendary Bruce Lee’s grave. I noticed fresh flowers were placed at the tombstone. Occasionally, there were visitors at the cemetery paying respects to the famous actor.
Portland, on the other hand, is a smaller city with a population of around 650,000 people. It shares Seattle’s love of coffee, with some of the best coffee shops in the country located in the city, but it is also known as the “City of Roses” due to its many gardens and parks. We visited the Japanese Gardens in Portland. There are 4 gardens within the park carved out of the mountainous slope. It was such a beautiful park with Japanese bonsai and well manicured plants with spectacular landscaping making use of the natural water falls and hundreds of years old trees. We had to pay to get inside the gardens. It was worth it.
Seattle can be described as a bustling, tech-focused city with a stark juxtaposition of urban development and natural scenery. The architecture of Seattle’s skyscrapers, such as the Space Needle and Columbia Center, create an impressive skyline that is an iconic symbol of the city. On the other hand, Portland is often seen as a more laid-back and eco-conscious city, with a strong commitment to biking, walking, and public transportation. The city is also home to the famous Powell’s City of Books, one of the largest independent bookstores in the world.
Another major difference between the two cities is their weather. Seattle is known for its often-rainy climate, while Portland enjoys a more moderate and dry climate. Portland is not as cold as Seattle with an average temperature of about 25 to 28 degree.
In the United States,, everything is still in miles and pounds. Other than left hand drive (also in Canada), they sell petrol by the gallons instead of litres. One gallon of petrol is about USD4.5 which works out to about S$1.30 per litre? In Canada, the petrol is about S$1.80 which is much cheaper than here when petrol costs about $3 per litre. The other thing I notice in BC, Canada and United States is that there are pockets of homeless pitching up tents here and there even right in the middle of town! If you drive along the expressways, there are even more tents camping below the bridges or overpasses. Here, you may find a couple of homeless at Changi Beach. Definitely not in the CBD or Orchard area.
In conclusion, I would say that Canada is a much better place in terms of the cooler climate and the people there. Canadians are more friendly and polite. They are very patient when driving and don’t horn at all. When you are standing on a road waiting to cross, most likely the cars would stop for you. Most of the places especially outside the Supermarkets n Shopping Malls or restaurants, parking is free. Here, there is no free parking even at the parks!
The famous Gum WallClose up view of Gum Wall1st Starbucks outlet Homeless in the city
Gintai_昇泰 