Skyve-ing

Photographs taken at Skyve a few months ago.

It's been a busy Saturday. I crammed in an early morning swim, a visit to the Singapore Art Book Fair, running a children's programme at the museum and a dinner with a friend. Definitely not skiving.

Textures, Tones and Timbres

Textures, Tones and Timbres: Art by Chong Fahcheong was an exhibition held earlier this year at the NUS Museum. Better known for his iconic sculpture of boys jumping into the Singapore River, Singaporean sculptor Chong Fahcheong presented a set of new works that melds together his journey, his surroundings and the materials he uses.

I loved this exhibition. Because for once, sight is complemented by the ability to touch and to breathe in the scent of the wood.

Hanoi Randoms, Hanoi 2013

It's easy to see why Hanoi is such a popular destination for tourists all over the world. Good food, good people, good places. You really can't go wrong with this bustling neighbourhood of a city. I already can't wait to go back.

Right now, I am preparing to jump on another flight. This time to Hong Kong! I have been to Hong Kong before but the last time was only for a two-day layover and the time before that, I was seven years old! I am so excited to finally explore this city properly! I will be travelling with C, my partner-in-crime at Coffee Table People. You can be sure we will be hitting up cafes everyday, a cup of coffee or tea perpetually in our hands. Follow along with us on Instagram, we are @coffeetablepeople!

P/S: I had drafted this post before I left for Hong Kong. I actually just got back this morning! I am currently unpacking and sorting out my films, can't wait to see how they turn out!

Twilight in Hanoi, Hanoi 2013

After the heavy rains of the past few days, we were rewarded with a very golden hour in the Old Quarter on our last night.

Halong Bay Part 2, Hanoi 2013

A highlight of the Halong Bay cruise was a stop at Hang Sung Sot or Surprise Cave. The cave was discovered in 1901 by French explorers and discovered to contain many naturally-forming rock formations. Locals have identified forms such as a dragon, a Buddha and a tortoise.

The cave was much bigger than I thought. Following the defined path, it took us about 20 minutes to walk through the various caverns, eaves-dropping whenever possible on other tour groups (because we lost our own guide) for interesting snippets about the cave, and attempting to take photographs in the dark.

We emerged out of the caves into a Halong Bay caught in the midst of a thunderstorm. Tourists were huddled tightly together in what little shelter there was available. After being squished around and already more than half wet, we decided to brave the rain and run to the jetty. I will always remember that mad crazy run down the rough hewn steps and the flooded bridge-paths to the jetty. 

Halong Bay Part 1, Hanoi 2013

Halong Bay has been on my travel bucket list for a long time and I am so glad that I finally got to check off this amazing place this year. We booked a 2-day tour with the V'Spirit Cruise company. We had asked for recommendations from our hotel, and V'Spirit was the most affordable for our means (somewhere in between budget and luxurious).

V'Spirit was a great choice! The cruise ship was clean and one of the better looking boats out there, even when compared to other cruise companies with a similar range. We were also ever so lucky to be assigned a corner room with an outdoor deck! Our fellow passengers were so jealous when they found out!

We endured the entire gamut of different weather conditions. We started the cruise with blue skies but as we sailed deeper into the bay, it started to rain heavily, rendering the bay even more mysterious and eerie. We stayed wet the rest of the day, but it just made our experience even more special.