Singapore Street Art

One of the things I would often stop to admire in my travels is the street art and wall murals in various towns/cities around the world. In particular, I was so impressed with Rio de Janeiro's street art that I made a specific post about it. Of course, there are alot of others, like Valpairiso, Buenos Aires etc, that has wonderful street art culture.

Closer to home, Penang's Georgetown have its wall mural very well publicised here, thanks to its easy access from Singapore and the various media. In fact, Singapore also have the same street artist's art gracing our walls. But wouldn't it be better if we have our very own local artists' creations? Well, recently we do, thanks to the efforts of a Yip Yew Chong.

Yip Yew Chong is a self-taught artist who is actually in the accounting profession. On a career break, he started painting several wall murals that garnered plenty of attention and praise. The thing that set his murals apart is his theme - his murals all depict scenes of Singapore from a bygone era. It is no wonder that it struck a chord with many locals passing by who saw the artwork. I'm sure he had made many new friends while working on set. Many who particularly appreciated his work were of a certain age group (including me), and I had a good time reminiscing the "good old days" with him, discussing brands of milk cans and biscuit tins and details on grating coconut etc.

Of course, the murals can be appreciated by any as the quality of work is top notch, with many works showing an almost 3D nature in the appropriate light. His murals is currently being featured in the various local media and personally, I'm very proud that now, we have our own local street art, by our local artist, about our local culture. Tourists can now see some of old Singapore through these murals!

You can go to Yew Chong's website to find out the details on how to reach the various murals. Go check it out! (Check out his incredible travel map too!!)

Yip Yew Chong's website

Artist painting his latest mural

Catching the Aurora Borealis

Catching the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights display is on many people's bucket list. It was on my list as well. Now that I had several encounters with the phenomenon, and having seen many questions and misconceptions in travel forums etc, I would like to share what I know on the hunt for the Aurora Borealis.

Generally, the lights occur in locations above the Arctic Cirlce, and can be seen on dark clear nights. The two main criteria in order to see the lights are the the weather, or rather the cloud cover, and the "aurora activity" (the amount of the charged electrons in the atmosphere which causes the light show). Needless to say, you would need a night of clear weather (no/little clouds) and high activity. There are many websites that provide a forecast of this "aurora activity". The one I use is at the Geophysical Institute, University of Fairbanks Alaska, where you can select which region/zone for the forecast. As for the cloud cover forecast, you would typically go to the respective country's weather forecast page. Which brings me to the next point, which country/place is the best?

I have been to Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland for the sightings, and frankly, if the above two conditions are met, any of these countries, including Alaska/Canada are all good bets. However, the aurora visibility window is generally between late September to late March, which means it is mostly late autumn to winter at those places. So, it would boil down to what kind of trip you want it to be.

If you like to DIY, be flexible and have your own time, then a self-drive trip to Iceland or the Lofoten islands in Norway are great choices. In addition, if you have time for more than just aurora hunting, then Iceland certainly come up tops as there are many other attractions, including volcano visits and waterfalls etc. For a full-blown winter holiday though, note your driving capabilities in the various countries. For those who are going with family and kids should look at Finland as there is a Santa Claus village which I'm sure the kids would enjoy!

Self-drive allows you flexibility to go to more remote dark areas

If however, you can't (or don't want to) drive, then relying on public transportation is trickier. Of course, signing up custom tour packages is the easiest (and costliest) choice. However, I do not have much information on that, except that Tromso in northern Norway is a popular destination for Aurora hunters as there are many tour agencies specialising in that.

For the independent traveler (solo or otherwise) relying on public transport, then the Lofoten islands may be the better bet. Even better, check out Abisko National Park in Sweden. I do feel that the availability of trains and slightly better transport connections make them better alternatives to, say Iceland and Alaska, where it would be logistically more challenging in winter especially for the solo backpacker.

Watching the Aurora Borealis

A point to note, based on my own experiences, is that even though the aurora forecast indicate low activity, but the cloud cover for the night is clear, it is always worth a shot to check out the sky periodically. I had 2 occasions where I had good sightings even though the forecast was low. It is a forecast after all. So for those who are planning the trip on your own, make sure your accommodations are in less light-polluted area (preferably not in the city) or you are able to reach one. But if you are really lucky, when the aurora activity is really high, they can be seen even in the cities!

The Aurora display is so strong it's visible in the city

Finally, I would like to touch on the expectations of a Aurora Borealis sighting.

For me, I have grouped sightings generally into these 3 types :

1. The lights appear really faint, and some cases you are not even sure they are the famed northern lights. You can only confirm through longer exposures on your camera to see the stronger green lights.

2. The lights appear clear and beautiful. They slowly appear and dissipate, changes shape gradually, and is absolutely mesmerising to watch, though whether they last 10 seconds or 10 minutes is another matter. But it is truly worthy of its place in all the 'bucket list' lists in the world!

3. And then there's the performance. The lights swirl in the sky like a writhing snake and danced across the sky like a leaping ballerina. You'd think it's a timelapse movie but it's all live action. Totally mind-blowing and out of this world!

Sadly, some people only managed to see (1), and mistakenly described it to other people as how Aurora Borealis actually is. Which is rather blasphemous I would think. Words and photos really can't describe the experience of seeing it in person, especially of type (3) above. So, best to see it in person! :)

Aurora activity follow a 10-12 year cyclical pattern and recent reports indicate that the peak had just passed and chances will be lower in the following years. For those who have this in their bucket list (you mean there are people who don't have?), you have now till March next year to try to catch it. (You can still try in later years of course, just that it's lower chance of sighting, that's all). By all recent accounts (including my own glorious sighting in Sep), the sightings this year had been phenomenal.

Good luck, and may the Lights be with You!

Star trails and Aurora Borealis

Nature's Art at Vesturdalur, Northern Iceland

For travelers to northern Iceland, whether as part of the Ring Road or otherwise, Jökulsárgljúfur Canyon should be part of your itinerary. Formerly a national park on its own, it now falls under Vatnajökull National Park.

If you had planned to visit Dettifoss or Ásbyrgi canyon, then you're essentially visiting Jökulsárgljúfur already. Basically, Ásbyrgi marks the northern while Dettifoss marks the southern end of Jökulsárgljúfur Canyon. However, what I found the most interesting is in the middle - Vesturdalur.

Vesturdalur is prime hiking area, with weaving trails leading to many lava rock formations all around. In particular, Hljóðaklettar (Echo Rocks) and Rauðhólar (Red Hills) trails can be easily done from the carpark in a 2-3 hour loop. The basalt rock (formed by rapidly cooling lava) formations at Hljóðaklettar is the highlight for me. You may have seen the basalt columns in Vik, or the many lava fields all around Iceland, but nothing quite like this. Here, the basalt rock lined horizontally (hence columns is not the right word eh), and even at bizarre angles. Parts of the rock formations are also being cut off yielding eye-catching honeycomb patterns! It's mind-boggling how rapidly cooling lava can produce such "art pieces"! There are also lava caves formed by these basalt formations.

Rauðhólar is a crater row which provides a wonderful panoramic view of the canyon, and itself offers some colorful touch to the landscapes. It is easily done together with the Hljóðaklettar trail. For those who have more time and energy, there is a popular 2-day trek that goes from north (Ásbyrgi) to south (Dettifoss). Otherwise, there are parking lots on all 3 sections of the Jökulsárgljúfur Canyon.

Colorful Rauðhólar

If you are using public transport, there are summer buses going to all these places from Akureyri or Mývatn but do check the schedules carefully at http://www.sba.is/

Check Hljóðaklettar out !

Singapore Botanic Gardens & Our Golden Jubilee

Singapore is having our Golden Jubilee this year. Yes, we're having our 50th birthday bash, and a month before the day, the nation received our birthday present - our very own UNESCO listed World Heritage Site!

While there are over 1000+ World Heritage Sites in the world, there are only 3 Botanic Gardens in them. So, we're indeed honored to be one of the three, and not only that, we are the first and only tropical Botanic Garden in it (the other 2 is in England & Italy). Since establishment in 1859, the development of our Gardens from a British tropical colonial botanical garden to today's multi-faceted site for conservation, cultivation, education and recreation certainly proved its worth for inscription into the World Heritage Site list.

Beautiful Light in our 1st UNESCO World Heritage Site

Visitors to Singapore would be delighted to know that admission to our Botanic Gardens is free (with the exception of the National Orchid Garden), and is open whole year-round, right till midnight! Within the Botanic Gardens grounds, there are various other gardens like the National Orchid Garden which is the only one that charges an admission fee. There are also a few historic buildings, many meandering paths to enjoy the flora and picnic spaces for family gatherings and outings. Particularly, the space n front of the Symphony Lake is especially popular as there is a stage set up there for performances during weekends.

Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage

Watching a concert in the Botanic Gardens during our Golden Jubilee

Of course,  for botany enthusiasts, there is a Botany Centre where a library on Botany & Horticulture, a Herbarium and an Orchid breeding centre is. There are also heritage trees within the park, in particular the Tembusu tree that is pictured in our Singapore 5-dollar note. It is also estimated that 70 per cent of all rubber latex in the world originates from the 11 rubber trees originally planted in this garden in 1877. The Singapore Botanic Gardens was truly a test bed for economic plant cultivation in early Singapore.

One of many types of orchids in our Botanic Gardens

Beautiful atmosphere in the Gardens

Check out their website for more information, especially the guided tours to the gardens. They are very informative, and are conducted by very passionate guides. And tomorrow is our National Day! Here's wishing Singapore a

Happy 50th Birthday!!!

Radda in Chianti, Tuscany

Tuscany is my favourite part of Italy so far, especially the UNESCO listed site of Val d'Orcia described in my previous post. But the more famous region of Chianti certainly lives up to its reputation too, and a trip to Tuscany should not be a quick drive through this beautiful countryside.

There are a couple of villages/towns worth stopping in in Chianti, with Greve in Chianti probably the most famous as its considered the "gateway" to the Chianti region from Florence. Others include Gaiole in Chianti and Radda in Chianti etc, and the latter was where I decided to spend more time in.

Tourist Information Centre in Radda in Chianti

Views from Radda in Chianti

All these villages are small, and so is Radda in Chianti. You can probably finish walking the streets of Radda in like 15 minutes! So "stopping" in the villages of Chianti for a night or two usually means staying in one of the many bed & breakfasts, farmhouses, vineyards etc scattered around these villages. Of course, from Radda in Chianti itself, being perched on a hill, you can get fantastic views of the countryside, and the ambience of the whole place is really laidback. I stayed in Fattoria Poggerino, a family-run vineyard cum B&B some 2km from Radda. Set in their traditional stone house handed down from their ancestors, the setting is fabulous. Even right from the house, I could get beautiful sunrises and sunsets. And all the while sipping their Chianti Classico. What an enjoyment!

My B&B house!

You can rent a scooter to tour the countryside

I'm sure the various accommodations around Chianti all offer equally enchanting experiences. The point is that one can, and should be enjoying the sights of Chianti/Tuscany by basing oneself in one of these homey establishments and then taking excursions out. Of course, all these is best done with a car, though those intending to do wine tasting tours have to manage it properly, For solo travelers, another option is renting a scooter like the Vespa. So you could take a bus from Florence to Radda in Chianti (or one of the other villages) and then rent a scooter to tour around. Do note that bus schedules are quite limited though.

For wine enthusiasts, landscape photographers, B&B/farmstay lovers, and generally anyone who just loves the countryside, check out Chianti and Tuscany!

Chianti wine country

View of Radda in Chianti from Fattoria Poggerino

Under the Tuscan Moon - Dawn view from Fattoria Poggerino

Val d'Orcia & Pienza

The landscape in Tuscany is well-known, and many breathtaking images had been made there. Aside from the famous Chianti region, famed for its wine, there are other areas with equally enchanting landscapes. In particular, I am somewhat enamored with Val d'Orcia.

Val d'Orcia is added into UNESCO's World Hertiage Site list only in 2004. According to wikipedia, one of the criterions is :
"The Val d’Orcia is an exceptional reflection of the way the landscape was re-written in Renaissance times to reflect the ideals of good governance and to create aesthetically pleasing pictures."


I am absolutely won over by the "aethestically pleasing pictures" part. Indeed, with the rolling hills, the varied shaded fields, and well placed trees, the light play during the early morning and late evening hours is truly mesmerizing. The light and shadows on display create endless possibilities for a stunning image. A landscape photographers' dream scene.

Tuscany is a region that is best experienced with a vehicle. Public transport is limited to buses with limited schedules and only certain towns are linked by trains. However, it is still possible to appreciate Val d'Orcia on public transport and come away with its beautiful landscape pictures. One of the possible village/town to stay is Pienza, which has bus connections with Siena. The town itself was declared a UNESCO site even earlier, and perched on a hill overlooking the valley, it is an excellent site for photographing the landscape right within the town itself!

Pienza, a beautiful old town with beautiful views

Pienza is also situated between Montalcino and Montelpuchiano, both famous wine town/regions. Hence Pienza benefits from their success as well. Good selection of the Brunello Montalcino and the Nobile Montelpuchiano (both very highly regarded wines) are available everywhere, and it is a good life staying here with different wines for each of your meals. Pienza itself is also famous for its pecorino, a kind of Italian sheep cheese. Thus a stay in Pienza entails enjoying Italian food with great wine, sampling pecorino with great wine, and photographing stunning landscapes with great wine. What is there not to like about Pienza? :)

Check out Pienza and Val d'Orcia when you next visit Tuscany!

Driving through the Lofoten in Winter

It is not often that I have a driving road-trip with friends, and it was by a stroke of luck that I had managed to get two friends to join me on a short part of my Norway trip - the Lofoten islands.

The Lofoten is an archipelago well beyond north of the Arctic Circle, and is famed for its natural beauty of mountains, seas, bays and islets. In summer, it is popular for hiking as well as boat trips and water-based activities. In winter, things die down quite a bit though, with alot of tourist facilities closing or operating at very limited hours. However, it is a wonderful location for Aurora hunting. In addition, the winter scenery is just phenomenally spectacular. and so appreciating it on your own terms in your own transport is probably the best bet.

The easiest and fastest way to the Lofoten is flying into Svolvaer, the administrative centre for most of the Lofoten. My friends flew in (from Oslo) and by their accounts, the flight in was absolutely beautiful. I flew from Oslo to Narvik (on mainland Norway) instead, on Norwegian, a low-cost airline, and then took a bus in. The bus journey to Svolvaer to meet my friends had me glued to the window already. For those who prefer to do overland travel from Oslo, you can take the train from Oslo to Bodo, and then take a ferry. Finally, if you find yourself in Kiruna Sweden, getting to Lofoten is also easy. Get onto the Arctic Circle Train, and then bus in. You'll be spell-bound on all segments of your journey!

Bussing in the Lofoten in winter

We rented a car in Svolvaer, and then drove around the islands. It was arguably one of the most beautiful drive trips I had. If you ever have the opportunity, and love winterscapes, do check it out. In the meantime, enjoy a timelapse snippet of our drive through Lofoten in winter! (Remember to maximise the youtube screen :) )

Republic of Artsakh

The Republic of Artsakh, or officially Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, is one of the more interesting "countries" that I've visited. Landlocked between Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is a de-facto independent state that is currently unrecognized by the United Nations and most of the world.

As a "oblast" (something like province) in Azerbaijan during the Soviet Union era, it came under dispute after the Soviet Union's collapse with both Armenia and Azerbaijan laying claims on it (majority of the people in the region are ethnic Armenians). It declared its own independence in 1991 (with support from Armenia) resulting in the Nagorno-Karabakh War from 1991 to 1994. While the war had ended, the status of Nagorno-Karabakh remained unresolved, even till today.

When I visited in 2011, they are celebrating their 20th year of independence

The only way to visit Nagorno-Karabakh is through Armenia, on a land-border crossing. In fact, a visa is needed as well. Interestingly, this visa can be gotten in the capital Stepanakert itself which means that somehow, you have to get into the country first to get the visa....! Apparently, at the border crossing, you will be issued some papers, and the visa collected in Stepanakert, and all these to be checked upon exit of the country. However, it is better to get the visa in Yerevan, which is what I did. It is rather painless and takes just 1 working day. Because of the sensitive issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding Artsakh, visitors who intend to visit Azerbaijan in the future may not want the visa affixed in the passport. Travelers will be denied entry when entering Azerbaijan if immigration officals find a Nagorno-Karabakh visa in their passport!

My visa

The typical attractions in Nagorno-Karabakh, like Armenia, centers around its churches and monasteries. I visited Ghazanchetsots Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Christ the Holy Savio in Shushi, as well Gandzasar Monastery in Vank, which is an attraction in itself. However, what left the deepest impression was the people I met. Those that I spoke to who could speak English were friendly, and what struck me was that all of them seemed especially proud of their country, with sentences comprising of my country this, and my country that. In fact, when I was browsing in a cake/pastry shop, the owner asked me what I liked and I pointed to a cake. As probably one of her rare foreign customers, we had simple conversation and at the end, the cake was offered to me free with a farewell, "I hope you like my country."!

Stepanakert

Local market

Cathedral of Christ the Holy Savio in Shushi

Of course, no visit to Nagorno-Karabakh is complete without visiting their "We are Our Mountains" monument, which is something of a national symbol. Known locally as Tatik-Papik (translated as Grandma and Grandpa), it is also found in their coat-of-arms, as well as the visa that you receive, which makes for a great souvenir!

Tatik-Papik monument

If you like off-the-beaten-path destinations, how about visiting this unrecognized country! 

Quirky Vank, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

One of the stranger villages I've visited in my travels happened to be in a country that has remained unrecognized internationally for over two decades. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is a de facto independent state situated in the Caucasus region, and the town in question is Vank.

Situated in the northern part of the disputed region, Vank is the go-to village when visiting the historical 13th-century Gandzasar monastery. Well preserved of its Armenian architecture, this medieval monastery hold relics believed to be from St. John the Baptist, and so its one of the more "well-known" tourist attraction in Nagorno-Karabakh. However, aside from Gandzasar, Vank has turned out to be almost an attraction in itself.

Beautiful Gandzasar Monastery

You see, the village happened to be the birthplace of a certain Levon Hayrapetyan, a Moscow millionaire businessman, who decided to give back to his hometown. He pumped in money building a modern new school, a lumber mill, and a bizarre hotel named Hotel Eclectica, which everyone calls Hotel Titanik, presumably because, well, it is shaped like a ship!!

Together with the huge modern school building, the "Titanic" looked perfectly and spectacularly out of place in a village of simple stone houses. And somewhere between them, a street runs with a wall-fence of some sort that seemed to be made of rusting car license plates. Which in fact, it is. Apparently, these are car license plates from Azeris who had fled during the Nagorno-Karabakh War! (The Nagorno-Karabakh War is an ethnic war fought between the Armenians in this region and Azerbaijan)

Village of Vank

Village school building

Hotel Eclectica/Titanic

Hotel Eclectica/Titanic

I'm sure you can guess which part of the hotel this is....

Hotel restaurant

Wall of license plates

I stayed only 1 night in a cold unheated room in the Titanic @ 6000 (Armenian) dram a night (I remember it was approx us$16-18 then). I believe I was the only guest in the hotel. I was certainly the only guest in the restaurant and the food took 50 minutes to arrive. And I didn't have time to visit another "attraction" - a lion carved out of a mountainside rock. Apparently, it will roar when visitors walk past it. Hmm. 

Vank is easily accessed via marshrutkas from Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh. I will cover more of Nagorno-Karabakh in my next post. Watch for it!