Sunday, July 22, 2012
Lend a helping hand
I came up with a new song titled "Lend A Helping Hand". It has a country feel and is about lending someone a helping hand. Hope you like it.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Musical Midi Accompaniment
Found this great piece of software in Linux that could generate accompaniment for singing. You can read about it at http://www.mellowood.ca/mma/.
It seems that there is a graphical interface, Lemma, but I have yet to get it working.
Have a look at the accompanying documentation and that should get you started. I used a text editor and created a the mma file in text format. Next, use MMA to create the midi. The I played it through Timidity or converted it to a mp3 file.
What I found useful is that it is great to practise soloing.
I have recorded 2 versions of Amazing Grace using MMA with different grooves (I just change one word to change groove). I am not a great singer or a great guitar player. But I had fun.
Can you imagine, in the future, bands might be obsolete if the do not play their own grooves.
Amazing Grace - 60s Rock
Amazing Grace -Shuffle Boogie
It seems that there is a graphical interface, Lemma, but I have yet to get it working.
Have a look at the accompanying documentation and that should get you started. I used a text editor and created a the mma file in text format. Next, use MMA to create the midi. The I played it through Timidity or converted it to a mp3 file.
What I found useful is that it is great to practise soloing.
I have recorded 2 versions of Amazing Grace using MMA with different grooves (I just change one word to change groove). I am not a great singer or a great guitar player. But I had fun.
Can you imagine, in the future, bands might be obsolete if the do not play their own grooves.
Amazing Grace - 60s Rock
Amazing Grace -Shuffle Boogie
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Baker and Cook
Went to Hillcrest Road to have coffee with my wife last Thursday. Found this place called Baker and Cook (http://www.bakerandcook.biz) at the corner of the block and it is quite a refreshing place. We were impressed by their display of bread though we shared a croissant and had a coffee each.
I like the contemporary design. Service came with a smile and the place has a leisure feel to it and besides us, there were a couple of ladies (tai tai?) chatting away.
Visit their website for more info.
I like the contemporary design. Service came with a smile and the place has a leisure feel to it and besides us, there were a couple of ladies (tai tai?) chatting away.
Visit their website for more info.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Birthday Dinner
The food is good (I had burger steak) and not too expensive. What impressed me was the ambience. Service was good too. You get to be greeted and sent off by the whole crew - like entering a sushi restaurant.
Definitely worth visiting.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Chinese New Year Celebration
Chinese New Year is celebrated on 23rd and 24th of Jan in 2012. It is one of the bigger holidays in Singapore as Chinese is the biggest race in Singapore (75%). This year, Chinese New Year comes early and we seem to have a wetter year with more rain. Maybe it is because this is the year of the water dragon.
During this holiday, many shops (especially those owned by Chinese) are closed. Some take this chance to take a break from work and some factories may even close for a week.
For more information about Chinese New Year and the related customs, please search the Internet.
Visiting of relatives and wishing each other well by exchanging red packets are common practices during Chinese New Year. The younger will wish the elder first and if you are married, you are obliged to give red packets (with money inside).
In Singapore, we also eat a dish called "Yu Sheng", signifying life with excess.
Here are some photos of what happen in my family.
Here we wish my mom happy new year.
Family photo and having a meal together.
Tossing Yu Sheng.
Chinese New Year cake "nian gao" which literally means "grow taller each year". Mandarin oranges represent gold.
These are red packets which are exchanged during Chinese New Year. If you are not married, you do not have to exchange. You get to keep the red packets.
During this holiday, many shops (especially those owned by Chinese) are closed. Some take this chance to take a break from work and some factories may even close for a week.
For more information about Chinese New Year and the related customs, please search the Internet.
Visiting of relatives and wishing each other well by exchanging red packets are common practices during Chinese New Year. The younger will wish the elder first and if you are married, you are obliged to give red packets (with money inside).
In Singapore, we also eat a dish called "Yu Sheng", signifying life with excess.
Here are some photos of what happen in my family.
Here we wish my mom happy new year.
Family photo and having a meal together.
Tossing Yu Sheng.
Chinese New Year cake "nian gao" which literally means "grow taller each year". Mandarin oranges represent gold.
These are red packets which are exchanged during Chinese New Year. If you are not married, you do not have to exchange. You get to keep the red packets.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! GONG XI FA CAI!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
A wet market scene
Below are some photos of a typical wet market in Singapore.
Nowadays I think wet market are not really "wet". Previously such markets were "wet" as the slaughtered chickens and cut up fishes, meat from animals like pig, cow and lambs in the markets. Water spilled onto the floor and so the name "wet" market.
Nowadays there are not more life chicken in the market. Other meat are still prepared similarly but most of the passageways are kept dry.
Wet markets are normally more crowded in the weekends and more people do their marketing then and in general the items from the wet markets are fresher or perceived to be so as compared to those chilled stuff from the supermarkets.
In addition, people also gather at the food stalls and enjoy breakfast.
Nowadays I think wet market are not really "wet". Previously such markets were "wet" as the slaughtered chickens and cut up fishes, meat from animals like pig, cow and lambs in the markets. Water spilled onto the floor and so the name "wet" market.
Nowadays there are not more life chicken in the market. Other meat are still prepared similarly but most of the passageways are kept dry.
Wet markets are normally more crowded in the weekends and more people do their marketing then and in general the items from the wet markets are fresher or perceived to be so as compared to those chilled stuff from the supermarkets.
In addition, people also gather at the food stalls and enjoy breakfast.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh
Visited Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh from 3rd Dec to 11 Dec 2012. We flew by budget air to Phnom Penh and the bus over to Ho Chi Minh. The bus journey took about 6 hours and it was pretty pleasant.
In Phnom Penh, we stayed in Hotel Cara. It is a nice hotel and the staff are friendly. The room is clean and the high water pressure makes showering a relaxing experience.
We use the tut-tut service to travel around Phnom Penh. Within the city, it only cost US$2 - for the 4 of us. The traffic is quite messy but it is nothing compared with Ho Chi Minh.
The most interesting place to visit in Phnom Penh were the Tong Sleng Museum and the Killing Field. I recommend these two places for anyone who visit Cambodia. There is a lot to learn about what a "mad man" can do. There are a long of videos on Pol Pot on YouTube and it would be good to go through the videos before visiting the sites. This would make the visit more interesting once you understand the background.
The tut-tut driver who took us to the Killing Field told us about his life as a child during the Khmer Rouge time. You can also talk to your "guide" if they are in their 50s. They would probably have experienced life then.
Other sites which we visited included the Royal Palace, Wat Phnom, Central Market and the Russian Market.
Initially we thought of visiting Angor Wat but you really need one more day just for that place. So that was out.
The first thing we noticed about Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) was the crazy taffic made up of mainly motorcycles. We were told that there are 8 millions motorcycles in HCMC for 10 million people. Crossing the road is a lesson in fear therapy. Don't dream about someone stopping for you at the many zebra crossings. Be careful when you are at traffic junctions as motorcyclists rides onto the pavements to bypass the traffic lights.
By the best thing that happened in HCMC is SaigonHotPot. It is a group of volunteer tour guides comprising of University undergrads. They speak very good English (at least we are able to communicate) and without them, we would not be able to experience some of HCMC's daily life - like eating along the roadside, drinking coffee along the roadside and get a taste of some of the good food. Thank you Khoi, Nam and Tran (they are out guides).
In HCMC, we visited the many shopping avenues (markets, street stalls), museums, the Mekong Delta and tasted many of their good food.
We went to the Cu Ci Tunnel. The public bus ride takes about 1 hr 30 min each way. But the tunnel experience was good. Imagine, 12000 people living under ground. Yes, they were living there - giving birth, cooking, watching movies, etc.
The museum visit was interesting for me - maybe I am interested in History. It showcase about the war with the US and the biological warfare the US conducted there.
We booked a day tour to the Mekong Delta to experience life there. We had a good lunch, rode on horse carriages, watched a short performance and tasted some of the fruits and snacks made by the villagers.
There are many taxi companies there but take on VinnaySun. They even have officers stationed at our hotel (and I am sure around the city) to ensure we are not overcharged.
All in all, it was a great holiday. Hanoi may be next as I was told they have 4 seasons and winter is only about 10 deg C. Maybe a train ride from HCMC to Hanoi next......
In Phnom Penh, we stayed in Hotel Cara. It is a nice hotel and the staff are friendly. The room is clean and the high water pressure makes showering a relaxing experience.
We use the tut-tut service to travel around Phnom Penh. Within the city, it only cost US$2 - for the 4 of us. The traffic is quite messy but it is nothing compared with Ho Chi Minh.
The most interesting place to visit in Phnom Penh were the Tong Sleng Museum and the Killing Field. I recommend these two places for anyone who visit Cambodia. There is a lot to learn about what a "mad man" can do. There are a long of videos on Pol Pot on YouTube and it would be good to go through the videos before visiting the sites. This would make the visit more interesting once you understand the background.
The tut-tut driver who took us to the Killing Field told us about his life as a child during the Khmer Rouge time. You can also talk to your "guide" if they are in their 50s. They would probably have experienced life then.
Other sites which we visited included the Royal Palace, Wat Phnom, Central Market and the Russian Market.
Initially we thought of visiting Angor Wat but you really need one more day just for that place. So that was out.
The first thing we noticed about Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) was the crazy taffic made up of mainly motorcycles. We were told that there are 8 millions motorcycles in HCMC for 10 million people. Crossing the road is a lesson in fear therapy. Don't dream about someone stopping for you at the many zebra crossings. Be careful when you are at traffic junctions as motorcyclists rides onto the pavements to bypass the traffic lights.
By the best thing that happened in HCMC is SaigonHotPot. It is a group of volunteer tour guides comprising of University undergrads. They speak very good English (at least we are able to communicate) and without them, we would not be able to experience some of HCMC's daily life - like eating along the roadside, drinking coffee along the roadside and get a taste of some of the good food. Thank you Khoi, Nam and Tran (they are out guides).
In HCMC, we visited the many shopping avenues (markets, street stalls), museums, the Mekong Delta and tasted many of their good food.
We went to the Cu Ci Tunnel. The public bus ride takes about 1 hr 30 min each way. But the tunnel experience was good. Imagine, 12000 people living under ground. Yes, they were living there - giving birth, cooking, watching movies, etc.
The museum visit was interesting for me - maybe I am interested in History. It showcase about the war with the US and the biological warfare the US conducted there.
We booked a day tour to the Mekong Delta to experience life there. We had a good lunch, rode on horse carriages, watched a short performance and tasted some of the fruits and snacks made by the villagers.
There are many taxi companies there but take on VinnaySun. They even have officers stationed at our hotel (and I am sure around the city) to ensure we are not overcharged.
All in all, it was a great holiday. Hanoi may be next as I was told they have 4 seasons and winter is only about 10 deg C. Maybe a train ride from HCMC to Hanoi next......
A roadside cafe where we have our first meal in Phnon Penh
View of the riverside in Phnom Penh
The Royal Palace (Phnom Penh)
Church of St Joseph (Phnom Penh) where we attended Mass in English. We sat on the floor during Mass - Cambodian style.
The Tut-tut driver got "lost" on the way there and we got a mini-tour of another part of the city as a result.
A picture of some roadside food we ate at the Russian Market.
The Tong Sleng Musuem - a "must visit" for everyone going to Phnom Penh.
A view of the Russian Market.
The Cheung Ek Killing Field.
We took the Tut-tut there and had a good conversation with the driver who was 5 years old then.
Breakfast food at Hotel Cara (Phnom Penh)
Crossing the Mekong River on the way to Ho Chi Minh
The immigration building (entering Vietnam)
Roadside Subway style sandwich.
The night market just outside our hotel (HCMC).
On our way to the Cu Ci Tunnel. With us are the 2 volunteer guides from Saigon Hot Pot. They are really cool and friendly. Do contact Saigon Hot Pot if you want to experience HCMC.
The Cu Ci Tunnel Site. You can see more pictures at Marcus's facebook.
One of the eateries Saigon Hot Pot brought us to. Without them, we would not even know of such places even though they are near to our hotel.
Nortre Dame Church in HCMC. We has roadside coffee from "illegal" hawkers here. Had to give up our stools midway during coffee as the police came. But we can still sit on the cardboard sheets and enjoy our Vietnamese coffee and chit-chat.
The Reunification Museum.
The Chinese Market. Lots of stuff you can buy here but I do recommend going with Saigon Hot Pot.
A Chinese temple that is completely constructed without nails. There is a similar temple in Singapore.
This is the inside view of one of the public buses. The buses are being upgraded slowly and it is world class - like those in Singapore.
That is another guide from Saigon Hot Pot. This time we ate some of the best food from the roadside. They had duck embryo. We had normal food.
Trip to the Mekong Delta
This is one of the well known eating place serving Vietnamese style "pizza".
This is where we bought the roadside Vietnamese coffee - outside Nortre Dame
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