Ubin

Over the weekend, i headed north-east to Pulau Ubin, also described as the last standing Kampung of Singapore. Since the girlfriend has her original roots there, what better way to explore the island than having a native islander by your side?

Weekend trekkers foray into the Ubin wilderness.

Mei walks Oscar, a retriever mix.

Food on the island of Pulau Ubin is provided by the surrounding seas. With a fresh supply of fishes, prawns, and crabs, seafood is plentiful and fresh. An occasional slaughter of a wild boar feeds a small sized family for a week. With the exception of buying fresh vegetables, the islanders have little need to leave the island for food.

Mr Lee Fut Ngau, 65 scrubs the freshly caught fish and rid it of scales in preparation for dinner.

Mdm Kuan Yoke Ying, 63 prepares what she describes as "simple fare" for us, her unexpected visitors. Originally from Malaysia, she has been married to Mr Le Fut Ngau and has lived in Pulau Ubin for the past 40 years.

Mdm Kuan prepares to clean up the 2 fresh groupa caught barely half an hour ago by Mr Lee.

The idyllic island life is fast becoming a thing of the past with the Singapore government's efforts at "preservation".

>> Entire picture set here >>

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year has been largely important to the island city - Singapore because of the large ethnic chinese community. Shops start to close as early as the eve of the new year and the streets remain deserted for a good 3 days. The festivities that precedes the holiday include the mad rush to buy Chinese food and goodies with shows and bright lights put up across the island, illuminating one and all with a hue of red.

According to legend, in ancient China, the Nián (年) was a man-eating beast from the mountains (in other versions from under the sea), which came out every 12 months somewhere close to winter to prey on humans. The people later believed that the Nian was sensitive to loud noises and the colour red, so they scared it away with explosions, fireworks and the liberal use of the colour red. These customs led to the first New Year celebrations. Guò nián (simplified Chinese: 过年; traditional Chinese: 過年), which means to celebrate the new year, literally means the passover of the Nian.

Senior citizens, retirees and tourists stand enthralled at the chinese community performance put up for free as a way to bless the less fortunate.

2 young boys mesmerized by the show.

Kids run amok in front of the stage while their parents sat transfixed. Many would turn up for the free performance at Chinatown, Singapore the night before the eve of Chinese New Year.

Locals and tourist sit side by side, enjoying the show on stage.

Inner Healing

http://www.now-i-see.net/healing

Healing services in Church of Our Saviour, Singapore usually draw a throng of devout worshippers together to seek God's divine healing.

A service of prayer for healing and wholeness is not a new activity for Christianity as a religion. Healing services are an ancient and accepted practice and has spread to the far-reaches of Asia.

Numerous prayers for healing are as old as the Bible itself.

The disciples, following Jesus's example, anointed the sick and prayed for healing. The book of James, states that: "If anyone is sick, call the elders and pray for that person and anoint that person with oil in the name of the Lord."

1st blood

This photo story follows a group of teenagers barely out of their adolescence. Thomas 24 and Ah Bao 21. Both are ex-convicts whose tough talk belies their youthful exterior. In city state Singapore, where every individual born is being put through school, college and then university, everyone follows a almost totalitarian uniform regime of doing things. Theirs is a story of unconventionality. These are the people who have fallen through the cracks. Both Ah Bao and Thomas sells plastic pens on the streets of Orchard to make enough for pocket money. They get to keep half the amount for every $2 pen sold.

http://now-i-see.net/convict/