Slow start to Ramadan bazaar

THE yearly Geylang Serai night market, held during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, is off to a slow start with fewer stalls than planned, fewer shoppers and a drop in spending, according to news reports.
Crowds are far less at the Geylang Serai night market this year, averaging 13,000 shoppers each night, compared to last year's 20,000. Visiting the Bazaar last Saturday I couldn't tell if there were really less visitors slowly crawling along the packed isles. And at least the food stalls were doing good business after sunset when people brake fast.

Shooting stalls had queues for folks to show of their ability to hit the "bulls eye".

Want to win a lava lamp or Winnie the Poo then better hit the target! The guy below trying to get as close as possible to increase the chance of winning in shooting one handed. BTW, he missed it!

New clothing, carpets, curtains, shoes and much more for Hari Raya Adilfitri, the end of Ramadan.

Flowers, glass pearls and other decorative items for the house

As usual in Singapore, regardless of religion or culture, the food stalls attract the most crowds

Turkish Kebab

all time favorite: chicken wings

Pancakes,

Ikan Tanckap Sendiri a Indonesian and Malaysian fish cake is also known as otah-otah, otah or

...otak in Singapore.

There are different forms of otak-otak originating from different regions. However, otak-otak from the south of Malaysia and from Singapore is wrapped up as a thin slice using banana or coconut leaf and grilled over a charcoal fire. As a result, it ends up reddish-orange, drier and with a more distinct smoky fish aroma.

Where world gourmet meets! In a restaurant in Geylang Serai!

The Night Market is open from August 15 to September 26

About: "A Month Of Hungry Ghosts" Movie

BEST FILM Nomination - Singapore International Film Festival 2009< " CRITIC'S RECOMMENDATION! - Wanbao, Chinese Evening Paper
"Captivating! A great eye-opener. Very fresh, very cool... great touch." - Wanbao

CRITIC'S PICK! - The Straits Times"Fascinating... a fresh perspective... the film delivers." - John Lui, Straits Times

"A scary and funny adventure! Very bold and insightful."
"Rewards the audience with a mysterious and educational journey." - Eista Lee, Zaobao

"A lively, humorous and expansive exploratory tour."
"You will leave intrigued... and more than a little spooked." - Whang Yee-Ling, 8 Days

"Fascinating... superb educational value..." - A Nutshell Review, Twitch Film
"Fast and furious... the importance of this film is not to be dismissed." - Koh Sian Eng, Cinema Onlinethe adventure of the seventh month:">

A MONTH OF HUNGRY GHOSTS is a 99-minute supernatural adventure across the spanning 30 days of the seventh lunar month. You have NEVER before seen the Hungry Ghost Festival presented quite like it is in this film. You WILL see it in a different light upon viewing the film. If you are an expat visiting or living in ... you simply MUST see this film and experience A MONTH OF HUNGRY GHOSTS firsthand. Interested in Asian culture, religion, the supernatural, superstitions, ghosts?

Movie Screening: 29th & 30th August at 8 pm (Free entrance)
Venue: Chinatown Ge Tai Stage Open Field along Spring Street beside the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple’s Carpark

Hungry Ghost Festrival, A 'Must See' for Expats, Tourists and even Locals

This year’s Chinatown Hungry Ghost Festival promises to be a special treat for both our ‘good brothers’ (euphemism for the spirits) and the living. For the first time ever, the Chinatown Business Association will be launching four days of activities to showcase the rich and intriguing culture of this mystical festival.

Visitors will enter into the world of deities, spirits and beliefs.
Find out which deity acts as the festival’s ‘policeman’, what secrets lie in the ‘Fa Cai Ang Bao’, watch the rituals and be immersed in the loud and electrifying action of the Ge Tai and Auction Dinner. To unravel more mysteries, one can also pay a visit to the Exhibition by the Taoist Federation by the festival site.

CHINATOWN HUNGRY GHOST FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

29th & 30th Aug – Movie screening (FOC)

Venue: Chinatown Ge Tai Stage (Open Field along Spring Street beside the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple’s Carpark)

All day: Viewing of Hungry Ghost Festival Exhibition

8pm: Screening of ‘A Month of Hungry Ghosts’

31st Aug - Prayer Day

All day: Viewing of Hungry Ghost Festival Exhibition

starting 11am till night: Taoist hungry ghost celbrations

9pm: Ge Tai Performance

Venue: Chinatown Ge Tai Stage (Open Field along Spring Street beside the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple’s Carpark)

1st Sept – Auction Day

All day: Viewing of Hungry Ghost Festival Exhibition

8:15 pm: Dinner and Auction at Festival site

9:15 pm: Ge Tai Performance

People looking for Erich to show newspaper

Sometimes it's unbelievable what impact a simple newspaper report can have. Since Erich was featured in the Chinese Newspaper a few days ago many people approach him with the paper in hands to point out that they read about him.

This guy below, a Chinese National, who saw Erich's photo on his flight from Beijing to Singapore was so excited and proud that he found Erich to show him the report!

And he was one of many to do so.

No Month Without A Front Page

Erich's popularity is ever growing. Almost every month his face appears on a newspaper or magazin somewhere in the world. Just today there was a new report about him in the Chinese Newspaper in Singapore.

But its not only news papers that show Erich, last week on TV Channel Discovery Travel & Living, traveling Chef Bobby Chinn in the Singapore episode of World Cafe Asia, visited Erich and enjoyed the cheese sausage.

Another famous chef made stop at Erich's, Anthony Bourdain and featured the Erich's Wuerstelstand in his show "No Reservations".

Erich's Moon Cakes

The moon cake festival is soon to come and for the first time Erich will be offering these traditional treats as well.

We will post more about Erich's moon cakes shortly. Keep tuning in an you won't miss it.

Original Austrian Waffles NEW on the Menu

Recently Erich added another delicious product to the Backstuben menu. You can enjoy now the best waffles in 2 flavours: Vanilla or Chocolate and you can choose from 5 different sauces ( Kaja-, Chocolate-, Strawberry-, Caramel-Sauce or Maple Syrup).

Insider tip and my personal favorite: Vanilla waffles with strawberry sauce and ICE CREAM!!

Mhhh D-E-L-I-C-I-C-I-O-U-S!!! Go and get it !

Movie screening in Chinatown during "Seven Month" activities

The movie "A Month of Hungry Ghosts" produced by Ms Genevieve Woo will be screened on the Ge Tai stage on the 29 & 30 Aug. After the movie there will be a meet the director (Mr Tony Kern) session.

Schedule:

7.30pm Viewing of Hungry Ghost exhibition
8.00pm Movie Screening
9.30pm Meet the Director session

Everything is free of charge!

DISCOUNT NEWS: 50% discount for the the tour (announced in yesterday's post) on the 31st Aug & 1 Sept. To enjoy this discount you just have to mention the pass word '2009 reasons to enjoy singapore' when booking. This is promotion sponsored by Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

The Hungry Ghost Festival is the next big event in Chinatown

Each year during the seventh lunar month is the time of the year when literally all hell breaks lose as the gates of hell will open to let out the 'hungry ghosts' to earth , which usually is between August to September. This traditional festival from China, the Hungry Ghost Month 2009 will be on from 20 Aug to 18 Sept.

To appease the wandering spirits the Chinese will offer prayers to the deceased, burn joss sticks, paper money and offer food. There will even be entertainment for the spirits during the festival. It is common to see wayang (Chinese Opera) or getai (mini concerts) performances being held during this period. Generally held at night, it is believed that these loud affairs attract and entertain the spirits. After the celebrations are over, the ghosts will return back to where they come from after a month of 'merry-making'.

If you want to learn more about these Hungry Ghost festivities join a guided tour (organized by the Chinatown Business Association) on two of the highlight days, 31 Aug and 1 Sept), to unravel the mysteries behind this bizarre festival."

Chinatown Hungry Ghost Festival Tour -

31 Aug 09 (Mon) & 1 Sept 09 (Tue)
6.30 pm – 10pm
(An in-depth guided tour of the Hungry Ghost Festival in Chinatown)

>Watch the rituals
>Learn about the practices
>Experience a 7th month auction
>Catch the 'Ge Tai' in action

Price: August 31: $30 per pax <> September 1: $ 50 /pax

inclusive of
- Dinner
- Ge Tai seating
- And exclusive access into festival site

Tour itinerary on 31 August (Mon)
- Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum
- Hungry Ghost Festival Site
- Prayer Walk
- Dinner at Food Street
- Ge Tai

Tour itinerary on 1 September (Tues)
- Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum
- Hungry Ghost Festival Site
- Funeral Paraphernalia
- Ge Tai
- Dinner at Festival Site

How to Book?
Contact the Chinatown Business Association (Jennifer or Jonel)
- Tel: 63720478
- Email: jennifer@chinatown.org.sg or jonel@chinatown.org.sg
- Book by: 26 Aug 09

Meeting Point
Main entrance of Buddha Tooth Relic Temple (facing South Bridge Road).
Registration opens at 5.30pm and closes at 6.15pm

Come Together Singapore

August 9 is the day of Singapore's independence. A celebration of nationhood when Singaporeans come together to rejoice as a nation.
Over 400 000 Singaporeans apply each year online to participate in the draw for the tickets. Almost everyone wants to be part of the celebration which are held in the Marina Bay on the floating platform which is 120 meters long and 83 meters wide, 5% larger than the soccer field at the National stadium. The platform can bear up to 1,070 tonnes, equivalent to the total weight of 9,000 people, 200 tonnes of stage props and three 30-tonne military vehicles. The seating capacity is 27,000 people.

This year's theme, Come Together- Reaching Out, Reaching Up embodied the ‘nation’ experience – the Singapore story - where its unique past, present and future come together.

Different chapters show the founding of Singapore to the modern nation of today.
The excited and lucky crowd who managed to get tickets

Singapore's Red Lions always a crowd pleaser
Precision landing between the stage and the grand stand
The Prime Minister arrives

Different chapters showcasing the Singapore story...

...which was narrated in form of festive songs and dances....
Sang Nila Utama, a prince from Sumatra, set forth to found a new city. On the island of Temasek, he beheld sight of a fantastic beast which his ministers identified as a lion although these animals were not native to the region.

In another chapter a hypothetical terrorist attack was brought to thrilling live....
...as the audience was treated to an impressive display of Singapore’s total defense capability

Various air craft, sea craft and land vehicles converge at the floating platform.
Boats chasing the "terrorists"


and of course finally get hold of them


The Parade was the centerpiece of the celebrations and while the President was inspecting the Guard of Honor...


...Singapore's flag flew past by....
... and the 21- Gun Presidential Salute was conducted on M3G floats..
For the first time it could be seen from the audience gallery.
The next chapter documented the transformation of Singapore from the little known trading port to one of the most globalized and cosmopolitan city-states in the world.
Various musical styles, fashion, trends and dance crazes were demonstrated
A medley of songs from the National Day repertoire was performed by a 600 member choir and over 400 young performers

Every year's highlight, the fireworks, brought the National Day Celebrations to a spectacular ending

Grand Finale of the 2 hour show. Over 1000 people are on the stage now.

27,000 spectators are ready to leave the Gallery and the thousands that watched the show from all around Marina Bay and One Fullerton are trying to get to MRT, Buses or other means of transport. However a well organised chaos!
After 10 years I was very lucky to get an unexpected ticket from the leader of the drummer group. Thanks so much for that!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE!!!

If you interested in more photos in a better resolution juts click the picture below and hit the slide show button on the top left of the album. I hope you'll enjoy:

NDP 2009