The city and island state of Singapore has recently won the right to host the first Summer Youth Olympic Games to be held in 2010.
In an announcement by the International Olympic Committee Chairman, Singapore was voted by the Committee as the most attractive location to host the inaugural games.
Singapore boasts a sterling track record for organizing and hosting very large events on a global level, and has strong experience and capabilities to manage the first Youth Olympic Games and ensure that it is a success.
Singapore’s bid was strengthened by the fact of:
Several well maintained sporting facilities
A world-class transport network
Adequate and comfortable accommodation
A wide variety of leisure, arts and cultural facilities and activities
A very safe environment for youth
Excellent connectivity with the rest of the world
Singapore is also a very young nation, founded only in 1965, and has always been a melting pot for the South East Asia region where a variety of cultures, languages and backgrounds live, work and play together.
However, most importantly, it was the passion and commitment of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games bid team and the strong support of Singaporeans from all walks of life that swayed the vote towards the city state.
A total of 19 competition venues and 7 training venues are expected to be used to stage the Singapore Youth Olympic Games in 2010.
Competition venues are largely scattered across Singapore at existing community sport facilities, and a number of new sport facilities will also be purpose-built for the games.
Given the relatively small size of Singapore island, all competition venues will be within a 30 minute shuttle bus ride from the Youth Olympic Village.
Most training venues will be located at the sports facilities of the National University Singapore. Sports facilities in the National University of Singapore are mostly within walking distance from the Youth Olympic Village, giving athletes the added advantage of convenience.
To accomodate the expected number of athletes and their training needs, additional training facilities at 5 other Singapore schools will also be used, and will be a short 10 to 15 minute shuttle ride from the Youth Olympic Village.
The potential of the Youth Olympic Games to unify the nation, and also reinforce Singapore’s presence on the world sporting map has captured the hearts and minds of many Singaporeans.
Many companies have also stepped forward to pledge their support for both the bid process as well as the successful organization of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010. Here is a list of the 700+ companies that have publicily stepped forward to lend their support.
A total of 19 competition venues and 7 training venues are expected to be used to stage the Singapore Youth Olympic Games in 2010.
Competition venues are largely scattered across Singapore at existing community sport facilities, and a number of new sport facilities will also be purpose-built for the games.
Given the relatively small size of Singapore island, all competition venues will be within a 30 minute shuttle bus ride from the Youth Olympic Village.
Most training venues will be located at the sports facilities of the National University Singapore. Sports facilities in the National University of Singapore are mostly within walking distance from the Youth Olympic Village, giving athletes the added advantage of convenience.
To accommodate the expected number of athletes and their training needs, additional training facilities at 5 other Singapore schools will also be used, and will be a short 10 to 15 minute shuttle ride from the Youth Olympic Village.
Bishan Stadium is part of the Bishan Sports Complex, which also includes the Bishan Sports Hall. It is the proposed venue for Athletics competition events as well as the finals of the football competition of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
The stadium has a permanent seating capacity of 3,000, and 7,000 more temporary seats will be added for the Youth Olympic Games. The warm-up venue for athletes will be at a local public school called the Catholic High School, a short 700m shuttle ride or 10 minute walk away from the stadium.
Bishan Stadium has been the headquarters of Home United Football Club – a participant in the Singapore’s professional football league. From 2004 to 2006, Bishan Stadium was used as the venue for Home United’s home matches in the Asian Football Confederation Cup tournament.
The stadium has also been used for a number of international football matches involving the Singapore national team, such as the ‘A’ international match between Singapore and the Philippines in March 2002.
In September 2006, Bishan Stadium was used as 1 of 2 venues for the Asian Football Confederation U-17 championship, also hosted by Singapore. The Australian national football team has also used the stadium before as its training base before the Asian Cup in June 2007.
Bishan Stadium is about 20 minutes traveling time from the Youth Olympic Village. It is conveniently located within walking from the Bishan MRT train station and the Bishan public bus interchange. Besides several convenience stores in the neighboring residential areas, there is also a large suburban shopping mall, Junction 8, situated nearby which provides a wide variety of shopping, dining, leisure and entertainment amenities.
Bishan Sports Hall is part of the Bishan Sports Complex. It is located next to the Bishan Stadium and is the proposed venue for the Gymnastics competition events of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
Bishan Sports Hall has been the de facto venue for the Singapore Open Gymnastics Championships for a number of years. The Pesta Sukan Gymnastics Championship was also held at this venue in 2004 and Bishan Sports Hall has hosted the ASEAN Schools Artistic and Rhythmic Championships in 2003.
Bishan Sports Hall is the training venue for Singapore’s national gymnastics team, while schools, clubs and gymnastics coaches also use the hall for various youth development and training programs.
The permanent seating gallery in Bishan Sports Hall caters to 1,700 spectators, and an additional 300 temporary seating spaces will also be added to accomodate the larger crowds expected for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
During the YOG, the warm-up halls for Gymnastics will be a three-minute shuttle ride away at two nearby local public schools, the Catholic High School and Raffles Institution. There are also potential alternate plans for a large, air-conditioned tent can be erected over the adjacent tennis courts as the warm-up area, but this has yet to be confirmed at time of writing.
The Bishan Sports Hall is about 20 minutes traveling time from the Youth Olympic Village, and is well connected to the public transportation network via the Bishan MRT train station, public bus interchange and taxis. A large and popular suburban shopping mall, Junction 8, is situated adjacent to the Sports Hall and will provide numerous shopping, dining, leisure and entertainment options for YOG participants and supporters.
Kallang Tennis Center is the proposed venue for the Tennis competitions to be held during the Singapore Youth Olympic Games in 2010. It is part of the Kallang Sport Centre which also includes the Netball Center and the Cricket Field, and will also form part of the new, intergrated Singapore Sports Hub destination.
Kallang Tennis Centre has 14 tennis courts and is located just outside the central business district of Singapore. A 16 minute shuttle bus ride from the Youth Olympic Village, Kallang Tennis Center was built as a community sports facility in March 1978. Since then, it has grown from strength to strength to become a popular venue for tennis programs and competitions, including hosting the annual Singapore National Schools Tennis Competition.
As the focal point for competitive tennis in Singapore, the Kallang Tennis Center is also the training venue for the national team and national youth teams.
Other facilities at the Kallang Tennis Centre include a canteen, shower rooms and an office area which can easily be turned into a medical and physiotherapy room. Temporary seating stands for 2,000 will be erected around the main court (Court 14) for fans and the media during the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
The Singapore Turf Club Riding School is a brand new, international standard equestrian facility that is proposed as the venue for the Equestrian competition events for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
Expected to be due for completion by end 2009, the new Riding School will occupy a 5–hectare site next to the Kranji Racecourse, the popular and only competitive horse racing facility in Singapore, where the annual Singapore Cup as well as weekly national horse racing events are held.
With its fully sheltered riding arena, the Singapore Turf Club Riding School is likely to be an ideal venue for the Equestrian Jumping event. Hosting the event at a riding school and horse-racing facility allows participants and organizers to easily utilize existing stables, equine facilities and expertise on offer.
The Singapore Turf Club Riding School arena will also have a surrounding gallery for 1,500 spectators, which will help create a sizeable and exciting crowd environment during competition day. With ample amenities such as car park space on site and a nearby MRT train station (Kranji) for public transport connectivity, the facility is well placed to host international standard equestrian events.
Situated in the North Western district of Singapore, the Singapore Turf Club Riding School will be around 20 minutes traveling time from the Youth Olympic Village by shuttle bus.
Don’t let the name mislead you, but the Kallang Cricket Field has been proposed as the venue for the Archery competition events of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010. It is part of the Kallang Sports Center together with the Tennis Center and Netball Center.
There is strong interest in Archery as a competitive sport in Singapore, and there are more than adequate professional archery equipment, supplies and support staff available to ensure that facilities set up at the Kallang Cricket Field to host the Archery competition event is staged to world standards.
The archery event here will also be clustered together with Tennis and Street Basketball at the adjacent Tennis Center and Netball Center respectively, offering athletes and supporters the opportunity to soak in the excitement of a variety of competitive sporting events in a 1 stop location.
The International Convention Center (ICC) is one of Singapore’s largest multi-purpose, indoor convention and exhibition facility in the heart of the business and financial district. The ICC is proposed as the competition venue for Fencing, Handball, Judo, Taekwondo, Boxing, and Indoor Wrestling events of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
The International Convention Centre is also conveniently located near the IOC Family hotels, of which the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore is just a 10-minute walk away. Other hotels include the Swissotel, Marina Mandarin, Oriental Hotel, Conrad International, and the Pan Pacific Hotel, all connected via sheltered pedestrian walkways within 10 minutes of the ICC.
The ICC has hosted some of the world’s biggest meetings, exhibitions and conventions. The most prominent of which was the International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Bank Congress in 2006. The convention and exhibition halls comprise approximately 25,000 square meters and will provide a world class, indoor air conditioned facility for the proposed sporting events.
The ICC, also popularly known to be situated within the SUNTEC City shopping and commercial office development, is easily accessible by the MRT train service (City Hall, Millenia) and various public bus services. It is around 20 minutes by shuttle bus from the Youth Olympic Village.
The Choa Chu Kang Stadium, with its international standard football pitch and 4,000–spectator capacity, has been proposed along with Jurong West Stadium as the proposed venue for the preliminary rounds of the Football competition of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
The stadium was built in 2001 and is part of the Choa Chu Kang Sports Complex, a large and popular community sports facility which includes alongside the stadium, a swimming complex, gymnasium, four tennis courts, a street soccer area, and a multi-purpose sports hall. Choa Chu Kang Stadium is home to the Singapore Armed Forces Football Club (SAFFC), which participates in Singapore’s professional football league.
Choa Chu Kang Stadium has been used as the venue for the home leg of Asian Club Football Championships in 2002. The venue was also used when Singapore played the ‘A’ international friendly football match against the Philippines in early 2007.
When SAFFC participated in the Asian Football Confederation Cup 2007, the Choa Chu Kang Stadium hosted various football league teams from around the world, including India’s Mahendra United, Hong Kong’s Happy Valley, Jordan’s Al-Wihdat and New Radiant from the Maldives.
The Stadium was also the venue for the Asian Grand Prix Athletics Championships in 2005. It is also frequently used to host various Singapore Athletics events such as the annual Singapore National Schools’ Athletics Championships and the Singapore Open Athletics Championships.
Choa Chu Kang Stadium is a 20 minute shuttle bus ride from the Youth Olympic Village.
Jurong West Stadium, with its international standard football pitch and a capacity to host 3,200 spectators, will be one of the two proposed venues for the preliminary football competition matches of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
Jurong West Stadium is part of the Jurong West Sports Complex – a relatively large and popular community sports facility frequented by many who live in the surrounding residential areas. The integrated sports facility includes the stadium, a swimming complex, a multi-purpose sports hall, and 2 tennis courts.
The stadium is home to the Gombak United Football Club, one of the clubs competing in Singapore’s professional football league. Jurong West Stadium has been the venue for a number of international friendly matches, and has hosted national football teams from countries such the United Arab Emirates, North Korea, Oman, Saudi Arabia.
Located in the western part of Singapore, Jurong West Stadium is accessible via highway and is approximately 20 minutes away from the Youth Olympic Village by shuttle bus.
Jurong West Stadium is also situated across the road from the Pioneer MRT train station (expected to commence operations by end 2009). The Stadium is well served by public bus transport and the nearby Public Bus Interchange, Boon Lay.
The Singapore Sports School is the proposed venue for four sports during the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010: Swimming, Weightlifting, Volleyball and Modern Pentathlon.
The Singapore Sports School was founded in 2004 as Singapore’s only premier training institute that combined sports and education for promising, young athletes aspiring to a career in professional sports. Students between 13 and 17 years are admitted and the Singapore Sports School supports these students to pursue their sporting dreams while achieving a sound academic education.
Built as a greenfield project on a 7–hectare site and fully equipped with sports training, education, and residential facilities, the Singapore Sports School has been highly successful in developing Singapore’s young sporting talent. The impressive swimming complex within the Sports School has two Olympic–sized swimming pools, covered by a four-storey high shelter.
The Singapore Sports School has hosted the Asian Swimming Championships and the Singapore Open National Swimming Championships since 2006.
With 2,700 temporary seats installed, sufficient seating arrangements for a sizeable crowd will ensure an exciting swimming competition, as well as enhance the competitive swimming element of the Modern Pentathlon event during the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
The Auditorium and Badminton Hall of the Singapore Sports School will be used as venues for the Weightlifting and Volleyball competitions respectively, while the various components of Modern Pentathlon will make use of the swimming pool, auditorium and athletic field facilities within the school.
Although located in a relatively quiet North Western corner of Singapore, the sports school is only around 20 to 25 minutes away from the Youth Olympic Village by shuttle bus. In a way, the seclusion plays to the condusive environment for students to concentrate on their training needs and studies, and keep to the rigorous schedules of aspiring sport professionals.
Part of the Toa Payoh Sports Complex, which also includes the Toa Payoh Swimming Complex, the Toa Payoh Sports Hall is the proposed venue for both Table Tennis and Shooting competitions in the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
With a seating capacity of 2,000 spectators, the Toa Payoh Sports Hall has hosted a wide range of sports events. It was used as the venue for the Table-Tennis competition during the South East Asian Games in 1993. Other major Table-Tennis events hosted here include the Commonwealth Championships (2000), Women’s World Cup (2002), the Volkswagen Pro-Tour (2004, 2006), and the South East Asian Championships (2006).
In 2007, Toa Payoh Sports Hall also hosted the Five Nations Netball Tournament involving Singapore, Canada, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago and Northern Ireland.
Kallang Tennis Center is the proposed venue for the Tennis competitions to be held during the Singapore Youth Olympic Games in 2010. It is part of the Kallang Sport Centre which also includes the Netball Center and the Cricket Field, and will also form part of the new, intergrated Singapore Sports Hub destination.
Kallang Tennis Centre has 14 tennis courts and is located just outside the central business district of Singapore. A 16 minute shuttle bus ride from the Youth Olympic Village, Kallang Tennis Center was built as a community sports facility in March 1978. Since then, it has grown from strength to strength to become a popular venue for tennis programs and competitions, including hosting the annual Singapore National Schools Tennis Competition.
As the focal point for competitive tennis in Singapore, the Kallang Tennis Center is also the training venue for the national team and national youth teams.
Other facilities at the Kallang Tennis Centre include a canteen, shower rooms and an office area which can easily be turned into a medical and physiotherapy room. Temporary seating stands for 2,000 will be erected around the main court (Court 14) for fans and the media.
Sentosa Siloso Beach is the proposed venue for the Beach Volleyball and Beach Wrestling competition events of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games in 2010. The beach is situated on the resort island of Sentosa, just off the Southern coast of Singapore and a bridge connects the island by car, bus and light rail train services to the mainland.
At around 13 minutes travelling time from the Youth Olympic Village, it is hard to imagine that there would be such a nice island resort in such close proximity to the city centre.
The Sentosa Siloso Beach hosted the Swatch-FIVB Beach volleyball championships in May 2007, the first time Singapore hosted an event from the Beach Volleyball World Tour. Athletes
from all over the world competed to qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and US$ 200,000 in prize money. The tournament attracted hundreds of fans to the island on a daily basis.
Sentosa Siloso Beach is home to Singapore’s beach sports enthusiasts, who gather here most weekends to participate in casual and competitive games. When the sun sets, the sporty atmosphere gives way to a relaxing and romantic dining and entertainment ambience with its al fresco restaurants, cafes and lounges.
East Coast Park, less than 1km away from the National Sailing Center, has been proposed as the competition venue for the Triathlon event of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
The East Coast Park is Singapore’s largest and most popular public beach and park facility. This area offers a wide range of facilities, including dining, recreation, entertainment and sport, and caters to all age groups from young to old. Every morning, evening and weekend, East Coast Park attracts hundreds of people to its large open spaces, lagoons, fitness areas, and barbecue pits.
The 7.5km long beach integartes a variety of watersports, recreation and food and beverage outlets. A variety of sports can be enjoyed at the park, including cable wakeboarding, sailing and windsurfing. Fishing and open sea swimming are also popular leisure activities that take place at the park.
With a 12 km cycling, roller blading and jogging track built along the Eastern coastline of Singapore, East Coast Park also offers a distinct combination of lush greenery, open spaces and fresh air for both leisure and sport training and competitions.
East Coast Park has been the location for the OSIM Singapore Triathlon, an international Olympic distance triathlon event that has grown steadily from 500 participants in 2002 to 3,800 participants in 2007. Participants swim in the surrounding open sea, then transit seamlessly to the tropical greenery of the East Coast Park road for the cycle and run segements of the triathlon.
With the recent completion of the Marina Barrage, the newly created Marina Reservoir will be a choice venue for a wide range of international standard water sporting activities, including hosting the Canoeing and Rowing competition events for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
The Marina Reservior area will include a sheltered, 1km straight race-course earmarked for Canoeing and Rowing activities. The on-land activites will be staged along a portion of Gardens by the Bay – a new 32-hectare public park facility next to Marina Reservoir.
With an extensive water frontage along the Marina Reservoir, the Gardens will provide an excellent vantage point for spectators and media coverage. A covered seating gallery for approximately 1,100 spectators will also be constructed so that fans will have a spectacular, clear view of the live competition action along the channel.
The proposed facilities to be made available on site at the Marina Reservoir for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010 includes a boat-storage shed for up to 200 boats, a boat-washing area, toilet and shower facilities, and a doping-control station. The Marina Reservoir is situated about 20 minutes by shuttle bus from the Youth Olympic Village.
The proposed venue for the Sailing competition events of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010 is the National Sailing Centre located on the South Eastern coast of Singapore, near Changi International Airport, and towards the tail end of the East Coast Park leisure and recreation strip that spans most of the South Eastern and Eastern coastline of Singapore.
Covering an area of around 2.4-hectares, the National Sailing Center was built at a cost of around US$ 5.4 million, and is dedicated solely to the promotion and excellence of sailing as a leisure and competitive sport. Its facilities include a large berthing area for boats, an administration block, a multi-purpose sports hall, a cafeteria, a dormitory and an auditorium.
The National Sailing Center is the primary training ground of Singapore’s national sailors who made their mark during the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, where Singapore gained recognition as Asia’s top sailing nation. The sailors in the 470–class have also earned a place to compete internationally in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
The center has always been a choice location for regional and international sailing competitions. It is an ideal location for sailing competitions as its strategic position makes full use of the South West and North East winds for year-round sailing. The average daytime wind direction in the area is 165 degrees, and average daytime wind strength is around 10 knots (18.5 km/h).
The National Sailing Center has hosted many international and regional events. These include the World Byte Championships (2003), the World Hobie Tiger (2005), the Asean Optimist Championship (2006), the Asia Pacific Laser Championships (2006) and the Asian Optimist Championships (2007).
The center is less than 30 minutes traveling time from the Youth Olympic Village, from which it is connected directly by a highway.
The current home and headquarters of the Singapore Hockey Federation, the National Hockey Center is the proposed venue for the Hockey competition events of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010.
The Singapore Hockey Federation uses the facility for its national and youth development hockey squad training. One of the earliest uses of the National Hockey Center as a hockey competition venue was during the 1993 South East Asian Games. Since then, the facility has also been used extensively by the Singapore Hockey League.
Apart from the Singapore Hockey League, the National Hockey Center has played host to the first Women’s Asian Hockey Federation Cup (1997), the Under-16 Asian Hockey Federation Cup (2000). The Singapore International Hockey Challenge (2007) was also staged in the facility, and featured national men’s and women’s hockey teams from India, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan and Singapore.
The National Hockey Center is situated around 20 minutes away by shuttle bus from the Youth Olympic Village and most IOC Family hotels. It is well connected to the public transportation network, and is walking distance from the Redhill MRT train station and public bus stops.
Population: Around 4 million
Currency: 1 Singapore dollar (SGD) = 100 cents
Opening hours: Most shops in the city are open from 10am until 8pm or 9pm every day of the week.
Tourism Website: Visit Singapore
Emergency numbers: Police 999, Emergency/Ambulance/Fire Brigade 995
Singapore Visitors Centre (Tourism information) locations:
Singapore Visitors Centre at Liang Court
177 River Valley Road,
Level 1, Liang Court Shopping Centre
Tel: + 65 6336 7184
Open daily 10am-10pm
Singapore Visitors Centre at Orchard
Cairnhill Road / Orchard Road Crossing
Open daily 8am-10.30pm
Singapore Visitors Centre at the Airport
Changi International Airport Arrivals Hall
Terminal 1 and 2
The goal of Flora Singapura is to bridge the gap between the terse technical descriptions of plants found in the various botanical text books and what we observe in the (Singapore) forests. I approach this by using photographs and commentary to illustrate and describe the identifying field characters of the trees and shrubs that from time to time command my attention. There are some 2000 species of native vascular plants in Singapore and so far I have only a modest number of species illustrated, I will add to the content as often as I can.
Be Creative – Plant Native
The Laurels are a large family represented in Singapore by some 40 species in 12 Genus. Some areas of secondary forest in our Nature Reserves are dominated by Laurels.
| Trees of this genus have leaves arranged in whorls along the stem with long intervals between the leaf nodes. |
Cinnamomum Genus
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Cinnamon is a well known product from trees of thus genus and the trees are also used for ornamental purposes. In Singapore there are three native species one of them C. inners is considered very common, the other two species less so.
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the fruits of Dipterocarpaceae are generally intolerant of salt water and because of this, sea boundaries are a major obstacle to dispersal. If you consider this mind numbingly slow linear rate of dispersal plus the time it takes for a seedling to become a mature reproductive tree you may realize that there is no way this family could have the breadth of distribution it enjoys simply through terrestrial seed dispersal. Scientific studies have identified correlations between distribution and diversification of Dipterocarp species with tectonic plate movements and the currently accepted theory of distribution involves the family originating in Africa and deploying to South East Asia via these plate movements.
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The Myrtle family is very well known for the Eucalyptus (Gum Trees) and Melaleuca (Paper Bark) species of Australia, in Singapore the family is very nicely represented by the Syzygium genus which at last count includes some 50 native species, a number of which are cultivated as road-side trees. This family also includes the ubiquitous Rhodamnia cinarea which is a very common species in secondary forest.
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Most of the Syzygium species were previously categorized under the Eugenia genus and as a result of this reorganization the species names have been changed slightly, for example Eugenia grandis is now known as Syzygium grande and Eugenia polyantha is now known as Syzygium polyanthum. The reason for these changes is that the gender of the latin names has been made consistent. Therefore when quoting botanical names for this genus, extra care must be exercised with respect to spelling, it is very easy to revert to the old Eugenia species names and mix them up with the Syzygium genus name. Anybody caught mixing up the old species names will be severely punished.
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Myristicaceae family is represented in our Singapore forests by 5 genera: Endocomia, Gymnacranthera, Horsfieldia, Knema
and Myristica representing some 31 species. The trees are monopodal particularly when young though some lose this trait as they mature, have alternate arranged leaves and pink or red exudate.
The fruits are generally round to egg shaped and members of this family are fairly easy to recognize when fruiting. In the absence of fruits (or flowers), the monopodal stem with wagon wheel branching is the important visual clue to recognizing a nutmeg tree.
The fruits of Nutmegs can be fairly large and the dihescent capsules will usually open in the tree offering the brightly coloured arilate seeds as enticement to the birds. The primary seed dispersal agents are larger birds with robust beaks such as pigeons and Hornbills which are known as primary seed dispersers for the nutmeg family.
The near extinction of Hornbills in Singapore has been cause for concern for the Nutmegs, with seed dispersal being left up to the secondary dispersal agents – the rodents (squirrels and rats).
Most of the Nutmeg species illustrated here have been provisionally identified mainly from vegetative characters. As fertile specimens are encountered some alterations may be required.
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The main identifying characters of this genus are secondary veins looped well clear of the margin and quite prominent on the underside of the leaf which is pale compared to top side. On the top side of the leaf, the midrib is sunken and this is a good distinguishing character for the genus.
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The Apocynaceae family is characterized by having copious amounts of white latex in most parts of the plant, usually whorled leaves and twinned seedpods. The flowers are typically 5-petaled and propeller like with each petal overlapping one adjacent petal and itself being overlapped by the next adjacent petal. Once familiar with some of the common members of this family you would have difficulty moving about in Singapore and not recognizing them. As common as many of the species of this family are, some are critically endangered in Singapore due to their special habitat needs.
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Despite being extensively developed there remains in Singapore small examples of most of the original forest habitats that covered the island up till the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles. The small fragments of original forest may be found in the various Nature Reserves and Nature Parks of Singapore and include Primary Dipterocarp Forest, Secondary Forest, Fresh Water Swamp Forest, Coastal Forest and Mangrove Forest.
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In this case some 40 hectares of mature secondary forest was literally flattened by a local storm which passed over the Upper Seletar Reservoir. Much of the forest damage seems to have occurred around the water inlets and it seems likely that winds passing unrestricted over the reservoir surface were funneled into these inlets and accelerated as the inlets narrowed.
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I always find traditional uses for plants an interesting subject. There are books that cover this subject and sometimes I find it amusing that the Chinese will use a plant for one thing, while the Malays will use it for something completely different. My own experience with traditional uses of local forest product is a bit closer to home, my cooking pot actually. In this section I will document various recipes that involve the local flora. All the botanical materials used in these recipes have either been “borrowed” from road side trees or acquired at local markets and never taken from Nature Reserves.
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Both showed their mettle during the launch by charming guests with a good selection of wines and food dishes. An efficient team of support staff ensured the smooth running of this event. It was an evening with lots of energy, happy folks, smiling faces and warm company. I have to compliment the team for hosting a great evening.
Game for Russian Fare?” my epicurean-friend approached me. “Why not?” I replied her spontaneously. And Buyan, here we come:
Perched on 9/10 Duxton Hill, Singapore; two quaint colonial-era shophouses integrated into one beautiful Buyan, a Russian-owned restaurant where you can experience 4 intriguing dining concepts.
Vodka and Caviar Bar (Ground Floor)
A bar counter serving over 50 variants of Vodka, Russian Beer, Russian Champagne and more. Not forgetting, Caviar, a delicacy of Russian Cuisine which is not to be missed out either. A small section here is reserved for casual dining.
Private Dining Room (Ground Floor)
A 20-seater across a 7.5m long Chef’s Table is open for private booking. This exclusive room is also the only section overlooking the main kitchen where you can watch the chefs perform their culinary stunners. Also storage to the world’s oldest champagne, 1841 Veuve Clicquot which costs €30,000 and an impressive few-million-worth of wine collection that will make any wine connoisseur lust after: 1821 Chateau-Chalon Vin Jaune, 1854 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, 1859 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, 1877 Chateau Margaux, 1907 Heidsieck & Co, to name a few.
Extensive bottle display of Armagnac produced in consecutive years.
Fine Dining (2nd Floor)
Frescoes adorn the walls to ceilings mythically, giving me the vibe of Buyan, which is named after a mysterious island in Russian folklore that has the magical powers of appearing and disappearing in the ocean.
Casual Dining (3rd Floor)
The design concept behind is set to emulate a Russian Monastery’s canteen which explains the bench-like chairs, candelabras, oil paintings & pseudo stained-glass windows.
My Casual Dining Experience at the Bar
Seated not long, my epicurean-friend pointed out the top right-side of my robust, woody chair. A good idea for patrons to hang their pocketbooks! We are given iPad menus to look at the ‘actual dishes’, with short descriptions for some. So far, as to my knowledge, Buyan is the first and only restaurant in Singapore to serve iPad menus. I applaud their hi-tech move in the local dining scene.
Cutlery is uniquely designed; I simply love their curvy forms!
Even the toilet’s tap is specially retrofitted to give you the mythical vibe.
Waitstaff are attentive and caring. During my course of dining, I saw the bartender helping a lady-diner who is feeling cold to put on a Russian shawl.
Our Russian Gastronomy:
Mors – A traditional Russian thirst-quencher made from a wholesome bunch of smashed and strained berries: cloudberry, cranberry & lingonberry. Refreshing and ‘berrylicious!’
My epicurean-friend pops open a bottle of Abrau Durso Champagneand offers me a few glasses. A remarkable, well-flavored Russian sparkling wine that ends with a sprightly, fruity note.
Caviar Platter – Renowned as ‘Treasures of the Black Sea’; only a mother-of-pearl spoon is fitted to scoop these tiny black gems onto the Blinis, thin pancakes (crepe-like) to avoid tainting the natural flavor. The caviar on its own tastes piscine. But when you spread some onto a blini, sprinkle a bit of finely-chopped onions, chives, scrambled eggs, drizzle atop their sour-cream relish and start rolling like a cigar, you will find your palate on its way to caviar’s premium taste!
Borscht – A beetroot & cabbage soup with complements of Beef Strips; a good symphony of sweet and tart flavors contained in a velvety-smooth texture. Taste so moreish, that I wish my bowl is ‘The Magic Porridge Pot’.
Pelmeni – Dough pockets that resemble Chinese Dumplings, stuffed with minced beef and pork filling. Dough texture is on the thicker side and as I bite a mouthful, an undesirable unctuous gravy squirts out. I must say they are chewy and delectable though; however only if you are not health-conscious.
Beef Stroganoff – Sous vide (Slowed-cooked) tenderloin served with Isigny cream sauce and sautéed Chanterelle mushroom. The beef is succulent and the sauce taste more like Carbonara pasta sauce to me. The only problem I have or should I say ‘we have’ is, this dish tends to be too generous with the salty-flavor. The saltiness overpowers the beauty of this creation.
Chicken Kiev – Chicken breast pounded, breaded and fried. Mushroom sauce drizzled over it and comes with some sautéed potatoes & broccoli; a dish that has to be savored on the spot while it is crisp and blistering-hot.
Perhaps, both of us are too ambitious to drink and eat heartily at the same time. I have too much of a drink or drinks (Mors & Champagne), thus unable to enjoy better the latter courses. I will bring more epicureans my next round for better order-strategy.
Baked Apple – This lovely Afters comes at the right moment; a breaded green apple baked and drizzled with berry compote. Crisp and tartly-appetizing to conclude our Russian Fare for the evening!
In my humble opinion, Buyan truly deserves your patronage, especially if you aspire to be a gastronome!
Animal Human Alliance Pet Services (AHA) (and their adorable resident cat Ken Ken!) is our official pet food consultant. We work closely with them to create a nutritious and balanced diet for our cats. They are a pet shop that sells pet products only and not live animals, which is something The Company of Cats fully supports as we advocate for adoption and not buying of animals. AHA is a pet business with a heart, as the owner Chan devotes himself to encouraging and sponsoring monasteries to adopt stray animals.
Just Anthony carries the widest range of fine Chinese antique furniture in Singapore. We – and our cats – love our Just Anthony antique bamboo bench, as a nostalgic nod to the roots of our beautiful Chinese heritage shophouse.
Everything’s better in The Company of Cats.
Cakes, Hot Pocket Toasties, Desserts and Snacks
INCLUDES A STANDARD DRINK
$14 for first hour
$5 per subsequent 1/2hr
CASH & NETS ONLY . NO SERVICE CHARGE . NO GST
We would like all our visitors to have the best experience at our little cat café.
Help us ensure the happiness and safety of our cats and of yourselves
by observing these rules:
If they get on your lap themselves, that’s OK!
Taking photos is OK!
How do I purchase tickets online?
For single event / performance selection
1. Click on the Buy Tickets icon located next to the featured event. It will take you straight to the selected event’s booking page.
2. Select the Price Category that you wish to purchase and indicate the number of seats required. Click CONTINUE. Please note that if online discounts are available, it will be reflected on the following page.
3. If you are eligible for any of the discounts offered, select the option accordingly. Please note that terms and conditions apply.
4. Click CONTINUE. The system will now offer you the best available seats at the point of booking. You may make reference to the static Seat Map that may be available at the event page.
5. Do note that for online bookings, a Mailing Fee/Collection at Venue of S$1.00 per transaction applies (maximum 10 tickets per transaction).
6. If you are happy with the seats and the amount payable is in order, click CONTINUE.
7. Enter all your personal details accordingly.
8. Once the transaction is completed, you will receive an email confirming your purchase. If you do not receive the email confirmation within 24 hours of your purchase.
9. Tickets may either be mailed to the address you have entered, or collected at the venue on the day of the event.
For multiple events / performances selection
1. After selecting your first event / performance, the system will display the details of the seats offered by the system.
2. At the bottom of the page, you have the option to ADD ANOTHER EVENT to your purchase list. Click on that if you wish to make another event / performance selection.
3. Repeat steps 1 & 2 until you have completed your list of event / performance selection.
4. Check through all the seats offered and the amount payable. If all is in order, click CONTINUE to proceed with your bookings.
5. Enter your personal details accordingly.
6. Once the transaction is completed, you will receive an email confirming your purchase. If you do not receive the email confirmation within 24 hours of your purchase, please call our Hotline: 6296 2929 to check on status of your purchase.
7. Tickets ay either be mailed to the address you have entered, or collected at the venue on the day of the event.
Important Notes:
* As there is a time limit of 10 minutes per transaction, you are advised to have your choice of event / performances ready.
* Please be informed that once you exit the Booking Page, your transaction is cancelled.
* For assistance, please call our Hotline: 6296 2929.
Can I choose my seats?
Our computerised ticketing system allocates the best available seats for all customers at the point of transaction. To minimise the duration of your online booking process and to maximise seat allocations, you are not allowed to choose your seats.
How long do I have to wait to receive my tickets by mail?
For delivery within Singapore, please allow at least 5 working days for our processing and delivery by Singapore Post.
Can I choose to collect my tickets at the venue?
Yes, you can also choose to collect your tickets at the venue within 1 hour prior to show time, i.e. if the show time is 8pm, you can collect your tickets anytime between 7pm and 8pm. (Available only for orders received within 24 hours before the day of the show).
When will my credit card be charged?
Your credit card will be charged once your booking is confirmed.
If I do not have a credit or charge card, can I still book tickets online?
Currently, we only accept major credit cards (i.e. Visa & Mastercard) for Internet, phone, and fax bookings. If you wish to pay by cash or NETS, please visit our any of our authorised outlets.
If I change my mind about the tickets I booked, can I get a refund?
Once the booking is processed, no refunds will be made unless the show is cancelled. You may consider giving the ticket away or selling it away through your own means.
I cannot make it for the show. Can I change the performance date and time?
Complete with your booking ID, full name, the date and time of your tickets, as well as the reason for your exchange. We will submit your request to the show promoter for their consideration. Only with the show promoter’s consent will Tickets.com grant you the exchange. If your tickets have already been processed and sent to you, you must return the original tickets to Tickets.com, and each new ticket will be issued to you at S$1.00 per ticket. If tickets have not been processed, amendments will be made accordingly. Please note that a downgrade in seat category is not allowed.
What happens if I’d misplaced my tickets?
Tickets may be replaced at S$1.00 per ticket. Mailing charges apply if tickets are to be mailed out to you again.
If you want to see the fine art of belly dance performed with fiery, sensual, passionate temperament and a grand dose of youthful originality or you wish you could learn from one of the most highly respected and mentioned names in the belly dance industry then contact Princess Jasmina. She is one of Singapore’s exceptionally skilled performers and most talented belly dance teachers.
Princess Jasmina is one of the hottest belly dancers at present in Singapore. Based in Singapore, she performs her lively and alluring belly dance routines at many of Singapore’s most well known and prestigious venues, night clubs and Middle Eastern restaurants. She is also in high demand for many other events and occasions including festivals, corporate functions, parties, birthdays, engagements, weddings, and more! So add some spice to your next special occasion!
If you want to learn to belly dance like a true Goddess of this highly revered ancient art form then Princess Jasmina can help guide and develop your very own style and originality by aiding you to first master traditional techniques of varied belly dance styles and then encouraging you to merge them with your own personal improvisations. She offers a range of tuition options depending on your needs. You can learn to belly dance in One-to-One Private Lessons, in Open Group Tuition, or as part of a Private Group with you and your friends.
Princess Jasmine’s commanding presence and beauty, her coloured and ornate originally-styled costumes together with her electrifying dance displays, continue to rock and shock audiences from all walks of nationalities and cultures, leaving them clamoring for more. She is excitingly youthful, respectfully innovative, and sizzles with immeasurable passion. To book her to perform at your next function, or gain from her the knowledge and wisdom to learn to belly dance like a Goddess, give her a call today!
Belly dance Core Conditioning will enhance strong core muscles which is important for good posture, a healthy back, and the feminine hourglass shape.
Basic Moves/Fat Basic Moves – This easy-to-learn program will thoroughly exercise your body while teaching you the basic moves needed to use belly dance for fitness. It’s low-impact, relaxing, sensually stimulating and also fun!
Taking Singapore economy to another level, Singapore beverage company Out of the Box launched to Singapore consumers who respond to “What would you like to drink?” with a non-committal “anything” or “whatever”. Out of the Box launched two complementary brands: Anything and Whatever. Anything is fizzy and comes in six flavours (Cola with Lemon, Apple, Fizz Up, Cloudy Lemon and Root Beer) and Whatever is non-carbonated (Ice Lemon Tea, Peach Tea, Jasmine Green Tea, White Grape Tea, Apple Tea, Chrysanthemum Tea).
Besides the taste of the soft drink, this drink gives you something totally different. When you do not have the ability to differentiate each drink from the other, it creates excitement. After all, all the can looks the same from the outside. What you might not know is that there are 6 different flavours and you probably won’t know which one you will get.
There are some form of information though. The drinks are divided into carbonated and non-carbonated drinks.
Besides that, there is information like ingredients specification on the outside of the can and that is as much as you get. As every beverage has a generic design, you can only make the educated guess from whatever information you have. If you are a seasoned drinker, then it might work for you. Otherwise, take a chance and see what you get.
Such a campaign then creates a sense of intrigue for the customer, a type of experience that might connect you better and more impactful with your target audience.
