Cleese, Sellers and Ringo.

What to say. Never in a month of Sundays would you put these three in the same film.

Portrait.

A painting by Gek in oils. No oil painting, as they say. What makes a face? Eyes, nose and lips, or in my case, lack of them. My hair used to be red in days gone by. I had a passport photo done recently in which the blue in my eyes alarmed even me!!! Mum always said I had a big head too.

Book - On Royalty

Sorry Jeremy, only got half way through your book. And why is your name printed bigger than the title? The photo looks suspicious too. I think the argument in the book is that Royalty is what sustains Kingship/Monarchy, but even when Kingship/Monarchy are no more, people still need a sense of that Royalty to define themselves. No coincidence then that Royalty is attributed to the God's representative on earth.

Film - Inception

Sorry, not a fan of shoot -'em-up movies, even if it has an interesting idea lost in it. Scores only 2.5 in my book.

Book - Our Man in Malaya.

I first came across Force 136 during my first stay in Singapore. The book I found then was very thin and covered the basics of the operation. Force 136 was a behind the lines intelligence gathering outfit operated from India during the Japanese occupation of the Malayan peninsular. This book by Margret Shennan fleshes out detail, and more interestingly in some ways, the human aspect of being that man in Malaya. For me the relationship between Chin Peng and John Davis gives hope to the rest of us. Two men divided by Politics and Culture but bonded by Respect for each other. Respect wins.

Book - J Gutenberg.

Yet another John Man effort. Quite a detective story in its self, getting the facts or, in most instances, the most likely sequence of events in Gutenberg's life. I guess we are living through a similar explosive evolution of a human communication. Wonder where ours will lead to?

Ballet in the Park.

Singapore is having one of the wettest July's ever. Floods all over the island. So, ballet in the rain really. The Singapore Dance Theatre are lovely. This was our third visit to appreciate their dance. Great evening.



Did you know that ballet originated from Italy? We are looking forward to Sleeping Beauty in December.

Dancer with Wolves

Stuffed dogs really. Need to go to the Steppes for the real deal.

The meaning. The cycle of ambition. We start out with limited intentions, building towards a pinnacle of achievement only to crash into our unforeseen nemesis, bringing you back to your beginnings. Why wolves? I guess because they are first class pack predators. Deep or what?

On a Human Scale.

Back to the Singapore Museum and it's classic design. Relief.

Lovely dome,

a classic door framing a classic car. A space you can relax in.

Casino Side.

Well, a bit untidy. Lots of levels, with bridges over a canal. All a bit cluttered looking. Reminded me of a Victorian railway station roof.

Good acoustics for this little band of strings.

A great glass dish collects rain water and deposits it into this pool creating a water fall effect, I guess.

And then there is the sampan trip. All a bit forced, I found. Shops every where you turn, of course. How many shops to fill Singapore? Probably more than the holes needed to fill the Albert Hall.

Coffee Break

Was a bit hot up top. So to the cafe for refreshment and to watch a video about the building of the Marina Sands. Tip. Go early morning after a rain storm. See further and stay cooler. Not many places to get out of the sun up there.

Ships.

All the land here has been reclaimed from the sea. Used to be in Malaysia till they shipped it here. The barrier divides the fresh water from the salty sea. Eventually, the fresh water side will be used as a reservoir.

All sorts of ships out in the anchorage. Wonder what life is like on one of these?

Hotel Pool.

The famous pool.

But there are also jacuzi's.

Had to have the shot.

SkyPark views.

Going round the deck anticlockwise, the Singapore flyer. You can also see the F1 pit buildings.

Still looks like a ship deck!!

Then the Marina Bay. Used to be the sea. But that is history

One of our favorite places. The Esplanade. The left pod houses the concert hall and the right pod the threatre.

This will soon be referred to as 'The Old business District'.

The new construct. The view of the docks will be blocked by the new buildings going up on the left. 'The New Business District'

SkyPark

Stepping out into the Park, you could be forgiven for thinking you were on a ships deck.

But not for long. The other ships are 56 stories below you!!!!

Marina Sands - inside.

Once inside you realise that the three towers have a common lobby.

The scale is quite impressive, with some interesting novel features!!!

Lots of posers.

And looking up can make you dizzy. If you image the towers as wooden pegs, then these balconies run round the inside of the peg leg.

Marina Sands

A morning at the new Marina Sands complex. Hotel. Casino. And more

The hotel is housed in these amazing towers.

As they were being built, massive steel works were needed to prop the sloping halves until they met and could support each other. We were heading up to the SkyPark.

Wu Guanzhong.

Wu Guanzhong died on Friday last week, 25th June 2010, in Beijing. It is a measure of the man that he request no funeral. Just a straight cremation.

Check out http://www.china.org.cn/english/NM-e/169480.htm for the story of his live. In extraordinary life and an exceptional artist.

He donated much of his art to museums.

He gave 113 of best paintings to Singapore in 2008. Rest in peace.

Film - Letters to Julet.

A good flik for afternoon viewing. 'Course couldn't happen in the real world. But then again, there was Friends Reunited and now Facebook. Score - 3. Why was I the only male in the cinema? Come on guys, don't be ashamed to tear up!!!!!! Won't hurt once in a while.

B & W update.

Started on the railing for the veranda. Going with a simple square spindle. Going to take 30 feet of 3/16 x 3/16 wood to complete the veranda. I keep doing the math, cause I don't belive it!!!

Down stairs ceiling now in place lights installed.

Glimps into the bedroom. The quilt on the bed is a Gek creation.

New furniture.

On a recent trip to Penang we chanced upon some new furniture. Gek has made up the soft seats and the cushion. Could be she is getting into miniatures??????

Christopher Dally - Painter.

Chris is holding his first solo art exhibition in Penang over the next 2 weeks, Touch of Fantasy. He has been painting in oils for 60 years. He went to sea at the age of 17 and never settled in the UK again, spending most of his working life in SE Asia. Pictured here with Ranu, Gek and me. A privilege to have been at the opening. 13 out of 30 paintings sold by the end of the evening. Result!!!!

  http://www.galerisenimutiara.com/touch_of_fantasy.php.

Evening Intimacy. 61x77 cm (2008) Oil on Canvas

On Baron Beach 61x77 cm (2001) Oil on Canvas

Waking in the Blue Room 61x77 cm (1993) Oil on Canvas.

Comfort befroe She Dances. 77x61 cm (1997) Oil on Canvas

Book - The Cave of the Yellow Dog.

The book , now a film. Reading it took me straight back to our visit to such a family. Recommended read.

The modeller.

Still putting things together. Spend some time each day adding to the house. Have to love Gek for allowing me to do this in the living room!!!! More detail on http://david-dollhouse.blogspot.com/.