Thian Hock Keng comes alive virtually!

 

Virtual tours became a thing during the pandemic. I was a late adopter of this new and innovative form of delivering tours to a global audience. Nonetheless, after entering the world of virtual tours I enjoyed the experience.

I have conversations with travelers from all over the world – time zones notwithstanding. I experiment live streaming from places which a physical audience may hesitate to visit for various reasons, e.g. weather (it's hot in Singapore), inability to travel, etc.

I have started to upload recordings of my live, virtual tours on my YouTube channel.

The tours are generally 40- 60 minutes long. Though, since it's YouTube, you can break each video into bite size 'episodes' or even skip the bits you don't enjoy (not recommende!!) ... Even mute the sound if you don't want to hear me drone on about the marvels of Thian Hock Keng temple!

Below is the link to my walkabout around Singapore's beautiful Thian Hock Keng temple ... please watch.

If you like what you see, please subscribe to get notified as I upload more recordings of other tours delivered live from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Turkey.

Turkey to Northern Cyprus: Mersin, Famagusta and an unending journey across the Mediterranean Sea

Surface travel, i.e. rail, road and sea, are my preferred travel modes. Anyone can travel by air between two cities but few take the time and effort to soak in the landscape (or urbanscape / seascape) as you whiz towards your destination say by train.

So when it came to planning our journey to Northern Cyprus I naturally gravitated towards a ferry journey from mainland Turkey. Indeed, I chose to ignore some warning signs from a Turkish friend who mentioned that during the low season – March is considered low season – regular passenger ferries are suspended. Instead, passengers are given passage on freighters plying the busy route between Mersin, Turkey and Famagusta (Gazimagusa in Turkish), Northern Cyprus.

The freighter being loaded with cargo - and humans - at Mersin port, Turkey

(Photo: Imran Ahmed. All Rights Reserved.)

A second hint of possible trouble arose when the travel agent informed us the journey was at night and the ship only offered seats, no sleepers. (A cargo ship with sleepers for passengers would have been weird, right?)

For someone who wished to spend several weeks on a containership traveling between Singapore and Istanbul – unfortunately, our passage was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic – I thought a ferry crossing across of 8-10 hours across the Mediterranean couldn't be too bad, right?

So off we went on our scheduled nine hour long crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. It was not the most comfortable of journeys but we made the best of it by sleeping on our hard seats most of the trip.

Early morning views of the Mediterranean Sea 

(Photo: Imran Ahmed. All Rights Reserved.)

Early morning views of the sea were amazing and we reached Cyprus (only!) a few hours later than scheduled. (I'm used to traveling on Pakistan Railways (PR) sleeper trains. A 4-5 hour delay on PR intercity trains is 'baked into' the schedule perforce!)

On arrival our baggage was bused to the terminal on tractor trolley while passengers were driven there in a bus suitable for a 1970s Turkish movie prop. The terminal was too far to walk from our ship's pier. The customs and immigration process at Famagusta was rudimentary.

Famagusta town was nice. More on that in a separate post.

Gluttons for punishment, we took a freighter ship back to Mersin for our return journey to mainland Turkey. That is where it got brutal for us.

The ship anchored outside Mersin Port early morning. Seeing the mainland we assumed it was only a matter of half an hour or so before the ship docked. Indeed, the freighter was so close we felt we could swim to port in the clear blue Mediterranean Sea.

Mersin port was so close to our anchor point we could swim there! 

(Photo by author: Imran Ahmed. All Rights Reserved.)

Outside Mersin we waited. And waited. And waited some more.

Finally, after waiting about 4-5 hours anchored at sea tantalizingly close, we finally entered Mersin and disembarked.

The sea journey was an experience. It adds a painful notch to our 'seasoned travelers' totem pole. Undoubtedly, on our next trip to Northern Cyprus we'll either fly into Larnaca airport or travel by regular passenger ferry services. Lesson learnt.

The author’s Northern Cyprus visa document. 

(Photo by author: Imran Ahmed. All Rights Reserved.)

The upside? We got Famagusta and back safely; met a few interesting (and helpful) passengers along the way; and got ourselves a nice piece of paper – the Northern Cyprus visa – along the way!

______________________________________________________

I am a Singapore based Tour Guide with a special interest in arts and history. I have lived and worked in several countries during my career as an international banker. I enjoy traveling, especially by train, as a way to feed y curiosity about the world and nurture my interest in photography. I am available on twitter (@grandmoofti); Instagram(@imranahmedsg) and can be contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.

Turkiye or Turkey: ten weeks of exotic adventures!

Not many people in their right mind have the desire (or privilege!) of spending ten weeks playing in a foreign country. But spending ten weeks twice traveling in the same country, does that border on insanity?

Alright, so call me crazy but we're back in Turkey to explore a different part of this vast and massive country!

It's not that the COVID-19 pandemic is over (is it really?), no, it's simply that Turkey fascinates me on so many different levels. From the Kemalist legacy to the more recent attempt to fuse with Islam with modernity by Erdogan and his Islamist party; from the beauty of Mount Ararat – the landing place of Noah's arl - to the magnificent Van Lake near the Iran border.

Van Lake in eastern Turkey 

(Photo by Leyla Helvaci: https://www.pexels.com/photo/lake-van-coast-turkey-9793024/)

Our previous travels took us east deep into the Kurdish heartlands and within a heartbeat of Turkey's borders with Iran, Georgia and Syria. (If you wish to read about my previous extended visit in 2019 please click here.)

On this visit, the plan is to travel east – if you start in Istanbul then there is no choice but to go east! - subsequently heading south towards Cyprus (hopefully taking in both the Greek and Turkish sectors!). After Cyprus we will hug the Meditarranean Sea coast and head back towards Istanbul.

At least, that's the general plan. The final itinerary is 'TBD' subject to logistics, accomodation and the enjoyability of any particular city along the way. That is, if we enjoy any particular city we may extend our stay ... a flexible travel plan has its benefits.

So what's with the fascination for Turkey? Two distinct reasons, although a discussion on the subject will be never ending.

(Photo by Kübra Arslaner: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-person-showing-postcard-with-photography-of-old-city-7790175/)

Firstly, the Ottoman Empire in all its forms. From the many Ottoman monuments found across the country to the indelible legacy left by an Empire that controlled territories in three continents for five centuries. (As an amateur historian, the Ottoman Empire and particularly its later ceturies from the 1800s onwards are one of my areas of interest.)

Secondly, Ataturk and the establishment of the modern Turkish Republic in 1923. The decline and ultimate dissolution of the Ottoman Empire led to a radical experiment in modernization led by staunch secularist and reformer Mustafa Kemal.

Ataturk's policies, often referred to as Kemalism, laid the foundation for today's Turkey. To be sure, much has changed in the one hundred years since Ataturk proclaimed the Republic. Headscarves have made a comeback and political Islam is no longer the taboo it was as recently as the 1990s. Indeed, a headscarf wearing first lady, Mrs Erdogan, now hosts foreign diginitaries at the presidential palace on behalf of the Turkish state. (A headscarf in the presidential palace? Blasphemous thinking until a few decades ago!)

Mustafa Kemal 'Ataturk' 

(Photo by Imran Ahmed. All rights reserved.)

To have a front seat to watch the incredible social changes and economic transformation of Turkey has been enthralling. And watching while criss crossing the country taking in the sights and gorging on delicious kebabs is an experience like no other.

I am a Singapore based Tour Guide with a special interest in arts and history. I have lived and worked in several countries during my career as an international banker. I enjoy traveling, especially by train, as a way to feed y curiosity about the world and nurture my interest in photography. I am available on twitter (@grandmoofti); Instagram(@imranahmedsg) and can be contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.

Singapore decriminalizes chewing gum? Really!

Hi there! Imran here with a brief 'hello' from sunny (and often rainy) Singapore! 

Greetings from Singapore! It's your friendly host from the Little Red Dot (aka Singapore) with the latest edition of my newsletter.* If there is one 'fact' about Singapore everyone knows it's that chewing gum is illegal here. But is it really? And why does this one obscure fact define Singapore for so many foreigners? The manufacture, sale and distribution of gum has been banned in Singapore since 1992. However, gum is to Singapore as recreational marijuana is to many European countries (and US states); that is, possessing a small amount for personal use is acceptable but just don't try to become a drug (or gum) kingpin by importing and selling in large quantities! By 2003, Singaporeans had learnt to live without gum (and think without having to chew at the same time!). Nonetheless, the law was liberalized – a teeny bit - as a result of the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed in 2003.  It seems passage of the FTA by the US Congress was in jeopardy unless Singapore's gum trade was liberalized!  A congressman from Illinois – the home state of Wrigley's – made the sale of gum in Singapore a prerequisite for supporting the FTA. The congressman insisted bilateral trade in chewing gum be as free as in any other 'commodity.' A face saving compromise had to be found to give the stalled FTA a push. The solution was ingenious. In 2004, gum was classified as a 'medical' product. Subsequently, certain types of gum, including sugar free and nicotine gums, became available for sale at pharmacies across the island. The catch: these 'therapeutic' gums could only be purchased with a doctor's prescription. Gum cannot be bought over the counter! (So remember, if you wish to chew gum during your stay in Singapore, please either leave some time to visit a doctor to get a prescription or 'smuggle' in a few packets for your personal consumption. There is no black market for chewing gum so don't assume you can buy gum in a back alley somewhere!) Now why was gum banned in the first place? To be sure, having chewing gum stuck to the city's pavements did not keep with Singapore's aspirations of becoming a clean and green metropolis. As anyone who has had gum stuck on their shoes (or clothes) knows removing gum is a time consuming affair. Still, on it's own that wasn't enough of a reason to warrant a ban. That all changed when people started sticking gum onto the city's subway train doors causing their automatic door sensors to malfunction. The ensuing delays and disruptions to the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) subway system pushed the authorities to legislate the ban. The ban is best summed up by former Singapore Prime Minister Lew Kuan Yew's reply to a BBC reporter's question on the chewing gum ban. "Putting chewing gum on our subway train doors so they don't open, I don't call that creativity. I call that mischief-making. If you can't think because you can't chew, try a banana." And that's the story of Singapore's world famous chewing gum ban.  Imran February 2022 February 2022 promotion: Book an Amazon Explore tour during the month of February (you may take the tour in March, April or even May!) and obtain promotional rates of USD 5 (per person for group tour) or USD 10 (private tour) for Singapore: the story of a church, a mosque, a temple & Michelin starred street food in old Chinatown. To arrange a (Singapore focused) customized live virtual tour please get in touch by WhatsApp (+65 9786 7210) or email (imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com). Please feel free to forward this newsletter to interested persons.  PS – You may visit earlier editions of my newsletter here. * You are receiving my newsletter as you have either been on a tour with me (earlier this century) or we are connected via LinkedIn. If this intrusion is not to your liking, fair enough, it is easy for you to unsubscribe. Simply use the unsubscribe button in the footer of this email. Singapore: the story of a church, a mosque, a temple & Michelin starred street food in old Chinatown   Though ethnic Chinese comprise almost three quarters of Singapore's population, the city-state is religiously and ethnically diverse, and this live tour along the Street of Harmony, Telok Ayer Street, is a great way to see Singapore's multiculturalism.  Along the route we'll also see a street food hawker center and colorful shophouse architecture. Book now» Sights and sounds of Singapore's Little India: from Hindu temples to UNESCO recognized street food   Singapore's Indian community - though small in numbers - is an integral part of Singapore's food, culture and architectural landscape. At the heart of the community is the Little India district where all this and more are on display. Join me as we stroll through the streets and side lanes of Little India and take in the sights and sounds (not the aromas!) of this vibrant district. Book now» Facebook Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Copyright © 2021 Singapore Locally La, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Singapore Locally La 363 B Sembawang Crescent #03-727 Sun Natura Singapore 752363 Singapore Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Gong xi fa cai or Happy Chinese Lunar New Year (in advance)!

Hi there! Imran here with a brief 'hello' from sunny (and often rainy) Singapore! 

Greetings from Singapore! It's your friendly host from the Little Red Dot (aka Singapore)! Welcome to the second edition of my newsletter. You are receiving my newsletter as you have either been on a tour with me (earlier this century) or we are connected via LinkedIn. If this intrusion is not to your liking, fair enough, it is easy for you to unsubscribe. Simply use the unsubscribe button in the footer of this email. Singaporeans are well adjusted to the multiracial character of our city-state. Schoolchildren are taught about the main ethnicities living in Singapore, i.e. Chinese, Malay, Indian and 'others' in an effort to promote interracial harmony. However, with almost three out of four Singaporeans being of Chinese descent, the Chinese community makes up the lion's share of Singapore's population. (Lately this overwhelming Chinese majority has sparked a debate about the idea of 'Chinese Entitlement' in a multiracial state. But let's leave controversies out of this newsletter!) Therefore, one of the most important dates in Singapore's annual calendar is the Chinese Lunar New Year (CNY). The city, especially Chinatown, will be decked out to ring in the lunar new year which happens on February 1. February 1 is the day we leave behind the Year of the Ox and welcome in the Year of the Tiger. Out with the Ox and in with the Tiger! If you want to read some tea leaves about your own fortunes in the Year of the Tiger check out these predictions. The twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac Chinese New Year is a period of family, festivities, food and firecrackers (careful: setting off firecrackers without permission may land you afoul of the law in Singapore!). Festivities generally last two weeks and highlights include a CNY family reunion dinner as well as the exchange of Red Envelopes between friends and family. Traditionally, the CNY period is also a time to honor deities and visit the graves of ancestors. A red envelope - hongbao in Mandarin and ang pow in Hokkien (a Chinese dialiect widely spoken in Singapore) - is a gift of money inserted into an ornate red envelope. In Chinese culture the color red symbolizes energy, happiness and good luck. Year of the Tiger red packets Despite not being Chinese (was it my name which gave that away?), I am looking forward to the upcoming CNY celebrations. The celebratory spirit and cheerful mood are infectious! Do you have friends or family who celebrate CNY? Make it a point to wish them "gong xi fa cai" in the lunar new year. Let's hope that whatever else the Tiger may bring, the new year will once and for all take away this darned COVID-19 virus – variants and all!  Best wishes in advance for a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Tiger! Imran January 2022 PS - To arrange a (Singapore focused) customized live virtual tour please get in touch by WhatsApp (+65 9786 7210) or email (imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com). Also, please feel free to forward my newsletter to interested persons.  PPS – You may visit the last edition of my newsletter here. Singapore: the story of a church, a mosque, a temple & Michelin starred street food in old Chinatown   Though ethnic Chinese comprise almost three quarters of Singapore's population, the city-state is religiously and ethnically diverse, and this live tour along the Street of Harmony, Telok Ayer Street, is a great way to see Singapore's multiculturalism.  Along the route we'll also see a street food hawker center and colorful shophouse architecture. Book now» Sights and sounds of Singapore's Little India: from Hindu temples to UNESCO recognized street food   Singapore's Indian community - though small in numbers - is an integral part of Singapore's food, culture and architectural landscape. At the heart of the community is the Little India district where all this and more are on display. Join me as we stroll through the streets and side lanes of Little India and take in the sights and sounds (not the aromas!) of this vibrant district. Book now» Facebook Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Copyright © 2021 Singapore Locally La, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Singapore Locally La 363 B Sembawang Crescent #03-727 Sun Natura Singapore 752363 Singapore Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.