On Walden Pond
Henry David Thoreau put Walden Pond on the map by spending two years, two months, and two days living in a self-constructed cabin on its shores. He famously said of […]
Category Archives: Singapore
Long Hill: A Bit of Charleston in Boston
There’s history everywhere you look in Boston — and even its great swath of suburbs offers hundreds of glimpses into the past. For one of these, drive north for less […]
An Afternoon in Bishan
There are all sorts of neighborhoods and old housing estates in Singapore, but few are as well known as the satellite town of Bishan. No one seems to mind that […]
Happy Hari Raya!
Today is Hari Raya Puasa, the end Ramadan, which signifies the end of a long month of daytime fasting for Muslims around the world. “Hari Raya” means “the great day […]
A World of Toys
Last weekend I paid a visit to Singapore’s MINT Museum of Toys. The idea holds promise: over 8,500 vintage and collectible toys from 40 different countries. Given that alone, it […]
The Delights of Granville Public Market
I’ve been to a lot of markets in my time. And unless I happen nearby, I’ll usually go once, enjoy myself throughly, and never go back. But I loved the […]
A Burst of Spring: Vancouver’s Botanical Garden
It’s spring in Vancouver, and what a glorious thing that can be! If the sun is shining while you’re in town, it’s well worth making a trip to the VanDusen […]
Singapore by MRT: The Purple Line
The plan: Visit every MRT (subway) stop on the Purple Line (aka the North East Line) in one day. The rules: Get out at every stop and spend ten to […]
Stamford Raffles: A Complicated Legacy
Singapore is cheerfully celebrating its “bicentennial,” the 200-year mark since its “founding” by British Statesman Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles. I use a lot of quotation marks here since a less […]
The Murals of Little India
Singapore’s Little India is known for its bright colors, vibrant smells, and amazing food. It’s crowded, it’s lively, and it’s a little less tidy than the rest of the island. […]
