Attended the third and definitely the last NE (National Education) tour of my time in NS this morning. About eighteen months ago when I first attended the first one, I stated on the survey form that we should have more of such "excursions" so that we "know what we are really defending".
Then, I didn't expect the army to have another event like that for me. How wrong was I. Eighteen months later and with six weeks left to complete my service, I have already participated in three NE tours, thrice of what I expected to have during two years in SAF.
We had to gather at Jurong Safra in the morning. Since the venue was not a military base, latecomers were expected and there weren't just a handful of them. We ended up spending almost an hour there sitting at the table waiting for everyone to turn up.
From Safra, we boarded a bus which transported us around Singapore. There was a tour guide who goes by the name of L.M. She only mentioned the initials of her name and I can't help but think that it stands of Old Mother if you understand Mandarin. She is just another auntie, but one who pronounces English words with precision and boasts a deep knowledge about the different religions in Singapore.
First stop was the Burmese Buddhist Temple at Balestier. Quite magnificent and majestic. There was a Buddha statue which was made of gold and stood at least ten metres tall. The floor was rather clean and you can hardly feel any dust. L.M. made us sat on the floor of the hall at the first level and explained more about Buddhism.
There was also a Bodhi tree which was apparently sat at by Gautama Buddha when he achieved enlightenment. Of course, it's not the exact same plant from loads of years ago but you know, they re-planted it so you can say that it is one of Bodhi Tree's descendants.
Next, we went to a Hindu temple in Farrer Park. Compared to the Buddhist temple, the Hindu temple had much more people in it during the time of our visit. The tour guide introduced the various Hindu deities to us. They include Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise) and Varaha (boar), who are part of the ten avatars of Vishnu.
After that, we were given a half-hour break at City Square mall. Honestly, it was my first time in that shopping centre and I didn't expect it to be so big. I was dying for some air-con then and couldn't have asked for more. Thirty minutes felt like thirty seconds. Before I could thoroughly cool myself down, we had move on to the next destination.
The next place to visit was Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka which was located nearby to the Subordinate Court. I never knew that a mosque existed in that area. As it was still not noon, the place was relatively empty. L.M. must have thought that since there were no Muslims in her tour group, it was fine for her to ask us if we have any questions about Islam.
I really had the urge to ask one question but was too timid to raise my hand. I decided that it was better to rely on internet surfing during my free time to quell the doubts I had regarding religion. I must say I learnt quite a bit about Islam after visiting the mosque.
Up till this point, I wonder if I was the most attentive person in my tour group. Well, there were times when I got distracted, looked elsewhere or just sat at the back chilling out when the tour guide was talking but overall, I guess I listened the most after all.
Our final place of visit (or you can say worship) was the Armenian Church. I had known it for a long time as it was the oldest Christian church in Singapore but never had the chance to step into it. Located at Hill Street, it is probably the most serene structure amidst the buzz of the country's central business district.
The church's architect was George Coleman, one of the pivotal figures for Singapore during the Stamford Raffles years. It is humble in size but nonetheless unique. The interior is circular while the chancel was semi-circular, giving it a distinctive structure.
On a side note, a group of Chinese tourists were there too and they kept taking photos and even videos. Guess when you leave your village for the city, your inquisitiveness will be severely enhanced.
It was already one in the afternoon when we the bus brought us back to Safra Jurong. There was buffet for lunch and I kept my stomach empty throughout the whole tour for it. The food was decent but not as tasty as the one I had during the previous NE tour at Safra Toa Payoh.
I headed home after the event for a wonderful afternoon nap. How can I not take advantage of the rain to catch some sleep? I guess my insulin level was on the high then after a satisfying lunch.
Then, I didn't expect the army to have another event like that for me. How wrong was I. Eighteen months later and with six weeks left to complete my service, I have already participated in three NE tours, thrice of what I expected to have during two years in SAF.
We had to gather at Jurong Safra in the morning. Since the venue was not a military base, latecomers were expected and there weren't just a handful of them. We ended up spending almost an hour there sitting at the table waiting for everyone to turn up.
From Safra, we boarded a bus which transported us around Singapore. There was a tour guide who goes by the name of L.M. She only mentioned the initials of her name and I can't help but think that it stands of Old Mother if you understand Mandarin. She is just another auntie, but one who pronounces English words with precision and boasts a deep knowledge about the different religions in Singapore.
First stop was the Burmese Buddhist Temple at Balestier. Quite magnificent and majestic. There was a Buddha statue which was made of gold and stood at least ten metres tall. The floor was rather clean and you can hardly feel any dust. L.M. made us sat on the floor of the hall at the first level and explained more about Buddhism.
There was also a Bodhi tree which was apparently sat at by Gautama Buddha when he achieved enlightenment. Of course, it's not the exact same plant from loads of years ago but you know, they re-planted it so you can say that it is one of Bodhi Tree's descendants.
Next, we went to a Hindu temple in Farrer Park. Compared to the Buddhist temple, the Hindu temple had much more people in it during the time of our visit. The tour guide introduced the various Hindu deities to us. They include Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise) and Varaha (boar), who are part of the ten avatars of Vishnu.
After that, we were given a half-hour break at City Square mall. Honestly, it was my first time in that shopping centre and I didn't expect it to be so big. I was dying for some air-con then and couldn't have asked for more. Thirty minutes felt like thirty seconds. Before I could thoroughly cool myself down, we had move on to the next destination.
The next place to visit was Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka which was located nearby to the Subordinate Court. I never knew that a mosque existed in that area. As it was still not noon, the place was relatively empty. L.M. must have thought that since there were no Muslims in her tour group, it was fine for her to ask us if we have any questions about Islam.
I really had the urge to ask one question but was too timid to raise my hand. I decided that it was better to rely on internet surfing during my free time to quell the doubts I had regarding religion. I must say I learnt quite a bit about Islam after visiting the mosque.
Up till this point, I wonder if I was the most attentive person in my tour group. Well, there were times when I got distracted, looked elsewhere or just sat at the back chilling out when the tour guide was talking but overall, I guess I listened the most after all.
Our final place of visit (or you can say worship) was the Armenian Church. I had known it for a long time as it was the oldest Christian church in Singapore but never had the chance to step into it. Located at Hill Street, it is probably the most serene structure amidst the buzz of the country's central business district.
The church's architect was George Coleman, one of the pivotal figures for Singapore during the Stamford Raffles years. It is humble in size but nonetheless unique. The interior is circular while the chancel was semi-circular, giving it a distinctive structure.
On a side note, a group of Chinese tourists were there too and they kept taking photos and even videos. Guess when you leave your village for the city, your inquisitiveness will be severely enhanced.
It was already one in the afternoon when we the bus brought us back to Safra Jurong. There was buffet for lunch and I kept my stomach empty throughout the whole tour for it. The food was decent but not as tasty as the one I had during the previous NE tour at Safra Toa Payoh.
I headed home after the event for a wonderful afternoon nap. How can I not take advantage of the rain to catch some sleep? I guess my insulin level was on the high then after a satisfying lunch.
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