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life story | a journey of two thousand miles

Security checks, lounge areas, and suitcases wheeled across the floor. Different heads turning in search of direction. Coffee machines, fluorescent lights, and the buzzing chatter of strangers. Through the scene, a girl walks through the terminal, two boarding passes tucked neatly in a passport. Over her shoulders an overstuffed backpack, and tied around her waist is a dark blue hooded jacket.

Her feet pace. Her heart beats. A journey both fun, and too bittersweet. Only holding on to a tiny hope within, that up there where she's going, a new life will begin.

singapore travel

singapore | tiong bahru

Behind the tall condominium buildings and the skyscrapers made of glass, beyond the five-star hotels and the tourist-filled theme parks, away from Singapore's elaborate shopping malls and high-end boutiques, lies the peculiar little neighborhood going by the name of Tiong Bahru.

The several hours we spent in the area (cut short by the rain that afternoon) gave us a glimpse into some very fascinating places.

Once we stepped out of the MRT station, we took a turn and ended up in a small spot the locals would normally visit. Going down the steps, we're greeted by a pleasantly sweet smell, and I swear nothing gives us joy quite like those Chinese-run bakeries with their freshly made, tasty, decadent, yet inexpensive pastries. My mom purchased two of their egg tarts (pictured above) and it was the best egg tart I've ever had in my whole life, probably.

I was eager to start our walk to Tiong Bahru but mom stopped by a hawker centre nearby to grab herself some lunch. I guess you couldn't call it a trip to Singapore without at least once stepping foot into a hawker centre.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, hawker centres are food courts (usually in open air) that serve wide varieties of cooked food, in which you could usually grab a meal for no more than $5. Commonly found in Asia, like Singapore and Hong Kong, for example.

The day was pretty cloudy on our brisk walk, but I'd enjoy a walk anywhere so long as it's not raining, really. The street we managed to visit already had stores and cafes with the most well-crafted exterior designs. I'm talking illustrations on the wall, custom stickers dotting their windows, and all these funny little trinkets that you can see from the outside.

After taking some photos, led by a friend's recommendation, we'd decided to first stop by at the Forty Hands coffee shop. (For someone who doesn't drink coffee, I sure have a thing for coffee shops.) Their food was great and the portions were suitable for two people to enjoy, but it wasn't so fantastic that I'd rave endlessly about it either.

What I found interesting was the actual interiors of this coffee shop. It's like they just tried their best to fit into the tiny gap between the two larger buildings by their sides. As pictured above, it was quite narrow in width, but as you step in, the place extended in length. It was like slipping a coffee shop into a very long, dark hallway. Nevertheless, it worked.

The BooksActually bookstore was, by far, the most amazing place I have ever visited in the entire world. I do not exaggerate, friends; I mean this with all my heart. I have such strong feelings for this bookstore, in the it's-heaven-on-earth, can-I-please-live-here kind of way.

Where do I begin? Their book collection was out of this world and it was everything I've ever dreamed of; it was like every single thing that I've ever looked for in regular book stores, all piled up in this humble little space. Mostly centered around fiction and literature, they also included books on politics, travel, biographies, and God, so many more. For my personal choice, I probably found close to 10 that I wanted to bring home, but my self control only granted me 3.

One of my most favorite things about independent stores like these is their effortless, messy, yet harmonious touch in interior decorating. Vintage novelties and naked lightbulbs and, wait, did they just make a chandelier of dried flowers placed in test tubes? They win. Also, they keep two cats in their store like it's absolutely not a big deal at all. On the shelves, the books were stacked to the ceiling and that, simply put, is how to win my heart at first sight. It was like I was immersed in this book fantasy from the minute I walked in. How many times have I typed the word "books" now, anyway?

Anyway...

If you're a fellow book enthusiast who happens to find yourself in Singapore, it would be a sin not to visit this place. For a look into their collection, or simply to find more info, I recommend visiting their site.

Rain started falling, so we needed to settle down and find a place to sit to wait it out. On the same street, there was the Plain Vanilla Bakery. A relative talked highly of this bakery because of their lovely cupcakes, and we opted for a tiny dark chocolate one to share. It was rich and nice and if we weren't so full, we could've bought an entire box to take home. Specializing in a selection of cakes, Plain Vanilla also had some items on display that you could buy, such as magazines and different objects for home decor. What I loved was their warm, inviting, homey atmosphere, and it was quite fitting to enjoy on that rainy afternoon.

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I'll see if I can include more posts from Singapore in the near future, but frankly, to write about every single place we visited would be unnecessary and exhausting and I'm simultaneously busy, and lazy, all at the same time, which really isn't an excuse, but there are other things to write about, so I'd rather just jump into those instead.

How was that for a run-on sentence?

Have a pleasant weekend.

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art singapore travel

singapore | the national gallery

A bright afternoon and a large, beautiful dome. Staircases made of wood and glass ceilings that give way to sunlight. Walls that stretch upward and make you feel incredibly small. The National Gallery of Singapore; a grand art museum showing us the best of Southeast Asia.

The large gallery shows many pieces of Singaporean and Southeast Asian modern art, all a part of Singapore's National Collection. It serves a free entry for Singaporeans, but for foreigners, general tickets are $20 each (with some discounts available). The visual artistry is undeniably astounding; not just in the paintings, but in their architecture as well. With over 1.5 million visitors in a year, the institution's aim is not only to make the art accessible, but also shared and redefined in a global context.

Upon entering, the first thing we actually looked at was the gift shop to our left. One of the things I'm a total sucker for, other than large art galleries, are creative gift shops. It was your typical museum souvenir store; well conceptualized, colorfully displayed, and somewhat overpriced. But I loved examining them; artsy bits and bobs that you want but don't actually need.

Do I want these pretty illustrated children's books despite the fact that I'm 18? Yes. Do I want a stack of postcards decorated with random Mexican paintings? Yes. Do I want an oversized print T-shirt matched with a tote bag with some clever words on it? Yes. (In my head I successfully purchase all of these things but in reality I walk away after looking at the price tags.)

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First advice is to never enter the gallery without taking a map. When I said it was a large gallery, I meant it was gigantic. It's housed inside two restored buildings (the City Hall and former Supreme Court) serving as the gallery's two separate wings. Six floors each, dozens of rooms, and an additional basement that connects the two.

I never get tired walking around art museums but this time, I was completely overwhelmed by how big it was. The insides were so spacious, the hallways so mystical, that I nearly got lost a couple of times, even with a map in hand from the start. It was like a sanctuary that swallows you up in its largeness. Despite spending many hours inside, I still (sadly) didn't get to see all of the artwork or sections of the place. As beautiful as it was, you probably needed to spend at least a whole day inside to experience the entirety of it.

So second advice (which I apparently only knew of after my visit to the gallery) is to make use of their Gallery Explorer app for free audio guides and to help you with navigation. (You're gonna need it, I swear.) If you think I'm going to come back to this place a second time to explore more of it and this time with a self-guided tour, you are absolutely right.

Bananas in a Basket (a) and Still Life - Flowers (b)

Abstract pieces titled Gamelan Orchestra (a) and Skyline of New York (b).

Above: Scenery painting of East Java. Below: The famous Water Lily Pond by Claude Monet.

Right: Merapi (At Day) and Merapi (At Night).

Within that time, I did catch a glimpse of the most beautiful artworks shipped in from many different locations in Southeast Asia. There were objects and portraits collected from the colonial era (as most countries here were ruled by several different European nations for years before claiming independence), with paintings that show the people in revolution, and themes varying from hope, to despair. Other than that, there was also a wide range of more modern work to enjoy; abstract pieces, geometric sculptures, and more.

The ones that really caught my attention were paintings of my own home country, Indonesia. Done by various artists, the pieces portrayed incredibly detailed local sceneries, such as local farmers at work in the afternoon with a mountain overlooking them from a distance. Looking into them, especially the ones labeled "East Java", touched me in a way no other painting in the gallery did. I was fascinated at first, but after a while, it gave a sense of– calm. It was like looking at home; the views of sunsets and rice fields were imageries that my heart recognized all too well. Big cities are pretty, but home speaks to you in a different way.

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The institution has many partners and often works with international museums to hold special exhibitions. Fortunately, I came while they had just started holding a SingTel special exhibition called the Century of Light.

The section I was most eager to see from that was Colours of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musee D'orsay. I've always been a big fan of Impressionism, so when there was a special exhibition dedicated to specifically that, I knew I had to see it. I grew even more excited knowing that among the works of 19th century European artists included in the collection, Monet was one of them. I was in awe from the second I walked in.

I'm no art history major, but I will say this was my most favorite collection to ever see for myself. There are really no words for it; the widest range of colors and settings and moods and all of it encapsulated so elegantly in this exhibition. From winters in the suburbs of France to individual subjects each with different emotions and stories to tell, I just loved every bit of it.

Despite not having enough time to explore each and every corner of the institution, The National Gallery of Singapore is a place I'm definitely willing to go back to someday. Providing a different feel of seeing art that belongs closer to home, somehow the National Gallery has become a modern attraction, that celebrates history and heritage. A globally acclaimed centerpiece, that highlights roots and tradition. So if any of you fellow art enthusiasts happen to find yourselves in Singapore, it's definitely worth the visit.

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More posts from my trip in Singapore coming soon. I know I haven't been writing much lately but some things have been keeping me pretty occupied, inside and out. Nevertheless, there are still so many photos stored from my trip, so I can't wait to share my experiences with you soon.

See you around.

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travel

bali | kim soo

A smell of coffee and cinnamon drifting faintly through the air. Monochrome-patterned cushions, wooden furniture, and dozens of antique fixtures. The combination of beads, mirrors, and varieties of linen. Kim Soo; destination of the brunch-getters, creative wanderers, and home decor enthusiasts.

Their aesthetic was irresistible; think Pottery Barn meets minimalism. I made sure to have a look at every inch of the premises, and completely fell in love with their lifestyle items and housewares. Granted, most of the things were far too bulky to carry home. But going into these stores, I always love to imagine I'm on a shopping spree for home items, picking things out to place in ~an apartment I just bought for myself and live alone in.~ (Does anyone relate?) But "No, Joanne," I said to myself, "you do not need a wooden coat hanger, or that gorgeous copper kitchen set."

Because it was the first place we visited on our second day, my friends and I may have spent 85% of the time taking pictures at every possible corner. I know, I know; for the sake of Instagram, everyone turns into embarrassing tourists.

For something that looks so serene from the outside, Kim Soo was a place bursting with energy. With the cafe being the extension of the shop (or is it the other way around?), their range of food is mostly very brunch-themed; not so much of glorious, great meals, but definitely pleasant enough for a quick sit-down with friends. Also, their cakes and beverages looked immensely tempting, even though I apparently didn't get to try any.

The insides gave a feeling of warmth and "home", while the outsides were just– gleaming. Picture perfect trees and crisp, white umbrellas giving humble shelter from the fierce Bali midday heat. The pleasant atmosphere was decorated with the sound of passing vehicles, stirring of teacups, and relaxed vacation chatter.