Finally we’re at Brompton Road.A must have photo for keepsakes.
Pastor Richard Wong offered to bring me around the Ponggol Park and the Coney Island. He also requested that we search for a road in Jalan Kayu named Brompton Road. I am not fully initiated into the Brompton bicycle cult so I was thinking, What’s the big deal? He read my mind and went on to explain that he wanted to pose in front of that road sign and take some photos of himself with the Brompton bike. He had seen it in many Brompton Facebook groups and wanted to have some pictures too. It was near Ponggol, so I didn’t mind, though I was mildly amused by his enthusiasm.
So I picked him up at Potong Pasir and the two folded Bromptons fitted snugly into my Nissan Latio car boot. I keyed in the road and the Google navigation system brought us to Brompton Road. We could not find the road sign and had to circle a few times to finally land near the spot. We unfolded our bikes and took turns to pose and take pictures . I couldn’t believe I was doing this, posing in front of the Brompton Road sign with a Brompton bike beside me.
A late morning coffee with workers from Seletar Aerospace Park.The Anglican Church of the Epiphany
Later we rode around and stopped for coffee and pau at a rustic coffee shop opposite the Seletar Aerospace Park entrance. It felt like we were in the 1960s. We later rode around and I saw the Anglican Church of the Epiphany, that my friend Bishop Raphael Samuel and his wife Michelle served with in his early years of ministry several decades ago in the 1980s.
Waterpoint Mall is next to Ponggol River – cool.Punggol Marina Country Club in the background.
We parked the car at Waterpoint Mall which was along the Ponggol River. We pushed our bikes through the shopping mall ( you can only do this with a Brompton) and to the riverfront and began our burning hot ride under the overhead sun. It was nearly 11 am when we started off.
At the Punggol PromenadeBeautiful promenade overlooking the Johor StraitsMost photographed gate of Coney IslandLovely coniferous trees grow lushly on the islandNice open stretches with great vistas of the riverThe reddish brown Halus Bridge in the background.One day I would like to cross the beautifully designed Halus Bridge into Pasir Ris
Pastor Richard knew the area inside out. We rode around the river all the way to the Ponggol Promenade and to Coney Island. On the way back we passed by Halus Bridge which links Pasir Ris to Ponggol. Richard knew which were the best spots for taking shots with beautiful background.
Beautiful public housing HDB flats by the river.Green surroundings landscaped to catch the eye and to be easily maintainedReaching the Mall. It was a long loop.I was a satisfied Brompton rider.
The HDB homes built about a stones’ throw from the river banks were beautiful and such real estate along a beautiful riverfront is rare at the prices that the residents bought them. Their value would probably double by the time they are able sell their properties.
One thing left to do: have a good lunch and talk shop at the Subway.
After the ride we had a Subway sandwich and coffee for lunch. We conveniently parked our bikes near where we sat and chatted in the wonderfully chilled shopping mall. Later, we folded our bikes, put them in the car boot and we were off again. It was interesting and fun. Although the sun bore down on us, I was glad I finally rode the Ponggol Park. Pastor Lawrence Koo, another pastor, who rides a Brompton, often bragged about Ponggol Park in his Facebook. I must agree with him that it is a beautiful park. Give it another five years for the young trees to grow bigger and shadier and it will be perfect.
Things did not turn out the way I had intended. However the Lord has a way of arranging things for our good. The plan was to do 5 days of trekking on the more scenic sections of the 100km MacLehose trail in the New Territories, Hong Kong. I managed only one day. I was knocked out after round 1. Overnight flight
We flew Scoot budget and I loved the seat space and legroom. It helped in this overnight flight. I was surprised I slept so well. My body must be tired. I usually die at the thought of overnight flights.
Kenny and Vincent at Royal Park ShatinThe women hikers all ready for the first day’s hike.The male hikers waiting for the bus for the first days’ hike.
Stayed in Shatin
We landed on 6th November, a Saturday. We took a bus to the Shatin Bus Station and the hotel was around the corner. We checked in, left our luggage, and went in search of brunch. Our first tim sum was next to a public building. The food was better than what I have tasted in Singapore. I must qualify here that I am not a tim sum fan but unanimously everyone, which is about 20 of us, agreed its better value and taste than what they had in Singapore.
We orientated ourselves to the surroundings and looked for supplies for the first day of trek, but were soon tired and ended up in the hotel waiting for the room to be ready by 3pm. Rooms were large and well maintained at Royal Park Hotel and I shared a family room with Vincent, Goh and his son, Keane.
Pleasant walk beside the reservoir up a gentle slope.Lots of cows along the MacLehose trails.Hiking together with my wife at least once a year is a healthy habit.Colourful posing among red reservoir rocks by the shore
The first section of MacLehose trail
We met to have a 29 HK dollars breakfast set of noodle soup and tea in a small kopitiam opposite the hotel at 6 am. The morning’s trek was rated easiest of the whole stretch: a kind of reservoir hike. To add challenge a part of Section 2 was added to the day’s hike. That added part proved to be a killer for me.
The hike had beautiful views of the reservoir though the weather was warmer that we had expected during what was supposed to be the onset of autumn in Hong Kong. By midday it was as hot as Singapore though less humid. We had our lunch at a pavilion at the end point of the reservoir walk. There were lots of local hikers around.
Scenic views of the MacLehose section 2Lunch at the beach frontThe sun was beating on us but at the same time the views were inspiringNearing the end of section 2.
Section 2 and its effects
The sun was directly overhead when we started uphill for the beginning of section 2. It seemed okay but I did not anticipate that the trek up and down several hills in the hot sun would strain my legs so much. I must admit my physical conditioning was not up to scratch. Since Bukit Timah Hill was closed to hikers, I have not hiked weekly like I did in the past. I have done more cycling but that conditions a different set of leg muscles. I had hoped to return to hiking two months before Hong Kong but the haze killed that plan. So, I paid a price. After 8 hours of a 22 kilometres hike, my legs were aching by the time we went for a delicious Cantonese dinner at the shopping mall. The left thigh and lower leg was tight. I was struggling whether to trek the next day or to rest. I finally decided to rest a day and do the following day’s hike.
I slept over. My legs ached as I walked down the stairs and I felt assured I made the right decision. That morning I had a time of reflection, and meditated on the Revelation chapter I would next be preaching from, and read some commentary notes in my phone. After that I explored the interconnected shopping malls: New Town Plaza (like Takashimaya in Singapore), New Town Plaza II and New Town Plaza III (middle range), and Hilton and Chan Malls (older lower end malls). It took some time for me to get used to this maze. Lunch was a Japanese meal alone as others have gone hiking or touring. I did not mind as I do get charged up when I am alone. Peng Chou Island and Finger Hill
The second day after the strenuous trek my muscles ached even more than after the first day. Another struggle: I thought I would be okay to go, but then my left leg was still sore. So I gave the day’s hike a miss. It turned out well as I joined Goh who was leading another group on a day-trip to an island called Peng Chou. The ferry brought us there. It had a rustic, kampong feel, with low rise buildings that hark back to the 1950’s. The people there too looked old and there were hardly any young people around. I felt the strong community bonds in this town. It was like everybody knew others via the grapevine of the small tim sum restaurants.
Peng Chau IslandThis is what the island is all aboutThese ladies look greatGoh and son KeaneWith the lovely Ching familyRegular hikers Nellie and Tan at the peak of Finger HillJeffrey and Katharine in playful moodRule 1 of hiking: always dress colourfully for the photo opportunity!The view from the top of Finger Hill
We walked up and down the kinder slopes of Finger Hill in cool and windy weather and caught scenic views of sea and sky. It was leisurely, restful and refreshing. We ended up in a small tim sum place, sitting beside some senior citizens who may have been there since morning. We caught the ferry back and ended up shopping along the main city streets famous for dried goods. Most of the men decided to go back and the ladies wanted to visit the night markets nearby so we parted ways.
Landmark at LaojieShenzhen: shops, noise, shouting, people, sales.Eat what the locals eat.
Shenzhen shopping
Wednesday was declared a day of rest as the key guy on the ground, Vincent, wanted to go to Shenzhen to attend a friend’s birthday function. So Goh led us to Shenzhen. It was convenient by MTR, Hong Kong’s efficient train system. We breezed through immigration and took the train to Lao Jie the shopping belt in Shenzhen. The place reminded me of the several shopping belts in China that I had occasion to visit. The streets were invariably filled with people, noise, salesmen barking to get your attention, and bright red signs of special sales at every corner. After several hours, in my shopping cart was one small penknife with multiple tools; in my wife’s shopping cart: household and personal stuff in bulky boxes. I said, You can also get all this bulky stuff in Singapore. She said, But it’s cheap here. End of story.
Church folks in the hiking group have dinner with the Chong family and Vincent.
Meeting friends from church
On Thursday, some resumed hiking to the highest mountain in Hong Kong in cool and misty weather. Others went to tour Lantau Island – the ferry, the cable car, the gigantic Buddha statue, and a premium vegetarian lunch. I stayed back at the hotel and summarized chapter 5 of “Christian Spirituality” by Alister MacGrath, an AGST assignment for a module in December. I met up with Sunny, Annie and Jacob Chong (who had landed in the early morning) at the Shatin MTR at 4.30pm and my wife and I showed them around and fellowshipped over dessert. Later we had dinner together with Simon and Joy, and Judith, the other church members in the hiking group, and Vincent.
Macau by night with the tower standing like a shining needleCasinos everywhere, glittering in the nightHunting for the best Portuguese egg tartSumptous when eaten freshly cooked.The famous ruins of St Paul’s Cathedral in the backgroundAt famous Senada Square, starting point to ruins of St Paul’s CathedralThe hiking group with Linda, the leader, stooping at extreme left.
Macau by boat
On Friday we said goodbye to Hong Kong and took the ferry to Macau. We checked into Rio Hotel. I peeped and saw in a discreet doorway people gambling in the casino. Casinos were as commonplace and accepted as Kopitiam in Singapore. The gamblers looked ordinary enough. It was hard to figure who gambled and who does not. We saw lots of stores selling luxury goods, and pawnshops displaying lots of expensive watches.
Macau is a world heritage site. So that afternoon we explored a few heritage areas and searched for the holy grail of the best egg tart in Macau. By the end of the long day we ate burgers in MacDonalds (long story) and walked back by the scenic night skyline of the Macau Tower. It was more of the same thing the next day: visiting Senado Square, shopping along the way up to the St Dominic’s Church and then the ruins of St Paul’s Church on the summit of the hill. It was extremely humid and sun was scorching down. Another group had gone to Zhuhai City in mainland China but I gave it a skip – I had enough of the border crossings and that kind of shopping. Outside of its casinos, Macau is interesting for its Portuguese heritage, historical sites, and the Portuguese egg tart. 3 days and 2 nights should do. Rural and rustic Hong Kong
As a whole I did not do what I had intended. I had planned to hike on alternate days since I knew I was not physically conditioned for the treks. But as it turned out I could only do one hike and spent the other days resting, leisurely touring and soaking the atmosphere, doing some work, and seeing the rural and rustic parts of Hong Kong I never saw before. This is the part of Hong Kong that I am beginning to fall in love with. I dislike the rudeness and impatience of restaurants staff. I dislike the crowds. I fear the language barrier. But I love the mild seasonal changes. I like the possible weekend leisure options of island hopping, and the many hiking trails and interesting places to explore. I also like the transport system: the MTR, the bus system, the taxi. I used to dislike Hong Kong because most of what I had experienced was limited to attending Christian conferences, and moving in crowded shopping areas, trains and city life. I hope to again hike and explore the rural areas there in the future.
The Brompton: On the Thursday I collected it, the haze had broken and I had my first ride.
When my kids were little, I bought them bicycles. Now they bought me a Brompton foldable bike for my sixtieth birthday, several weeks in advance, before the clearance sale ended. They knew I wanted it because I had talked about it. They had also seen me searching for a pre-used Brompton at the togoparts website. The sale had gone on for several weeks but I was blessed to have a cobalt blue version which was available only in the H6R model, which was the model I had wanted. The H handle-bar enabled me to have a more comfortable upright posture when I ride. The handle bar looks like the M bar but is two inches taller.
When I ordered it the haze was thick. When I took delivery of the bicycle, it was a Thursday, 8 October 2015. That day the sky was clear and I could ride the bike that day and the next few days. What a blessing it was, especially after almost a month of staying away from outdoor activities.
The Brompton in kneeling posture.
Compared to other foldable bikes the Brompton is not the clear winner. It is made of steel and quite heavy at over 10 kilograms. The parts are proprietary and modification is limited. The wheels are small at 16 inches. The basic body shape has remained the same and there are no other models or departures from this classic design. It is a good ride but a rather expensive one at $2,780 before discount.
A great compact fold that works for daily commute and storage.
What makes the Brompton a winner is the fold. The fold is the best ever for the kind of comfortable commuter or leisure ride that the average person would want. Its fold is compact with nothing sticking out. After folding it can stand stable and it can be placed in a luggage bag for travel. It is mobile and easily wheeled around. You can take it into your home or office without occupying much space. You can commute with it in the car boot, or take it into the MRT during off peak hours. You can push it around in the shopping mall too.
The marketing of Brompton is superb. It is made in Britain and nowhere else – the pride of British engineering with the bike joints skilfully welded by hand. In addition, the marketing helps the Brompton to exude the classy image of a British gentleman in his top hat.
Brompton bikes have a cult following in countries where they are sold. Brompton owners form clubs and participate regularly in cycling excursions and charity events. They have a kind of fellowship of the wheel. I have joined one such Facebook club, to trawl for pre-used accessories on their website. You don’t just buy a bike you buy an image, a fellowship and a good and highly portable ride.
The Brompton bicycle is like a good Pentecostal. He is modest the way the main body of the bike is low. However no matter how low a profile he keeps there is that bit of attention it cannot help but attract. The bike also has a kneeling position when it rests. I like this unique feature – it’s like the bike is praying on its knees, the way a good Pentecostal should. This is often a conversation starter with other cyclists and strangers. In addition, the Brompton is highly mobile and ready to go the way a good Pentecostal is ready to go with the the good news even to other cities and countries. The clearest evidence that the Brompton is pneumatically filled is the pleasant clickety-clack of the wheels in motion, a bicycle version of speaking in other tongues. I know quite a number of pastors that own a Brompton, and they are Pentecostals!
The mad summer transfers, or the lack thereof as in the case of Arsenal, have run to the ground, like a tired footballer after extra time. Now we know which players each team has. Now is a good time to make some predictions. I read articles which showed that many pundits and journalists had put Chelsea in the front. For the time being, those predictions does not look smart.
My predictions are as follows:
CHAMPIONS: Arsenal. They have plugged their weakness at goal and to a certain extent they have sufficient defenders to last the rigours of Champions League and BPL. I wished they had more height and muscle in the middle of the park but they have two katek ayam. Up front I wished they had a clinical finisher, one better than Giroud or Welbeck, but the manager said there were no solutions available for transfer. I support that. Whats’ the use of buying a below standard striker, pay him big bucks and then keep him on the bench and try to get rid of him the next year. Think Balotelli.
My head tells me its Manchester City that will be champions, but as a fan, I let my heart rule. So its Arsenal for champions.
SECOND: Manchester City. The most balanced, power packed and talented squad. Pretty scary on paper. On the field, they look like formidable Mongols and Zulu warriors. The only factor that may change the game is injury to Aguero their striker. Looking at his past track record this is a given.
THIRD:Manchester United. They have lots of talent and character on paper but it will take time for them to play Van Gaal’s system. European players seem more able to adapt but the Spanish and Brazilian ones will feel stifled. Like Arsenal striker options are thin and it is doubtful they will be able to solve this problem in January. Originally, I put them fourth. But after seeing their hunger and their new expensive teenage striker I switched Chelsea to fourth place.
FOURTH: Chelsea looks jaded. Something is missing. Looks like a completely different team with Costa, Falcao, Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas, Terry and Ivanovic out of form at the same time. Is it mere fatigue? Or is it due to a slow start after winning last year – the champion’s hangover? Or are they all protesting on the field against Mourinho’s judgment call on Dr Eva Carneiro ? Is there a simmering passive resistance to his management? It happened in his other teams after they have won cups. Mourinho teams typically unravel during the third season. Is he itching for the German Bundesliga or French League?
Watching Arsenal defeat Everton live in the National Stadium in the Singapore Sports Hub was a delight.
Where in the world can you pay SGD$49 and get two matches to watch. At 6pm Stoke predictably defeated a Singapore selection, and at 8pm we watched Arsenal brush aside Everton 3-1 in more earnest play. In England, a match between Arsenal and Everton would set you back over 75 English pounds.
Having an early dinner with LewisFamous frog leg porridge at Geylang
I was treated to the match and a dinner by my friend Lewis. We had an early lunch at the famous frog legs porridge restaurant. Heard about it but it is the first time I tasted it. Really tasty, spicy and salty and over-rated. I was very thirsty during the match and that says a lot about the amount of taste enhancers inside the dish.
The stadium is less that a year old. I have gone to the former stadium for many a football match and many evangelistic events. This is definitely a wonderful upgrade. Bright with clear signage and a spacious pedestrian foyer that stretched all around the 23 stadium gates. We preferred the assignment of seats with back rest rather than the former free seating of wooden benches without any backrest. So even though we were already into the first half of the Stoke match we had our seats reserved. No need to go early to chope the best seats.
The National Stadium a sea of red: Arsenal fans
The whole stadium was a sea of red with only a small patch of blue where the Everton fans were. I love the retractable stadium dome roof. I love the coolness of the stadium artificially created with fine mist. I deliberately did not wear my Arsenal jersey as I expected it to be humid and sticky. I regretted not doing so. At least I wore the Arsenal cap. The football pitch did not look as beautiful as those in England but it looked acceptable. The excitement was palpable when the Arsenal players went onto the pitch for their warm up and when the game finally began. The game was more earnest and energetic than the earlier match. It looked like the teams wanted to win to give themselves a psychological booster. It was not as intense as what you would see in a real Barclays’ EPL match but it was pretty to the eye and for the most part entertaining. When the team you support wins you feel satisfied.
We left the stadium about 20 minutes before the end. How were over 50,000 people going to leave the stadium and get on the MRT? How long would that take? At least 2 hours. We were glad we left early. We were among the earliest kiasus to have boarded the train from Kallang MRT after a 20 minute walk from the Stadium.
