Haw Par Villa

August is Hungry Ghost month here in Singapore and bonfires for burning counterfeit currency and food offerings for ghosts are commonplace.

Chinese communities in Malaysia and Singapore believe that the gates of Hell open on the 7th lunar month, freeing the spirits of the dead to roam in the world of the living.

The living, in turn, must make offerings of food and burnt prayer money to the souls of the dead to appease them.

I ventured to a lesser known landmark today, Haw Par Villa, as it is presumably haunted:

Opened in 1937, this weird park was named after its owners, Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par, the brothers who made their fortune from the cure-all ointment Tiger Balm (it’s also known as Tiger Balm Gardens). Multicolored statues, some looking rather neglected, depict scenes from Chinese history and mythology.






The highlight is the Ten Courts of Hell (responsible for childhood nightmares for generations of Singaporeans) show depictions of human sinners being punished in a variety of hideous and bloodthirsty ways – in extremely gory and graphic detail.


Many believe this area to be haunted, here is an interesting article on it:
http://www.spi.com.sg/spi_files/haw_par/main06.htm

Rambutan

Its Rambutan (rahm boo tahn) season in Asia, I bought a bag of them today for S$3.

The Rambutan is closely related to several other edible tropical fruits including the Lychee, Longan, and Mamoncillo. The name is derived from the Malay word rambut, which literally means hairy caused by the 'hair' that covers it.

http://www.rambutan.com/

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is located in Ratchaburi Province, about 105 kilometers from Bangkok. According to history, around 1866, King Rama IV ordered that a 32 kilometer long canal be dug at Damnoen Saduak. This canal would connect the Mae Klong River with the Tacheen River. The excellent quality soil beside the canal is very fertile and suitable for growing many kinds of fruits and vegetables. The area is famous for Malacca grapes, Chinese grapefruit, mangoes, bananas, and coconut.

Wat Phra Keo, the Grand Palace of Bangkok

The Grand Palace s a complex of buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the official residence of the Kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards. Construction of the Palace began in 1782, during the reign of King Rama I, It is the most revered Buddhist shrine in Thailand.

Central to the temple is the Emerald Buddha, a dark green statue standing about 2 feet tall. No one is allowed near the statue except the Thai king, who conducts rituals at the temple throughout the year.

Bangkok Thailand

Bangkok is the capital, largest urban area and primary city of Thailand and has a population of 12 million people. Bangkok is the economic center of Thailand, dominating the country's economy. Development continues to pour in to Bangkok mostly neglecting the rest of the nation. It is ranked as the 55th richest urban agglomeration, slightly behind Singapore