Pictures: something unique / common in your neighbourhood

[pohui]

Hi folks..

Intend to start another thread here again...

This time round, just simple post a picture which depicted the activity, sight that is a common sight around your neighbourhood, town and etc.


snapped this pix, while on my way to work. Hordes of people were on their way to work..

Normally, they would have to cross this road and because of its location, many people would alight here as well, if they were being ferried to this spot, thus it's pretty common to see traffic confusion at this point of time.

Other than that, Jaywalking is a common sight here, at this pedestrian crossing..

*** watch for this thread, more coming along***

[KitKat]

Pohui this will be a great thread. I can't wait to snap a photo of the small town where I own a business.   Mine will be here soon.

[Ginafish]

You live in a very urban area, Pohui. I love that you aren't afraid to start posts! It usually takes new people awhile. 

Well, where I live is far from urban. It is very quiet, and in the country.


This was Monday morning this week. I spotted a deer and my silly camera needed new batteries. Oh well.



This is downtown Vilonia, Arkansas, six minutes from where I live. A huge metropolis.  Notice the donut store, ice cream, pizza, and dollar store. In the field next to it is a barn. Sure is purty. 

[pohui]

Pohui this will be a great thread. I can't wait to snap a photo of the small town where I own a business.   Mine will be here soon.

hehehe... KitKat, you still have not shown us your dining out photo

You live in a very urban area, Pohui. I love that you aren't afraid to start posts! It usually takes new people awhile. 

Well, where I live is far from urban. It is very quiet, and in the country.

Hi Gina, Singapore is a very urbanized island with very little vegetation, except in western, north-western part of the island and Pulau Ubin(can see some of the photos of Pulau Ubin in my travelog)

Someone would just have to take the lead, so whatever come to my mind i just kick-start the thing, so as make this place more lively and interesting

[PK]

Looking East from the front of the ILC. The left-side is lined with food vendors. The right-side is the Provincial Courthouse and the old City Hall building.



Looking west. Our neighbors own a HUGE bicycle shop and, after that, it's a variety of small shops. On the left is the Nong Khai museum and a temple.

[KitKat]

PK your photos are great and the good news is I'm seeing more helmets!
What is the little wooden house on the side of the small iron gate? And what do the signs on the wall, under the ILC sign, say?

[PK]

The little wooden house is the mailbox And the signs are all about wearing helmets. "Love your life. Love your family. Wear a helmet." All the signs get A LOT of attention. Jen will tell ya, people are always walking by and stopping so they can read each of the signs. We're thinking about changing them each month because I'm sure people are bored of the helmet thing. lol

[pohui]

I hope some of you guys aren't freak out by this stare...hehehe

Took this picture of this cat, while on my way down from my home.

I would say this cat is a "mascot" of my block.. you bound to see it almost everyday, wherever you are..

[pohui]

Singapore's national day is coming..

As everywhere you walk around, you bound to see billboards like this.. with the Members of Parliament in their widest grin greeted us all every morning in August..

Took this pic, somewhere near the spot where the first photo of this thread took.

[KitKat]

pohui,
  I think it's interesting seeing it in English! Please forgive me for asking, why? 
  Of all the cities I heard about in the world, Singapore is the one everyone says is beautiful, clean, and safe. WOW!

[pohui]

pohui,
  I think it's interesting seeing it in English! Please forgive me for asking, why? 
  Of all the cities I heard about in the world, Singapore is the one everyone says is beautiful, clean, and safe. WOW!

Hi KitKat,

I hope i didnt get it wrong but you are asking why the message in the billboard is written in English??

Well, it's because English is the common language among Singaporeans, you be surprise to note even among the same ethnic group, you will heard conversation in English occasionally!!

"Clean and Green" is what Singapore is trying to portray, although you cant get to see some places really that clean all the time..hehehehe

"Safe" - I pretty confident to say you can walk out around at middle of the night without any fear but precaution is always the key

[pohui]

not really a daily sight but something pretty unique, spotted this afternoon at a shopping mall





- this is a sculpture of renowned landmarks using biscuits.. it is a promotional gimmick by a biscuit manufacturer.. 

[PK]

I spy the Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramid of Gaza, the Petronas Towers, and the Taj Mahal. Not sure what the one in the middle is. It could be the Tower Bridge in London.

[pohui]

I spy the Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramid of Gaza, the Petronas Towers, and the Taj Mahal. Not sure what the one in the middle is. It could be the Tower Bridge in London.

I guess so... yummy..

[Ginafish]

I see a lOt of Jacob's biscuits! And yes, I think that is the Tower Bridge in London. I would have thought that Big Ben was a more recognizable English icon.

[ZeroG]

This is what I see when I look over my right shoulder while at work (now):



This view is south from the west side of Houston Texas.

[Ginafish]

Is the haziness from the heat, or is it smog? And I'm really surprised not to see more traffic!

[ZeroG]

It is just hazy cause it is so hot. That street isn't really a major thru-way.
I was going to take a picture from the HOV lane on the way home. Now that
is traffic.

[PK]

Nice view. Do you ever see any storms come rolling in? That must be really cool looking.

[pohui]

Lunar 7th month aka "Hungry Ghosts Festival"

Here in Singapore, Chinese of Taoism faith celebrate the Lunar 7th month (Commonly known as the Hungry ghost festival).

It's a common sight everywhere in Singapore to have altar, like the one depicted in the pictures below, set up for the praying ceremony.

Offerings like such fruits, poultry (can be chicken or duck), pork are being used to "serve" to the "good brothers" (a term we used to refer to the wandering spirits, whom we believed they are free to roam the world during the lunar seventh month.)

At the end of the ceremony, the "offered" stuff (those edible ones) are to be distributed among those who were involved.

[ZeroG]

Here is a view over my left shoulder, looking west early this morning...



And here is a picture a little to the left, pointing southwest. You can see my hand reflection in the window. Just above my hands are some apartments with white roofs. That is where Kevin just moved to.



Yes we can see the storms move in. One thing me and my office mates do is fantasize over the houses being built in that neighborhood. They will tear down the old one-story ranch house (built in the 1950s) and put up a monster which covers the full lot. It is customary to ask someone "so how is your house coming along?" The one at the bottom of the first picture, in the shadow of my building, is three stories with a couple round staircases and courtyard. Wow!

[pohui]

another typical scene in Singapore - the marketplace, shot this picture from the hawker center, where my mum runs her stall.. the picture depicted a outdoor vegetable stall.

[pohui]

More Pictures of the "Hungry Ghost Festival"
During the Lunar 7th month, free street performances (or what we called "Getai")are over all Singapore every night.

Normally, these performances are engaged by the local "7th month" committee.

While the stage is stationary but the performers, except for the hosts, are mobile, in a sense that each performer would normally be on stage to sing one or two songs before rush off to the next venue (thus, in some cases, it's pretty normal to have performers doing 6-7 shows per night as the money is good).

But in the old days, street performing were in the form of Chinese opera (which still existed but at a lower rate), before evolved to theme much relevant to this era.

It was told that performances like these are to entertain the spirits who are wandering around the places during the lunar 7th month.


- crowds gathered hour before the show.




- ..and well-positioned themselves for the best view.




- snaps of the "Getai".

[Ginafish]

*sigh* you know what common sights are in my neighborhood are? Trees...Mostly the same trees...and gravel roads...

Here, I'll post you a picture just so you can say you've seen exciting central Arkansas.



There ya go, other than comments, that's about the most excitement I can bring this topic.

It looks like the Lunar 7 month is really fun in Singapore, is it a common time to see tourists?

[pohui]

It looks like the Lunar 7 month is really fun in Singapore, is it a common time to see tourists?

hello Gina.. all i can say it is vibrant.. hmm, as for your last question "is it a common time to see tourists?", hope I did not misinterpret what you were asking if during this period if tourists are drawn to Singapore for this event??

Well, so far as I aware of most of the audience are locals as the language and content are more to appeal to any man-in-street here.

But it is always an eye-open to any first timer