A Singapore Diary: Part I
I like to take the scenic route when I walk to the supermarket, but I have to admit that oftentimes I am simply charging from point A to B with little awareness of my surroundings. I might glance at the snaking waterway; I might glimpse a butterfly or notice a shapely tree. Little stops me in my tracks though. I have too much to do and too much on my mind.
This made me stop. But I only paused long enough to take this photo and then I marched on. I had a long grocery list with an empty fridge and kitchen larder to stock up. Perhaps I should have allowed myself to linger. Much as I love this shot—the grace of sunlight amidst grey concrete—a two-dimensional image does not compare to being there. I recall there was the relief of the cool shade, perhaps even a light breeze, and a spike of joy on seeing how beautiful the patterns of light were on a wall crazed with creepers. I knew I was in the presence of something out of the ordinary, yet all I did was take a snap and hurry on.
©Wendy Gan 2025
I am often fascinated by the artful disposing of trash and, given that litter is generally rare in Singapore, these out-of-place items do stand out. Who would have thought to place a child’s slipper in the crook of a tree? Was it for greater visibility should a parent return to hunt for it? Why squeeze a beer can between rails? Was it a tipsy desire to know the width between those metal bars? Did the emerald green of the can call out to be compared with the grass and foliage? Was it a playful attempt at camouflage? Why toss a container carelessly onto a grass verge when you can place it as neatly on a rail as if on a table in your home? Why not let your trash pose and model its shapely form?
There is a delicacy of handling here that I like.
©Wendy Gan 2025
These Javan mynas have learnt that there are easy pickings at this tray-and-crockery return-point in my neighbourhood hawker food centre. They brazenly patrol the conveyor belt waiting for uneaten food to be delivered to them. They are a nuisance, but I have a grudging respect for their chutzpah and hustle.
Why does Singapore look like the Mediterranean here?
