MUSEUM HOP: NATIONAL GALLERY, SINGAPORE

museum hop, travel journals

Twinning places. Got this idea from a trending Facebook post; Pose in the same place when you don’t have a photographer with you (or too shy to ask other tourists).

Our tour guide, Jane, explaining the history of the place. I didn’t want to bombard my previous post with too much photos, so here are the rest of the details and paintings that caught my eye.

Untitled (Can we be ironic?), Simryn Gill

Mythology: Return History’s Whore, His Mother, Cesare Syjuco (Philippines)

Various collage works by Milenko Prvscki. Since I’m exploring the same medium, my eyes are easily drawn to these kind of artworks.

The Ceiling, China Collage series by Roberto Chabet

The writings on the wall. Found artistic wisdom withing the walls of the museum’s library.

Spotted a Juan Luna! Apologies if my camera phone can’t do justice to España y Filipinas.

Various Chinese paintings by Wu Guanzhong

We were quite running out of time so I wasn’t able to take note of all the artist’s name. But I hope I my low-tech phone camera was able to give even just a little bit of justice to these works of art (let me know if you have tips and tricks on capturing images in low light, or how to take better shot in museums). If ever you’ll travel to Singapore someday, this place is worth visiting. Allot half of your day for this if you want to go all through the galleries and exhibits, because the place does not disappoint in its hugeness.

SINGAPORE, ONCE MORE

travel journals

Singapore, for the second time around was different. It was more personal, more intimate. We came back to our favorite places, but also explored new ones. The train routes never fail to be traveler-friendly, we have started to memorize it like the back of our hands. The bus routes proved to be another matter; we got lost on the far end of the Tiong Bahru suburban area. Our supposed to be 10-minute-away destination extended to an hour. Mother and I ended up laughing about it, we pat ourselves in the back and say, now we know. There are moments when we learn the way through getting lost.

I found myself looking out the train window, as we pass by houses and sight I can’t help but think…can this be home? Can I call you home? I often caught myself dreaming of walking through its streets every day. It’s the first time that I admitted to myself that I am willing to uproot myself from the island I’m from, to pack my bags and head off to a different kind of concrete jungle.

Funny how I ended up buying a magazine from Bras Basah Complex, bearing words that ask the question: What would life be like if you’d never left your hometown?

I wonder if I’ll end up answering that question or if the days would bring the exact opposite. Such questions don’t have immediate answers, but I must say that Singapore met me again during the time when I desired to leave most. It was a promise of a fresh beginning. We’re 2,355 kilometers away, yet it felt like it’s where I belong.

Nowadays, I find myself being homesick for a place I have yet to call home.

FOR AS LONG AS WE CAN

in my life

foraslongaswecan_1

foraslongaswecan_2

foraslongaswecan_3

The weekend is coming to a close, but this one was stretched out to be enough. Not lacking for me to ask an extension. Not slow for me to cut it short. Just enough. For the mountains have called, and once again we headed to its direction.

After more than a year of not being able to climb, I finally had the chance of going back on track (or should I say trek?). It was a walk in the park, they said. But we’re not even halfway through and my lungs were already gasping for air. My heart seems to be doing somersaults inside my chest. Pain was also starting to grip my back, enough to make me feel older than how I truly am. To think that it was just a level 2 climb! It was supposed to be easier compared to my previous experiences.

Yet there I was falling behind, with a rusty body, weaker heart, and not-so-flexible knees (the injury I got from the past has taken its toll). My flesh just keeps on protesting for me not to continue. If I had been alone, it would have been easy to surrender, but having two friends along can make all the difference.

“Dee? Dee? Deeeeeeeeee! Yuhoooo…..Danielle!”

I hear them shouting my name whenever I am no longer within sight. It was funny how they kept on calling and I just kept answering them on my head. Wait. I’m trying to catch my breath. And if we’re going to count the times that I’ve given up, that was the first.

I lost count of the times that I wanted to stop. Was it five? Or ten? I just remembered that I kept on asking and they also continued pushing.

Can we just go back?

No, we can do this.

Can we just go down now and swim?

No, we can finish this trek.

Can you just go ahead? I’ll wait for you to come back here.

Let’s go! It’s near! Come on!

So we continue to soldier on through the heat. Fifteen minutes more. Just a few steps more and we’re nearly there. We knew we made it when the summit greeted us with the cool breeze. We lied down on the grass and it never felt so fulfilling than this.

How long do you think we can keep on doing this?

Maybe until we’re 28. Or 30. No, maybe 40.
Perhaps for as long as we can. As long as we have each other.

dani dee

travels

MUSEUM HOP: NATIONAL GALLERY, SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE, ONCE MORE

FOR AS LONG AS WE CAN