Terminal 3

Not sure if any of you have seen these pictures in the local media, but anyhow, here's a sneak preview of the new Changi Terminal 3. Pictures courtesy of sqtalk.com

Arrival Immigration

Departure Hall

Keep Walking

Forgettable week so far.. Haix.

Anyway, I think there's this mad craze in Singapore about Donuts? Donut Factory? And now I've even received a request for Krispy Kreme?! And apparently I'm not the only one. I have friends here who have received similar "Special Requests".. I personally can't see how the craze can be sustained. Look at the Roti-papa.. or Papa-John.. or whatever it is.. I thought those Coffee buns were pretty good and it was a new idea.. Before long, almost every confectionery was selling it.. and now, even the one in Parkway has closed down. And of course, there's the pork floss bun introduced by BreadTalk.. the same happened.. Just that Breadtalk was a has a wide 'product range' and its strong brand name coupled with extensive network definitely helped..

Donuts.. Wasn't that what we ate in Primary school? Then I remembered the talk about Donuts being unhealthy as it was effectively eating sugar.. Hmmm. Well. There is certainly a wider range of flavours available now, from what I've seen in the Krispy Kreme here.. Haven't tried it though.. Ain't cheap! Sustainable? Time will tell..

Extreme left is someone from the Korean restaurant. Don't ask me why he's inside the picture. Don't think any of us would have known either.

A passerby almost mistook me for vandalising the car until he saw the Birthday greetings..

Hong Kong Govt HQ

Check out the design proposals for the new Hong Kong Government HQ.. It's gonna add a new dimension to the HK skyline..What do you reckon?

Design A: Looks stunning at first sight.. But...uncanny resemblence to the following.. lacks originality in that sense..

The new CCTV Complex in Beijing

La Grande Arche in Paris

Design B: Well.. Maybe there's a reason why it's Design 'B'.. B for BORING..Design C: Nothing Spectacular...

Design D: As the saying goes, Saving the best for the last.. the distinct shape of the Chinese Junk is an appropriate design for the Govt HQ, symbolic of Hong Kong.. At least you can instantly relate the design to HK.. and not just any other building in NY, London or any other city.. some critics commented that this design lacked a corporate feel to it though.. Hmm. But I still think it's the best design.. together with the innovative waterfront landscaping

Singapore Grand Prix 2

Make no mistake about it. The Ferraris and the McLarens will be in Singapore. I'm sure in Singapore, the press have been very positive with the potential benefits of hosting the Grand Prix.. I don't deny those benefits but I guess many people are missing out on the pitfalls of it..

Looking at BingDe's Blog, the circuit certainly doesn't excite me. But given that it's a street circuit, I guess that's the best the authorities can come up with. Well, having just been to the Australian Grand Prix recently, I can say that seeing the race cars in action and hear the roar of the engines was really quite an experience.. It's amazing to hear how fast the gear shifts as compared to the saloon cars. There are several large screens installed near the stands so that the spectators can keep track with the race.

Technically speaking, the Melbourne circuit is also a street circuit as it is set in the scenic Albert Park. There's been quite a lot of negative press with regards to holding this annual event, not least the financial losses that come with it. In 2005, the loss was $9.7million and this widened to $15.6million in 2006. The facts speak for itself. The actual Formula 1 programme only lasts 4 days. Thursdays and Fridays strictly practice sessions. 1 hr in the morning and another hour in the afternoon i think. Saturdays, 1hr practice session in the morning followed by the hour-long Qualifying session in the afternoon. The race itself is on Sunday, around 2 hours, starting from about 2 or 3pm. So, in 4 days, there are only 8 hours of action. But throughout the entire period, and the weeks of preparation and dismantling before and after the event, the area is closed to public. Over here in Melbourne, they tried to arrange some Airshows and Celebrity car races in the Grand Prix area to attract the crowd during the "Lull-periods". I wonder what sort of activities can Singapore come up with to fill in the gaps between the actual action.

Safety wise, I won't be too concerned as I'm sure the authorities would have taken that into consideration and with what I saw in Melbourne, there is quite a bit of gap between the stands and the actual race track..

I'll be concerned at the amount of interest for Formula 1 in Singapore though. Ticket prices for the Grand Prix ain't cheap. Grandstand tickets come at a whopping $300-$600+.. It comes in a package for the entire 4 days. That is, you are guaranteed a seat for all 4 days. Alternatively, you may purchase the General Admission ticket at about $100 for just 1 day. But you won't have any seat.. Thats what I did. We just sat on the grass patch.. haha.. Formula 1 merchandise are extremely expensive as well.. Over here, there is quite a sizeable Italian community at Lygon Street.. The whole street is full of authentic Italian food at affordable prices (Not the Pasta Manias kind..).. During the Grand Prix, the whole area is full of Ferrari Flags and almost every food outlet will have some sort of Ferrari presence.. I certainly don't see this sort of passion occuring in Singapore. The only place you'll find Ferrari merchandise is in Pasar Malams.

And of course, I have no doubt that the NSFs will be called into action for security, logistics and what have you. Hmmm. Maybe that's one area where the Govt can cut down its costs for hosting the Grand Prix.. (And by the way, I bought the Concession ticket for students, which is about $60.. )

London Bridge is Falling down..

London next.. Pity I didn't have the time to visit any football stadiums though..

Buckingham Palace

No. 10 Downing Street, the 2nd Building on the Right. The one in Black and White..

How Cool is this?! A lot of these 'Smart Cars' in Paris
The Tower Bridge, London Bridge is actually just a pedestrian Bridge nearby.
Windsor Castle