mrbrown.com

Sumimasen, typhoon today

Travel conversations you don't want to have:

Kushiro Station Master: "All Limited Express train cancel today."

You: "How about tomorrow?"

Station Master: "Tomorrow don't know yet. Sumimasen. Typhoon, sumimasen."

Can't argue with that, really.

The fastest way to learn to be adaptable in your travels: travel during a May Day protest riot (Istanbul) travel during a freak snow storm (Kagoshima where it rarely snows), and travel during a week three tropical systems converge (Japan).

I have done all three.

I have since learned to shrug it off. As long as one is safe, everything else can be adjusted.

Incidentally, "sumimasen" (すみません) is an awesomely useful word. I use it all the time to say "sorry" or "excuse me".

Sumimasen, I'm going to soak in the 13th floor onsen of my hotel now. It's windy, raining and nothing in town is open anyway. Tomorrow I will figure out where I can go next.

I'm away for a week in Ogasawara Islands

Sorry for the lack of updates because I'm away at the Ogasawara Islands, Japan, also known as the Bonin Islands. Internet is a little spotty.

It takes 24 hours by ferry to get to the biggest island of the group, Chichijima, from Tokyo. Then there is also Hahajima, a two hour voyage from Chicijima.

So far, I've hiked, snorkeled and checked out the island views for a week. I'll give you a more thorough update another time but here are some photos of my trip so far.

2016 was not your usual National Day Rally

Good grief. PM certainly gave us a scare eh? One moment he was delivering the English segment of his National Day Rally speech, then the next moment he turns pale, grips the podium and faints on stage. Ministers in the front row, especially the doctors, rush forward to his aid. And there was a suspension of the NDR.

My Whatsapp and Facebook feed exploded with concern and prayers. I think all of us stood up collectively in shock, whether you were watching live in the ITE auditorium or at home watching it on the bedroom tv wearing pajamas (yes, me). My heart dropped like a stone.

Just after he fell, PM even said sorry to the audience for fainting. Please, no need to apologize, PM. Rest, rest, rest and go for checkup, I think we were all thinking.

Then we got news from the PMO that PM is ok, that it wasn't serious, that it wasn't a stroke, but just exhaustion.

We all sighed a sigh of relief. But still worried because PM said he would come back to finish his speech.

We all went full Auntie and full Uncle at that point, I think. Aiyoh why carry on, PM? Don't need lah. National Day Rally can always be postponed lah. Don't continue if not well, we will understand one. You go and rest and see doctor for full checkup. Don't make speech anymore.

Still, when he returned live on tv at 10.40pm to a standing ovation, it was good to see him again. He joked about giving everyone a scare. He joked about the last time this happened to him when he was younger during a military parade. And he even praised the SCDF team who helped save Heng Swee Keat when he had a stroke, because they were there as his guests but ended up coming to his aid too.

I tell you, that SCDF team are a credit to our nation and our Home Team. Promote the whole lot of them, I say.

Interesting that the immediate topic after he came back from his fall, was Succession Planning. How apt, after that scare.

PM Lee concluded his speech saying someone asked him once, if God granted him three wishes, what would be ask for.

PM said he would ask for:

1. A divine discontent in our people, so we keep striving.

2. Wisdom to count our blessings.

Notice he used only two of his three wishes. Because in Singapore, we always keep strong reserves. We are Singaporeans leh. Wishes also must keep at least one for a rainy day. We very pragmatic one.

Seen on the NEL…

When you want to congratulate Joseph Schooling but you also care about national security.


[Photo by Lionel Yeo]

mrbrown goes to Tohoku, Japan, July 2016

In July, I spent four wonderful days with my new travel blogger/writer friends in the Tohoku region, Japan.

Tohoku Chihō or 東北地方 ("North East Region") is made up of six prefectures in the north of Honshu, namely the prefectures Aomori, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Yamagata.

Tohoku is known for its hot springs, mountains, lakes, and lovely countryside. And if you are near the coastal regions, the awesome seafood. You can get more info on Tohoku at voyag.in/jptohoku.

DAY 1
My first day in the Tohoku region and this was the view of the Mount Hakoda in Aomori prefecture. It's summer in Japan but here in the north, it's around 24°C. The air is refreshing and the sun is out. Not a bad way to spend a Monday. It gets hot in Tokyo and further south in Japan during the summer months, but when you go north, temperatures hover around 22ºC to 25ºC. Winters can get cold in the north though.

Our first stop was the Mount Hakkoda Ropeway. Taking the ropeway up this mountain in Aomori gives you awesome views, especially on a clear day.

Lunch was in a lovely farmer's restaurant in Hirosaki where you don't get a menu to choose from. The ladies there cook a different set menu daily from the produce in their farm and take great pride in producing meals the old fashioned way. They hold cooking classes here to promote the culinary culture of their community so that their food culture isn't lost.

We also made our way to see rice paddy art at Tanbo Art in Inakadate Village, Aomori. You can take a seasonal train to the Tamboāto Station nearby. This station only operates from April and November.

We ended our day at Hoshino Resorts Oirase Keiryu Hotel, nestled in Towada, Aomori. It has its own baths and huge rooms (my room view was that of the mountainside and stream), and a breakfast and dinner buffet to die for. The food here revolves around an apple theme, because Aomori is famous for its apples. We had apple cider, apple pie and pork chops with apple sauce. So good.

I know. This was just Day 1.

DAY 2

On my second day in ‪Tohoku‬, I woke up at 5am to cycle along the Oirase Gorge in Aomori. It was a lovely 14km along the Towada Stream, especially when you get to enjoy views like this.

After breakfast, we did some hiking through Oirase Gorge and explored the flora and moss-cover rocks of the area. Then we checked out and drove down to the Tanesashi Kaigan or Tanesashi Coast (種差海岸) in Hachinohe, Aomori. There we tried some sea kayaking.

Lunch was seafood freshly caught from the Pacific Ocean and prepared for us by the lovely aunties there.

In the afternoon, we walked around the forest near the coast and then in the evening had a BBQ seafood dinner by the sea.

Even after we checked into our hotel in Hachinohe city, the day was not over. We went bar hopping in the famous back alleys of Hachinohe.

DAY 3

So many places to share. This was an unforgettable part of my trip: The Geibikei boat ride, in Ichinoseki city, Iwate prefecture.

The air was clear after the rain. And we moved through the waters of the 2km-long Geibi Gorge surrounded by nature, by fish in the waters, and dragonflies. Then the mist rolled in. And then our boatman (boat lady?) broke into song, her voice ringing through the gorge and echoing through the soaring cliffs.

Magical.

Chuson-ji Temple in Hiraizumi, Iwate is a very significant Buddhist temple in Japan. Built by Lord Kiyohira of wealthy and powerful Fujiwara clan, the temple is home to Konjiki-do, a golden hall or mausoleum containing the mummified remains of the three leaders of the Fujiwara clan: Kiyohira himself, his son Hidehira , and his beheaded grandson Yasuhira.

After the long day, we checked into Ryokan Onuma in Naruko Onsen hot spring resort in Miyagi. Ryokan Onuma is owned and fun by the family of Shinji-san, who is a fifth-generation innkeeper. This ryokan has been his family for more than 100 years!

DAY 4

In one day, I soaked in the outdoor onsen in Ryokan Onuma where I stayed, then went hiking at Naruko Gorge, followed by lunch at Shiogama Seafood Wholesale Market (we ate FRESH tuna and salad) and a boat ride at Matsushima Bay, ending at the Godai-do Temple and tea at Kanrantei Teahouse that overlooks the bay.

I wish I had more time in the outdoor onsen at Ryokan Onuma.

Shiogama Seafood Wholesale Market is huge and being near to Shiogama Port, receives one of the largest tuna catches in the country.

While it is a wholesame market, it is also open to the public, so you can get some really fresh tuna and seafood for very decent prices here. If you ate the same stuff in some Tokyo restaurant, it would easily cost you twice as much.

After we selected the fresh seafood and fish from the stalls, we bought a rice and miso soup combo for ¥300 each and tucked right in. I have never eaten this much fresh tuna in my life. Burp.

From Shiogama, we made our way to Matsushima in Miyagi prefecture. Mr Miyagi, my buddy, told me I was visiting Miyagi without him and felt left out.

We took a Matsushima Bay cruise and sat in first class, my first time in the first class area of a ferry. It felt pretty swag.

From the ferry. you can see the islands peppered throughout the Matsushima Bay.

I didn't get enough of the onsens and countryside and food this time round but the four days certainly gave me a taste of the region. I am certainly coming back to the Tohoku region again.

Update:

Some have asked me if it is possible to do this itinerary without driving, in a Free & Easy way. It is quite possible but it will take longer. Here are some broad tips:

1. Places like Tanbo Art, there is a train station. The station isn't open all year though (simply because in winter, there would be no point).

2. There is a free shuttle service to Hoshino Resort Oirase Keiryu Hotel from Shin-Aomori and Hachinohe.

3. The Tanesashi Coast is a five minute walk from JR Tanesashi Kaigan Station.

4. The Geibikei gorge is just a short walk from Geibikei Station along the JR Ofunato Line.

5. Chosun-ji Temple takes about 25 minutes on foot, from Hiraizumi station.

6. Ryokan Onuma is a five-minute walk from JR Naruko-gotenyu Station.

7. Shiogama Seafood Wholesale Market is a 15-minute walk from Higashi Shiogama Station.

8. For Matsushima Bay, you can take a train from Sendai to Hon-Shiogama Station then take a cruise from Shiogama Pier to Matsushima, then return to Sendai via the Matsushima Kaigan Station. Or vice-versa.

Or you could also book Tohoku land packages from these two sites:

1. Voyagin

2. Viator

(All photographs here by me.)

See What Show: Ben-Hur (2016)

Ben-Hur 2016 was not the remake we asked for, but the remake that was made anyway. It was not a terrible film, and some of the action and better special effects were pretty good (especially the climatic chariot race and the ship battle), but it ultimately lacked soul.

A little like like hearing some cover version of a Whitney Houston song sung by an average contestant in America's Got Talent.

It has big shoes to fill, and the original has such an iconic status that to expect this 2016 edition to fill its shoes may be asking too much.

Jack Huston is no Charlton Heston, but he makes a serviceable Judah Ben-Hur. Morgan Freeman looks like he is dialing it in but he is still a pleasure to watch.

I do enjoy director Bekmambetov's other work, like Wanted and the Day Watch/Night Watch movies. This one was so-so for me. The first half of the movie was sloooow. It picked up in the second half a little. I did not see much 3D-ness in the IMAX 3D edition of this movie, so I think catch it in 2D is enough.

Some differences to watch out for: 2016 Judah and Messala are brothers instead of bros. And Jesus is actually a visible character in this remake.

mrbrown's Childhood Swimming Days

Dear Parents suddenly interested in sending your kids to swimming lessons after the Joseph Schooling win:

Butterfly stroke very shiong one. Start them on front crawl or breaststroke first.

Actually backstroke also very hard. I always don't know when to stop and langgar my head on the wall.

When I was younger, I used to swim in school events. I was a breaststroker. I didn't understand why I got odd looks when I said that back then.

I want to thank my mother for forcing us to go for swim lessons with Mr Saw, our coach. We three brothers swam for years with him. I started at age 9.

We came from a school of swimmers (no prizes for guessing which) and it was just part of life.

Only my younger brother went on to more competitive swimming. He was in school competitions and went on to be really good at water polo. He also looked better in Speedos than I did. His body was V-shaped one.

My youngest brother did sailing, and golf, and snowboarding. As you can see, I was not the sportsman of my family. I enjoyed the literary arts more, and logged six years of LDDS.

But I'm glad I can still swim. And if I ever end up in a sinking ship, I will know how to make a float out of my pajamas.

Those of you who have done the National Swimming Survival Award will know what I am talking about. I did the Bronze and Silver. Got too lazy to do the Gold.

I always wondered, what if the ship sank when I was not wearing my pajamas? What about people who don't wear pajamas to sleep? Questions of a kid trying to tread water with one arm for one minute.

[Image: Never-before-seen photo of me swimming in Lake Vänern near Mariestad, Sweden, May 2015. It was super cold in the water but my hosts said it is a fun thing to do after sitting in their personal sauna. My nether regions had no feeling for a while after that swim but it was indeed very refreshing.]

Video: Kim Huat vs the 50.39

Kim Huat attempts to break Joseph Schooling's record.

Originally recorded live on Facebook Live at the mrbrown Facebook Page.

YouTube link: https://youtu.be/d8kv3CIVCGw

mrbrown's Joseph Schooling Bandwagon List of Shamelessness

Dear Companies Who Did Diddly Squat For Joseph Schooling Before He Won His Olympic Gold,

Thank you for your generous offers of free rides, free whatever, and congratulatory ads that show your product big-big.

After Joseph Schooling won a Gold for our nation.

After all the blood, sweat, tears and money that he and his parents and loved ones have shed on his swimming training.

I think it's time pay up if you want some marketing opportunities with our new hero. Cash is best.

I have decided to compile a list of the bandwagonners. The first one, by SMRT isn't that bad. But it attracted some pretty funny comments below. Like "Congrats Joseph Schooling for being faster than our trains.". Ok, I admit it, that one was by me.

But there were other gems like "Hahahahaha. Joseph Schooling can swim faster than your trains arriving ;)" and "Only 4 people made it to celebrate his victory because there was a track fault".

Ouch.

We also had MPs jumping in too.

Dear Lee Bee Wah, please share with us a detailed breakdown of how you secured NS deferment for Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen, since you seem very convinced about your monumental contribution.

Because my understanding is that their parents negotiated with Mindef at a personal level. Sure, you brought it up in Parliament yonks ago but to include your "contribution" in a congratulatory message seems self-serving, no?

Hey, I also contributed to Joseph Schooling's win because I refrained from peeing in a pool he was training in.

Stay classy, LBW.

This one by Lee Hwa Jewelry was damn one kind. Clever ah, use the headline of "GOLD" then tompang your brand in there.

Ahhhh, Brands Essence of Chicken. This one was one of the most annoying bandwagon ads I saw. The bottle of chicken essence big big put there, as if to suggest that it had anything to do with Joseph Schooling's fine performance.

Grab lived up to its name here. It really reached out and grabbed Joseph Schooling's name and used it for its own promotion. Come on lah. Using Schooling's name as a promo code? Without paying him a cent for it? An earlier ad even offered Schooling's family free rides.

How about you guys give their family some cold hard cash? You know, so that they can defray some of the costs they have spent over the years on Joseph's training and studies, estimated to be more than a million dollars.

Free rides?! Wah lau eh.

This one by 99.co more champion. Even uses Joseph's image. You welcome him home, you put your own photos here lah. Why must use his image without paying leh?

Singapore Airlines did put in some effort in giving Joseph Schooling some nice stuff. They offered him a Krisflyer Gold card with one million miles in it. Now I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially if it comes with 1 million miles, but eh, Gold card only ah? At least PPS lah!

And this photo above that ended up in the news got many of us scratching our heads. Whose birthday is it? Why is that fella behind not wearing formal clothes like the rest? Wait, that's Joseph Schooling! The cake wasn't for the fella in front!

Now these are all fine, hardworking staff of our nation's airline. So please don't flame them. And I am sure all this was done under a lot of time pressure. But whoever was responsible for the PR needs to vet these things, lest it sends the impression that the airline is more important that the hero they are celebrating.

Temasek Clothings (@temasekclothings) helped to fix that Singapore Airlines photo:

I will be adding to this Bandwagon List as we go along. I am sure we can find more.

Since everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, I also join in. This morning, in honor of Joseph Schooling's win and return, I got out of bed 50.39 seconds after my (third) alarm went off. I think it's a personal best.

Anyway, I also did 50.39 seconds for Butterfly before (25m Butterfly). I'm well on my way to Olympics Gold. Tokyo 2020 here I come!


The Bandwagon List of Shamelessness contributions keep pouring in. So here we go:

Pizza Hut, why Hawaiian pizza? Joseph Schooling is from Hawaii issit?

Canopy Garden Restaurant, so if Joseph Schooling swam slower, we would get more discount lah? Aiyah, why Joseph didn't swim his 100m Butterfly in 99 seconds leh? Then can get 99% discount from you lor.

What's next, McDonald's? Joseph Schooling Happy Meal with Schooling-O-Fish burger and Butterfly fries?

Because Joseph Schooling's thighs look like chicken drumsticks ah?

The Best is Yet to Be: Our very first Olympic Gold from Joseph Isaac Schooling!

Joseph Isaac Schooling, you are a Singapore Legend now. Our first Olympic Gold! Well done!!!

Er, got Public Holiday or not ah?

Dear Gahmen, we should follow the Fiji Gahmen example leh. You see? They declared Public Holiday right away leh.

But then Joseph won on a Saturday, so even if declare the next day a holiday, also Boh Hua.

Man, what an incredible swim. Schooling clocked 50.39s for his final, the only one to go below 51 seconds, beating his hero Michael Phelps. And the silvers were tied three ways. So drama.

I still marvel at his form. Butterfly is damn hard lor! I feel like a floundering overweight whale when I swim it.

In case you're thinking of buying 5039 for 4D, you're too late. Sold out already.

When it comes to buying hot numbers, we are all Olympic Gold medalists in Singapore pools.

Can you imagine the uproar if the Gahmen and Mediacorp didn't broadcast the Olympics live, on our most epic national sporting moment?

Remember this?

"The decision not to have live broadcasts of the sporting action at the upcoming Olympic Games remains a commercial one."

Yeah. You heng ah.

My Whatsapp chats are exploding with this news and the jokes are flying fast and furious. Example:

Child: "Mom! Mom! Is Monday a public holiday???"

Mum: "Er, no. Because all children love Schooling now!"

I think the most popular names for the next generation of kids will be:

1. Joseph
2. Isaac
3. Huat Ah

You know what? In honour of Joseph Schooling's win, today I shall go forth and eat some Yew Char Kuay and… Butterfly.

See What Show: Suicide Squad

Maybe I went with lower expectations, but Suicide Squad wasn't bad. Not epic good, but not terrible either.

It started out quite strong with the intros, like how they rounded up the squad and who caught them. But the plot became a little all over the place later.

I would like to see David Ayer's darker cut of this movie, instead of this more "upbeat" cut that Warner went with. I guess this is what happens when you have a movie put together by committee.

The movie takes place after Batman v Superman, so there are some references to that.

Basic plot: Amanda Waller, ruthless badass director of Getting the Job Done, wants to put together a team of villains to do the dirty deeds that saving the world sometimes involves. Like, what happens if another Superman comes along and he's not a nice guy?

So she asks to set up Task Force X a.k.a. the Suicide Squad, made up of a rogues' gallery of metahumans (DC's version of mutants) and super-talented bad guys, who are dispensible and deniable if the crap hits the fan.

Side note: Amanda Waller looks slimmer than the imposing one from the comics. Maybe she worked out at the gym.

Harley Quinn and Deadshot stole the show. I really want to see them again. The chemistry between Margot Robbie and Will Smith was so enjoyable.

My youngest daughter liked Katana a lot. She plans to draw her. Enchantress scared my 11-year-old a little.

Jared Leto's Joker wasn't that great. Maybe they cut too many of his scenes.

Is it just me or is Ben Affleck's Batman a little lumpy?

There is a mid-credits scene so stay for that.

Video: the mbrown show: Catch Them All, Singapore (an SG51 song)

mrbrown asks the nation to unite and catch them all, on Singapore's 51st Birthday.

YouTube link: https://youtu.be/F4CVtT00bes

Soundcloud audio:

Lyrics by mrbrown
Performed by mrbrown

NAC Bin Centre

(Photo by Yahoo Singapore)

There was quite a big stink when the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) mentioned the National Arts Council bin centre for Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall, in its annual audit.

The NAC Bin Centre cost the NAC $470,000 to build, and $410,000 for the consultancy fee.

The NAC defended its very expensive dustbin at this Gahmen website.

I think the NAC has nothing to explain. I totally get it. NAC Bin Centre isn't just a bin centre. It is THE Bin Centre of the Nation.

NAC Bin Centre is the benchmark that all Bin Centres in Singapore must aspire to. That includes Bin Centres in PAP and Opposition wards.

Sure this bin centre cost $410,000 in consultancy fees and $470,000 to build, but it is the most iconic rubbish collection bin in the nation. Paris has the Lourve. London has the Tate Modern. Singapore now has the NAC Bin Centre.

I plan to take my kids here one day and show them what $880,000 can build. It's not just a bin centre, it's a nation's legacy.

For too long, we have viewed bin centres as just a place to throw rubbish, while ignoring the aesthetics and the spiritual role that bin centres play in our civic and public life.

How do we build a Bin Centre that does not smell? That improves traffic flow? That can unite the rubbish disposal of not just one, not just two, but THREE entire buildings: the ACM, VTVCH and Old Parliament House?

How to build a Bin Centre, my fellow Singaporeans, that can unite… A NATION?

We want the NAC Bin Centre to be a beacon for the arts. Where people can gather to read a poem or two, or paint something, or just hang out next to the NAC Bin Centre to discuss art, music and theatre, without smelling it.

Also, like any artistic project that is this complex, where we need to ensure all the rubbish-throwing stakeholders' needs are met, consultancy is key, and consultancy costs money, people.

If HDB spent the same amount of money on their bin centre planning as the NAC, people would scramble to buy flats next to HDB bin centres. People would not just ask if a flat had good fengshui or was "high floor, no block". People would also ask, "next to bin centre or not?"

BC (Bin Centre) flats would be the next Pinnacle@Duxton, I tell you. You would fight to BTO for a HDB@BinCentre.

We must say no more to bland bin centres that stick out like open wounds in the landscape of our heartlands. We must look to the NAC Bin Centre for inspiration, where form meets function, where past meets present, and where art meets rubbish disposal.

Generations will come and stand before NAC Bin Centre, and gasp at the audacity of its vision. How do you put a price tag on a bin centre that boldly went where no bin has gone before?

When I look upon the NAC Bin Centre, I can almost hear it saying, "My name is NAC Bin Centre, bin of bins: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

That is why, instead of rubbishing this project, I propose we spend another half a million dollars for a brand consultancy to rename the NAC Bin Centre as NAC Bin Centre.