Calvin's Graduation 2016, RMIT University

December was the happiest month for us in our 33 years of marriage. Starting off with Calvin and his Master of Architecture graduation from Melbourne's RMIT University, we basked in his reflected glory at their traditional morning parade down Swanston Street on the 14th December. Ending up with congratulatory speeches at Federation Square by noon.

The afternoon was spent having studio-quality graduation shots taken with the family, including Daryl's sweetheart, Yihan, in Etihad Stadium, followed by a well-deserved late lunch break at Nandos.

There were stilt-walkers dressed as young student wizards from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to liven up the atmosphere while we waited in comfort for the next graduation highlight at the stadium  - the evening graduation ceremonies of all RMIT faculties. 

The event was attended by 30,000 guests and graduants. Degrees were handed out simultaneously at grand stages placed in a circle at the Ethihad Stadium. The execution was flawless. Large screens showed closeups, so proud parents could see their children receive their scrolls from afar. 

The graduation ceremony was simply awesome. Although this was our second time attending a RMIT University graduation ceremony it still thrilled us. In 2014 we first watched proudly when Calvin received his first degree. Th event ended punctually and the festive mood continued for graduates who wanted to party as there was a live band with professional pop stars singing.

The Great Ocean Road scenic drive and photoshoot

This being our third time driving this iconic stretch of Victoria's coastline, we made 2 leisurely stopovers at hotel resorts with full kitchen facilities. This allowed for us to plan our meals around a flexible schedule. Thus for sleepyheads, we could eschew early-bird breakfast for brunch and choose to eat wholesome dinners in the comfort of our own "house".

As an extra bonus, the Whitecrest Resort on The Great Ocean Road near Apollo Bay came complete with a "games room" for billiards, table tennis and table soccer, as well as an outdoor tennis-cum-basketball court for the boys.

After 4 nights, during which we made 2 easy driving forays to see the famous "Twelve Apostles" and walk the sandy beaches at Gibson Steps and Loch Ard Gorge, in the Port Campbell National Park, we spent the next 2 nights at Warrnambool's Deep Blue Quality Suites Hotel.

Here, we sprawled out in our 3-bedroom penthouse with a panoramic view of the ocean. Again, the full kitchen made for "home-cooked" meals while some of us soaked in the natural hotspring spa facilities adjoining the hotel.

Because Daryl's fiancee, Yihan was able to take leave to accompany us on this roadtrip, we spontaneously became paparazzi, enthusiastically creating a pre-wedding photoshoot around Gibson Steps and the Twelve Apostles.

Theresa helped Yihan pick out a lovely red summer dress while Daryl wore complimentary colours. Have a look at our full photo albums in the sidebar.

This year, the Aussie summer was just right for us,  cool nights and just enough balmy days with plenty of sunny breaks and fluffy clouds in the sky. On sultry / cloudy or rainy days, the youngsters could laze around like sleepy koalas while we loved to explore shady trails in a giant fern forest like "Maits Rest" in the Otway National Park.

Daryl & Yihan's Wedding Dinner at the Raffles Town Club

It was truly good fortune and serendipity that our social club of 16 years, the Raffles Town Club, with its banqueting and unique hotel facilities, decided to open up their grand ballroom for a special New Year's Eve wedding-do. The traditional end-of-year celebrations were instead held by the poolside/casual Lounge. Thus our dinner guests were hosted to a double treat - dinner followed by an open invitation to the year's count-down party!

After dating for 8 years, Daryl & his sweetheart, Yihan decided to grab the opportunity of hosting their wedding party on the 31st of December, knowing full well, that not everyone might be in town to celebrate with them. They made it especially memorable by holding their wedding solemnization in the late afternoon of the same day, preceeding the dinner celebration. The solemnization and traditional Chinese tea ceremony was attended by an intimate circle of close relatives and friends in a tastefully appointed private function room of the Lounge. Then, to our great pleasure, some 300 guests were happy to fill up the spacious Dunearn Ballroom, which came with an elegant foyer and wide sweeping stairways, just like in the movies!

Knowing how mature and capable our young couple were, we parents and the parents-in-law (Mr Michael Sim and his lovely wife, Kah Nee) were able to sit back and enjoy the show, run by a bevy of energetic friends drawn from both Daryl and Yihan's circle of bubbly acquaintances. From the foyer reception to the slideshow, programme highlights and grand send-off, everything was thoughtfully organised.

The couple chose a fairytale theme, complete with the musical number "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast, when the first course arrived. What a joyous night it was, as we parents could relax and interact happily with our own guests from beginning to end. They enjoyed themselves tremendously as this was a mini class reunion of sorts.

Wielding the F2.0 constant aperture 12 35mm zoom lens mounted on my latest Panasonic G7 camera, I happily clicked away. Sometimes I would shoot alongside the talented official photographer, Kai Zhi, who happens to be one of Daryl's best buddies from schooldays.

Incidentally, the wedding dinner was also the perfect occasion to launch Theresa's debut album, her first of 4 charity albums in aid of the Singapore Children's Cancer Foundation.

Theresa's debut charity album

The first of Theresa's planned 4 music albums, titled "Musical Odyssey", was launched publicly at Daryl and Yihan's wedding dinner. This is part of her charity drive, in aid of the Singapore Children's Cancer Foundation. For our invited friends, every couple was presented with a CD of Theresa's debut album, comprising 19 freshly-recorded tracks. 

Of these, 3 were duets sung with vocal coach Erick Guansing. The bonus 19th track is a Tagalog love ballad titled " Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin " composed by well known and regarded Filipino composer Louie Ocampo. This was Theresa's tribute to Erick's Filipino heritage and Asian composers.

It all began back in 2007 when she turned her interest in music from playing the classical piano to include Singing. I had suggested that she train under a vocal coach and we found one in Mr Erick Guansing.

An accomplished classical and contemporary vocalist, he took her on an epic journey of musical self-discovery. With Erick's pedagogy, she transformed from a casual karaoke singer into a stage performer and now a recording artist, picking up different skill sets along the way. Theresa was truly honoured when Erick agreed to sing duets with her on her debut album.

On my part, I dutifully chauffeured her to and from all her lessons, public performances and the sound recording studio of Ms Au  Koh Heim. This CD album artwork also happens to be my creative input. You may call it my labour of love :-)

Koh Heim was introduced through Erick. She made Theresa feel very relaxed and comfortable in her recording studio. Her technical support and teacher Erick's presence throughout all her recording sessions was truly appreciated!

It wasn't all serious work. There was so much fun and laughter during their  musical collaborations, oft-times late into the night.

Mount Buller, an alpine resort in Victoria, Australia

This July, we decided to create a winter escapade for the family by joining Calvin in Victoria, Australia for very good reasons. Firstly, we wished to celebrate the successful completion of  his year 5, final semester in Architecture at Melbourne's prestigious RMIT University. Secondly, we liked the idea of snowplay while the rest of Singapore sweltered in our typical steamy tropical summer. Finally it is a rare treat for Daryl, our younger son to join us and take a brief break from his full-time job as an insurance and financial consultant, while studying part-time at our local university.

Knowing how unpredictable the Aussie winter weather system can be, we chose to stay 6 nights, up on Mt Buller. The plus factor for this alpine ski resort is that it's conveniently close by to Melbourne by car and even day-trippers frequent the ski slopes on weekends when the snow is fabulous. This time though, we signed up for a special "below snow" transport service. This removes the hassle of putting on tyre chains when the winding mountain roads get dangerously iced over or covered with snow.

We chose to stay at the Breathtaker All Suites Hotel and Spa Retreat, which happens to be the only property on Mt Buller to provide this below snow service. My initial thought that this extra service at an already high-end accommodation was an extravagance but with 20-20 hindsight, it  made all the difference in enjoying a fuss-free and relaxing vacation.

With our friendly and experienced chauffeurs Steward (going up) and Tony (coming down), I was able to take beautiful landscape pictures along the way. A special mention must be made for Tony's warm hospitality as he showed us a breathtaking scenic lookout as well as pointed out secret waterfalls and roadsigns along the way, which would have normally gone unnoticed.

We were heartened to see the 2 boys, now 2 grown men, sharing much brotherly time together. Right from their early childhood, we sought to practise the time-tested adage, "The family that plays together, stays together." Thus we took them both to Boston in 1991 on a year-long work stint and stopped over in Hawaii for a little holiday in 1992 on our way back. Though each son has his own likes, quirky ways and personality, they were each sporting in their own way. Needless to say, we all had enormous fun playing together as a family.

The Tulips of Keukenhof Garden, Lisse in the Netherlands

We came expressly to the Netherlands this Spring to see for ourselves, the floral phenomenon that is arguably the greatest tulip show on Earth. Even though tulips were originally from Turkey, the Netherlands has become the world's biggest exporter of tulips. With over 2000 tulip species to choose from and a world-class centre of tulip research in nearby Leiden, the Keukenhof Garden, Lisse has become the grand showcase for all serious springflower bulb growers and a mega tourist attraction, with visitors from far and wide.

This season alone, in just 8 weeks, more than 1 million visitors have passed through the gates of Keukenhof to admire not just tulips, but also daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses, orchids, irises and lilies, all artistically landscaped with 12 km of walking trails over 32 hectares. We planned our self-drive 12-day adventure in the second half of April, in the middle of the tulip season. By positioning ourselves in nearby Haarlem and Leiden, we ran with the weather and did several side trips; to the Noordwijk seaside as well as to the windmill countryside of Kinderdijk.

It must have been divine intervention: the first 4 days brought forth beautiful blue skies, gentle breezes and daily temperatures up to a cool 10 degrees Celcius. Although a cold, wet front eventually came in the second week, we could still walk around with umbrellas and take shelter in the famous covered Pavilions, showcasing the best of the best blooms on display.

Lisse and the tulip-growing area of the Netherlands

The vast tulip fields around Keukenhof are grown for commercial use but fields that are immediately next to the Garden's iconic windmill are meant for tourists to gaze upon while they ply narrow canals or climb up the windmill. These special fields are timed to bloom for the tourist season and the tulip flowers allowed to remain on their stalks for longer. Otherwise commercial fields are routinely harvested by "beheading" the flowerheads as early as the first week of May, in order for the farmers to dig up their prized bulbs in prime condition and store them for sale in the autumn.


After maximizing our season pass for Keukenhof over multiple days, we decided to sneak into a few tulip fields for a totally different perspective, like this one above.