Kranji Reservoir

Kranji Reservoir is just a stone throw away from Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve. 

I have wanted to take some photos of the reservoir for umpteenth time. However, the place is quite far away from my home. To arrive at the place in the "golden hours" of photography means I have to forgo hours of sleep in the morning, or make a special trip in the evening... a rather "impossible" task.

Picked up CJ for brunch from NTU on Sunday. Drove to Kranji Reservoir after dropping him off at his hostel. It's noon time by the time I reached Kranji Reservoir.

Not many visitors at the reservoir under the hot sweltering sun. Just have to make do with I have...

The place is rather scenic and serene (if we ignore the heat).

Park my car under the shade of the tree

Tidal gate towers... to control the amount of water in the reservoir

And finally the view...

Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve

 It's the 3rd day of Lunar New Year. 

Woke up very early in the morning at 6am. Getting ready to visit Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve during low tide period. Drove to pick up my mother-in-law and brother-in-law, before driving to Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve. Reached there around 7.15am.

The last time I visited the Wetland Reserve was over 10 years ago. There have been some expansion and renovation being carried out over the past few years.

There were only a few visitors at the Wetland Reserve when we reached there. The visitor centre was rather quiet. Walked pass the visitor centre, to approach a bridge linking the visitor centre to the wetland proper.

Glimpses from the bridge:

The old bridge, which is now being blocked off from visitors

glimpse of Johor in the background

High rise building dotting the coastal area of Johor

Mangrove trees line up the coastal areas of the wetland. Some birds were seen wading through the shallow water, foraging for food (I guess). 

There weren't too many migratory birds on that day. 

The scenery was nothing to shout about - simple beauty of nature!

A glimpse of a crocodile.

The obligatory family photo for the trip...

 

Finally, wrapped up the day with Roti Prata @ a kopitiam in Kranji Industrial Area. One of the better Roti Prata places.

Sungai Buloh Wetland Reserve offers a look at Mangrove trees and its natural habitat. Used to see a lot of mudskipper previously (but didn't see any in this trip). There were a few large migratory bird taking temporary refuge in remote areas of the wetland many years back (with avid photographers pitching their cameras at boardwalk) - but none could be seen this time round.

Nevertheless, it is still a good place to breath in fresh air, and enjoy one of the rare preserve wetland in Singapore. Furthermore, it's free entry to all!

Lighthouse @ Raffles Marina

It's Sunday, and we (my wife and I) had just dropped CJ off at NTU Residential Hall after breakfast. We were not far away from Tuas. We were on frenzy tourist mood, having just explored Nantah Lake. We decided to explore the Lighthouse @ Raffles Marina.

The drive from NTU to Raffles Marina took about 15 minutes. After disembarking from our car, we walked into the pier, looking out for the famed Lighthouse (as depicted in numerous Instagram posts).

View of the pier, with Tuas bridge (linking Tuas to Johor) in the background

We walked along the inverted L shaped walkway encircling the pier, with boats docking along it. The walkway leads to the Lighthouse at its end. We can see Forest City Integrated Residential Area in Johor from the walkway. 

Walkway encircling the pier

The Fores City Integrated Residential Area in Johor faraway

And the highlight of our visit ... The Lighthouse!

With Tuas bridge in the background

To be sure, it is not a grand tall structure - probably about 4 storeys high. But it is a scenic spot to take pictures nonetheless. The place is not crowded at all. 

Snap shots of boat/yatch dotting the pier.

We visited the place around 2pm, under the hot humid weather. There was some breeze around. It was not crowded at all (only a handful of visitors were there).

My guess is it will be much better to visit in the evening, catching glimpse of the sunset.

There are not many lighthouses left in main island of Singapore - there was apparently one at Labrodor Park, and another one in Fort Caning Park (far away from any sea). Hence, one cannot be too picky!

Nantah Lake @ Nanyang Lake 南大湖

桃花依旧，人面全非。

Of course there is no peach blossom in Nanyang Technological University (NTU), but it is an apt description of the transformation of Nantah Lake in recent years.

It is a total transformation, akin to that of total revamp, with no traces of old Nantah Lake left. 

What used to be a vast expanse of lake, with the water alternating between muddy and green colours depending on the seasonal weather, surrounded by walking paths dotted with benches, is now replaced with "cascading" ponds, accessible by wheelchair friendly boardwalk. 

view from a look-out point, that used to be main bus stop for Nantah

cascading landscape

Yes, the new landscape is more eco-friendly (apparently has water filtering function - filtering the water upstream of contaminants as it cascade downstream, to water the vegetations in Yunnan Garden downstream). However, to old folks who harbour fond memories of the old Nantah Lake, this may be a disappointment. No trace of sentimental nostalgia left... none at all!

This is certainly not the Nantah Lake that both my wife and I remember.

My wife came across the lake when she came to Nanyang Universtiy with her fellow classmates (apparently playing truant at school during those rebellious years), while I was the studious/nerdy student staying in Block 10 (residential hall) for hostelites.

Well, that's different between a housewife and a doctor ... as my wife lamented!