Merry MERRY Christmas

Hi,

Merry Christmas to all of you. Heard that Celia & Jia Yan will be attending a neighbour's Xmas party. Please tell me all about it. We'll be so excited to find out more.

Thanks for the cards (see below) that I've received from some of you. Really wonderful!!

The Ancient ICE KACHANG!!!

Ice ball — straight from the hands

BEFORE premium ice cream and tiramisu, there was the humble ice ball. Cheap and delicious, it was a delightful treat.

Ice ball vendors would create crushed ice from huge slabs of ice, and use their hands to sculpt it into a small ball. Modern versions of these ice grinders can still be found at hawker centres — if the dessert stall offers ice kachang, you'll probably see it.

Syrup was drizzled liberally all over the ice ball — in bright enticing colours like green and red.

A dash of sweetly concentrated condensed milk was added to the concoction, and sometimes a few attap seeds or mashed red beans were stuffed inside the ball for a more flavourful treat.

The ball would then be handed over to the buyer who would slurp it straight from the hands.

No gloves, cups or cones were used in those days.

For youngsters, the balls, costing three to five cents each, were a rare treat.

Later, the prices rose to 10 cents a ball.

Certainly a far cry from the $10 tubs of ice cream one picks up from the supermarket these days

Taken from The Straits Times

Thanks for the Xmaz cards!!!

Hi One & All,

I'm really glad to receive all these cards from some of you. They'll simply wonderful!!

Merry Xmas!!

Holiday Updatez - Suvd is BACK!!!

Hi everyone,

Suvd is back! You must have read her message on the tag board. Could she have visited this Korea disneyland???

Holiday Updatez - Ling Xin

Hi one & all,

Managed to have a long & fun chat with Ling Xin. She was at . . . .



Heard that it is a very cold place. Very fun!!

Did you know? - Social Studies

(Guess what are the white things dotting the landscape? Ans : Tombstones)

RISING FROM THE ASHES

As the high rises of Bishan went up, the population went down. Today, Bishan's 68,000 residents live where 100,000 graves once were something few people born after the 1970s know about.

This old picture (above), taken in 1979, is one of the last photographs of the area before it was developed to become the bustling Housing Board township we see today (below), with its schools and suburban malls, homes and families.

Before it was developed, the Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Teng cemetery was meant for early immigrants. Founded in 1870 by immigrants from Guangdong province in China, it was one of the biggest and oldest burial grounds on the island. Kwong Wai Siew refers to three prefectures in Guangdong province Kwong Fu, Wai Chow Fu and Siew Hing - Fu the founders of the cemetery hailed from. Peck San Teng translates, literally, as "Bishan pavilion".




P.S.
That's why Bishan MRT station is rumoured to be haunted. It was previously a cemetery.

Holidayz Update - Mr Thang (The puppies are growing!!!)

Hi one & all,

What have I been up to lately? Of course, it's Precious & Hulk. They are growing; from "swimming" around to crawling to walking.

By the way, Jia Yan is back from her trip to China. Wonder where is Suvd????

Another BLOG for our class??? Check this out!!

Click on the pic below or go to http://spaces.msn.com/members/mrthang/

Interesting Game!!

An online game recommended by Ling Xin's cousin.

Holiday Updatez - Mr Thang

Hi one & all,

Tis' the Christmas season & I've just completed decorating my Xmas tree. Mmmm . . . still trying to gather & buy all the presents. How has all your holidays been? Fun, I hope!!!

Stay tuned for more updates

Vote our class blog NOW!!! - It is No. 1 already.

Hi all,

Finally, our blog, for the first time, is Number 1 in Singapore's Hottest Blogs. Thanks for all your support and please continue to vote for us at

Holiday Updatez - Suvd & Jia Yan

Hi one & all,

Hope everything is fine & fun for the holidays. Last chatted with Wan Qi this afternoon. Heard that Suvd is in Korea and Jia Yan will be back from Xiamen, China on the 10 Dec.

Ciao,
Mr Thang

Did you Know - Social Studies?

ONCE UPON A TIME



Time has been kind to the row of homes at the junction of Bartley Road and Upper Paya Lebar Road, which have retained their character even after 33 years.

The vehicles in the driveways may have changed, but most units have retained even their tiled roofs, though these are a bit more weathered now. Look closely, and you will see another remnant from the pre air conditioning era: little ventilation holes just below the eaves.

However, the tree in front of the junction has grown over the years, reaching rooftop height. The kerbs have been raised, the street repaved, but it is still the same busy junction.

Taken from the Straits Times, 3 Dec 2004

Did you Know? - Social Studies

Can you beat it? Kopi in a tin can!



COFFEE in a can? Big deal, just go to the nearest 7-Eleven, right?-
Not if you want the real thing.

Long before Nescafe and Pokka came along, anyone wanting takeaway coffee in a can went for a kopi kong — freshly brewed kopi served in a condensed milk can.

Once commonly used for takeaway kopi, the kopi kong is now a rare sight, found mainly in older kopi tiams.

The kopi kong goes so far back that stall­holders cannot even remember when the prac­tice of carrying kopi in a tin can with a raffia string originated. As far as they know, it had al­ways been around.

According to Mr Jeffrey Soh, 34, owner of the drinks stall at the Boon Hwa Food Centre in Jalan Besar. The kong, or tin, was simply "a con­venient container for takeaway kopi because of the tin's size and shape".

While Mr Soh admits that the kopi kong does have its "own taste", he still thinks that kopi tastes best in the traditional thick cup and sau­cer.

Kopi kong began to decrease in popularity with the arrival of the polystyrene foam cup, which offered the same convenience and was perceived as more hygienic.

However, Mr Soh is quick to point out that the cans are usually rinsed in hot water before being used for takeaways, so fans of kopi in a tin need not worry about hygiene. They can also as­sure themselves they are being more friendly to the environment.

Today, kopi kong still has its fans.
"There are a lot of office workers who buy kopi kong," says Mr Soh, who leamt to make kopi from his father and has been running his Stall for over 10 years. "Some customers like it so much that they in­sist on having the tin."

Taken from the Strait Times 26 Nov Friday 2004

Prefects' Nomination for P5 2005

Lin Jia Yan


Celia Tan


Goh Kim Mei


Tamir Suvd

Holidayz Update - The GREAT Idol Showdown

Had a spirited discussion with Mira & Ling Xin on who should be the Singapore Idol. Mmmmm . . .


Managed to chat with Jia Yan. She is enjoying the sights & sounds of Xiamen, China.

Holidayz Update - Mr Thang!!

Hi one & all,

Hope all of you are having a jolly good time. Last Saturday, I went to the Singapore Motor Show 2004 held at Suntec City. Lots of gorgeous cars to look at!!









Have something interesting to share! Drop me an email at thang4334@hotmail.com

Holidayz Update!! - Rui Yu & Ling Xin

Hi Ling Xin,

Nice to hear that you are enjoying yourself at your cousin's place. Was the black pepper crabs really that yummy?

After seeing Shark Tales, please email me and tell me how's the show?


Hi Rui Yu,
Finally caught you on the MSN Messenger. Good luck for your adventures in the SIMS!!

Letters of Appreciation from some of you.

From Aishah




Banner signed by some of you, co-ordinated by Suvd.


Thanks for everything!!

The Joys & Satisfaction of Teaching

Hi Emelia and all in P4/2,

Thanks for the lovely poem cum letter. It was certainly very heartwarming, bringing back many memories of these past two years that I have spent with all of you. Just as I have tried my very best to teach all of you, many of you have also taught me many, many things.

I have seen how Jia Yan has changed from a playful girl in P3 to being very responsible this year. You, Emelia, too has become more sensible and mindful of other peoples' feelings. You have rendered tremendous help to this class in areas of speech, drama & dance. Together with Wan Qi and many of you, all of you have made this class my very very very BEST CLASS that I will remember for a long, long time.

I appreciate all that and wish all of you the Best in whatever you do.

May the spirit and friendship formed in this class remain FOREVER.

Mr Anthony Thang

P.S.
I will definitely miss all of you!!





Thank You!

3rd Annual Speech cum Prize-Giving Day 2004

Our P4/2 prize winners

Ling Xin (3rd), Kimberley (1st) and standing behind is Rui Yu (2nd)


Rui Yu saying "Hi" to her supporters, the gals from P4/2 seated in the gallery.


It was definitely a nervous wait for their names to be called.


Kimberly




Rui Yu



Ling Xin


The programme for the day.

Ain't you PROUD to be a Singaporean?!!!

Click on the newspaper article from TODAY to read more:

Did you know? - Social Studies

PRE-MALL DAYS

Orchard Road — then and now Singapore's main shopping road— took a while to evolve into its present state of high-rise, spanking shopping malls standing cheek by jowl.

Thirty years ago, someone standing in the middle of the road could still see a lot of sky (above).

The only thing that is still represented in the streetscape now is the Lido Theatre near the junction of Scotts and Orchard roads. And even then, that was reincarnated as Lido Cineplex in l993.

Where the Orchard Road MRT station now is used to stand the Orchard Road Police Station, which made way for progress in 1982.

Ngee Ann City, in the foreground of the present photo (left), came up in 1993, and Wisma Atria was built in 1986.

Both photos were taken from Mandarin Hotel, now known as the Meritus Mandarin