Fuzzy Bus

Nan Yang is a style and school of art that blends Classical Chinese traditions with aspects of the West. It is a fusion of styles that makes it diverse and a rich part of South East Asian style. There are considered to be four primary founders of this style and Cheong Soo Pieng is one of them. He was born and raised in China, one of seven children. He was perhaps born with a destiny. Without the encouragement of his parents or family Pieng knew from a very young age that we wanted to be an artist. He began his education at the Xiamen Academy when he was sixteen and his self-discipline and determination led him to graduate in three years. He then moved to Hong Kong to continue his education. The Sino-Chinese war broke out while he was there and the school was destroyed, so Pieng returned home and became a teacher at the same school he had attended as a child. He enjoyed teaching and was highly respected, though it was his own work that drove him. He was an inspiration to his students and had his first exhibition at the school in 1942.

Pieng moved to Singapore where he continued to teach. He started working with oil paint while he was there and also started to work with sculpture. He was an instructor at the esteemed Nan Yang Academy for more than 20 years. In his late forties, he retired from teaching and focused all his time and energy on his own work. He has an eclectic style with various influences based on Egyptian techniques. His work was abstract and his most influential pieces are of women. He would distort them slightly, and they would often have elongated limbs. A trip he had taken to Bali remained a strong source of inspiration to him. His work was presented at the National Museum Gallery in Singapore, located centrally in 5 star Singapore district. Pieng died of heart failure four months before the opening of the exhibit. He is remembered for his art, and his quiet and thoughtful manner of teaching. His legacy includes being one of the founders for the Nanyang style of painting.

The human body has been the focus of fine artists throughout history. In Singapore however nudity is an uncomfortable topic, for discussion as well as literally. Figure drawing classes have been a staple in art schools, and is one of the most important classes or focuses of study for all artists. But the accepting of that has been difficult, even for the city that has desired to become one of the world’s thriving artistic hubs. In a figure drawing class, the most important aspect is the model. And in Singapore society, that does not constitute proper behavior and is considered an immoral job choice, or sometimes the model is considered as having no other option that to resort to making their living by taking off their clothes. More often than not however, models are often in art school or artists themselves. Perhaps that it is the case that many cultures, not just that of Singapore, but many societies hold to the idea that nudity constitutes sexuality. Which could not be further from the case in an art class.

In order to learn to draw anything, most artist would agree that the human form must be studied. For once an artist can accomplish such a difficult undertaking as the anatomy and movement of the body, capturing anything else on paper or canvas is easy. One artist living and studying in Singapore, Alice Mendoza, has herself been a model. It is her belief that due to the years of strict government control, via censorship and regulations concerning proper behavior and guidelines constructing what is or is not ethical has perhaps made it hard for the people living there under all that pressure for so long. It isn’t just the physical classes that make many uncomfortable either. Paintings have been removed from gallery walls, deemed improper due to the fact that the subjects in the paintings are nude. Artists selling their work along the sidewalks or having showings in cafes or some of the boutique hotels in Singapore, have restrained from displaying their works of the nude for fear of punishment, even jail time. It is a sad state at the moment, but one that may change as more and more fine art festivals and shows open, and more galleries showing works of the body are accepted. In many cultures, the body is considered beautiful and exotic, however the perception of the human form has been, in Singapore is that it is obscene. Artists such as Cheong Soo Pieng may help to bridge the cultural gap, as he is considered to be a fine artist and well respected, and he paints mainly the nude female form. So times have indicated a want and a desire, to be more accepting and appreciative in the world of art for the people of Singapore.

Every day thousands of visitors arrive in Kuala Lumpur for the unique experience of traditional Malay charm surrounded by the contemporary conveniences of a modern, global city. While KL (the city’s much-used nickname) is an urban center of finance, politics and culture for Malayasia and the surrounding region, the city maintains a much slower pace and friendlier atmosphere than many of the world’s urban centers.

Two of the tallest buildings in the world are in Kuala Lumpur. The Petronas Twin Towers once held the distinction of the tallest towers in the world. Today they are number 2 and number 3 on the list, but still hold the distinction of the world’s tallest twin towers. Another famous structure is the KL Tower, which also attracts numerous tourists.

Visitors to Malaysia’s capital (which is also its largest city), will find numerous luxury hotels in Kuala Lumpur that blend the traditional with the modern. Likewise, the restaurants in the the city range from traditional Malay, Indian, and Chinese eateries to gourmet restaurants offering cutting edge global cuisine.

The city still holds a number of traditional markets. The Central Market features a wide variety of arts and crafts, including traditional clothing and textiles. On the modern side, KL has over sixty shopping malls and centers, making it the country’s fashion and retail hub.

As a capital city, KL is full of conventional “tourist attractions.” These include the official royal residence, the Istana Negara, as well as Independence Square, the Masjid Negara (National Mosque), and the House of Parliament. KL is also home to the Masjid Jamek, the Istana Budya and the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve.

With a gorgeously mild climate most of the year as well as its many cultural, historical, and modern attractions, KL will no doubt continue to be a major tourist magnet for years to come.

Scientists believe they have discovered a new species of box jellyfish in the waters off Phuket Island. The box jellyfish is a venomous species usually found in tropical areas such as Hawaii, Australia, and the Phillippines.

Marine biologists in Ao Nambor found this new species that has never been seen before. Last July nearly 40 specimens of box jellyfish were collected in the same area. In October another 18 were found there. The new jellyfish is much smaller than other specimens collected in Phuket and has shorter tentacles.

Dr. Somchai Bussarawit, the Chief of Museum and Aquarium at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) cautioned that further study is needed to verify whether this a baby or a full-grown specimen. “If this is indeed fully grown, then it will pose a problem as it will be more difficult to see. Most box jellyfish are hard enough to see as it is — this is even smaller.”

While the PMBC was unable to confirm the existence of this new jellyfish in other areas around Phuket, they did explain that the species seems to like the brackish water that is found in mangrove ecosystems.

Phuket has become the top tourist destination in Southeast Asia. Countless tourists flock to the islands to enjoy the sand and the sea. Many of the 5 star hotels on Phuket are in close proximity to the beach. Snorkeling, scuba diving, and other water sports are quite popular with visitors, who need to be aware of the dangers of box jellyfish stings.

Box jellyfish venom has caused over 5500 deaths since 1954. It is considered to be the most deadly venom in the animal kingdom.

If a sting is suspected, Dr Somchai recommends applying vinegar and then an immediate consult with a doctor.

A record-setting field of athletes is set to compete at the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town next month. A record 12,000 runners are scheduled to race the half-marathon and 19,000 athletes in all are registered for the event which will be held on April 11,2009.

The Two Oceans events includes a marathon, a half-marathon, and an ultra-marathon. The half-marathon has become so popular that officials had to cut off registrations when they reached 12K. An additional 6,800 runners are set to compete in the 56-kilometer ultra event.

Rowyn James, the race director, was pleased with the numbers, given that this is the 40th anniversary of the Cape Town event. For the main event, all of the men who finished in the top ten last year will be back to compete in 2009. On the women’s side, six of 2008’s top ten are returning, including the famous Nurgalieva twins: Yelena won the event in 2004 and again in 2005 while Olesya won in 2008.

Nearly 900 of the entries are foreigners, comprising 4.5 percent of the racers. The United Kingdom leads the foreign field, with 143 athletes. They are followed by Germany with 134 entries and the United States with 110. Nearly half of the racers are from the Western Cape province of which Cape Town is the capital.

With so many athletes and fans in town for the marathon and for the Eastern holidays, the four and five star hotels in Cape Town are expected to be at or near capacity. Anyone planning to attend the event should confirm their plans immediately.

An interesting factoid about the marathon: Racers with blue numbers have completed ten previous races. This year 59 runners will be awarded blue numbers in the half-marathon and 247 will earn blue for the ultra. Currently only 45 half-marathoners have blue while 908 have already completed ten ultras. This may be due to the fact that half-marathoners sometimes move up to the regular or even ultra marathon. Last year’s third place finisher in the men’s half-marathon will be competing in the full marathon this year.

Some of the best hotels Majorca, Spain operates for summer travel are currently worried about swarms of jellyfish. The Mediterranean Sea has been overtaken by the fish and this has not only been a dangerous problem for the rest of the Marine life, but for humans as well. A more than 50 percent increase in attacks on humans has made it necessary to close certain beaches along the coast of Spain, and the islands of Majorca, Ibiza, and Formentera . This has many worried for a few reasons as the tourism industry with most definitely suffer, and the stings by some of the species are quite poisonous. The beaches that are remaining open have hired first aid workers to sit along side the life guards, and the number of life guards has increased on these beaches as well.

This occurred off the coast of Ireland, the massive numbers of jelly fish swarming the waters. The result is that the Northern Salmon Company, that has supplied most of the salmon for Europe over the years, will most likely go out of business. The Queen of England regularly acquired her salmon from this company. The jellyfish attacked the stock of salmon so quickly and relentlessly that there was nothing that could be done to save them. The company lost more than one hundred thousand salmon in one attack. Scientists in the environmental company, Oceana , have come in and collected 2,000 tons of the fish from the sea, in hopes of study and research that could lead to an exact cause. Currently it is believed that drop in the tuna and sea turtle population has been partly responsible for the over population of jelly fish, as the two are natural predators of the jelly fish. Another factor is the rising temperatures of the bodies of water around the world due to environmental warming that is occurring every where on earth.

Dubai has become one of the most popular destinations in the world for both leisure and business travelers. Over the last decade the city has worked diligently to develop its reputation as the stellar destination in the Middle East. Located in the United Arab Emirates, the city, though surrounded by desert, is ideally situated on the coast of the Persian Gulf. The gorgeous beaches and man-made islands take full advantage of the region’s excellent climate and sparkling ocean waters.

The city is home to everything a tourist could desire: excellent five star hotels Dubai, incredible restaurants, countless malls and shopping centers, and a wide array of activities and attractions. The city has been expanding its presence in sports and the arts with major competitions and festivals serving to attract athletes, artists, and fans to this exciting city.

Dubai Creek divides the city into “Old” and “New” sections. Many visitors take a cruise on the Creek that highlights the many buildings and ships of Old Dubai’s rich history. The city has some beautiful mosques and museums that are worth a look as well as more modern attractions such as a water park and countless entertainment venues.

In addition to many things to see, Dubai offers more active visitors a wide array of recreational activities. The beach and ocean are ideal for swimming, sailing, diving, and deep sea fishing. Divers will find the coral reefs off the coast to be a magical marine world and there are several interesting shipwrecks to explore. On the other side of the city, desert safaris offer the chance to go “dune bashing.”

Those wanting a special experience can visit Dubai during its many cultural festivals and sporting events. The city is home to festivals featuring jazz, film, poetry, and literature. It also hosts major professional championships in golf, tennis, rugby, and thoroughbred horse racing.

There is a very close connection between the Chinese Opera and the Chinese Temple celebrations. The opera, known by the term Wayang, which is a Malay word that simply means ‘performance’, began many hundreds of years ago and was brought to Singapore by the Chinese immigrants. Most performances then, were done upon temporary stages set up and brightly lit on the sides of streets. During this time all actors were male, and young boys played the female roles. There was no price to attend these shows. Then, as well as today, the shows are often funded by the temples and coincide with various festivals and religious celebrations. Even the ones that are mainly for entertainment purposes now, started out in this fashion. Some festivals are similar to Halloween or Day of the Dead Festivals that occur in other parts of the world, such as the Hungry Ghost Festival. In these cases the dead are remembered, honored and appeased with dancing, feasts, sacrifices, and performances.

Today there are over thirty professional companies performing Wayang Opera. Should one be visiting Singapore and not know where to find a performance, the concierge at some of the best hotels in Singapore will have that information. These performances have a long cultural history and should not be missed. This is an art form based in traditional rituals and are very religious in context, over ninety five percent of them being performed on such occasions. This form of expression disappeared however, for almost 70 years. But with the growth of the country, there seemed to be something missing. The older generation has come together with the younger, as Singapore’s youth becomes more interested in the history of their city and their heritage, and many of the older generation remember the days when all performances were done on the street corners, before fancy opera houses were built and when the price of a ticket was simply the desire to be there.