SHC Monthly Walk in June

Date/Time: 9 June 2007.  4.30pm

Park:  Sembawang Park
Meet Point:   Sembawang Park terminal bus stop.(just next to park).
Going there:

  • By Bus:  SBS Bus 882 from Interchange, Sembawang MRT Stn.  Bus stop next to Sun Plaza.
  • By car: Ample Parking Space.

Leading the Walk:  SMLee has kindly agreed to help out.                                                            

Attraction:  Bottle Tree Village -The Bottle Tree Village is located at the end of   Jalan Mempurong and is famous for its Bottle Trees (Brachychiton rupestris)  which have been specially flown in from Queensland, Australia by the owner Mr. Alex Neo and Mr. Colin Chia. Apart from the unique trees, other Australian flora  can be spotted in the surroundings. An eatery, Sembawang Eating House, is located within this Village, serving traditional Chinese stir-fry dishes. (www.bottletree.com)
Sembawang Park, a 15 hectare. One of the few parks in Singapore with a natural beach, the Wak Hassan Beach, this park is a heaven for city dwellers who are tired  of the never-ending concrete buildings and sky-scrapers. It’s a popular spot for campers as well as families who wish to spend an idyllic day by the beach (Johore Straits)
One can dine at the Beaulieu House, built in 1910, which was the residence of  Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton .  A wide range of fauna and flora awaits visitors, ranging from the spectacular Cannon Ball tree (Couroupita guianensis) to the many species of birds which have made the park their nesting grounds.
NB: Charles organized Sembawang Park walk in Aug. 2006. Some of the earlier SHC members have joined us in the walk.  Hope SMLee able to show us the Simpang Kiri connector or the Sembawang Hot Spring for good luck. Another good news is that the cyclist group and the walking group combine to have it on one day in Pulau Ubin.  Probably in August. We have unanimously nominated Yew Kwong to be in charge.  Look out for his  posting on SHC website. Akan Datang.  Also Akan Datang the photos for the walk in May.

Have given to Terence weeks ago to post on website.  He must be busy and excited with the Batam trip so a little delay from him.  We are a forgiving and understanding bunch.

Author: Veronica Wong

Interests: Outdoor outing, healthy lifestyle and ballroom dancing.

30 thoughts on “SHC Monthly Walk in June”

  2. Hi Veronica, Sembawang Park is a beautiful, natural area to walk and to enjoy lovely scenery. Please include me as participant for the walk. By the way, what is the full name of SMLee ??

    Bernie

  3. Hi Veronica/SM

    Thanks for organising this for us. I have not been to this park and would like to explore the place with the rest of the gang.

    Joy

  4. Welcome on board, Bernadette & Joy.
    Agree, beautiful park with a seafront. Ideal for BBQ/potluck. Easily accessible by public transport.
    Hope we can start on time and proceed to find the Sem Hotspring and then all can go back and plc bets on 4D or Man U. All Batam part.join us leh and you get your Batam trip FOC.
    Re: SMLee
    Other than senior mentor(SM), I really donot know what it stands for.
    SM Lee, what say you??

  7. Hi All,

    I just join the club. My wife and I are interested and would like to join in the nature walk. Our names are Ronald and Patricia. Thanks.

  9. Hi Veron

    Sembawang Park is no doubt a beautiful park I have and my wife have had been there several times in the past, sometime I did the fishing and crabbing around the pier, and she would be enjoying the sun, sea and sand and also the opposite view of Johore Straits. The only thing that come to my mind is the Hot Spring you mentioned, which I have not been there, and understand that lots of people went there for therapy and hot-water “foot-reflexology”. Recently read in papers that the army will be enclosing up the hot-spring area for good, please check B4 embarking on the trip.

    Please count us in for the joy of friendships among Silverhairs.

    CHEERS
    Ron & Alice Lai

  10. On the same subject matters, the eatery at Beaulieu Restaurant is on the “high side” which I had experienced. My I suggest the eatery at Sembawang Eating House is more reasonable.

    Ronlai

  11. Hi
    Janet, Jane, Peter and new members, Gingko, spring, ronald and ron – welcome to the walk.
    It will be fun having you all.
    Pity our leader Charles who started this activity, cannot join us. I can only introduce him to you in Aug/Sept.
    By the way, he recce the Sembawang HotSpring for me as compensation. He was a bit disappointed with the discovery that it has been fenced up. Nevertheless, the public can still visit. There were a few tubs around for people to soak their feet for theraputic reasons.
    It closed at 7pm after the army took over.
    If many part. come in cars, then we have no problem.
    As for dinner, Semb Eating House is a good idea or any one who got ho kang tow. Just pray that SMLee turns up. He knows the plc very well.
    Hi Ron
    Will email Charles email on the recce of the Hotspring to you separately for your comments.

  12. Hi Veron

    I just joined the club. Please include us for the walk on 9 June 07. Time : 4.30pm till …… ?

    Daisy & Emmanuel Phua

    Thank you
    Daisy

  13. Hi Daisy and Emmanue
    Not a big Park. Less than 1 hr can finish, depending on speed. If finish B4 6, find Sem Hotsp(close at 7pm). If late, then walk to the end of the canal and look 4 food. Heard there is a coffee shop there. SMlee may know.
    No hard & fast rules. Can leave at any time. Usual end w d’ner. Not all join in the dinner.
    Those want to splurge can go to Beaulieu Rest.
    cheers

  14. Hi Veronica,

    Can you please leave your mobile no. here so that I can contact you in case I miss you all when I reached Sembawang Park on 9/6/07. Sorry, I really don’t recognise most of you . Thanks, Bernie

  16. Dear Bernie
    Reqd info. c/p 93968372
    Attached courtesy of SMLee
    Driving Directions to SBWPark..
    1. If coming from SLE, exit 3 into lentor ave towards yishun new town
    2. Coming from AMkio ave 6, connect to lentor ave towards yishun new town
    Go straight…
    lentor ave> yishun ave 2> canberra link> right turn into sembawang road towards sembawang park.
    Go straight all the way till you hit carpark 1, end of sembawang road.
    suggested items u r able to see
    1. guided tour of the park
    beach
    jetty
    johore
    sembawang shipyard
    fitness corner
    playground
    semb beaulieu house restaurant
    new terrace houses along the straits,etc
    rgds
    SM Lee Richard

  17. Courtesy of Charles Wee on HotSpring
    Indeed there is a continous flow of hot water from a well. You can soak your feet in tubs provided, but the whole place is cemented up and the water is conveyed via a piping system. No shortage of water.
    Entrance is along Gambas road,about 50 metres from Sembawang Road junction, by the side of Army Camp, walk along a short narrow cement path to the point. There is no signage indicating hotspring ,but a large board in red indicating it is army ground and enter gate at your own risk (.. no risk lah!!)
    However, please note from our exit point along the canal from the bottle tree, we need to walk about 1km road side footpath to Gambas, along Yishun Av 7 and cross traffic light to Gambas Ave. If the interest is strong, go for it but remember the gate closes at 7pm sharp. It is army ground.
    Eatery is available at back of Sembawang Shopping Centre, about 10 mins walking away from hotspring. I hear the assam fish head , boiled pork leg, veg at reasonable prices (for 5persons , about 7$ each) and place is quite popular with locals, esp on weekends.

  18. By courtesy of Charles Wee, edited by VW
    Sembawang Hot Spring
    The S HSpring is popular 4 curative prop. The H2O used for F&N’s bottled water, Seletaris.
    History
    Seah Eng Keong, a Chinese merchant discovered 1909. Became popular who sought its waters for healing powers. Gained fame and known as Kampong Ayer Panas, “Village of Hot Water”.
    In 1922, (F&N) set up plant to tap the mineral water, called “Seletaris”. The spring’s flow interrupted in WW II. The Jap built a number of thermal baths in the area, to relax in the waters.
    In 1960, punters turned on race days, and took “good luck” baths before the races. Villagers urging the author.to dev the area
    In 1967, the idea of spa resurfaced. F&N had bigger plans for baths, rest. etc. Never materialised .By mid-80s, the G acquired for military use.
    A perimeter fence was erected around the spring, separate the airbase. A cemented walkway reopened on 1 May 2002, with drainage pipes added to the springs. The hot springs remain open to visitors between 7:00 am. and 7:00 pm.
    Description
    Its exact source remains unknown. Hot springs are formed when groundwater comes into contact with solid igneous rocks. Upon entering the earth’s crust a good 3 km underground, the water is heated up to high temperatures by the hot rock masses. The temperature ranges between 100 and 150 deg C. Consequently, the high pressure causes the water to seep upwards through cracks, thereby forcing itself out of ground into a 6 m spring. At this point, the temperature of the water drops to 70 deg C.

  21. “Man U?” Never a doubt. Of cos, me man, as you said, an ah pek. Which ah pek cheng goon & wear tank top?

    Manchester United has won the 2006-2007 English Premiership and will be calling on some football clubs in their Asia tour sometime in July.

    Meanwhile, Euro 2008 is on-going with several matches to be played 2nite/early next morning.

    Obviously Germany, England, Sweden, France are the shoo-ins but there’re very little money to make. Not discounting the element of kelong, I wont encourage any1 to break the bank and wager on them to win.

    If I cd analyse early enough will post some meaty bets. Right now, can only think that Finland shd come on top of Belgium.

  22. A follow-up to my last posting.

    Indeed, Germany, England, Sweden, France and Finland all won their matches but believe me you, I lost cos I was adventurous and went for more juicy bites.

    So moral of the story is, even gurus can be goondus.

  24. Hi all,

    So moral of the story is, even gurus can be goondus.

    If wealth can be accumulated so EASILY, is there a need for us to work ?

    Steven

  25. Steven, I can see where you are coming from.

    As a teacher for almost 3 decades, yr wealth (did I overstate it for you?) had to come from the paycheck which you needed to work hard for in the classrooms. Every bell-ring must hv rung a bell of hope as it spelt the end of a day’s work and that the month end paycheck was nearer by a day.

    So imbibed in the academia that you might even hv become imbecile not to see that in life we do have easier ways of making money. Not a sure bet but certainly easy.

    As proven in my earlier postings, an investment in the said wagers wd have yielded the investor a modest gain of almost 50%, better than what banks earn from overnite inter-bank lendings, or contra players do in the stock market. In fact, a straight bet on Finland to win reaps the investor a 130% gain. Wasnt that easy?

    So why did tim lose?

    He was ambitious and so asked the bomoh to make Estonia score just 1 goal (Estonia played 6 matches, scored none & had 20 goals against)in which case, a minimum 1,200% profit was guaranteed.

    As luck wd hv it for England, in the 1st of the 2 minutes injury-time, Estonia shot passed the english goalie but john terry was on the line to thwart the goal-bound effort. (obviously, the angmoh players didnt understand what the bomoh was muttering).

    Yes, there is easy money with small gains to make and of cos it needs no reminder that whilst legal, it’s still a form of gambling, no better no worse than what stock & forex investors termed as investments.

    Caveat Emptor !

  26. Hi Veronica,

    Thanks very much for the contact number and for the directions. I will be going to the Park by using Mrt, Bus and walking. Looking forward to seeing you all. Also, thanks for the detailed descriptions of the ‘Hot Spring’. It is more detailed than the Geography lessons that I learnt long ago. Bernie

  27. Heng Ah, gambling is not on Terence no no list
    otherwise…..
    So, what is next for this week. Can win or not?
    Hi Steven
    you don’t know meh, Liu Pek no need to work.
    that’s why got time to write long long.
    Hi Bernie
    Looking forward to see you.
    cheers

  28. So why did tim lose?

    The odds are ALWAYS against you or other betters. Finally who wins, the banker wins.

    Have you ever heard of any casino or toto or big sweep “losing $$$” or going bankrupt?

    That is why the Spore govt is opening not 1 but 2 casinos.

    Better to play safe by investing with less risk than to be sorry.

    Steven

  29. Call it an investment, call it more honestly a gamble, there’re always risks attendant to it so never never indulge or be addicted to any form of investment without knowing when to stop.

    At 45 or older, we hv been cheated enough not to be gullible and certainly not to be greedy. Woe betides those who still havent learnt. So probably for this reason, Terence has not included discussions on investment/wager/gamble as a taboo altho we shd be mindful not to actively pursue this topic actively even as a past-time.

    tim lost bcos with “foreign capital” aka winnings he was prepared to take bigger risks, and so it ends up a zero sum game.

  30. Just a suggestion.

    Ampang Yong Tau Foo is another eatery that we can consider. Indeed, to go there we must have sufficient cars.

    Ronald Lim

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