Rained Out Zoo Visit

I woke up early and worked out at Yio Chu Kang Stadium Sports facility early dismorning. I had all intentions to head to the Singapore Zoo for a morning with the animals, however about two exhibits in the daily rain hit earlier than usual. I luckily was able to get my ticket revalidated for a return visit.

I then went to work in the afternoon where I worked in the Chinese area of the Restaurant. The guys taught me how to make a vegetable dish with bell peppers, carrots, cabbage, baby corn, sea cake, squid, and shrimp. I added a few hot peppers for my spicy kick! I was taught how to use a wok and how to care for it by cleaning it with a bamboo brush after each dish is cooked.

Following work I met up with Stephen D, Jennifer, Paige, and Sam for a tour around Arab Street. We ate Thai food. Since I had eatten at work I tried several Thai Desserts. We shared Tarrow Root ( Tapioca Source) covered in cocoanut Milk, Pumpkin, Lotus Paste covered with Egg yolk, panda Leaf and cocoanut Jelly, and some plain jelly. We saw the markets on Arab and Baghdad Streets. Sultan Mosque is the national Muslim Mosque in Singapore. Here is a timeline on the construction of the Mosque.

1824
Sultan Hussain Shah, the Ruler of Temasek (former name of Singapore), proposed to build a Mosque. Sir Stamford Raffles promised that the East India Company will donate $3000 to assist in the builing of Sultan Mosque. It was ready two years later. It was a brick structure with an area sufficient for the Muslim population to do their prayers.

1879
Sultan Alauddin Shah, grandson of Sultan Hussain shah, the ruler of this period handed over the administration to a Board of trustees consisting of Five Muslim leaders.

1914
The lease of the land where Masjid Sultan was situated was extended by the Straits Settlement Government for a further 999 years. A new Board of Trustees consisting of twelve members was formed.

1924
The Board of Trustees proposed to rebuild a new building for the mosque on the same site. Construction went through phases so as not to disrupt the prayers in the Mosque. The new builing costing $200,000 was completed fours years later. The Mosque building with its unique architecture is still the pride of Singapore Muslims today.

1975
The Masjid Sultan was declared a preserved historical building under the patronage of the Preservation Monuments Board Act. It has become one of our heritage.

1987
The Government of Singapore approved the application by the Board of Trustees to carry out an extension project for the mosque. The project is to builda three storey annex building on a 1,184 sq. meters land adjoining the mosque. Consequently, with the declaration by the government to conserve the Kampong Glam area as our heritage, the Mosque will invariably be a focus under the Malay Muslim theme of our heritage.

1993
The Completion of the project has upgrade the facilities in the mosque and provided the infrastructure for educating the people on Islam as a religion and a way of life. Wide variety of activities has been conducted in the Annexe building.