BTI—Yes I’m actually doing work in Singapore

With all my posts about the various places that I’ve visited while I’ve been in Singapore, you might be wondering if I’ve actually done any work here. Well I’ve included some pictures below that prove I’ve actually been doing some work while I’m here.

I am working with the Analytics group at the Bioprocessing Technology Institute in Biopolis to get trained on various glycosylation characterization techniques. The group has been absolutely fabulous to work with—I could not have asked to work with more welcoming and helpful people than my collegues here at BTI. In particular, I’d like to mention Dr. Muriel Bardor and Corrine. Muriel is one of my advisors here at BTI and has been very helpful explaining various aspects of glycosylation to me. Corrine, who is a research scientist in the Analytics group, has spent almost every day since I started at BTI training me on the various techinques. She is such a sweetheart! Not only has she spent an incredible about of time training and explaining the protocols to me, but has made it her priority to make me feel welcome at BTI/Singapore by inviting me to lunch almost every day and giving me lots of recommendations for places to visit/restaurants to eat at while I’m in Singapore.

I’ve included some photos from some of the group activities that we’ve done together including the BTI bowling tournament and Muriel’s Birthday lunch on July 4th.

Entrance to Biopolis where I'm working this Summer

Centros--The building in biopolis where I'm work in Singapore

Me collecting some glycan data with the MALDI-TOF

Corrine and Me on the bus to the BTI bowling tournament

Analytics and Down Stream Processing Groups at the BTI Bowling Tournament

My lunch crew

BTI Bowling Tournament

Wishing Dr. Muriel Bardor a very Happy Birthday on July 4th

BTI's Analytics Group--Such amazing people!!

Colonial District

Sunday July 3rd, Gitt, Patrick and I visited the Colonial District of Singapore. Our first stop was food at Lau pa Set Festival Market. This is the #2 rated hawker stand according to my guide book. Its located in the heart of the financial district and the building has a Victorian flare to it. I ended up getting a Japanese Bento box set here.

From there, we set out to see the Top 10 Sights of Colonial District according to my guidebook. The first stop was walking through the Fullerton hotel—this 6 star hotel is supposedly one of the nicest hotels in the world. Next stop was the Asian Civilisations museum. Built in 1867, the building was originally government offices, then became the Empress Place building before becoming the Asian Civiilzation museum in 2003. The museum had a special exhibit of the Terracota warriers from the 1st Emperor of China. These statues were part of the 10s of thousands of statues that the emperor had made for his burial site.

After visiting the museum, we walked past the Victorial Theater Hall, old parliament house and statue of Raffles. Unfortunately, all were under construction so I wasn’t able to get the best photoes. On the way to Raffles hotel, we also saw the City Hall and Supreme Court Building.

The Raffles hotel is an Iconic Landmark in Singapore. Named after Sir Stamford Raffles, who founded Singapore—the hotel is known for it’s extreme luxury and history. The popular cocktail, the Singapore Sling, was invented here And the likes of Hemmingway and other authros have written famous books at the bar in this hotel.

To conclude the day, we met up with some of the other EAPSI fellows for dinner in the Arab quarter. We ended up in this quaint little Egyptian restaurant where you sit on the floor and each off of small tables. I had Schwarma, which is kind of like Doner Kebab, and it was absolutely delicious!

Me and Gitt in front of Lau Pa Set

Inside of Lau Pa Set Hawker Center

Cool Perspective shot with the Marina Bay Sands

Fullerton Hotel--the 6 star hotel supposedly one of the nicest hotels in the world

Modernized terracotta warriors

Terracotta Warrior

More Terracotta Warriors

City Hall and Supreme Court

Victoria Theater and Concert Hall

Raffles Statue--unfortunately you can't really see it too well because of the construction

Raffles Hotel

Singapore Sling in the Raffles Hotel

Raffles Courtyard

Eating at the Egyption restaurant in the Arab Quarter

My Shwarma :-)

Bukit Timah/Durian/Food Republic Beer Garden

Some highlights from my 3rd week in Singapore:

Bukit Timah Train Station Closing 06/30/2011— The Bukit Timah Railway Station was a passing loop railway station in Bukit Timah, Singapore, and owned by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM), the main railway operator in Malaysia. It opened as a railway station on the dismantled Tank Road mainline in 1903 (rebuilt on the current Singapore–Johor Bahru part of the present KTM Intercity mainline in 1932) until the Jurong Line shut down and it became a passing loop station in the late 1940s to today. The station was also a freight interchange for the now defunct Jurong Line from 1965 to the early 1990s. This station is no longer open for passenger embarkation and disembarkation and freight loading services, and trains do not stop here but instead pass by.  As of 1 July 2011, train services on this route ceased permanently, following a historic land-swop agreement between the Singapore and Malaysia governments.

Tasting my First Durian-- Durian Fruit can best be described as having a succulent, creamy filling but smelling like stinky socks. My labmate, Corrine, bought a Durian seed of the highest quality for me to try. I think my expression in the picture below will tell you what I thought of the fruit….The worst part is that taste just lingers in your mouth for hours and the smell just doesn’t go away—you are not actually allowed to bring these fruits in public places.

Food Republic Beer Garden—Friday night a bunch of the EAPSI fellows went to check out VivoCity in the Harborfront area in Singapore. We ate at the Food Republic Beer Garden. Here I ordered BBQ Sting ray. Sounds weird, but it was absolutely delicious—one of the best things I’ve had here in Singapore so far.

Manual Signal System at Bukit Timah Station

Signal Diagram at Bukit Timah

Conductor in the KTM railway train engine

Phone system in the Bukit Timah Station

Train Bridge from the Bukit Timah Station

Durian Seed

Thinking...I can't believe you eat this--it smells like rotting fruit

Ok you totally lied..Durian is not better when you get past the horrible smell--it tastes like a combination of creamy rotting fruit and dirty gym socks...people really eat this enough to acquire a taste for it???

Vivocity, located at the Harbourfront area, is the largest shopping mall in Singapore

Food Republic Beer Garden is a hawker center close to Vivocity

BBQ sting ray...yummy :-)

Me and Gitt in front of the BBQ Sting Ray stall in the Beer Garden (notice my Gucci purse from KL :-)

National Day Parade Preview

On Saturday July 2nd, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to attend the Singapore National Day Parade (NDP) Preview. Singapore National Day (like our 4th of July) takes place on August 9th and in celebration of it’s Independence, Singapore puts on this elaborate show called the National Day Parade. Tickets to this event are free, but are incredibly difficult to get. In fact, most Singaporean’s have never attended the event themselves because tickets are handed out by a balloting system. In order to allow more people to see the show though, they open the dress rehearsal (the Preview show) to the public. I was fortunate enough that one of my collegues at BTI got some tickets to the Preview and I just happened to be around when he was talking about how he was going.

How to describe the pure awesomness of this event? I would say it is on par with elaborate nature of any Disney show/parade or I would even go so far as to liken it to an Olympic Opening ceremony--complete with a F16 flyover, cannon solute to the Singapore president, beautiful costumes, and of course fireworks.  My photos do not truly capture how amazing the NDP is.  The show was organized as a 5 act musical describing the present, birth, growth, progress and spirit (Majulah) of Singapore. The Red Lions sky diving team kicked off the show by flying to the stage in perfect formation. Then all of Singapore’s armed forces paraded onto the stage and displayed their tanks, helicopters, trucks, boats, etc etc—there were pyrotechnique special effects throughout this portion. After the Armed forces parade, the show turned more into a musical with beautiful puppets, floats and costumes that lit up as the Sun set. The show concluded with lots of confetti and briliant fireworks which incorporated the Marina bay skyline backdrop--- AMAZING NIGHT for Sure! I can't tell you how fortunate I am to have experienced it in person!

NDP Stage with the Marina Bay as the backdrop. To the left you see the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and to the Right is the Downtown Singapore Skyline

Me and one of my Colleagues from BTI, Frank.  At the NDP you are encouraged to wear Red and White.  I didn't have anything Red so my boss at BTI, Muriel, bought me an I <3 SG shirt--She's the best!!!

Crowd Waving the Singaporean Flag from their Fun Pack

Red Lions skydiving to the stage

One of the Red Lion landing on the stage

Armed forces Parade

Armed Forces Parade

Helicopter flyover with the Singaporean Flag  

F16 Flyby

Act II:  The Birth

Lighted Floats in Act II--At the front of the Stage from the left you see a typewriter, Indian Elephant, and Dim Sum basket floats.

Pretty lighted sea-shells and costumes during Act III Growing up

Act IV: Progress:  This featured an clever song about the MRT system as well as some cool fireworks that included fireworks and lasers on the buildings in the Singapore Skyline

Act IV:  Majulah!  

The Finale

The Encore