Pulau Ubin Part 1

This will be the first of many posts about Pulau Ubin, the last kampong in Singapore (although it's not in mainland, technically it's still part of Singapore). There's a legitimate reason for having more posts about Ubin, in less than 5years time the Ubin we know today may be transformed,after the residents have no choice but to move out. Another Sentosa with another Integrated Resort? Cringe. http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/pulau-ubin-will-remain-rustic-state-residents-will-have-pay-rent-20130

There's an interesting (read:lame) legend about this island. Many years ago there was a frog, an elephant and a pig that lived on Singapore mainland. They had a race to see who can swim to Malaysia first. Alas.... none of them made it, all died! (Told you it's lame!) So the frog turned into Frog Island, the elephant and pig turned into Pulau Ubin. At least a rock on Frog Island looks like a frog (that's how it got it's name). Ubin doesn't even look remotely like an elephant nor a pig! The only relation is that there are many wild boars in Ubin. Anyway, I warned you that the story is lame. 

To get to Ubin, you will have to take a Bumboat from Changi Ferry Terminal, which is beside Changi Village (CV). CV itself deserves special mention, for its idyllic charm and relax , seaside atmosphere. Many shops here sell recreation stuff like bicycles, fishing gear, camping gear etc. Almost everyone here look like they are going cycling, fishing or camping. Everyday feels like a weekend in CV. 

Being in CV is never complete until you eat the food in the hawker centre. It's newly furbished, although I can't tell the difference from the old one except the the toilets are much much cleaner and newer. When one talks about CV hawker centre, it will invariably lead to the conversation of "that famous nasi lemak stall at the corner". Or simply known as the "Changi Village nasi lemak". The chicken wing is really crispy and yummy! There are at least 2 other nasi lemak stalls within 5m of one another, but the "corner one with the super long queue" will always be the "special one". If you don't have time to queue, I suggest you give the other nasi lemak stalls a try, it's just as good if not better! 

Taking a Bumboat to Ubin gives you the feeling that you are going to an "island".... you are out of Singapore mainland. Looking at the uncles ply their trade, you cant help but wonder who will take over after they retire? Our younger generation with diplomas and degrees? Foreign talent? Sentosa used to be accessible only by ferry or cable car when I was younger. Now (actually many years ago) you can drive, take a bus/taxi, walk, mrt. Hey isn't that what everyone does to get around in Singapore? Are you sure you are going to an island and not just another part of mainland??

Stepping into Ubin is like you just got transported to Singapore in the 50s. Maybe the Bumboat was a time machine and the 15min boat ride was actually a journey back in time! Time and development (aka progress) miraculously left out this island. People are on bicycles, fishing, wearing slippers, shops are old and dirty, seashores are not as pretty as east coast park or Sentosa... It's just not as orderly and squeaky clean as the rest of Singapore. Perfect! Nowadays I see an increasing number of foreigners in Ubin, maybe they had enough of Singapore Corporation and want to have a taste of Singapore. Just the real Singapore. 

We got our bicycles and started riding. If anyone wants to cycle in Ubin, please get a helmet. The trails can be very rocky and steep, sometimes with a sharp turn at the bottom of the slope. Seen many bad falls already. Btw my favourite bicycle uncle (the shop furthest from the jetty, before the opera stage) will lend me helmets free! 

Today's objective is to recce Chek Jawa, but that didn't stop us from taking pictures of interesting things along the way. First on the list, monkeys! Long tailed macaques, the most common primates in Singapore. They feed on anything from fruits to crabs, but I suspect their favourite is human leftovers. Their success is contributed by their lack of natural predators. Plus there are always humans who feed them, voluntarily or involuntarily. 6.9mil people is already overcrowded without them. 

This tree! It's THE tree! The tallest tree in Ubin, towering above the rest at 35m, it can be seen even when you were on the bumboat towards Ubin. The common Pulai.... but it's anything but common, so huge! 

Just below the tree, I see....tombstones??? Yes I was right, we are in the a Muslim cemetery. 

  










Something else caught our attention.
Check out these bright grape-like fruits. And then we realised that we weren't the only living things attracted by it.....ants!!

Sorry haven't reached chek jawa yet, got distracted along the way. Finally we reached our destination. I shall shut up and let you enjoy a series of pictures.   

More Malay tombstones

Un-used well 

Pencil roots to take in air from above the muddy water

Seaside something grass....what's the name again? 

Anybody knows what's this? 

 

Mud lobster mounds. It's hard to spot a mud lobster as they are mostly underground, but their mounds are pretty obvious, forming volcanoes of mud around the mangroves, which provide homes for many other mangrove creatures. 

Stilt roots of mangrove plants. These plants hold

the plant upright, at the same time forming safe havens for small fishes to escape from larger predators in the big sea. These unsightly roots also prevent soil erosion and prevent silt from being washed out to the sea. So I was told, Singapore's coastal areas were all of these, until we decided to reclaim land and had to destroy them....and build artificial breakwaters by the sea. 

   

Hey little fella, can you climb trees? Tree climbing crabs are common in Chek Jawa mangroves, and yes they do climb trees!! And guess what do they eat? Leaves of course! That's why they climb trees I guess. 

Not camera-shy! 

Pulau Tekong, my home for the next 2 days 

End of Part 1