Singapore

KEPPEL HARBOUR
Keppel Harbour has been a thriving maritime gateway for international trade since the late 19th century. It was originally known as New Harbour and was renamed in honour of Admiral Henry Keppel in 1900. From 1939 to the early 1940s, Allied soldiers came through this harbour to strengthen the defence of Singapore and the rest of Malaya. Thousands of civiliars and troops made their escape through Keppel Harbour before Singapore fell on 15 February 1942. During the Second War World, Allied commandos carried out Operation Jaywick (26 to 27 September 1943) and destroyed seven Japanese ships that were stationed at Keppel Harbour.

There was a special operation undertaken in the Second World War. In September 1943, 14 commandos and sailors from the Allied Z Special Unit raided Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour, sinking three ships and damaging three more. They would use folboats (collapsible canoes) to attach limpet mines to Japanese ships
⚓️ March 1942- Acombined Allied military intelligence organisation, was established
⚓️ June 1942- a commando arm was organised as Z Special Unit. Initial training for the raid at Hawkesbury River, New South Wales and named Camp X, after a test run on the Yarra River, Alphington.
⚓️ Mid-1943- Krait travelled from a training camp at Broken Bay, New South Wales to Thursday Island.
⚓️13 August 1943- Krait left Thursday Island for Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia.
⚓️ 1 September 1943- Krait left Exmouth Gulf and departed for Singapore.
⚓️ 24 September -Krait arrived off Singapore. That night, six men left the boat and paddled 50 km with folboats, to establish a forward base in a cave on a small island near the harbour.
⚓️ 25/26 September 1943- They would use folboats (collapsible canoes) to paddled into the harbour and attach limpet mines to Japanese ships
⚓️ 26 September- mines exploded

Arrival of the Year of the Horse
Gallop into the Year of the Horse with the Singapore Botanic Gardens! This horse sculpture was repurposed from gunny rope and used fencing materials. Portrayed in a rearing position to embody victory, it emerges from a display of plants with names that associate with it, such as the Rough Horsetail (Equisetum hyemale) and Horse-bush (Dendrolobium umbellatum).
Behind the Horse, a sign with the Chinese character for spring (f), along with the bushels of pussy willow (Salix caprea) with their silky white buds, signifies the arrival of spring and warming up of the land. Plants bounce back to life with their green shoots decorated by various shades of auspicious red and gold.

Common Red Stem-Fig
(Ficus variegata)
The figs (fruits) grow on the trunk, often in prolific masses. Each fig contains hundreds of tiny flowers that are pollinated by minute wasps living in association with the flowers. The figs are edible but quite tasteless. The tree has a very fibrous bark that has been used as a source of bark-cloth.

LEONG SAN SEE TEMPLE
Leong San See Temple ("Dragon Mountain Temple" in Mandarin) is one of Singapore's most ornate Buddhist temples. It was established by Reverend Chun Wu in 1917, who arrived in Singapore in 1913 with only an urn and a statue of Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. The temple was initially named Leong San Lodge and consisted of a few huts where Reverend Chun took care of the sick, with the central hut housing the Goddess of Mercy.

The present temple, a conserved building, was constructed in 1926 with building materials imported from China and funds contributed by merchant and philanthropist Tan Boon Liat. The reconstructed temple has an altar with an image of Confucius, which is popular with parents who bring their children to pray for intelligence and filial piety. On certain days, free vegetarian food is served to devotees in the ancestral hall.

Ma zu Goddess
Ma Zu, the Goddess of the sea, is the deified form of Lin Moniang, a shaman from Fujian who lived in the late 10th century. Traditionally, Ma Zu Goddess was believed to roam the seas, protecting her believers through miraculous interventions. Today, she is generally regarded by her believers as a powerful and benevolent Queen of Heaven.
The origin of worshiping Ma Zu:
Ma Zu Goddess is closely linked to the maritime culture of southern China. She was a skilled shaman and healer, and she was known for her ability to communicate with
the gods and spirits of the sea.
Ma Zu Goddess worship spread rapidly throughout China's coastal regions and overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. This was due in part to case in part to the large number of Chinese people who migrated to these regions by sea.
Ma Zu Goddess is also associated with a number of miraculous stories. For example, she is said to have saved countless lives from shipwrecks and storms. She is also said to have helped fishermen and sailors find bountiful fishing grounds.

Dou Mu Yuan Jun
Dou Mu Yuat Jun, also known as the Mother of the Big Dipper, is a Tacist goddess who is venerated for her powers to bestow longevity, protect from harm, and grant good fortune She is also believed to be the keeper of the Book of Life and Death, and is often invoked by those seeking to prolong their lives or avoid calamities.
The origin of worship:
Her worship can be traced back to the Han Dynasty (206
BC-220 AD), when she was first mentioned in the book
"Shan Hai Jing" In this book, she is described as a goddess who lives in the constellation of the Big Dipper and is responsible for governing the stars and planets.
In the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), Dou Mu Yuan Jun's worship became even more popular. This was due in part to the publication of the book "Daozang" which contains a number of texts that praise her powers and virtues.
Today, Dou Mu Yuan Jun is one of the most popular Taoist goddesses. She is worshipped throughout China, as well as in other parts of Asia, such as Singapore and Malaysia.

SAKYA MUNI BUDDHA GAYA TEMPLE
This temple is dedicated to Buddha who is also known as Sakya Muni. It was founded by Venerable Vutthissara, a monk from Thailand, in 1927.
Originally a wooden structure, the temple was rebuilt with funds donated by devotees. This building is reminiscent of a Thai wat (temple) as it features a stupa and a Thai-style roof. It is also known as "Temple of a Thousand Lights" for the many lights surrounding its 15-metre Buddha statue which depicts Buddha's posture when he attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, India.Read more