Adventures - nurnberg.com.cnas we make our way all around Singapore and get to know the place much better. Along the way, you will be invited to scribble, doodle and solve some mysteries

DON BOSCOILLUSTRATED BY VISHNU N RAJAN

LION CITYAdventures

A D V E N T U R I N G C L U B

L I O N C I T Yfor re

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YOU,

______________________________ ,(write your name here)

are hereby invited to join the

Lion City Adventuring Club

on a delightful adventure

filled with fun and mystery

as we make our way all around Singapore

and get to know the place much better.

Along the way, you will be invited

to scribble, doodle and solve some mysteries.

If you enjoy yourself and

complete your activities,

there will be a special certificate

waiting for you at the end. A

nd I

wil

l not

sto

p u

nti

l I

am d

one!

Now clap your hands and repeat this loudly: North, south, east an

d w

est! I am h

appy to d

o my b

est!I will enjoy myself, come rain or sun!

Editor: Melvin NeoDesigner: Adithi Shankar KhandadiIllustrator: Vishnu N Rajan

© 2015 Don Bosco (Super Cool Books) and Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Ltd

This book is published by Marshall Cavendish Editions in association with Super Cool BooksMarshall Cavendish Editions is an imprint of Marshall Cavendish International 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Request for permission should be addressed to the Publisher, Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196. Tel: (65) 6213 9300. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.marshallcavendish.com/genref

The publisher makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this book, and specifically disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, and shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Other Marshall Cavendish Offices:Marshall Cavendish Corporation. 99 White Plains Road, Tarrytown NY 10591-9001, USA • Marshall Cavendish International (Thailand) Co Ltd. 253 Asoke, 12th Flr, Sukhumvit 21 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand • Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Times Subang, Lot 46, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Marshall Cavendish is a trademark of Times Publishing Limited

National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

Bosco, Don, 1971- author.Lion City adventures / Don Bosco. – Singapore : Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2015.pages cm “This book published by Marshall Cavendish Editions in association with Super Cool Books.”ISBN : 978-981-4634-34-2 (paperback) Singapore – Discovery and exploration – Juvenile literature. I. Title. DS609.7915.95704 — dc23 OCN905577063

Printed in Singapore by Colourscan Print Co Pte Ltd

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Gardens by the Bay 57 Singapore DIscovery Centre 65 Singapore Botanic Gardens 73 Mint Museum of Toys 81

Let’s Celebrate 89About the Lion City Adventuring Club 90About the Author 93

THIS is a beautiful island with lots of fun things to do. And yummy stuff to eat. And nice people to make friends with. You will have an exciting time!

We, proud members of the Lion City Adventuring Club (LCAC), have put together this book just for you. We have picked some cool places for you to visit. And also prepared some activities for you to tackle.

When you are exploring each location, take your time and make sure you try all the delicious food that might be available there.

And then, once you are ready, think carefully about each activity and give it your best shot.

A ROARING WELCOME

Hello, young adventurer. Welcome to Singapore!

Remember: nothing is what it might seem at first, and everything can be solved with some clever brain work.

Contents7

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A Roaring Welcome 5A Bit of History 6

Let’s Explore: Singapore River 9 Geylang Serai 17 Chinatown 25 Little India 33 Kampong Glam 41 Singapore Flyer 49

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Map of Singapore

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BEFORE you set off, we must share with you the great legend of how Singapore came to be.

About 700 years ago, this island was known as Temasek. There were just a few small fishing villages on it.

One day, a prince from a nearby kingdom heard some stories about this place. His name was Sang Nila Utama, and he had a very cool nickname, The Lord of the Three Worlds. He was so curious that he decided to sail over with his men. They looked forward to a merry day of exploring and hunting. There were no supermarkets or restaurants back then, so the prince and his men had to catch their own food or they would be very hungry.

Anyway, this prince was near the Singapore River, when he suddenly saw a strange beast. It was mostly orange, with dark hair all around its head. The beast stared back at the prince. Then it turned around and ran off in the blink of an eye.

The prince asked his friends. What on earth was this bold and majestic creature?

There were many wise men in his group. They thought long and hard, sitting around and chatting as they had their meal. Finally, they decided that the animal was a lion.

A lion! The prince was happy beyond his wildest dream. In those days, people believed that lions only appeared to those who were destined to be great rulers.

Sang Nila Utama decided to make his home on this island. He felt it needed a new name. Most of the great cities around here back then were named in Sanskrit, a beautiful language from India. Sang Nila Utama put together the Sanskrit words for lion (“singa”) and city (“pura”), and called this place Singapura, or the Kingdom of Singapore.

A BIT OF HISTORY

Sang Nila Utama ruled his new kingdom for almost

50 years, and very quickly it grew bigger and bigger. for

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Land of MysteryTHIS is a great and inspiring tale indeed. However, in more recent times, some experts have found fault with it.

According to them, it was unlikely that there were any wild lions in this part of the world. And Sang Nila Utama could not have seen a tiger either. Tigers were common, and he would surely have recognised one immediately.

So what actually happened back then? What did Sang Nila Utama really encounter? What on earth was that mystery animal? We will never know. But that does not change the important message of the story: that Singapore welcomes new adventurers, and it will enchant you beyond your wildest dreams!

CHAPTER 1

Let’s explore: SINGAPORE RIVER

1. Raffles Place MRT StationThere are underground exits from the station to all the buildings nearby.

2. Singapore River If anyone ever asks you how long this river is, the answer is 3.2 km.

3. Statue of Sir Stamford RafflesThe statue marks the spot where Raffles landed on his first visit here, on the 29th of January 1819.

4. Dalhousie Obelisk This lovely monument was put up in 1850 when the Marquis of Dalhousie and his wife visited Singapore. As the Governor-General of India then, he was the person in charge of Singapore.

5. Merlion Park Take photos with Singapore’s most popular Merlion statue here.

The time has come, my adventuring friend,to go forth and explore

the myths, the mysteries and miraculous marvels all over Singapore!

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Fu

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Chulia Street

Singapore River

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FIND YOUR WAY AROUND

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WELCOME to the Singapore River! This is where Sang Nila Utama landed. For many centuries since then, this river has been a busy trading area. Singapore is naturally protected by many islands along its southern waters. This was therefore a place where ships could stop and be safe from the rough winds and powerful tides.

In the early days, traders came here from all over: the Chinese, the Indians, the Arabs, the Malays, and later the Europeans. They would sell their goods and buy spices such as pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon, to take back with them.

Picture rows and rows of bumboats weaving in and out of the river mouth, bumping into one another, carrying baskets and boxes of exciting goodies from lands near and far. This was the scene at the Singapore River!

In 1819, Stamford Raffles of the British East India Company landed here. He put up buildings along both banks of the river, and this eventually grew into the modern city that you see today.

You will not find the old boats or adventurous traders along the river anymore. Today there are tall skyscrapers filled with the offices of banks, law firms and other modern businesses.

But you can still get a ride in one of the tour boats, and imagine what it might have been like here, back in those magical days.

SINGAPORE RIVERWhere it all started

This is where the legend started,and the prince’s dream came true.

If you’re young, and you believe enough,you might find your dream here too!

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Share these facts with your friends and family!

INSTANT EXPERT

l Take photos with public sculptures such as First Generation by Chan Fah Cheong. The sculpture is located outside the Fullerton Hotel. It shows boys jumping into the Singapore River.

l Some old bumboats have been turned into river taxis. You can ride in one of them and explore the river.

Tongkang (tong-kang)This is a small boat used to ferry people and goods along the river.

LEARN TO SAY

THINGS TO DOBridges There are nine bridges across the Singapore River. They are the Esplanade Bridge, Anderson Bridge (shown below), Cavenagh Bridge, Elgin Bridge, Coleman Bridge, Read Bridge, Ord Bridge, Clemenceau Bridge, and Kim Seng Bridge.

Legend In 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles found a big stone at the mouth of the Singapore River. It was covered in an ancient writing which nobody could understand. This became known as the Singapore Stone. It was blown up in 1843 but parts of it were saved and can be seen at the National Museum of Singapore.

Quay (key)A quay is an area where boats can load and unload their cargo. In the past, this was the main activity at Boat Quay and Clarke Quay.

Padang (pah-dung)This is the Malay word for “field”. The Padang is the field in front of the National Gallery where cricket, rugby and other sports are played.

I learnt something new:

Best thing I ate or drank:

What I did here:

JOURNAL

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Cynthia scratched her chin. She was not convinced. “Yes, that would have been quite an educational trip. But I suspect that Jayathri would have preferred to go somewhere more exciting.”

Thomas, ever the eager one, got up from his seat and hurried over. He stood next to Cheng Choon and peered at the riddle. There was a sudden smile on his face, just before he cried out. “Wait, I know exactly where they went and it would have been a terrific place to explore!”

What is the answer? Where do you think Jayathri took the members of the Lion City Adventuring Club?

SOME members of the Lion City Adventuring Club had gathered on a Saturday morning. Cynthia, who was one of the older ones there, stood up excitedly.

“Big news, everyone. We found an old report written by our founder Jayathri!”

“Someone at the university found the report in their archives and sent it to us,” Cynthia explained. “Jayathri wrote about their first group outing. We now know the names of the members who were present, and what they ate for their afternoon snack.”

“That’s great. Why don’t we organise a trip to the same spot? It will be fun. And we can provide the same snacks too,” said Thomas.

Cynthia sighed. She shook her head. “There’s one problem. In Jayathri’s report, she did not reveal where they went. Instead, she left a short riddle.” Cynthia had brought along a copy of this riddle. She passed it to Cheng Choon, who was sitting next to her.

“I know you’re an expert on the history of Singapore,” she said to him. “Can you help us figure out the riddle?”

Cheng Choon read the riddle out loud for everyone: “We keep our money in buildings, but where do fish keep their wealth?”

He closed his eyes and thought for a bit. He was stumped. But he could sense that everyone was counting on him. At last he said, with some hesitation, “The riddle seems to be about a bank. And there’s only one that I can think of. Maybe Jayathri brought them to the General Post Office Building. It was built in 1877 by the British Colonial Government, and it also offered banking services.”

The Adventurers’ First Outing

Answer found on next page

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CHAPTER 2

Let’s explore: GEYLANG SERAI

1. Geylang Serai MarketYou can buy fresh spices and enjoy tasty Malay food here.

2. Tanjong Katong ComplexA neighbourhood mall with shops selling charming and unusual items.

3. Paya Lebar MRT stationA convenient way to get here!

4. Joo Chiat RoadThis area has many old shophouses, and it feels like you have stepped back in time. Joo Chiat is also known for having good places to eat, especially if you like Peranakan food, which is a mix of Chinese and Malay cooking.

See something interesting? Sketch it here. You can also stick any cool stuff or photos.

SKETCHBOOK

Answer to The Adventurers’ First Outing: In a “river-bank”! Jayathri brought the members to explore the banks of the Singapore River.

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Sims Avenue

Geylang Road

Joo Chiat Road

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THERE have been Malay villages all over Singapore for a long time, and Geylang Serai is possibly one of the oldest.

The first Malay settlers here built their homes along the banks of the Geylang River. The Orang Laut people, or sea nomads, also made their homes near the mouth of this river.

GEYLANG SERAIThe oldest Malay village

For a long time, this was a famous trading destination for Malays from all around the region. Sometime in the mid-1800s, the Alsagoff family started growing lemongrass here on a large scale. These Arabs were very successful in creating a thriving business. Lemongrass was valuable because it could be used to make many things smell better, especially oil, soap and medicine. Lemongrass is called “serai” in Malay, and that’s how this area came to be called Geylang Serai.

The Orang Laut huts are gone, and you’ll find no lemongrass farms. But Geylang Serai still delights us all

with its friendly, cosy charms!

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What I did here:

JOURNALHere are some interesting facts.

INSTANT EXPERT

l Start a spice collection. You can buy all sorts of fresh spices and herbs at the Geylang Serai Market. The basic ones are lemongrass, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves.

LEARN TO SAY

THINGS TO DOTram HistoryIn the early 1900s, Singapore’s tramline service had its terminal at Geylang Serai.

Kuih (kweh)This refers to a wide range of Malay cakes, pastries and cookies. Try some! They are yummy.

Terima Kasih (te-ree-mah kah-say)This means “thank you” in Malay.

Teh Tarik (tay tah-rek)This is like a warm milkshake that is made from tea, milk and sugar. You mix this up and pour it quickly from one glass to another, over and over, until it is thick and frothy.

FOOD

Ramadan Ramadan is the month before the Islamic New Year. Muslims spend this time fasting and also preparing for the celebration.

TapiocaDuring World War 2, the people grew tapioca for food. The Malay word for tapioca is “ubi kayu” and part of this area became known as Kampong Ubi, which means “Tapioca Village”.

Best thing I ate or drank:for re

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TOMIKO entered the meeting room at the Lion City Adventuring Club HQ. She was nervous. Five other children were there already, sitting behind the long table. Tomiko joined them.

An older girl came in. She seemed friendly. “Welcome,” she said with a nice smile, “My name is Mei. We’ll start your initiation test soon.”

Tomiko clenched her hands in excitement. She had to pass this test in order to be accepted as a member of the LCAC. And then she could join them on their next excursion to Geylang Serai.

Mei arranged six glasses in a row. Then she took out a water bottle and started to pour its contents into the first glass. Tomiko gasped as it looked like some pink milk! Mei noticed the look on Tomiko’s face.

“This is bandung,” Mei explained with a laugh, “and it is made from condensed milk and rose syrup. It is a very popular drink in Singapore, Malaysia and

Indonesia. You can try some when we are done.”

Mei filled the first three glasses with bandung. The other three were left empty. Then Mei stepped back and turned solemn. “Being a Lion City Adventurer is a great honour. It’s also a big challenge. When we go out to explore the Lion City, we need to be alert. Sometimes we will come across interesting clues, and then we have to think hard to figure out what it means. This test will be a team effort so you can work together. Your challenge is to change the order of these glasses, so that there is an empty glass between each full glass. You will have just two tries, and -- ”

Before Mei could finish, the boy on Tomiko’s right jumped up. “This is too easy!” he exclaimed. “Leave it to me! Then he went to the table and reached out to move two of the glasses around. But Mei stopped him. She shook her head.

Solving the Bandung Challenge

“Wait, I am not done. You are allowed to move only one glass. And because of Bobby’s impatience, you only have one try left. Let’s see how clever you are!”

The boy went back to his seat. He was embarrassed, and there were tears in his eyes. “I just wanted to help,” he said, sniffing. “Please don’t be angry with me.”

Tomiko gave him a gentle pat on his back. “Not to worry,” she said kindly, “Let’s all solve this together.”

The children stared at the glasses and looked glum. How was it possible to change the order by moving only one glass? Tomiko could feel her heart pounding away. This was harder than she had expected. But she kept her head clear of all other thoughts, and focussed on thinking about the bandung. And then, in a flash, the answer came to her.

“I know how to do it!” she said happily, as she stepped towards the row of six glasses.

What did she do next? Do you know?

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CHAPTER 3

Let’s explore:CHINATOWN

1. Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and MuseumA highlight of the temple is a stupa or Buddhist shrine made from 320 kg of gold.

2. Chinatown ComplexThere is a market, a bazaar area and a food centre to explore.

3. People’s Park Food CentreLots of great food for you to try!

4. Chinatown MRT StationIf you’re taking the train, this is your station.

5. Sri Mariamman TempleThis is Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple. It is a National Monument.


New Bridge Road

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Cross Street

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Walk all the way down Joo Chiat Road to the end and turn left on to East Coast Road. There you will find the Katong Antique House, which is a museum filled with Peranakan items.

The Peranakans are a Chinese people who started settling down in this part of the world 600 years ago. Peranakan women wear the sarong kebaya for special occasions. See if you can spot 4 differences between the sarong kebayas.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Answer to Solving the Bandung Challenge: Tomiko picked up the second glass and poured its contents into the fifth glass. Just like that, she had an empty glass between each full glass.

Answers to Spot the Difference: Extra flower on right sleeve; first brooch missing a flower; missing circular pattern on right part of the kabaya; extra yellow stripes on left collar. for

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ADVENTURERS from China have always been drawn to Singapore. Around the time that Sang Nila Utama discovered the island, back when it was still called Temasek, another traveller from China named Wang Dayuan also visited. He wrote in his journal that he found many other Chinese people already living here.

CHINATOWNA Truly Legendary Place

These houses are very old, but still they look so swell.

If they could speak, I do wonder what gripping tales would they tell?

When Sir Stamford Raffles arrived in Singapore, he developed this area into a neighbourhood where the Chinese could live and work together. Chinatown was close to the Singapore River. Most of the Chinese worked there as traders and coolies, carrying all the heavy stuff up and down the boats.

Over the years, as the Chinese community grew larger, they had to move out of Chinatown to other parts of the island. Many of the old buildings and street landmarks have survived to this day. Some of the houses are beautifully constructed, perhaps the most lovely in all of Singapore. The houses were based on popular building designs back in England 200 years ago, and decorated with colourful details. There is even a special name for such buildings: “painted ladies”.

Wander around the small lanes here, and

you will find old temples, traditional food stalls, clan headquarters and

street markets.

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Impress your friends with these facts!

INSTANT EXPERT

l Look out for a calligrapher writing a Chinese scroll

l Buy a traditional painted mask from one of the streetside stalls.

l Go for a trishaw ride around the area. Remember to take photos.

Chee Cheong FunThis is a roll made from rice flour. You eat it with dark soy sauce, and sometimes with meat or seafood fillings too.

LEARN TO SAY

THINGS TO DO

Language Many Chinese dialects are spoken in Singapore. Hokkien is the most common, followed by Teochew, Cantonese, Hakka, Hockchew, and Hockchia. But almost everyone understands Mandarin.

History The Chinese name for this area is “Niu Che Shui”, which means “water drawn by bull carts”. Why? In the old days, people from the surrounding areas came here to get their water, which they carried away using bull carts.

Street Market The week before Chinese New Year, this area becomes a busy street market, with many decorative items and goodies on sale.

FOOD

多少钱 (Duo Shao Qian)This is Mandarin for “How much does this cost?”. A very useful phrase when you’re out shopping!



What I did here:

JOURNAL

Guo Ti-ehThese are small Chinese dumplings, freshly made with delicious meat and minced vegetable inside.

谢谢 (Xie Xie)This is how you say “thank you” in Mandarin.

你好吗 (Ni Hao Ma)Greet someone with Ni Hao Ma which means “How are you?” in Mandarin.

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SHIRLEY Woo came from a long line of Lion City Adventuring Club members. Both her parents had been members back when they were still in school. Her grandmother had been a member too, and so had her grandmother’s mother. Shirley knew all this because at every family gathering, this was all they talked about.

One day Shirley received a phone call from her Aunt Mathilda.

“I’ve been cleaning up your grandmother’s old shophouse at Chinatown,” Aunt Matilda said,

“and I found a box filled with her old Lion City Adventuring Club collection.”

It had been four years since her grandmother passed away, and Shirley still missed her. But Shirley was thrilled to hear about the box. That weekend she went over to the old house because she wanted to check out her grandmother’s stuff.

Her aunt had left the box on a table outside the dining room. Shirley opened it and found all sorts of old badges, photographs, medals and souvenirs from all the places her grandmother had visited with the Lion City Adventuring Club. At the very bottom of the box, Shirley discovered a notebook. It was filled with her grandmother’s scribblings.

She turned to the last page. The pages had turned brown, and the ink was fading. But she could still make out her grandmother’s written words.

“I am so sad today because I can’t find something that is very precious to me,” her grandmother wrote.

The Secret of Grandma’s Trunk

“I have been looking everywhere for three weeks already. I received it when I first joined the Lion City Adventuring Club, and it served me well over many years. It has streets, but no people. Cities, but no buildings. Gardens, but no flowers. And rivers, but not a drop of water. But now it is lost forever.”

Shirley looked up from the notebook. She saw four big cupboards along the far wall, with many boxes stacked up on top of them. And she knew that there were at least two more rooms upstairs filled with her late grandmother’s stuff. If she looked hard enough, perhaps she could find whatever her grandmother had lost.


But what should she be looking for? Do you know?

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CHAPTER 4

Let’s explore:

LITTLE INDIA

1. Tekka CentreThere are many stalls selling yummy Indian, Chinese and Malay food at the hawker centre here.

2. Little India MRTThe exit is right behind Tekka Centre.

3. Farrer Park FieldIn the past, many exciting soccer matches were played here. Bring a ball and kick it around.

4. Mustafa CentreIt is like a giant indoor bazaar, selling food and products from all over the world.

5. Little India ArcadeYou can find all sorts of cool stuff here, from Indian musical instruments to henna tattoos.

Answer to The Secret of Grandma’s Trunk: A map.

Walk around and see if you can spot these items below. Cross them out once you do. You win when you get three items in a row, whether across, down or

diagonally. Keep your eyes open. It is a great way to get to know the place!

BINGO

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Race Course Road

Sungei Road

Serangoon R

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Tour guide with a clipboard

Chinese lantern with tassles

Boy eating an ice cream cone

Girl with a pink bag

Picture or model of a bullock cart

Picture or statue of a Chinese

dragon

Someone wearing a cap or hat

Woman holding a camera

Shop selling stuff at 5 for $10

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SPICY food! Glittering goldsmith shops! These are some of the things people associate with Little India today. But back in the 1840s, the area

was most famous for its horse racing track. Many European families would come here to enjoy the races and cheere for their favourite horses.

Some of the streets in this area are named after prominent Europeans who lived here, like Dunlop Street

and Clive Street. There were also many cow farms here, which explains street names such as Buffalo Road and

Kerbau Road (“kerbau” is the Malay word for buffalo).The early Indians who settled here were labourers

who helped build bridges, public buildings and churches. Later, traders from India set up shop and

made their fortunes. As the community grew, they also built a number of impressive Hindu

temples for their prayers.The main road in Little India is Serangoon

Road. One end of Serangoon Road is called Tekka. This comes from the phrase “tek kia kha”, which means “at the foot of the young bamboos” in Hokkien, a Chinese dialect spoken in Singapore. As you might guess, in the old days there were many

bamboo plants growing all over.

LITTLE INDIAThe Wonders of Serangoon Road

Serangoon Road is always buzzingwith a lively, neighbourly joy.

Its attractions will enchant anyone:young or old, girl or boy!

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Cool facts to remember and share.

INSTANT EXPERT

l Visit the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple which was built in 1855. Recently, a tower covered with different scenes featuring the Hindu god Vishnu was added.

l Explore Tekka Centre. It is like one big Indian market, selling everything from food to pots for cooking to newspapers imported from India.

Vanakkam (vah-nah-kem)This is how you greet someone in Tamil.

Nandri (nan-dree)This means “thank you” in Tamil.

LEARN TO SAY

THINGS TO DO



What I did here:

JOURNAL

DeepavaliThis Hindu festival is celebrated here with lots of lights and delicious Indian sweets. No wonder, as Deepavali means “Festival of Lights”!

ScentYou will smell flowers almost everywhere. This is because many stalls sell fresh garlands made from jasmine, rose, orchid and other flowers.

LanguagesMany of the signs that you see are written in Tamil, Hindi, Bengali or some other Indian language.

ReligionHinduism is the most

popular religion in India, and the people who practise it are known as Hindus. There are pictures and statues of Hindu gods and goddesses

everywhere.

Dosa (do-say)A delicious Indian pancake made from rice flour. It is eaten with different curries.

FOOD

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WHEN Ravi and Ming Kok finally arrived at Vanita’s home, they were both panting hard.

“It’s such a long walk from the MRT station,” Ming Kok said. “And they were servicing your lift, so we had to walk up four flights of stairs.”

“Never mind all that!” Vanita interrupted them. “Come in quick, I need your help to figure this out.”

They went into the living room where a few small paintings were laid out on the floor, each about the size of an A4 paper. The paintings were all of cats, and Vanita had arranged them in a neat row.

“Wow, let me guess,” Ravi said, “you’re thinking of getting a cat soon?”

Vanita shook her head. “My father bought this collection over the Internet,” she explained. “He found out that one of these paintings was done by Mei Song, who was the Chief Adventurer of the Lion City Adventuring Club during the Second World War.”

The two boys raised their eyebrows and exchanged glances. This was an exciting discovery! “And what about the other paintings?” Ming Kok asked.

Vanitha shrugged helplessly. “Who had the original painting must have been really inspired, and ended up creating the other works.”

Ravi scratched his chin. “Hmm. So how will we know which one is the original?”

Vanita took out her tablet and showed the boys a photo of an old scrap of paper.

“This is a magazine cutting that came with the paintings. My father sent it to his friend to analyse. His friend thinks that the cutting belonged to Mei Song, and it inspired her painting. If we can figure out the answer to this riddle, we might be able to tell which painting is the genuine work!”

“Good point,” Ming Kok said. He he looked closely at the tablet screen.

The riddle read: “A woman was asked what her cats looked like. She replied, ‘They’re all brown, except two,

all white, except two, and all black, except two.’ How many cats did she have?”

Next, Ming Kok examined the paintings. The first, on the left, had one cat in it. This was followed by a painting with two cats, and then one with three cats, and then the last one had four cats.

Ming Kok smiled. “That’s an easy one. I’ve figured it out already.”

Which one was the original painting by Mei Song?

The Original Painting


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CHAPTER 5

Let’s explore:

KAMPONG GLAM

1. Arab StreetThis is one of the more lively streets in this neighbourhood.

2. Bussorah StreetCheck out the many cafes and shops found here.

3. Sultan MosqueThis very distinguished mosque was started back in 1824.

4. Malay Heritage CentreA great place to learn all about the Malays, including their history, arts and food.

5. Masjid Hajjah Fatimah A lovely mosque built in 1846. It was named after the rich businesswoman, Hajjah Fatimah, who donated the money to build it.

Answer to The Original Painting: The original painting is the one with three cats: one brown, one white and one black.

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TREASURE HUNTHere are some of the things that you can see in Little India.

How many did you manage to find?

Gold Earrings God Figurine

Flower Garland

Henna Drawing

Indian Temple Woman in Saree

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KAMPONG GLAMA Magical Bazaar

Mix some milk, some flour, some spicesand add rose syrup, so it’ll be sweet.

That’s the recipe for Mahalabia,a popular dessert along Arab Street.

KAMPONG Glam is an area with a rich history. For 200 years, this has been a thriving district for the Muslim community, which includes Malays, Javanese, Indians and Arabs.

Arabs have long played important roles in Singapore. Most of them came here from Southern Arabia, about 400 years ago. There were many opportunities for them to trade at the many ports and kingdoms around Singapore, and they became wealthy and successsful.

Being mostly Muslims, they got along well with the Malays here, and settled down among them.

Arab Street was named after the well-known Arab kampong, or village, that was once located here.

Today, the area is filled with all sorts of interesting shops and restaurants. You can find clothes, perfumes, furniture, works of art, exquisite carpets, and much more.

As for food, this is one of the best neighbourhoods in Singapore to have a meal. You can try the curries at one of the roadside cafes, or experience authentic Arab food at a modest restaurant, or just walk around and savour the many different types of sweet puddings and pastries that you will find.

It is a bit like stepping into a fairy tale world!

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What I did here:

JOURNALPay attention, these facts might come in useful one day.

INSTANT EXPERTl Explore the area and

find out about the items you see such as woven baskets, beautiful fabrics and rare perfumes

Baju (bah-joo)This means “clothes” in Malay. It often refers to traditional suits and dresses.

LEARN TO SAY

THINGS TO DO

Kampong GlamIn the old days, there were many cejeput trees here. Its leaves were used to make medicinal oils. The Malays called this tree “Gelam” and that is why the village here was called “Kampong Gelam” which eventually became Kampong Glam.

Istana Kampong GlamThis was where the old palace of Sultan Hussein Shah, the ruler of Singapore, was first built in 1819. The Istana that you see here today was built a little later.

Bugis AreaStamford Raffles discovered a community of Bugis merchants and sailors living here and the area was named after them. The Bugis came from Sulawesi, an island that is now part of Indonesia.

l Visit the Sultan Mosque and learn about Islam and the Muslim way of life. The guides can speak English, Chinese and Japanese.

Satay (sah-tay)In satay, meat is inserted on a skewer and cooked over a grill. Satay is eaten with onions, cucumber and a peanut sauce.

FOOD

Jalan (jah-lan) Malay word for “road” or “street”. Also means “to walk”.

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WHEN Astrid’s dad came home from work, he handed her a letter. “This came for you today,” he said. “I think it might be something interesting.”

He pointed at the front of the envelope. Someone had stamped the logo of the Lion City Adventuring Club there, just under her name and address!

Astrid tore the envelope open. Her hands were trembling with excitement. There was a letter inside.

Dear Lion City Adventurer,

My name is Edward Low. In the sixties, I was the leader of the LCAC group that lived around the eastern part of Singapore.

During a visit to Arab Street, we bought a beautiful wooden chest from a sailor. It was made of very hard wood, and there were metal strips along each side and also across the middle.

I was fascinated by this chest. Even though it was empty, it had a lovely smell inside. I tried to find out more about it. Someone told me that it was probably from Oman, a country in the Middle East. And I also learnt that the smell was frankincense, which is a perfume made from a type of tree. This was very valuable in the Middle East and also in North Africa.

The Mystery

of Edward’s

Chest


One day, as I was examining the chest, I discovered a small note wedged behind a metal plate inside the lid of the chest. I pulled it out carefully. I was thrilled to see that there were two lines of writing on it. But it was in a language that I could not read. I eventually found a old lady who could translate the note for me. It was a poem, written in Arabic. It said, ‘The wise man uses this chest for keeping a most precious treasure. It is so great that it can fill the largest cave, and so fragile that even a whisper can destroy it!’

I wanted with all my heart to know the answer. But as much as I tried, I could not figure it out. Not long after that, my family moved away from Singapore, and the chest was left behind. I never saw it again.

After all these years, I still dream about that chest and the mysterious treasure it once contained. I have decided to request the assistance of the Lion City Adventuring Club to help me solve the riddle. If you are agreeable, kindly join us for a meeting next Saturday at Professor A. A. Hamid’s studio in Bussorah Street. I look forward to meeting all of you in person.

Your fellow adventurerEdward Low

Astrid read the note many times. It was such a lovely story! She, too, wished to know what it might be, this treasure that was so precious, so great, and yet so fragile.

That night, Astrid had a wonderful dream about the chest. And when she woke up the next day, she realised that she knew the answer to the riddle. She could not wait to attend the meeting so she could tell Edward in person.

Do you know what was the precious treasure mentioned in the poem ?

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P P B C V D I L U R I B X U L BD A D H G A B UW C E S Q R K SJ A R A B K S S T M U S C A T OF N M S B N W R T G A R K D K A A Y B B Z A R H L G F M A H I H L Z C T N A O M V C M L S R B A

CHAPTER 6

Let’s explore:THE SINGAPORE FLYER

1. The Float @ Marina Bay This floating stage has hosted events such as the National Day Parade.

2. Helix BridgeA cleverly designed bridge with big viewing platforms.

3. Singapore Flyer Take this all the way up in the sky for a bird’s eye view of the island.

4. Rainforest GardenA beautiful place to cool down and take selfies.

5. City ToursBook a ride around the city on an open top bus, or sign up for a longer sightseeing tour here.

The area known as Arab Street was once owned by a rich Arab merchant named Syed Ali bin Mohamed Al Junied, and there was also an Arab village here. Other streets in this area were named after Arab cities. How many of these words can you find in the puzzle below?

Answer to The Mystery of Edward’s Chest: Silence.

WORD SEARCH

BUSSORAHBAGHDADMUSCATKANDAHARARAB

P P B C V D I L U R I B X U L B D A D H G A B U W C E S Q R K S J A R A B K S S T M U S C A T O F N M S B N W R T G A R K D K A A Y B B Z A R H L G F M A H I H L Z C T N A O M V C M L S R B A

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Raff les Avenue

Raffles Boulevard

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A great marvel of this city is the famous Singapore Flyer. This is a huge Ferris wheel, like the kind you often see in amusement parks.

The Singapore Flyer is actually one of the tallest in the world. To be exact, it is 165 metres tall. You would surely remember the experience for the rest of you life if you went on a ride all the way to the top. Hope you are not scared of heights!

Once you are in a Flyer capsule and the door closes, it is a smooth and pleasant ride up and down again on the other side. The windows are specially coated to keep out the heat from the mighty Singapore sun.

The view from the top of the Flyer is magnificent, especially if you are there just before sunset. You will see the skyline of the city covered in a delightful orange hue, as the sun dips lower and lower until it disappears in the west.

And when you are done, there are also souvenir shops, restaurants and other stores here that you can visit.

THE SINGAPORE FLYERSoar above the city

Up and up, calm and steady,lifting us ever higher,

showing us a view to rememberfrom the top of the Singapore Flyer.

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You can become an expert on the Singapore Flyer with these facts.

INSTANT EXPERTl Look out for these locations while

you are on the flyer: Raffles Place, The Fullerton Hotel, Esplanade Theatres On The Bay, Merlion Park, Singapore River, Fort Canning Park and the Helix Bridge.

THINGS TO DO

Time in the AirYour ride in a Singapore Flyer capsule lasts a little over 30 minutes. When you are up in the air, you will be able to see places as far as 45 kilometres away. Not only does this cover Singapore, but also parts of Malaysia and Indonesia as well.

World Record The Singapore Flyer is 165 metres tall and was once the tallest wheel of its kind in the world.

Like Boarding a PlaneIt is important that everyone enjoys a safe ride on the Singapore Flyer. That is why security is very tight here.

Weddings and partiesYou can hold your wedding in a Singapore Flyer capsule. You can also book the whole capsule for your birthday party.

l After a ride on the Singapore Flyer, try some of the famous local dishes at the food centre here. You can find everything from fried kway teow (flat rice noodles) to hot and spicy chilli crab.

l Join a City Tour excursion to the Singapore Zoo and the Jurong Bird Park. You can also can sign up for a trip to Johor Bahru or Malacca.

l Enjoy a long stroll along the Helix Bridge and sketch all the fascinating stuff you see.


What I did here:

JOURNAL

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NINA and Jeremy were the duty librarians at the LCAC HQ one Saturday morning when an old man came in and asked if he could speak with them for a few minutes.

He was almost bald, and he wore a pair of round spectacles. He spoke with an unfamiliar accent, like he was singing. And he had a habit of tugging at his grey beard as he told them his long and convoluted tale.

“I became a member of the Lion City Adventuring Club in 1973,” the man said, his voice almost quivering with emotion. “At one point, it seemed like I would be voted Chief Adventurer. Another member, Chester Chang, ended up with more votes than me. At first I hated him. But I managed to get over it. Since then I have been travelling and living all around the world. When I came back to Singapore last month to attend my sister’s funeral, I remembered that I had lent some money to the LCAC back then. Now I have come to collect it.”

The man reached inside his shirt pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He unfolded this and handed it to Nina. “Read this for yourself!” he grunted.

Nina held up the note so that Jeremy could read it too. It was so old that the paper had turned yellow. There were a few lines scribbled on it.

Nina and Jeremy recognised the LCAC stamp at the bottom of the page. It was faint, almost faded after so many years, but it was still visible.

“I remember saving that $100 from my Chinese New Year red packets,” said Ringo. “I loaned the money to the LCAC to repair our old clubhouse roof. I hope you will do the right thing and pay me back. Oh, and please be quick, I intend to use the money to buy my Singapore Flyer tickets later today.”

Jeremy took Nina aside for a quick discussion. He said, “Do you think he is telling the truth? And what are these strange numbers at the bottom? Is it some kind of code? Should we call one of the older members for help.”

Nina pursed her lips. She stared at the note and then pointed at the last line. “You make the calls,” she said. “I will get the club records for this year, and look at the entries for June.”

Paying an Old Debt

Borrowed from

Ringo Tay the sum of

$100 for emergency repairs.

To pay him back as soon

as possible. 12 34 5 6 78 There was no date on the note. How did

Nina know which year and month to look for?


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CHAPTER 7

Let’s explore: GARDENS BY THE BAY

1. Main EntranceIf flowers make you happy, this place will feel heavenly. It is located at 18 Marina Gardens Drive.

2. Supertrees GroveThis is where the Supertrees are.

3. Bayfront MRTOnce you exit the station, it is a short walk to Gardens by the Bay.

4. Dragonfly LakeSpy on the elegant little creatures as they buzz around.

5. Far East Organization Children’s GardenGet soaked at the waterplay areas, explore the tree houses, or do both.

See something interesting? Sketch it here. You can also stick any cool stuff or photos.

SKETCHBOOK

Answer to Paying an Old Debt: Since the stamp had faded over time, Nina knew the writing on the note would have faded too. She deduced that “12345678” should be read as “12:34 5/6/78”. This meant that the note was issued on 12:34pm on 5th June 1978.

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THERE are lots of big, grand buildings in Singapore, towering over everything and everyone. But it never feels like a concrete jungle, because there are also plenty of green areas where you can relax and feel in touch with nature.

The Gardens by the Bay is a good example. This is a huge nature park in the centre of downtown Singapore. It was actually built on reclaimed land. It has been designed to house a wide variety of greenery. There are three gardens to explore: the Bay Central Garden, the Bay East Garden and the Bay South Garden.

If you are a nature lover, you might need to set aside an entire day just to wander around and see everything.

GARDENS BY THE BAYWhere the weird and wonderful grow

Be sure to check out the Supertrees. These giant towers are actually upright gardens. You will find everything from flowers to ferns growing on them. There are also solar panels at the top of each Supertree, to help it capture sunlight and convert this into electricity. This electricity is then used to light up the garden. The Supertrees collect rain water, which it recycles for the water fountains.

Run, jump, swing and crawl, just let yourself go wild.

The Adventure Trail in the Children’s Gardenis waiting for you, dear child!

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Here is some information on the Gardens by the Bay.

INSTANT EXPERT THINGS TO DO

Reclaimed Land The Gardens was built on 101 hectares of reclaimed land. This is about the size of 140 soccer fields.


What I did here:

JOURNAL


Use the AppIf you need help getting around, or if you want more information about the varieties of plant life you see here, you can download the Gardens by the Bay app. It has five language options: English, Mandarin, Tamil, Malay and Japanese. There are puzzles, quizzes and you get to earn virtual badges too.

l If you love outdoor challenges, test your skills at the play area in the Children’s Garden. The adventure trail has stations that test your balancing skills, and is very fun.

l Spy on the dragonflies. If you go to the Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lakes, you will be able to use the binoculars there to watch the dragonflies at play.

l Enjoy a picnic in the Gardens. Yes, you are allowed to have a picnic here! Anywhere you like, except inside the Conservatories.

l Take selfies with the sculptures. There are over 40 interesting sculptures here. Some were created by artists in Singapore, others were brought in from as far away as Zimbabwe.

Awesome Glasshouses The glasshouses are big and allow lots of sunlight to enter. When it

rains, water is collected at the top and used to cool

the place, thus saving water and

energy.

Enjoy yourself here, but please be very careful that you do not damage anything! Treat the plants and flowers with lots of love and care.

REMINDER

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IT was the first Friday of the December school break. Bingbing was enjoying her tea in a cafe at Marina Bay Sands. She was there with her mother and cousin Xiao Qing. They had a wedding to attend that weekend, and they intended to go shopping for new clothes, just as soon as they were done with their meal.

As Bingbing stuck her fork into her chocolate cake, her mobile phone beeped.

“Do have a look,” her mother said. “That could be a message from your father. Maybe he wants us to buy something for him while we are here.”

“Yes, Ma,” Bingbing said. She took out her phone and checked the message. It was not from her father. It was from Cynthia, her Lion City Adventuring Club group leader.

The message read, “Here is a special holiday challenge! I am waiting right now at Gardens by the Bay. The first member to come over and take a photo with me will win a blue LCAC cap.

“But how will you find me? Well, here is a clue: ‘I am the start of every season, and always the end of flowers. You cannot have sunlight without me, yet I am always in darkness. I come in spring, but never winter. In summer I appear, in fall I am gone.’ Work out the answer, and that will give you a clue where to find me. But be quick, I can’t wait around all day!”

Bingbing gasped. She badly wanted to win one of those blue LCAC caps. She had seen some of the older members wearing it, and she thought they looked really cool. Since she was already there at Marina Bay Sands, she could get over to Gardens by the Bay very easily. But first she would have to figure out the puzzle.

She told her mother and her cousin about the challenge. Her mother tried to help by taking out her mobile phone and searching for a map of Gardens by the Bay.

“Hmm, this is quite tricky,” Bingbing’s mother said. “There are three main gardens here: Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden. Your friend Cynthia could be at any of them!”

Xiao Qing suddenly giggled. “Let’s finish up our cakes quickly and get going,” she said, “I have an idea where to look!”

Where is Cynthia?

Bingbing gave her an astonished look. “What do you mean? How did you figure that out?”


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CHAPTER 8

Let’s explore:SINGAPORE

DISCOVERY CENTRE

1. Singapore Discovery CentreThe Centre opens at 9am daily, except Mondays, unless it is a school holiday and or public holiday, in which case it will be open. The Centre is located at 510 Upper Jurong Rd.

2. SAFTI Military InstituteThis is where they train Singapore’s army, navy and air force officers.

3. Joo Koon MRT StationIt is just a 10 mins walk to the Singapore Discovery Centre.

4. Tuas Second LinkIf you have packed your passport, you could travel across to Malaysia.

5. Army Museum of SingaporeLearn about the Singapore Army and how to defend the country.

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WORD SCRAMBLE

S U P E R T R E E S

Answer to Where is Cynthia: The letter ‘S’. Cynthia is waiting at Bay South Garden.

Upper Jurong Road

PIE

Joo Koon Circle

Answers:4-LETTER WORDS: peer, pert, pest, pets, pure, rest, ruse, seep, step, sure, tree, true, uses, user 5-LETTER WORDS: erupt, peers, pests, purse, reset, rests, seeps, setup, spree, spurt, steer, super, terse, trees, tress, upset, users 6-LETTER WORDS: erupts, preset, purses, resets, setups, spurts, steers, upsets 7-LETTER WORDS: presets

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DO you enjoy learning about the world through stories? If your answer is “yes”, the Singapore Discovery Centre will surely be great fun for you.

This is like a huge museum, with lots of fun exhibits created by top designers from around the world. Some exhibits explain what happened in Singapore’s past, and how the country has changed over the years. Other exhibits explain how Singaporeans are using new technologies to create a better life in the future. The exhibits are wonderfully produced. It is almost like you are watching an exciting play unfold before you.

If you are curious about Singapore’s history, see what life used to be like here, right back to when it was a British colony. Also, if you are keen to learn more about weapons, you will get to handle some of the tools that the Singapore army uses to train its soldiers.

Remember to visit the room with the largest flat screen display in Singapore. It is as tall as a five-storey building! No kidding. You can watch all sorts of 3D movies here.

SINGAPORE DISCOVERY CENTREStories to wake your imagination

Open your eyes and seehow Singapore used to be,

and how those days are now goneas the march of time goes on.

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Power up your brain with the information here.

INSTANT EXPERT

l Start your exploration at the Gateway exhibits. This is a quick tour of Singapore‘s history and development.

THINGS TO DO

Ride a RollercoasterWould you enjoy riding a virtual rollercoaster? You can try out the Speed Coaster simulation ride, at the XD Theatre. It uses the latest simulation technology. But you will need to be at least 1.2m tall. And if you suffer from motion sickness, perhaps you better skip this, or you might throw up.


What I did here:

JOURNAL


Building CostThe Centre was built in 1992 by the Ministry of Defence. The construction cost was $70 million.

Target PracticeAt the Army Museum of Singapore, you can have a go at the Individual Marksmanship Trainer (IMT). This is the same system that Singapore’s soldiers use when they learn to shoot.

l At the Army Museum of Singapore, you will find a challenging obstacle course specially created for children under 14 years old. Are you good enough to finish this on your own, without crying for help? How long will you take?

l Spot the differences: make a list of all the things that were different when Singapore was under British, Japanese and Malaysian rule, and also after it became an independent country in 1965.

l Try all the interactive quizzes that you come across.

l Fire paint. Sign up for an outdoor paintball shooting session at the Crossfire Paintball area. You will need to pay extra for this.

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WHEN Rosna went to the MRT station to meet her fellow Lion City Adventuring Club members, she found a heated argument going on. Carla and her younger brother Charlie were screaming at each other. Carla was holding a sheet of stickers above her head, while Charlie tried again and again to grab them from her.

Who is Lying?

“You lost your sticker when we were at the Singapore Discovery Centre this morning,” Charlie shouted, “and so you

stole mine. I’m telling mommy!”

“I didn’t take your sticker,” Carla protested. “I know this sheet belongs to me. I kept it safe inside this book, between pages 15 and 16. That’s where I usually hide my stickers.”

The boy pouted. He turned to Rosna and pleaded. “I am sure my sister is lying. Can you please help me?”

“You stay out of this!” Carla hissed at Rosna. “I am telling the truth. My brother is just upset because he lost his own sticker. He can have my set if he is willing to pay me for it.”

Rosna shook her head. “Maybe it is not my business to interfere,” she said to Carla. “But I do not think it is nice of you to cheat your own brother.”

What did Rosna mean?Answer found on next page

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CHAPTER 9

Let’s explore: SINGAPORE

BOTANIC GARDENS

1. Tanglin GateCome here for a day of fun in the sun! This is the most popular place for friends to meet before going in.

2. Shaw FoundationSymphony Stage This is the place to go for outdoor music performances. The stage is beside the Symphony Lake.

3. Botanic Gardens MRTWhen you exit this station, you will see the Bukit Timah Gate.

4. Jacob Ballas Children’sGardenA huge garden with many features for children to learn and play.

Answer to Who is Lying: The sister was lying. A book is designed with even-numbered pages on the left, and odd-numbered pages on the right. Pages 15 and 16 would make up two sides of the same sheet of paper. It would be impossible to hide anything there.

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PICTURE PUZZLE

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WHEN Sir Stamford Raffles came to Singapore, he was intrigued by the fruits, vegetables and spices that he found growing here. He started the Botanical and Experimental Garden back in 1822, which is nearly 200 years ago. He hired experts to find out which species would grow well, and which would not. He then used this information to help local businessmen start plantations and make money.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens began a little later, in 1859, on land that used to belong to a well-known Chinese trader named Hoo Ah Kay. (He was also called Whampoa, and Whampoa Road is named after him.) This was also a public park, where visitors could enjoy peaceful walks.

In 1877, an Englishman named Henry Nicholas Ridley received some rubber seeds. He planted them here, and experimented until he found a

SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENSWhere madness turned into money

way to grow good rubber trees very quickly. Ridley was very excited about this project. He went around trying to convince plantation owners to stop growing coffee, and focus on growing rubber instead.

At first people taught he was crazy, and they gave him the nickname “Mad Ridley”. Before long, the rubber plantations started to make a lot of money by selling the rubber, and they realised that Ridley was not so mad after all.

Today, the Botanic Gardens is a wonderful place to visit. There is a small rainforest and special gardens where you can learn about the different horticultural projects here.

As a special treat, there is also the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, specially designed for adventurers like you. You can have lots of fun at the playground, visit a tree house, explore a maze, and more.

Ridley had a great passionto make rubber trees grow better.

The plantation owners took his advice,and their wallets grew fatter.

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The stuff that you need to know.

INSTANT EXPERT

l Explore the different areas: the Swan Lake, the Rainforest, the Evolution Garden, the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden and the National Orchid Garden.

THINGS TO DO

The RainforestThe oldest spot here is a tropical rainforest that existed even before the Botanic Gardens was built. You will see plants that are no longer found anywhere else on the island.

The Early YearsSir Stamford Raffles was very interested in learning about the natural life in this part of the world. He encouraged businessmen to grow different vegetables, spices and fruits, so that they could find out which ones could be quickly grown and sold for more money.

About OrchidsProfessor Eric Holttum, who worked here from 1925 to 1949, discovered many ways to make orchids grow better. The National Orchid Garden has over 2,000 types of orchids. In 1981, the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid was chosen as Singapore’s national flower.


What I did here:

JOURNAL


l Say “hello” to Singapore’s oldest tree! Its scientific name is Terminalia subspathulata, although it is also called Jelawai Jaha. This tree is over 150 years old, and can be found in the rainforest area. It is 50 metres tall and measures 12 metres around the trunk.

l Play, sketch, have a picnic or take a nap at the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. It was named after a businessman who donated money to create this. There are learning areas to explore, tree-houses to sit in and a little maze.

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IT was evening and Su Lin was at the Singapore Botanic Gardens with her LCAC group. Their leader Maryana had organised this trip so that they could see the place at night.

“Don’t worry,” Maryana said with a chuckle, as she met the group at the Tanglin Gate. “This place is not haunted or anything, heh heh.”

Maryana knew a lot about the place. As they walked along, she was able to introduce the trees, plants and insects that they saw. And Su Lin had to admit that Maryana was right about this night trip: it really was an exciting experience to see the place all dark and shadowy.

“Brrr!” Francis suddenly said. He hugged himself and rubbed his arms. “Isn’t the breeze chilly tonight?”

Maryana heard him. She stopped and raised her finger to her lip.

“Shhh!” Maryana hissed in a low voice. She raised her left eyebrow and sneered at Francis. “Maybe that is an old ghost brushing against you. Maybe he does not like the way you look. Better be careful, ooh!”

Su Lin knew that Maryana was trying to scare them. Her older brothers often did the same thing

to her. She just shook her head and walked on. However, Francis was spooked. He looked over his shoulder again and again. And when he spoke, he stammered. “What… what do you mean? What ghost?”

Maryana leaned towards them and continued in a soft voice. “Let me share something that I read in an old LCAC newsletter,” she said. “You remember what I told you about the person they called Mad Ridley? Back in his time, if a man was living in England, Mad Ridley would not allow him to be buried in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Do you know why? Was it bad luck? Was there some sort of curse? Or was Mad Ridley up to something sinister?”

Su Lin almost jumped out of her skin when Francis grabbed her arm. “I… I don’t know,” Francis muttered, his teeth chattering in fright. He seemed close to tears. “Please, I want to go home. I want my mummy!”

Su Lin shook his hand off. She bit her lip and thought hard about Maryana’s question. Was it something about the history of the place? Or about English culture? Or about Ridley himself?

The Mystery of Mad Ridley

“Of course!” Su Lin cried out, so suddenly that Francis yelped in fright. “Nice try, Maryana, but you can’t scare us so easily. I know the answer. If you do not stop this nonsense, I am going to report you for being an irresponsible leader. You should not be scaring Francis like this.”

Francis looked at Su Lin with much admiration. “You are a genius! Please, tell us, why would Mad Ridley not allow the Englishman to be buried here?”

What was Su Lin’s answer?Answer found on next page

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CHAPTER 10

Let’s explore: MINT MUSEUM OF TOYS

1. National Design CentreYou can drop by this place and learn more about 3D printing.

2. Central LibraryYou will find some good books here on starting your own toy collection.

3. Mint Museum of ToysThere is a big sign pointing the way. The museum is at 26 Seah Street.

4. Raffles HotelWhen this hotel opened in 1887, it was next to the sea. But since then the land has been reclaimed in order to construct new buildings.

5. City Hall MRTThis is just 10 minutes away.

Answer to The Mystery of Mad Ridley: If the man was living in England, he would still be alive. It would be a crime to bury anyone who was not dead yet.


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Bras Basah

Seah Street

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Take your cute pets out for some fun in the sun! How many of these shadow puppets can you make with your hands?

SHADOW FUN

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WE have saved this place for last, as a surprise. It is every child’s dream come true: a real museum full of nothing but toys and more toys from all over the world. The “Mint” in the anme actually stands for “Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia with Toys”. “Nostalgia” is the nice feeling you get when you think about something you enjoyed in the past.

This museum has a great collection of over 50,000 old toys from many different countries. The toys come from a Singaporean toy collector named Chang Yang Fa. He started this museum to show off his favourite toys and allow others to share his joy. We heard that there are almost half a million toys in his personal toy collection at home!

Here at the museum, you will see toys based on popular cartoon

MINT MUSEUM OF TOYS

A playful wonderlandcharacters like Popeye the Sailor, Tintin and many Disney favourites. There is also a range of superhero action figures, including Batman and Astro Boy. If you have a soft spot for teddy bears, you will love the collection of cuddly teddies here.

Many of the toys are rare, which means that there are very few of their kind left in the world. Rare toys are valuable and can fetch a lot of money because others want to own them too. The most expensive toy here is a Mickey Mouse doll: do ask if you can see it!

You will also find traditional local toys and games. These include Five Stones (tiny beanbags that are tossed into the air in different combinations) and Chapteh (a feathery shuttlecock that you try to juggle by kicking it in the air again and again).

Childhood is a special time to enjoy all sorts of toys.

Let your imagination run free here but please do not make too much noise.

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What I did here:

JOURNAL


Would you like to have your own toy museum one day? Start by learning more about the Mint Museum of Toys and its treasures.

INSTANT EXPERT

l Count all the toys that you see. Be warned: this could take up the whole day. Or even longer. You might have to come back.

THINGS TO DO

The Lucky NumberThis building was designed with feng shui tips in mind. There are 26 glass panels out front. This matches the building’s address, 26 Seah Street, and it is considered to be an especially lucky number.

l Walk over to the National Design Centre and find out how you can design and make your own toys.

l Organise a school trip here. Tell your teacher that lots of schools have already brought their students to this museum for learning journeys. But be prepared: you might get some homework after the visit.

l Visit the Mint Shop: there are special collectible toys and learning kits you can buy as gifts for your family and friends.

Astro BoyAstro Boy is a popular Japanese superhero also known as Mighty Atom. Look out for Astro Boy figurines and learn more about him here.

Keep out of the SunSunlight contains ultraviolet light, and this can affect the colours of the toys, and cause the printed patterns to fade. That is why this building has no windows! The toys are simply too precious.

The Doll MasterThis museum has a collection of dolls made by Michael Lee. He lived a very simple life in Kowloon (Hong Kong) and inspired many fans around the world with his wonderful doll making skills. He passed away in 1996.

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WHEN Eng Teck volunteered to help clean up the storeroom at the Lion City Adventuring Club HQ, he came across an old box with elaborate patterns carved on it. When Eng Teck touched the box, he felt a strange tingling sensation. He could sense that it contained something special. But it was locked, and he couldn’t find the key to open it.

Some days later, Eng Teck was at a LCAC tea gathering when he saw their mentor Edward Low. He hurried over to ask him about the box.

Edward went to get the box. “This box contains something very special,” he said as he opened it. Inside the box was a lovely slab of wood, shaped like a boat, with 16 holes on it.

“This is a congklak board,” Edward Low said. “It is an old game that’s been very popular in Indonesia for

clear which member donated it. All we had was a sheet of paper at the bottom of the box. It had a series of numbers: 3, 4, 11, 10, 1. That was all.

“In 1977, a boy named Chester Chang took over as Chief Adventurer. He seemed like a good leader at first. But soon he got greedy and selfish. Anyway, Chester produced a letter from an old LCAC member named Trina Teo. The letter claimed that Trina had inherited this congklak board from her grandmother, and that she left it at the LCAC so that she could teach her fellow members how to play this. She instructed the LCAC to give the board to Chester, on her behalf.

“We tried to confirm the story with Trina, but we found out that she had recently died. We also discovered that a toy collector in England had offered to pay Chester a large sum of money for this board. It seemed like Chester forged the letter so that he could get his hands on the board.

“But what could we do? All we had was that small sheet of paper with the strange sequence of numbers. Fortunately, one member, Robin De Cruz, was obsessed with codes and

hundreds of years. When the Indians and Arabs started trading in this region, they also taught the people here how to play this game.”

Edward spent a few minutes showing them how to play congklak. The members played for an hour. The children enjoyed the game. Eng Teck wondered why he hadn’t discovered it earlier.

“There is an interesting story about this board,” Edward suddenly said. “Would you like to hear it?”

Of course everyone did. “This congklak board has been in

our collection for around 80 years, but it is actually much older than that. There were rumours that perhaps Stamford Raffles himself brought this to Singapore with him when he came here. Anyway, the board was donated by an LCAC member in the 1930s. But we did not keep proper records in those days, and it was not

Playing a New Game puzzles. He spent a few nights trying to make sense of the numbers.

“After some research, Robin figured that there were five members who could have donated the congklak board. Trina was one of them. The others were Ah Sun, Saeed, Manoj and Chwee. Robin bought a book about deciphering codes, and used every single method in there to make sense of the numbers.

“After three weeks, he finally succeeded. He worked out the name of the original owner. The other LCAC members confronted Chester with this information. He denied it at first, but he eventually confessed. He resigned and left the group.”

Eng Teck was mesmerised by this story. “But how did Robin work it out?” Eng Teck wanted to know as he enjoyed learning about codes and puzzles too. He looked at the numbers again. “The first number is 3, and the third letter of the alphabet is ‘C’. Was Chwee the original owner?”

Edward shook his head. “Nice try,” he said encouragingly, “and you are using the right technique. But the numbers correspond to something else. Can you work it out?”

What do you think? Can you break the code and identify the original owner of the congklak board?


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Let your imagination run free! Colour these wonderful toys and bring them to life.

LET’S CELEBRATECONGRATULATIONS! Wheeeee! You have had a chance to explore Singapore and find out what really makes it special. And now that you have completed your last adventure, it is time to celebrate.

Give yourself one point for every mystery that you solved. And for every sketch or journal entry that you completed, you get one point too.

Go on, add up your points. If you scored eight points or higher, we’re pleased to say, you get to award yourself a Lion City Certificate of Awesomeness!

Cut out the certificate found on the last page of this book and write your name on it, in nice bold letters.

We’ve really enjoyed spending this time with you. And we can’t wait to go on another adventure together!

Answer to Playing a New Game: The numbers “3, 4, 11, 10, 1” all refer to the months of the year. Put together the first letters of each corresponding month — March, April, November, October, January — and it spells “Manoj”. He was the member who donated the board to the LCAC, and not Trina.

COLOURING PAGE

The Lion City Adventuring Clubbids you farewell, young friend.

Remember us fondly, and the fun we shared. May your adventures never end!

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A History Of The Lion City

Adventuring ClubYOU will be pleased to know that our Lion City Adventuring Club (LCAC) has a long and grand history.

According to old records, the LCAC was started in the year 1894 by a young girl named Jayathri. Its first members included her neighbours Sherlock Hong and Aisha. Their goal was to make new friends, share interesting stories and explore Singapore together. They often held their meetings in Jayathri’s back garden, not far from River Valley Road.

In 1930, the Chief Adventurer was Gopal S., a student and volunteer librarian at St. Joseph’s Institution. He grew the membership of the LCAC by merging it with the Bravo Circle, a theatre group made up of many interesting characters. From here on, the LCAC regularly put up plays and musical performances inspired by the stories of old Singapore.

Super Cool AdventuresThe Lion City Adventuring Club Newsletter . Since 1894

Neighbours and best friends (left to right): Sherlock Hong, Jayathri and Aisha were the founding members of the Lion City Adventuring Club.

From 1942 to 1946, when the Japanese army occupied Singapore during World War 2, Chief

Adventurer Mei Song and many other LCAC members actively helped other children find food, medicine and missing family members.

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In 1962, the LCAC had so many members that it split into two groups. One group was led by Mary Anson and her sister Shirley Anson, and they met around the Queenstown area. The other group was based in Katong, in the east, and this was led by Edward Low, with help from his English teacher Mrs J. Fernandez.

In 1965, Edward Low’s parents moved to Penang, and he left with them. The Anson sisters tried to merge the two groups, but they had little success because they soon got busy helping out at their father’s furniture store.

In 1967, A. A. Hamid took as Chief Adventurer. He was a very talented and enthusiastic young man, and under his leadership the LCAC started publishing its official newsletter, Super Cool Adventures. His newsletter team included his neighbour Fook Siew Li and his classmate Selvakumar. Many years later Selvakumar would start the games company Blade Quest Industries, together with another classmate, Joseph Lee.

The Chief Adventurer in 1967 was A. A. Hamid. Under his leadership the LCAC started its newsletter.

In 1976, Chester Chang took over as Chief Adventurer. He made a number of serious mistakes during this time, including trying to charge an annual membership fee of $100. Many long-time LCAC members were disappointed and left the group. By 1979, there were only three members left, including Chester himself. People still refer to this as the “dark ages” of the LCAC.

In 1982, Edward Low, former head of the Katong LCAC group, returned to Singapore after many years working in England. He teamed up with Selvakumar or Uncle Selva as everyone called him and raised enough money to rent a meeting space for the LCAC along Newton Road. Janice De Cruz became the new Chief Adventurer.

Thanks to Janice, the LCAC newsletter was relaunched in 1983, and ran until 1994, when their landlord sold the building and they had to move out.

Each issue of Super Cool Adventures featured lots of creative work from its many new members,

including a young writer named Don Bosco.

In 1999, Winifred Chong started a website for the LCAC. Because of this, its membership grew very quickly. The LCAC started to share its resources and collaborate with other groups such as the Gung Ho Guild, The School of Heavenly Inventions, Madam White Cat Appreciation Society, the Bukuguru Book Club, and many others.

Today, there are LCAC groups everywhere in Singapore. You can even gather your friends and start your own group too! May your adventures bring you great joy.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORDON BOSCO writes stories for children and teens although grown-ups do read and enjoy them too. These are mostly influenced by the mystery, thriller, science fiction, adventure, fantasy and joke books he enjoyed as a child.

He started the publishing studio Super Cool Books in 2011, after his two sons challenged him to create a

fantasy series for children, set in Singapore and Malaysia. That eventually grew into the Time Talisman series, which led to more and more books. The titles are available on the Super Cool Books iPad app.

Much of his work is inspired by Asian legends and myths, or Asian pop culture like manga, and features a very diverse cast of characters. He loves to highlight old customs and legends from around the region, as well as local landmarks, food and events.

Don lives in Singapore but seems to spend most of his time either wandering around inside his head or searching the internet to discover new music to listen to. His website is http://www.SuperCoolBooks.com.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATORVISHNU NACHIKETH RAJAN was born in India and has been in Singapore for the past three years. He is currently a student at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts studying Animation and Design.

When he is not hard at work, he is sleeping but he rides dragons and participates in mech-wars in his dreams so it is quite an exciting hobby. He also enjoys watching movies, his favourites are Mad Max 2 and Blade Runner. This is the first book he has illustrated.

YOU DID IT!This award is presented to

for having fun and enjoying ourLion City Adventures together.

L I O N C I T Y A D V E N T U R I N G

C L U B

A D V E N T U R E R

Edward LowSenior Adventuring Mentor

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A D V E N T U R I N G C L U B

L I O N C I T Y

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Adventures - nurnberg.com.cnas we make our way all around Singapore and get to know the place much better. Along the way, you will be invited to scribble, doodle and solve some mysteries