My first time visiting the Jade Buddha was last Thursday, my colleagues invited me to come and see the Jade Buddha For Universal Peace at Takashimaya located in Ngee Ann City, it takes just about 10 minutes from the office.


The viewing was started last January 14 and will end on January 26, 2012. Jade Buddha was the largest jade Buddha statue in the world, weighing 4 tons in 2.7 meters tall. Some of the event highlights are Blessing from Holy Relics, Viewing of Holy Relics, Construction of Kuan Yin Sand Mandala, Tara Puja for Peace and Happiness and Dzambhala Puja for Wealth and Prosperity.


There were also offerings and prayers. When you go inside you will see a bunch of rice available for offerings. The rice cost $5 per kilograms, there were 50,000 kilograms of rice available to the Jade Buddha statue throughout the exhibition. There were fliers and reading booklets available for free distribution. You can donate at whatever amount you have.


First, we walk three times in clockwise circumambulation around statue of Buddha while we are viewing Holy Relics.  Then we queue to received the Blessings of Holy Relics. Relics was referring to a kind of pearl-like crystals found after the cremation of Buddhist Masters. I watched them first to see how to received the blessings. First, kneel down in front of Buddhist Master and he will placed the Holy Relics while praying on your heads. I do what they do. My colleagues asked me if I'm feeling comfortable and I said I'm fine. Even I'm not Buddhist and it's my first time to experienced this I feel fine and comfortable. I respect their beliefs and faith. When I kneel down I closed my eyes and made a wish. We also went at the Sand Mandala, it was very amazing. The monks were carefully placing the sand beads on the mandala. Along the sides, I bought t-shirt for EJ. The t-shirt says "Live Work Die Meditate Enjoy with Compassion." I also tried spinning the Prayer Wheel on the exhibition.


The second time was on the second day of Chinese New Year, I invited EJ to come and visit.


My third time visiting was last Wednesday with my colleagues again. In almost two weeks Jade Buddha was in Singapore I visited three times and the experience was amazing.

Mahaba ang bakasyon dalawang araw kameng walang pasok nung Chinese New Year, bago magChinese New Year tanungan na kung saan kame pupunta o anung gagawin naming dalawa. Wala talaga kameng plano nun kaya siguro wala ding nangyari. Gusto sana naming bumisita sa Chinatown at Marina Bay Sands pero hindi kame natuloy. May friend naman ako sa Facebook na tinatanong na kame kung saan kame sa Chinese New Year pero wala talaga kameng plano kaya sinabi ko nalang sa kanya iyong event sa Takashimaya.

January 21 2012 - Sabado

Pumunta muna kame ng Lucky Plaza para mag-remit, pagkatapos ay naglakad kame papuntang Plaza Singapura. Doon na kame inabot ng lunch kaya kumain kame sa Kopitiam Pepper Lunch Express.










Mula sa Dhoby Ghaut station ay pumunta kame ng Sengkang, bumili muna kame ng Bengawan Solo na cake sa Compasspoint bago pumunta. Pagdating namin nanood kame ng Praybeyt Benjamin. Nakakatuwa at ang dami kong tawa sa pelikula ni Vice Ganda. Kahit na buhay pirata sa panonood napasaya kame ng bonggang bongga. Haha.


January 22 2012 - Linggo
Nagsimba kame sa Tagalog Mass ng Church of the Risen Christ sa Toa Payoh. Every fourth Sunday of the month Tagalog ang misa sa simbahan.


Pagkalabas ng simbahan ay nagpunta kame ng bus stop. May nakita na kameng Bus 88 pero hindi kame sumakay. Pumunta kame sa gothere.sg website para alamin ang daan papuntang Sengkang. Tinuro samin ni Gothere na sa Lorong 6 daw kaya umikot pa kame para hanapin ang bus stop. Nakakatuwa dinaanan lang namin same bus stop na pinanggalingan naming dalawa. Pupunta kame uli ngayon ng Sengkang dahil may Birthday Celebration si Zoey, pamangkin sa asawa ng tito ni EJ.


Chinese New Year - Lunes

Naglinis kame ng araw na to, linis galore ng bonggang-bongga ginawa naming dalawa. Nilipat din namin ang ayos ng mga gamit para maiba naman ang hitsura. Pagkatapos namin maglinis nakatanggap ako ng tawag galing kay Auntie Zarah, niyaya kame ni ante na manood ng sine. Nanood kame ng sine Jack N Jill ni Adam Sandler. Maganda ang palabas at nakakatuwa, bukas pala ang mga sinehan kapag Chinese New Year ang akala namin lahat ay mag-sasara. Ang mga hawkers karamihan sarado na.

Chinese New Year - Martes

Maaga kameng umalis ng bahay, pumasok kame ng isang oras at si EJ naman ay may gagawin din sa opisina. Nagtext sakin si EJ na parang ghost town daw ang Raffles, sa Orchard naman konti ang tao. Pagdating sa opisina ang daming iba-ibang pagkain. Masarap ung Bakkwa at Kueh Lapis, binigyan kame ng Ang Bao o Ang Pao. :)


Nagkita na kame ni EJ para sa lunch. Habang naglalakad nadaanan namin ang magandang display ng Dragon sa Mandarin Orchard.


Napagpasyahan naming dalawa na sa Plaza Singapura ulit kumain ng lunch. Kumain kame sa Pastamania.
































































Pagkatapos ay tumambay kame sa Sentosa Boardwalk. :) Gong Xi Fa Cai! Kung Hei Fat Choi! :)