因为有你，川渝更美好 | Because of you, Sichuan & Chongqing will be better… :]

I am writing to complain about my horrible experiences yesterday (27 Nov) with Chongqing Grilled Fish Restaurant in Bugis.

I invited a few friends from Suzhou, China to come along. When I ringed the restaurant at 1pm to make a table reservation for 4 dining at 7:3opm, a waitress with the Malaysian Chinese accent answered my call.

She lacks basic telephone etiquette, and kept asking me “Huh? What ah ah ah ah?” and I had to repeat to her several times that “my surname is Ma” before she finally got it right.

This is only the beginning of the nightmare. When we reached the restaurant at 1 Liang Seah Street #01-05/06 at about 7:20pm, I informed a waiter that I’m Mr Ma who has already booked a table for 4 dining at 7:30pm.

But the waiter wearing spectacles and with the local Chinese accent simply asked us to stand outside and wait, as all tables were occupied. This has left us puzzled: Since reservation has already been made, how come they didn’t save the table for us? What, then, is a reservation for?

His explanation in Mandarin was unsatisfactory: “Because many customers book tables, but in the end never turn up.”

How could he ill-treat customers this way just because of some other customer’s “no-show”? If the restaurant does not entertain reservations but operates on a first-come, first-served basis when it comes to seating, they could at least inform customers earlier. Does this restaurant value integrity at all?

Just then, a waitress tapped my left arm and said rudely in Mandarin, “Let me pass through!” Is it so difficult for her to say “Excuse me”?

I had been a very loyal customer who patronized this restaurant quite a few times with my friends this year. Besides, I made phone reservations each time prior to my visit but didn’t encounter any issue.

We were only seated at about 7:45pm, in the non-air-conditioned area outside the restaurant. It was ridiculous, indeed extremely embarrassing to stand outside and wait for a good 20 minutes with my guests for the seats I’ve already booked. There was no apology in any form from the restaurant. This has been my last time patronizing this restaurant and I shall boycott this restaurant from now on.

“中国风重庆烤鱼”：预订的席位也可以不翼而飞

写这篇文章是为了投诉我昨天在“中国风·重庆烤鱼（武吉士分店）”的糟糕经历。

我请了苏州的朋友一起去吃重庆烤鱼。下午1点我致电餐厅预订傍晚7点半的4个席位时，一位操着马来西亚华人口音的服务生接了电话。

她连最基本的电话礼仪都不懂，一直问我”什么？什么啊、啊、啊的？“ 结果我向她重复了N次，她才听明白：我姓马。

这只是噩梦的开始。

我们于傍晚7：20分左右来到了位于1 Liang Seah Street #01-05/06的这家餐馆后，我立即通知一位男服务生：我是马先生，预定了7点半的4个席位。

但这位戴眼镜、操着新加坡本地华语口音的男服务生竟然让我们都站在外面等，因为没有空的桌子了。这让我们百思不得其解：不是已经预订了席位了吗？为什么他们没有给我们留桌子？那么，预约又是来干什么的？

他用华语作出的解释难以让人满意：”因为很多人订了位，结果都没来。”

岂有此理！仅仅因为某些顾客预订了席位到最后又不出现就用这么卑鄙的手段来惩罚其他顾客？如果这家餐厅不接受预订席位而是采取“先到先得”策略，那至少应该通知顾客一声吧。我很怀疑，这家餐馆把“诚信”二字放在眼里了吗？

就在这时，另一女服务生拍了拍我的左臂，粗鲁地用华语告诉我：“让我过去！” 难道说一句“Excuse me!”（不好意思，请让我过去）会死啊？

我曾是这家餐馆的忠实顾客，今年还和朋友们光顾过好几次，而且每次都是打电话预订了席位的，之前从未出现任何问题。

到了7:45分左右，我们几位才被安排在餐馆外面没有空调的区域就座。为了已经预订好的桌子，陪着朋友一起站着等上20分钟，实在是太荒唐、太难为情了。而且，餐馆方面没有通过任何形式向我们道歉。这是我最后一次光顾这家餐馆了，从今天起我将坚决抵制这家餐馆。

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It’s my first time at the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) Open House. I had been to the Army Open House and Air Force Open House before but not the Navy Open House. This led to my increased curiosity towards the Navy.

It was coincidental, indeed unfortunate that this year’s Navy Open House ‘clashed’ into the week of mourning for the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, that all flags on the warships in Changi Naval Base were flown at half mast, evoking the solemn mood.

I also didn’t win the ballots for both the guided tour of frigate and the ship cruise. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed myself. I managed to go for a fast craft utilities ride, of which no balloting is required. Though the duration is much shorter than the 2-hour ship cruise around Singapore, I believe the fast craft utilities ride is definitely more thrilling. I was standing in the fast craft throughout the journey with my Canon EOS 500D taking pictures and HD videos, and the fast craft was shaky most of the time due to powerful sea wind and waves.

Some of my friends who did not manage to go to the Navy Open House 2010 have asked me about my experience there. I see the NOH as a rich cousin of the Air Force Open House but a poor cousin of the Army Open House. Whilst the NOH is ‘richer’ than the AFOH in terms of the number of hands-on opportunities, it is ‘poorer’ than the AOH in terms of the variety of weaponry displayed. In fact, the NOH appeared to be more like a family carnival than a real military event! Introducing fun games pleased children, the military elements in this open house were also eroded. Nevertheless, I still acknowledge that the organising committee has put in effort to make this year’s NOH possible.

2010新加坡海军开放日

这是我首次前往新加坡共和国海军部队开放日参观。之前去过陆军和空军的开放日，但就是没有去过海军的开放日。结果，我对海军越来越感兴趣了。

今年的海军开放日的举办时间很不巧地与开国元勋吴庆瑞博士去世后为期一周的全国哀悼期撞上了，所以在樟宜海军基地看到的所有国旗、军旗都降了半旗，让人感到一丝伤感。

我也没被抽中参加军舰环岛一日游和护卫舰的指导游览。不过，我玩得还是很开心的。由于无需抽奖，我很容易地就坐上了工程快艇在樟宜海军基地兜风了一圈。虽然游览时间比长达两小时的环绕新加坡岛的军舰观光要短许多，但我相信工程快艇一定更为刺激。从头到尾我都站在船板上，手握着我的Canon EOS 500D拍摄照片和高清视频。由于风浪比较大，所以快艇一直在摇晃。

有几位没有去成今年海军开放日的朋友问我，今年的海军开放日搞得怎么样。我觉得今年的海军开放日比空军开放日要好，但比陆军开放日差一些。海军开放日比空军开放日有了更多让观众亲身体验各种武器的机会，但在武器种类和数量上还是比不过陆军开放日。此外，今年的海军开放日搞得更像是一场家庭嘉年华，而不是一场真正的军事盛事。开放日配备了一些供儿童玩耍的趣味游戏虽然给小朋友们带来了快乐，但开放日的军事元素也就同时侵蚀了。不管怎样，我还是能看得出，组委会是下了功夫力争把此次海军开放日办得精彩的。

If you are in China and cannot see the above Flickr slideshow, you can also check out the photos on RenRen.com.

如果你身在中国大陆，而且无法看到上面的Flickr幻灯放映，也可在人人网上查看照片。

以下是本人在海军开放日现场拍摄的高清视频：

Performance by Singapore Armed Forces Band | 新加坡武装部队军乐队现场演奏

PLAY VIDEO: YouTube | 中国网络电视台

Fast Craft Utilities Ride | 亲身体验乘坐工程快艇之快感

PLAY VIDEO: YouTube | 中国网络电视台

Naval Sea Display | 海军模拟反恐海战表演

PLAY VIDEO: YouTube | 中国网络电视台

The countdown party was held at *scape Youth Park yesterday. It commenced at 6pm and ended at about 9pm. Some of the activities include:

• Presentation of Singapore 2010 uniforms for the first YOG
• Carnival featuring Olympic Sports and more
• Celebration Concert featuring gravity-defying Parkour act and heart-thumping drum beats
• Music by Singapore Idols – Taufik Batisah and Hady Mirza, and pop rock and indie band, Electrico
• Appearance of Singapore 2010 Mascots, Lyo and Merly
• Sale of limited edition Singapore 2010 Merchandise and Souvenirs

I brought my Canon EOS 500D along, busy taking photographs and videos. Many reporters were there, and I was very surprised, indeed glad to find two reporters from China Central Television (CCTV) as well. This shows the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games is gradually attracting attention from Mainland Chinese media, so much so that the national TV network has decided to send reporters to Singapore to cover this inaugural historic event.

Previously, I had taken advantage of my connections with Mainland Chinese media friends from all over the country, informing them about the media accreditation procedures of Singapore 2010 and inviting them to come to Singapore in August. However, the responses I received were utterly disappointing, if not shocking. A female journalist from Chengdu Commercial Daily, for instance, asked me if meals, accommodation and air ticket expenses would be provided for journalists, free-of-charge. Yet another news anchor from a certain provincial satellite channel turned down my invitation politely and told me that “As you know, Chongqing isn’t a city that emphasises sports. Hence, I don’t think our TV station leaders will be willing enough to sponsor us to come to Singapore.”

It was my first time meeting celebrities Taufik, Hady and Electrico face to face. Their spectacular performance was so well-received by fans. ‘Screams’ could always be heard as they performed.

Distinguished guests like Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and SYOGOC officials were also present at the event.