NIE field trip to MacRitchie

MacRitchie Reservoir is Singapore's first impounding reservoir and it was built in 1867. It is part of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR), which is the biggest nature reserve in Singapore. The other reservoirs of CCNR include Lower Peirce Reservoir, Upper Peirce Reservoir and Upper Seletar Reservoir.


Serving as water catchment areas, forests surrounding these reservoirs are protected from agriculture activities so as to ensure the quality of water. The reservoir also has a park for recreational purposes and has facilities such as the pavilion and the zig zag bridge as shown here.

Field Trip to MacRitchie Reservoir

Today group of NUS student together with lecturers, we went to MacRitchie for a geography field trip and it was good, but not as exciting, because I've been to HSBC treetop walk and the area two times already last year. Anyway, I have friends like Jianyu, Shuying, Karen, Edwin, Jieqi and Peiling to accompany. Saw Amy also, so it's not boring in terms of company. Maybe due to the fact we spent 80% of time walking and 20% discussing about the issues by Prof Higgit, it wasn't really that productive. I still enjoyed being outdoors, soaking the sun, immersed in the greenery etc. Learnt quite some stuffs too.


Welcome to Treetop Trail


There was a controversy of water sports in reservoirs. But our water works system is so good that it doesn't really matter.


Group photo except Edwin


on top of Mosquito Ring (army term) or Jelutong Tower


There were good company...


but do watch out for your bananas!

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(Credits to Shuying for her photos)

Sorry Folks!.... for the outfield bashing

This morning, Jianyu, Gun Kiat, Liyuan, JJ and I went to the HSBC Treetop walk and then to the "mysterious" or you can say historical ruins of the Shinto Shrine, Syonan Jinjia. As known, Singapore was named Syonan-To during the Japanese occupation, and that is where the name is derived for the shrine. It was a grand and fine shrine of the Japanese with a majestic bridge across the reservoir. However, they destroyed the shrine by dropping a bomb after they were defeated. What is left are ruins of bits and pieces. The location is so "geographical strategic"! It sits opposite the reservoir and surrounding it are the water bodies. There is a dam that connect to it indirectly, and is near enough, but the dam consists of just stone boulders placed wide apart the gap of reservoir water body... no one is able to jump across unless you do an accurate and far standing broad jump above them.

We all didnt predict the trip in search of Syonan Jinja can be so tough. At first, the trail looks fairly easy. It gets a bit tougher when we hiked inwards, where no one will venture unless you are going to the shrine itself. Lots of dead falls lie across the already squeezy mud trail. After much effort we reached the elusive shrine. As documented by Hey! Singapore, we could find the flight of stairs, purification basin and here and there stuffs. The journey inwards was already quite physically exhausting, so we suggested not walking back and continued westward to the other exit, never to realise the challenges that lies ahead. This time, the trails are much tougher, and you cant make out where to walk.. Thank God there are kind people who placed plastic bags and spray paint marking on the trees so we can follow their trail out. Many times we had to backtrack and do some stunts that we usually do during scout outfield infiltration, including crossing of streams. By the time we were FINALLY out, shagged already.. LOL.

Well, this is the result of my insistent of going to the place I always wanted to go. Hahaa.. Felt guilty to drag them along to suffer.

We settled down to rest for a while before proceeding to Jelutong Tower aka Mosquito Ring. It's tall and we dragged ourselves to go up. Hahaa...After a mini photo session, we continued walking, feeding tortoises in the reservoir, etc etc..before endex, or end of exercise. Hahaa.. Just at that time, something awful happened to me.. ok skip that. We ended up at Thomson Plaza for lunch, n I ate the worst meal of the year, even considering I was very hungry. lol. Jianyu, Liyuan and JJ left without going to Gunz's house cos...too tired. Haha.. My fault.

Only me went to Gunz's house and Daryl joined it. We had a few rounds of pool and chatting here and there. Then I dyed my hair for the first time. Dun worry, not obvious one. First time don't dare to try anything too visible or striking. The bus 67 trip back was great...cos the bus driver drove well with adequate speed. That's all for the busy day. Feeling sleepy cos of today's activity and bad sleep last time (kena mosquitoes...).

Thanks to all who went thru today's "ordeal" with me. Appreciate it.

Photos below>>>


Ecstatic. Can u see the three behind also? They must be thinking I'm mad.


Inside the shrine ruin, with the purification basin


Strange coin like structures on the ground


Huge holes dug from the ground by treasure hunters in search of Yamashita's gold


Group photo on the long flight of stairs upward to the shrine. Can you decipher what I'm doing? Yes, I'm doing navi with map and compass. Heee


The way out with a series of bashing... serious siah!


Out finally, near Petaling Hut


Will the golf ball hit us?


Come on! you can do it... the bread is on your way.


Finally a full force photo at the top of Jelutong Tower


On roof of Gunz's house, with the not-so-visible new hair colour

MacRitchie Treetop

I dragged myself to wake up at 7:30am for Cell Group outing at MacRitchie. After meeting at Novena, we took bus 167 that brought us to Upper Thomson Road, near Venus Drive. That was the start point of our 7km worth of walk up and down slopes.


We were greeted with monkeys that are not shy at all.

After walking for a while, I recognised this particular part of MacRitchie where there is a knoll beside the water pipes barren long land and it was one of my checkpoints during the navigational exercise when I was undergoing ISPC Scout course during NS. At that time, I was quite bewildered why would there be construction in that place since it’s so deserted and deep into the central catchment area. Now, then I know that it was actually for the building of the treetop walk.


Soon, after of about an hour of walking and resting at Ranger Station, we reached the entrance of HSBC Treetop walk. The length is 250m, which is quite long for me.


The bridge was rather stable for me but big sis, Joanna, was rather nervous and intimidated by the height. However, when we tried to take a photo of her, she still can fake a nice smile, but her fear of height can be proven by her two tight hands on the railings. Haha…


A pic of James and I on the treetop walk. (PS: He’s also rather nervous too…hehe)

After the treetop experience, we walked up and down and my feet were feeling painful due to the stupid SAF new sandals which I wore for the first time and it gave me nice blisters.


Soon we reached Jelutong Tower or the army guys say……MOSQUITO RING, another landmark of our Navigational exercises and the Endpoint of our torturous Longwalk Exercise of 40km in FBO.


At that time, mosquito ring…opps, no, Jelutong Tower was still not opened to the public but this time I got the chance to climb up and catch the breathtaking view of the surrounding. Above is one group photo.

Leaving the place, we walked and walked and reached into the “elusive” spot near opposite (so near yet so far) Syonan Jinja. I first got to know about it from Hey! Singapore, a show which captivated me so much when I was younger). Lisa Ang was a great host…oops, got carried away again. Ok, what’s Syonan Jinja? Refer to the Appendix at the end of the blog ok? I will be back to this place to explore the ruins of this lost Japanese Shrine that holds great historic value of Singapore during WWII. That place has been marked as a historic site by the National Heritage Board too.


Above are the left foundations of the blown-up bridge leading to the shrine. It’s rather wide and grand. Can you imagine? Btw, the bridge and the shrine were built by POWs.


We took another group photo.


On our way out, I saw two kayaks in MacRitchie Reservoir… the rates are expensive ($10 per hour), or else I’ll try them out too.


And I saw the elusive pitcher plant…yeah!

Finally, when we reached Lornie Road, I was pleased and glad everyone made it, though the walk can be quite tough on some of my cell group friends. Everyone was rather happy and I enjoyed myself a lot today discovering a lot of things. It’s really a great trip that cheers me up positively and made me enjoy nature like I was before NS.

Hey Jianyu or Gunz, join me to explore the Syonan Jinja ok? I’m dying to explore that interesting place. Maybe you may stumble upon Yamashita's gold??! haha

If you are interested, you can go to this gallery, which this guy took photos of themselves searching for the Shrine. Or also visit the SPI link below.

Links:

1. Gallery
http://http://www.pbase.com/zerod/shinto

2. Another Gallery by NUS people
http://http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~dpuk/pix/JapShrine-Mar05/index.html

2. SPI Website
http://www.spi.com.sg/spi_files/shinto_shrine/Syonan_Jinja.htm

Appendix:
Syonan Jinja


Above photo from SPI website

Buried in the dense jungle of the MacRitchie Catchment Area are the ruins of Syonan Jinja, a Japanese Shinto Shrine dating back to World War II. Built to commemorate Japanese soldiers who died fighting in the invasion of Singapore, Syonan Jinja was the location of many Japanese religious and cultural ceremonies. The original structure, built during the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945), was a temple with no walls. Raised from the ground by a stone platform graduated with a few steps, the sloping temple roof rested on pillars that stood at regular intervals round the perimeter of the platform. It is believed that during rituals, worshippers would drink from a huge granite ceremonial fountain located outside the shrine.

A Shinto ceremony took place here every New Year's Day for the few years that the shrine existed. This was marked by the sounding of the temple bell, the arrival of devotees and the presence of a Shinto priest presiding over rituals. After the proceedings were completed here, the worshippers moved on for a second ceremony at Syonan Chureito, a war memorial for the Japanese soldiers, located at Bukit Batok.

Syonan Jinja was destroyed when the Japanese Occupation ended in 1945. Crumbling granite steps that once led to the shrine are visible, as well as the stone fountain. Of the temple building itself, there is a low stone wall that runs one length of the building and several square pits in the ground that probably once supported pillars.

Today, remnants of the shrine are covered by jungle vegetation. As it is no longer accessible, Syonan Jinja is best seen through old photographs and drawings by the Japanese military as well as the POWs who helped build the shrine.