Chelsea FC - Building from ashes

Chelsea fans are said to be bandwagon jumpers; they support the team only because they are champions up till recently. This suggestion is backed by the increase in the support for the club worldwide during the Abramovich era after the Russian oil tycoon became the owner of the companies that controlled Chelsea FC in 2003. With his Russian roubles, he funded to build a stellar team which ushered in Premier League successes under club-favourite couch, Jose Mourinho, in 2004/05 and 2006/07. But the actual reality is that Chelsea FC was already at least a contender among the top teams and they did enjoy relative success over the years before their newly acquired wealth. Under Ruud Gullit from 1996 onwards, they had success in the League Cup and FA Cups and even qualified for the coveted Champions League in the year 2000. Chelsea FC's other notable successful era was way back in the 1960s. While I admit I only became a Chelsea supporter in 2004, it is worthy to note that it is during that time that I started watching football. Thus, in my opinion, those within my age group and lesser might have a tendency to support this club if otherwise not influenced by other factors such as place of birth. Afterall, for supporters not living in England, our primary factor which governs our choice of football club would be to support the current leading football club of the day and that might explain the older age group of fans for Manchester United and Liverpool. If Chelsea fans really are bandwagon jumpers, then we only need to see their reaction when they lose the plot. Last year, the club finished a record low at 10th position in the Premier League and failed to qualify for any competitions in Europe in 2016.

Chelsea 2015/16 Campaign
Some fans imploded. Some fans openly criticised their own players calling Hazard, Fabregas and Costa rats. The whole team were horribly off form and they lacked a credible game plan, effective playing style and seemed generally bereft of winning a game. It was obvious to the casual observer that Chelsea does not look like capable of creating chances let alone winning matches. The goals scored seemed to be created out of luck and the playing system was so unplayable, it was gut wrenching to watch. Honestly, when PSG was tied to play Chelsea in the Champions League, if one watched PSG played a match in Ligue 1, it appears that PSG already plays a lot better than Chelsea. PSG has fluidity in their play and talented players, Chelsea were the underdogs.

Chelsea 2015/2016 Squad Report

4-2-3-1

The 4-2-3-1 system then had Costa up front, Fabregas or Oscar in the number 9 position with Hazard and Willian on the flanks. Matic and Obi Mikel/ Fabregas played in the centre defensive role and Chelsea had 4 constantly changing defense. The fluidity of the team was nowhere. The team under Mourinho is famous for parking the bus and then utilising the talented wingers to wreck havoc on the counter. But this tactic is vulnerable to technically good players who can continue to keep the ball in possession or an organised defence which could cut the link between Chelsea's defence and attack. Two wingers and a creative player was not enough to create enough chances. The occasional Fabregas pass appears to be the only outlet a Chelsea goal may come from. Hazard tracked deep and had to slowly find a way to the oppositions third and the genuine lack of form of most players resulted in them constantly losing the ball. Also, the players rarely continue to find spaces to open up play when in possession and was so individualistic in their play. Thus, Chelsea rarely look to win matches. Obi Mikel is a classic old school CDM player but he constantly infuriates with his tendency to pass backwards and not contribute to attack at all. His defensive replacement, Fabregas does not contribute to defence, his only merit in providing the long accurate crosses from deep. Oscar was woeful and a subject of transfer speculation. Last season, he might find himself lucky to not play in a lower league side, such was his contribution to the overall gameplay. He is not as defensively astute as Obi Mikel (which was average, in my opinion) and does not have the creative eye to provide the killer pass like Fabregas. He is simply an average footballer, not fit for a team of stars like Chelsea. Sometime in the campaign, Willian and Hazard does not look like complimenting each other's play at all where they rarely passed or created chances for the other. They mainly prefer to have a solo run at the opposition. Hazard have a genuine footballing talent in his feet and this was seen in almost every match. The only problem last season was his luck in scoring and creating. if one watches Chelsea play, he was actually good contrary to the media's reports. The forwards too, suffered as a result of a lack of opportunities. Costa would be lucky to have one gilt-edged chance last season in one match, compared to numerous now and boy did he take it. His record haul of goal is impressive given the lack of clearcut chances. Pato was not good enough for the squad and deservedly had only so few starts. Traore was pacy and skillful but he have a very tame shot, which isn't enough to beat a Premier League goalkeeper. My main criticism of the defence is Branislav Ivanovic. Time and time again, he was the weak link in the defence. At 31 then, he is awfully slow and as a right back in the Premier League with nifty and fast wingers, you have to be fast too. Maybe defensively he is quite reliable in man marking but he constantly goes forward (which is bad, since he is slow in tracking back). He was really an Achilles Heel in the Chelsea backline. John Terry is a defense rock in his day and is a quality defender. In the 2014/15 season, his body was everywhere in the box. Somehow, shots are blocked by some body parts of his. Unfortunately, last season, not only was his defensive capabilities missing, his main problem, his lack of pace was a constant pick for marauding opposition forwards. Like a retiring Carlos Puyol, fast strikers like Shane Long and Aguero could easily find their way through. Finally in goal, Courtois was not as good as this season. I find myself craving for Petr Cech to be back. He showed little in his goalkeeping; unsuccessful dives, he was less agile and less focused. Asmir Begovic was even less convincing in goal. Finally, the fact that fringe players without as much quality as the others such as Baba Rahman and Kenedy could be the best player on the field shows how much Chelsea was lacking. There needs to be change.

Chelsea Preseason 2016
In comes Chelsea's preseason and Antonio Conte. Antonio Conte is a hawkish and tactically astute manager. He exploits and understands the game very well and it could be with his constant interaction and feedback from players that most benefits the club and him. In the preseason, he tested out many players in many positions. Look at Chelsea's first preseason match against Rapid Wein, it was utterly disastrous. Like most of last season, there was no fluidity, no eye-catching talent and the opposition looked to have better players instead! The match deservedly ended 2-0 in Rapid Wein's favour. The next matches against Wolfsberger and Werder Bremen showed a slow and hopeful progression. By the end of the match against Werder Bremen, Chelsea was playing like the team with talents they have, although with slight hiccups in the formation. The players are playing better, and Chelsea looked to be quite a formidable squad to be honest. The revelation of preseason saw the talent of Victor Moses and Ola Aina. Moses was a different calibre of player than Hazard. While Hazard was pacy and skillful, Moses was also pacy but he is more of a direct runner. He runs at defences head on and pushes defenders back. He was a joy to watch, an absolute beast and game changer in preseason and deservedly remained in the squad, eventhough initially only as back up for Willian and Hazard. Ola Aina was a welcome change at RB in exchange for Ivanovic. He was not overawed, he have composure and most importantly, pace. During preseason, Conte also brought in 4 great players in Michy Batshuayi, Ngolo Kante, David Luiz and Marcos Alonso.

Start of Season Formation
Come the start of the season, Chelsea played with roughly the same tactic as last season. The main exception was Kante in replacement of Obi Mikel/ Fabregas. The team played fairly better under Conte with more initiatives in the opposition's half, a sign of a promising good start. Players later attributed their organisation and better play to a better prepared preseason. Conte was astute even during the first few matches. He plays by his players strengths and suggestions. I reckon he asked his players on their most ideal playing situation before he made the last call as to who should play where. An early Conte tactic was to play in the same formation the players were comfortable with (4-2-3-1) before introducing 2 or 3 new forwards in the later part of the second half. We all know what fresh legs can do and the introduction of lethal game changing forwards like Moses and Pedro when the opposition are tiring can be a moral demoraliser for the opponent. The available forwards probably knew of the incoming change and it may have induced the forward starters to give their all, knowing they will be hauled off soon. Usually, Willian, Hazard or Costa may be subbed out and in comes Batshuayi, Pedro or Moses. This tactic worked at the start, earning Chelsea late wins against Watford and West Ham but more is needed than this "surprise" tactic to win game. For one, the better teams are so much more organised and playing a lot better. Arsenal's now famous 3-0 devastating win against Chelsea shows how much more Chelsea needs to change in order to win. The system, as like last season shows how little Chelsea could dominate or create chances. Outlet was too little and the formation was spread too thin. Thus, came Conte's famous switch to a back three. The 3-4-3 tactic was brilliant in compacting the otherwise stretched play of the team and addressed the holes inside the 4-2-3-1 shape. The team are playing closer together and are able to close opponent's formations faster and more effectively.

Front 3
The other revelation was the use of wingbacks, Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso. Personally, I too had not thought Moses could be a wingback, seeming as how he is good at attacking opponents defence with his direct running. At wingback, he still can do so but he have other responsibilities which may limit what he enjoys doing. In return, he gets playing time and a confirmed start in the starting lineup, a good tradeoff obviously. Starting from the front attacking 3, the players are closer together and able to create the devastating counterattack we see against Manchester City. Pedro and Hazard are skillful nifty players able at dribbling with pace through the backline. Costa too, is able at holding up play and dribbling but his main prowess lies in his shooting. He was always a strong shooter with strength to hold up play and swat away defenders, much like Didier Drogba. However, unlike Drogba, Diego Costa have pace which allows him to match the pace and style of play of Willian, Pedro, Moses and Hazard. He is part of an attacking unit synchronised to perfection. Willian always seems to be a good winger with a lot of pace and skill. Honestly, I would prefer him over Pedro because Willian is hugely consistent and always a threat going forward (Chelsea's Player of the Year in their most dreadful season). He is also capable of running, being at better positions and utilising wider spaces than Pedro who is more able in smaller forward positions although as we saw, Pedro is skillful in a niftily different way. (His backheel for Hazard to dribble home in the match against Leicester City was a peach of an assist) Eden Hazard is of course, if not as great, even greater this season. He plays in a  more forward position now and his pace and dribbling is simply a joy to watch. He creates more now with constant layoffs for teammates and his confidence is definitely there for him to take the occasional shots which some becoming goals. (As of now he have scored 8 times in 15 games.) A world talent and a gem of a talent indeed.

Mid 2
In midfield, we have the two in an almost Central Midfielder role, Nemanja Matic and Ngolo Kante. Kante, though he was a dominating force in the earlier games and a source of inspiration for Chelsea, he appears to not play so well as of late, but he do constantly steals the ball and defends very well. Matic is a joy to watch now. He do win balls as like previous seasons but now, he actually dribbles forward with the ball and take the occasional shots like Kante. In tandem, they take turns defending and attacking and hopefully, they can play even better in future matches. Not so surprisingly now, Matic now holds the highest amount of assist in the Chelsea squad at 6. Fabregas came on for Chelsea against Manchester City. The bad thing with Fabregas is he is nowhere in defence. He just do not defend or he can't. As a result, Manchester City could dominate the midfield position now almost entirely manned by Kante alone. The good thing is obviously his killer pass. He is so good at anticipating where his teammates will be and creating chances which was why he was probably the only creative outlet for goals last season. Overall dependence on individual quality was an undoing of Mourinho sides. Instead, collective play is the sides that win in current Premier League matches. (Look at West Brom, Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal where the team plays so well as a unit). Oscar is better too, in my opinion. When he plays, his defensive work is good although not as good as Matic or Kante and he is an able creator of chances too, thus I would not want him to leave just yet as he is at least a good replacement for many of the available positions in the squad.

Back 3
Moving to defence, what can I say? They have been fantastic. David Luiz especially was such an assured presence at the centre, I would not want anyone else to take his position. The Gaffer heads balls away and being good at his feet, he could dribble out of difficult positions to change from a defensive outlook to an attacking one. His freekicks are also dangerous and have that sudden dip at the end which makes it special and hard to save and I think it is down to luck that he have not scored so far. Azpi, though I did not like his contribution last season, is actually fantastic at the right side of a back 3. He is very fast, for one, and closes down opponents quickly, and he makes little error. Cahill is the defender receiving much of the criticism of late but I think he is very able. He have some pace in him and his defending is quite good. I rate him highly last season despite a poor defensive record. However, it can be seen at the start of the season he was so lacking in confidence, his passing was bad and his teammates tend to not want to pass to him. But for whatever happened, he showed true character to stay strong and remain in the squad. As I reiterate, he is a good defender and a captain as of now with Terry on the bench. His confidence may be a key to a solid backline. For whatever criticism that puts him down, he is a fighter to come back and prove himself time and time again.

Wingbacks 2
All that remains is that tricky wingback positions held by Moses and Alonso. Moses was a revelation. He tracks back often and constantly keeps wide to receive a long ball and start an attack. He defends well, winning important balls in a back 5 when Chelsea is defending and is a good attacking outlet in a front 5 when Chelsea attack. His direct running sometimes allow him to cut in an score, as he did against Tottenham and Leicester City, and his pace allows him to defend against fast wingers or wingbacks. Honestly, I would not want to rate Alonso too high. In my opinion, he is an average player compared to the form of the other players in the squad. He is just slightly better at the wingback role where his industry is required. So little players can fit in there. Pedro wouldn't make it, Willian would be a waste at wingback. Alonso was even picked to be the weak spot in Chelsea's defence against Manchester City. He does not have the pace of Moses but his industry is at least commendable. He is there to receive, he is there to provide. His passing is quite good, almost akin to Fabregas in my opinion; his long balls often almost leading to gilt-edged chances but unlike Fabregas, these chances are relatively few.
Finally, Courtois have changed my mind about him this season. He is an excellent goalkeeper and is proving to be the talent he had been touted to be for years. Because of him making so many crucial saves, Chelsea are winning. Honestly, without him, Chelsea would not have won as many matches. The Manchester United game, Leicester City, Tottenham, Manchester City, West Brom, West Ham. He made saves which I doubt many goalkeepers could make and is the last piece of defence I would not want changed. Asmir Begovic does not even come close to the quality of Thibaut Courtois, though Begovic is good for a Premier League goalkeeper. Courtois is a great goalkeeper indeed.

3-4-3

Substitutes
Some players in the bench deserves mention and praise this season. For the team, they had to settle for the bench and yet still produce the goods when called upon in an instant. Much like Andre Shurrle, a wonderful player at Chelsea and an effective wonder sub towards the end of his Chelsea stay, these players are constantly waiting for the opportune moment to shine. And shine they did. Michy Batshuayi, given the form Costa is in couldn't even start one match but as a sub, he did score and assist and from his style of play, he looks to be a strong shooter too. He can succeed and his lovable and eccentric personality will endear him to the Chelsea fans. Keep positive, Michy! Then there is Fabregas, a world class talent in passing. For the team, he now plies his trade as an impact player in moments of uncertainty for Chelsea, a reliable player to sub in. Another reliable player to wrap up play is young Nathaniel Chalobah. The defensive midfielder is quite average in winning balls and defending but he have some skill in him. At best now, until he matures and become better, he is a safe defensive option when Chelsea is winning. Oscar is already a good option to bring on and I should expect him to be subbed in or replace an injured player. Willian/Pedro are both good players vying for one spot in the starting 11. I would not mind either to start or finish as they are both quality players, as this season have shown. Ola Aina have yet to impress since his good preseason but he is still young, and can improve. Ivanovic is another defensive option to play in a back 5 in the closing stages of a winning game, thus I have no criticism of him unless he starts. He is good at defending and I expect a tiring fast paced opposition would not be as energetic or fast towards the end of the game.

Team Spirit/ Team Cliques
Another key aspect of Conte's management, be it down to luck or chance, is probably the handling of players mentality and squad togetherness. As often mentioned by David Luiz in his interviews, he kept on emphasising the bond among the first team players. In actual fact, Batshuayi and David Luiz's arrival may have forged a strong team spirit in Chelsea. Like most top football teams, there is bound to have people of many different nationalities. The Chelsea squad now currently seem to have three or maybe more camps, the English speakers, the Spanish speakers and the young Academy players. David Luiz is an important cog in the dressing room as he could seamlessly integrate with the Spanish speaking players, especially the Brazilians Willian and Oscar, but his fluency in English and happy-go-lucky attitude makes him comfortable with the other players too. He might even be a great warrior friend to the charmingly brash Diego Costa. Furthermore, he was part of the old Chelsea squad thus he would know a lot of the management and teammates already. Imagine if an Italian speaking Bonucci came instead! Batshuayi is a happy personality to be with and he have his national Belgium teammate in Hazard and Courtois, thus he have a natural connection in the squad. He is trying his best to learn English and is great at bantering on social media. His eccentricities could also be a great talking point. The former Academy players are understandably close; Aina, Chalobah, Loftus-Cheek and Solanke. Of course, here John Terry can be a role model and guidance for them to make the step up to the main team's level. Chelsea have always had strong characters in their squad who could hold it on their own. To name a few is to simply pick the recent batch of Chelsea legends, a lot of whom were national captains for their respective countries themselves. Michael Ballack, the player that got me supporting Chelsea when I started watching soccer, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and a lot more. Currently now we have Hazard, Ivanovic, Obi Mikel, and Traore serving as captains for their respective countries. Ultimately, this team spirit might be due to Chelsea's streak, or it could be an improbable clash of compatible personalities and players. Whatever the case, the Chelsea squad is ticking on the field.

Thus, is Conte's quite brilliant tactic in utilising players to their strengths. There are many creaks in the system though and it is not perfect. After the 5-0 thrashing of Everton, the players did not pick up where they left off and may even show a slight dip in form. As a result, as of late, Chelsea have been grinding out results instead of utterly dominating them. Luck have been on their side to ensure a 9th consecutive win, but so have hard work. Conte's team is still a work in progress and with some additions to the squad this January hopefully, they should be able to create a powerful squad to challenge for the title and Europe next season. Chelsea will rebuild from the ashes.

Influence

I am what I experience.

The sociologist George Herbert Mead wrote about The Self and coined what he termed the "I" and the "Me". When I was first introduced to Mead in Sociology, I found this concept utterly fascinating. The Self is essentially a socially-constructed entity created from the values, norms and beliefs of society which manifest within ourselves via agents of socialization, people whom we come into contact with. What this means is that our Self, what defines who we are, is really the sum of all that there is in our culture, the part that was transmitted to us. We are simply a reflection of our society and not an inherent Self. Therefore, there is not really an "I" as much as a "We", for I am Society.

"I" and "Me" takes a little abstraction to understand. The Me is the body in which other people are able to see and respond to. The I is the reaction and thoughts to a social situation which surrounds the "Me". For example, when someone insults you ( the "Me"), "I" will feel offended and will want to retaliate. However, "I" will then think about how will "Me" be perceived by others. Will Me be perceived as rude? Will "Me" be portrayed as sensitive? What should "Me" do then? "I" then chooses what "Me" should do so that "Me" can be portrayed as the best of what "I" wants. The constant interaction between the I and Me creates the person's Self. However, because the eventual conception of the Me is the direct response to the perception of others, thus the Self is really a manifestation of our surrounding culture. (Charles Horton Cooley had another interesting theory called "The Looking Glass Theory". What I am, is what I think you think I am.")

Socialization
Influence is everywhere. As long as you are in contact with someone or something man-made, you are in a sphere of influence. Research have shown that people who spend more time watching television will perceive reality more akin to the television world. Similarly, having different types of friends results in a person adopting different attitudes and habits which in turn, shapes their own decisions. So, how much influence does the people we come into contact with influence us? Based on Mead, they influence us totally. But why are people so different then? One possibility is that each one of us experience different agents of socialization. As mentioned before, agents of socialization are any people whom we come into contact with. The most influential agents of socialization are what Sociologists term as our Primary Groups; our families, school, peer groups and workmates. Our families for example, are our first introduction to Society, our first agents of socialization. They inform us about how people behave in the society. In a way, they also transmit their own interpretation of society to their children which are different than other families.

This have important consequences. In McIntyre's The Practical Skeptic, she mentioned that families also tend to pass down their idea of where they belong in the society as well. For example, researches have shown that parents of working class backgrounds prioritise "obedience" and "respect" in their children. This may be a reflection of their own personal experience of subjugation in order to be the best in their social class. On the other hand, parents of upper class backgrounds prioritise "intellectual curiosity" which may be important traits for management or positions of upper class in society. Thus, parents are teaching their children how to remain in their social classes irrespective if that was their intention or not! Our parents are huge influencers of our destiny.

The closer you are, the closer your Selfs will be
In schools and peer groups, the kid will also experience the Socialization process. For example, the School is where different pre-existing cultures first interact. A curious phenomenon social scientists tried to uncover is why do people gravitate towards people of roughly similar backgrounds. In the symbolic interactionist hypothesis (Mead and Cooley's hypothesis), people do so to prevent a personal culture shock and the shaking of one's existing Social beliefs. Sociologist Donna Eder even uncovered the interesting perpetuation of existing social classes in school. For example, "Rich kids are snobs while poor kids are dirty" are just some myths or prejudice which exists in the schools she studied which divides the school environment into different social classes. This phenomenon also affects the individual in choosing their social friends. For example, sometimes they mix with people who are "jocks", "slackers" or "nerds". In retrospect, the closer one gets with another person, the more closer one will see from the point of view of the other. "Rubbing off on one another" is an apt phrase to describe this Socialization process. Thus, whoever we meet and interact with and share our minds, perspectives or actions with, we internalise or recognise a little of what they bring and encode it into our Selfs.

A question can be posed then. Shouldn't siblings then have similar behaviors? It is true that some siblings do share similar idiosyncrasies found only in the family. However, firstly, the parent may not transmit the same culture, norms, beliefs and values to each children due to different amount of contact and the spontaneity of interactions and secondly, they will encounter other agents of socialization elsewhere. Thus, no two human is alike. The more time you spend with another person, in really understanding and interacting on a daily basis, the more you align your Social Self with the other person. Those who are closer or have similar social networks will tend to have closer norms, values and beliefs.

The further apart you are, the more different your Selfs will be
The opposite notion holds true when we compare between societies. The further away one is and have lesser contact with, the less the Society will resemble the other. Culture is after all, man-made. For example, a villager in a rural village in Vanuatu will have different norms, customs and beliefs than say a cosmopolitan in New York City. We even find a difference in culture between different ethnic groups and even between occupations. A drastic example would be a cannibalistic tribe, if there still is one, which most likely should have close to no contact with the outside world or they would have adopted the global norm/belief that cannibalism is taboo. However, when these cultures come into contact with other cultures, a process of cultural levelling occurs. We see adoption of other cultures into another culture. For example, we find Sushi Bars in New York. The more one culture have contact with another culture, the more their behavior, norms and values will converge. That is why we have almost universal values in which we have all agreed upon such as slavery or incest being not right.

Isolation
However, a more contentious argument may be found in Mead/ Cooley's idea. If the Self is an actualization of society, if a person does not interact with society, it means that the person does not have a Self. In other words, babies cannot be considered to be "human" or have "humanity" until they come into contact with people. Two examples can be brought up from this notion. The case of Isabelle and the case of Anna, both feral children. Both were brought up in isolation and hence, when suddenly reintegrated back into society, both displayed non-human characteristics and behavior. They behaved like "wild animals". Isabelle was able to reintegrate back into society after a couple of years but Anna didn't. One explanation provided was that Anna had less contact with human during her isolation years because Isabelle at least had her mother who nurtured her although minimally. Humans have a tendency to socialize and this tendency is innate. People go mad with lack of socialization and the renowned Sociologist Emile Durkheim wrote an entire thesis on the relation of Suicides with Egoism (A lack of social integration).

Deviance
Other interesting aspects about this theory is how people of differing cultures are able to interact with one another and what happens when your perspective is largely against your society's. In this hypothesis, people who have differing cultures from the main society will be ostracized or negatively sanctioned. E.g: Cannibal, criminal. The difference must be therefore little and able to be adopted or assimilated into general society. E.g: Religion abiding to state marriage regulations for marriage registration. However, as norms, beliefs and values are man-made and ever changing depending on the mindset and influence of every single individual in the community, a deviant can technically influence society to his or her way of thinking if he ir she can convince enough people. Durkheim even instigated this notion by adding that today's deviance may be tomorrow's hero. Honestly, most of Sociology lessons was like brain porn to me and I loved it because it helps me explain the many uncertainties surrounding myself. Or, like most science, at least gave me a reason as to why things are as they seem, eventhough it may not be true. See "Faith in Reason".

Individual Experience
On a personal scale, I am the embodiment of all the cultural attributes of my society. My viewpoints should reflect mainly my agents of socialization. However, due to the increasing availability of connections brought about by globalisation, I will be able to tap upon vast experiences of different cultures and agents of socialization. People say that travelling will widen one's view of the world. Cooley and Mead's Symbolic Interactionist Theory confirms this. The type of people I choose to be with will eventually shape and orient my own mindset.

I control my influences
Strangely, this also means that I am given the personal freedom to at least choose how and to whom I will be influenced by. Whether it is fate or predestination which led me to meet different people, or whether the world is an immensely complicated algorithm which made me meet someone because of what I already am, that can be a whole new topic on it's own. For now, in my obviously insanely limited sight, I am, in essence, who I choose to want to be.

Gardens at Night; an Observational Essay

The imperious gates to the Gardens are the transitory boundary to a completely contrasting realm. Once the bright metallic hue of the adjoining train station and the cacophony of voices of people mingling at the gates had died down deeper into the Gardens, the night takes over. Once again, the stillness is King. The vast lake, the hilly and winding paths and the swathes of grass all lie still in the shadows. Spots of dim light lighten up these silent fields of grey grass and pavement. Complete with the fragrant deceptive smell of flowers, one would be forgiven if they akin the Gardens to a dangerous magical Kingdom.

The Kingdom is not all bereft of life, however. It appears there is a celebration of sorts going on in one of the many isolated gazebos in the Gardens. You can hear the cheers and chatter of a group of Indian youngsters, their loud and distant voices spreading and echoing into the night until it dissipates. Their voices creates a cocoon of human emotions and sound; soothing in the otherwise cold and empty night. I have to emphasise at this point that it is not, however, the lack of human in the Gardens which caused the current negativity in my thoughts as encapsulated by my negative adjectives. For, in the dimly lit paths, the human scuttles; either alone, in couples, or in groups.

There is that Caucasian pair of mother and daughter with that humongous dog of theirs. (Or is it a wolf?)  The speedy joggers; in twos, in T-shirts, shorts and sweat. And sometime later a clique of young college students passes by, heading home from a day of studying with books in arms and haversack bags slung over shoulders. Further away, a group of South Asian nationals skipped along in their characteristic smart shirt, long pants and slippers; talking animatedly with their brothers or to their phones. Not least to mention the Pokemon GO players, oblivious to their surrounding (or the time) complete in slippers or shoes, berms, backpack and cap and finally, the most common of them all, the couples. No, it is the prior mood I was in itself which had compelled me to the Gardens in the first place.

The night provides calmness and space; a perfect atmosphere for lovers and friends to open up. The night also provides privacy and uncertainty; a perfect atmosphere for people to bond and connect. As such, the couples stay close and tight. In the often lonely roads in which they traverse, they silently whisper sweet nothings. The romantics lay mats on the swathes of shadowed ground, where they sit or lie gazing at the cloud-filled, moonlit sky spread out infinitely like an artist’s canvas. Others stay hidden in the tree-covered, dimly lit benches, away from the busier paths, where they could cuddle, hug and kiss. There they remain in that way until a boy suddenly appeared, breaking all but one couple’s embrace. On his phone, a “Growlithe” appeared.

Breaking the Iron Cage

Institutions all around us are in place to provide for us. We depend on them for livelihood and they depend on us to function. We are really simply a cog in this huge machine that is an institution and only few of us are really free and in control of the machine we are in. A metaphorical way to explain a typical metropolis setting is to vision ourselves as climbing a ladder. The ultimate goal is to reach the top, but yet reaching the top have so many limits and so many requirements that it is impossible for us to reach it. This type of system is enregistered in our own language and used to describe a typical white collared worker as “Climbing the Corporate Ladder.”

Only the chosen and select few would eventually be able to reach the top. The notion is encapsulated in a book I particularly like, The Great Gatsby. Who are these people? They are either the people who had already been at the top due to their inherited social standing, and is kept there due to the measures and structures that was already in place to protect them from going down or being part of the system, and the exceptional few who have gumption, talent and courage to achieve what is impossible. The Jay Gatsby’s of the world. The point is, the only way one can be free of the institutionalized bureaucratic ladder is to challenge it. Men do not have so much as a sniff of time to be able to achieve that, and that, ultimately is the infuriating nature of the system. You cannot succeed, just accept it. The good point is, the system do reward and provide us for what we give to the system. In that sense, we can survive, albeit barely. However, the more we receive and get and the more freedom we “achieve” with being higher up the ladder, the more crippling barriers and cages we will face.

An easy example is consumption. When your “acquired” (rewarded is a much better term) wealth increases, consumption increases. Debt increases. Debt is the modern devil’s invention to make someone pay for an obligatory right. It is a currency all on its own. You institutionalise land, you give a value to it; people pay rent and buy land. You institutionalize food, people pay for the consumption of food. You institutionalize labour, you pay for the labour. There are forces who are claiming and dividing up obligatory rights for personal profits or gains. Creating debt in housing and food and giving them value to fight for. That is what debt does and it is how the modern institution is based on. Everyone is in debt the moment they live in the society and to survive or to have better “living”, you join the ranks of the bureaucratic system to clear your debt in society. Everyone is owing someone else the moment they are born!

But the postive aspect about the system is that it appears to be the only way we can survive. By providing an urgency to “earn” your right to survive, we force people to work, sometimes unwillingly and in jobs they do not want. Every work or job do require effort such as building houses and finding food. Human nature, if given a choice, would not want to do work. Wanting so much yet wishing to do little is a perfect reflection of the bureaucratic system we now live in. Jason Silva mentioned this in one of his videos. He mentioned that what is inside our head, we create and what we create, in turn, creates us. We are our own demons, our own ouroboros. The old saying "Reap what you sow" hits home with its message; perhaps making a mockery of our current modern situation. We created our own iron cage. Ironically in this system, those who deserves to be at the bottom really do deserve to be at the bottom because they fail to grasp the challenges and barriers set by the upper echelons to determine the survival of mankind. However, the system also do unjustly discriminate and tend to create unproductive barriers which limits human potential and that is where the system should be carefully assessed and be corrected in order to serve its once reasonable purpose.

At this point, I would like to consider another perspective. Why should the upper echelons even care to stratify society in such a way? What inherent power were they bestowed which entails  them to judge mankind as they seem fit? Why must there be control and what happens when they are not in control? What I am trying to propagate is that each and every person have this potential to do whatever they want and be whoever they want. We can adapt to any challenges and situations. If mankind were to be left on its own, we would eventually learn to be more dependent and productive each as an individual. Yes, there are slackers and freeloaders who do not deserve the equal treatment of a progressive and comfortable society. That is why I would propose a segregration of Society into smaller units in isolated contact where the natural challenges one face would instil a need to be more dependent and work for their own survival, not as a cog in a machine but for everything else which makes the person a "human".

 Those in the lower rungs of the current society would first feel the difficulty in this kinds of society as they have been a specialised unit of production most of their life. Eventually, I assume, there is only two ways in which they would end up. One, annihilation of the population due to their own hands and two, the sudden urgency to change things for the better. The second is the ultimate goal. Once this awakening of urgency to work for yourself emerge, then it is time for innovation and welfare building. A prehistoric community can emerge out of just this will to survive and as people find different ways to adapt to their unique situations, a community culture will develop. Outside help will then be able to intervene and assist them to bring the emerging society to a higher standard of living with the implementation of new technologies. To create an egalitarian society, everyone must be on an equal footing and desire at the start thus people have to be left to their own communities. They have to build their own communities and have a sense of ownership of their own commmunity and this would prevent meaningless "identity" and "superiority" disputes. We should not compare and control more than what we “care” for. In this way, I believe people should exist in a Socialistic small-sized Communities.

This new system would rely solely on altruism, what Adam Smith, the economist of Invisible Hand fame, had always envisioned. The only way men can live is really to work for and with his own people. Bureaucracy may provide structure, but so does dependence on a "community". The current bureacratic system have a heavy reliance on power and competition. This sometimes turn people against the other which accounts for many unproductive disputes. We can turn that drive instead for the progress of the community as a whole. For example, there is the ongoing arms race with every countries having a need for a military "just in case" of a potential outbreak of war. This waste of technological advances can be put instead into furthering the quality of living of mankind. For us to do that, we must be able to rely and trust ourselves. Another reason why a community way of living is better than the bureacratic system is that there would be a lot lesser disputes. People who have the same history and face the same type of problems on a daily basis are in a better position to decide for themselves how things should be managed in their own community thus there would be less diverse ideologies and unapplicable and unorganic methods to impose onto the community. Lesser differences among people would result in lesser disputes. Lastly, on the individual scale, each individual would have an unrestricted role as to how they can contribute to society and live their own lives without the pressure of debts or influence.

How could a Community based Society exist in the world? Firstly, we have to dismantle the bureacratic systems in society. That also means we have to forgo the structure of countries, nations and governance and even cities. People will then be allocated into isolated communities all around the world and made available to them resources and expertise for self-sustainability. I read an interesting viewpoint from a book "What is your dangerous Idea?"  which is a compilation of interesting ideas from various experts, that Earth is really big and comfortable enough for everyone. While global warming might change landscapes to be inhabitable, it is a human obligatory right to move away from these inhabitable sites and settle on greener pastures. The Earth is big enough for us to share. Thus, we can allocate people into habitable Communities.

Secondly, an organisation must be available to keep these communities in check (to ensure compliance to the spirit of the Community and no revival of forms of Subjugation or "superiority") and to ensure the communities be able to function as a whole on its own (sustainable). The communities would first remain isolated until an organic independent structure is established. Once the community is established with their own culture and way of life, outside advocacy will come in to equip these communities with the technologies and upgrades we already find in the comfort of our metropolitan states. They can then become integrated as dependent societies not bound to a global system, a type of nationhood identity but without the need for diplomacy. All the rapid expansion of the Industrial and Technological era is not for waste for they are used to serve a better system in the future. We now have organic sustainable societies which are technologically advanced! As a Community, though there must be restriction to migration and limits to travelling (to prevent such ill traits of the current bureaucratic system), there must still be allocated time to travel to other communities. This would benefit the communities and individuals as it soughts to widen each individuals horizons and in turn, they might appreciate and  be respectful of the different communities abroad. They may even want to introduce practices innovated by some other communities (on their own initiative, not by force) into their own communities.

All this would be impossible to take place in an instance. The huge buildings in cities would be rendered obsolete and so will the huge factories. It would take time to disperse people. There might also be the case of time-consuming debates about forgoing globalisation or the morality of isolating cultures. There are endless ways of how things can grow awry. One way to implement this system is to perhaps first allocate people into trial Communities and then see the success of these communities. The systematic cleansing of cities and urban slums would be the next step of the process. With this, the essence of bureacracy would be demolished.

People will live to their potential, not as cogs and specialised robots, but as humans. That is the new reality of change towards an altruistic system.

Diary Entry - Post NS and Entering University

So, a very quick update just for personal purposes. I think diaries carry interesting aspects of our past ideologies and perspectives and reading past entries have the interesting possible effect of me slapping my forehead or it would utterly impress me. Hopefully, this entry would allow me to do the latter in the future.

So, a quick recall. I ORD-ed in March! After close to 2 years of interesting work as an emergency ambulance medic, I can officially sever (temporarily) the mandatory bond required for all Male Citizens in Singapore. It took me 2 weeks of job hunting afterwards, although I did job hunt a week before ORD-ing before being offered a job back at Inland Revenue. Prior to ns, I worked at the Income Tax department and now, I was offered to work at the Stamp Duty department. Income Tax goes without saying, it involves every single person who have to file for tax if they earn a salary, unless your employer does it for you. Stamp Duty is a tax on document. Every document created, if it carries a value, might be liable for "stamping" or it would not carry any legal value. That means, you cannot use it as evidence, for example, if you bring it up to court if there is an issue. Plus, it would be against the law, so you will get into trouble if you do not "stamp" your documents. The documents range from Share Transfer forms to documents related to Acquiring Properties to Lease Agreeements. Thus, the majority of callers who call our department were lawyers, property agents, landlords and property hunters. A totally different aspect of Tax. I had friendly and helpful supervisors and manager. And a real dick who is a great friend and co-worker Lesley. God knows what the world would become if not for him. I can never ask for a better work colleague. :)

During IRAS, I also did learn to play the drums, which I thought would add flavour to my routined day. And I had an enjoyable time with Master Shawn. Great teacher and drummer. After IRAS, I was instantly enrolled into Uni. I took a course BU8301, Fundamentals of Business Law, and I did not regret a single bit in taking the Special Term course. It was an eye opener and the course lecturer was amazing. The course serve to look into aspects of Contracts and Business Organizations and it proved to be really useful. I could apply the concept almost every day and into real life situations.. It was a great decision. The only downside was the fact I had to miss Hall Camp due to the exams being during Hall Camp period.

Afterwards, it was straight to going to Linguistics Camp. For those who didn't know, I took up  Linguistics nd Multilingual Studies for my degree programme. The camp was engaging and fun and I got to know my OG mates. Thank goodness I attended the camp, for when school started, my OG mates turned out to be my closest University friends. (Damn, I should not have missed Hall Camp). The lecturers seem overtly friendly, which is a good thing because it does not create tension and pressure? The seniors are also hella crazy and friendly, thus, it made for an easy transition from a totally different environment to university culture.

Recently, I signed up for a couple of CCAs, pending tryouts and acceptance. I planned to take up sports and at least one volunteer work. I am living in hall now during the weekdays and only going back home during the weekends. I used to live on my own back at Hall 1 during pre-uni course for about a month but I moved to Crescent Hall at the start of Uni. Hall 1: I had a great neighbour. Every evening, after my evening runs, he would pop by for a chat. A high achiever, often coming back hall late due to his internship, he allowed me to borrow his notes and textbook for BU8301 which was essentially a cheat code to aceing the course. I am extremely grateful for him. He would also enthusiastically talk about his course and the professor. Great guy, I wish him all the best. Then, I moved to the "Scholar's Hall" with my brother where we share a room the size of a single room at Hall 1. Less space, but the facilities are new. And everyone else are in Medicine courses and the like, so.... Hahaha.

I guess that is it, for now. I will look back to this post say post graduate and remember all the raw feelings and emotions as I embark to university life. Now, it's a fresh new page ready to be written.

Wanderers

We are all wanderers. We wander in this vast ocean of baselessness. What I mean is, we live in a mindboggling reality, a bit of a euphemism for me to call it that, where there is no proof of anything which can be considered real. There is no proof because proving means that there is something  tangible in the first place to prove it against. For example, a Fiji apple is an apple because there are other apples to identify itself from be it its taste, texture or shape. But if we were to discuss the idea of the apple being real, we cannot prove that because we do not know what real really means.  We can make assumptions or conditions or requisites for it to be real, but we can never prove that it is real. Same goes for everthing else in this world, which makes the world so baseless and uncertain. Is there religion? Is there Truth? Is there even meaning to life?

Of course, it would be blasphemous of me to say this. Religions dictate that the proof is in everything. The Sun, the systems, the sea, the world. But what is everything if everything may not be real? (Something which cannot be proven to be real does not mean that it is not real.) Strip yourself from purposes, intentions or obligations. What is left of you? If we accept this possibility of life without purpose, intentions obligations, we essentially believe ourselves to be wanderers who are wandering in this empty chasm of possibilities with a consciousness to grasp onto something, anything, which might make our lives sensible. We are wanderingly lost.

Nihilism

Seekers
Most of us are Seekers. Driven by an intent to find for something great, something meaningfully tangible, something which apparently lies in the future. But as relieving as it feels to travel and seek for that elusive point at the end, almost everyone will not be able to find that thing. That something might not even exist. And those who feel or notice things in that way might feel unsettled or vulnerable. But our efforts to seek are not to waste; we gain something in the end. The seekers, at least temporarily, feels content. This period of contentment depends from individuals to individuals. Some may last years. Others a lifetime. That meaningful contentment is really the act of Seeking itself. The journey, which is to seek, is the necessary distraction we require to soothe us in our existentialism conundrum. The search keeps us, at least, temporarily distracted and temporarily okay with our baseless existence.

It is a relieving feeling is it not, to be doing something? Running, talking, ploughing through social media, gaming or planning a wedding or party. And isn’t it a dreadful feeling to not be able to do anything? Just think about your place in this world when you free yourself from the so-called many distractions and just sit there in the stillness of the night. Without distractions like things to do or having purposes, what are you? You can have this mental image of yourself as a thinking entity with no purpose, just nothingness. It puts you in a precarious position. It makes you feel vulnerable. So you do things. The day is full of temporary distractions. Some make goals and life goals and work towards it. A very useful distraction, and a rewarding one at that. Some delves into religion, trying to find meaning and the truth. The source. The answer. Both types of people are Seekers. Their journey is their contentment.

Acknowledgement

Acknowledgement

But there is a second possibility. Acknowledgement. Finding a meaning in someone else. Finding proof in someone else. Finding meaning, finding love. I think love is one of the greatest distraction of all. That pure feeling of contentment which effectively could stop a person from seeking because there is little motivation to continue seeking in the world. Seekers get tired. Seekers get weary. And here, we have a wonderful solution. A person. Here is this similarly lost wandering soul who, of course is as clueless as you are, but the difference is they are the same as you (I hope). They are human, with thoughts, feelings and vulnerability. They are essentially something concrete. If we believe that we exist and that everyone else is created with the same perpetual existence as you are, then they must be the same as you. They must exist. You have to trust  in the idea of him or her being real. Or you can never trust anything else. Being alone in that sense is a scary feeling, because it would mean we are so baseless.

We acknowledge people almost every single day of our lives. Our family, parents, friends and society. The people we interact with on a daily basis. It feels satisfying to be able to interact and get some form of recognition from time to time. We get this feeling that we exist and it gives us a sense of purpose. They are distractions which ease us into a feeling of comfort. When people say it is a dark, dark world outside, I have a feeling they really meant how uncertain the world really is. Not the people, but reality. That is why people form groups. That is why people form families. Comfort in the acknowledgement. Acknowledgment, in the face of uncertainty.

Distractions

Our spouses will be the one risk you take when you step into the uncertainty. In the usual course of things in the modern globalised world system, most of us would be forced into the unknown and into a temporary system created by others to facilitate some form of massive distraction for the entire population. We enter into a production line in a unified human-made world system with the reward being a cure to ease our existentialism problems. They give us distractions. But this system place so much emphasis on Seeking. In fact, the system’s purpose seems to be centred on seeking as the pill and answer to our myriad of problems. So, we continue creating and inventing and “progressing”. Almost no emphasis, as equal in strength as the emphasis to seek, is placed in the power of acknowledgement. I blame global society’s structure on the rise of broken families, marriages and connection. Some factions create a front to encapsulate the lack of acknowledgement as an answer. They strive for “Work life balance”. Some reminisce the past where we go out to play with friends, where the activity itself is a distraction, but at the end of the day, the bonds they form is really acknowledging their other counterparts. 
With so much emphasis in seeking now, it would be an utmost relief, I believe, for many if they could find that soulmate who could create this temporal shell of an escape. The distance society have driven families apart, for the families engrossed in the world’s idea of a system, can now be replaced with the companionship of the other. And that might explain the recent trends of leaving our homes earlier in life and settling down in a relationship later rather than sooner. But of course, the right thing to do is to never let go of your family in the first place. They are the people we fall back on when we are lost in the nothingness. They exist for all we remember.

There might be a case where two persons may not acknowledge the other even after they have professed their acknowledgement for the other. After marriage. That might cause a conflict if one party still wishes to Seek in the unknown while the other seeks to acknowledge and be acknowledged in the other’s presence. The acknowledger would feel lost and distant and that is a cruel thing to happen. The seeker will be fine. He or she will still find solace in their search. The best solution is to of course, compromise. Both parties must set aside a way to seek solace in the other but at the same time, not put too much emphasis on the other to reciprocate as the risk of exposure is too great. The risk I am referring to is, of course, the “temporary distraction” which is the acknowledgment of the other. If one party caves out of this “lie”, there is nothing but baselessness and feelings of loss. The fast remedies would be other forms of temporary distractions.

 So, it does not matter if you subscribe to want to be a seeker or to fall back and find comfort in another. Like I said at the start, we live in a baseless world so as far as rational thought can go there really is no actual right or wrong. The important thing is to find meaning, and keep ourselves sane. Or, have faith, believe in God. I will end off with a quote by Albert Calmus, “Men must live and create. Live till the point of tears.” Or, love till the point of tears.

Batam island, Indonesia

Batam - picture rainforest, beaches and shop houses interspersed with malls and massage parlours. Batam is an island located in the Riau island province very close to Singapore. While Batam does not have the infrastructure nor many places of interest to be considered an island paradise reminiscent to Krabi, Langkawi or even Singapore, what it can compete with is its attractive prices and extremely laid back nature. It's main attractions are few, able to be seen in a days visit, but it's relative proximity from one point to the other stretched the days visit to its limit. The best attractions though, would be found in the various shopping malls and the fact that Batam is easily assessable and is a quick getaway from the hustle and bustle of Singapore. It's relative tranquility might even fare better than rapidly modernising Johor Bahru just North of Singapore.

Getting There

SINDO ferry @ Harbourfront Terminal

Getting there, one can book a ferry from Singapore for a lowly cost of S$30-45 (inclusive of gst) for a return ferry trip (two way trip). It is better if one plan their trip in advance and make a booking beforehand as during long weekends such as today (30th April) where Singaporeans have a public holiday to add to their weekend break, hotels would be fully booked one week in advance. That was the case for my family and we had to settle with a budget hotel for this trip. The ferry terminal is at Harbourfront in Singapore, next to Vivocity shopping centre just opposite Sentosa island. The ferry terminal is a bustling and chaotic place with kids wailing and so many people talking. Although it seems like utter chaos, it's immigration procedure is simple enough. Check in your baggage if you have one, and proceed to the departure gate when your gate have opened for boarding. Then pass the various checkpoints to check your passport and finally join a queue to enter one of the ferries.  The ferry I took was SINDO and it have a relatively huge air-conditioned interior. The seats are comfortable, light and soft, and the floor carpeted. There was two huge television screens up front screening Just for Laughs clips. I spent my time lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of the ferry as the ferry raced towards Batam.






Arrival

A&W restaurant

The journey took 45 minutes. We arrived at Terminal Ferry Internasional Batam Centre, one of many ferry terminals at Batam, and from there we headed out to find for food in the adjoining shopping mall. We had lunch in one of the restaurants there, noting that the price is similar to that in Singapore. However, when we crossed an overhead bridge and to another shopping centre, Mega Mall, we realise that the prices are half of that in the shopping centre at the ferry terminal! As the day ends about an hour quicker in Batam than in Singapore, we ordered A&W meals, a much missed fast food restaurant in Singapore, to takeàway and eat in our hotel. We took a cab to our hotel, Greenland Hotel, just 5 minutes away from Batam Centre. Greenland Hotel is a fairly new hotel and provides just the basic amenities such as bed, air-conditioning and shower. Fortunately, it was comfortable enough and after watching a not-so scary Korean horror film, Yoga Hakyon, while feasting on a A&W rice meal (which serves plain rice by the way), from one of the over 50 plus channels, I fell asleep.

Nongsa Market

Dried seafood at a Nongsa market

The next day, it was time to explore Batam island. My parents had hired a personal driver to take us around Batam. He charges Rp700,000 for a day (Rp9000=S$1). After a simple breakfast of plain rice with crackers served with a dollop of sambal(chilli and a mix of vegetable) sauce and bread and jam, we took our hired ride to our first destination, one of the many Nongsa markets. Here, they sell dried squids, fishes and prawns among other things. They also sell all kinds of traditional crackers, factory manufactured or traditionally made, and an assortment of dried fruits in large glass containers.






Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall

Our next destination is Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall. This is one of the largest malls in Batam selling all kinds of goods. The best, in my opinion, is the offers they have in Matahari Department Store. The department store, famous throughout Indonesia, have a wide selection of goods from shoes to pants to shirts from acclaimed international and local brands. I once bought a black and yellow collared shirt at one of their outlets in Jakarta seven years ago and it remains one of my often used shirt. It's high quality and comfortable material enable it to last this long. Well, I managed to buy two pairs of sneakers/dress shoes for Rp 250000 which translates to about S$20 or $10 for a pair and a pair of office pants for Rp126000. I can imagine them to cost hundreds of dollars in Singapore!






Masjid Jabal Arafah

A sign outside the new mosque!

Afterwards, we took a short break and prayed at a nearby newly opened Mosque, Masjid Jabal Arafah. The swanky clean Mosque have tens of volunteers taking care of the Mosque. Pak Eddy, our driver explained that in truth, there are many rich folks in Batam and thus, they spent their time instead towards maintaining the Mosque or doing other forms of charity. What nice folks! Thus is the laid back nature of these people, not wanting excessiveness but just comfortable enough for themselves.






Barelang Bridge

Barelang Bridge

Our next destination is the main touristy destination, Barelang Bridge, quite a distance from Nagoya.  If you were to observe the landscape, the sight of missing cranes and other construction vehicles normally found in construction sites might have resulted in the lack of high rise buildings in Batam. The bridge looks similar to the Golden Gate Bridge but with only two tall arches lined with ropes which kept the bridge up. It is a majestic sight, a construction miracle in a place where rarely can you find a building as tall or majestic as this bridge's likeness anywhere in Batam. I should think this bridge represents the hope and ideals of the people of Batam in being a great state. Around Batam, one can find many places with names similar to that found in Singapore. Orchard Park, Kopitiam, Marina, Sentosa are among other names found around Batam. After taking several pictures on this bridge, our driver drove us across this bridge. He then asked if we wish to drive on as ahead, there are several more bridges linking us to several different islands and finally ending in a dead end. He also warned that the further we go, the less attractive the bridges are and the more desolated the road would become. And it's true! After several kilometres, the road narrows and the distance between the houses we pass increases. After passing our third bridge, Pak Eddy did a U-turn. Our next destination would be Khazanah Plaza.






Khazanah Plaza

Khazanah Plaza is located pretty far from most conventional places of interest. It's exact location is somewhere in between Barelong Bridge and Nagoya. Pak Eddy also did not recommend this place. The shopping mall is small, consisting of only about 20 separate stalls, a supermarket and an eatery. The reason this place is on the itinerary of most Islamic tour groups in Singapore is that the stalls sells the latest trends for hijabsters, fashionable female Muslims. If one wishes to purchase the hijabs famous hijab Instagrammers wore, this is the place to head to.






Rumah Makan Arai Pinang (Lunch)

We lunched at a restaurant recommended by Pak Eddy called Arai Pinang. This restaurant serves a variety of dishes in plates ranging from fishes, meat and chicken in various sauces to vegetables of all sorts. (Do try their thinly sliced black pepper beef!) Depending on the plates we consumed, we pay accordingly. Our meal for seven only came to about S$30 in total.

Pak Eddy

Pak Eddy is a veteran driver, having worked for 12 years. He recommended many places for us and checked up on our next destination before we head there. His take and history on Batam culture and future is an insightful one. Here are some of his opinion on Batam island from a local's perspective. Progress, if any, is painfully slow such that not much have changed in 10 years. The economy is controlled by the Chinese, with the majority of them owning the businesses and hotels around Batam. There is a cultural barrier between the different races but no obvious enmity so far. The majority of the Indonesian work menial jobs or else study until university and then proceed to work in the capital. The variety of food is limited as compared to Singapore, but they are still sumptuous enough.






Alya Confectionary (Kueh lapis factory)

After a hearty meal, we went to visit a kueh lapis factory called Alya Confectionary. Kueh lapis is a delicious traditional local cake. Kueh lapis, or Layer Cake, like it's name, is made from several layers of the same ingredient, thus creating a special texture and flavour. The factory we went to innovated it's ingredients to include more modern tastes such as cheese, strawberry, nutella and durian to cater to the younger generation and foreigners. The factory is located in a place called Eden Park. My initial skepticism of it was proven true when Pak Eddy drove us into a cluster of residential houses to get to the factory. The factory, it transpired, is run by a family and is actually housed in a terrace house which had been converted into a factory. A couple of ovens and mixers stood in what would have been the kitchen and living room. That day, however, the workers was having trouble in keeping up with the recent influx of orders from visiting Singaporeans to Batam. My parents ordered several kueh lapis but even by the next day, they could not complete baking our orders.








Our initial plan was to spend the remainder of our day at a Go-kart course in the city. However, a quick call by Pak Eddy to the management of the Go-kart confirmed that they had closed for the day at 5pm, thus we were too late (It was 5.30pm then). Thus, we decided to revisit the market we visited earlier in Nongsa. We came back here in search for certain aromatherapy medication which my mother was hoping to find. We did not find them, but we did buy a variety of dried goodies to take back home.


Dinner and Sleep

We had a light dinner at this special eatery recommended by Pak Eddy. I am still not certain what is the restaurant's name. Apparently it is a famous restaurant where huge consideration was paid to beautify the place. There were statues and a waterfall and bridges; the place was picturesque. We had a choice of eating on chairs or cross-legged in "pondoks", little traditional atap huts. The food too is cheap. After a sumptious meal of black pepper hotplate beef, butter chicken and egg, we headed off to a McDonald to takeaway to our hotel room. That night, me and my brother whom I shared a room with watched the Leicester City game against Manchester United in our hotel room while munching on Double Cheeseburgers. After an exhausting day, we slept early and soundly.

Morning Bakery

A wide selection of treats

The next morning, it was time to head back home. We ate breakfast at the hotel and lunch at this awesome food establishment near our hotel which serves all kinds of food. The food establishment is named Morning Bakery and is said to be owned by a Westerner. In its menu, they serve Chicken Chop, pasta, Nasi Ayam Penyet and many more. I had a Garlic chicken pasta in olive oil (about S$5) and it was really delicious. The bakery next to it also bakes a wide variety of confectionary. There was a wide variety of freshly baked delights such as doughnuts and cakes all of which are sold around a dollar or less.

Garlic Chicken Pasta in Olive Oil

Back home

We checked out and left for Terminal Ferry Internasional Batam Centre at around 4pm. Our ferry back home is at 8.40pm, thus, we spent a large amount of our time lugging our luggage around the adjacent shopping centre, Mega Mall, which also houses a Matahari Department Store. The ferry back is another chaotic affair. Thousands of people were taking the ferries back home in batches of 200 plus every 20 minutes. There was a delay in us taking our ferry back, thus our ferry only departed at 9.20pm which is around 10.20pm Singapore time. I would recommend people to take an earlier ferry back home. We only docked at Harbourfront around 11.45pm and had to cab home as we missed the last train back home. Thus ends a very short getaway, with me content with a new pair of shoes for school/work and precious rare time spent with the family.

Saudi Arabia / Makkah - Pilgrimage

From Madinah al-Munawarrah

The itinerary of the day of departure from Madinah was to perform umrah,  otherwise known as mini pilgrimage or mini Hajj. The  steps of umrah consists of intention,  ihram,  Tawaf,  sai and end. Unlike Hajj,  umrah does not include some additional steps of Hajj such as staying a night in the valley of Mina, spending a night uttering supplications and repenting in the plains of Arafat, throwing pebbles at pillars at Jamratul Aqaba and sacrificing an animal,  all to be done during certain dates during the Islamic month of Zulhijjah. Before embarking from the hotel, I put on my ihram, essentially two long white pieces of cloth with one wrapped around my waist and the other slung around my neck,  both of which was kept in place by a non-stitched belt. A slipper revealing my toes completes the outfit. The outfit is reminiscent of what one might compare to as the Greek toga. Before wearing the ihram, I bathed with the intention of wearing my ihram and prayed a recommended prayer of ihram. (Solat Sunnat Ihram).

Outside Bir Ali (With ihram-clothed men)

Bir Ali, the start of pilgrimage

We took a bus to Bir Ali which was situated on the outskirts of Madinah and it took us less than an hour to arrive. Bir Ali is a mosque situated outside of Haram (Forbidden) land. Haram land is a large area in Saudi Arabia which encompass Makkah, Madinah and an area called Thaif. When a person in ihram starts their pilgrimage,  they start from outside the Haram land,  the Halal (permissible) land. From there,  they make their way to specific "gates" specified by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon him) which leads into Haram land. At these gates,  pilgrims are supposed to start their first step of their pilgrimage whereby failure to do so would render the pilgrimage unaccountable. Bir Ali is one such place specifically for people heading to Makkah in the direction of Madinah. The other places includes Juhfah, Wadi Aqeeq, Qarn al-Manazil,  Ji'rannah and Yalamlam among other places. Bir Ali is a large white pristine building with a beautiful open courtyard in the middle. Shops and walkways around the mosque sold merchandise for pilgrimage such as the ihram cloths, belts,  scissors and of course,  snacks for the long journey ahead. There,  we say our intention. "O Allah, I am making intention for umrah,  make it easy upon me and accept it from me." We then proceeded to say a clause, "And if my umrah was prevented from completion due to (menstruation, illness or weakness), I end my umrah without incurring dam." Dam means payments which have to be done if we do certain forbidden acts during our pilgrimage. The payment is sacrificing an animal, a sheep being the most common choice. There is a list of forbidden things a person cannot do once they have uttered their pilgrimage intentions and entered Haram land. We call it being in a state of ihram. In a state of ihram, a man cannot cover his head, wear anything but two white cloths, wear covered footwear which hides their toes, wear perfume, lose more than three pieces of hair, have sexual intercourse or marry. A woman must cover herself such that only her face and two hands are exposed,  must not wear perfume, lose more than 3 pieces of hair, have sexual intercourse or marry. Doing any of this would incur a Dam whereby failure to pay the Dam would make your pilgrimage unaccountable.

After our intention, we took a seven hour bus ride South to Makkah about 450 kilometers away from Madinah. As the bus roared through the desert highway, I was enraptured by the Arabian landscape. There are mountains made of rocks the size of boulders littering the landscape which turned a brilliant reddish purple amid the setting sun. Contrary to popular beliefs, the desert of Saudi Arabia are not made of mostly sand,  but rather of rocks. And as I was enraptured by the rocky desert,  I could only imagine our dear Prophet as he made his way on camelback from Makkah to Madinah during the Hijrah,  a historic moment which eventually marked the start of the Islamic calendar year. Amid the roar of the engine, our tour group chanted the Talbiyyah. The Talbiyyah; whose meaning touches the heart and causes a pilgrim to be washed in a wave of emotions. Just imagine. This is the English translation of the Talbiyyah: "Here I am,  God! Here I am! You have no partners,  here I am! Verily all praise and blessings are yours,  and all sovereignty. You have no partners!." The journey towards Makkah can be pictorially imagined as us moving towards God's embrace, sacrificing all that we have left behind to undertake that journey. All in the name for God. Thus I called out to God,  with silent tears streaming down my face in the darkness of the bus, "Here I am,  O God! (Embrace me, O God!) Here I am!" Labbaikallah Hummalabaik! It was a truly beautiful moment.

The Clock Tower in Mecca as seen from Masjidil Haram

Makkah

At around 11pm, Saudi Arabia time, we arrived in Makkah. Our hotel, Swissotel, is located in the premise of the enormous iconic clock tower next to Masjidil Haram. It would only take five minutes for me to get from the hotel to inside the Masjidil Haram. Inside the Masjidil Haram is the Kaabah. The Kaabah is the epicentre of the Muslim World. Everyday when we pray, we face this black cube; a structure said to be first built by the first human, Adam, and subsequently after the apocalyptic floods during Noah's time when the Kaabah fell in ruin, was rebuilt by Abraham. Around this Kaabah now, Muslims make their tawaf. It is said that Makkah never sleeps. Hundreds of Muslims would circle around this black cube every single moment and that was the situation we encountered when we wanted to make tawaf at 12am that day.


Kaabah,from a distance

Masjidil Haram is a constantly changing landscape. It is a mosque, and a direct translation of Masjidil Haram means Forbidden Mosque or Mosque in the Forbidden Land. The centre of the Mosque is the Kaabah, a massive cube structure made from rocks and covered in a black cloth with some gold linings on it. The floor is made entirely of marble, again a great material for the hot scorching sun of summer.  There are currently three levels at which a person can circle around the Kaabah. The first is the main ground level meant for ordinary healthy Muslims to circle the Kaabah, and the other two at level 2 and 3 are meant for those in wheelchairs as they would obstruct the flow of movement if they were to do tawaf together with the other Muslims. Around the Kaabah, away from the circling mass of Muslims are places to pray. Carpets similar to those in The Prophet's Mosque are placed for the ease of visitors to pray or to do dhikr. (Acts which instils a constant remembrance for God and his blessings) Volumes of the Quran are placed near every praying spots so that one can easily retrieve a Qur'an to read. There is a place in Masjidil Haram meant for Sai, an obligatory step of pilgrimage. In this place, there are two small hills, Safa and Marwah. The slopes from Safa to Marwah have all been laid in marble too. One can do sai on three different levels. More about the place would be explained later on. In the Mosque, there is also a Library. I never got round to visiting the library but the one time I walked past the library in the morning after Fajr (dawn) prayers, there were a few people waiting outside with printed papers all in Arabic in their hands. The Masjidil Haram is said to be constantly being renovated. The three levels for tawaf was a recent construction. Even now, as I entered the Mosque, construction workers were busy working on the Mosque. They were hammering, drilling and cementing all over the Mosque in large construction sites. As a result, navigating through the Mosque was difficult. I got lost twice during my stay there and required more than an hour to find my way back to the hotel. There was only one exit gate to leave and reach our hotel, King Fahd's Gate, and construction sites block certain paths such that you have to circle around the Kaabah in order to find your way to the Gate from one point. The crane incident which killed 109 Muslims a while back was also part of the construction efforts to upgrade the Mosque while accommodating the daily high volume of traffic through the Mosque. Around the Masjidil Haram, there are massive hotels of world renowned brands such as Movenpick and Swissotel and finding food is never a problem. KFC and Burger King are among the famous fast food chains available there. There are restaurants and cafes even though most hotels would have served food for breakfast, lunch and dinner already. An interesting thing to notice is the segregation between men and women to buy food. There are separate lines to order your food manned by men and women to cater to the different genders. Even while praying in the Mosque, men and women are always kept apart and the security personnel would usher men to male praying spots and likewise for the females. Some families who wanted to pray together as a family were separated as a result. Thus, that was how the order was kept in Saudi Arabia.

Tawaf

Umrah/ Mini-pilgrimage

Our next step of umrah is tawaf which consists of the intention to tawaf and the action of circling the black cube seven times during which a person can make supplications (doa), and mutter certain recommended prayers which the Prophet had done hundreds of years ago. We started from the Hajar Aswad, a black stone said in Islam to be a stone sent from Heaven to Adam and Eve to the spot of the Kaabah so that they knew where to build an altar to pray to God. The stone was said to originally be pure dazzling white but it became black after absorbing the sins of mankind who had touched it. Five years before Prophet Muhammad's ascension to Prophethood, he gave the solution of who would place the stone at its place after the representatives present argued about who would get the honour of placing the rock at its place. The Prophet then suggested placing the rock on a piece of cloth to be held by all the representatives and carried to its place on the Kaabah. And after that, Prophet Muhammad was given the honour of placing it on its permanent spot.

After circling the Kaabah seven times, we made our way to a praying spot away from the circling mass, to a place as close as possible to the Maqam Ibrahim. Maqam Ibrahim is a spot said to be where Abraham had stood when he was building the Kaabah. Although there are obviously many spots where Abraham would have stood at when building the Kaabah, the Maqam Ibrahim is used now as a guiding spot to make recommended prayers after our tawaf. Maqam Ibrahim is a golden enclosure where a stone plaque with a pair of footprint engraved on it lies inside. It is not certain if the footprint belonged to Abraham himself. At our spot, we made supplications while facing the Kaabah before performing a recommended (Sunnat) prayer. After praying, we drank Zamzam water easily found near the entrance to Safa Hill near the Maqam Ibrahim. Zamzam water are found in orange plastic tanks which are topped up regularly by workers in the Masjidil Haram. The water itself originates from an enormous water source below Makkah which had provided water for Makkans and Muslims who visited Makkah, for centuries. The story of how the water was founded is linked to our next step of umrah. Abraham had one day left his second wife, Hajar, and his son, Ishmael, in the desert while acting on God's instruction. When the pair ran out of water, Hajar ran seven times from the Safa Hill to Marwah Hill in search for water. At the end of her run, the crying baby, Ishmael, stamped his foot onto the ground, causing it to dent. Water started to gush out of the ground where his foot had landed and the water is Zamzam. The amount of water that gushed out was so much that that pretty soon, Arab travellers found Hajar and her son with the new large water source and some eventually settled in the area. Years later, the early Makkan community is formed. Unlike ordinary water where a Muslim is encouraged to sit and drink, Zamzam is best consumed while standing and facing the Kaabah. The constituents of Zamzam is essentially plain water but there are many proven nutritional values to it as compared to simple plain water.

Sa'i (Pronounced Sa Ngee)

After quenching our thirst, we made a short trip to Safa to start our Sai. Sai is the fourth step of Umrah. Muslims would walk from Safa to Marwah and back again seven times just as how Hajar had done thousands of years ago. Along the way, a person could recite prayers or follow what the Prophet had said during the time when he had done Sai. The trek from Safa to Marwah are now furnished with marble flooring and in some places even have air conditioning. Even the rocks on Marwah had been polished and glued over, possibly to prevent pilgrims from cutting themselves on the jagged rocks. Along both routes there is a zone lighted by green lights. When walking in either direction, men are encouraged to lightly jog once they reach the green lighted zones while chanting a specific supplication. The distance from one hill to the other is about 450 metres. There are four levels where one can do Sai, each level with a clearly defined starting and ending point, to cater to times when there are a large crowd doing Sai.

Marwah Hill for Tertib

After Sai, we reach the last step of umrah, Tertib (Conclusion). We stood on Marwah Hill, with an accompanying ustad (a man versed in religious knowledge) leading a mass supplication session. Afterwards, we snip a little bit of our hair three times, even for the women, which would indicate the end of our umrah. For men, it is more recommended that they shave their heads bald after umrah, which most people in our tour group did. The men in my family only did so after our third umrah. That night, we retreated to our respective hotel rooms at 2am.