Unbuilding the Grace and Pearman Bridges


For Sparky and myself, curiosity drives passion which in turn fuels our life's engine. Our passion was capturing the story of both unbuilding the Grace (1929 - 2007) and Pearman (1966 - 2007) Bridges and discovering the unbuilders. It takes a lot of passion to track a project from July 2005 until April 2007 - rain, shine, hurricanes or moving to Singapore. We discovered the joy of discovery learning. Ken Canty opened the front door for us - then Steve Testa, Ponch Billingsley and Mickey Rogers opened many side doors. Below are the highlights of what we discovered, who we met and what we learned.

And a reminder from T.S. Eliot (East Coker from the Four Quartets)

Home is where one starts from. As we grow older
The world becomes stranger, the pattern more complicated
Of dead and living. Not the intense moment
Isolated, with no before and after,
But a lifetime burning in every moment
And not the lifetime of one man only
But of old stones that cannot be deciphered.

December 3, 2006:Wildlife around Macritchie Reservoir (Singapore)

While not always possible, I like to start a web essay with a bridge. Here is the bridge across the Macritchie Reservoir.

small/dec_03_0788_bridge.jpg

There was a slight drizzle today making conditions ideal for only a few people jogging around the reservoir (13 km) and giving me the time to just putter with my cameras

Just to add to the fun, here is Google maps view of the orange roofed hut and the wandering bridge. And here is a land view of the orange roof and wandering bridge from the lemonade shop

small/dec_03_0987_macrichie_reservoir.jpg

Ellen and her frind Linda (from New Zealand) discovered this place

small/dec_03_0805_ellen.jpg

Some flowers

small/dec_03_0700_flower_bug.jpg

small/dec_03_0709_orange_tongue.jpg

small/dec_03_0716_orange_flower.jpg

small/dec_03_0717_purple.jpg

There are a number of quite friendly monkeys wandering around and this group decided to play with us a bit.

small/dec_03_0759_standing.jpg

small/dec_03_0762_eating.jpg

small/dec_03_0765_teeth.jpg

small/dec_03_0770_3_monkies.jpg

This one was anxious to climb up my jeans - until his mom reminded him that climbing human legs is different from climbing a tree

small/dec_03_0783_my_leg.jpg

small/dec_03_0796_leaf.jpg

small/dec_03_0804_pink_flower.jpg

small/dec_03_0809_purple.jpg

I played a bit with altering the hue and saturation of the greens. Not sure if I like this or not, but it is something new to explore

small/dec_03_0813_yellow_flower.jpg

another example (before)

small/dec_03_0816_pink_white.jpg

and after

small/dec_03_0816_pink_white_green_hue.jpg

Another experiment

small/dec_03_0825_red_after_lightness.jpg

Another experiment before

small/dec_03_0864_pink.jpg

and after

small/dec_03_0864_pink_lightness.jpg

and another after

small/dec_03_0866_lightness.jpg

a family enjoying paddling around a bit

small/dec_03_0818_kyack.jpg

small/dec_03_0821_kyack.jpg

small/dec_03_0825_red_after.jpg

Another photo of Ellen.

small/dec_03_0829_ellen.jpg

and a short learning episode about Decopmposers @ work

small/dec_03_0830_decomposers.jpg

Here is a fungus, busy with decomposing

small/dec_03_0834_fungus.jpg

and more Ellen

small/dec_03_0846_ellen.jpg

and a small butterfly

small/dec_03_0852_butterfly.jpg

small/dec_03_0855_seed_pod.jpg

small/dec_03_0871_purple_drops.jpg

Walking back - the monkeys decided it was a great photo op.

small/dec_03_0899_monkey_tree.jpg

small/dec_03_0900_monkey_mouth.jpg

small/dec_03_0904_monkey_face.jpg

small/dec_03_0905_monkey_face.jpg

Check out these teeth

small/dec_03_0907_monkey_teeth.jpg

a bit of grooming going on

small/dec_03_0909_monkey_grooming.jpg

and this youngster seems to like it

small/dec_03_0918_monkey_grooming.jpg

small/dec_03_0938_monkey_face.jpg

small/dec_03_0939_monkey_ear.jpg

and check out this yawn

small/dec_03_0942_yawn.jpg

small/dec_03_0944_monkey_look.jpg

small/dec_03_0948_sitting.jpg

And a few folks just enjoying the drizzle

small/dec_03_0956_happy_folks.jpg

And more flowers

small/dec_03_0959_orange_flowers.jpg

small/dec_03_0963_orange_flower.jpg

small/dec_03_0967_orange_flower.jpg

small/dec_03_0969_yellow_flower.jpg

small/dec_03_0970_water_drops.jpg

small/dec_03_0982_pink_flower.jpg

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

C. Frank Starmer

_