UEFA 037 – Oostende to Ramsgate

UEFA 037 – Oostende to Ramsgate


As soon as the train stopped at Oostende Train Station, all passengers walked briskly towards the immigration building. The scene was like sheep been released from the barn or nicer to say, was like the passengers alighting from the buses and ran towards the immigration counters at Woodlands checkpoint. My wife and I walked smoothly through the immigration and custom.



We produced our tickets at the checkpoint and walked up the walkway which leads us onto the deck of the ferry. It was quite a long walk; especially with luggage, it can be quite unbearable.



Our first mystery was solved, that is, the train did not go on to the ferry, but, only the passengers. Perhaps, the train will pick up the passengers from Oostende to Rotterdam or back to Amsterdam.



We are now looking at the English Channel from the Oostende Ferry Terminal.



I imagined myself in the place of Moses, when he was looking at the Red Sea and figured out how he could cross the sea, to escape from the tyranny of the army of Pharaoh. In my case, I was not running from any treat but rather looking forward to explore unexpected adventures.



The ferry was actually a huge ship, like the Superstar Virgo at The Singapore Cruise Centre at Harbour Front. It was a 10-storey luxury cruise. There were many facilities inside the ferry such as restaurant, cinema, disco, video games, billiard pool, spa, massage, swimming pool and casino. Of course there were other facilities which I did not know about.



My wife and I stumbled our way up to the deck, and found out it was already dark. The night sea breeze was too cold, so we went back inside the ferry and settled down at the many common benches provided, while we stared into the TV.



Now our second mystery was solved as we found that the ferry trip across the legendary fierce English Channel was a pleasant one. We had earlier thought it was the same kind of ferry we used to take across Malacca Straits from Butterworth to Penang, or perhaps the ferry was like the one that ferry passengers from Singapore to Batam islands. Our fears were now at bay.



I didn’t remember what happened after that, but, all I remembered was the sound of the horn. I stood up and saw the people who were sitting with us were all gone. I knew immediately, that we had arrived. I woke my dear wife, and we grabbed our luggage and walk back down stair towards the exit. The passengers were already queuing to alight.



We arrived at Ramsgate, a coastal town in England in the wee hour of the next morning. The ferry trip was about 5 hour.


Once again we walked through the immigration and custom very smoothly and as we get out of the ferry point, the feeder buses were ready to fetch us to the train station. We carried our luggage up the bus.

Then at the train station we had to carry our luggage along the long platform before going up the train.



You would have realized by now that I had abandoned the plan of crossing the English Channel via the new undersea railway system from Carlisle to Dover. The main reason was that I did not manage to find out more about it. All I heard from my sister it was expensive.



It was also not feasible, as we were in Amsterdam, and going via Oostende in Belgium is more sensible.



574 words


Drafted on 07.04.2007


Edited on 22.07.2007 at 1057hrs


At Woodlands Avenue 5

At the Pier

This Saturday morning, I was at the tip of the matured reclaimed land in the southern shore of Singapore. It was bright and sunny that I needed the ultraviolet sunglass to protect me eyes from the scorching sun. I was tired, but I dare not sit on this chair as it does not look stable enough.

I was leaning against the steel railing observing the ships and boats at the sea. There is this jetty here for a medium size junks and ferries.

On my right is the other jetty for smaller ferries and boats. Further still to my right is a very long jetty catered for the even smaller ferries and boats. Apparently, the destinations are mainly Batam. I noticed also that the waves are very mild here within the jetty area as there is a long concrete wall build underneath the jetty, that stop the waves from coming. So you see that the ferries and boats do not rock too much.

If you are wondering, my wife and I was on the third level of the jetty pier. That is why I could see a lot of activities going at the jetty. This level is called the "Roof Garden". It looks like a stadium isn't it.

At the first level or ground floor, is the entrance to the jetty. Passengers has to buy tickets from the counters and go through Singapore Immigration before we can go to the jetty.

But before all that, you may need to change money or buy some petty requirements or even to have some light snacks and drinks or perhaps also some souvenirs from Singapore.

Most of the paswsengers are Indonesians. This morning there were many Singapore students who were perhaps going on a study and/or voliunteerism tour to Batam.

Opposite the pier are trees and bushes.

Wherease, the shore alongside the pier are well kept and nicely decorated.

Drivers need not worry, as the parking coupon area are available alongside the main road leading to the pier. Compare to the nearby Central Business District (CBD) area, the parking charges here is cheaper, only 50 cents for half and hour. In the CBD is one dollar for half an hour.

Surprisingly during the day, the carparks are full. This picture was taken much earlier, on the 29 April 2008. At that time, I had an afternoon job assignment to examine the ground features at the pier.

If you are still wondering, I am talking about the new Marina South Pier, which is newly built at the southern tip of the reclamation area.

Apparently, Marina South Pier has replaced the Clifford Pier, which is not used anymore for ferrying passengers to Batam and other southern Islands of Singapore.

Raffles Marina & Catamaran

Last week, I had a chance to visit Raffles Marina. It is situated just next to the Second Link from Tuas in Singapore to Gelang Patah in Johor, Malaysia. Everytime when you pass this bridge in and out of Malaysia via Tuas, you will see this Raffles Marina from up the bridge.

Next time when you are there, drop by into Raffles Marina. It is open to public. There are ample free parking. You need not be a member to entertain yourself there, except for certain activities.






Being and adventuorous and curious guy, I first explore the boats, yatch etc that are parked there. I lived my life as aneighbour to the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), in Woodlands. I lived just opposite of the RMN headquaters and barracks. During my youth I always entered their premise for Friday prayers and at night for movies. I do made friends with some of the navy guys.

My sister married one of the RMN Lieutenant. So sometimes I stayed within the barracks for a night. That exposure had great influence in my love for sea, ships and other sea activities. Surely, I appreciate the sea view from Raffles Marina.

In 1968, I used to work part-time in the British Royal Navy port at Attap Valley Road off Admiralty Road, where the Senoko Power Station is now located. I helped the British Navy to load up their fighter ships with ammunition, which were pre-packed in wooden cartons, in their withdrawal exerecise. Thus, I get to see the ammunition and even hold them in my hands, and at the same time to enter the cabins and store room in the belly of the fighter ships.

Thus, this view of the jetty to the yatch in Raffles Marina, bring back all those extraordinary memories of my youth in the Terpedo Depot at Khalsa Crescent off Admiralty Road.

I also had the chance to enter the jetty of RMN and into the cabins and deck of the Malaysian fighter ships KD Hang Tuah. KD means 'Kapal Di-Raja' which refers to 'The Royal Ship'.

Sometime in 2000, my friend Donald Andris was talking to me about a boat that he had somewhere in Java, Indonesia. He mentioned the word 'catamaran' several times. I didn't really vision clearly what catamaran is, un til I saw this advertisement at Raffles Marina. This one caused USD320,000.

Reminiscing all of these memories reminded me of the verses in the Quran which say that God has made the sea easy for you to travel. The Muslims of the past understood this message
in the Holy Quran and they traveled the world to China, India, Java, Malaysia, Rome, and the Meditteranean ports.

Admiral Cheng Ho followed their steps and Columbus followed them too. The sea expeditions compliment the land expeditions made by adventurous people who returned to their homeland and convey the message and lessons they learned from their journey with others.

Many of these great explorers wrote journals and books to convey the Message of God,

"We made the sea easy for you to travel"

In Chapter 55, Ar-Rahman (The Most Gracious), God is talking to us senses. It begins with......

"The Most Gracious has imparted this Quran to mankind.

He has created man. He imparted into them thought and speech.

He make the sun and moon to move in their appointed courses.

He has spread out the earth for all living beings with fruits,

palm trees and dates, grains, and sweet-smelling plants.

Which, then, of your Sustainers's powers do you reject?

He created man out of sounding clay

wherease the invisible beings out of confusing flame.

Which then of the Sustainer's power do you reject?

He is the Sustainer of the East and the West.

Which then of the Sustainer's power do you reject?

He has given freedom to the 2 great seas,

so that they might meet and yet between them

there is a barrier,

that is between freash water rivers and lakes and salty seas.

WHICH THEN OF THE sUSTAINER'S POWER DO YOU REJECT?

Out of these 2 seas are pearls, big and small.

Which then of the Sustainer's power do you reject?

And His lofty ships sail like mountains through the seas

Which then of the Sustainer's power do you reject?"

[His lofty ships means that God has given man the God-given nature

of intelligence and creativenessto invent ships etc...]