Today I got back from my grandparents’ house where I stayed for a few days. I did lots of exciting things but the highlight was discovering the weird world of game shows.
You see, there was a time where channels like CBBC would show programs which can be enjoyed by younger and older children, such as The Sarah Jane Adventures (which is one of the best spin offs of Doctor Who ever). [Read more…] about Weird World of Game Shows
I’ve given up sweets, cakes and biscuits for Lent. Possibly a bad choice, and each year I get to about the halfway point and think that maybe next year I’ll give up something I don’t like as much.
But that’s not really the point. In fact, giving up things per se isn’t really the point. It’s more to do with doing some self-reflection and assessing your spiritual life, [Read more…] about What Is Lent All About?
Just a few yards off The Circus in Bath is the Museum of East Asian Art in a beautiful Georgian house on Bennett Street.
The contents were collected by Brian McElney OBE, a British scholar of sinology who worked as a lawyer in Hong Kong. After retirement he tried to present his collection to other museums of Chinese art but eventually set this one up himself. [Read more…] about China In Bath
I have almost forgotten today is the Tomb Sweeping Day to the Chinese people.
I was reminded of the festival today when I read that the Chinese families of Chinese passengers aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 are still hopeful.
Tomb Sweeping Day is also known as the Qing Ming Festival 清明节, literally Clear Bright Festival [Read more…] about Tomb Sweeping Day
As it’s Lent time, I decided to talk about my favourite show combined with one of my favourite times of the year.
It’s obvious that the Doctor has some similarities with Jesus, in particular the resurrection and regeneration of both characters. But there’s a lot more about the Doctor, and the show, which links in with religion.
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this [Read more…] about Doctor Who and Religion
Isn’t meeting someone you’ve always wanted to meet just so cool? Not just celebrities, but people from the past or fictional characters like Batman? Imagine how cool it would be to meet Batman!
But today, I’m going to be talking about people who I’ve always wanted to meet. And luckily, I’ve met a few! OK, only two. Technically three. [Read more…] about People I Want To Meet
Since January, I have written 19 posts about the Chinese New Year.
I have shared stories of the local people who celebrate the Lunar New Year as their culture.
I also delighted you with the story of the lion who came to tea with me. [Read more…] about Today Is The Lantern Festival: Bright Full Moon Tonight
This site has now been renamed: Chandler’s Ford Today. When the site was set up in March 2013, the domain name was Eastleighnet.
Please note that this site will use the spelling Chandler’s Ford consistently. Chandler is a singular noun, so it has to be followed by an apostrophe plus s to show possession. [Read more…] about Welcome To Chandler’s Ford Today
We had lunch in Southampton after watching the Lion Dance yesterday. Two lions came to tea.
After the meal, when we were about to leave the restaurant, a Malaysian Chinese waitress stopped me: “Stay here. The Lions are coming in!” “When?” I asked. “Now!”
My instant response was to search for evidence at the ceiling. I saw some lettuce [Read more…] about The Lions Who Came To Tea
A friend commented that I posted too many posts on this website as he was struggling to catch up. But he added yesterday, “However I am sure we all want to hear about the Lion Dance tomorrow.”
Why was my friend contradicting himself?
Well, today’s Lion Dance in Southampton was full of surprises. [Read more…] about Auspicious Lions in Southampton: Chinese New Year 2014
The Fall of Singapore happened on the 15th of February, 1942, on the Chinese New Year day. It was the largest surrender of British-led forces in history.
Singapore was supposed to be an impregnable fortress.
Older people in Singapore and Malaysia still remember the hardship [Read more…] about From The Fall Of Singapore To Prosperity
Each Spring the Winchester Photographic Society (WPS) invites a photographer, of international distinction and standing, to deliver a lecture at the Winchester Discovery Centre.
We are delighted to announce that Magnum photographer, Martin Parr, who has been described as a “chronicler of our age”, is to present the 2014 Spring lecture in March. [Read more…] about Winchester Photographic Society: Spring Lecture By Martin Parr
This post John Tavener was written by Dr. Hugh Benham, writer, composer, and choir director of St. Boniface church in Chandler’s Ford.
I interviewed Dr. Hugh Benham last year in this post: Concert, Life And Passion.
Hugh celebrated the life of the brilliant composer Sir John Tavener with us. [Read more…] about John Tavener
Anita Lee runs the Chinese take-away Mandarin Garden in Winchester Road in Chandler’s Ford.
Mandarin House has an open kitchen. While waiting for your food, you could actually watch how your food is being prepared. I love watching the chef tossing the noodles in the air. How does he do that? The wok looks heavy!
Do you know it is quite ok to ask for help in Cantonese when shopping at the Co-operative supermarket in Chandler’s Ford?
Meet Sonny, the friendly Cantonese-speaking employee of the Co-operative supermarket in Winchester Road. [Read more…] about Meet Friendly Sonny: Speaking Cantonese At The Co-operative
What is the must-have dish for the Chinese New Year?
Fish.
As a child, we always had fish during the Chinese New Year. A whole fish. We would buy a whole fish, gut the fish ourselves, and eat the fish with its head attaching to its body.
My Chinese friend Chang Rong from Chandler’s Ford [Read more…] about Fish: Wealth, Abundance, Puns
Have you heard of the Princess Mary’s Christmas Gift in 1914?
It was the World War One Princess Mary Brass Gift Tin.
I had a rare opportunity to hold this special brass tin last week.
Thousands of brass tins [Read more…] about Princess Mary’s Christmas Gift 1914
One of the traditional sounds of Christmas is that of church bells.
I’m not sure why it is a traditional sound of Christmas, as church bells are rung through the year – most Sundays, as well as other celebratory events such as weddings and christenings.
But as you hear the peal of bells drifting [Read more…] about The Art Of Bell Ringing
Something that guidebooks to Eastleigh tell you is that the design of the town’s war memorial is “very unusual”.
What provides this distinction is the figure of the Angel of Mons on the top.
However, as far as I know, none of the guidebooks explain why Eastleigh does have an angel [Read more…] about Eastleigh War Memorials
I’ve picked up a few books about Chandler’s Ford from the library and you may find them interesting.
1) Capt. A.A.J. Fortune: Chandlers Ford, 1859 – 1969. The book cover reads, “An account of the growth of Chandlers Ford from a hamlet to a village by 1897, now the largest residential area in the Borough of Eastleigh.”
Price for the book was 10/6. [Read more…] about Fascinating Books About Chandler’s Ford
![Sir John Tavener features in Word Made Flesh: By Devlin crow (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://chandlersfordtoday.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Sir_John_Tavener_features_in_Word_Made_Flesh-220x220.jpg)
