underwater world, sentosa, early 2000s

"i saw this while looking through my photos in my computer. it is a picture of moon jellyfish and it was taken through a "window" dividing the surface world from the "sea". it was taken about 3-4 years ago, and a whole wave of nostalgia enveloped me as i thought about how good the old days were. but that's how life is, right? the past seems liquid to us, shifting, and moving slowly like a jellyfish and the present is always in the surface world, where we take pictures of the past in our minds."

(david, he who finally shaved)

Sunnersta, Uppsala, Sweden

"Grumpy cat posing for photo outside my window"

(jovian, he who runs faster than the wind)

Vatican City

i remember we stood in the queue for close to two hours in the summer heat to get into the Vatican Museum. this picture was taken from an open window, with the audio guide hanging around my neck.

i remember how we squeezed through the crowds to finally get to the Sistine Chapel where the guards yelled "no peek-tures, no peek-tures!" and people jostled with each other for the limited seats. how we stood in awe, craning our necks, staring at Michelangelo's Genesis painting.

yes, i loved Rome. and Florence. and Venice. and Milan. the food, the people, "prego, prego!" i'm certain we'll return, to explore the other parts of Italy, to taste the food of Sicily (if i dare), and to meet more friendly and perhaps not-so-friendly Italians.

(s, having completed yet another essay and browsing albums)

The Windowless

we visited Auschwitz-Birkenau, when we were in Krakow, Poland last summer. the despair, the desperation of the extermination camp, what they thought when they looked out through the minuscule windows, i can hardly imagine.

we first studied about the horrors of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust in school, the massive numbers - which were both shocking yet numbing. visiting Berlin was an eye-opener, Sachsenhausen concentration camp a somber experience. Oscar was a little reluctant to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, because we had left Sachsenhausen, a work camp, instead of an extermination camp, extremely depressed. needless to say, Auschwitz-Birkenau was jarring - the exhibits of hair, clothing, boots emotive and disturbing. to sit in one of the dark bunks, little light streaming in through the windows, frightfully eerie.

as students of history, we debate about coming to terms with the past, with history. and i have often wondered, how does one come to terms with the history of the Holocaust? needless to say, how concentration camps are exhibited have come under academic discussion and even criticism - for being too dramatic, too emotive, or even political in its purpose. at the end of the day, i suppose, as depressing as a visit to these concentration camps might be, a conscious effort to forget would be even scarier.

(s, wondering about the hopelessness of windows)

With the Singapore Flyer in the Background

we were stuck in two traffic jams, i was really frustrated with the rush hour traffic, we were supposed to meet our friends for drinks and were hopelessly late. when we were almost reaching our destination, we saw this from the bus.

a soon to be married couple creating new (photographic) memories.

(siok, theviewoutsideyourwindow)

We are Graduating Soon

"from the NUS Science canteen, can we just stare at the skies instead of working on the final year project"

(angie, who says we are less than a month away from our 18 year struggle with education)

The Land of Cambodia

"this photo was taken in 2004, on board a plane for singapore after a 3-week expedition trip in cambodia. the search for this photo amongst many others taken during the trip reminded me of the wonderful times i had during those days; the simplicity of life, the adorable kids and friendships forged."

(hy, who says she's been slacking too much)