Passing of an era....

You never really think about how time has passed you by with all business of your daily lives. Usually it is occassions like Chinese New Year or Christmas that you pause to take stock of your pasy year. This year, there are two reminders of how time much time has passed...The passing of the Singaproean icon, Ah Meng, and Hong Kong entertainer Lydia Sum.

Many Singaporeans have said that the Singapore Zoo would not be the same without Ah Meng and large number of people turned up for her memorial service. Some cynics may say what is the fuss for? After all isn't Ah Meng just an Orang Utan? But to many Singaporeans, they have not known the zoo without Ah Meng....and to even more of us, it means the passing of an era. I take my kids to the zoo quite often, and we would head for the "Ah Mengs"...that's what I call all Orang Utans...We will have a good time trying to spot Ah Meng ( we are usually wrong though). Daniel & Eve would grow up not really knowing who Ah Meng is....they are perhaps the first generation of Singaporeans in a long time not to know her...

Just as we lost an icon, Hong Kong has also lost their icon in Lydia Sum who passed away yesterday morning. To me, she also represents a childhood gone by. I grew up watching TVB series and variety shows. This sure explain why I know Hong Kong so well, speak like a Hong Konger and have a healthy interest in TV series ( although it is more Korean & Hong Kong now). They were days of waiting for the latest shows to be brought home from the video store and binging out for hours in front of the TV. As Lydia Sum was a popular entertainer, I have watched her in countless shows while growing up. I admit that I was very teary watching a show last night on cable TV about her life....( I think my aunt was in a worst state!). It is a passing of an era not only for the Hong Kongers, but also for me...