This post will be tweaked, so that there can be a mutual understanding for all. 
The information and stories below are to my best of knowledge and experience, so I apologize if there are any misunderstandings or mistakes in this article
Staying in Saudi Arabia for 14 days was sure an eye opener.
It was indeed an enriching experience to be in the largest Country in the Arabian Peninsula. From rich cultural history, to the more modern sky scrapers, there is nothing short of beautiful of this Kingdom.
Down here, it is a norm to talk about family, friends and personal interests.
Arabs in general seem to have interest in Singaporeans, judging by how ecstatic they are
when they met me and some friends of mine.
They would start off excited and introduce us to their families and friends, and in some occasions they would bring us to some local café and have tea while we converse and exchange stories.
In short, they are very welcoming people.

In this post I will be talking about the days of pilgrimage in Makkah I had, and also my trip to
Medina and Jeddah.

Makkah:

Also known as Tanah Haram or Forbidden Soil, this place is a holy ground to all Muslims
who came here to either do Umrah or Hajj.
One common question that many asked was “Why are non-muslims prohibited from visiting Makkah?”
The answer to that is simple, it is not because they are segregating their religion from others and such, but every country has its own laws to allow entry into their territory. You can visit a country as a foreigner but you and civilians aren't allowed to enter certain premises like cantonments etc. for obvious reasons. In this particular case, the reasons aren't so obvious but valid.

Another common misconception is "Only Malays go there?” (Singapore context)
Technically Malay is just a race, but Islam is a religion. I’ve made good pals in this trip who are not Malay!
I actually met some Japanese, Turkish and German Muslims here, so with that said…

Personally Makkah is hot but the cooling breeze makes up for the heat so it’s considered hard to even perspire. Surrounding the marvellous Masjid Al-Haram are numerous pipes which are connected to the fresh well water or known as ZamZam water.
For the non-muslims I do urge that you should try the ZamZam water as it has been known to be one of the “purest” state for water, and you can ask your Muslim friends to bring you one whole tub back if you wish.

Also, Makkah has adopted some western influence and is more modern than many of us would have imagine.
They are up to trend with the café industry such as Starbucks and also fashion sense such as H&M and Uniqlo.

What is Umrah?:  

Umrah translated means “to visit”, and is commonly meant to visit Makkah to do pilgrimage thus the term is used as it is today.
In Makkah, Muslims have to recite a verse before donning the Ihram which is two white cloths, one of which covers the body from the waist down, and one that is gathered around the shoulder for men, and white covered clothing or their own native dress for women.
The Ihram is a symbol of purity and equality. It also signifies that the pilgrim is in a state of devotion.

Thereafter, they are required to make their intention at the Miqat and then they can finally perform the Tawaaf whereby they circle 7 times around the Ka’abah  on their left while reciting verses from the Holy Quran.

Once that is completed, they are required to go to Maqam Ibraheem and recite a certain verse.
After reciting, they would pray 2 Rakaats, head onto Mount Safaa and recite another verse from the Quran.
Thereafter they will descend to  Marwah and do a 7 round walk to and fro from Marwah to Mount Safaa.
After all the above has been done for men they are required to cut their hair while for the ladies, a snip or so, and that is the end for the Umrah.

Madinah: 

Translated to “The radiant city” in English, this is where many pilgrims would head to after Umrah is done to visit the Prophet Muhammad’s tomb (Pbuh).

Prophet Muhammad’s tomb (Pbuh) is located at the ever majestic Masjid Nabawi which is known for its opening and closing umbrellas surrounding it.
Unlike Makkah, the crowd here is more subtle and noise level lower. For those who are curious, the Masjid Nabawi grew in size due to construction over the years but did not cover the tomb, instead they built the Masjid around it thus they do not pray to the dead, for many misunderstood
why is there a tomb in a Masjid.

Madinah itself is not as modern as Makkah but there are plenty of shops around selling modern tech
and equipment.
But mostly shops here are a much lower scale as compared to Makkah which caters to the people from poorer countries. Due to the rising amount of Turkish visitors, the Turkey currency Lira is also accepted here.

Other than the Masjid Nabawi, one could travel down to hike up Jabal Uhud to pay respect to the martyrs that died in the Uhud war. If you travel further to the outskirts, you can look for a ride on a camel and shop for a wider array of necessities and food such as dates.

Jeddah:
Photocredits: http://www.bankerinthesun.com/2015/02/living-in-jeddah-interview-with-an-expat/

Jeddah, nicknamed “Bride of the Red sea”, it has a more western influence than the two above stated.
So local’s clothing here are much different, the food and also the items they sell at shops. (Note that they don’t sell alcohol and ciggs in Madinah and Makkah too)

Home to the prestigious King Abdul Aziz University, there are many activities to do here in Jeddah! There are plenty of malls and food houses around so you are technically spoiled for choice in terms of food. You can visit places like Balad where there are plenty of Souks(Markets) around for you to shop for historical artefacts and local dishes.

The more adrenaline junkie could try visiting out snorkelling, diving and visiting the theme parks.
While not to forget the artsy and cultural side of Jeddah, there are plenty of museums and historical sites around for you to visit, some even have artefacts dating back to World War 1, so in my opinion it is definitely a place to visit during your spare time.

In a nutshell:
It was a humbling experience to go to Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah at such a young age, also something refreshing as I wasn’t exposed to Middle Eastern Culture before this.
The food, people, and culture are so diverse that I am forever in awe.

In all, the Middle East(the places I visited) so far has been amazing and I am planning to visit the rest
if possible!

May peace be upon you!

When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone?
Sure, we do have technology which helps us to communicate
with more ease despite the distance. But true to the quote,
"handmade/written gifts are more meaningful"
So do check out batch #1 designs!

Cards are printed in
A5 card paper and trimmed to  approximately 3.8 x 5.5.(Folded)
The greeting card will come in a C6 Brown Manilla Envelope(Untaped)

Meetups will be done in Singapore* only
West(Jurong)
East(Bedok)
Central(Ang Mo Kio)
For Overseas, inclusive of  $4 by air mail.

 Tucked away in a humble shophouse at Joo Chiat, Hat Of Cain gives off the old Jazzy 20's vibe that just makes you want to sit down, grab a drink and take a puff.
No man or lady of any class was out in public without a hat. That had been true for centuries and was very much the case during the 1920s. 
Suits and ties or dresses were topped by a Panama straw hat or the shallow, flattop, stiff-brimmed hats called either boaters or skimmers, depending on the brim's width. 
Depending on the weather, fedoras and shorter brims are most favoured during the
Autumn and Winter period.