One Sunday at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10

Having lived here for the better part of the past 10 years, I've always known that the void deck at my block was nowhere close to being empty of life. In fact, every Sunday morning, many folks - mostly senior gentlemen - would gather at a designated area of said void deck with their lively, singing pets.

Birds. Birds of all kinds. They were all in cages, but they were always singing. Perhaps of happiness, maybe to mate, possibly cries of escape. I don't speak bird so I shan't dwell too much on this.

So I was recently jolted by a couple of like-minded individuals to the fact that I hadn't once taken a shot of anywhere in my neighbourhood, and especially of this weekly affair. Off I went and decided to go on a little "adventure" which led me into the nearby wet market that was always bustling with life.

I have to admit: This is my first ever experience taking a camera and actually shooting in a wet market. What I found though, was that these neighbourly folks didn't seem to mind a camera in their faces as much as those in the city. Why is this?

Anyway, I'm gonna be out cold for the night in a bit, so please, do enjoy this, and go appreciate your own neighbourhood just a little more than you have. You might learn it's not so mundane at all.

This here where the old birds (a Singaporean slang for mature, experienced individuals) gather with their little ones.

The intricate covers made for bird cages come in all shapes and designs. These deserve an industry of their own. I'm actually surprised I haven't seen an Angry Birds cloak yet.

They gather as early as 7am. On a Sunday. That's dedication.

When land is scarce even in mid-air, you make do.

Some birds, they pine..

..others, they yearn for something else..

..for some, shoulders are just the best thing ever.

I see the owner (in the grey singlet on the right) and his parrot almost every day when I bring my dog out for walks. I swear the parrot is so well-trained it could train my dog to give Polly a cracker.

Speaking of dogs, I'm now getting slightly afraid that I will one day begin to take after my dog's appearance.

"YOU'RE BREAKFAST!", said dog.
"You're the one on a leash," mocked parrot, Alpha, Omega, and king of void deck birds.

Moments after I took this shot, I was already in the wet market, gasping for dear life.

Some old people get senile and require assistance with life. This old man operates a microphone and does a performance with live insects (seriously, he had a scorpion on that sheet) to sell his medicated oils. The audience is impressed all the time. That's just awesome.

This man. His meat. MY FAVOURITE.
And of course that came out wrong.

Too cool, this man. He made sure she got what she paid for and stuffed as much as he could into her bag because he didn't recognise her as a regular. That's how you do business.

"Oh yeah, you definitely want that. Eh eh?"

For someone selling all sorts of things I can't spell in English, she's a hoot with her lively banter. Definitely a sight for sore eyes and a cure for waking up the wrong side of the bed.

At that age, nobody should have to work, but she does, and she does with pride.

I practically circled them to get them in frame, hence the staring, but that newspaper article must've been something really intriguing and I really wanted to know what it was.

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Find out. Go closer than you have ever done.