Qing Ming Festival - Tomb-Sweeping at Lim Chu Kang Cemetery

All these years, I had not ever followed my parents to Lim Chu Kang Cemetery to pray to my late paternal great grandmother and grandmother who had passed away when I was in primary school and Secondary One.  However, conscience might have pricked on me when I decided to follow them to the cemetery for the very first time for Qing Ming this year.  My parents decided to go on a Saturday morning instead of the actual day on Sunday.  There were lesser crowd and the weather was good although it got a bit hotter during the later part of the morning.  Also, considering the fact that on the actual Qing Ming festival,it will rain without fail, it is better to avoid going to the cemetery on the actual day.  Something that I am not too sure whether it is pure coincidence or ...   

Upon reaching my late paternal grandmother's tomb, a guy approached us and we need to pay him $50 for helping to maintain the state of the tomb for the past one year.  A receipt was issued to us.

Younger brother was more familiar than me on what to do.  He inserted the joss sticks on the coloured paper on the tombstone.

My late grandmother's tombstone.

Dad poured clean water over the tomb and started to wipe it clean before we placed all the offerings on it.

We also need to pay our respect to the Earth God.

Offerings to be burnt to the deceased.  I don't think my ancestors would know how to use iPhone!  

All burnt to ashes within seconds...

We also threw strips of paper high up into the sky and shouted "Huat Ah"!  I didn't follow though... 

Next, we proceeded to my late great-grandmother's tombstone.

We followed the same ritual... 

After that, hubby also drove to Bukit Brown Cemetery to show us how it was like.  We would like to join guided tour that will help us understand the history of Bukit Brown or Lim Chu Kang Cemetery better.  Anyone been to such guided tour?  Where can I sign up?