Meeting for a jog at 8am at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park was not the romantic venue for a long-anticipated reunion that business consultant David Liu, 34, and his girlfriend Tan Wan Ting, 32, were envisioning after spending months apart.

But they decided to keep things simple as they sat together on a bench in the park for the first time in six months, wide smiles hardly hidden behind their matching cloth face masks.

Ms Tan, who works in an engineering firm, said: "I made that mask for him and sent it to him by post.

"Sending each other small gifts was the only way we could get through what was essentially a long-distance relationship that was forced upon us."

Mr Liu had returned to Singapore from a job posting in Britain in March before the circuit breaker began in early April. But after he served a stay-home notice, the couple soon realised that Covid-19 would separate them for a few more months.

So, once phase two began, they were among many others who visited parks yesterday morning to finally meet with friends, go out with family and have their weekend routines return to as much normality as possible.

Yesterday was the start of the first weekend after Singapore moved into phase two of its post-circuit breaker period, with park facilities such as carparks, beaches and fishing areas reopening. Areas like playgrounds and dog runs were also opened for public use, subject to safe distancing measures.

Previously, while people could visit parks to exercise, they could not gather in groups. But with phase two, a group of up to five people can meet.

Yesterday, some park-goers were walking their dogs, while others masked up to stretch their legs and spend some time outside the house, or take their children for in-line skating. Some met neighbours in the park for early morning taiji sessions.

Retiree Jane Teo was grateful for the opportunity to stroll with her husband and his sister at East Coast Park and dine out with them again.

"This is very much part of our culture - togetherness with our families," she said.

The 64-year-old had celebrated her birthday and Mother's Day - both of which fell in the first half of this month during phase one of Singapore's reopening - at home with only her husband, as her children and grandchildren were unable to visit them.

She added: "During occasions like that, the keen sense of being isolated becomes more acute."