Tiong Bahru
South, Singapore
November 2012
Built in the 1930s, Tiong Bahru Estate is one of the oldest housing estates in Singapore. It was the first project undertaken by the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), a government body administered by the British colonial authority, to provide for mass public housing in Singapore. The estate consists of about 30 apartment blocks with a total of over 900 units. The apartment blocks are made up of two to five-storey flats and the units are assorted three to five-room apartments.
Despite being built for the masses, these units are now largely taken up by affluent locals, expatriates who prefer a home near town, upmarket offices, and cosy cafes. Instead of the warm, neighbourly environment in the past where doors are left open and neighbours interact with each other, the atmosphere now is cold, unfriendly and distant. Despite being there on a weekday, Merlion Wayfarer's photo kaki was quite astounded when people they came across hastily went back to their houses and offices and shut the down on them. Hmmm... could it also be a case of too many photographers in the past who had not observed proper ethics in their photography visits?
Anyway, there were still many gems to be found in this old estate, which always makes it a pleasure to walk and walk and walk there...
A drain runs through it. It separates the old low-level flats from the cosmopolitan shopping mall and upmarket condominium nearby...
The antique white stone bridge borders the two. A variety of interesting passers-by cross it - a grandfather with his granddaugather, an impatient lady, a senior with a trolley...
Mei Mei wants to eat her Milo ice cream. It was dripping all over her hands.
Ah Gong decides to stop and let her finish it. The newspaper reading can come later lah...
A phone hangs on the edge of the drain - Its handset wire and land line is attached to the cement in the drain. Oooooh... who is using it now?
过路人的背影...
Delicious eclairs and swiss rolls that Merlion Wayfarer and kaki almost wanted to buy and promote for the owner. Until she demanded that we asked for permission to snap a shot. There will be times when a smile and a greeting ain't good enough. Well, there are always better outlets and nicer owners around...
A cool delivery lorry with a personalized "number plate"...
A dedicated "Dog In A Jar" sculpture customization service for your dogs...
"Perfect Love Withstands Obstacles" - in a cage? Hmmm...
A preggie spotted lizard in bright daylight...
Fascinating leaves that had little leaves growing around its edges. Merlion Wayfarer vaguely remembers it as a species of bryophyllum from her science classes way back in primary school...
Ssssshhh! Says a resident. It will kill him if you make any noise at night...
Merlion Wayfarer ventured into a shophouse along the way. What she saw were grilles, grilles and more grilles, and dark narrow stairways that one with even a small haversack would have difficulty not bumping into its edges...
Finally, a patch of blue sky!
Antique cream cakes from a traditional confectionery. Full of cream, but filled with loads of nostalgia...
Hidden in a little room is the quaint little French Bookshop. Owned by a French gentleman, this book store sells new and old books in French and English. Merlion Wayfarer met up with Anique and Andree, who shared with her about French food and places to go in France. They've started a feature recently which allows artists to display their wares there. On display here are some colourful pouches which will be packed into styrofoam boxes before being put in a brown paper bag with a sticker. What an interesting concept!
The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Places - Tiong Bahru)
