Colours, Sights & Patterns At Kampong Glam

In the 19th century, Kampong Glam was essentially an ethnic district with a strong Malay-Arab influence. It was a place where locals patronized for their Arab-Muslim traditional foodstuff and merchandise...

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Colours, Sights & Patterns At Kampong Glam

10:14 AM  , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  

Kampong Glam
Central, Singapore
May 2013

Merlion Wayfarer ventured into the Kampong Glam area last weekend. 

In the 19th century, Kampong Glam was essentially an ethnic district with a strong Malay-Arab influence. It was a place where locals patronized for their Arab-Muslim traditional foodstuff and merchandise. Prior to colonization by the British in 1819, the area was home to the Malay aristocracy of Singapore. It became prominent and more populous after the signing of a treaty between the British East India Company, Sultan Hussein Shah of Johore and Temenggong Abdul Rahman in 1819. 
 
Today, Kampong Glam still retains strong ties to the ethnic-Malay and Muslim community, and has sometimes been termed the "Muslim Quarter" due to its history. The Muslim population still remains a significant presence in Kampong Glam, especially in Bussorah Street. The area remains a centre for Muslim activities and the Sultan Mosque remains a major landmark and congregation point for Singapore Muslims.

Merlion Wayfarer likes Kampong Glam for its eclectic mix of history and modern elements, and for its rich heritage and its bright colours.
 
Gourmet Pie Co. - An orange-and-red shophouse beside a yellow-and-orange neighbour,
Darbar, which serves North Indian cuisine...
  
Potted plants on the wall of a shophouse with a five foot way corridor...
   
Tai Sing Corporation is a toy outlet displaying a huge array of toys. Open since 1971, with more than 40 years in operation, the range of toys span from dolls to hobby ships. In the last year or so, Merlion Wayfarer noticed that Tai Sing seemed to have increased its prices by a far bit.
 
  • Little creepy crawlies that freak you out abound -"Take Me Away", the box says. At S$5.90 each. No way...
  • Fancy some sea creatures? The sea monsters version is also priced at S$5.90. Don't be fooled by the Japanese text - The "Made In China" print is usually found at the bottom of most boxes.
  • OK, now you can see the "MADE IN CHINA" print for these kawaii floatables at S$3.90. What would Sesame Street's Ernie do without his Rubber Duckie!

Haji Lane, a tiny retail enclave well-hidden away in the heart of Kampong Glam, is a fashion lover's paradise. The row of colourful shophouses enclosed in a narrow one-way lane, have been transformed into an hip fashion and furnishings stretch reminiscent of Harajuku in Tokyo or Le Marais in Paris. Out of the so many "things to do" in Singapore, it was chosen as a feature in Time Magazine's Singapore City Guide.
 
Gosh... A 666 art gallery!
  
A one-way entry to Haji Lane and the little bunny says hi...

Lots of hip and cool shops - and people - in Haji Lane...

A "SpoilMarket" that does not sell groceries...

Colourful, fun, playful signs - some with real requests...

TokyoBike Singapore is a bicycle retail shop that allows you to take a bike
for a test ride around the neighbourhood....

Contractors working on a tarpaulin covering the walkway...

Barang hung on a clothes line on the second floor...

Objectifs, a visual arts centre dedicated to promoting photography and filmmaking, is located here...

An interesting concept - a  shophouse that is named "Shophouse" that is a "social hostel"...

In a bid to preserve the character and heritage of the area, a group of shop owners are now putting up posters and stickers in their shops to prohibit alcohol on their premises. An admirable concept.
Can they do the same for smoking and shisha too?
  
The evil eye is a look that is believed by many cultures to be able to cause injury or bad luck for the person at whom it is directed for reasons of envy or dislike. Disks consisting of concentric blue and white circles  representing an evil eye are common talismans in the Middle East. These talismans are supposed to bend the malicious gaze back to the sorcerer.
"Evil Eye" talismans as part of the cemented floor decoration...
  
The deco of the floor tiles is conveyed further into the tables and chairs of the cafe next door
- Tiled tables, a homely feel...
   
A man smoking shisha sitting next to a Japanese production crew filming a segment on Singapore...

A restaurant entrance with hanging vines...
    
Stark black and white wall with an outstanding red stool below an electric lamp...
   
The Malay Heritage Centre has just been renovated. The grounds are beautifully landscaped
with a fountain, plants and palm trees...

 
The full album is available at:
 

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Afternoon Siesta At Serangoon

9:56 PM  , , , , ,  

Serangoon Housing Estate
North-East, Singapore
April 2013

Merlion Wayfarer decided to KLKK (walk here, walk there) last weekend in the Serangoon housing estate to explore the famed Nex mall (the only big mall in the North-East and the first with a cineplex) and the old bus interchange. Here are some of her street photos:

Being a weekend, and Nex being the central point for many North-Easterners, people abound everywhere - when eating, when queuing, when shopping, when walking...
   
Collection point at the Prata Wala stall...

At the "empty" ground just outside Tea Dot...
 
Throngs on the escalator...

A short distance away from the hustle and bustle of Nex is the desolation and hammering din of a construction site. The old Serangoon Bus Interchange is being converted into a community building, while the carpark on its rooftop is still operational.
These were once bus bays for passengers to queue at before ascending buses...

The ramp walkway that enabled people to go from the retail section of the bus interchange
to the bus bays has demolished. Instead, a hole exists now...

The foremen and workers taking a short break after lunch on a hot afternoon...

The "Danger - Keep Out!" sign in four languages, an uncommon depiction
in today's predominantly English-speaking Singapore...

Sometimes, pedestrians don't realize that walking over a drain cover next to a construction site with their eyes glued to their phone can be a dangerous act...

It's a hot day and Uncle takes an afternoon siesta under the shade of the tree next to the kopi tiam...
   

The full album is available at:

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Fullerton Heritage - Lighthouse Dining

3:45 PM  , , , , , , , , ,  

Raffles Place
South, Singapore
March 2013

(This article is part of Merlion Wayfarer's Fullerton Heritage Guided Tour series.)
 
The Lighthouse is a fine dining Italian restaurant on the eight floor of the restored Fullerton Hotel. Serving delightful  Italian cuisine, tables in the restaurant encompass the panoramic views of the bay and the city skyline. One floor up is a exclusive private lounge on the rooftop which serving drinks amidst the comfortable seating of the al fresco setting.
  
The "Singapore's Best Restaurants 2012" award greeting diners at the entrance to the lift...
  
The compact size of the restaurant makes it all the more exclusive for the privileged few...
 
Ideal location for a romantic dinner with a loved one...
 
A selection of cigars for the guests who prefer to indulge...
  
Drinks, tealight lanterns and candles to set the mood in the evenings...
  
Comfortable seats to truly R&R in after a day's hard work...
   
 
The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Places - Fullerton)

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Fullerton Heritage - Fullerton Lighthouse

3:27 PM  , , , , , , , , ,  

Raffles Place
South, Singapore
March 2013

(This article is part of Merlion Wayfarer's Fullerton Heritage Guided Tour series.)
  
The Fullerton Light, a revolving beacon of 540 kilo-candelas mounted on the roof of the building, was installed in 1958 to replace the Fort Canning Lighthouse which was being demolished. It emitted powerful white flashes every 20 seconds which were visible up to 44.4 km at night. This lighthouse guided ships to safety for over 21 years till 1979. It was  then replaced by the Bedok Lighthouse at Marine Parade with its last day of operation was on 30 November 1979.
After the Fullerton Building restoration, the remnants of the original lighthouse was moved to a new location as an artefact near the Harbourfront Towers opposite Sentosa. The original location of the Fullerton Building's historical lighthouse which used to guide ships into the port, has been incorporated into a chic fine dining restaurant, The Lighthouse, serving delectable Italian cuisine with panoramic views of Marina Bay and the city skyline. The establishment extends to an exclusive private lounge on the rooftop, perfect for a pre-dinner cocktail or aperitifs after dinner.

Within seconds of catching sight of this view from the Level 7 lift lobby while awaiting the private lift to ascend to The Lighthouse, the entire window display was blocked by the tour group members...
Ascending the winding spiral stairway and the barricaded glimpses of the impending view up at the top...

The incredible panorama up there - Left ...
   
... Right ...

... Centre ...
(Look at the alignment between the MBS, One Fullerton, the ERP gantry and the Fullerton Hotel.
This might shed light on why certain ERP gantries are especially "lucrative"!)

... Back ...
(Where two other elegant buildings - City Hall and Supreme Court - are being restored to their former glory with new uses)

... Through the looking glass ...

Makes each and every Singaporean truly proud of Singapore's progress...

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Places - Fullerton)

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Fullerton Heritage - Postcard Exhibition

2:34 PM  , , , , , ,  

Raffles Place
South, Singapore
March 2013
(This article is part of Merlion Wayfarer's Fullerton Heritage Guided Tour series.)


Yesterday Once More is held as part of The Fullerton Heritage’s Art in the City Programme. Organized in collaboration with the Singapore Philatelic Museum, the exhibition showcases postcards from Singapore's colonial days over a hundred years ago and showcases Singapore's rapid transformation from a traditional fishing village in the 1800s. Highlights also include the rapid changes along the Singapore River, especially in the Marina Bay area near the Fullerton Hotel.


The postcards are part of a collection of 500 that were donated to the Singapore Philatelic Museum in July 2006 by renowned philatelist, Professor Cheah Jin Seng. Dating back to the pre-war years and as far back as 1893, the exhibition, Yesterday Once More, was officially opened by Mr. Sam Tan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth on 01 March 2013. The exhibition runs until 30 April 2013 and is being held at The Fullerton’s East Garden Foyer.



Merlion Wayfarer's Fullerton Heritage Guided Tour Series
The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Places - Fullerton)

Sources

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