Saturday. Walking around Katong.

Got back from work on Saturday and felt like taking a walk, it is rather tough deciding where to go and take pictures, but lately katong and joo chiat have been on my mind as i realize that here in Singapore we are running out of old school shophouses doing old school style businesses , kampung glam has been has changed and there are only a few spots left doing things they have done for more then 10 or 20yrs. Tanjung Pagar is not what it used to be and China Town has been butchered, it is now a tacky gimmicky place. Little India still has some old world charm about it though like Katong and Joo Chiat that is fast fading.
I love shophouses, to me they are the most beautiful buildings we have . In a row they all look the same but they each have a unique identity, be it colour, size or artistic touches like ornate signs announcing the year of its birth. On Saturday though i decided to try and take different aspects of these buildings and the people and things that fill the space in and round them. With my first four pictures i took the liberty of playing around with photoshop just for the heck of it. you will note that the second and third shots are at an angle, this is because i didnt want the folks to know i was photographing them and so held my camera waist high and pretended i was looking at something else.

The above pair caught my eye cause the little girl was so brightly dressed compared to her surroundings and i thought it contrasted nicely with the area, lots of old and lots of new as well. To me it really does say JOO CHIAT.

The boys in the gang- As i walked towards the above coffee shop i saw these guys and I'd like to think that they have been hang out here since they were teenagers. The guy that its colour struck me the most, he was laughing but at the same time it was as if his mind was far far away or maybe thinking of years gone by.

I like these areas between the buildings.

Above-A loyal subjects window?

Behind the scenes(the red building is next to the red bakery...)

These two shots show new uses for old buildings, internet cafe's

I noticed along Joo Chiat Rd a number of bicycle shops.

This guy and his shop look like they have been here since the day after Raffles left. I asked him if i could photograph his shop but he refused, tis a shame.

A side view of a typical building along Joo Chiat Rd.

a little series on doors.


These pictures are not meant to be arty, they are just something to help me remember them when they are gone.( i have more pictures i took 166photographs and i may post them..)
With Singapore being the way it is and things changing so fast, I suspect if i were to follow the same route i took on Saturday in six months time there will be more changes....its fading fast folks, catch it while you can.

sidebar- you, yes you, you see the typos don't you..well keep them to yourself.