Sunday StrollWent down to the city on sunday morning for a bit of a walk, started my journey along south bridge road, went past far east square, down towards boon tat street up along amoy st. then went up club street, past maxwel market down the food terrace, past the old maxwel police station, towards lau pa sat, through raffles place round golden shoe car park across change alley into clifford pier back across change alley into raffles mrt and onto the train. yes i know a long story.
The first two pics posted i took because i liked the colours ...
Anyone here saw the Peter Sellers movie Fu Man Chu?.....
The above building located in boon tat street used to be a run down old building with wooden doors an uneven roof and sunken floors...look at it now. When i first started working in amoy st, i would pop into the first unit on the left for a hair cut and the old guy would close the shop make two chipped mugs of strong tea get in a seat and chit chat with me, he felt it was his responsiblity to help me speak chinese. He was born and raised in fuzhou, china and spoke a dialect that i couldnt grasp, he came over before the war raised 3 kids one of which became a doctor and the only reason he continued to cut hair was that he would have been bored doing nothing. When rent control was lifted in 98 i think he left . I always think of him when i get my hair cut, with his blunt scissors and strong tea. the two units to the left used to be a tyre shop all dirty and greasy.
Above is one of my favourite buildings, if ever i win toto......sigh even toto wont be enough to save this beauty
I have no idea who this dude looking at me is but the building is 111 Amoy street and this is my favourite office space in the whole world. Many happy days working here as well as many happy nights sitting and chit chatting with brad while we packed incense.
When i first got to know the club stree/amoy street area, a majority of the buildings were clan houses, guilds or associations. with lots of elderly people playing mahjong and sitting on grand old chairs. today most of these have been replaced by resurants and offices.
You used to be able to drive up this road, though why i never knew today it leads yo uto an area behind the old buildings that has been done up quite nicely.
The former inn of sixth happiness, now renovated, refurbished and renewed the scarlet hotel all 15stars if it ..My only problem with the facade is that damn no entry sign right at the front! LTA should really do something about that.
The building above has a sign that says "Pestana Boxing Center" and that is the only reason i took the pic.
Red, thats what the new tenants of the old Maxwel Road police station have painted it.Many a trafic fine was paid after walking through those doors. The dreaded "uncles" of traffic police fame departed from this building to torment the lives of drivers everywhere. Today there is a design museum and other arty things inside. i am not sure if i like it...cant decide but if the new tenants wanted to make a break with the past they surely have .
Below is our very own White House.
Clifford Pier
As of April 1st Clifford Pier was shut down. The ferries moved to marina, bumboats chugged away for a last trip out of the harbour before the place was sealed for good. It was first opened in 1933 and was meant to be a temporary structure, 10years or so but with the war and post war changes this old building lasted almost 73yrs. The pier also known as the red lamp pier because of the red lamps that used to hang outside it was built to replace the old one that fronted The Fullerton Building, that pier called Johnston Pier was built in 1855, 78years. Will the new buidlings in marina last as long?
With its art deco style facade and windows along with the high "ship ribs" frame of its ceiling it truly was a building of its times. I reckon its probaly one of the last if not the last building in the area that was doing the job it was built for.(of course excluding the civi district). I took more then 100 pics of the place, not for the art as you can see from these pics but more to document the passing of another ICON. I am sure they will refurbish the place and make it grand, maybe turn it into an art gallery or something but sometimes i like a bit of the old .....after 151 years of boating hussle and bussle, the end has come.
BABY"S DAY OUTAfter completing my little walk around the city district i went to meet TLOML and the Doo, our mission to pick a pram and baby essentials for the upcoming bundle of joy. We got a really nice pram and lots of bottles and other wird stuff, discounts galore and all the vouchers we have been hoarding came in rather handy. Of course we stopped off for a little drink. Thanks for the help Doo
Side Bar-Any typos are my fault i am old and slowly going senile. All pics have been reduced in size. to around 35% some less. After such a long break i really post a meag blog didnt i? lol
