Clarke Quay Christmas

Clarke Quay was named after Singapore's second Governor, Sir Andrew Clarke (1873 to 1875). It was also where Sir Stamford Raffles landed in January 1819. I wonder exactly which spot? Apparently there was a debate as to whether he had remained in the ship while his men (including the Toisan carpenter, Cho Ah Chee landed first -- not along the shores of Singapore River but at Rochor River. Raffles subsequently landed, but it may be somewhere along Kallang River and not Singapore River. Information from Singapore Infopedia.  Picture: Dec 2014.

Zion Road

You can find retro tiles at this shop along Zion Road. The rather famous padang rice coffee shop nearby is gone and in its place, a roasted pork, duck & chicken rice stall. Haven't tried it yet. The nearby Zion Road hawker centre still has the well known char kway teow and carrot cake, so I would rather eat there if I happen to be around the area.

Corridor of this row of shophouses reminds one of those in Tiong Bahru. Signs of some hip shops coming up which seem similar to those at Tiong Bahru too.

But before those shops come around, these old iron gates have to go first. And some, like this one,  are holding grounds.

Jalan Besar

There's a huge difference between these shophouses at Jalan Besar and those "manicured" ones along Tg Pagar Road and elsewhere . But it is precisely this drabness which gives them life. 

Sam Leong Road, where I started my journey as I managed to squeeze into a little car lot there. Had wanton mee at this shop (the one with blue awning). Great stuff, old school taste!  This building with the green windows dates back to 1930. All pictures in this post taken 18 June, an extremely hot and sunny day.

Old shophouses still sporting the old tiles and sculpted decorations. Many old world coffee shops to choose from :)

Swee Choon has been around for the last 50 years. Well known and much blogged about. Opens from 6pm to 6am. No wonder it was closed and shuttered when I was there around noon. 

An old clan association can still be found here. 

Tanjong Pagar Road

Tanjong Pagar Road  where a slopy lane leads to Duxton Hill. An "orang laut" was sighted at Tanjong Pagar in the 1800s. No wonder, the area was a fishing village and later,  a vast nutmeg plantation. Today, its rows of well preserved shophouses are rather eclectic -- from eateries to shops specialising in weddings. Pictures taken on 29 July when Singapore was hit by a number of flash floods but not in Chinatown :)

Emerald Hill area

Saunders Road. (Nope, no KFC here!) The road was named in 1927 after Charles James Saunders who held several official appointments, among which, District Judge and Resgistrar of Companies.

Hullet Road, built in 1914, named after R W Hullet, principal of Raffles Institution from 1871 and later, Director of Public Instruction.

Terraced houses along Emerald Hill Road. The road was originally owned by William Cuppage, a postal clerk rising to the rank of Postmaster General in the 1840s. He had a residence in the area, naming it Emerald Hill, which might have accounted for the road being named Emerald Hill Road.

So where's Emily? Lucky are the ones staying in these lovely shophouses at Emerald Hill Road. These were built between 1901 and 1925.

Cuppage Terrace -- of spas, pubs and eateries. 

Dublin Road

Backlane of shophouses at Killiney Road,. Picture taken from Dublin Road. 

Dublin Road was probably named by Dr Thomas Oxley who owned a lot of land in the area.  The road was part of his estate, including the roads in the area, named after English places such as Devonshire, Exeter, and of course the Oxley "series" such as Oxley Road, Oxley Rise, Oxley Walk. Dr Oxley was a senior surgeon of the Straits Settlements in 1844, and also a Resident Councillor. A botanist as well, he lived in a vast nutmeg plantation in the area. Information from Singapore Street Names, by Victor Savage and Brenda Yeoh.

River Valley Road

Wonder what's in the attics. Pictures: April 2014.

At the junction of Kim Yam Road and River Valley Road. 

Niven Road

Beautifully restored shophouses at Niven Road. But nothing like the time-tampered wooden windows (left) to bring out the old charming quaintness. The road was named after Lawrence Niven, Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens from 1859 to 1875. He was a nutmeg planter!  Picture: 22 April 2014 (a really scorching hot day, but great for taking outdoor pictures with my Nokia handphone).

This shophouse is actually at Mackenzie Road, next to Rex Cinema. I was captivated by its old spiral staircase -- and those nice balustrades at the landing. Niven Road leads to Mackenzie Road which leads to Selegie Road. Mackenzie Road was named after Rev H I  MacKenzie. According to Singapore Street Names by Victor Savage and Brenda Yeoh, there was a fire station there which was later taken over by the Singapore Traction Company head office/garage --  now a car park.

Everton -- up on the roof

I guess I like the song "Up on the Roof" (1962). Here's an up-on-the-roof view of  Everton Park's shophouses.  Everton Park seems to be on its way to becoming a hip and happening place, with its many cafes. As for me, I am happiest just tucking in prawn mee or chicken rice in a coffee shop. I don't need chi chi places. That's just my preference of course. But throw in some marble-topped tables please.

I think those shophouses on the left would be on the Blair Road side.  Pictures taken in Feb 2014, from a penthouse in Spottiswoode Park (entry permit, courtesy of a friend).

Yan Kit Road

The old against the new. Yan Kit Road is named after a dentist, Look Yan Kit. Picture: April 2014.

Charming corner house at Yan Kit Road, guarded by a pair of stone lions.

Yan Kit Road leads to Craig Road, another area with nice old shophouoses. 

Armenian Street

There used to be an interesting shortcut to Armenian Street from the old National Library, which led out to where The Substation is today. Pics: 5 April 2014.

Remember, it's $1 per half hour here :)

There used to be char kway teow stall somewhere near this corner, if I remember rightly. If you did not want to eat the wanton mee at National Library (I am talking about the old days of course), the char kway teow would be a "luxurious" alternative. Remember the reticent guy who fried the noodles (each lifting of the ladle accompanied by a rhythmic bounce of his body) at his huge wok? Patrons always joked about how much of his sweat actually went into seasoning the kway teow. These patrons remain faithful nevertheless.  

Waterloo Street

Beautiful, said a tourist (or at least, I think he was one) who emerged from the Catholic Centre which is opposite this row of shophouses next to the Chinese Calligraphy Centre at Waterloo Street. "What building is it? Beautiful! I too, took a photo of it," he said to me. And I had to tell him that I didn't know either. I saw a sign on its facade, and it said "State Property". Pic: April 2014.

A tantalising glimpse of the shophouse from Queen Street, which led me to the traffic arrow and thence, to Waterloo Street.

Old Tampines Road

This old row of shophouses, with tyres stacked along its front, lives up to the name of the coffee shop at the corner -- the Goodyear Restaurant, known for its Pontian-style bak kut teh. You can park at the side of the shophouses. Free. The coffee shop has been blogged about -- cheap and good.  Most of the other shops along the row seem to be fixing or selling tyres (not all Goodyear brand though) for trucks. Pictures taken in May 2013.

Old Tampines Road is not called "old" for nothing as it retains a lot of its characteristics which I remember from childhood.  Al the kampungs flanking the road, are gone of course.  Mum used this road to take us to Changi Village and to Pasir Ris.  Those days, these two futuristic-looking water tanks (?) were not there (of course).  And guess what, bus No. 72 (my childhood bus) now passes this way. Must take a ride in it some day. 

Balestier II: Starry, starry night

Shophouses along Balestier Road. By night, the area takes on a different energy. The area was given conservation status. See URA website: http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/conservation/conservation-xml.aspx?id=BLSTRD#

A popular makan place along Jalan Kemaman.

Charming pre-war shophouses and low terraced houses are trademarks of the area, but condominium developments are threatening to take over.

Homely glow from old terraced houses along Jalan Kemaman.

One of the pair of stone lions guarding the Thong Teck Sian Tong Lian Sin Sia Temple at Boon Teck Road, off Balestier Road.

Balestier by Day

 Lunchtime jam.

From food, hardware, auto shops to lightings. You find them all at Balestier Road. 

Lorong Bachok

Just love buildings with the year of establishment clearly stamped on the roof top. So this row of shophouses at Lorong Bachok in Geylang was built in 1929 -- very pre-war! Thanks to PictureSG, I was inspired to visit the place to take a look at the shophouses there with their elaborate decorative motifs and tiles. There are no coffee shops there selling bachok mee... but a coffee shop at the end of the row, sells herbal turtle soup. Not my kind of soup though.

Some parts need a good scrub.

A very nice Sunday morning outing for many people, judging from the cars parked at the spacious public car park at Lorong Bachok.

Balestier Road -- up on the roof

Wouldn't do credit to those nice pre-war shophouses at Balestier Road if I don't show them close up. So I will definitely take more pictures soon. But I thought this picture taken from a carpark which is on a little hillock near the popular Boon Tong Kee restaurant offers an alternative view. Notice that most of the shophouses actually still have an old-fashioned chimney (picture left). The very modern chimney in the fore of the picture above, belongs to the newly refurbished  Balestier food centre.  BTW, the carpark offers free parking in the evening, so there is really no need to park riskily on the main road or side lanes (double white lines) for your favourite bak kut teh or roast duck.  Picture taken March 2014.