'Sky River' clan association at Ann Siang Road

Nice red letter box belonging to the Thin Ho Association occupying one of the shophouses at Ann Siang Road. Members probably received mail from back home (maybe a place called "sky river" which is what "thin hor" means in Cantonese). These days, members probably read their mails on the phone. And oh yes, maybe read the newspaper too (as the letter box has provision for a rolled up newspaper to be slotted in). But I would imagine that in the old days, the radio or Rediffusion would be switched on, so that everyone could be regaled by the grand master of storytelling, Li Dai Soh. Or some Cantonese operas perhaps by Hung Sin Nui?  Or someone playing the er-hu?

Two more letter boxes (for different floors), and more nice tiles.

Amoy Street

A row of shophouses at junction of Amoy Street and McCallum Street. Gable ends (the little "knob" or mound you see on the apex of the gable) always hold some interest for me. This blog, Anecdotes of old Chinese architecture in Nanayang, https://nanyangtemple.wordpress.com/category/2-visiting-guide/ gives a very good introduction to the different gable ends. Based on this guide, the one you see on the apex of the gable in this picture, would be symbolical of the wood element in Chnese fengshui, believed to provide some form of stability to the building and its occupants.

Once known for its opium dens, Amoy Street also had one of Singapore's earliest free schools. The Chui Eng School was founded by a Straits Chinese, Tan Kim Seng in 1854. It closed in 1954 but was conserved. Today, it is occupied by the Ju Chun Yuan Restaurant. Founded in 1865, this is the restaurant which created the famous Chinese dish, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall in 1876.

Geylang Road

Saturday late afternoon. The jam is building up at Geylang Road. The five-foot ways of shophouses are packed with people hurrying to goodness knows where. Maybe to choose the best durians. The stallholders there are doing a roaring business, mao shan or no mao shan. The crowds are in such a hurry, you can't even pause to take pictures. And the most peaceful spot to take pictures would be up on an overhead bridge. Not many people use the bridge. They prefer to dash across the road, from what I observed. Pics: 18 July.

Some old shophouses (which must have been rather low lying as you can see the mark left behind at the gable on the left) were torn down. New buildings coming up. 

Geylang Lor 15. No quaint charm. Only clutter. 

Some renovation going on here. Also Lorong 15,

Spruced up, these tiles will be quaint and charming. 

Telok Ayer Street

The Ying Fo Fui Kun (1822) at the junction of Telok Ayer Street and Cross Street. It is the earliest building by the Hakkas on the street. Telok Ayer Street was the main landing site for Chinese immigrants and was the original focal point of settlement in Chinatown. It used to face the waterfront. One of Singapore's oldest schools, the Gan Eng Seng School, started in 1885 at 106 Telok Ayer Street near the junction of Telok Ayer and Cecil Streets. The whole bay area in front of the Street is reclaimed land.   Pic (above) taken on 11 July 2015, while the three pictures below taken in March 2013.

Shophouses here are well conserved  and not given an "overly" hip look, if you know what I mean. I like that the Ban Choon Medical Store Pte Ltd is still boldly embossed onto the facade. When these houses were built, their width and height of each storey were restricted by the  length of timber beams available then, usually about 4.8 metres. This explained for why they have narrow frontages (but with deep interiors.)

Telok Ayer Street, a must walk. Nice mix of shophouses with interesting eateries, including The Muffinery shown in the picture (to the right, near the gable).

The Hokkien Huay Kuan at Telok Ayer Street. 

Thian Hock Keng, a popular tourist sigtht at Telok Ayer Street. Of course, it is not a shophouse, but I can't resist having a picture of the beautiful temple here. Built in the 1820s, the temple is devoted to Matsu, Goddess of the Sea, as it once faced the sea. She protected the sailors.