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 :)