Nostalgic Coloured Photos of Former Chong Pang Village
Chong Pang, the name of a bustling neigbourhood at Yishun, reminds the older generation of Singaporeans of another lively village of the same name, a forgotten one that used to exist near the...
View ArticleThe Architectural Legacy of Pearl Bank Apartments
Located on top of Pearl’s Hill, the Pearl Bank Apartments was built in 1976, and designed by local architect Tan Cheng Siong in a unique horseshoe shape when viewed from the above. At 113m tall, the...
View ArticleFrom Nee Soon Village to Springleaf Park
Taking a stroll at the quiet tranquil Springleaf Park today, it is difficult to imagine that 30 years ago, this place was a bustling centre of activities. The well-known Nee Soon Village had once...
View ArticleSingapore Bicentennial 2019 – A Note to Remember
The Singapore Bicentennial commemorative $20 note was launched in June 2019, marking Singapore’s long 200 years of journey in becoming a vibrant city and a nation. It also pays tribute to the many...
View ArticleThe Charms of Wessex Estate’s Black and White Houses
Even as the rapid development of the one-north biomedical, media and other engineering industries creep towards its doorstep, a walk around Wessex Estate, off Portsdown Road, still makes one feel he...
View ArticleJalan-Jalan in Singapore, 1980 Version
What were the fun activities during the school holidays in Singapore back in 1980? A news article dated in June 1980 provides some interesting insights with a list of 12 outdoor activities for students...
View ArticleA Historical Brief of Balestier’s Red Chinese Temple and Wayang Stage
The Balestier Road’s Chinese temple, albeit relatively small in size and stature compared to other Chinese temples in Singapore, has a long history that dated back to the mid-19th century. Named Goh...
View ArticleShining and Guiding the Way… The Lighthouses of Singapore
Lighthouses, typically located on islands and shoals near the entry waterways to ports and harbours, provide the visual aids and navigational guides for mariners. In addition, they also serve as the...
View ArticlePast and Present Cemeteries of Singapore (Part 2) – Malay/Muslim Burial Grounds
One of the early records of Muslim cemeteries was carried by the Municipal Engineer in 1875, when he was tasked to conduct site surveys on those burial grounds situated within and on the outskirts of...
View ArticleReminiscences of the Old Beauty World
Located at the junction between Upper Bukit Timah Road and Jalan Jurong Kechil, used to be known as the Bukit Timah Road 7.5 milestone, was once a popular market and shopping destination for locals...
View ArticleSeah Im Road and the Mysterious Bunker
The name Seah Im, to many Singaporeans, may ring a bell when they think of that popular hawker centre opposite of Harbourfront that serves delicious duck porridge, nasi goreng ayam and curry rice. It...
View ArticleGoodbye Sentosa Merlion
The only constant is change, and Sentosa is the perfect example. Its latest change is the closure of the Sentosa Merlion, which has officially walked into history on 20 October 2019. Come end of the...
View ArticleA Thousand Buddhas at Telok Blangah Hill
The Telok Blangah ridge area was made up of at least seven small hills. In 1845, Singapore’s superintending engineer Captain Charles Edward Faber (1807-1868) was tasked to clear the thick vegetation...
View ArticleSingapore Trivia – The Red Junglefowl of Singapore
The red junglefowls (gallus gallus) are frequently mistaken as domestic chicken, although they are truly the chicken’s wild ancestors. They belong to the pheasant family, which includes pheasant,...
View ArticleThe Remaking of Jalan Kayu’s Church of The Epiphany
The familiar old white building of the Church of The Epiphany, located off the roundabout outside the former Royal Air Force (RAF) Seletar (later Seletar Camp) main gates, had been demolished. An...
View ArticleWalking Down the Memory Lane of Margaret Drive
Margaret Drive was named after Princess Margaret (Margaret Rose, 1930-2002), the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II. Constructed in the mid-fifties, Margaret Drive was simply known by the locals as...
View ArticleThe Fate of Old New Town Secondary School
Opposite of Margaret Drive, at the junction of Queensway and Commonwealth Avenue (previously was a roundabout called Queen’s Circus), lies the former campus of New Town Secondary School. Established in...
View ArticleThe Hauntingly Beautiful Terrace Houses of Petain Road
There are more than 230 shophouses at Jalan Besar. The rich history of Jalan Besar’s shophouses ranged spanned almost eight decades, ranging from the oldest shophouses that were built in the 1880s, to...
View ArticleSembawang Hot Spring’s Long-Awaited Rejuvenation
The idea to turn Sembawang Hot Spring into a recreation spot started a century ago. Back then, there were already suggestions to make use of the only natural hot spring on mainland Singapore and...
View ArticleFrom Old Woodlands to New
The Woodlands of the early 20th century was an entirely rural area, filled with forest and mangrove swamps with clusters of attap huts, rubber plantations and farms. Over at Malaya, across the Straits...
View Article