signed up for the free Chinatown Heritage Walking Tour (Kreta Ayer) by URA & FOM... arrived punctually at 8.50am for registration and collection of audio kit that came with a one-ear ear-piece...
our host, William; witty, knowledgeable and had plenty of life stories about & in Singapore to share with us... also happy to find out from him that Kreta Ayer is only 1 of 4 sub-districts of Chinatown... means that there are 3 more of such free tour for me to sign up for!!!
Former glory : St. Andrew hospital
Current glory : The newest hype place with the oldest & still working electric lift in Singapore!!!
knew about it as it was trending online a few months back but didnt know it was in this building!!! only found out when i was doing this blog post else i would confirm go try it after the tour!!! Why William no tell us this?!?!?!
世界最远的距离就是我就站在你面前, 你却不认得! 😭😭😭
Current glory : Scarlet Hotel
Former Glory : A horse stable & its administration building at a time when horses & carriages were the main transport for the richie rich in Singapore
oh!!! the controversial samsui woman mural is here!!!
Current Glory : The Great Room
Former Glory : Eu Yan Sang Building
during their former glory days, Eu Yan Sang was not only the go-to place for Chinese to consult a doctor & get prescription, it was also the go-to place to help write letters and remit money back home in China...
William concluded his sharing of this 家喻户晓 brand which started in Singapore with "富不过三代"... i guess that was his take-away from the Eu family selling off the business and this building bah...
the top 3 business in this district during the early years were pawn shop, goldsmith & tailor
only in Singapore will one see on the same stretch of road, within 100m, a Chinese place of worship (Buddha Tooth Relic Temple 2007), an Indian place of worship (Sri Mariamman Temple 1827) and a Malay place of worship (Masjid Jamae 1826)
living up to "regardless of race, language or religion"
~ me is a proud & thankful Singaporean ~
@ Nankin Street, where the Hokkiens gathered
where Asian squat originate too?!?!
Current Glory : Yue Hua Departmental Store
Former Glory : Great Southern Hotel (Nan Ting Building)... think 大上海, think cabaret for the crazy rich Chinese!!!
Current Glory : The Majestic (Singapore Pools) 😓😓😓... why seh?!?!?!... a near 100 years old building worthy of conservation is used as a betting centre?!?!?!
Former Glory : The Majestic theatre (大华戏院)... i heard this name before from 蔡妈咪... it must have been one of her patok places... 😍😍😍
Former Former Glory : Tien Yien Moh Toi Theatre, an opera theatre built by Eu Tong Seng for one of his wives (he has 11 of them!!!) after she was denied entry into another...
the 2 hours tour ended at Sago Lane
Former Glory : 死人街 (sei yan kai), a row of funeral parlors with beds on the second and third storey for Chinese to live out their final days
enjoyed the tour tremendously despite being out & about for 2 hours in the hot humid weather that i hate!!!...
ending thoughts : conflicting emotions to see that these old old buildings are so well conserved with smooth walls & bright paint that they look like new buildings; felt that they no have the old building historic charm and feel... 😓😓😓
新加坡最不像 Starbucks 的 Starbucks?!?!?
i like that brown bag!!!
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