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A bowl of Lor Mee set me thinking of the past ...
It's been decades since when I had Lor Mee 卤面 (the traditional Hokkien noodles in thick gravy with lots of garlic and vinegar) at Boon Tat St. Those were the days when there was a row of roadside...
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Pulau Ubin
Pulau Ubin is now probably the only rustic place left in Singapore. Even then, in terms of what I have seen and experienced walking in Ubin, the present state is a far cry from then. The romantic in me...
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People's Park Complex
On 12 July 2014, I followed Tony Tan's (of Betelbox Hostel fame) walk in Chinatown. He gave us a good narration on the People's Park Complex. This brought back many memories.I remember the days when I...
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Evolution of the makan (eating) place
A few days ago, as I queued for my favourite food, I could not help reminiscing the old times. These days, there are queues all over the place in any food centre (formerly better known as hawker...
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Kwong Wai Siew Li Si She Shut Association 广惠肇李氏书室 celebrates 140th Anniversary
Kwong Wai Siew Li Si She Shut 广惠肇李氏书室 (Guang Hui Zhao Shi Shu Shi) is 140 years old this year. On 19 Oct 14, the Association celebrates its 140th anniversary at the Red Star Restaurant.Started in 1874,...
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The Goat has arrived, ahead of schedule
Or so one could say. Many believe that the Chinese zodiac starts on the first day of the Chinese New Year. But it is said that the change of the zodiac starts with Li Chun, the arrival of Spring, which...
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Fung Bo Bo returns to Ngau Che Shui (Chinatown) 冯宝宝回到牛车水
If there is one little girl who captured the hearts of the residents of Ngau Che Shui (Chinatown), it must be Fung Bo Bo. And we are talking about some 50+ years ago, when Fung Bo Bo, at the age of 3...
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From old schools to a hostel to a Senior Citizen Centre
I could still vividly remember the wake-up calls from the ringing of the school bell as the Park Road and Pearl Bank Primary Schools called their student to their assemblies to start the school day....
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What is a bowl of Yong Tow Foo?
Indeed, what is a bowl of Yong Tow Foo? One might like it, others might not. So what is it that one so likes it whereas the other might not?I was in this long queue for this, what I call the 1pm Yong...
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The Monkey has arrived on 4 Feb 2016 at 1756H
And so it is said. When it comes to the Chinese New Year, there is always the confusion when the new Chinese zodiac takes over. Mostly, the old folks will take the first day of the Chinese New Year as...
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Farewell to yet another kopi tiam ...
It takes us a while to discover a place where we would feel comfortable enough to decide that that would be our "watering hole". A place to sit, have a cuppa, and watch the world goes by. And yes, the...
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Reminisce: Growing up in Chinatown
To be exact, growing up in Tng Tiam Hung, the Hokkien name for Craig Road. And for us youngters, so long we could "pa pa chao" - running around in Hokkien, we were gone, only to be back during meal...
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Cloth or clothes
In the old days, months before the Chinese New Year, the then Chin Choo Pa Sat (the original People's Park before the current People's Park Complex) would be abuzz with the ladies going to pick up...
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Chinese New Year & food
One of the family memories of past Chinese New Years must be the Reunion Dinners. For many of us, greeting the Chinese New Year (CNY) is incomplete without enjoying the delicious traditional family...
View ArticleMove House
For some reasons, I was given a new blogspot and I am still figuring how to put them together.Until then, for new posts, please go to this...
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Our people, our heritage
Thought it is interesting to share here as we begin to become more aware of our tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Creating awareness is indeed a challenge, and requires much efforts by anyone...
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Remembering Seven Sisters Festival 七姐会
In early days of Singapore, in the Singapore's Chinatown, along the streets of Neil Rd, Kreta Ayer Rd and Keong Saik Rd, from the eve of the 7th Day of the 7th Lunar Month, these few streets would be...
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7th Month events in Chinatown
In local Chinese tradition in Singapore, the Chinese Lunar 7th Month is also known as the Ghost Month. The Chinese believe that during this month, the ghosts, usually known locally as the "Good...
View ArticleOld Chinatown
Thanks to Uncle Foo, I have discovered some great video interviews conducted by the Chinatown Business Association. For the ease to watch, I am linking the videos here. The interview was in Cantonese...
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Can you recognise this place?
[From the karang guni] Thanks to Victor Lim who offered me this photo from the karang guni (the guy who buys any unwanted things) man, as I was very interested in the background of this photo. Of...
View ArticleOld Chinatown: Continuing the story of the Charcoal Shop at 41 Temple St
Following the previous post on 5 Sep 20 (I insert here as well), thanks to Robert Chua, son of Mdm Kok Ying Oi (who is now 103 years old), he shared with me a link to another video of Mdm Kok in 2013,...
View ArticleOld Chinatown: Continuing the story of the Charcoal Shop at 41 Temple St
It is with sadness that I have to report of the passing of Mdm Kok Ying Oi (who was 103 years old) on 3 Oct 2020. I was talking with her son, Robert Chua about her, oblivious to the fact that just a...
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The faithful old bamboo ladder
If you walk along the streets of old Chinatown of Singapore, where shops are still thriving till this day, you might spot some gems of the past. This bamboo ladder was built to last. Still looks...
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Traditional Bak Kut Teh in Maxwell Food Centre
A quick translation of the text, thanks to Nicole:日本に比べると物価や交通费がまだまだ低いシンガポール。今回は５０シンガポールドルの予算でこの国のパイオニアたちがい築た街チャイナタウンに遊びに行ってみた。Singapore has lower prices and transportation costs than Japan. This time,...
View ArticleWelcoming the new Lunar Year of the Dragon
A new year, a new hope, a new aspirations. Singapore Chinatown is revving up with meeting the new Chinese New Year of the Dragon with sales of lots of goodies.This CNY video kind of give that...
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