Rediscover Singapore - Lorong 3 Geylang

Yesterday with a tinge of sadness, armed with the Nikkor 24-200mm on loan from Nikon Experience Hub I set out to record the last remaining 191 units of two-storey terrace house which was sold in 1960 with a lease of 60 years and is due to expires in 31st December 2020. The terrace houses were built to accommodate the residence of Kampong Kuchai which was destroyed in a fire in 1950. Most of the current owner had moved out and are letting out their premises to house foreign workers and other occupants who used them for religious activities the plot of land is slated for redevelopment with new public housing options in the Kallang as outlined in the master plan 2014.

Rediscover Singapore - Reflection at Bukit Chandu

Reflection of Bukit Chandu is a restored Black & White colonial bungalow closed to the battle site of the battle that took place at Opium Hill or Bukit Chandu as known to the Malays this is where the Malay Regiment led by Lt. Adnan Bin Saidi a man known for immerse leadership qualities and bravery, and is where they fought the Japanese who invaded Singapore on the 14th of  February 1942. The battle of Pasir Panjang was fought where 1,400 brave soldiers heroically defended the last stand against the 13,000 strong of the Japanese Army.  Today the centre is a place for visitors and tourists alike to reflect upon Singapore heritage and heroism with the presentation through artefacts, exhibits and multimedia to contemplate about our nation's war experience and to discover how far Singapore has come as a nation.   

Rediscover Singapore - Lorong Halus Wetland

Lorong Halus was once a night soil treatment facility referring to the bucket system used during the early years being processed here before the modern sanitation system, it was also the last disposal station for our garbage which was closed in 1987. During 1970 - 1999 the area was used a garbage landfill which covered an area of about 100 football field. Today the Lorong Halus Wetland was just a fraction of the original size roughly about 18 football field which in turn serve as a bio water treatment system and it serves as our 17th reservoir by damning up the Serangoon River now it attracts locals and foreigner alike to the wetland a long deep orange bridge takes visitors over the Serangoon River toward Coney Island, Punggol and Pasir Ris.

Rediscover Singapore - Pulau Ubin

This island lies in the northeast of Singapore it was simply called Ubin but the Malay named it Pulau Ubin which literally meant Granite Island. It is one of the last rural areas which is rich in flora and fauna and wildlife and also granite quarry,  in the early 1950 and 1970 there are about 2000 inhabitants living on the island but by 2012 the last headcount was 38 inhabitants. Present-day Ubin had been preserved from urban development and appeals had been made to have the Chek Jawa to retain its biodiversity. Today Pulau Ubin had been a tourist destination including the locals, there are temple, bicycle kiosk, a wayang stage F&B and mountain biking. For transportation on the island, one could rent a bicycle or hire a van.

Rediscover Singapore - Bukit Brown Cemetery

It was officially opened in 1922 in order to serve the needs of the Chinese Community for half a century before it ceased to be operational in 1973. This is a huge plot of land a total of 211 acres which belong to the Hokkien Seh Ong Clans. Bukit Brown was named after George Henry Brown who was a shipowner, trader, and broker in 1840. The cemetery was a burial grounds for most of the prominent and well known Singaporean in the business community, the plot of the burial ground was cut into two plots for the construction of the Pan Island Expressway the other is knows as Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Then in 2013, the cemetery was placed in 2014 World Monuments Watch which records global heritage site which is at risk of being destroyed. Before that, in 2011 the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announce the construction of a road and viaduct and it would build over the cemetery and some of the graves were due for exhumation for the project.

Rediscover Singapore - The Intan

The Intan is a private-owned Peranakan Collections Museum started by Alvin Mark Yapp and can be found in my neighbourhood in Joo Chiat. Alvin is an avid collector of things that got to do with the Peranakan Culture. His antique collection took him more than 20 years.  You have to make a booking in advance to view his collection with a small token after the tour you are invited to tea and some Nyonya snacks our photography group was host by him many years ago.

Rediscover Singapore (Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay)

Know for its performing arts centre located in the downtown core got its name from the nearby Esplanade Park formerly known as Queen Elizabeth Walk popular called Ngor Chang Chiu Kar, it occupies the site of the Satay Club famous popular with the older generation and was built from reclaiming the land from the sea and now formed our Marina Reservoir and the centre was officially opened by our President the late Mr S R Nathan in 2002, consisting of Concert Hall, Recital Studio, Theatre Studio and a Library at present they are building another waterfront theatre to be named after our telco company and will be known as Singtel Waterfront Theathre with a donation of S$10 million and will be open on the second half of 2021.