Gate Closed

When the clock struck 12 midnight the Hell Gate will be closed for another year so tonight many Chinese communities will bid farewell to all the good brothers and at the same times make the offering for them to return to their underworld. This year Hungry Ghost Festival took a new twist due to the pandemic Covid19 even the Getai Operators and Chinese Opera took to live streaming to their respective audiences and we hope that next year all will be back to normal, let us all chase the various Getai locations as well as the opera shows for the time being Heng Ong Huat Ah.

Maxwell Chambers Suites

Maxwell Chambers Suites was converted from the Old Traffic Police Headquarters from the previous tenant Red Dot Museum from 2005 to 2017 and the building was awash with Red. It was built around 1930 together with the construction of Maxwell Chambers around the same time. At that time the building is the home of the Police "D" Division fo the Straits Settlements Police Force Headquarters and their barracks with the corner served at the Traffic Branch and remain there until 1999 when the Traffic Police moved to Ubi Avenue. For those old enough that is where we took our driving test there commonly seen in the famous Morris Minor cars. Now it is known as Maxwell Chambers Suites.

Maxwell Chambers

A distinguished curved building along Maxwell Road and Wallich Street is known as Maxwell Chambers was built during 1930, for about 60 years it served as the Singapore Custom Headquarters for the processing of custom permits, collection of customs duties, and application for goods to be stored in the bonded warehouse located at Jurong Marine Base and Loyang Offshore Base, together in the same building are the  Maxwell Road Post Office and Film Censor Board.  The building was gazetted for conservation in 2007.

Asia Insurance Building

Once a mighty giant dotting at the waterfront now had been dwarfed by others within the vicinity, Asia Insurance Building was once the tallest building standing at 18 stories which surpassed the Cathay Building after much discussion with the Singapore Municipal Commissioner regarding the height of the said building which they finally agreed and was completed in 1955 at that time Asia Insurance Company one of the first local insurance company and back then I was only 7 years old. Being the tallest building back then when they saw a sharp rise of people leaping to their death which are similar to the Upper Pickering Housing Flats and in 1960 the top balcony was eventually closed to the public to prevent further tragedy. Then in 2016 is was acquired by the Ascott Group and renamed to Ascott Raffles Place and turned it into a service apartment than in 2007 the URA officially gazetted the building for conservation.

Siong Lim Temple

Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery (蓮山雙林寺) is also known as Siong Lim Temple (雙林寺) located in the satellite town of Toa Payoh the construction of the temple only begin in 1902 and completed 5 years later. This Buddhist temple was built by a Hokkien merchant a devout Buddhist, he had a dream about a golden light rising over the sea from the west and decided to build a temple, the original building was constructed by craftsmen from China with materials imported from Fujian. The building had numerous restoration during its rein and had been gazetted as a national monument.   

Mun San Fook Tuck Chee Temple

This temple had a 150 years old history and one of the oldest Cantonese Temple to date. It was founded by the workers of a brick kiln factory in 1862, now it sits on a 30 years land lease from the present government since 2009 with a renewal of yearly licence till end of the lease and hopes that there is a reprived to have it seek conservation status. It is famous for its yearly Firedragon performance from the Sar Kong Lion and Dragon dance troupe with a procession of it through the street around the neighbourhood. For those in the pioneer generation living in then Lorong 17 Geylang know as Yeh Par, is today Sim Drive. 

Marina Bay Sands

Built at a cost of S$8 billion the Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort sit on a reclaimed piece of land within the Marine Bay Reservoir and owned by Las Vegas Sands, open in 2010 exactly 10 years ago, it is the world most expensive standalone casino property and it was designed by Moshe Safdie Architects. The Sky Park is situated at the 57th Storey together with the Infinity Pool. There is the Arts Science Museum, with the 3 hotel towers towering at 55th storey high with a total of 2,500 rooms and suites and a Casino and shopping malls featuring branded names boutiques and F&B, and Sand Theatre.