Happy 55th Birthday Singapore

We have come from this far since our independence day in 1965 when our nation was ejected from the Merger with Malaysia and at the stroke, at midnight we are celebrating our 55th Birthday without our founding father of this nation who has left us for a better place but we are still in safe hands with our 3rd and 4th generation leaders who will lead us into the near future for our future generation to come. THANK YOU,  MAJULAH SINGAPURA

Walk on by

Our new National Library was built when the old Red Brick Library gave way for the construction of the vehicles tunnel toward Penang Road onward to our Orchard Shopping Belt, immediately next to it at Bain Street our famous Bras Basah Complex which I had already mentioned in my blog. Next comes an old building was known as Ho Bee Building where we can find a Mcdonald Outlet and next to it is the old Odeon Cinema site been built into Odeon Tower and follow by Carlton Hotel.

Visiting another Sultan

As I turn left from Jalan Sultan and now approaching Arab Street there another Sultan this time is the Sultan Mosque situated at Kampong Gelam and also passed the Golden Landmark now known as Village Hotel. The Arab Street area is full old shophouses especially at Haji Lane, you can find all sorts of goods been retail there cater to the younger crowds and as I cross into Fraser Street at one time was full of old shophouse and residences and Garden Street which had totally disappeared which now stand Parkview Tower and Duo Building (a joint venture between the Malaysian and Singapore Government)

An date with the Sultan

Jalan Sultan had been referred to as (Tian Chia Wan) Trolley Bus Turn operated by the Singapore Traction Company (STC), there a couple of interesting building there Textile Centre, Sultan Plaza, Alsagoff Arab School, Sultan, Citygate, and at the end of it at Victoria Street is the Crawford HDB.

Venturing into Xiao Po Big Horse Road

From Fire City (火城) going passed Crawford Bridge and proceed into North Bridge Road (Big Horse Road) first stop is the North Bridge Road Market and Hawker Centre serving the resident for the HDB dwellers from Beach Road and also Crawford Court and also a very old school coffee shop in the vicinity

Crawford Court 

North Bridge Road Market & Hawker Centre

End of a chapter for Sungei Road

Freeze Ice Bridge (Kek Sng Kio) or Sungei Road literally started in 1930 it is a rent-free hawking area and the largest and oldest in Singapore. It makes its name in the early days as a place to trade stolen or smuggled of illegal or pirated goods hence the name Thieves Market they deal in all kinds of stuff which old, used or new household items and some even deal in power tools. I used to visit those shop dealing in motorcycle decals and accessories which was a hit during the 70s illegal for all hell-riding activities. The markets come alive during the weekend and public holiday and attracted local and tourists alike to explore one of Singapore pastime attraction. Everything comes to an end when the Government announced the site acquired for building the Downtown Line MRT Station called Jalan Besar instead of Sungei Road or Thieves Market.

Arab Street toward Lavender Street

Lies at the corner of Arab Street and Victoria Street is the new location of the Stamford Primary School whose original site is at Waterloo Street, next to is the Madrasah Aljunied Islamiah, Jalan Kubor Muslim cemetery which next to the Malabar Mosque. Hotel Boss is another new addition to Victoria Street along with the Immigration & Checkpoint Authority Building with ELD Training Centre as its neighbour.