Singapore Food Trail: Reliving the good old 1960s once more

The Singapore Food Trail, which is a 1960s themed food establishment located at the Singapore Flyer, was one of the eating places that I have been wanting to visit ever since I have read Second Shot's post relating his experience at the Singapore Food Trail enjoying his first ice-ball in Singapore!

It was my good fortune to visit the Singapore Food Trail after six months of procrastination. The 16000 square-feet food-haven serving popular local hawker-fare was official opened on 25 Feb 2011. There were many times when I was so near to the Singapore Flyer but yet did not make my visit to the Singapore Food Trail. Admittedly, I had mistakenly thought that it was just a food court with a superficial 1960s decor.

Thankfully, I was proven otherwise during my first visit to the Singapore Food Trail on 2 Jul 2011. I was welcomed by a temporary outdoor opera stage during my visit. The Thau Yong Amateur Musical Associaton (陶融儒乐社) which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year put up music and Chinese opera performances that night and two nights before. I later learnt that performances and events such as the Teochew Opera staged by the Thau Yong Amateur Musical Association were part of the Singapore Food Trail's thoughtful efforts to recreate a realistic ambiance and atmosphere of the streets of 1960s.

Backstage.

A dedicated musician tuning a dulcimer (yang qin).

I thought it was a wise idea that the Singapore Food Trail invites worthy amateur art and cultural groups in Singapore to perform at its premises. Such efforts could help encourage these groups to continue their good work and passion in preserving important traditional art forms.

As the gigantic observation wheel moved at a distance, I felt time was spinning back to the post-war period when itinerant hawkers served cheap and convenient meals along the streets. Interestingly, Singapore Food Trail has creatively romanticized street hawking in many ways. Unlike the street hawkers of the 1960s, the hawkers of Singapore Food Trail have proper water supply, clean cooking equipment and sanitized conditions. What is more, the hawkers enjoy shelter from the rain and the sun.

Dragon Beard Candy.

To recreate the 1960s atmosphere, the stalls generally looked like push-carts and make-shift stalls commonly used during the post-war years. Secondly, the floor was laid with tar to give an impression of the stalls selling food by the side of the road. Thirdly, the management went down to the details by providing the stall-holders with older models of refrigerators to use. Nostalgia-evoking items were put on display at various sections of the food-street. I will give Singapore Food Trail lots of good scores simply for the meticulous thought that went into recreating the romanticized charms of the 1960s.

"Delicious" is the word to describe the food that I have had at the Singapore Food Trail. I learnt that the hawkers who serve food at the Singapore Food Trail were all specially hand-picked. Many of the hawkers have been in business for more than 30 years. In order to operate at the Singapore Food Trail, each stall-holder has to agree to the condition that only the owner or the owner's family members do the cooking. For myself, I am less insistent that the food must be cooked by the owner or the family members. What matters more is the good effort that goes into preparing the food.

Charcoal-grilled dough fritters for the rojak!

Interestingly, I learnt that charcoal-grilled dough fritters are used in the rojak dish served by Lagoon Kampong Rojak. This method of preparation meant that the dough fritters are crispy and chewy, minus much of the oily texture.

Colourful ice-ball!

I cannot miss checking out ice-balls. There are delightful treasures that can be found inside each ice-balls. Try eating one!

What impressed me greatly was the pride and dignity that can be easily seen on the faces of the people who prepare the food. Perhaps the ambiance of the Singapore Food Court has brought them to the good old days when the value of the food was enhanced simply because it was cooked with pride and mindfulness?

The Katong Keah Kee fried oyster omelette in the background.
Cereal prawns in the foreground.

The broth of the Sin Ming Road Rong Chen Bak Kut Teh is simply lovingly made.
On the right is the Old Airport Road satay beehoon.

Freshly-squeezed sugar cane juice in nostalgic looking containers.

My personal favourites are the Katong Keah Kee fried oyster omelette, Sin Ming Road Rong Chen Bak Kut Teh, Lagoon Kampong Rojak and the Changi Village Fried Carrot Cake. The sugar cane juice is wonderful too. Most of the other food are good too.

The night concluded on a high-note with the last scene of "The Fragrant Handkerchief" (折子戏：《香罗帕》). The last scene showed the male and female lead characters of "The Fragrant Handkerchief" finally getting married after several trials.

Although I could not understand the language that the opera performance was sung it, it was possible to make out what was being performed on stage. All that was needed was for the audience to pay attention to the music, the singing, the manner of recitation, the acting and the various gestures used by the performers (different mouth shapes, hand gestures, expressions in the eyes, body movements and steps represent different moods). The costumes and the accessories worn by each of the characters also gave good clues to his/her status and the personality.

The heritage corner.

In short, the Singapore Food Trail is one way to relive the good old 1960s. Good food, an interesting theme that evokes memories of the wonderful old days and a touch of sincerity in bringing its guests to relive the 1960s. These are the elements that will entice me to visit the Singapore Food Trail with friends and relatives for affordable food and a time for nostalgia.

Kachang Puteh (assorted nuts) that brings good memories of my childhood.

The adorable fortune-reading parrot found directly opposite the Kachang Puteh stall. It visits on weekends only.

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Acknowledgments: Lots of thanks to the Singapore Food Trail and Marina Bay Singapore for giving me the opportunity to enjoy delicious local hawker-fare as well as a wonderful Teochew opera staged by the Thau Yong Amateur Musical Association. Many thanks to Chloe and Jonathan from Select Group Limited for their hospitality. An extra special thanks to Ms Belinda Tan for facilitating the invitation.

I was very glad that I have learnt a bit about Chinese opera and have finally visited the Singapore Food Trail.

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Singapore Food Trail
Singapore Flyer
30 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039803

Opening hours:
10.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday,
10.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Description: http://www.singaporeflyer.com/food-trail/
Stall profiles and listing: http://www.singaporeflyer.com/food-trail/stall-profiles/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/singaporefoodtrail

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Thau Yong Amateur Musical Association

Description: http://www.chinatownology.com/Thau_yong_directory.html

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thauyong

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Related posts by other bloggers:
A night at the Opera by Jerome Lim
Nostalgia ++ by Leone
The invite and the Teochew Opera street performance by Leone
The amazing transformation!! by Leone

The Terracotta Warriors are in Singapore

This post is dedicated to page owners and fans of I Love Museums.

There is an noteworthy exhibition in Singapore. It is the first exhibition of actual terracotta warriors to be held in Singapore. These terracotta artefacts were buried near the tomb of the First Emperor of China.

In this exhibition, one can also look forward to appreciating bronze and jade items from the Qin state before the time of the First Emperor, Shi Huangdi. In addition, visitors could also view burial objects from the Han dynasty.

A replica of the bronze chariot discovered on the west side of the First Emperor's tomb.
The original chariots are  too fragile to travel.

This is a terracotta of a kneeling archer from the Qin dynasty. I learnt from this exhibition that archery was one of the 'six noble arts' as well as a basic skill that was required of all soldiers during the Qin dynasty.

Upper shelf, from left to right: Washer (yi), Kettle (he).
Lower shelf: Chu-styled vessel (ding), Steamer (yan).

A glimpse of the exhibition hall.

Painted earthenware depicting soldiers with shields from Western Han dynasty.

Compared to the terracotta warriors from the Qin dynasty, the burial objects from the Han dynasty was  more modest in size and in its design.

I sensed an obsession with the afterlife during my visit to this exhibition. The exhibition has also given me a glimpse of the culture of the Qin people. There are exhibition panels printed in both English and Chinese. Somehow, I felt somewhat compelled to brush up on my command of Mandarin and knowledge of Chinese history after visiting this exhibition. There is so much depth to the Chinese culture and history that I have yet to learn!

Due to time constraints, I could only have a one-hour quick tour of this exhibition. I shall make time to visit this exhibition again, and to attend one of the guided tours. I have always found the guided tours given by the docents to be enriching.


Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor and His Legacy
24 Jun 2011 - 16 Oct 2011
At the Special Exhibitions Gallery, ACM Empress Place
Opening hours: Mon: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Tue - Sun: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. (to 9 p.m. on Fridays)

Information on the admission charges is available here: http://www.acm.org.sg/visitor_info/admission_charges.asp

Notable People who are buried in Bukit Brown

What do the following Singapore pioneers and notable people have in common? Cheang Hong Lim, Chew Boon Lay, Chew Joo Chiat, Fang Shan, Gan Eng Seng, Lee Hoon Leong, Lim Chong Pang, Mrs Lim Nee Soon, Ong Sam Leong, Ong Boon Tat, Mrs Tan Cheng Siong and Tay Ho Swee.

You are right if your answer is that they are some of the many Singapore pioneers and notable people who are buried in Bukit Brown. The more interesting is that very often by taking a good look at the tomb-sites of these notable people, we could have an appreciation of each of their personalities, family background and ancestral roots.

鹿供乳亲. The story of Young Master Tan who dressed himself in a deer's skin so as to nurse the deer for milk for his parents. This was one of the many tomb-carvings found at Ong Sam Leong's tomb-site.

Following my previous visit to Bukit Brown on 18 Jun 2011 to appreciate the rich heritage and biodiversity of this intriguing place which I was previously so close to but yet so far away from during my countless bus-rides along Lornie Road, I visited Bukit Brown yet again. This substantial piece of land with greenery and a rich heritage is located immediately to the south of the Central Catchment Area. It is bordered by Thomson Road, the Pan Island Expressway, Mount Pleasant Road and Lornie Road.

Signs that point to the tombs of a number of notable people (e.g. Mrs Lim Nee Soon, Lim Chong Kuo, Lim Chong Pang, Cheang Hong Lim and Tan Kim Ching) who are buried in Bukit Brown.

My friends and I were very fortunate that during our visit to Bukit Brown on 26 Jun 2011, the Asia Paranormal Investigators, supported by One° North Explorers, was conducting a free unguided tour of Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery. During the event, placards were put up at notable tombs to describe the notable achievements and contributions that were made by the person buried in each of these tombs.

One of the tiles that tells a story. The peacock symbolizes beauty and dignity.
(Source: "Spaces of the Dead: A Case from the Living")

Lee Hoon Leong

Curiosity insisted that we visit the tomb-site of Lee Hoon Leong (1879 - 1942). He is the grandfather of Lee Kuan Yew. According to wikipedia, Lee Hoon Leong gave Lee Kuan Yew the name "Harry" in addition to the Chinese name. From the placards put up by API, I learnt that the death year of Lee Hoon Leong was based on the Japanese Koki calendar. The Japanese Koki year starts from 660 BC "when the first Japanese Emperor Jimmu ascended the throne".

Tomb of Lee Hoon Leong. Grandfather of Lee Kuan Yew.

Fang Shan

We observed that different calendar systems were used to denote the date that a deceased had passed away.  At the tomb of Fang Shan, possibly one of the oldest, if not the oldest, graves in Singapore, the calendar system used was that based on the year of reign of one of the Chinese Emperors, Qing Emperor Daoguang. Fang Shan died in 1833 and his grave is looked after by the Fang Shee Association. The tomb was relocated to Bukit Brown in 1941.

Fang Shan's tomb. Possibly the oldest grave in Singapore.

Chew Boon Lay

One of my friends requested that we visit the tomb of Chew Boon Lay (1852 - 1933) to pay our respect to this notable person. From the design of his grave, he appeared to be a man who was modest and simple. When I chanced upon the one of the webpages of ONE @ Boon Lay, I learnt that Chew Boon Lay was considered a low-keyed person who was a devoted husband and doting father. He was a successful business man who owned large pieces of land in Jurong. The Boon Lay housing estate and the Boon Lay MRT station were named after him.

Chew Boon Lay's final resting place.

Gan Eng Seng

Students, alumni and staff of Gan Eng Seng School may like to learn that the benefactor, Gan Eng Seng (1844 - 1899), whom their school was subsequently named after is resting in peace in Bukit Brown. Gan Eng Seng established the Anglo-Chinese Free School in 1885 in some shop-houses in Telok Ayer Street to offer free education to the children from low-income families. Gan Eng Seng continued to maintain his support to the school with gifts of freehold property and funding until his demise. The school that was set up was later named after its founder, Gan Eng Seng. I was inspired to learn about the value of active citizenship that was upheld by Gan Eng Seng. His tomb appeared modest yet dignified.

Remembering Gan Eng Seng.

Ong Sam Leong
One of the most magnificent tomb-sites in Bukit Brown that we had made a point to visit was the tomb of Ong Sam Leong and his sons. This tomb that is said to be the size of 10 three-room HDB flat units is the resting place of the deceased notable Ong Sang Leong and his wife. Ong Sam Leong (1857 - 1918) was an entrepreneur who was known to have supplied the labourers for mining work that was being carried out by the Christmas Islands Phosphate Co. Ltd.

The grand tomb-site of Ong Sam Leong.

Ong Boon Tat
Ong Sam Leong's sons were buried nearby. One of his sons was Ong Boon Tat, who was one of the proprietor of New World amusement park which was previously located in Jalan Besar. Perhaps I had at one point in my life passed by Boon Tat Street fairly frequently, as such, I took some time to look at the dignified looking tomb of Ong Boon Tat when I was at Bukit Brown.

Ong Boon Tat's tomb on the right of this photo.

One of the notable living persons of Bukit Brown
Before my friends and I concluded our adventurous trekking and tour of Bukit Brown Cemetery, we had the privilege to speak with Mr Su. He is one of the caretakers of the cemetery. As best as I could remember, I learnt that there are nine hills within Bukit Brown area. Many of the people who are buried in Bukit Brown are Hokkiens. He seemed to be very well-respected in the vicinity and I could infer so by the fact that the occasional fluttering butterflies rested care-freely on him! Here is a special thanks to Mr Su for the invaluable contributions that he has made as one of the caretakers.

The dedicated caretaker, Mr Su, and his colleagues.

The future of Bukit Brown
In Bukit Brown where many notable people and the ancestors of many have found their resting site, there lies an uncertain fate. In late May, there was an announcement that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has gazetted Bukit Brown Cemetery as a site for development ('Bukit Brown to make way for housing', Straits Times, 30 May 2011).

What will be the fate of Bukit Brown? What would happen to the resting grounds of the 100 000 people who are buried there? Would the good values that are upheld by the notable people who are buried in Bukit Brown erode away if their resting places are removed as a result of the redevelopment plans? What meaning can we really derive if we as a community simply stay indifferent to let premium housing replace the precious heritage and biodiversity at Bukit Brown?

We, the community, can collectively shape the answers.

负米养亲. This segment of the tomb-engravings show the story of Zi Lu, one of Confucius' disciples. This is one of the twenty-four stories of filial piety. Zi Lu travelled long distances to seek work so as to provide for his parents. When he received his pay, he would travel long distances to return home, shouldering a heavy sack of provisions (e.g. rice and staples) for his parents.

In the meantime, if learning about some of these notable people who are buried in Bukit Brown has been interesting for you, I would strongly recommend that you could make a visit to Bukit Brown to reflect how you would like this place to be in a decade time. Please share your comments at this post.

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Directions to Bukit Brown (for your convenience):

Map of Bukit Brown: http://www.streetdirectory.com/asia_travel/travel/travel_id_17436/travel_site_1/
Bus services available:  52, 74, 93, 157, 165, 852, 855.

The bus-stop that is nearest to the entrance of Bukit Brown Cemetery Gate is bus stop #41149, opposite Singapore Island Country Club (SICC), Adam Road. From this bus-stop, walk towards Sime Road, walk along Kheam Hock Road until  you see Lor Halwa.

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The Map:
Special thanks to API (Asia Paranormal Investigators) for releasing the map of the locations of notable Singapore pioneers that lie resting in Bukit Brown. This map put together by API will be very useful for visitors who are doing their own Do-It-Yourself tour of Bukit Brown.

The rule of the thumb that I have found useful when making a visit to Bukit Brown is to always be respectful of both the dead and the living.

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Please also read Bukit Brown: a place with a rich heritage and biodiversity.

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References:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daoguang_Emperor
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Kuan_Yew
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gan_Eng_Seng
• http://boonlay.org.sg/roots-of-boon-lay/
• http://www.gess.edu.sg/gess/main/ganengseng.php
• http://www.preshigh.edu.sg/teachers/laick/Singapore/Historical%20Sites/S'pore's%20oldest%20grave.aspx
• http://www.gess.edu.sg/gess/main/gesshistory.php
• http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_848_2004-12-28.html
• http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1552_2009-08-28.html
• http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1461_2009-02-19.html
• http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1358_2009-07-13.html
• http://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/store/mli_viewItem.asp?idProduct=270 (Spaces of the Dead: A Case from the Living, edited by Kevin YL Tan.)
• http://china-corner.com/24fp/index.asp (Twenty-Four stories of Filial Piety.)

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Save Bukit Brown Online Petition

There is an online petition put up by Mr Irving C. Johnson to save Bukit Brown Cemetery, which is one of Singapore's oldest and historically rich cemeteries. If you care to support this cause, please sign the online petition that is found here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/bukitbrowncemetery/ (Please take note that after putting up your signature, the site may redirect you to a page to request for donation. You may simply terminate the redirection by closing the page.)

The precious flora and fauna along the railway tracks

Greenery, Nature and a romantic age of train travel through Singapore.

We have treasures right in our homeland,
So precious and endearing.
And all that it takes to find our treasures,
Is to look beyond the non-essentials,
And pay a little more attention,
With a dose of tender loving care.

This butterfly seems to be a Blue Pansy (Junonia orithya wallacei).
Photo Credit: Belinda Tan.

19 June 2011: On a very fine Sunday morning, strangers and friends who have never met gathered at Old Holland Road for a special walk to Bukit Timah Railway Station and to Hindhede Road. This walk, The Green Corridor Walk along Bukit Timah was led by Mr Jerome Lim, author of the blog "The Long and Winding Road".

Curiosity for the Singapore Railway Transfer Ordinance of 25 October 1918 and the September 2010 land swap agreement that was reached between Singapore and Malaysia had led me to attend a Tanjong Pagar Railway Station Tour on 21 May 2011. Then in the most pleasantly unexpected ways, I found myself travelling to parts of Singapore that were previously unknown to me.

Walking parallel with the railway tracks.

I visited several sections of the railway line and I simply fell in love with the beauty of the flora and fauna along the railway line. I did not realize that there is a stretch of uninterrupted beautiful green-land that meanders through my beloved country of Singapore. So, it is with delight and pride that I share with you the precious flora and fauna that could be enjoyed along the section of the railway track from Old Holland Road to Hindhede Road.

A bee that cheers.
Photo Credit: Belinda Tan.

Pure and white.
Photo Credit: Belinda Tan.

Morning glory.
Photo credit: Belinda Tan.

As I was enjoying the rejuvenating walk along the railway tracks, I cannot help but to have lots of respect for an amazing lady, Belinda Tan, who often bent herself down and knelt to the ground so as to capture the beautiful sightings along the railway track. It is with great honour that she so graciously and generously gave me the permission to share some of her photographs on this blog post. Thanks Belinda! I dedicate this post to you!

A fly that was enjoying a morning rest.
Photo Credit: Belinda Tan.

Doing my best to be a cautious and mindful member of the group, I stayed at least three-metres away from the railway track once I knew that the train would be passing by at any time. Maybe I was too conscientious, I could not help but to keep members of the group informed of schedule of the train. Safety is always first.

Along the way to the Bukit Timah Station, the group was very lucky to catch a glimpse of a passing train. The train must have powers to charm, doesn't it? When the train passed by, almost everyone wore a delightful smile on his or her face.

Bye train!

Mr Jerome Lim was sharing with the group about the old Jurong line.

Remnants of the decommissioned Jurong line.

During the walk, I was most curious to learn more about the Jurong Line which used to branch off at Bukit Timah Station. The Jurong Line which was constructed as an extension of the main railway line in the mid 1960s to serve the new industrial estate in Jurong. You could imagine that I was paying special attention to our guide when he spoke about the Jurong Line. For the rest of the time, please pardon me, my ears were listening to the wonderful orchestration created by Nature and all the living-beings in the untouched green-land.

A dragonfly which was pleased with its home along the railway line.
Photo Credit: Belinda Tan

I realized that I need a crash course in flora and fauna of Singapore.
Photo Credit: Belinda Tan.

A brick bridge that was built for the train to pass over the canal.
Photo Credit: Belinda Tan.

Interestingly, while my group-mate, Belinda, was paying attention to the minute details found on the leaves and bushes, I was focusing on the trees that grew tall and sturdy along the sides of the railway tracks. What we do have in common is our appreciation for Nature.

Bukit Timah Station.

The Truss Bridge.

As I trekked along the sides of the railway track whose fate from 1 July 2011 is still relatively unknown, I gave thanks for the opportunity to enjoy the therapeutic and refreshing walk along a stretch of the uninterrupted green-land. I have no idea if my descendants would ever get a chance to walk along this similar stretch of green-land like I did. I hope that they will.

Waking up early to walk at least three kilometres along the railway tracks has its rewards. When we were at Hindhede Road, we caught sight of yet another passing train!

The steel girder bridge at Hindhede Road.
Please read Jerome Lim's post on this section of the railway line.

If this post of the precious flora and fauna found along the railway line has enticed you in some ways, I would strongly encourage you to go for one of the Green Corridor walks. Then you can be in a much better position to decide for yourself if you would find it meaningful and worthwhile to support The Green Corridor Proposal to preserve the railway land as a green corridor based on environmental, social, recreational and historical benefits.

To find out more, please visit: http://www.thegreencorridor.org/