A visit to Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris

Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris.

It has been slightly more than two months since the opening of the private art museum Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris. This Singapore branch of the renowned private art museum opened its doors to the public on 30 May 2015.

I finally set aside time to make a visit to Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris on the weekend that had past. The word 'Pinacothèque' is derived from the word pinacotheke in Greek which means 'box of paintings'. I learnt that Pinacotheque take its name from the 'cabinets of curiosities' in which wealthy individuals or royal families would gather art and artefacts and display these treasured items in.

One of my favourite paintings in "The Collections" gallery.
Monet's "Suzanne with Sunflowers".

Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris showcases more than forty masterpieces from artists like Rembrandt, Picasso and Money in its Collections gallery. Stepping into "The Collections" gallery, I felt I had entered the modern place of dwelling of a person with a fine taste in fine arts. The gallery space is cosy and inviting. I love the idea of placing seats for visitors to take our time to appreciate the artworks while resting our feet. The artworks that were showcased were sourced entirely from private collections. These artworks were arranged not by when they were painted. Instead, they were arranged in a way that was said to facilitate visual dialogues between the artworks which elicit the common themes and connections between the artworks.

I learnt that this approach of curating art is the signature "transversality" approach of Marc Restellini, founder of Pinacothèque de Paris and Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris. It took me quite a while to appreciate that this curatorial approach is a style of curating art which transcends time and genres to draw interesting connections between different artworks. I quite like this refreshing approach as it got me to look beyond an artwork itself and got me to look at the relationships between the artworks on display.

A glimpse of the Heritage Gallery.

For people who are uncertain whether to venture into this private art museum, they could begin with visiting the Heritage Gallery which was specially created for Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris. Entry is free to the Heritage Gallery, and this arrangement goes a long way to show that art appreciation can be an affordable endeavour. The Heritage Gallery traces Singapore's legacy to diverse cultures and civilizations throughout centuries. I could appreciate this gallery better when I attended one of the museum's highlights tour. Please ask about the highlights tour at the ticketing counter before you start your visit.

Last but not the least, in this cozy and beautiful space of the Fort Canning Arts Centre, is "The Features" gallery on the second level. Currently, the blockbuster exhibition on display at "The Features" gallery is entitled "The Myth of Cleopatra". This exhibition explores the origins of the myth related to Cleopatra. While I had left the exhibition still feeling a rather clueless about Cleopatra, it stuck to my mind that she was not a Egyptian yet she had ruled Egypt.

A few of the exhibits from "The Myth of Cleopatra".

Overall, I think art-lovers who prefer to appreciate works of art in more intimate spaces would find Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris a worthy place to visit. I would think it would be cost-effective to get an all-access pass and spend about two hours in this museum.

There are food and beverage establishments at the basement of Fort Canning Arts Centre in which Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris is housed in. These are:
- Fort by Maison Ikkoku which serve famed handcrafted cocktails and other dishes,
- Myra's, a restaurant serving Mexican, Indian and Italian fare,
- Giovanni L Cafe Deluxe & Seattle Pike Chowder, which serves chowder and gelato
- Brasserie Balzac, a French bistro

Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris also organizes art classes and other art-related courses to engage audiences from all walks of life. To find out more, I suggest that we visit the museum's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/singaporepinacotheque and browse under "Art Academy".

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Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris

Fort Canning Arts Centre

5 Cox Terrace

Singapore 179620

Nearest MRT station: Dhoby Ghaut

For more information, please visit:

http://www.pinacotheque.com.sg
https://www.facebook.com/singaporepinacotheque

My Queenstown Heritage Trail: The charms of the Queenstown Community

Tanglin Halt.

Special thanks to the civic society My Community and the Queenstown Community, I took part in My Queenstown Heritage Trail on 27 July 2014. This guided tour brought us participants to various parts of Queenstown including Tanglin Halt and Commonwealth Drive.

It was announced by the Housing and Development Board on 27 June 2014 that a total of 31 residential HDB blocks at Tanglin Halt Road and Commonwealth Drive will be redeveloped under the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme together with the Commonwealth Drive Food Centre, Tanglin Halt Market and about 50 shops and four eating houses in seven shophouse blocks in the Dawson estate. Before these huge changes will take place, it is worthwhile to make a visit to Tanglin Halt and Queenstown to witness its old world charm. One of the interesting aspects of the tour was that participants get to interact with a few of the long-time residents living in Queenstown.

The start of My Queenstown Heritage Trail at Queenstown MRT station.

My Queenstown Heritage Trail is a guided tour of Queenstown. These tours take place on the last Sunday of every month. The tours are conducted by volunteers from civic group, My Community. Each tour starts punctually at 9 a.m. from Queenstown MRT station, and is about two hours long. At the start of the tour, each participant was given a copy of the booklet titled My Queenstown Heritage Trail published by My Community in April 2014.

The former Queenstown Driving Test Centre. 15 Commonwealth Ave.

The first stop of My Queenstown Heritage Trail is the former Queenstown Driving Test Centre. The abandoned three-storey building was Singapore's second driving test centre. I learnt that in the past, due to the limited literacy level of the candidates sitting for theory tests at the driving centre, candidates had to move a miniature-sized car on a model in response to questions asked by the tester. As I looked at the areas nearby the former Queenstown Driving Test Centre, I realized that Queenstown has changed a lot since my last stopover at Queenstown MRT station many years ago.

The site of the former Queenstown Cinema and Bowling Alley.

The next stop was the site of the former Queenstown Cinema and Bowling Alley. As I do not have much memories of Queenstown, I could hardly imagine how it looked like in the past. Thankfully, the booklet that I was given at the start of the tour gave me clues of how this site had used to look like before the complex was demolished in 2013.

38 Commonwealth Avenue.
The former Commonwealth Avenue Wet Market.

The tour also brought us to the former Commonwealth Wet Market. I learnt that this building is the only remaining building that was designed by the Singapore Improvement Trust as a wet market. This building has a distinctive parabolic-vaulted roof which allows for rainwater to drain quickly. I heard from a few of the tour participants that they remember eating chicken rice at the former Commonwealth Avenue Wet Market.

The Queenstown Public Library.

At one of our stops, the Queenstown Public Library, there were special arrangements made to visit the library before its operating hours. The Queenstown Library is Singapore's first branch library. Today, it can probably claim itself to be the oldest existing library building in Singapore. My words of appreciation to the friendly staff members of the library for giving us an insightful tour of the library.

The former Queenstown Polyclinic.

Nearby the Queenstown Public Library is the site of the former Queenstown Polyclinic. It was Singapore's first polyclinic. It looks clear that many social institutions such as the branch library, the polyclinic and technical school were pioneered in Queenstown, Singapore's first satellite town.

Stirling Road. The first HDB blocks and the HDB terraces.

The part of the tour at Stirling Road was one of the most interesting for me. I learnt that the HDB Terraces along Stirling Road are the remaining terrace apartments in Queenstown that are designed by the Singapore Improvement Trust. These HDB terraces were completed between 1959 and 1961. Nearby the HDB terraces, there are three 7-storey blocks. These are the first public housing blocks constructed by the Housing and Development Board. One of the residents, Mr Mahmood, shared with us interesting stories of the area.

Tanglin Halt Estate.

After a short stopover at the Queenstown Community Club, the tour group strolled across a pedestrian overhead bridge to get to the Tanglin Halt Estate. The Tanglin Halt exuded a charm that cannot be easily replicated by the new housing estates. While we were at Tanglin Halt Estate, our tour group stopped by at a traditional Malay barber shop and a hairdressing salon whose interior made many of us reminisce.

Inside the Malay barber shop at Tanglin Halt.

The Malay barber shop and the hairdressing salon at Blk 39 Tanglin Halt.

Also at Tanglin Halt, we had the pleasure to speak with two of the residents living in the area. They shared with us their experiences living in Tanglin Halt and about their thoughts of the upcoming Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme. I learnt from them how the residents of Tanglin Halt would look out for one another. One of the residents appreciated that she and one of her neighbours could choose to have their replacement flats nearby each other.

In the foreground, the remaining apartment flats that are designed by the Singapore Improvement Trust.

My Queenstown Heritage Trail also took us to the Church of the Blessed Sacrament and Sri Muneeswaran Temple. A few minutes walk away from these places of worship, we found ourselves looking at three-storey flats that are designed by the Singapore Improvement Trust. These low rise apartment flats will be gone soon.

Tanglin Halt Neighbourhood Centre.

The last stop of the tour was at the wet market in the Tanglin Halt Neighbourhood Centre. I learnt that one of the sundry shops, Thin Huat, has a history that dates back to the 1920s. The sundry shops looked well-stocked with daily necessities. It seemed to be a popular shop for the residents in the area to buy their daily necessities from.

Thin Huat, the sundry shop at Tanglin Halt.

The two-hour long My Queenstown Heritage Trail brought me to visit some of the iconic landmarks in Queenstown. I appreciated listening to the personal stories told by the residents living in the area. My gut feel told me that the residents in Queenstown have fond memories living in this housing estate because of the strong friendships forged with their neighbours.


My Queenstown Heritage Trail
The guided tours take place at the last Sunday of every month.
Each guided tour is about 2 hours long and starts punctually at 9 a.m. from Queenstown MRT station.
Guided tours are limited to 25 participants per session, on a first come, first served basis.
Tours are conducted in English and Mandarin only.
Participants are advised to wear comfortable clothes and shoes, bring along a bottle of water, and an umbrella.
To register, visit http://www.myqueenstown.eventbrite.sg or email myqueenstown@gmail.com indicating your name, NRIC/ Passport number and contact details. A confirmation phone call or email will be sent to successful applicants.
Free.

Also visit: https://www.facebook.com/myqueenstown,
http://www.queenstown.org.sg

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Also read:
Queenstown Heritage Trail by Sengkang Babies
Queenstown Heritage Trail - A walk down memory lane (Part 1) by Rojak Librarian.
Queenstown Heritage Trail - A walk down memory lane (Part II) by Rojak Librarian
My Queenstown Heritage Trail - Explore Queenstown and Tanglin Halt Historical Sights with Free Guided Tour (Every Last Sunday of the Month) by Zhiqiang and Tingyi (PassportChop.com).
Queenstown Heritage Trail by PChew.
Queenstown Heritage Trail on July 27, 2014 by Thimbuktu
Tanglin Halt Then and Now by Thimbuktu.
Queenstown Public Library by Thimbuktu.
What's Gone and Soon to Go at Margaret Drive by Icemoon.
Where was the Baharuddin Vocational Institute? by Lam Chun See.
Commonwealth Drive by Lam Chun See.
Gather Moments While You May by Lam Chun See.
Tanglin Halt Heritage Walk: Historical Photo Essay Singapore by AspirantSG

An exclusive roof-top access during the Ramadan Trail 2014 at Sultan Mosque

The Ramadan Trail organized by the Sultan Mosque is back again!

This year, the Ramadan Trail takes participants to an exclusive access to the roof-top of the annexed building. From the roof-top, participants can have a closer view of the Sultan Mosque's iconic golden domes. Participants will witness for ourselves the two iconic golden domes of the Sultan Mosque.

In addition, visitors participating in the Ramadan Trail will be brought to the ablution area to learn how ablution is performed. During the tour, one of our hosts gave us a demonstration of how ablution is performed. The key purpose of ablution is to cleanse, both internally (spiritually) and externally (physically). After the tour, I did a search on Google and found a site that summarizes the steps of performing ablution: http://islam1.org/how_to_pray/wudu.htm

This gentleman gave a demonstration of how ablution is being performed.

After learning about how ablution is performed, participants were led to the entrance of the mosque's main prayer hall. We had a good view of the mosque's main prayer hall. I noticed the carpets in the main prayer hall are new! Our guide shared with us the reason why male and female Muslims pray at different parts of the mosque. Our guide also gave us a demonstration of how prostration is being performed in Islam. During this part of the Ramadan Trail, our guide also gave participants a brief introduction to Islam.

The main prayer hall. Sultan Mosque.

A large group of participants at the Ramadan Trail, Sultan Mosque.

For the participants who have attended the Ramadan Trail in the previous years, the exclusive roof-top access up the Annex Building was worth waiting for. I appreciate having a closer view of Sultan Mosque against the evening skies. Up at the roof-top, our guides shared with us a number of the interesting architectural features of Sultan Mosque. One of the interesting features of the mosque is that the dark-green-colour base of the mosque's domes are decorated with the bottom of glass bottles that were donated by the poor. This enabled everyone in the community (the rich and the poor, the young and the old) to contribute to the building of the Sultan Mosque.

View of Sultan Mosque from the roof-top of the Annexed Building.

After the exclusive roof-top access, participants attended a brief presentation at the auditorium by one of the mosque's volunteers. The presentation highlights the significance of the month of Ramadan. I learnt that during the month of Ramadan, Muslims would take their meals before dawn and break fast at sunset. It is a common practice to share food with neighbours, relatives, friends and the poor during the month of Ramadan. During the last ten days of Ramadan, Muslims are strongly encouraged to take part in optional late-night prayers for spiritual benefits.

A presentation on Ramadan.

Concluding the Ramadan Trail is the experiential "Buka Puasa" in which tour participants could experience the breaking of the fast together with our fellow Muslim hosts and Muslim participants. I learnt that Muslims will break their fast with dates. So I was mindful to start the "Buka Puasa" experience by starting with a date. One of my Muslim friend who attended the Ramadan Trail shared with me that after breaking their fast with dates and some light food, it is common for the Muslims to go for prayers before taking other food.

Time for Buka Puasa.

I am grateful that the Sultan Mosque opens its doors to non-Muslims like myself so that we can learn more about Islam and the significance of Ramadan. During the tour, I noticed that we have Muslim friends who joined the Ramadan Trail too so as to learn more about the Sultan Mosque. It is heartening to learn that the Ramadan Trail is gaining in popularity over the years.

My heartfelt thanks to Sultan Mosque and the guides for the Ramadan Trails for the enriching and interesting experience. The tour helped me to better appreciate the culture and religion of our Muslim Friends.

Sultan Mosque after the sun has set.

The Ramadan Trail is open to everyone. This year, the Ramadan Trail will be held on 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17, 21 and 23 Jul 2014. Registration from the tour starts at 5.30 p.m. The tour commences at 6 p.m. Admission is free. It is strongly encouraged to book in advance. To do so, please contact Liyana at Tel: 62934405 or email nurliyana@sultan.mosque.org.sg

Sultan Mosque
3 Muscat Street
Singapore 198833
Nearest MRT station: Bugis



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Please find the following posts on my past experiences of the Ramadan trail:

http://oceanskies79places.blogspot.sg/2013/08/the-ramadan-trails-at-sultan-mosque-2013.html
http://oceanskies79.blogspot.sg/2012/08/the-ramadan-trails-at-sultan-mosque.html

http://oceanskies79.blogspot.sg/2011/08/visiting-sultan-mosque-during-ramadan.html

The Ramadan Trails at Sultan Mosque 2013

The Ramadan Trails organised by Sultan Mosque is one of the most meaningful tours I have been on in Singapore that enhanced my appreciation of the significance of Ramadan. When I learnt that the Sultan Mosque will be organising the Ramadan Trails this year, I gathered a few friends who were interested to sign up for the trail.

I attended one of Ramadan Trails 2013 on 2 August. The members of the mosque welcomed the guests with their hospitality and cheerful smiles. When the tour started officially at 6 p.m., I noticed that the guests who were attending the tour came from diverse backgrounds. A number of us were local Singapore citizens, others were Residents in Singapore, and there were also a number of tourists from other countries.

At the registration booth.

The tour began with a guided tour about the mosque's compounds. We were introduced to some of the architectural features of the mosque. The tour guide also shared with us insights related to some of the religious practices of the Muslims. I have gained a deeper appreciation and understanding of the Islamic faith thanks to the tour.

Also included in the Ramadan Trails was a presentation on what Ramadan was about. To the Muslims, Ramadan is the month in which the Holy Qur'an was revealed by Angel Gabriel. In the month of Ramadan, it is believed that every good action is spiritually multiplied.

During the month of Ramadan, all Muslims (except children, the medically unfit, those travelling long distances, women who are menstruating, in post-childbirth care, pregnant or breast-feeding) will refrain from food, drink and intimacy during fasting hours. Fasting begins at the break of dawn and ends at sunset. In addition, Muslims are to refrain from blameworthy thoughts and acts. The primary objective of fasting is to attain "God consciousness" and self-discipline.

The presentation on Ramadan reminded me that a lot of self-discipline and faith would be required to set oneself with the right intentions and frame of mind to fast. I left the presentation with deeper respect for the Muslims.

During the presentation, my memory was refreshed that in the month of Ramadan, we could greet our Muslim colleagues by saying "Ramadan Mubarak" which means "blessed Ramadan".

The Ramadan Trails concluded with an experiential and memorable Buka Puasa in which the tour participants could experience the breaking of the fast with the Muslims. I felt that there was an atmosphere of gratitude and humility when it was time to break the fast. As the participants shared food and break fast with the Muslims, I felt reminded of our shared humanity. The month of Ramadan possibly also fosters a spirit of empathy and shared humanity.

My heartfelt appreciation to the Sultan Mosque and the guides for the Ramadan Trails for the memorable and enriching experience at the Ramadan Trails. It was my third year attend the Ramadan Trail and I felt there was a lot that I have learnt nevertheless.

Ramadan Mubarak to our Muslim friends.

Sultan Mosque's Come Experience Ramadan Trails 2013

Last year and the year before, I have had positive experiences appreciating and gaining better understanding of the Islamic faith when I attended the Ramadan Trails organised by Singapore's Sultan Mosque.

This year, the Ramadan Trails are back again! I highly recommend the trails for they promote mutual understanding between the different faiths and cultures.

The trail includes a guided mosque tour (with a demonstration of the prayer), a presentation on what is Ramadan, and Buka Puasa (Breaking of the Fast with the Muslims).

Details of the Ramadan Trails this year: 

Mondays: 15 Jul, 22 Jul, 29 Jul 2013,
Wednesdays: 17 Jul, 24 Jul, 31 Jul 2013,
Fridays: 19 Jul, 26 Jul, 2 Aug 2013.

Venue: Sultan Mosque. 3 Muscat Street. Singapore 198833.
Nearest MRT station: Bugis
(Most likely tour starts at Annex Building.)
Registration between 5.30 p.m. - 6.00 p.m. (please book in advance)
Contact: Liyana at nurliyana @ sultan.mosque.org.sg or at Tel: 62934405
Source: http://www.sultanmosque.org.sg

Launch of the DVD: Eat to Live: Wartime Recipes

Many thanks to the invitation of the National Museum of Singapore, I had the pleasure to attend the launch of the DVD, Eat to Live: Wartime Recipes, in the morning of 7 Jun 2013 at the Gallery Theatre of the National Museum of Singapore. Member of Parliament, Christopher de Souze, was the Guest of Honour for the event.

The DVD, Eat to Live: Wartime Recipes, is commissioned by the National Museum of Singapore. It is directed and produced by local filmmakers Gozde and Russel Zehnder. The production is based on the book Wartime Kitchen: Food and Eating in Singapore 1942 - 1950 (2009, Editions Didier Millet Ptd Ltd and National Museum of Singapore). It reveals the practices of food rationing and the conditions of the unpredictable food supply during the Japanese Occupation in Singapore.

National Museum of Singapore. Taken in May 2013.

This DVD is a six episode documentary series. During the launch, the first two episodes of the documentary series were screened. Each episode features a demonstration of a wartime recipe by write and food consultant Christopher Tan. The food demonstrations were so well presented that I was yearning for food during the screening during the launch.

The Question and Answer session with the filmmakers gave me a glimpse of the challenges that were faced when producing this DVD. Perhaps one of the greatest challenges was finding willing and living interviewees who have experienced the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. I learnt that a few of the interviewees who had been interviewed for the book Wartime Kitchen: Food and Eating in Singapore 1942 - 1950 had passed on by the time the production team started filming for Eat to Live: Wartime Recipes. It seemed even more critical to produce this documentary series as soon as we can so as to document a turbulent episode of history for future generations to remember.

Watching Eat to Live: Wartime Recipes reminded me that my generation is very blessed to live in a time when there is generally abundant access to food. During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore from 1942 to 1945, the common people has to cope with food rationing and limited food supply. As I watched the documentary series, I feel grateful that I have everything that I need in my life.

Interesting, I realized that we in Singapore have been quite dependent on sources of food which are exported from outside Singapore. The documentary series reminded me that we as a community will have to start thinking about how we can produce sufficient food for everyone in a sustainable way. I realized that I am lacking in the knowledge and skills to grow my own food should circumstances necessitate it. How does it feel to be close to the land? How could I grow food crops such as tapioca, kang kong and papaya?

This is a meaningful documentary series to collect. It reminded me of the turbulent times that people have to overcome during the Japanese Occupation. I was reminded not to take food and the peace we have for granted.

I watched each episode of the documentary in the comfort of my own home and was delighted by the care and attention that has been put in to make this documentary series possible. I very much like the idea of the six collectable recipe cards of wartime dishes. These recipes would have been hot favourites for aspiring chefs who would like to recreate these wartime dishes. The wartime dishes that were featured were:

• Tapioca Vadai, 
• Kangkong and Sweet Potato Lemak, 
• Sotong Masak Kiam Chye, 
• Betik Masak Titek, 
• Lobster a la Bystander and 
• Baked Fish Custards.

It is fascinating to learn more about the Japanese Occupation by exploring the experience of food consumption during that period. With creativity and ingenuity, people have created interesting wartime recipes that kept them alive!

Eat to Live: Wartime Recipes is available for sale from major book stores such as Kinokuniya.

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Also see:
Eat to Live - Wartime Recipes By Yesterday.sg
Eat to Live: Wartime Recipes (Episode 1: Food as Power and Control)
Eat to Live: Wartime Recipes

Heritage on the Hill, 27 Apr 2013

One afternoon, I visited the Fort Canning Park to join the programme, Heritage on the Hill. This tour brings visitors to appreciate how Fort Canning Hill has changed through the centuries.

The meeting point for the tour was the courtyard of the Fort Canning Centre. Do you know that the Fort Canning Centre was originally constructed to serve as a British army barracks?

Fort Gate. Fort Canning Centre.

The next stop was Fort Gate. If you had participated in tour, you would see excitement on everyone's eyes. Our tour guide had a special key that could unlock a gate which would allow us to walk up to the second level of the fort gate.

Our enthusiastic tour guide shared with us the history of the Fort Canning Hill. This hill was known as Bukit Larangan (which means "Forbidden Hill" in Malay language) prior to the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. We learnt that the current name of the hill, i.e. Fort Canning Hill, was named after Viscount Charles John Canning who was then Governor-General and the first Viceroy of India. As I do not know much about him so I read a wikipedia entry to learn more about him after the tour. Viscount Charles John Canning seemed to be a diligent gentleman.

What has left the deepest impression throughout this tour was the beauty of the trees! Our tour guide lovingly shared with us insights to tree appreciation. I learnt about epiphyte. Unlike a parasite which derives its sustenance from another plant, ephiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically. I like the tour guide's analogy of seeing the ephiphytic plants that grow on each of the trees as plants that adorn and further beautifies each tree. 

I do remember the tour guide's sharing about the lighthouse (a replica of the original), the story of William Farquhar and more. However, what continued to stay in my mind was the beauty of the trees. Through the guide's highlighting of several heritage trees and many other trees, I could feel strongly the importance of trees. During the tour, I admired the beauty of the Flame of the Forest which is one of the heritage trees in the park. I also saw a magnificent Malayan Banyan tree and many other trees.

Flame of the Forest.

When the tour group was standing next to an Indian gooseberry tree (also known as the "Melaka tree"), other than learning that the fruit of the Indian gooseberry tree was high in Vitamin C, we also learnt about a popular legend of how Malacca has gotten its name. Malacca was named after a tree.

Through the tour guide's generous sharing about the features of the fig and the pollinations of fig trees by the wasps, I was further reminded of how intricate and complex Nature is. Seemingly small creature like a wasp could have such a vital role to play in the life-cycle of another living being, i.e. the fig.

I left the tour with more insights about the heritage of Fort Canning Hill. More importantly, it reminded me of the importance of trees. When the tour guide reminded us how interconnected we are to the trees, I could not help but recall an article that I have read via Facebook quite a while ago. The title of the article was "When Trees Die, People Die". So I shall end this post with words of gratitude to the trees in our planet Earth.

Thank you dear trees
For your beauty
For your timely shade that you have lent us
For the numerous gifts you have so generously offered us
Each breathing moment, shall we remind ourselves with gratitude
It was you trees,
Who have received the waste gas of carbon dioxide
And gave us the life-generating oxygen in return.

Ceiba pentandra. A "Kapok" tree.

Heritage on the Hill
27 Apr 2013, 4.00 p.m. - 5.30 p.m.
Meeting point: Courtyard in front of Fort Canning Centre
Please wear comfortable walking attire.

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More about Fort Canning

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Canning

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_8_2004-12-10.html
http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/docs/diy_guide/Colonial_History_Walking_Trail_at_Fort_Canning_Park.pdf

Nature Tours and Walks organised by National Parks

For more information on tours and walks, please click here.

If you find this tour interesting, please find more information on the free guided walks of Fort Canning Park by clicking here (see "Guided Walks").

Adventures on The Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail

Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre.

14 Apr 2013 marked the launch of the Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail. I felt thankful that I could get myself registered for one of the Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail guided tours that day. Before the start of the tour, I read through the first few pages of the Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail brochure. It gave me a better appreciation of the history of Tiong Bahru.

The Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail brochure.

The gathering point of the tour was at the Tiong Bahru Community Centre. I learnt that the original Tiong Bahru Community Centre at Eu Chin Street in 1951 was a converted stand-alone air-raid shelter. It thought it was a ingenious way of making good use of the air-raid shelters.

The Tiong Bahru Community Centre.
67A Eu Chin Street.

The first stop of our tour was Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre. The current two-story building was reopened in 2006. I had the pleasure to visit the Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre before the start of the tour. As I listened to the volunteer guide about how hawkers used to sell their food or produce at the Seng Poh Road Market which used to occupy the site of the current Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre, I was reminded of how much Singapore has changed over the past five decades.

Tiong Bahru Food Centre.

One of the stalls at Tiong Bahru Market.

During the tour, the volunteer guide shared that the name "Tiong Bahru" combined the words: "Tiong" meaning "to die" in the Hokkien dialect, and "Bahru" meaning "new" in Malay. I suppose this is an apt example that reflect Singapore as a multicultural society?

Participants who prefer to go on a self-guided heritage tour of Tiong Bahru will find the Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail brochure a wonderful resource that will lend insights to the etymological roots of the name "Tiong Bahru".

No birdcage was seen.

At the next stop, we learnt that on a small plot of land where the Nostalgia Hotel now stands, there used to be a very popular pet bird shop. Across the road, where the Link Hotel now stands, there used to be a coffee-shop named Wah Heng, where customers are allowed to hang their birdcages which they enjoy their drinks at the coffee-shop. What a unique recreation activity that people of my generation has yet to experience. During the tour, we saw a metal structure that would allow bird owners to hang their birdcages on. However, except during special events such as bird-singing competitions, the metal structure was generally empty as the pet bird shop and the coffee-shop no longer exist.

Blk 55, the first block of Singapore Improvement Trust flats in Tiong Bahru.

The Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail included a visit to the graves of Tan Tock Seng, Mrs Tan Kim Ching and Wuing Neo. I had passed by the hillock facing Outram Road and Tan Boon Liat building several times, and I did not realize that it was the resting place of one of Singapore's early pioneers! What a discovery I have made that day!

At a distance, across the road, is the grave of Tan Tock Seng.

Grave of Mrs Tan Kim Ching.

The tour also brought us to the site of the former Institute of Health and the former site of the Coroner's Court. We also learnt about the Outram Prison and the Outram Park Complex. Till now, I could not figure out why the Outram Park Complex was demolished.

Tiong Bahru Qi Tian Gong Temple.

One of the stops of the tour was the Tiong Bahru Qi Tian Gong temple. This temple is dedicated to the Monkey King. I am intrigued at how a character from a 16th century classic fable, Journey to the West, could earn the worship of the devotees.

Notice the architectural style.

My favourite part of the tour was when the focus shifted to the architecture of the buildings in Tiong Bahru. I learnt that the pre-war flats were built based on a modified form of a style known as Streamline Modern, which was a late development of the Art Deco movement. Buildings of the Streamline Moderne style can be recognized by their simple and functional lines, flat roofs, curved shapes and rounded corners.

Blk 49 Kim Pong Road. The road was named after Low Kim Pong.

While the tour group admire the beauty of the architecture of the buildings in Tiong Bahru, our volunteer guide generously shared with us the stories of some of the notable personalities whose names were remembered through the street names of the Tiong Bahru estate.

Blk 78 Moh Guan Terrace.

One of our last stops of the tour was Blk 78 Moh Guan Terrace which was affectionately known as the "horse-shoe" block. This block is the only five-storey Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) blocks in Tiong Bahru and was the highest in Singapore when it was completed in 1940. At this very block, there is a pre-war air-raid shelter that can be accessed from the carpark compound. I learnt that the air-raid shelter can hold more than 1000 persons.

Please take note that the Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guided Tour does not include entry to the air-raid shelter. To visit the air-raid shelter, please visit http://bit.ly/10GCoii and register for the bimonthly air-raid tour on the first Saturday of alternate months starting Jun 2013.

Blk 78 Moh Guan Terrace and the carpark compound.

Overall, I have enjoyed my adventures on the Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail. Joining the trail gave me the perfect excuse to walk for about two hours and I thought that this was an interesting way to exercise and to learn something new.

Seng Poh Garden and the Dancing Girl Sculpture.

Monthly Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail Guided Tour
There will be monthly Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail every first Saturday of the month starting May 2013, at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The gathering point will be at the Tiong Bahru Community Centre. The tours will be conducted in English.

There will a nominal fee of $2 for this guided tour and the proceeds will go to the Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru Citizens' Consultative Committee Community Development and Welfare Fund (CCC-CDWF) to assist the needy residents.

For more information and to register for the Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail guided tour, please visit http://bit.ly/10GCoii
https://www.facebook.com/groups/177683299032084/

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Tiong Bahru Community Centre
67A Eu Chin Street
Singapore 169715
Tel: 6223 0748, 6224 2967
Nearest MRT station: Tiong Bahru MRT station
(Within walking distance from the Tiong Bahru Market.)