Accidental Tourist of Singapore - Walk - 2016 - March - Dakota Walkorganised for Singaplural 2016

I went on an engaging SingaPlural 2016 Walking Tour around Dakota that was organised by the folks from Singapore Furniture Industries Council which was part of the activities for SingaPlural 2016 (http://www.singaplural.com/).

We were accompanied by residents (past and present) during the trail that is organized by Dakota Adventures, a service provider engaged by SFIC ). Jonathan who is also part of the SaveDakotaCrescent FB campaign also joined us. 

It was a wonderful time spent with the guides who shared with us their knowledge regarding the unique blocks in this area and I personally particularly enjoyed hearing the stories of the elderly folks who have been staying here for all their lives especially from Bilyy Koh who not only shared his stories of staying in Dakota but also allowed us into his abode after the tour. 

Some interesting facts/ stories shared during the walk: 

• Part of Kallang bigger estate stretching up to Guillemard Road 
• 4 types of blocks found in Dakota estate i.e. (1) butterfly block - one of a kind block that is not found anywhere in Singapore. You can see the unique shape in the photo of the maps shown. To ensure privacy for the end unit with adequate ventilation in the tropical heat. The middle area is always an open courtyard area for community gathering and social interaction. (2) 8 storey blocks - original blocks no. 10 and 20 with the kitchen near the walking corridor - idea likely imported from British and Blk 28 being the only block with a common refuse chute (instead of the refuse chute inside the house) and 3 storey blocks and 2 storey blocks 
• Designs of the blocks are intended to help residents to identify their houses with the old folks recalling their inability to go home as all the blocks look too similar to them (back then, there were no block numbers) with reported deafness due to old airport located close to the residences
• Unique feature of the area is that there is no void deck at the bottom of the block with various shapes like those of butterfly (not modular cookie-cutter designs of current flats) with many flats differing in height and shapes standing next to each other 
• Former namesake of the Hyde park of Singapore that was situated next to old airport
• Dakota was also the holiday zone back during British times with palm trees still lining the streets and named after the logistics airplane, Dakota DC-3 that used to land in old Kallang Airport nearby
• Previously one of the largest estate built by Singapore Improvement Trust back in 1958 (predecessor of our current Housing and Development Board) with some 20 blocks (now 17 are left) 
• Back when the old airport was still functioning, residents were woken up in the morning not by alarm clocks but by the sound of the Concorde plane landing at 6:30 am with the accompaniment of walls shaking and cups/ plates rattling
• There is only 1 Lift repairer in Singapore who is able to repair the remaining lifts in Dakota - he will retire once the last of the residents move out end of the 2016 
• Showcased Singapore's progress from slumps to 1st Pioneer HDB flat with its residents having been at least displaced twice due to the modernization of Singapore with many having first moved here after the fires in their previous abode in slums. This intention to move out the Dakota residents marks their 2nd exodus. 
• Mountbatten Pink comes from a story when Admiral Mountbatten who observed that the sunset color along the shores around the area and thought that ships will not be spotted if they were painted pink. ore info available via Wikipedia. Incidentally, Admiral Mountbatten had accepted the Japanese surrender after WWII - more info here 

P.S. With the upcoming uncertainty behind the fate of this lovely quaint estate, there is a social movement to lend a voice to everyone who wants this unique location to be preserved for future generations so head down to Dakota and join the SaveDakotaCrescent FB campaign. More about this is reported here 

Till the next time, keep exploring! 

Accidental Tourist of Singapore - 2016 - Celebrate Monuments! The Fullerton Hotel Tour: 9 January 2016

Newly minted 71^st National Monument of Singapore, Fullerton Hotel opened its doors to a group of us fortunate enough to take part in its inaugural Celebrate Monuments! tour on 9 January 2015.

Before becoming a now world famous luxury hotel, this National Monument was originally a public institution known as the Fullerton Building. Named after the then-governor of the Straits Settlement that included Singapore, Penang and Malacca, this now 91 year old grand dame stands at 36.6m high occupying some 41,000 square meters of prime land with Singapore’s then seafront (now Marina Bay area) is done with 3.5m bricks in neoclassical style by Keyes and Dowdeswell, a Shanghai-based architectural firm (who incidentally won an architectural competition for the project).

This building has seen Singapore from its earlier days with the northern end of the building covering the site of old Fort Fullerton, built back in 1829 to defend the Straits Settlement against any naval attacks. This was also the location where a sandstone monolith, the Singapore Stone, was discovered with an inscription potentially dating back to the 13th century. For those interested, you can see a fragment of the Singapore Stone as part of the collection of the Singapore’s National Museum.  

The fort gave way to the first General Post Office that was termed by Joseph Conrad as the ‘most important post office of the East’ back in 1874. The Fullerton Building (known as the new General Post Office) was subsequently completed in 1928 and housed the Exchange, Chamber of Commerce and the Singapore Club. You can see an old photograph by clicking this link to the National Library Board showing the grounds back then: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/pictures/Details/8d4e60f6-4fa8-4b35-9654-5c261a2f7115.

The original entrance to the building was on the right side of the building (facing One Fullerton). 

Known as Mile 0, it was the nerve centre of Singapore in which all roads and distances in Singapore were measured as leading up to the Fullerton Building. We were told that the use of such reference dates back to the Roman times. 

The building bore witness to the World War II as a makeshift operating room for wounded British soldiers, and the location where General Percival discussed with Sir Shenton the idea of surrendering Singapore to the Japanese before it was the headquarters for the Japanese Military Administration. The Income Tax Department (starting late 1948), Ministry of Finance and the Economic Development Board later occupied it. The General Post Office was its last occupant until March 1996.

Its site was also used for election rallies from 1959 till 1980s – we were told that this is the place where the late Lee Kuan Yew made one of his many notable rally speeches back in 1980 stating:

Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him. Or give it up. This is not a game of cards! This is your life and mine! I've spent a whole lifetime building this and as long as I'm in charge, nobody is going to knock it down.

Source: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lee_Kuan_Yew

After a S$400million makeover, the Fullerton Building was opened as the Fullerton Hotel as a 5 star luxury hotel with 400 rooms spanning across 8 floors at the stroke of midnight on 1 January 2001. The designer and architects of the hotel had to accommodate detailed specifications that required minor alternations to the exterior and at the same time take into consideration the business aspects that required maximum usage of the space. The makeover was a success as the hotel was given a stamp of approval from the Urban Redevelopment Authority which awarded it URA’s Architectural Heritage Award in 2001, Singapore's highest honour that recognise the efforts of owners, architects, engineers, and contractors who have gone the extra mile to undertake high quality and sensitive restoration of National Monuments and conservation buildings. Source: http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/publications/corporate/aha/2001/1-Fullerton-Road.aspx#

We had the chance to prod around the Fullerton Hotel’s Presidential Suite (which is the former card room of the elite Singapore Club) located on the 2^nd floor. Occupying a grand total of 2,142 square feet (normal hotel rooms are a pale 323-334 square feet), it has all the furnishings worthy of its guests (for which we were informed on a no-named basis, statesmen and dignitaries) with its white marbled flooring, private elevator, Baby Grand piano, two intricately carved solid wood chairs with inlaid mother-of-pearl, private study and bathrooms complete with Bulgari bathroom amenities. You can enjoy a night's stay at this Presidential Suite for a grand S$6,888. 
Source: http://www.fivestaralliance.com/articles/suite-luxury-the-presidential-suite-at-the-fullerton-hotel-singapore

This tour is part of Celebrate Monuments! by the Preservation of Sites and Monuments (PSM) Division of the National Heritage Board. Conducted by PSM Volunteer Guides, each hour-long tour is specially crafted to celebrate a milestone in the history of a National Monument. Each tour is priced at S$20 per person, and fully redeemable for food and beverage at any of the restaurants located within The Fullerton Hotel Singapore and The Fullerton Bay Hotel after the tour.

Hop over this link if you are keen to take this tour of its interior, exterior etc. and learn about its history from one of PSM Guide: http://www.thefullertonheritage.com/tours#celebratemonuments!thefullertonhotel

You will need to hurry if you want to book as this round of tours ends on 7 Feb 2016.

Other resources:

• http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_527_2004-12-13.html
• http://www.historichotelsworldwide.com/hotels-resorts/the-fullerton-hotel-singapore/history.php
• http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/fullerton-hotel-gazetted-national-monument
• http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/wise-sayings-lee-kuan-yew
• http://www.nhb.gov.sg/places/sites-and-monuments/national-monuments/former-fullerton-building

Till the next time, onto the world and beyond!

Accidental Tourist of Singapore - 2015: Raffles Hotel Walk of Fame 29 Aug 2015

I had the rare privilege of taking a walk around Singapore's grand dame, The Raffles Hotel when they opened the hotel for a walk designed as part of its line-up of activities to celebrate the Singapore's Jubilee Year. My good fortune as I managed to secure a place on its last Walk of Fame scheduled on 29 Aug 2015.

Gazetted in 1987 as one of Singapore's national monuments, this grand lady of the far east was first made into a hotel on 1 Dec 1887 by the Sarkies brothers who were Armenian hoteliers. The Sarkies Brothers were successful hotel proprietors - they owned Strand Hotel (Yangon, Myanmar) and hotels in Penang, Malaysia including the Eastern and Oriental Hotel.

The tour started inside the hotel lobby, which dates back to 1899. We were given many glimpses into rare historical facts of the hotel as we walked through its ground such as:

• it being the first building in Singapore to have electric lights and fans.
• it was originally facing the sea which by the 1930s was facing reclaimed land.
• the name of the hotel was given during the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria of England - it coincided with the year the statue of Sir Stamford Raffles was unveiled at Padang in 1887.  
• it started as a 10 room bungalow before undergoing several renovations over the century into what we now see, a 3 storey main building.
• the main building was designed by famous architectural firm, Swan and Maclaren. This firm also designed other national monuments, such as the Victoria Memorial Hall and Goodwood Park Hotel.
• the main lobby was once its main dining hall, which converted to a dancing (and even skating) hall after dinner.
• the tiles that were previously in the main lobby are now displayed at the Tiffin Room and the Raffles Grill

  

• the now famous tag-line of 'Feed at Raffles' was originally coined by famous English writer, Rudyard Kipling who visited the hotel in its 1st year of operations. He actually said, 'Feed at Raffles and sleep at the Grand Hotel de l'Europe.' Grand Hotel de l'Europe was another grand hotel back in those days but in the passage of time, his quote was shortened to 'Feed at Raffles'.
• the famous Tiger incident in 1902: The real story is that the tiger escaped from a nearby performing circus and hid under an elevated restaurant with raised platforms called the Bar and Billiard Room although many would recall this story as one of the tiger hiding under one of the Billiard tables instead. Riding on such an amazing story, the hotel had, on the 99th anniversary, made a live tiger was part of the hotel's celebrations in 1986 to coincide with the lunar new year of the tiger.
• The story of how the silver beef wagon in Raffles Grill was buried by the staff of Raffles during the Second World War in order to preserve it from the enemies and we were allowed to admire its beautiful silver in pristine condition.
• I learned that the Raffles gift shop was once the Horse stables as the guide said that a skeleton of horse was found on the location during the hotel's restoration.
• The origins of the signature cocktail of Raffles Hotel (and a key drink for those visitors to Singapore), the Singapore Sling. It was concocted back in 1915 by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon, a Hainanese bar captain for the ladies who were not allowed to drink alcohol in public. That gave a reason for why the drink is colored like fruit punch.
• Singapore's famous late Orang Utan, Ah Meng was chauffeured here to eat breakfast with the late Michael Jackson who visited Singapore in 1993.

My good fortune continued as I was allowed to go into Sarkies Suite, one of its 2 Presidential Suites where Queen Elizabeth II and Michael Jackson may have resided when they were in Singapore. I and the rest on the tour, wooed and wowed at all the beautiful furnishings (including the original carpet that lined the main dining (now lobby)) and ornate pieces of furniture and marveled at our good fortune to have visited this room which would have cost around S$1,300 to stay each night.

The tour ended at the Hotel's Hall of Fame, where the photographs of famous personalities like Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor, Somerset Maugham, Prince William and its original visionary owners, the Sarkies Brothers, hang proudly on the wall.  

You can :

• get more facts and figures about this grand dame at http://www.nhb.gov.sg/places/sites-and-monuments/national-monuments/raffles-hotel
• access a Youtube video on this tour here.

Till the next time, onto the world and beyond!

Accidental Tourist - 2015 - Treetop walk

Walking in Singapore is best done in early morning or late evening when the temperature becomes more bearable even though humidity remains a constant 90% throughout the entire day (and night). But to venture to Treetop walk at Macritchie, I had to brave the afternoon sun as the trail closes by 5pm. I chose to access the trail from Venus Drive, off Upper Thomson Road - frankly because it was a shorter trail (2.5km) vs. the other access point which is another 2km away. Walking can be therapeutic as you only need your physical body to get you ahead. For me, this is one activity that can be an enjoyable activity even if I do it alone. In this area, you almost feel like you are at one with nature with birds chirping and crickets sounds surrounding you the whole way. When I was up on the walkway, it was literally a bird's eye view as you are above the canopy of trees with a panoramic view of the nearby Upper Peirce Reservoir.  

“The TreeTop Walk is accessible from MacRitchie Reservoir Park via MacRitchie Nature Trail or from Venus Drive, off Upper Thomson Road. The distance to the entrance of the TreeTop Walk is approximately 4.5 km (1.5 – 2 hour walk) from the reservoir park and 2.5 km (45 mins – 1 hr walk) from the carpark at Venus Drive. Therefore, a round trip including the TreeTop Walk is about 7 to 10 km (3-5 hours depending on your walking pace).”
There will be a one-way system on the Tree Top Walk. That is, visitors can only enter from the Bukit Peirce entrance (via Peirce Track). Walking towards Bukit Kalang, visitors will exit along the Petaling Trail. 
More FAQs about the Walk on the NParks website. 

Till the next time, into the world and beyond! 

Accidental Tourist - 2014 Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk - Tiong Bahru walk

This is the 2nd photowalk that I managed to do over the past few months to continue shooting in my little island - the previous walk is captured in my earlier blog entry and now the "Scott Kelby Worldwide photowalk" held on October 11, 2014. 

This photowalk has a constant on my photo calendar having gone for my first worldwalk back in 2011: 

• 2011: Oct 2 - walk around Marina Bay area of Singapore - walk leader was Bernard Goh - https://www.flickr.com/photos/magtyfoto/sets/72157627682277461/with/6206379519/

• 2013: Oct 5 -  Civil District Trail of Singapore - walk leader was Wilson Wong - https://www.flickr.com/photos/magtyfoto/sets/72157627682277461/with/6206451967/

For Scott Kelby's walk, (Wilson Wong as walk leader) it was a nice little stroll around familiar Tiong Bahru neighborhood where I did several walks earlier i.e. 

• OH! Open House event in 2012: http://accidentalsingaporetourist.blogspot.sg/2012/02/oh-open-house-at-tiong-bahru-singapore.html
• Air Raid Walk again in 2012: http://accidentalsingaporetourist.blogspot.sg/2012/02/tiong-bahru-air-raid-walk-on-4-feb-2012.html 
• Escape to Nostalgia in 2011: http://accidentalsingaporetourist.blogspot.sg/2011/05/escape-to-nostalgic-side-of.html

Interestingly, there is a link back to my earlier walk that I did which I only realised now...there is a "Kim Cheng Street" (formerly known as "Kim Ching Street" in this Tiong Bahru neighbourhood which is named after Tan Kim Ching, who was a prominent member of the Hokkien clan back in 1800s. More info available here: http://tiongbahruestate.blogspot.sg/2007/08/tan-kim-ching-1829-1892.html. Coincidentally, he was the 1st leader appointed for the Hokkien Thian Hock Keng Temple that I visited for the earlier walk (http://accidentalsingaporetourist.blogspot.sg/2014/10/accidental-tourist-500px-photo-walk.html). 

Here are some captures of the neighborhood (and its resident cat): 

 More photos can be seen from my Flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/magtyfoto/15317716527/

Till the next time, onto the world and beyond!


 

Accidental Tourist @ Ann Siang

Had a nice romp around Ann Siang Hill with my very first Photography teacher or Lao Shi last weekend and I simply had a BLAST! Just back to basics and a whole lot of fun! 

Many thanks to my Lao Shi, Steven Yee (Photovivo; www.photovivo.com) for continuing to share your knowledge about the beautiful art of photography! 

Simple yet Impactful 

can't fail with Reflections!

Simple yet Effective

Can't wait for my next Architecture guided tour with him on this Saturday! http://www.photovivo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3919  Am sure that it is going to be just as fun! 

Some brick and mortar facts: 

• Ann Siang Hill, located off South Bridge Road, was the site of the house and estate of Chia Ann Siang (谢安祥; 1832–1892), a wealthy Malacca-born Hokkien Chinese sawmiller. 
• Located beside the former Telok Ayer Bay, it was one of 3 hills (the others being Mount Wallich and Mount Erskine which were eventually leveled) collectively known as Telok Ayer Hills.
• The Chinese used to call this area qing shan ting. The early Chinese immigrants visited Ann Siang Hill when they wanted to send money home to their families in China, as it was the traditional site of remittance houses.
• Letter writers and calligraphers also had their businesses at the five-foot way of the shophouses to help the illiterate immigrants write letters home. 
• Most of the houses in Ann Siang Hill and along Ann Siang Road were built between 1903 and 1941. 
• Ann Siang Road, which has elegantly restored shophouses today, was once the traditional home of clan associations and exclusive social clubs.

Incidentally, his 120 year-old tomb was only recently discovered in the greater Bukit Brown area by the good people at Bukit Brown.com (http://bukitbrown.com/main/?p=5085 and http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120923-373261.html) 

If you are keen to explore about this area, NParks has a beautiful walking trail map downloadable at http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/docs/ann_siang_hill_park_final_lr.pdf

Directions to Ann Siang
By MRT: 
Walk down Temple Street from Chinatown MRT (Exit A) Station - after you see Sri Mariamman Temple, you can walk towards the opposite road called Ann Siang Road

By Car: 
Won't recommend driving as parking spaces are limited and the traffic police lady is quite active in the area

By Public Bus:
Via South Bridge Road Nos. 61, 166, 197
Alight opposite Sri Mariamman Temple and walk up towards Ann Siang Road

Till the next time, onto the world and beyond!

Accidental Tourist - Singapore Walks conducted by the Original Singapore Walks

I discovered that an interesting way to spend the mornings in Singapore is to go for some of the morning walks organised by the Original Singapore Walks http://www.journeys.com.sg/ Their walks start around 9.30am and ends around 12pm. 

I got myself a 3-day pass at a discount of $78 (usual $90 or $30 for each walk) and went for 3 morning walks with them from Monday to Wednesday. It is definitely a different experience to walk around the city I call home and being able to act like a real tourist :) 

The walks are enjoyable as they are often history/ facts peppered with many personal stories that the guides shared while growing up in Singapore. As much effort and time was done to research the facts and plan the itineraries, I am obliged to not share most of their stories and routes taken but safe to say, I am extremely pleased with the coverage (both in terms of locations selected and stories shared during the walks). 

I would like to share at least 1  (un)known facts I found particularly interesting for each of the walks. For the walks covering Chinatown and Little Indian, it was revealed that the Indian community were first allocated the areas around Chinatown to settle as part of the town plan formulated in 1800s during Raffles time. They subsequently found it to be unsuitable for their main trade of cattle farming so they shifted to the current Little India site which was flanked by the Rochor canal and the Kallang River area. That is why the oldest Indian temple is located in Chinatown. The Chinese on the other hand first settled in Rochor area but relocated to Chinatown as they found that the soil was unsuitable for padi farming. For the walk covering colonial Singapore, an interesting fact indicated was that the Raffles Hotel is actually the sole remaining structure of what was once a cluster of bungalows set aside for European section of the Raffles town plan. 

As usual, some pictures of the places visited during the walks. 

Till the next time, onto the world and beyond! 

Accidental Tourist - "Can Survive Lah!" Tour with Gereldene Lowe

I was fortunate to walk with Ms.  Geraldene Lowe on her 'Can Survive Lah!" tour that focuses on Singapore's surviving but vanishing trades like Joss Stick Maker, Paper House Maker, Chinese Instruments/ Opera Shop Owner and Wood/ Seal Carver. 

Before joining her tour, I was definitely unaware of the existence of these men and women who have been working their craft with their families in the same trade for the past 2-3 generations. 

The Joss Stick Maker was one Mr. Amos Tay who is a third generation artist who makes intricately carved figurines and joss sticks from the cinnamon tree. His shop is located at an industrial park area in Ang Mo Kio. I saw him work his hands that transformed what looked like the 'modern day' "Play Doh" to a fine looking porcupine fish. On another side, gold colored paint was being applied by hand onto certain sections of joss sticks and I stood there mesmerized by the speed of the handiwork that is being performed before my very eyes. From what Gereldene shared, 20 feet tall joss sticks are now banned in Singapore due to fire hazard concerns. I was happy to see that they kept a 10 foot tall joss stick in one corner of the shop and quickly indulged in my photography passion. 

Free photo slideshow made with Smilebox

At our next stop, we walked down to a shop that does Paper Houses. I spoke to one Mr. Zhou who was kind enough to spare me some time to tell me a bit about the history of this place. Apparently he is also took over from his father and these paper houses are generally offered as part of the last journeys of a deceased i.e. burnt as part of the offerings. He told me that after the frames are assembled and tied by hand with each sheet of paper applied onto the stick frames by hand. Despite the labour intensive work involved, they can complete their usual orders in about 1 day! His sister then showed me a photo of one of their most elaborate pieces and informed me that the paper mansion complete with garden, forecourt, gate etc) took them longer - I think she said it was 1-2 months. 

Slideshow personalized with Smilebox

After a refreshing fruit juice stop at a fruit shop in a hawker centre, we were sped off to meet Mr. Jeffrey Eng (owner of Eng Tiang Huat, a shop who promotes and provides Chinese cultural products like musical instruments, opera costumes and embroidery work since his grandfather's time from 1937). Mr. Eng was affable and was deft in explaining what a Chinese Opera will require to put on a performance by using fake moustache, whiskers and hats. He even played some of the Chinese musical instruments like Erhu and Gong to show how the music complemented the Opera being staged. He was very entertaining with his stories and his shop is definitely a shop of treasures! 

Create a slideshow design

Our last stop for the day was at Yong Gallery in Chinatown where Mr. Tay (expert woodcarver/ seal maker) is stationed. With patrons like prime ministers, ministers, dignitaries, he is definitely well loved for his skills and handiwork. Fortunately for us, he was able to display his carving skills on a small Chinese seal in a work table located just outside his shop. Mental note to self is to make sure I get a nice wood carved plaque made by him for my birthday. 

Another free digital slideshow by Smilebox

I have certainly enjoyed my half-day excursion with  Geraldene  as I saw a side of my little island that I have NEVER thought to exist.  Geraldene Tours are definately unique and one of a kind and she has so many stories and memories to share that I will jump at another chance to go on her guided tour when the opportunity arises. 

You can contact Geraldene through the following means if you are interested to find out more of her tours: 
email: geraldenestorus@hotmail.com 
Tel: (65) 81551390/  (65) 67375250
address: 27 Oxley Road, #06-08 Orchard Court, Singapore 238621

Till the next time, onto the world and beyond!