Penang
 

 

 

 N 107       The Good Old Days in Singapore

Round about 2005 to get passport and visa became somewhat easier , so like many people we each  tried to get one  ( even then had to get help from a friend who was an officer in the immigration department ). And after some tiring efforts we got our passports.

About 2007 my youngest daughter and eldest  granddaughter were studying in Singapore. So we went to visit them that year. My eldest daughter who have more experience travelling abroad took us there . And so along with my another daughter and 2 granddaughters we arrived in Singapore for the 1^st time.

We stayed at the flat my daughter rented with her niece and 2 nephews  near Chinese Garden. We mostly cooked and ate at home and went out after lunch to visit places and go shopping. We had to walk some distance to the MRT station and boarded the train which is very convenient. I who don’t like to stand much always got a seat then, when some of us had to stand.

The train always announces the stations it is arriving….

Jurong East…. Bukit Batok…Chao Chu Kang …. Woodlands…. Red Hill….Yi Shun… Ang Mo Kio. The names got into my mind that they are familiar to me when I see or hear them to this day

We visited Singapore for 3 consecutive Decembers  staying at the   Chinese Garden flat ,and the last time in a condo my daughter own for sometime. The 2 granddaughters always went with us , so our company was made up of 5 or 6 people. So with that much people we were never lonely or desolate but merry and full of joy.

Needless to say we visited all famous places such as Sentosa Island, the Botanical Garden, and Bird Park. Back then Gardens by the Bay did not exist yet. The whole of Singapore and all places are all clean, modernized, and all signs of good  discipline can be seen everywhere. Even around our flat and every places we visited are all clean and trash free. Trees, and greeneries are planted everywhere to suit the eyes and also for eco friendliness.

The thing that inspired me most are the libraries. I said I want to see some libraries and I was taken to one. It is not Central Library but a district one. But even then I was amazed by its appearance and format. There is a glass waterfall at the entrance that make the place cool and catch the eyes. When we went  in we saw that all 3 or 4 stories are stacked with all kinds of books according to their subjects, on separate shelves.The place is air conditioned , the  floor s are all covered with carpets and there are comfortable places to sit and read. I thought , no wonder the people of Singapore are highly  knowledged  because the gold pots of knowledge, the books are within their reach. 

Our family like shopping much. But not for luxury goods. So we didn’t go much to Orchard Road, but only to other shopping malls, like Bugis Junction, Suntac City and Peninsular.I remember I went to Pasir Ris to buy some old books from the bookstore there. And I got some Reader’s Digest condensed book at cheap prices , ranging from 2 to 5 dollars . To buy a Seiko womens’ watch my daughter took me to Mustafa once.

When we went shopping after walking around some time I would get tired and want to sit down. In some malls there are places to sit but in some there are none. At these times I  mostly wanted to fall down to the floor and not  getting up again.Bugis Junction (I think )n is one of these malls with no resting places.

IMM is near our place and we often went there.As usual after walking around I would get tired and by this time we would ger hungry again. So we would file into fast food shop like Mcdonald and Fried Chicken. By the time to go home as I don’t want to walk the little distance from MRT to home I would insist on taking the taxi which is expensive.

In the mornings ,we sometimes went to Chinese Garden which is near our flat. It is a nice and pleasant place, where we can walk around, doing exercise, and also take photos.

On one trip we visited Malaysia and from then to Penang. This time only the 3 of us, we 2 and our daughter Pan who led us there. We took the crossborder train, stayed there 2 nights, visiting places and then departed for Penang by plane. It is a pity that we didn’t take the train  , so that we miss the chance to see the Penang Bridge.

Each time we visited Singapore we stayed 1 month. But because it is not our home and things like time ,money are limited  we have to come home when the time comes. Actually I don’t want to live there all my life, though it is modernized and everything convenient and clean and pretty. I am glad that I can visit it  sometimes.

I like to take photos to keep as a rememberance. Where we went , what we did , what we ate, who we met will go out of our mind after some time. What is left from the experience , from the trip will be left in the photos. Photos remind us of the past. So as I changed some old photo albums and rearrange  old photos the past experience of Singapore came back to my mind that made me produce this blog.