Pulau Serangoon

Sungei Dekar, a part of the Punggol coastline

Coney Island had been opened to the public for about two months now and I finally managed to find a bit of time to visit the place. The place seemed to hide many secrets when it was still closed to the public behind its heavy metal gates, protected by CCTV cameras and concertina wires along its southern coastline. 

Before the island was officially opened, a couple of friends and I actually hatched a hare-brained plan to canoe across the waters of the Serangoon Harbour and land on the northern coast of the island to gain access. This of course never materialised due to the numerous logistical challenges like getting our hands on actual canoes, training to canoe over a distance with our gear on board and evading a possible tête-à-tête with the Coast Guard (since it was technically trespassing even though we had a plan to claim that we got lost on our way to Pulau Ubin if we ever got stopped.

Nice to finally be on the other side.

The entire island is intentionally kept in a rustic state with no power or water supply save with few (modern) man-made structures. Visitors from the mainland (Pfft. Mainlanders.) are either here to cycle, jog, hike or hoping to see the lone Brahman cow. On the other
hand, Urbexers would make a beeline to the abandoned beach villa which used to belong to the Aw Brothers of Haw Par Group fame.

As I trudged along the main path, cleverly named the "Main Path" (You have to hand it to the guys at NParks), I wondered if I had unknowingly walked into a SAF training ground. Everything around me seemed so familiar; the dirt tracks with sharp protruding rocks, tall grass with the occasional stalk of lalang, sand flies which seemed to bite with a vengeance and my nemesis, the Culicidae, otherwise known as the common mosquito. Given its proximity to Pulau Tekong, I wouldn't be surprised if the mozzies here had snouts that could pierce through a SAF No. 4, let alone my thin cotton tee. The only thing missing was the smell of "Pasta in Tomato Parsley Sauce" from the combat rations menu 1, wet feet stuck in Gore-Tex boots and the sound of my RSM barking at everyone to stop using CB leaves (or Simpoh Air for those who'd like to know the actual local name for these oversized leaves) for our field camouflage.

Fork between the Coney Island Main Path and the track which leads to Beach Area A

While I certainly enjoy visiting old buildings such as the Haw Par Beach Villa, I decided to just take a relaxing stroll today and take some photos of whatever indigenous flora and fauna that came my way.

There were more people (mainly cyclists) than any other form of life on the island and while it was nice to have company on an island that was off limits just three months ago, it was annoying when some cyclists zipped by with loud music blaring out of their phones. I mean, classy music is okay but seriously, who plays Celine Dion at full blast?

Changeable Lizard (Calotes Versicolor)

For those of you are keen on a nature ramble but haven't been to the island yet, don't stick to the main path like I did. This 2.4 km dirt track has little to offer in terms of scenery unless tall grass and sandy tracks are kind of your thing.

I made a turn at the fork to the broadwalk, which leads to Beach Area C, hoping to catch some a glimpse of the famous cow or some other local wildlife in action. And was I glad I did so.

I saw them from afar. A group of four, or five, I wasn't sure. The reflection of the sun gleaming on the water's surface made it hard to see how many there were, but one thing was for sure. I was fortunate enough to spot the island's resident family of Smooth Otters having a swim in the water off the northern coast of Pulau Serangoon.

Smooth Otter (Lutrogale Perspicillata)

One of them spotted me and started calling out to the others. I stopped in my tracks, hoping not to alarm them. Another, snacking on a fish it just caught, remained oblivious as the others started darting away in the water. I raised my lens. It continued devouring its fishy snack.

When I finished shooting this lone otter, I looked up and realised that the rest of the pack were some 50 metres away. This guy sent out a shrill call (as if to inform the rest to wait up) in the midst of finishing up its meal. I began to walk away slowly in order not to alarm it and a few seconds later, it disappeared under the water before reappearing near the rest of the pack. I never knew that otters could swim so fast.

Northern Coast of Coney Island.

Wild boars were also spotted before on the island, though their origins seem questionable like the Brahman cow. Did they swim over from Malaysia or Pulau Ubin? (Can wild boards even swim?) Or did someone introduce them to the island? Nonetheless, I spotted some fresh boar tracks on the beach, confirming that there were indeed wild boars living on Coney Island. This also brought to mind the stories I heard about the resident three legged boar named "Tripod".

Fresh boar tracks imprinted in the sand.

The rising tide was making it hard to walk past Beach Area D without getting my feet wet, and with the wind starting to howl in tandem with the dark clouds starting to loom above, I decided to make my way back to the west entrance of the island. While my trip was cut short by the impending storm, I was (like a MP) glad to have met a few residents of the island during my short walkabout.

I'm going to camp around for the Brahman Cow the next time I'm here. Who's with me?

Heritage Buildings of Tanjong Pagar

Last Update: 2nd May 2015

Note: The list of buildings in here are by no mean exhaustive, and I look forward to adding more buldings / photos / data as and when I have new information.

Tanjong Pagar is a real treasure trove for heritage lovers. Located near to the old docks, it was an enclave for the droves of Chinese and Indian dock workers who had flocked to colonial Singapore during the mid-19th century in search of work and a better life.

Before the intervention of the British, the place was known as Selintar and home to the Orang Laut of the area. It is assumed that the place was renamed 'Tanjong Pagar' (Cape of Stakes) after deriving it from the presence of numerous kelongs and their bakau (a common mangrove found in Singapore & Malaysia) stakes jutting out from the sea at the nearby Tanjong Malang promontory.

Some believe that the place owes its name to the many wharves in the area which, in Malay, is called dermaga. Alternate sources cite that Tanjong Pagar could possibly be a corruption of the earlier name Tanjong Passar (old British spelling), which was the name of a road that led from South Bridge Road to the fishing village.

Fairfield Methodist Church (Former Metropole Cinema)

Presently the home of Fairfield Methodist Church, this building was built in 1958 as the Metropole Theatre (金華大戯院), one of three famous cinemas in Chinatown. The other two are Majestic Theatre (along Eu Tong Sen Street) and Oriental Theatre (along New Bridge Road).

The 1,200 seat cinema (huge for its time!) is situated at the junction of Maxwell and Tanjong Pagar Road and screened Mandarin films predominantly. It was owned by the Kong Ngee Film Company, a film studio that produced numerous iconic Cantonese films in the 1950s and 1960s. Venus Cinema in Queenstown was also owned by the same company.

Rumour has it that two of the seats were permanently 'occupied' with the belief that they were haunted. Patrons who were unfortunate to be assigned those seats would be harassed by invisible forces throughout the entire movie.

Metrolpole Theatre was closed in 1985 and the building was bought over by Fairfield Methodist Church in 1986 for a handsome sum of 2.75 million dollars. The church still occupies the building to the present day.

Jinrikisha Station

Built in 1903 at the junction of Neil Road and Tanjong Pagar Road, the Jinrikisha Station was, as its name suggests, a station where one could hail a rickshaw back in the old days.

Its location was ideal for commuters travelling from the nearby docks through the adjacent thoroughfare that led to Singapore town. Such was the popularity of rickshaws that there were some 9,000 rickshaws manned by 20,000 rickshaw pullers working in shifts in 1919. However, by the time the second World War ended, rickshaws were phased out by government legislation.

The building was once used as a family planning clinic. It was also one of the first buildings in Tanjong Pagar to be restored by the URA in 1987. There are restaurants, shops, offices and nightclubs (the last one is a particular eyesore in my opinion) in the present building.

The pilasters, pediment, square tower and cupola facing the junction are icons of Tanjong Pagar Road and its surroundings.

Airview Building (Former New Asia Hotel)

The Airview Building was built in 1924 and co-owned by the Yeung Ching Foundation and Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital to fund the expenses of both Yeung Ching School and the hospital.

The building was leased out to New Asia Hotel in the same year and it was one of the most well-known hotels during that period. Owned by Cantonese businessmen, the roof top of the building was home to a reputable Cantonese restaurant where many wedding banquets for the wealthy were held.

The hotel faced stiff competition in the 1970s as several luxurious hotels emerged in the area; the facilities of New Asia Hotel paled in comparison and it ceased its business in 1974. The building was subsequently refurbished into a commercial building for lease.

Red Dot Design Museum (Former Traffic Police Headquarters)

The Traffic Police Office (then known as the Police Barracks & Traffic Office) first started operations in this building on 27 January 1930 after moving over from the Central Police Station on South Bridge Road. It took two years to complete the building after the tender offer from a Mr. Sin Tong was accepted by the government in 1928.

The Traffic Police would remain in the building for 69 years before they would move out to their new home along Ubi Avenue 3 on 28 November 1999; a convoy of Traffic Police motorcycles traveled from Maxwell to Ubi to mark the move. During their tenure, the building was expanded several times to cater to the increasing numbers in the Traffic Police force. The ROV Driving Test was also conducted here during the 1970s.

The office was once said to be in a 'shocking state of affairs' where touts and middlemen roamed to help people obtain or renew their provisional licenses. This was strongly criticized by a magistrate who ordered that the office be cleared up in 1953. Another interesting incident would be a burglary which took place at the office in 1959, where the thieves made off with $3,000. A police spokesman later described the stolen cash as 'revenue'.

In November 2005, the building was converted to the Red Dot Design Museum, which showcases innovative product designs and acts an event and exhibition venue. A respected German design institution, the Maxwell Road museum is the second such Design Museum opened by Red Dot in the world.

Nanyang Khek Community Guild

The Nanyang Khek Community Guild was established by Aw Boon Haw (of Tiger Balm and Haw Par Villa fame) in 1928. Aw was born in Rangoon to a Hakka family that originated from Yongding District (永定) in Fujian province.

Former Chinese Kindergarten and Primary School

The former three-storey Chinese Kindergarten and Primary School (星洲幼稚园学校) at 32 Tras Street was established by Reverend J.A.B. Cook of the English Presbyterian Mission in 1921 and the building was designed by Swan and Maclaren.

The foundation stone was laid by Sir Theodore Fraser on 22 December 1924 and it was declared open by Mr. Tan Che Beng, Chairman of the Board of Directors, on 1 July 1927. In 1991, the kindergarten was relocated to Jubilee Church at Outram Road and Club Royce, an entertainment centre, currently occupies the building.

C.K. Tang Corporate Office (Former Maxwell Outpatient Dispensary)

The C.K. Tang Corporate Office on Kadayanallur Street T-Junction was originally home to the Maxwell Outpatient Dispensary, which started operations on 26 September 1964 after its opening graced by Mr. Ong Pang Boon, the then-Minister of Education. It has changed hands a few times and it is presently occupied by the corporate office of local retailers, C.K. Tang.

Spiral Staircases

While certainly Instagram-worthy, unbeknownst to most, these spiral staircases allowed night-soil carriers to enter from backlanes to different levels without having to pass through the main body of the shophouse.

Waxing Gibbous Moon - 30 April 2015

Waxing Gibbous Phase. 30 April 2015.

The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life, Central Bahrain.

Geocaching

Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which (most) participants use a mobile GPS device to hide and seek containers called "geocaches" or "caches".

A cache is usually a small waterproof container containing a logbook or logsheet and the 'seeker' enters the date they found it before signing it with their established code name. The cache must be then be placed back exactly where the person found it. Larger caches such as plastic storage containers or ammunition boxes may also contain items for trading like toys or trinkets of little financial value.

Geocaching may be either chicken feed or worse than climbing Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu, depending on what physical shape you're in. Some caches were pretty easy to locate and reach, like one we found etched between two signs, while others may be more of a challenge.

One particular geocache involved a bit of jumping (which I managed to do gracefully which prancing over a two feet wide 'longkang') and climbing before I could find it nestled sneakily under a railing which had been half-swallowed by a tree trunk.

As I removed it from its resting place, I found out that this particular cache was teeming with angry red ants, which began crawling all over it in an extremely disorganized manner, and common sense prevented me from opening it and getting a nasty surprise. I wasn't not even sure if that was how Ant-Man got his powers but I wasn't very keen on getting bitten by an aggrieved swarm of army ants. Besides, we have ample local superheroes like VR Man, Jenny Quantum and Chen Tianwen with his swizzling dance moves.

And so, like all responsible geocachers, I pranced back across and placed the cache back where I found it, but not before letting out a high-pitched muffled scream after a green crested lizard thought it was funny to jump out from the dense foilage at that moment.  

For those of you who are keen to try this activity out for yourselves, there are a few dedicated groups of local geocachers around whom you can learn the ropes from. I would strongly recommend reading up on the comments left by prior geocachers before you visit any cache locations; some caches may involve encounters with creepy crawlies like the one I had,or worse, may have already been removed by non players, whom the geocaching community call 'muggles' after the people who lack any sort of magical ability in the Harry Potter universe. 

Geocaching is recommended if you happen to have some free time; the sense of accomplishment after finding a cache (especially one that contains trinkets for trade) is unlike anything in this world. Maybe except for ice cream. Nothing is better than ice cream.

3 Shades of Green