Changi Village -- Enclave Where Languor Is Charm ▶▷▶▷▶▷▶▷
Wednesday, October 31, 2007Text -- Irwin Yeo
Changi Village sits, like a forgotten village stuck in a time limbo, in the Eastern corner of mainland Singapore.
Source: NParks website
Unlike the rest of the cosmopolitan island state, the slow pace of life in Changi Village is, in my opinion, a refreshing change.
While some may dismiss this as languor and an air of dismal, I see it in a different light. As Singapore pushes on at a frenetic, neck-breaking speed, we need a place to put our concept of time in perspective. And Changi Village, is that very place to provide us with a respite from worldly pursuits.
Food Paradise
Besides a relaxed atmosphere, it is an open secret that the area has lots of good food. Flanked by coffeshops, eateries and fast food outlets, the Nasi Lemak at the main hawker centre is by far the best. Hundreds throng the small food stall everyday, all for a taste of the scrumptious rice and side dishes.
The lip-smacking Changi Village Nasi Lemak
Source: TheAge.com
The place holds dear to me, for it is one of the few places I go to, to satisfy my gastronomical craves, espcially when late at night.
Besides hawker fare, the zi char at the coffee shop also serves great food, the likes of chilli pepper crab and tender venison on hotplate. If local savoury food is not to your liking, there's always Subway, which opens till 12 midnight everyday.
Road to BMT
Singaporean males who have to go through their Basic Military Training (BMT) at Pulau Tekong would be familiar with this area, which they have to pass by on the way to the SAF Ferry Terminal, where the fastcraft back to dreaded Tekong awaits.
Besides Tekong, adventure and nature seekers looking to visit Pulau Ubin (arguably Singapore's last bastion of unspoiled nature) also have to come here to take a ferry there via the Changi Jetty.
Conclusion: Holland V of the East
The area is often touted as the "Holland V" of the East, albeit with much affordable and heartland-style food and leisure spots. Naysayers may say the place is tainted with so-called "unsavoury" characters like transexuals, who have no qualms soliciting customers for sex openly. But, in my opinion, while there exist some black sheep within the transexual community, this is a rather misunderstood group which does not really deserve the bad light it has been receiving. The situation may be as such in the 90s, but today, it is a much cleaned-up Changi that we see now.
Changi Village -- Holland V of the East, albeit more for heartlanders
Source: Wikipedia
In short, visit the place for a short reprieve of the hectic city life that we are so used to leading.
By singaporeroads at 10:41 PM
Mohammed Sultan Road -- Clubber's Paradise No More? ▶▷▶▷▶▷▶▷
Text and Photography -- Irwin YeoMention clubbing in the 90s and early 2000s and most people would invariably utter these three words: Mohammed Sultan Road.
Source: StreetDirectory.com
The Happening Sultan
Touted as the place to go for uninhibited clubbing fun, avid party-goers made a beeline for its seemingly ubiquitous pubs and discos every weekend. Often packed to the rafters with such people, clubs even had to reject entry on extremely crowded nights. Drunkards were also a problem as people threw up indiscriminately -- at pavements, on pedestrians, on plants, at the pub entrance etc.
The Languor Today
That was Mohammed Sultan Road in its heydays. Today, the road cuts a different look altogether. With stiff competition from outlets like Ministry of Sound (MOS) at Clarke Quay, Zouk at Jiak Kim Street near River Valley, D XO at The Esplanade and chill-outs pubs like Timbre at the Substation and Brewerkz at Clarke Quay, lesser party-goers are making the road their default destination for fun.
Be it on the pavement or road, hardly a soul could be seen at Mohammed Sultan
A recent study ranked Singapore as the second city in the world when it comes to quality of nightlife and entertainment, a result which comes as a surprise to many, given Singapore's stoic and prudish image. The reasons offered by the market researchers were that many established nightspots in Singapore were of world class standards and had vitality and vibrancy.
In view of such strong competition, the clubs and pubs of Mohammed Sultan Road inevitably lost much of their customers to the newer players in the market.
The impact was significant. When this writer visited the road on a weekend night, hardly a soul was in sight other than a group of pub employees chatting and bantering. Traffic on the road was also sparse and there were quite a number of empty parking lots.
Many clubs which were popular in the past had also closed down and made way for other new establishments like Korean restaurants and cafes. Examples include the wildly popular Madam Wong and other smaller establishments like Samsara.
Many clubs have ceased operations and have been takne over by restaurants. Other remain open for tenancy
What's Still Hot (For Now)
At present, Dbl O (pronounced Double "O") and Butter Factory remain the last two bastions of popular clubs frequented by large throngs of people during weekends.
Dbl O is one of the last surviving popular clubs of the road
Clubber Sam Goh was not surprised. "The clubs and pubs here have failed to re-invent themselves in the face of strong competition, so clubbers would naturally move on".
Related articles
Uniquely Singapore -- A comparison of how Mohammed Sultan was like in the past
By singaporeroads at 10:13 AM
Mount Pleasant Road -- Singapore's Most "Spooked" Road? ▶▷▶▷▶▷▶▷
Text and Photography - Irwin YeoA Pleasant Surprise
Tucked right in the middle of the Thomson district, Mount Pleasant Road is distinctly tranquil, its serenity all the more remarkable amid the hustle and bustle of Singapore.
Source: StreetDirectory.com
A winding 2.4-kilometre (approx.) road which links Upper Thomson Road and the east-bound Pan Island Expressway (PIE), Mount Pleasant consists of a dozen colonial-styled terrace houses and two other organisations -- the Senior Police Officers' Mess and the Singapore Polo Club.
The Senior Police Officers' Mess (left) and Singapore Polo Club (right) are the only two organisations at Mount Pleasant Road.
Tales of the Third Kind
What's most intriguing about the road, though, is the somewhat eerie aura that it exudes upon nightfall. Flanked by lush vegetation on both sides, the single carriageway's only light sources at night are the dimly-lit streetlights, because the thick canopy of trees block out much illumination. This, coupled with the sparse number of buildings, houses and establishments there, make the place appear deserted and even spooky.
Without sufficient light and human activities (cars, people etc), the long, winding stretch of road does appears eerie.
Tales about ghostly encounters at Mount Pleasant Road has been aplenty. Because the area used to be a cemetery (called the Mount Pleasant Cemetery no less), sightings of wandering spirits and spectres have been reported.
Sales supervisor Lillian Goh, 37, recounted: "It was in the early 90s then. My friends and I were cruising down the road in a car when we saw a lady in white waving at us like she needed help. We stopped but the pale-looking woman refused to say anything. And then, in a split second, the lady started running off at lightning speed, and in a matter of seconds she disappeared. No one, not even professional athletes could run so fast."
Added Lillian: "We were all scared stiff!!"
Such ghostly tales have attracted the attention of interest groups like the Singapore Paranormal Investigators (SPI), who have organised many outings to the place, in an attempt to unravel the supernatural mysteries of the road. Results so far have not been conclusive but members do agree that the place has a "chill factor" which is different from other "haunted" spots in Singapore.
Morbid tales of how taxi drivers deliberately drive female passengers there and sexually assault them can also be heard every now and then.
We Love It Here Though
Residents of the area, mainly expatriates who hail from Western countries, however, said that they love the peace and tranquility that the place offers.
Houses at the area are all colonial-styled British-looking terrace houses. Not surprisingly, they are mostly occupied by expatriates from Western countries.
Said Angie Dane, a British expatriate who lived there for 3 years: "We do not think the place is haunted, it's all in the imagaination!"
However, the ghost talk seemed to have rubbed off the residents as this writer got wind that one of the households is organising a Halloween party for friends and fellow expats on Halloween Day itself (31 October, which happens to be the date of publish of this blogpost!). All in the name of good fun!
Writer Afterthoughts
The realm of the supernatural has always intrigued me since young. My favourite storybook when I was a kid was the Goosebumps and Bonechillers series. My favourite movies of all time are The Eye, Sixth Sense and The Ring (no prizes for guessing their co-relation). My favourite Hollywood drama serial? Ghost Whisperer.
So it comes as a surprise to none when I express interest in making a road trip down to Mount Pleasant Road. "But is it safe?" questioned my mother, who had heard enough about the road especially when she was in her teens.
I gave a non-commital shrug, thinking that I had to check the road out first before I gave an assessment of it.
My conclusion after visiting it? Many cars actually use the road as a shortcut to get to the east-bound expressway, so it sounds really far-fetched to say that it is "deserted" and "spooky". However, I do concur that when no cars are around, the place emanates a certain undescribable chill.
Perhaps it could be due to the lack of light and activity. Perhaps it could be due to the vegetation, which makes the surrounding area cooler. Perhaps it could indeed be the supernatural forces at work. We would never know for sure...
Related articles
True ghost stories at Mount Pleasant -- Stompers share their experiences!
SPI investigates -- Singapore's top paranormal investigation body checks out the area.. and tells us more about Mount Pleasant cemetery.
By singaporeroads at 9:00 AM
Road Trivia -- Songs with Road Names in Them ▶▷▶▷▶▷▶▷
Thursday, October 25, 2007What started out as a small trivia section of the blog seems to be gaining popularity among blog readers. Therefore, this writer decides to bring on more examples of songs which mention road names in their titles.
Madison Avenue -- Don't Call Me Baby
Ok, technically, Madison Avenue, which also is a street in downtown Manhattan, New York, is the name of a dance and pop duo from Australia, and not the name of a song. But this is one clear example of how roads have infiltrated popular cultures like music.
Powerstation - Walking down Zhong Xiao Dong Lu
The Mandarin song is by rock duo Powerstation. Zhong Xiao Dong Lu is a popular road in Taipei, with ubiquitous bookshops, food stalls and fashion apparel stores lining its sides.
The Cranberries -- Hollywood
The world's most famous entertainment spot makes its presence felt in music, as Irish group The Cranberries croons a number named after it -- the place which produces the most-watched movies and drama serials.
By singaporeroads at 9:55 AM
New Kid On The Block -- The Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) ▶▷▶▷▶▷▶▷
Today marks an important day for Singapore, the Land Transport Authority and Singaporean drivers, as the first portion of South-east Asia's longest underground expressway shall open its doors to the public, after more than five years of construction. The entire expressway is expected to be completed by end 2008.
Map of KPE
The 12-km long stretch of road provides links to other expressways like Tampines Expressway (TPE) and the Central Expressway (CTE), and would become a transport linchpin for residents living in the North-east, who wish to travel to town and the CBD areas.
Bird's eye view of the KPE tunnel
As part of the LTA's efforts in promoting safe driving, the marketing and communications department has come up with a slew of publicity materials, all aimed at inculcating good driving habits in drivers when the cruise down not only the KPE but other expressways and roads too.
Some of these include songs composed in the major languages of Singapore, which extol the good values of safe and responsible driving. Performed by an eclectic mix of talented local musicians (Hady Mirza, Alicia Pan etc), these songs would be played over local radio stations regularly for this period of time. A lyrics book is also sent to every driver in Singapore.
With the launch of Singapore's 10th expressway, the local transport network would be further beefed up to contain more cars and vehicles on its roads.
Related articles
LTA -- LTA's comprehensive guide to Singapore's newest expressway
KPE Wikipedia -- Wikipedia's description of KPE
By singaporeroads at 9:38 AM
Road Etiquette ▶▷▶▷▶▷▶▷
Firstly, let me apologise for the lack of updates over the past week. This writer has been busy with academic matters from other modules, thus rendering him with no time for sussing out interesting roads for readers of this blog.Anyway, just want to comment a little bit about road etiquette on Singapore roads.
Thou Shalt not Be Rude
Based on my limited driving experience, Singaporean drivers seem to rank low on road courtesy, even when compared to places like Bali and Bangkok, the latter where traffic is notoriously haphazard.
How many times have you signalled right on the expressway, only to have the driver on the right lane speed up and zoom ahead of you? How many times have you driven at 105 kilometres on Lane 1, only to have impatient drivers overtake you (and in a reckless, to-heck-with-safety manner no less)? And how many times have you almost gotten into an accident, because the driver in front of you cuts your lane without signalling his intention?
My answer to all three hypothetical scenarios: ALL THE TIME.
One reason for this lack of basic courtesy could be because of the frenetic lifestyle that Singaporeans lead. Let's face it, we are not the most laidback of cities in the world. In fact, we have the fastest walking speed among city dwellers worldwide. (I've always found this study mildly amusing, because the execution of the experiment can be comical -- imagine having someone plant him/herself in the business districts, staring intently at the swishing footsteps of people walking by)
This behaviour on the pavements would definitely mirror that of the roads. Drivers, eager to get home after a tough day of work, would maneuoveur the roads with impatience, and this translates to bad manners and reckless driving.
Third World Roads, First World Etiquette
Recent holiday trips to Bali and Bangkok led me to an interesting observation about the traffic conditions in both regions. Both cities are not blessed with the bright streetlights and tarred and smooth roads of Singapore. The roads there are often confusing and not as efficiently mapped out as that of Singapore's.
However, in both places, drivers seem to have a tacit agreement on how to drive. As such, they are often all smiles, even when traffic comes to a complete stalemate during traffic jams. In Bali, drivers sound their hones all the time, but no one finds it offensive because they understand that by sounding the horn, drivers are requesting others to allow him to pass. And they all do so, without the frustrations and grumbles that would ensue if the driver was Singaporean. And in Bangkok, if a car were to cut another's lane, no one would lose sleep over it. They do not let such trivialities affect their moods.
It's almost a shame that with its so-called "first-class" transport infrastructures and facilities, we are still so primitive when it comes to road etiquette, something which our "third-world" neighbours surpass us by more than a mile.
By singaporeroads at 9:36 AM
A Test Of Road Knowledge ▶▷▶▷▶▷▶▷
Tuesday, October 9, 2007Think you still know your highway code well?
Take this quiz to find out!
By singaporeroads at 8:02 AM
Singapore Expressways -- From The Passenger's Seat ▶▷▶▷▶▷▶▷
Wednesday, October 3, 2007Singapore is blessed with an excellent transportation infrastructure. We've heard much accolades about our efficient public transport system, now it is time our roads get their due credits.
Compared with the unpaved, rugged and streetlights-deprived roads of our regional neighbours, our roads are a driver's dream come true. (Though the same cannot be said about our local drivers and their driving skills) The expressways, in particular, have been instrumental in reducing travelling time and frustration. Their various acronyms have also been emblemed in the minds of every Singaporeans and form part of the unique culture that is Singapore.
We zoom from place to place using these trusty expressways but how often have we actually stopped to admire the sights around them? E-Road-ing Culture brings you these sights... from a passenger's seat.
CTE
Arguably the most heavily used expressway in Singapore, the Central Expressway (CTE) links Singapore's Central Business District (CBD) area in the south to housing estates like Bishan, Ang Mo Kio and Yishun in the north. Attempts at alleviating traffic include the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) scheme, though some say they have been largely futile.