At lunchtime, three of us went off to Punggol to view a friend's new home.
He recently got the keys to his new home from Housing & Development Board office and is planning some renovation works.
He requested me to have a look-see and probably give some ideas on the renovation while another friend who has a knack for fung shui reading to check the house's health, sort to speak.
Had our quick lunch at CompassPoint Mall, then off to his condo-looking 4-roomed flat.
While the excited new owner parked his car, both of us waited for him at the ground floor lift landing. We waited for some time until we had to call him over his cell phone, thinking we had wrongly waited at the wrong block.
"I can't find my house keys..." he replied as he approached us.
After we searched his car inside and out, and confirming with his next door cubicle neighbour over the phone that the keys were no where to be found, we got to see only his locked front door and gate on the 13th floor... seriously, a very nice front door.
Simply because of this, we had all the lunchtime hour to spend. He then drove us around his new neighbourhood.
The best and most interesting spot is Punggol Beach... all three of us believe it is the smallest immigration point on the island. But before getting to the Punggol Jetty, we had to drive deep in to the end of Punggol Road. A beautiful and quiet single-lane, bidirectional road.
An SBS bus Service 82 ply this scenic route until the road ends near the jetty where the immigration office is situated. The bus will make a reverse turn at the dead end and then heads back to Sengkang Bus Interchange where CompassPoint Mall is.
We past by Punggol Marina and clusters of bungalow houses where the rich live, yet I got attracted to the scenic and rustic part of Punggol's end when we drove off from the tarmac and onto the earthen tracks.
Thick casurina trees lined the coastal tracks that look so inviting for dirt biking. Yet the site is a tranquil escape from the neighbourhood for the many men seen fishing and angling at the water's edge.
"It looks like autumn here." Said my friend, reading my mind as I was snapping photos from inside the car.
"I don't feel comfortable here." He muttered suddenly, "This place looks eerie to me." Being most superstitious, and most probably after reading the park's marker.
Erected there as a memorial site where about 400 Chinese people were killed by Japanese soldiers during World War 2, when Singapore was under the Japanese Occupation.
It was a sad historic fact, but for the most part, this place now has a rustic charm and tranquility about it, except for the clusters of developments of food and beverages places along the coast; a trait our island is famous for - where there is land, there will be development. Sigh.
I would love to cycle here from home on the weekends!
He recently got the keys to his new home from Housing & Development Board office and is planning some renovation works.
He requested me to have a look-see and probably give some ideas on the renovation while another friend who has a knack for fung shui reading to check the house's health, sort to speak.
Had our quick lunch at CompassPoint Mall, then off to his condo-looking 4-roomed flat.While the excited new owner parked his car, both of us waited for him at the ground floor lift landing. We waited for some time until we had to call him over his cell phone, thinking we had wrongly waited at the wrong block.
"I can't find my house keys..." he replied as he approached us.
After we searched his car inside and out, and confirming with his next door cubicle neighbour over the phone that the keys were no where to be found, we got to see only his locked front door and gate on the 13th floor... seriously, a very nice front door.
Simply because of this, we had all the lunchtime hour to spend. He then drove us around his new neighbourhood.
The best and most interesting spot is Punggol Beach... all three of us believe it is the smallest immigration point on the island. But before getting to the Punggol Jetty, we had to drive deep in to the end of Punggol Road. A beautiful and quiet single-lane, bidirectional road.
An SBS bus Service 82 ply this scenic route until the road ends near the jetty where the immigration office is situated. The bus will make a reverse turn at the dead end and then heads back to Sengkang Bus Interchange where CompassPoint Mall is.
We past by Punggol Marina and clusters of bungalow houses where the rich live, yet I got attracted to the scenic and rustic part of Punggol's end when we drove off from the tarmac and onto the earthen tracks.
Thick casurina trees lined the coastal tracks that look so inviting for dirt biking. Yet the site is a tranquil escape from the neighbourhood for the many men seen fishing and angling at the water's edge.
"It looks like autumn here." Said my friend, reading my mind as I was snapping photos from inside the car.
"I don't feel comfortable here." He muttered suddenly, "This place looks eerie to me." Being most superstitious, and most probably after reading the park's marker.
Erected there as a memorial site where about 400 Chinese people were killed by Japanese soldiers during World War 2, when Singapore was under the Japanese Occupation.
It was a sad historic fact, but for the most part, this place now has a rustic charm and tranquility about it, except for the clusters of developments of food and beverages places along the coast; a trait our island is famous for - where there is land, there will be development. Sigh.
I would love to cycle here from home on the weekends!
Wanted to check in with you haven't heard much from you... I will read this post after I just say hello...
ReplyDeleteThose photo's are great Imran just great..I too feel like I'm getting to see Singapore through the lens and handiwork of yourself and camera. I love the clouds at some point you should do a book too I know it would sell does Azi still have her space for selling?
ReplyDeleteA beautiful shot of the trees! The last time I visited Punggol Point, there were not so colourful.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, it looks like Autumn. Beautiful! The feelings expressed about the memorial site reminded me of a book I read to my children last year. It was about Gladys Alward, who was a missionary to China during WWII. She helped over 100 orphaned children escape during the Japanese invasion. :(
ReplyDeleteHope all is well with you today. The weather here in the midwest USA is 73ºF, which for early spring is WONDERFULLY warm. I'm headed out for a walk in just a few minutes.
Blessings,
~Toni~
Wow, what a lovely place! The water is incredible!
ReplyDeleteSeems like everywhere has bad history. The thing we must take from history is the desire not to repeat the misdeeds.
Jennifer
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThose are really pretty photos of the trees at Punggol!
May i know where exactly in Punggol did you take them? I would really like to use this location in my shot film :)
Cheers!
Cherie
Hi Cherie,
ReplyDeleteIt has been over 2 years since I posted this piece. The place has since transformed into Punggol Waterfront. I am not so sure the wooded area where I took the photos are still there and untouched. The development has definitely cleared the area because it is along the stretch of the coastline starting from the jetty all the way to the seafood restaurant.
You will have to explore the area to find out if there are still rustic spots like that for your project. All the best. There are also spots along Tanah Merah Jetty Terminal like that that you may want to explore.