Prelude

This is the story of three boys (Darren, Shah, Wei Xuan) who went in search of their one true love. They left the comfort of their homes and made the ardous journey across to the fabled land of Katong & Joo Chiat. If there were one place where true love could be found, it was here.

Katong & Joo Chiat was famous for its daughters, the famous 'Katong Girls' - the protected children of the elites. Perhaps, this was a love story doomed to failure right from the start. After all, what did these three young boys have to offer to the daughters from the upper echelon of society? They were neither rich nor particularly attractive. On the other hand, the 'Katong Girls’ lived a lavish lifestyle and their beauty drew attention wherever they went.

However, love is irrational. Fate might dictate that these young boys and the 'Katong Girls' end up as star-crossed lovers; yet, it was this Romeo and Juliet like love story that made them embark on this journey.

Thus, blinded by this thing called love, the three boys left their schoolbags behind and took bus 139 to Katong & Joo Chiat.

1st Stop: Heritage Marker

They arrived at Katong Mall and this marked the start of their story. In the distance, they found a board called the 'Heritage Marker'. They had been told that this is a map which showed the possible locations where the 'Katong Girls' might turn up, thus, the boys decided to visit each of these places in the hope that fate would provide them a helping hand.

The words on the marker have mostly been worn out due to the effects of weather. However, we managed to make some sense of what remained. Coupled with our previous research on the area prior to the visit, a brief explanation on the history of the area could be provided as follows.

In the 1800s, most of the area was mainly reserved for use as plantations. Most of these were coconut plantations up till the early 1900s when in the post World War 1 era, many wealthy businessmen decided to reside in the area. Mainly Chinese and Peranakan houses were built in the area, giving the place an unique architectural thumbprint.

Armed with nothing more than the map and limited information with the marker provided, the boys continued their walk down East Coast Road. The houses here were unique as they appeared to be specially built off

the ground.

While admiring the distinctive architecture of these buildings, one of the boys spotted something in the distance. It couldn't be! There right before their eyes were four of the prettiest girls they had ever seen.

They could not believe their eyes. However, what could they do? They were not exactly dressed to impress and the demands of the long jouney meant that they carried with them a certain manly odour. It was definitely not the right time to make the bold move of approaching the girls. Thus, all they could do was to observe from afar.

2nd Stop: Unusual Terrace Houses along East Coast Road

As we walked along East Coast Road, we noticed these interesting houses along Sea Ave. They were built in such a way that there was significance ground clearance

Fortunately for us, we were able to interview one of the residents. She told us that a sea used to front these houses, thus the architecture of the house was meant to prevent houses from being flooded in the event that water levels rose unexpectedly.

The boys knew that in order to meet the girls, they had to look at their best. Therefore, with a heavy heart, they left the place and with it, the chance to meet the girls. They carried on their journey with the belief that they would meet the girls again.

3rd Stop: Church of the Holy Family

As they moved on, they passed by a church and decided to enter to pray for a safe and fruitful trip.

We managed to meet one of the staff within the church and she provided us with useful information about the history of the church. The church of the Holy family is a Roman Catholic church and has one of the largest parish populations in the archdiocese.

The idea of having a church in Katong area was mooted in 1902 by four Eurasian families, who joined the La Salle brothers for mass. One of the Eurasian families was Mr Sheeder who donated land in the present location to build a chapel in 1923. This later became the first Church of the Holy Family. It was designated as a parish in 1936.

The church had been demolished and rebuilt twice in 1932 and 1999 in order to make way for the growing number of worshippers.

The Katong boys had never visited a Roman Catholic church and they were very amazed by the architecture of the church. The church also has its own columbarium that stores niches for funeral urns. In addition, they found out that the church has just been renovated, which gives it the new fresh look.

[pictures of the church bell, courtesy of the staff from the church]

After saying their prayers and when the boys were about to walk out of the gates, they found a plant that is shaped uniquely. After a closer look, it is actually in the shape of a heart (love). It reminded them about the journey that they are taking now.

LOVE(:

4th Stop: Chin Mee Chin Confectionery

The long journey started to take its toll and the rumbling noises emitting from the stomachs of the boys told them they had to stop for a meal. The looked around the area and spotted a place where they could stop for some food - the famous Chin Mee Chin!

What struck us about this confectionery was the fact that it had retained much of its old architecture and traditional elements. It is a rarity to be able to find such eateries around Singapore today.

It was founded in 1925 by Mr Tang See Fang (owner)'s father. For over 60 years, it has been serving Singaporeans with delicious toast spread with homemade kaya.

The authentic taste of its food and nostalgic decorations make it a truly unique place for a simple order of kaya toast, eggs and coffee/tea.

Chin Mee Chin Confectionery is the oldest Hainanese coffeeshop around.

The boys ate to their hearts content, trying most of the pastries that were sold. One of them even bought a jar of kaya home for his family to have a try. They too, made friends with the friendly auntie at the counter, whom they had a little chat with to find out information regarding the Katong Girls.

[the antique decorations and furniture]

[certificate from the government in the year 1975]

[different kaya toast than the one you get from Ya Kun or Toast Box, etc. The jar of kaya cost $3, and it is homemade]

[friendly auntie, cute right?]

After they left the place and on their way to their next destination, Darren realized that he had forgotten to take along his camera. They made their way back to Chin Mee Chin and as fate would have it, the girls were seen inside enjoying a simple breakfast of kaya toast and eggs. The boys could not believe their luck.

[the guys can only look from far while the girls are enjoying their breakfast]

5th stop: Katong Antique House

However, in the guys' moment of hesitation and timidity, the girls finish their meal and left as soon as they had arrived. The girls stepped into a shop next door while the guys waited patiently outside. "Why do they still need to buy stuff to doll themselves up when they already look do pretty?” Shah, one of the boys thought to himself.

There were many Peranakan artifacts on display and what struck us the most was the vibrant colours and intricate craftsmanship that accompanied all of the items. The house was created to ensure that the legacy of Peranakans remained in this part of Singapore which is significant to their history. Visitors to the place could freely browse around the items on display and learn more about the history of the items from the shopkeeper.

Peranakan culture remains an important aspect of Singapore history and in particular, the history of the Katong and Joo Chiat area. During the 1900s, wealthy Peranakans started to move into this area to avoid the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Thus, most of the architecture and culture around the Katong and Joo Chiat area contain traces of Peranakan heirtage. Therefore, it is important to preserve the remaining traces of Peranakan culture and places like the "Katong Antique House" is extremely useful in this aspect.

Our experience:

When we went inside the shop, we were "rejected" because the owner (Mr Peter Wee) and his helpers were busy cleaning the area to prepare for Chinese New Year. Therefore, we were not allowed to ask questions or take pictures of the Peranakan objects. It was such a pity, but we definitely had a good look around the shop. There were many newspaper articles and pictures of beautiful Peranakan girls in Baju Panjang (adapted from the native Malay's Baju Kurung). We saw plenty of beautifully crafted beaded slippers around the shop too.

6th Stop: Former Grand Hotel

The girls left the shop happy and satisfied with the items they had bought. The boys decided to find out what these items were and proceeded into the shop. Countless intricately designed items in the most vibrant of colours surrounded them. These were the items that the girls sought after and the boys knew they could never afford. This was another reminder of the vast differences that existed between these boys and katong girls. Yet, they remain undeterred and carried on with their chase.

The girls stopped along the way and when the guys turned to look at what had stopped them in their tracks, they were greeted with the most wonderful sight they had seen thus far (besides the girls of course). Before them stood the grandest of buildings they had ever seen. It appeared to be a hotel of sorts with countless people coming in and out of it. "This must be the place where the rich spend their weekends", one of the boys thought to himself.

To the boys' dismay, the girls entered the hotel. A rendezvous with their boyfriends perhaps? Once again, the boys felt out of place and knew that they would be unceremoniously thrown out if they had followed the girls in. All they could do was wait patiently outside the gates.

The Former Grand Hotel was formerly known as the Karikal Mahal and was built by Moona Kader Sultan, a wealthy Indian cattle merchant in 1917. It was formerly a complex of four houses and contained a luxurious garden. The hotel was split into two compounds with the construction of Still Road in 1973.

["Reception" was written on the door]

Our experience:

We tried to gain access into the hotel compound but was denied by the groundskeeper. Thus, we could only admire the beauty and unique design of the building from the grounds outside.

[Why is the toilet so slippery????]

Thankfully, the girls were out only after a few short minutes and were complaining about the slippery floors in the washroom "Phew!” the boys thought. It turned out that the girls had entered merely to use the washroom.

7th Stop: Former Joo Chiat Police Station, now Katong Village

As they continued on, the boys reached passed a police station and panicked. They were not even sure if people like them were allowed here. They tried to act as normal as possible even though their hearts were racing. They could not afford to get caught. Getting caught meant that they had no chance of meeting the katong girls.

Fortunately for the boys, they managed to pass the police station without arousing any suspicion. It was quite a feat considering how poor they were at concealing their intentions for the girls.

[The former police station no longer exist, but is used as a 24hrs Hong Kong Tea House.]

The former Joo Chiat Police station was built in 1928 and its architecture was similar to many government buildings at that time.

Today, it houses several restaurants and it is heartening to see that despite losing its original purpose, the building has still been preserved.

[Today Katong Village is a place filled with restaurants, and bars.]

8th Stop: Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple

The girls carried on walking and reached a Hindu temple. They stopped and marveled at the intricate workmanship of the statues that dotted the temple facade. "This is the statue of Lord Vinayagar", one of the girls pointed out to the rest. The boys were amazed. "They are not only beautiful, but also so smart!" the boys thought. The girls were attractive and intelligent while the boys had neither. This was maybe another sign of the great mismatch.

The Sri Senpaga Vinayagar temple stands at 21m high and remains one of the tallest Hindu temples in Singapore.

The temple's history can be traced back to the 1850s when a statue of Lord Vinayagar was found near a pond in the area. Beside the pond stood a lone Chempaka tree and it is this tree that is allowed many to identify with the temple. A Ceylon Tamil, Mr Ethirnayagam Pillai, started on the construction of a modest looking temple made out of simple materials. Over the years, the temple was continually reconstructured and improved upon and finally in the year 1998, plans for the current design came to fruition.

The road on which this temple is located on, Ceylon Road, is also home to our President, S R Nathan.

[The monument in front of the temple which gives information about the temple. The picture next to it shows the detailed architecture of the temple - 32 different statues of Lord Vinayagar]

9th Stop: Nonya Laksa Store and Former 'Red House' Bakery

After a long day out, the girls finally decided to stop for lunch. The girls headed into a place filled with the most wonderful or aromas the boys had ever come across. They food that was served was nothing like what the boys has seen back home. "This must be the food that only the rich and powerful can enjoy" they thought. Although all of these seemed extremely alien to the boys, it seemed all too familiar to the girls.

[Darren savoring the awesome bowl of Katong Laksa.]

[The friendly Laksa Boss Lady who willingly posed for us.

She won the "Best looking Grandma" prize before!]

[328 Katong Laksa was also well known for the many gourmet reviews and praises.]

[Group Photo with Lady Boss!]

The Nonya Laksa stalls have become a significant mainstay in the food map of the area. The Katong Laksa dish has become extrememly popular even outside of this area due to its distinctive features. The main characteristic of the dish is that the noodles have been cut so short and fine that each serving is consumed using only a spoon. Unlike most other dishes, the use of forks or chopsticks is not warranted.

After lunch, the girls headed a few steps down the street to this exotic looking building which was painted red. The aroma of freshly baked bread was unmistakable and at this point, the stomachs of the boys started to rumble from the hunger. The long journey had most definitely taken a toil on them.

The Red House Bakery has been around since 1925 up till 2005 when it was closed down for restoration works. The name was derived from the appearance of the two-storey shophouse that was painted in red. It was reknown for producing delicious traditional cakes and pastries such as its hae bee hiam bun or spicy dried shrimp bun, creamy custard puffs and soft swiss rolls

[The Red House Bakery stands out among the shophouse along East Coast Road]

As the boys watched from a distance, the sixth sense of one of the girls worked extremely well and had a gut feeling they were being followed. They stepped out of the eatery and looked across the road. There were the boys bewildered and shocked that they had been discovered.

[The girls rejecting the guys' offer to walk together and explore the place]

The boys were at a lost. Should they run away or stay and approach the girls? Mustering the little courage they had, the three boys took a gamble and approached the girls.

They asked if they could join the girls and to their pleasant the surprise, the girls agreed. It must have been the hidden charms of the boys that attracted these girls. For they, having lived a privileged life of luxury must have exuded a certain aura that prevented boys from making the first move. Perhaps it was this courage the boys had that set them apart from those from the past who failed.

And with this successful meeting, the boys and girls went out on their first date.

10th Stop:Former Tay Buan Guan Shop, now Rumah Bebe

What better place for a first date than an emporium. The boys and girls headed over to the a nearby emporium which housed several departmental stores. The girls shopped while the boys waited patiently. "They have to pick out the best dresses for them to look so pretty" the boys thought.

[ FIRST DATE BABY! ]

[ Still in shock that they are actually walking together with the KATONG GIRLS! ]

The faint TBG print on the shopfront is the only sign of its once bustling former occupant, the TAY BUAN GUAN shop. The establishment progressed from a small shophouse to a multi-storey shopping centre located at East Coast Road, and was once of the best shopping hub, comparable to present day Orchard. It is currently occupied by Rumah Bebe, a Peranakan arts and crafts store cum museum.

[ playing around with the exhibits ]