My Time in Orchard Road (Part One)

It's time for me to pen down the memories of my time in Orchard road when I first worked in early 1980s on both department stores - OG and Metro after worked at Factory in Ayer Rajah road.  Orchard Road changes overtime over the decades which spanned from Tanglin road to Orchard road that I used to stroll along the stretch of roads for as long as I could remember. 

Orchard Road Market

Courtesy of NAS

I still remember there was Orchard Market located where the Orchard Point (opened in 1983) is.

Me & ex-Colleagues (OG)@Plaza Singapura

My ex-colleagues and I were posed outside Plaza Singapura in 1985 and we were once worked at OG Elite at Plaza SIngapura in 1983 and we wore green uniforms with skirts as long as I could remember. How times flies and it's been more than three decades. Can you spot where am I in this photo (above)?

Me@FarEastPlaza 1984

I wore Metro uniform and sat on the bench outside Far East Plaza in 1984, behind me was a fountain where the overhead (background) and bus-stop (umbrella-shaped) located. On the far right, opposite the road was Holiday Inn hotel ( now as Scotts Walk and Royal Plaza). On the far left, was Hyatt Regency Singapore (hotel now known as Grand Hyatt) where my god sister's mum worked over the decades till she retired. Now the fountain was no longer there and it's been moved inside the Far East Plaza, I presume. I fondly remember..I used to alight at the old bus-stop just outside former Holiday Inn and walked up the overhead bridge to the Far East Plaza where I worked.

Me@GoodwoodParkHotel (1988)

To the farther up the hill of the road where I stood in front of Goodwood Park Hotel (above pic taken in 20th Nov 1988 by my god father using my old Pentax camera).  At that same time, we dined at restaurant there. 

Teutonia Club (Today's Goodwood Park Hotel)

Source: NAS

Goodwood Park Hotel was once the site of Teutonia Club in the 20th century was the common sight along Orchard Road. The entrance structure of the Goodwood Park Hotel is still around. The street hawkers were seen selling fruits and the rickshaw puller in the front of Teutonia Club (Goodwood Park Hotel).
Every year from early 1980s, my old friends, best friends, ex-colleagues, classmates as well as my family including my god father would stroll along Orchard road during Christmas and other occasions.

Along the road, the old hotels - Ming Court Hotel where I used to frequent cafe with my family. Many foreigners visited SIngapore and stayed at Ming Court Hotel in 1970s to 1980s.

Me@MingCourtHotel (1986)

On the 15th Dec 1986, I stood and posed at Christmas tree outside Ming Court Hotel at night. 

Ming Court Hotel (1970s)

Source: Sg Institute of Architects

I remember there was a swimming pool on the upper 4-storey podium, complete deck with sauna and club facilities. Remember the famous character - David Bowie visited to Singapore in 1983 and stayed at Ming Court Hotel while filming "Ricochet".

Me@Orchard Parade Hotel 1990s

In the year 1987 that was a year later, the hotel was acquired by Far East organisation and in 4 year later in 1991, the hotel was renamed as Orchard Parade Hotel. Above pic taken outside Orchard Parade Hotel (background) in early 1990s.

 Paragon By SOGO (pic in 1995)

I remember there was once a Fitzpatrick Supermarket along Orchard road, opened in 1958 that was replaced by Promenade and then Paragon after it (Fitzpatrick) torn down. My mum and her old friends as well as her siblings used to frequent the supermarket in early 1960s. Little did she mention to me about the "wet market" along orchard road. That was long long time ago.

Me stood behind Paragon By SOGO

I stood behind the shopping centre - Paragon By SOGO in 1995 after I heard about the supermarket from one of my aunties.The 20-storey shopping centre was designed by Kumpulan Senireka Sendirian Berhad, a Malaysian architectural firm. The Paragon owned by SOGO group, later in that year 2000 around Sept, Pokka Cafe in Paragon Sogo Food Stall in Orchard Road is closed because Sogo Department Store in Japan had gone bankrupt and its Singapore subsidiary had to be closed down. In addition, Pokka Singapore Group once owned one family restaurant (Compass Point Seng Kang Square), two patisseries (Takashimay Shopping Centre Basement 2 and Isetan Scotts Shopping Centre level 4), three Tonkichi (Takashimaya Shopping Centre level 4, Basement 1 Suntec City Mall and Isetan Scotts Shopping Centre level 4) and one ice-cream shop (Isetan Scotts Shopping Centre level 4)
There used to be Metro department store at Paragon. Along the Orchard Road, there was a huge flood in 1960s.

My mum's old friend whose sister works at Isetan for more than three decades till present. My god father's eldest son who set up his clinic at Orchard Midpoint and has been operated since late 1980s till present.

Last but not least, I have to stop here and will continue in my next blog (Part Two).

Trip To Kusu Island

It's been more than a decade I was busy working and had no time to visit to Kusu. My mum, an auntie (my mum's old friend) and I decided to make another trip to Kusu Island to pay homage to Tua Peh Gong at Kusu Pilgrimage on Monday 19th Oct 2009 early in the morning as the weather is clear with no haze.

Boat Jetty at Kusu Island

We took a bus service 198 nearby my place instead of took a train to Marina Bay Mrt, to reach Shenton Way (Raffles Place) and transfer another bus service no 402 to Marina South Pier as there was no Mrt linked and is still under construction going on North South Line and Circle Line at that time. I presume that Marina South Pier Mrt will open in Nov 2014. We have no choice, took a bus there and it a long journey for us but it's worth it. Upon reaching at the Cruise Jetty at Marina, I bought 3 tickets (cost S$14/pax) and walked briskly to the station and hopped on the boat that carried devotees to Kusu Island. I remember the tickets last sold was only S$9 per adult at that time in year 2005. It did increase a few dollars as it was remarkably attracted tourists as well as visitors and devotees because Kusu Island is so famous with tourists and beach lovers as well as devotees to pay homage to Kusu Pilgrimage and ear-marked of the legends of Kusu.

Arrival port at Kusu Island

Upon reaching the Kusu Island, 45 minutes ride by boat, we hopped onto the platform of the jetty port on the left side. It was indeed warm and humid weather on Monday morning as the sun rises. The waters is clear and calm. The upgraded pier at Kusu Island was opened recently and daily shiploads of tourists and visitors come here to visit the turtle pond which Kusu is famous for.

Sluice Gate (right)

We walked along the footpath, I saw the water flows from the sea into the path of the Chinese temple and it filled up the area of the temple.There is also a sluice gate to the turtle pond. During the hot weather, the water dries up rapidly and sea water is then let in through the sluice gate.

Sea Water flows onto the pond at the gate

The caretaker would use a rope attached to the red pole to showering the sea water from a sea when the tide is low on the pond or dried up during hot weather that surrounding the temple.

Tua Pek Gong altar

We bought a set of  incense papers & joss-sticks for S$2, to pray for Tua Peh Gong and other deities at the altars and placed some fruits we brought along, on the "prayer" table. 

Deity and Earth God

Guan Yin 观音 (Goddess of Mercy)

There are lots of deities (Tua Peh Gong, Yuan Yin and others ) on each side to pray for good luck, prosperity, peace and so on.

 Incense burner

After we prayed and brought the incense papers that we bought earlier, to pass it to the caretaker of the burner and drop a dollar to the donation box.

At the top of the rugged hillock on Kusu Island, climb of 152 steps, stands three Keramats or holy shrines of the Malay saints.

 Stairway to Holy Shrines

Climbed of about 152 steps to reach Datok Kong shrines and it was indeed a tiring on each step and there's a rest shelter nearby if you need to rest for a while before reaching up the shrine. And but we managed to reach without any rest at the shelter as we are very energise in our body that we felt in ease. I don't feel tired while walking up the steps as I felt my whole body being lightened up.

4 digits numbers by devotees

Before reaching, you can see all written four digits inscribed on the wall of the rock painted in yellow, some covered with yellow cloths, incense burner, and a donation box. Many visitors and devotees wrote their favourite numbers or magic numbers on the rock and yellow cloths to pray to Deity to grant their wishes for the lucky numbers to appear and also to pray for their good wishes and luck as well as good health for their family. There are also written numbers on the handrail that painted in yellow too.

Datok Kong shrines

All the three Kusu Keramats (shrines) are painted entirely yellow. The caretakers wear yellow rimmed spectacles if you notice it. Devotees pray to an interesting ‘all good’ wish list written in unique Singlish, written with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors as well as a smattering of English translated Hokkien words. But we don't mind about this and just respect to the shrines and caretakers who took pain to take care of the three shrines.

Datok Nenek Ghalib (Mother)

Datok Nenek Puteri Sharifah Fatimah (Daughter)

  Datok Kong Syed Abdul Rahman

These Keramats were built to commemorate a pious family - Syed Abdul Rahman, his mother Ghalib and daughter Sharifah Fatimah who lived in the 19th century.

Devotees to the Keramats would pray for blessings for good luck, good health, marriage, wealth and harmony. The Malay Shrines are also popular for childless couples seeking to start a family. The interesting part is that some people mentioned Datok Nenek "Puteri Fatimah" -  his sister or his daughter that crossed my mind. I wonder which one is correct?

Tian Gong (Heaven God)

Most of the pilgrims praying at the Keramats (dedicated to Malay Saints) were Chinese people. The customs form is a part of our multicultural heritage in Singapore. It  also forms part of our social cultural identity and what it means to be unique Singaporeans.

Wishing Well

After prayed to the shrines, we walked down the steps which is the shortest route to reach on the other side facing the sea and strolled along the beach to the food centre for a quick lunch and a wishing well nearby.

Battery-operated Box (Prayer)

Bought some items - batter-operated box (Chant Prayer) for only S$3 (prayer - last time we bought and it spoiled after played for 2-3 years) and others items at the stalls under the shade tents near the footcentre.

Heading Home

The boat parked at the jetty in an hour for every 45 minutes ride - to and fro to heading back to the Marina South Pier.

GUAN YIN STANDING ATOP A DRAGON

Guan Yin is also known as patron bodhisattva of Putuo Shan (Mount Putuo), mistress of the Southern Sea and patroness of fishermen. As such she is shown crossing the sea seated or standing on a lotus or on the head of a dragon. The dragon being an ancient symbol for high spirituality, wisdom, strength, and divine powers of transformation.