The Kampung Glam heritage trail embarked by my groupmates and I left many fun memories that could last for a lifetime! Previously before embarking on the heritage trail, I was ignorant to the fact that Kampung Glam and its surrounding areas are rich in its own unique history. Prior to this, the only thing I knew about Kampung Glam is that there are many nice cafes to chill out at with my friends. This heritage trail has proved to me that there are more than to just cafes at Kampung Glam. In fact, every single part of Kampung Glam is of a historical significance.
By embarking on this heritage trail, I am now aware of the contributions our ancestors had made to the developments in Kampung Glam. While visiting the places of interest in Kampung Glam, I could easily transport myself in the past and imagine the places and the buildings in its full glory a long time ago. It is actually quite heartening that the government has taken special interest and care to conserve these historical places.
I think the highlight of the heritage trail (besides the delicious lunch we devoured) was visiting the Malay Heritage Centre, formerly the palace of the Sultan. From the heritage centre, I gained many new insights and knowlegde about the Malays, their culture and their contributions to the development of Singapore.
I truly had tremendous fun with my groupmates despite the heat and all the walking! (we walked all the way from Bugis to Lavender!!! -_-). YAY!!!!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Malay Heritage Centre. - Gary
Also known as Taman Warisan Melayu, the Malay Heritage Centre stands at 85 Sultan Gate, which was once the Istana Kampong Gelam (the Sultan's Palace). The original Istana Kampong Gelam was built around 1829, by Sultan Hussein and the new Istana was commissioned by his son, Sultan Ali of the Johor Riau-Lingga Empire in 1835.
This was the place where our NIE, NTU student pass couldn't work its magic; there was a $4 entrance fee that I jokingly joked we should submit for claims. Joke aside, this was the place where we viewed a scanned copy of the agreement Sir Stamford Raffles signed with the Sultan in 1819 then. Of course, some of us scratched our heads in both confusion and amazement at how they could preserve all these documents so well. (Did they also have a filing system as good as ours today back then?)
This was the place where our NIE, NTU student pass couldn't work its magic; there was a $4 entrance fee that I jokingly joked we should submit for claims. Joke aside, this was the place where we viewed a scanned copy of the agreement Sir Stamford Raffles signed with the Sultan in 1819 then. Of course, some of us scratched our heads in both confusion and amazement at how they could preserve all these documents so well. (Did they also have a filing system as good as ours today back then?)
Gedung Kuning. - Gary
Sultan Mahmud, Sultan Hussein's grandson, used to live in this house located at 73 Sultan Gate. It is believed that the mansion was painted yellow to reflect its royal links as yellow is considered to be a royal colour in Malay culture.
What has become of it now? As of today, this house has been turned into a restaurant- one that we asked Imran to bring his future girlfriend to.. haahaa.
What has become of it now? As of today, this house has been turned into a restaurant- one that we asked Imran to bring his future girlfriend to.. haahaa.
Pondok Java. - Hafizah
After having the time of our lives snapping pictures of ourselves at the Gedung Kuning, we proceeded to our next pitstop which was the.....PONDOK JAVA!!! However, sadly, the Pondok Java was demolished in 2004. Nevertheless, we still walked to the location where Pondok Java used to be.
Pondok Java was located next to the Gedung Kuning.It was built to house Javanese immigrants when they first arrived in Singapore.
Pondok Java was located next to the Gedung Kuning.It was built to house Javanese immigrants when they first arrived in Singapore.
Lee Loy Hin Blacksmith Shop. - Mori
What is the address of this shop?
39 Sultan Gate.
The Lee Loy Hin Blacksmith shop is an interesting Chinese blacksmith shop that used to, and still is a significant landmark in the area.
It had been around for more than 80 years, when the blacksmith trade used to be a thriving industry around the Sultan Gate and Beach Road area in the past.
The industry was a support function to other general hardware work. The blacksmith industry is now one of the many vanishing trades in Singapore.
We had a bit of trouble looking for the shop as there was nothing that looks like what we had seen in a book published by the National Heritage Board on the Heritage Trails. The picture in the book depicted a man standing at the gate of his shop with the chinese name of his shop on the signage. After painstaking walking around and around the area, we finally managed to locate where unit number 39 was. But to our chagrin, it looked nothing like what we had expected.
Picture taken of view looking up directly from the shopfront of Lee Loy Hin.
Picture taken of the second level of Lee Loy Hin.
We can actually see through the second level window that portions of the roof are still missing from the fire. The fire had also damaged the adjacent units beside the blacksmith shop :(
Picture of Gary standing in front of the boarded up shop.
To find out more about what happened to the shop, we approached the proprietor of the small coffeeshop to the left of Lee Loy Hin, and found out that the blacksmith had moved away 3 years ago due to the fire and is now relocated in Toa Payoh (Information from coffeeshop proprietors). The shop is probably left in this state and not renovated like many of the shops around the area as it now has historical value to it.
Later along the trail when we were approaching Alsagoff Arab School we did manage to chance upon a second hand shop along Jalan Sultan that sort of carried the same olden-day aura but that's another story for another time.
It was with heavy hearts that felt the loss of a historic experience that our group made our way to Kandahar Street.
39 Sultan Gate.
The Lee Loy Hin Blacksmith shop is an interesting Chinese blacksmith shop that used to, and still is a significant landmark in the area.
It had been around for more than 80 years, when the blacksmith trade used to be a thriving industry around the Sultan Gate and Beach Road area in the past.
The industry was a support function to other general hardware work. The blacksmith industry is now one of the many vanishing trades in Singapore.
We had a bit of trouble looking for the shop as there was nothing that looks like what we had seen in a book published by the National Heritage Board on the Heritage Trails. The picture in the book depicted a man standing at the gate of his shop with the chinese name of his shop on the signage. After painstaking walking around and around the area, we finally managed to locate where unit number 39 was. But to our chagrin, it looked nothing like what we had expected.
Picture taken of view looking up directly from the shopfront of Lee Loy Hin.
Picture taken of the second level of Lee Loy Hin.
We can actually see through the second level window that portions of the roof are still missing from the fire. The fire had also damaged the adjacent units beside the blacksmith shop :(
Picture of Gary standing in front of the boarded up shop.
To find out more about what happened to the shop, we approached the proprietor of the small coffeeshop to the left of Lee Loy Hin, and found out that the blacksmith had moved away 3 years ago due to the fire and is now relocated in Toa Payoh (Information from coffeeshop proprietors). The shop is probably left in this state and not renovated like many of the shops around the area as it now has historical value to it.
Later along the trail when we were approaching Alsagoff Arab School we did manage to chance upon a second hand shop along Jalan Sultan that sort of carried the same olden-day aura but that's another story for another time.
It was with heavy hearts that felt the loss of a historic experience that our group made our way to Kandahar Street.
Kandahar Street.- Imran
This street is named after Provincial capital in Afghanistan. The shophouses are covered with plaster and tile ornamentation with multi-coloured ceramic styles. It has features like bouquets, pendants and bas release. Kandahar Street!!! HAHAHAHAH!!!! Many happy memories just like how the photos reflected.
The Sultan Mosque ( A National Monument). - Mori.
Pardon having to waste time waiting for the slideshow to scroll slowly =x
The pictures were too big to post into the entry =(
When was Sultan Mosque first built and by whom?
The Sultan Mosque was built between 1824 to 1826. The project was proposed by Sultan Hussein.
How did Sultan Mosque get its name?
It is believed that the mosque is named “Sultan Mosque” as the proposal was put up by Sultan Hussein himself.
Who designed the present Sultan Mosque and in what style?
Work on the new mosque took place between 1925 to 1928 and was done in phases, so that prayers in the mosque were not disrupted.
Denis Santry, an architect from the British architecture firm of Swan & Maclaren, designed it in the Islamic Saracenic style with domes, minarets and balustrades.
Check out the two domes of the mosque. Do you spot anything interesting?
The building’s outstanding features are its two large golden-yellow domes, each flanked by two slender minarets. It is from these minarets that the call to prayer can be heard five times daily. The mosque has a decorative band at the base of the domes, which is made from the bottoms of glass bottles. (Picture in slideshow)
There is a small private royal grave where Sultan Hussein and his relatives (Such as his grandson Tengku Allum) are buried there. The grounds are locked though.
The Sultan Mosque is a really beautiful monument. As seen, the photographer was quite unable to stop herself from taking pictures. When we reached the mosque it was close to prayer time and the area was pretty packed. Regardless, we took our time looking at the specifics such as the decorative band of glass bottles and the minarets.
The plus point of having many people around the area was that we were able to get someone to help us a rare group picture!
Bussorah Street. - Modissa
The Bussorah Street was actually previously known as Kampong Khaji, Khaji because of the way the Javanese pronounced haji.
I think we came here after lunch, all filled with Nasi Bryani, teh(Gary!). the street was buzzing with lots of activities on a Saturday afternoon. The Muslim population still holds a significant presence in Kampong Glam, especially at Bussorah Street. The Sultan Mosque is located right here, and the street reflects a strong presence of Arab influence. Most of the trades here are traditionally catered to religious needs of the Islams, and today, a pedestrian Bussorah Mall stands in place of the old Bussorah Street.
There are still many tradtional shops selling intersting traditional games such has sepak takraw, paper balls and other souvenirs. Eateries were pretty full on that day! The conserved shophouses on the streets also hold new retailers, adapted for new businesses, and one we saw was the Sasha Bear Company, which houses an extensive collection of bears that left us amazed.
I remember seeing some very interesting small cafes around, and I would love to visit them again soon.
I think we came here after lunch, all filled with Nasi Bryani, teh(Gary!). the street was buzzing with lots of activities on a Saturday afternoon. The Muslim population still holds a significant presence in Kampong Glam, especially at Bussorah Street. The Sultan Mosque is located right here, and the street reflects a strong presence of Arab influence. Most of the trades here are traditionally catered to religious needs of the Islams, and today, a pedestrian Bussorah Mall stands in place of the old Bussorah Street.
There are still many tradtional shops selling intersting traditional games such has sepak takraw, paper balls and other souvenirs. Eateries were pretty full on that day! The conserved shophouses on the streets also hold new retailers, adapted for new businesses, and one we saw was the Sasha Bear Company, which houses an extensive collection of bears that left us amazed.
I remember seeing some very interesting small cafes around, and I would love to visit them again soon.
Arab Street. - Modissa
Arab Street was given its name because of the many traders who were once found in this area. It was the site of an Arab kampong, owned by an Arab merchant named Syed Ali bin Mohamend Aljunied.
The street names in this area were named after Arabian cities, reflecting the strong influence of Arab traders. For example, we have Bussorah Street, Muscat Street and Baghdad Street. On Arab Street, we found many shops selling textiles, embrodiery work, tailors, materials for making traditional and modern Malay costumes! It's almost like a textile haven! Hafizah and I really loved the fabrics, prints and textiles that we saw, they were so pretty!
Prior to this heritage trail trip, I frequent Arab street and this area for the unique goods they carry. I can find materials to make assessories such as rings and earrings. There are also shops selling Malay arts and crafts, traditional rattan handicrafts like baskets. Hence, Arab Street is not only popular among the Malays, but also youngsters from other communities!
The street names in this area were named after Arabian cities, reflecting the strong influence of Arab traders. For example, we have Bussorah Street, Muscat Street and Baghdad Street. On Arab Street, we found many shops selling textiles, embrodiery work, tailors, materials for making traditional and modern Malay costumes! It's almost like a textile haven! Hafizah and I really loved the fabrics, prints and textiles that we saw, they were so pretty!
Prior to this heritage trail trip, I frequent Arab street and this area for the unique goods they carry. I can find materials to make assessories such as rings and earrings. There are also shops selling Malay arts and crafts, traditional rattan handicrafts like baskets. Hence, Arab Street is not only popular among the Malays, but also youngsters from other communities!
North Bridge Road. - Modissa
North Bridge Road! It's a pretty long stretch, one of the earliest roads built in Singapore in the 1822 Raffles Town Plan. If I'm not wrong, it goes all the way down to City Hall area.
We visited this shop at No. 718, selling alcohol-free perfumes for Muslims! Alcohol is forbidden in Islam and so in order to entitle the ladies the same right to put on some perfume, alcohol-free perfumes were created! There's such an extensive collection, and we saw some beautifully carfted perfume dispensers. The shop also sells other essentials for Muslim homes and the pilgrimage to Mecca (haj).
On to something even more... intersting. FOOD! There are many Muslim restaurants around, which have been established right here since.. the 1900s! Zam Zam Restaurant at No. 699 and Victory Restaurant at No. 786. We had Nasi Bryani which was awesome! It is reputed to be one of the best in town. We spent some time over here resting(we walked a LOT before that!!!), taking photographs before moving on to the next place.
We visited this shop at No. 718, selling alcohol-free perfumes for Muslims! Alcohol is forbidden in Islam and so in order to entitle the ladies the same right to put on some perfume, alcohol-free perfumes were created! There's such an extensive collection, and we saw some beautifully carfted perfume dispensers. The shop also sells other essentials for Muslim homes and the pilgrimage to Mecca (haj).
On to something even more... intersting. FOOD! There are many Muslim restaurants around, which have been established right here since.. the 1900s! Zam Zam Restaurant at No. 699 and Victory Restaurant at No. 786. We had Nasi Bryani which was awesome! It is reputed to be one of the best in town. We spent some time over here resting(we walked a LOT before that!!!), taking photographs before moving on to the next place.
Kubor Muslim Cemetery. - Hafizah
We,as a group found it very interesting that this plot of land, the Kubor Muslim Cemetery, still exists at the heart of the very busy Bugis area! We did not capture any snapshots of the cemetery as a mark of respect to dead. (hehe)
This cemetery was labelled as the "Tombs of the Malayan Princes" on J.B Tassin's 1836map. Wow! How interesting! We were surprised as we did not know that the dead buried in this cemetery were from the royal family. Another interesting point to take note of is that this cemetery is the oldest recorded Malay cemetery in Singapore.
(http://www.myonlinetour.com/poi/glamwalk/guide.pdf)
Malabar Muslim Jama-ath Mosque. - Hafizah
Phew! The Malabar Muslim Jama-ath Mosque was the 3rd last pit stop of our Heritge Trail. By then all of us were drenched in perspiration and we were dragging our very fragile legs to the mosque. The weather was so hot and humid, all of us felt like we were going to die of a heatstroke! Nevertheless we perservered and we finally arrived at the mosque! Yoohoo!
(Lost and tired)
Address of the mosque: 471 Victoria Street,Singapore 198370
Tel: 62943862 Fax: 63923981
The Malabar Mosque is the only mosque in Singapore which is fully managed by the Malabar Muslims, also commonly known as the Malayalee Muslims. I was not aware of this fact at all! My race is officially stated as Malayalee on my IC but I did not know that this mosque is being managed by my own race. hehe.
The Malabar/Malayalee community in Singapore originated from the southern state of Kerala in India and the language spoken by the community is Malayalam. The Malabar/Malayalee community formed the second largest ethnic group within the Indian community in Singapore.
(http://www.mkbhasi.com/mkb_main/malayalees_in_singapore.htmkb_main/malayalees_in_singapore.htmkb_main/malayalees_in_singapore.htmkb_main/malayalees_in_singapore.htm)
The Malabar Mosque was first opened on 24th January 1963 by our first president, Yang di Pertuan Negara ,Yusof Ishak. The mosque is also known as the Golden Dome Mosque
The construction of the Malabar Mosque was not particularly smooth sailing as it was brought to a standstill due to the lack of funds. However, with donations pouring in from Muslims and non-Muslims alike, the construction of the mosque was completed successfully.
As our group was exploring the area around the mosque, we stumbled upon a Malabar cemetery which dates back to the 1819s. This disused cemetery were for the Malayalees.
The construction of the Malabar Mosque was not particularly smooth sailing as it was brought to a standstill due to the lack of funds. However, with donations pouring in from Muslims and non-Muslims alike, the construction of the mosque was completed successfully.
As our group was exploring the area around the mosque, we stumbled upon a Malabar cemetery which dates back to the 1819s. This disused cemetery were for the Malayalees.
Us, with the mosque at the background. (Gary was the photographer) . *look at imran!*
Alsagoff Arab School. - Imran.
Built in 1912, the school was named for Syed Ahmad Alsagoff, a wealthy Arab merchant and philanthropist who was very influential in Singapore's early colonial days and who died in 1906. It is the oldest girls' school in Singapore, and was the island's first Muslim school. It provided basic education to learn about Islamic values and culture. Graduates went on to become religious leaders and Imams in Mosques.
Hajjah Fatimah Mosque (National Monument). - Imran
Built and completed in 1846 by a rich and wealthy Lady from Melacca, the name of the mosque took on after the person who built itself, Hajjah Fatimah. It is also known as the raining tower of Singapore and it has a east west architectural style
Reflections - Gary.
Time flies; the simple looking at all the photos we took during this heritage trail evoke vivid memories of the places, people, and things I have seen. It felt almost like yesterday that we had took on the three-hour long walk, after the fantastic one-hour of Chicken Bryani (pardon the spelling if need be), roti pratas and teh tarik. Wow. It wasn't just the authentic (it tasted like it) food we ate, for once in quite a while, I realized Singapore isn't that bad a concrete jungle, devoid of any evidences of historical roots, I used to somewhat believe.
I remember that Saturday morning when we all met, and walked out of the Bugis MRT station, across some traffic junction, and there we were we found ourselves standing just opposite some heritage place! The idea was, I probably went past Bugis junction a hundred times, but never once (as far as I can remember) did it occur to me that just nearby was our dear Kampung Glam. haha. One lesson to be learnt? It is to purposefully visit such heritage places in Singapore. Why? Having carried out this trail, I am convinced that exploring your country's history, culture definitely opens your eyes to things you wouldn't see on a normal day to day basis. This isn't about propaganda; it's just making your own life more interesting. After all, what pleasure can catching a hundred movies give you that beats the experience of re-walking the path our ancestors walked?
Caos!
I remember that Saturday morning when we all met, and walked out of the Bugis MRT station, across some traffic junction, and there we were we found ourselves standing just opposite some heritage place! The idea was, I probably went past Bugis junction a hundred times, but never once (as far as I can remember) did it occur to me that just nearby was our dear Kampung Glam. haha. One lesson to be learnt? It is to purposefully visit such heritage places in Singapore. Why? Having carried out this trail, I am convinced that exploring your country's history, culture definitely opens your eyes to things you wouldn't see on a normal day to day basis. This isn't about propaganda; it's just making your own life more interesting. After all, what pleasure can catching a hundred movies give you that beats the experience of re-walking the path our ancestors walked?
Caos!
Reflections - Imran.
It has almost been one and half months ago but it seems as though it was History relived like yesterday when I embarked on my history heritage trail with my group mates, gary, modissa, hafizah and mori. What a great bunch of people to have when going on such a trip. The sight and sounds of Kampong Glam will be etched in my memory for many years to come but it was superbly complemented by the fun and laughter provided by my group mates especially Gary and Hafizah. Like many Singaporeans nowadays perceive Kampong Glam to be another tourist and eating attraction, there is in fact more than just a bunch of buildings made of bricks and mortar over there. Indeed, Kampong Glam possessed a rich and colourful history in early Singapore that unfortunately, over the course of time, has lost its colour and flamboyance in the early 19th century.
How pitiful history has become when we entered one of the most outstanding buildings in Kampong Glam, The Old Istana now known as the Malay Heritage Centre that there was practically no living soul walking through its serene and peaceful halls and basking in the glow of a once famous place that a certain Sultan Hussein used to live, royalty of the highest regard that Singapore once had. Its signatory furniture and design on the place is very much intact and I for one was blown away by the amazing ambience that the Old Istana provided. Forget about the new Istana that our current president lives in and forget about other historical relics that exist today in Singapore. This old Istana was where it all started. Since this is only a reflection and I do sound terribly passionate about the old Istana and the significance it should take on more in Singapore, I will dwell into giving a history lesson because it is all there for everyone to see. I just want to say that the old Istana is conserved in a pristine condition with practically no defects in the monument itself. In fact, it is made into a tourist attraction and gains quite a bit of revenue from the modest $4 it charges per entrance for adults. What a terrible coincidence that after we ventured into the intrigue of what the old Istana held, more people started streaming in. The power that history students possessed is second to none. HAHAHAHAAHA!!! Well, my reckoning is that they wanted to see what the fuss was all about in the Old Istana after they saw 5 people doing jump shots for photography, impersonating chimpanzees and monkeys in the local zoo in the process, within the premises!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
On a much more serious note, Kampong Glam is more than just the old Istana that stands there today. There are other famous monuments that my group mates have also experienced the richness that its historical value possesses. Indeed, apart from the eating areas and the shopping that it has along its streets, Kampong Glam is more than what meets the eye.
How pitiful history has become when we entered one of the most outstanding buildings in Kampong Glam, The Old Istana now known as the Malay Heritage Centre that there was practically no living soul walking through its serene and peaceful halls and basking in the glow of a once famous place that a certain Sultan Hussein used to live, royalty of the highest regard that Singapore once had. Its signatory furniture and design on the place is very much intact and I for one was blown away by the amazing ambience that the Old Istana provided. Forget about the new Istana that our current president lives in and forget about other historical relics that exist today in Singapore. This old Istana was where it all started. Since this is only a reflection and I do sound terribly passionate about the old Istana and the significance it should take on more in Singapore, I will dwell into giving a history lesson because it is all there for everyone to see. I just want to say that the old Istana is conserved in a pristine condition with practically no defects in the monument itself. In fact, it is made into a tourist attraction and gains quite a bit of revenue from the modest $4 it charges per entrance for adults. What a terrible coincidence that after we ventured into the intrigue of what the old Istana held, more people started streaming in. The power that history students possessed is second to none. HAHAHAHAAHA!!! Well, my reckoning is that they wanted to see what the fuss was all about in the Old Istana after they saw 5 people doing jump shots for photography, impersonating chimpanzees and monkeys in the local zoo in the process, within the premises!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
On a much more serious note, Kampong Glam is more than just the old Istana that stands there today. There are other famous monuments that my group mates have also experienced the richness that its historical value possesses. Indeed, apart from the eating areas and the shopping that it has along its streets, Kampong Glam is more than what meets the eye.
Reflections - Modissa.
It's been................................. 10 years since my last heritage trail, which was coincidentally to Kampong Glam too! I must say, I really enjoyed myself this time round, maybe it's because I am more familiar with the area. Prior to the trip, I like to visit Haji Lane, Bali Lane and Arab Street to shop & eat! There are great finds and great buys around this area, and a haven for accessories maker as Arab Street has a wide array of beads, and materials for simple jewellery making.
I had lots of fun with my groupmates Mori, Hafizah, Gary and Imran!!!! The jumpshots at the Malay Heritage Centre like we just don't care :p , posing for the various places, taking silly videos towards the end of the trip, and simply cheering each other on when we were all so tired and desperate to get it over and done with on such a hot hot hot day! I didn't expect to enjoy myself that much because previously I did not know some of my groupmates well. 
Quote from dear Mori: remember when we had just gotten our assignments and i said i have never gone to arab street before, modissa looked at me like I wasnt a singaporean.
YAR hello I am not born in Singapore but I have been to Arab Street many times okay!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
It was definitely interesting exploring the various places in greater detail than I usually do(just walking around aimlessly on a Sunday afternoon with friends), especially the Malay Heritage Centre. Being a Chinese, I admit that I do not know a lot about the Malay culture but the heritage trail gave me the opportunity to learn more about its rich culture and deep roots.
The four hours was AWESOME!
Reflections - Mori.
True to the fashion of some people who live in the west, i rarely do venture out of the area. Why would we? When our schools, shopping centres, hangouts, facilities are all concentrated around us.
It is probably the culture of Singaporeans to have a one-track mind when we are visiting the places we want to go. Even though i went on a heritage trail to kampong glam back when i was in primary 4, it still didnt occur to me that kampong glam was actually just across the street from bugis junction.
I remember when we had just gotten our assignments and i said i have never gone to arab street before, modissa looked at me like I wasnt a singaporean.
Embarking on this heritage trail with my teammates was definitely an experience that would not be forgotten. Even taking aside the memorable jump shot attempts and complaining of the heat and soreness in our legs, it was great to be able to learn together as a group when we walked around and tried to find the places and information about the monuments.
I probably would not have went on a heritage trail if not for the assignment, and our students in the future would probably look at the heritage trail as an excursion to stretch their legs and leave the boring classrooms behind, but it remains that there is much more to learn about our heritage than we would have originally thought.
It is probably the culture of Singaporeans to have a one-track mind when we are visiting the places we want to go. Even though i went on a heritage trail to kampong glam back when i was in primary 4, it still didnt occur to me that kampong glam was actually just across the street from bugis junction.
I remember when we had just gotten our assignments and i said i have never gone to arab street before, modissa looked at me like I wasnt a singaporean.
Embarking on this heritage trail with my teammates was definitely an experience that would not be forgotten. Even taking aside the memorable jump shot attempts and complaining of the heat and soreness in our legs, it was great to be able to learn together as a group when we walked around and tried to find the places and information about the monuments.
I probably would not have went on a heritage trail if not for the assignment, and our students in the future would probably look at the heritage trail as an excursion to stretch their legs and leave the boring classrooms behind, but it remains that there is much more to learn about our heritage than we would have originally thought.
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