Jane’s Walk Singapore with Tony Tan: Geylang Serai & Joo Chiat Uncovered

The government sponsors a lot of community programmes 
in Singapore. This particular community though has come 
together on their own to grow a variety of veggies - such 
as these sweet peas!

Colourful rainbow umbrella hanging on the window grills of this vibrant teal facade. I love the distressed door and the understated ornate door knob.

Saw one of few sand covered playgrounds left in Singapore. All are slowly being replaced by rubber matting. 

There are laws to protect the integrity of shophouses in heritage areas. But they only cover building facades - meaning property owners can do as they please to the other sides of the exterior as well as the interiors.

I love snooping around the back of pretty facades. Always humanises the other-wise too perfect experience. 

Pops of bold colour. Grill-work pattern. 

Beauty in the ordinary

This palm tree mural at the side of a building is the only thing that hints to what used to cover this whole area - a coconut plantation.

Educational graffiti 

Rectangles & triangles.

View from above - see the ships along the coast beyond? 

Like little toy houses with little toy people

Geylang Serai Market

Soft curves of the roof tiles vs the sharp lines of the grill work

White canvas

Tour guide extraordinaire - Tony Tan

Like many old buildings from Singapore's past - this building will most likely be demolished to make way for new structures.

Like how Thai's have Golden Mile and Filipinos have 
Lucky Plaza, part of Geylang Serai is called Indo-town. It is a 
popular hang out on Sunday's for domestic foreign helpers on 
their day off. 

One of few overhead bridges that have retained their original form 
since first being built. On the other side of the road once stood the 
Hollywood Theatre, a cinema which would always feature new films 
from the west. In its place the new developers are building a new 
mall which will boast several kilometers of shopping.

Purple & red

Easy like Sunday morning

I love that many places in the East have a law about how high you can build buildings. I think currently it is at 4 floors? With space becoming a commodity, it was shared this will move likely change in the near future.


Tony Tan's deets are here.

Jane's Walks are here.