Farrer Court
Been a while since i last put up a post, i think i always open with a statement like that once i have stopped updating on a regular basis. Having passed the 3 month mark of my internship i have to say that it was a good decision i made for myself. It sure has slowed things down a little in stressful Singapore. A comfort in knowing it is sort of an interim period between a short working stint and another good year back in school, and appreciating the experience while i'm at it.
Anyhow, this post more for myself to remember but its also a story to share. I once lived in Farrer Court where my grandma owns a unit. As you all might know its all been 'en bloc-ed' and a Zaha Hadid designed condo is gonna be built there. The design itself is less than impressive, but i'll admit it probably makes more efficient use of the prime area Farrer Court currently occupies. I suppose i'll never forgive its demolition, if i had it my way it would remain standing long after i am gone.
Just made a trip down to take a few parting photos before the unit has to be handed over. Most of the units are already vacant. I saw the last remaining families moving their furniture out and about. So let's do this the way i like. Plenty of photos and description.
From the overhead bridge. Bus 165 or 855 from my place to get here. Really shitty colours yep i know. I used to stay at my grandma's place every school holiday up till secondary 3 i think. It's so familiar along Farrer Road, it will be a big difference when its replaced. Just a little further down turn left towards orchard straight for commonwealth and right for holland village.
Outside the gates. I never knew when it converted to a HUDC, but they closed off this road next to the market and i have always remembered it to be the way it is in this photo. I stayed in block C with my grandma on level 14. My grandaunt stayed opposite at block G level 14. 14's my birthday. They say 4 isn't a nice number in cantonese coz it sounds like death. My grandma's cantonese. I like the number 14.
Here i am all grown up sitting on the steps going up to block G. Funny you don't take photos of everyday surroundings until the last moment. Exactly why i suspect i will be going around taking photos all over NUS after i graduate. It's really nice during the end of year when its near Christmas. They would decorate all the shrubs with lights. It was really inexpensive decor but i appreciated it.
Sitting at the pavilion. My grandma used to take the lift downstairs around 9pm every night and sit here with her friends to chat for an hour. These days she just lies in bed in my room and watches TV haha. I used to follow her every night. My cantonese was pretty decent in those days!
Kicking pong pong fruits at the bottom of my block is still as fun as 20 years ago. I now know the fat columns in the void deck are called "shear walls". It is a little bit of a pity that the weather was a little gloomy or the photos would have been nicer. What a pissy rainy August.
Outside my unit. Of course the grill and door have changed a little bit since i remember. The most interesting thing about this lift lobby is that i can look out to my grandaunt's place and see if there's any chance there's someone standing at the balcony. And vice versa when i'm over at their place looking back here.
Standing at the balcony. The place is a lot smaller than i remember. Of course i am a bigger person now. The place is virtually in ruin with no water or electricity. But some of the finishes like the tiles still identify themselves as home to me. And some of that cane furniture we used to have that i still don't think is particularly nice. We have shifted some of it back home though.
Now just a few photos here and there. This is a nice one with the Clementi telecom building in the distance.
Nice greens all over the place.
Nice reflective surface of the tennis court after the rain. Great view out over the nearby expensive district. Lots of greenery and low rise. Wonder how much the units will fetch here once the project is completed.
That's all for this post. Its nice to be able to go back to a place even one which you remember quite clearly. Sad to say that comfort of revisiting is not gonna be there any more. Truly worth the few hours of a saturday to visit. Gonna miss this place.
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