Remember t
he Empress Place building? We used to walk past the building and see many folks trying to get local citizenship. Standing in its place now is the Asian Civilisation Museum, which portrays the colourful history of the Singapore River - the place I used to call home.
Beside the museum, there's a newly erected statue of Sir. Thomas Stamford Raffles in the vicinity of the spot where he is believed to have landed. Remember the old one was bronze? It is now under construction. The new one is white. He looks equally smart and regal. You used to say that I look just like him – the same posture, the same expression. I wonder if you would still think so.
Do you remember how we used to walk past the Parliament House? It once was a beautiful big house belonging to a Scottish merchant. Then, Raffles was livid that a residence was built on government land and made plans to erect a government office in its place. 
Now, in front of the Old Parliament House stands the gift given by King Chulalongkorn of Siam in 1871 to Singapore, which takes the form of a bronze elephant. I used to tease you by saying that you weighed as much as the elephant. Those were the days. The elephant still remains, and so does my undying love for you which is the gift from my heart.
Now, the Old Parliament House is converted into The Arts House, which hosts visual performance arts events and the New Parliament House is located not far from here. If I could, I'd like to bring you to The Arts House to watch some of the performances since theatre had always been your area of interest. 
Just ahead of me, I see the Elgin Bridge. Then, it was just a wooden drawbridge known as Presentment Bridge. It’s been in existence for 189 years (since 1822). Sometimes, I feel our love feels like that. It feels like I’ve loved you in my past life and no matter who I am, was or will become, I’ll continue to love you for as long as I live.
The bridge is famous for being the very first one that was built across the Singapore River and connected the east and the west, connecting me to you. The cast iron lamps and the bronze plaque of lions just below them are still present. Do you remember that one time when we found the insignia R. Nolli on one of the plaques? We spent the whole day guessing what it meant. I know it now. It is the signatory of an Italian sculptor, Cavalari Rudolfo Nolli, who designed those lamps.
Now, as I walk along Coleman Bridge, it reminds me of how much things have changed. In 1986, the old iron bridge was replaced by the current concrete one. We used to just take in the sights as the bridge allowed vehicles to pass through; the rhythm of the busy streets resonating with the beat of my heart whenever our eyes met.
I now set foot upon a massive building designed with colorful window frames, which used to be the Hill Street Police Station and Barracks that housed a police station, offices and accommodation for the fellow policemen and their families. It reminded me of you gushing about how handsome the police officers were in their uniforms, and how you would try to persuade me to become a policeman. Today, this building is where the Ministry of Information, Arts, and Communication (MICA) is.
Here comes another one of the many bridges that we had crossed together before. Remember how we used to stroll along the Read Bridge, taking in the night lights and enjoying the cool breeze that caressed our faces? We always talked about how my great-grandfather used to lepak here in the day and tell us stories, just like the other story-tellers who were there telling their own stories.
As we listened to the many tales, we would chomp down on our favourite pineapple snack. Remember how we used to sneak into the pineapple factory and dare each other to steal the fruits under the nose of the very fierce manager? Once, we got caught and I took your hand before running for our dear lives. That was the first time I held your hand. I couldn't help but smile as we made our escape.
Now, it has transformed into an area filled with restaurants and bars. It’s been renamed The Cannery, in memory of the pineapple factories. I am now sitting in one of the many quaint cafes located in one of the replicas at the Whampoa Ice House, sipping on pineapple juice and reminiscing.
The replica is now a row of colourful shophouses and the myriad of colours brings li
fe to the place as compared to the 'black and white' of the past. I'm sure you'd love to be here. The original Ice House, which was Tan Kah Kee's rubber company during our time, had been demolished for the widening of River Valley Road in 1981. Remember how much we used to complain about the humid weather of Singapore and wish that the ice company, which imported ice from America and was established in 1850, had not closed down due to the low demand.
fe to the place as compared to the 'black and white' of the past. I'm sure you'd love to be here. The original Ice House, which was Tan Kah Kee's rubber company during our time, had been demolished for the widening of River Valley Road in 1981. Remember how much we used to complain about the humid weather of Singapore and wish that the ice company, which imported ice from America and was established in 1850, had not closed down due to the low demand.
How can I forget the Chinese mansion, which we used to gaze at from outside, that was well-furnished with the most luxurious furniture we had ever seen, befitting only of the wealthy? And how we imagined ourselves to be the owners living inside? I made the promise to you that I would work hard to build a perfect house, bigger and grander that the one that laid before us. I suppose that was a promise I failed to keep. It is no longer a Chinese mansion but what is now known as the River House, which shares its compound with a restaurant called the Forbidden City.
Oh! And remember Tan Hao Ang, the guy that sells kacang puteh outside the cinema? He used to say that his ancestor owned the River House down in Clarke Quay but we never knew what he was talking about. I found the place and it has been converted into a restaurant. I also found out that it used to be a warehouse in the 1880s constructed by a wealthy Chinese merchant, Tan Yeok Nee. It turns out that in Singapore, there are only 2 of such Chinese traditional houses left. Bet you did not know that!
Speaking of food, do you remember how you alway
s waited for me every evening with a bowl of ice ball for yourself and a bottle of palm wine for me, that you got from the toddy shops nearby at the end of Ord(nance) Bridge, formally known as Toddy Bridge? That was the best part of my day. Coolie Pants:
As we walked back home together and just talked along Boat Quay, we could see coolies, toiling and sweating in the unbearable heat just to eke out a decent living.
Even after 5 decades, it is hard to forget the unbearable stench of the infamous dirty waters (since I stayed near the river). Now the scenario has totally changed. People no longer shun this place, instead they are drawn to the picturesque and breezy area, a setting that attracts both locals and tourists.
Remember my grandfather used to tell us of his old workplaces in this area? Like when he worked at the gambier and pepper building, and how gambier and pepper were some of the few crops that could grow in Singapore’s harsh terrains back then. He switched to the rubber trade industry only because it paid better once it became an important commodity for the whole region. The rubber trade headquarters was located only a few shophouses away from his previous employment ground.
Back then, he was the only one who did oppose to us being together. We used to walk by theese places with him. The area has now been replaced by new businesses, mostly retail and bars.
Former Gambier & Pepper Building and former Rubber Trade HQ
Former Gambier & Pepper Building and former Rubber Trade HQ
I remember seeing bumboats being used to transport goods along Singapore River as the water was not deep enough for big ships to sail through. They are still in existence now, although they are meant more for tourist attraction tours along the river and less for cargo transport.
The eyes painted on the bows of the bumboats, that scared you so much, still remain in place. I remember you said it felt like someone was perpetually watching you; and so I always made it a point to walk on the side of the river to make you feel secure. I have found out the purpose of the eyes from one of the friendly boatmen. Some were aimed at distinguishing the boats from rivals, several used it to indicate if the boat was overloaded, and a few painted them merely for decorative purposes. Most believed that the eyes represented Ma Zu's, the patron deity of the sailors, which helped to 'see' the direction the boat was heading and to forewarn sailors of the dangers that lurked ahead. Whereas for me, I used it as an excuse to walk close to you, to make you feel protected.
I remember spending some time at Masjid Omar Kampung Melaka Mosque as I patiently waited for your prayer session to end. This famous mosque was supported by the Aljunied family, one of the wealthiest in the community. Being the first ever mosque to be built in Singapore, it always attracted many followers and could barely contain them. It has been a long time since I last came here and I truly miss those days which are now gone and never to be relived again.
I wandered around and saw this unique mosque, named Masjid Moulana. It is the only underground mosque in Singapore and was officially opened in 1996. I started thinking of you again and I am sure you would bring me to this cool mosque if you are around. Suddenly, I had the urge to go in, hoping to find you there. However, I remember you telling me not to enter a religious site if I was inappropriately dressed. And I was, so I resumed my route.
Over at the Great Emporium, the sculptures, which reflected the way of life in the past, demonstrate how much the entire economical, as well as social, environment has changed. The transformation from a primitive financial set-up into a prominent business centre shows how much Singapore has developed and it seems that Singapore is well on its way to becoming a world-class city.
Sir Stamford Raffles had played an integral part in the development of Singapore - where it was transformed from a fishing village to a thriving port (as it has been repeated ad nauseam in textbooks these days). Many years have gone by, and yet many features of the Raffles' Town Plan that were present are still evident today. For instance, Raffles' Place remains the heart of the Central Business District, where all the commercial and office buildings are concentrated at. Also, the practice of allocating various ethnics groups to different segments of Singapore has been so entrenched that a particular racial group is still associated with the respective areas.
The irony is that even with the town plan, fate brought us together despite the different lives we were leading, and our love being so strong was able to cross the boundaries. I will always remember the day when my eyes set upon yours. Yet, I wonder if we were born later into this era, would our paths have crossed? If so, I wish that we will meet just this one more time.
Across the road now stands a statue of a Merlion as a fountain. The Merlion is the 
ic
on for our tourism industry. It has the head of a lion and the body of a fish. The entire area is named the Merlion Park and it has a very nice view. I can see the two durians called the Esplanade (an arts hub). I am sure that if this place existed back then, we would have spent most of our time here, viewing the exhibitions held in the hub.
Remember the old Fullerton building that used to house tenants such as the General Post Office, The Exchange, the Singapore Club, the Chamber of Commerce and other government departments related to the fisheries, forestry and agriculture? It has now developed into a beautiful, high-class hotel that has been rated 6 stars! Many people get married here in beautiful ceremonies. You would definitely love it and I could imagine you saying how much you would like to have your wedding here too - since you always wanted to feel like a princess. 
How about the Fullerton Waterboat House which was a building used to regulate habour activities in the 19th century? During our time, it provided fresh water for incoming ships in the regional trade. Now, it still supplies water but at a high cost. It has become a nice, classy restaurant managed by the Fullerton Hotel (explaining the cost) but the elegant stone structure with a gently curved facade that is reminiscent of the British architecture still remains.
As I moved on and walked along the Cavenagh Bridge, I began laughing to myself thinking of how I would make fun of you while we were on this bridge. The bridge, which was initially meant for vehicles, turned into a pedestrian bridge in 1910 because authorities were worried that it could not sustain the heavy vehicular traffic. I used to joke about my fear of the bridge collapsing due to your weight (even though you were so skinny)! And then you would chase me around the bridge trying to hit me. This bridge still remains unchanged; similar to how it was during our happy times.We had so much fun then; how I wish you were here enjoying the moment with me now.
Standing on the Cavenagh Bridge, I can see the Anderson Bridge. It was built in 1910 to replace the Cavenagh Bridge as a vehicular bridge. I remember that during the Japanese Occupation, severed heads of criminals were hung on the bridge as a warning to citizens from disobeying authorities. Fearing that the bridge was 'haunted', you used to ask me to accompany you whenever you needed to take a bus that would cross this bridge during the late hours.
As I made my way back to ACM, I remember my most memorable moment of us - when we used to sneak onto the back of the bumboats in order to get a ride along the Singapore River. There was once, which was also the last time we did it, we got caught and the furious boatman scolded us till you cried. That was when I decided never to do anything that would leave you in tears.
But I still made you cry when we parted. I hope in your heart, I’ve not been replaced like these places have been. With nothing left to remember us by, what we were, what we had, nothing but memories that echo of what once was.
Reflections of yesterday are fast disappearing. But you never will because I will always hold you dear, deep in my heart.
