La Yue Shi Jiu in Chinese means the 19th day of the wax month, which is the last moth of the year. It's just like 19th Dec, but in lunar calender lah.
And finally, make my trip to Chinatown with mum, but before that, i went to Tampines Library to get my books for my idiotic CJP notes. The library opens at 1 and by the time i reach there, the library was crammed with several readers. Sigh...holiday doesn't sounds like holday at all. And this is how the stupid FAST system works. It's either you work like there's no tomorrow like a bee, or just too eng eng bo tai ji (meaning too free, and nothing to do. so that's why i watch movies at home for the 2 months breaks lor.)
Went to $$$ Converter's Bedok again for 2 purposes: 1) to see if anyone buys the movie that i sold off, 2) looking for the movie soundtrack of Indecent Proposal. In the end, i get myself The Police - Every Breath You Take The Singles. This album, i can tel you, is no longer on sale in US, cos it was made in 1986. Wow, much much longer than George Michael's Faith man. The songs...almost the same as any of Police's compliation album, but sad to say, it comes without Synchronicity 1 and 2.
Now back to the tales in Chinatown. The first place we went: OG People's Park. Stay there for a shortwhile and went straight to People Park's market. There, we headed straight up to Level 2 to buy cloths. I just wonder when was the last time i saw the shopowner cut out a piece of cloth for the customers, cos there was used to be so much shops in BedokCentral selling textiles and cloths. However, people seems to be finding making clothes troublesome. So the trade declines in Bedok Central. One by one, the shops closed down. As for the shops there, well, life as usual, but their story will have to come an end after CNY, as People's Park Market will be closed down after CNY, and it will undergo a major upgrading. After the major upgrading, instead of savouring the delicious yong tau fu and roast ducks, it will soon be replaced with FnB outlets such as Starbucks and mabey some bakery such as Breadtalk. (Again? I don't know.)
I would say that People's Park Complex and People's Park Market is one of the few great places which still preserves the 70's look, until today. Take a look at the shops there and you can tell for yourself. But this only applies to the Market. Complex? About the same, but it fails to attract teenagers despite that they set up a level for teens. As for the rest of Chinatown, it will be a real letdown to those who wish to take a sight of the old Chinatown.
The new year market was still the same as ever. Everything's modernised, and yes, too modernised. It has lost it's charm and tourist are quite disappointed. Went to the Heritage Centre aka Yuan Mao Guan in Mandarin, which was owned by S'pore Heritage Board. It was a good place to take a look of the old Chinatown in their heydays. (And just for ya info if you had never been there, there is a tailor shop at the exit, where it just look excatly the same as the tailor shop you see in Kung Fu Hustle. :P) If you want to eat there, they just set up another porridge king outlet, which owns a main outlet in Katong. And yes, for gals and guys who loves a hunky figure, the shop features the poster of the owner (who was an ex-model) with his washboard chest. Just wondering: is this a place for porridge or sex?
Had dinner at Chinatown Complex and it was a hardtime for us to find a seat. Had a meal and continues shopping. Finally, went to the bus stop below Yangtze cineplex to get back home.
Mum was pretty disappointed with this trip. As for me, i can only say that buying CD's at Chinatown makes me feels that Chinatown is a place where we still get to hold a piece of the heritage. (Cos i just cheong and cheong to buy CD's, without settling down and take a stroll.) However, this trip changes my mindset. Everything's too modernised and commercialised. The former Majestic theatre now becomes another shopping centre, with shops and outlets where we could get to see in our town area. The old shophouses there now becomes another handicrafts and souvenior shop, or worst, more FnB outlet. Keong Siak street? A stone's throw away from Chinatown complex which still preserves it's charm of being a red light district, but now enhanced with Hotel 1929 and Rairua, a gay sauna.
Well, i will still visit Chinatown, but for 2 purposes: 1) buy music CD's, 2) to buy new year cookies at cheap price on CNY's eve. If not, it is impossible for me to step there again. Just like any other teens, i prefer to hang out in Orchard, and be a Far East kid, or a Heeren kid, Borders kid, Lido and Cineleisure's guru for movies.
Few more days to CNY, and i would do whateveris neded to invite the rooster year. Of course, going to Chinatown on the last day of the monkey year.