Memories - Neighbourhood

Bukit Timah Plaza and Beautyworld near my place used to be very good locations to go to for shopping and the like - general tourist attractions, Singaporean and Malaysians alike.

There's a very large grassy plain inbetween my house and Beautyworld. There used to be pasar malams there every once in a while - the other (perhaps the actual) reason why the area just outside my house was a popular location for tourists.

They're all gone, of course. Mom says that they've been gone ever since a pasar malam at Redhill unfortunate enough to catch fire. The government's banned them ever since. Now when I go to the Cameron Highlands (last Dec) the pasar malam there feels rather alien yet slightly nostalgic. More alien than nostalgic though.

Paddle pop used to be an absolutely wonderful ice cream. Still is, in fact. Rainbow-swirly goodness at pretty much the most affordable price (per stick) that any ice cream nowadays can hope to sell for. It's a very good thing the Esso just outside my house still sells them. I hear they're not in fashion anymore. Pity.

It really is good stuff. Gwin and I bought one stick each on the way home yesterday. He said they made paddle pop smaller these days. I said they stayed the same - we just grew up. I don't know whether I'm right or he's right. Maybe both. Maybe not. Oh well. Good stuff, though.

Waffletown was a pretty awesome place at Bukit Timah Plaza. Ever since they moved to Balmoral Plaza it's felt less like a homey cafe and more like another random outlet. Yes, I know. It does feel that way, even though it's probably the only outlet in Singapore.

There used to be a funky arcade in the middle of Bukit Timah Plaza too. I never went there, though. Wasn't too into arcades back then. I always thought about going there just to see when I grew up. I guess I never got the chance.

I never see little kids running around in the void deck playing Wizards or shooting each other down with water guns anymore. Sure, the Super Soaker series became waaaaaaaaaay less awesome once they cut production of all the good stuff (CPS =D) but I never realized it got so bad.

It's just 20 cents for a bucket of fun, too. Well, I suppose it's quite a waste of water. Oh well.

I never realized it, but the grassy plain just outside really did feel rather empty. But it felt nice having an empty plain just... there. Once in a while you would see people fly RC planes (or helis, whichever they had). Now all you see are white walls and the occasional turqoiuse board saying "MRT Line coming your way",

Maybe Beautyworld will end up being a nice place to go to again.