Bus Ride Sights: Geylang-Bendeemer

We were on Bus 21 this particular afternoon. 

Bus 21- if you must know- has a very interesting route. 

It's one of those routes that begin from the (extreme) northeast of Pasir Ris, comes down through Tampines, Bedok North and Eunos, before turning into Changi Road and Geylang Road afterwards. From Geylang it enters Kallang Industrial Estate and Upper Boon Keng Road via Geylang Lorong 1, after which it comes out onto Bendeemer and Jalan Besar before making a right into Kitchener Road, Serangoon Road and another left into Balestier Road at the junction of Lavender Road and Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital. Here it makes a gigantic round through Moulmein Road, Thomson Road and Balestier Road again before turning into Whampoa Drive and- finally- the bus terminal at Whampoa Road. 

We got up the bus in the vicinity of Eunos MRT. 

And we got down at Kitchener Road near Mustafa, Little India and Serangoon Road. 

The camera came out after the bus stop of City Plaza. 

Because I thought the sight of Guiliemard Road running along the banks of the Geylang River looked kind of beautiful. 

Bus 7 would have turned left onto Guillemard Road.

Bus 21 however goes straight.

Geylang Road has undoubtedly to be one of our most colorful districts on the island. 

I don't mean just the nightlife. 

Because even in the daytime, in the bright sunshine, the shophouses small and large hold shops of so many varying kinds that you never know what to expect as you make your way down. 

At one spot there might be a coffee shop. 

At another there might be a mobile handphone shop. 

There're shops selling bags and shoes and wallets and random clothing. 

There're shops selling daily necessities and household stuff.

To be honest I don't know for sure what the shops here at Geylang sell, but one thing I know is that Geylang's big on food, and some of the best delights have their roots here. 

I just wish I've had the time, and appetite to try more. 

To date I think I've had meals at maybe four coffee shops, and a dessert place or two.

One of the foods I like to go for when I come here is the Klang Bak Kut Teh. Sure, there are a couple of other places all around the island but it feels more authentic having it in a claypot at this coffee shop place along Lorong 11. 

The other thing that's good here is the dim sum. 

There're a few places, but the one that's cool here is on the other side of Geylang going up towards Eunos on the Sims Way side. 126 is notable for their scallop yam puffs, fish maw meat balls and their cheong funs. I can do their fried scallop yam puffs any day. 

There're a lot of roti prata and Indian Muslim food along this stretch heading down to Kallang, actually. The funny thing is that you don't really notice it- it just comes upon you- but I think there're at least three or four coffee shops offering roti prata, mee goreng, teh alia and sweet iced drinks at the counter. 

Of course, it's impossible to miss out on the range of mainland foods on this stretch. They're everywhere. One side will see the skewers and the BBQ. The other will see the Northeast cuisine taste that's familiar to some, acquired for others. I'm okay with skewers and the mala chicken and some of the dishes. I've yet to appreciate some of the colder ones. 

Perhaps what makes Geylang interesting is its variation of structure.

It is a place that can be shophouse, shophouse, shophouse, then suddenly,,, petrol station. 

The bus came upon one just when I was stoning off- but I got the picture.

So, yes, there is variety in scenery. 

Different architectural styles, different purposes, a myriad of colors. 

It charms one's eyes. 

Of course, there're no shortage of hotels here on Geylang Road. 

I don't know how many there are, but there're probably one for every two Lorongs. 

They aren't fancy, so don't expect five, or four-star. 

They're probably in the range of three. 

But they aren't all sleazy, however, even though some (admittedly) play the role, and some look the part. 

It's all very subjective, honestly. 

A hotel in Geylang doesn't necessarily mean it has to be for a sexy purpose.

It could simply mean that they haven't been upgraded, or haven't kept themselves well maintained, something. 

We don't know. 

If you ask me, some of the hotels look like the sort that- at one time- would have been suited for the visiting engineer, the traveling salesman or the cost-cutting representative from a family-run business here to expand trade opportunities in Singapore. 

There're some pretty interesting hotel properties here. 

This here be one. 

I've always wondered if Lai Ming Hotel was always a hotel. 

And if it wasn't, what then was it before? 

Nothing shows up on the website. 

Nothing shows up on Google.

But because this isn't a place where you can simply waltz in and ask, we'll have to take it as it is- and leave your answers to the air.

The bus made a right turn into Geylang Lorong 1 not long after. 

I took a picture.

But I didn't take that many pictures of the route after that. 

Except for the very calm view across the (Kallang? Geylang?) river towards Nicoll Highway.

And a couple of buildings in the industrial estate.

This stretch of Bendeemer I've done a couple of times before. 

So I decided Chonky should go home. 

But I took two more pictures. 

Because they, to me, always seem to define this particular stretch of Bendeemer Road.