Twilight @ Armenian Street

Going to Armenian Street this Friday afternoon was one of those impromptu things that happen when you're off work, have nowhere to go, but don't feel like going home. 

It wasn't in the plan. 

But because I was here- somewhere in SMU's Connexion- it seemed like a sensible place to go. 

I don't come here often. 

The last time I came here, the Peranakan Museum was still open, The Substation was still open, and the (quiet) road was still open to cars.

It's now closed to cars.

And no one knows what's gonna happen to The Substation as well. 

I'm not familiar with this arts perfroming venue. 

I'm familiar, instead, with The Bible House on the other side of Armenian Street where Canning Rise meets. 

The building used to house the offices of many a Christian organization, and on every last day of school term, me and The Parent would go there. 

I'm not sure if the organizations are still there. 

The one we used to go I know isn't. 

But the building is at least still there, as well as, I suppose, the retail shop that stood on the ground floor. 

The long-standing presence of the Armenian Church (as it's commonly called) since 1835 has made this street have a little bit of (heritage) Christian vibe. 

I mean, the Methodist Anglo-Chinese School was on Canning Rise, and the printing and publishing offices of the Methodist Book Room was on the Stamford Road side. 

I have no idea how it looked like during those days- I was too young- but one day they moved out and the place converted to the MPH bookstore. 

My memories of this building are of the bookstore. 

No doubt, I didn't come here very often (except on Sundays on my way home from church) but it was always nice to be here. 

I don't remember much of what I browsed, but I certainly remember standing by a shelf in the middle of the shop floor flipping through the pages of a coffee table book where pictures and descriptions of James Cameron's Titanic: The Making unveiled the world of special effects, set design, camera work, costumes and gimbles to me.

I don't know what Vanguard Building is now. 

But the lights, I'm happy to say, are still there. 

It's never a nice sight to see a building with its lights down. 

Doesn't matter for what reason it is- whether it be for renovation or demolition- it's a sad sight. 

But it does happen, and you can only seek out the silhouettes of their structures in the twilight. 

Sometimes the silhouettes are even more beautiful. .

Like the Peranakan Museum (in the evening light) which- with her darkened corridors- reminded me of Moorish architecture and castle towers in the same style.

It's not all dark on Armenian Street by the way.

The foyer of Wilmer Place is bright and welcoming. 

There're glints of light behind some of the shuttered windows in the building next door. 

And there're little lights peeking out from the herb and spice wooden planters strategically arranged all along this pedestrian-only road.