I have a surprisingly large number of pictures from this one not very long bus journey.
Either it were I was in a strong sort of mood (which sometimes I have) or I just wanted to capture this journey that I knew I would likely not be taking very soon after.
We were heading to, I think, a place near MacPherson.
Lunch, at Super Thai, maybe.
Hence we were, on Bus 135, taking a direct route from Kembangan MRT to the bus stop directly outside the restaurant.
Bus 135 is a fairly long route.
On paper it doesn't feel very far- like, East, East, East, still East, then somewhere in between, then Northeast, then (more or less) Central Singapore.
But the bus takes you through the streets of Kembangan, Frankel, East Coast Road, Marine Parade Road, Amber Road, Haig Road, Dunman Road, Tanjong Katong Road, Paya Lebar Road, Circuit Road, Merpati Road, Upper Aljunied Road, Upper Serangoon Road, Serangoon Avenue 2, Lorong Chuan, and finally, Ang Mo Kio.
That is a lot of varied vibe, and would make a very interesting album had I taken pictures all through from Kembangan till Ang Mo Kio.
But as it is, I have pictures only from Kembangan to PLQ at Paya Lebar Road, and a good deal of those they already are.
There is a lot to be seen when one goes along this route.
The view's just different as one goes along.
Today Chonkycam came out somewhere on Frankel Avenue.
I don't know precisely from which part to which part- it were somewhere in the middle near where the bus stops were- likely- and so here them pretty Semi D houses are.
Frankel Avenue is one of those roads that can be said to be as suburban as one can get. Not only is it far off from the City Downtown (well, far off enough anyway), it has one of those environments that imbibe you with the country's quiet suburban vibes.
Perhaps an additional part of it is the trees.
There were a surprising good number of palm trees and coconut trees along Frankel all the way from the Changi Road side to the East Coast Road side. Actually there were a lot of trees- the big canopied type- which, had I were not on this bus, I wouldn't have noticed.
From here on, the bus made a right, and onto East Coast Road.
I skipped a lot of pictures this particular afternoon.
Not because I wanted to, but most of them didn't turn out right and so all I have are these- all the way up to Telok Kurau Road.
Very random, I have to admit.
I have no idea, for instance, how the road began with a row of trees, and I have no idea at where those trees are.
There's a condo that comes up next, and then what is I think was once an arts school but is now a children's kindergarten.
After that comes a row of terraced homes and then there's this stretch which, I think, compromises of homes that remind me of townhouse flats (or what some countries call a flat).
Or an apartment.
Or a two-storeyed terrace, depending on how you define.
Certainly it was not an apartment built for recent eras, nor recent times.
But I thought them incredibly beautiful.
After here, the bus turned left into Telok Kurau Road, right onto Marine Parade Road, went by a convent school (Katong Convent, I think) and then stopped at the junction of Joo Chiat Road.
Here on the bus went forward, first going past an entrance of the Marine Parade MRT station, then the Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel, then another entrance of the MRT station, the bus stop, and the roundabout that would bring us to Amber Road.
Okay, I'm not familiar with Amber Road.
As in, I've heard of it, I've heard it's got a story, but I haven't had chance to wander along it or really explore it.
Same it was for today, where the bus went on the spin, passed by the condominiums and then traffic-light stopped near the junction of Katong Shopping Center.
Here on the bus went straight into Haig Road.
First up was Tanjong Katong Secondary School with its own red safety markings, bus stop directly outside. After that came the lanes and streets that make up this heritage glimpse of an old road. I don't think of Seraya Lane that often, but its a lane that makes me think of zinc roofed houses, waving coconut trees, and chickens running around in the yard.
Of course she's different now, what with her low-rise condos and neat houses and terraced homes.
But traces of the kampong still remain.
Haig Road is, if you ask me, one of the most interesting roads this side of East Coast.
Except that no bus goes through the other side opposite Dunman Road.
At least, not one that I know.
Bus 135 today turned left onto Dunman Road, and then afterwards made a right onto Tanjong Katong Road.
There's something very familiar to me about Dunman Road. Perhaps the years have seen me go up and down and up and down too many a time, and it has become comfortable, almost second-nature to me.
Recognizing this overhead bridge is a part of it, I suppose, even if I don't know exactly at which landmark it is save for the fact that it's right outside a huge soccer field belonging to a secondary school.
In the same way too there is a bit of familiarity when it comes to this side of Tanjong Katong Road. A part of me recognizes what I call the petrol station- or what I used to call Power's Bus Stop- after the cat who was often waiting by the power box all the way in after Thiam Siew Road and the flats of Haig Road.
A part of me also recognizes the condos- a little bit here and there- except I don't know their names and I don't pay attention to how they look.
Perhaps what I do recognize is the CDAC Building, the side of KINEX, after which, 135 heads down, towards the Paya Lebar Quarter, PLQ and Paya Lebar Road on.