So, I didn't realize it, but there were a lot more pictures of this one bus ride than I thought there would be.
It's funny how you think you know a route and think you have captured everything on your camera, but life, and life's journey shows you otherwise.
I had not thought there would be that pictures of Mountbatten Road today.
But there were.
The pictures today didn't begin from Mountbatten Road.
Instead, they began from the junction of East Coast Road and Haig Road, where Katong Shopping Center stands.
The most significant junction after that would have to be the Tanjong Katong Road junction, where from the double decker bus, the best landmark would be the plant nursery of Song Lang Garden in front, and the distinctive white dome of Gurdwara Sahib Katong behind.
Why it is that I had never noticed it before, I don't know, but the white dome along Wilkinson Road stood out strong for me today.
It was a bit of a surprise to read that there was already a community in the area as early as the 50s, and that this building- erected in 1969 and built in tradition of architecture of Gurdwaras found in India- had been needed as a permanent place as more of the community began to congregate and gather.
Kind of had me wondering how Tanjong Katong Road looked like back then, how Mountbatten Road looked like back then, and what about Amber and Meyer Road with her beachfront hotels, holiday bungalows and standalone properties?
It is a good thing thus that Mountbatten Road still seems to have the same vibe as it has always had.
Just that in the day to day we don't really take special notice how the road is like, especially her houses.
There was one I saw today with a roof that reminded me of what they sometimes call the Spanish style.
There was one of a squarish, squarish colonial B&W style that made me think of those big, airy homes I'd seen on Nassim Road, Seton Close (near Orchard Road), Holland Road and somewhere near Queenstown.
Then there was one which, for some reason, had me thinking of seaside bungalows.
I don't know why.
But they have the same architecture as those houses which people always say used to line the coasts that today make up the stretch from East Coast Park all the way to Bedok, parts of Changi, and Tanah Merah.
Mountbatten Road isn't that far from the sea.
There were more houses reminiscent of the colonial kind that you don't really think you would see here on the Eastern coast of Singapore, but they're here.
Then there were a couple of single-storey houses which looked like they also had some sort of heritage but we can't really tell, these days.
A junction came up not long after, then it was the stretch with Goodman Arts Center on the right side, the now heritage flats of Dakota Estate in the background, the flats of Jalan Batu on the left, and then the junction where Mountbatten Road meets Old Airport Road.
Sims Way comes right after.
This is one of those roads that you don't normally pay attention to- something like an interim road- and you probably would not take much notice of it were it not for the houses of Geylang Lorong 4 on the right hand side.
The bus turned into Geylang Road here, going past the row of shophouses that always catch my eye- there is still the very legit Thai massage place (which once alerted me to the fact that my body was retaining too much water), the Mainland-style place that first introduced me to the charms of grilled skewers, and then the bus went past Kallang MRT, down under the ERP, and up Sir Arthur's Bridge.
This is one bridge that stays significant for the fact that it connects one side of Kallang River to the other, crossing the Geylang side of town towards the former Kallang Gasworks side of town.
After this, you literally entered into the zone of Lavender, going past the Mitutoyo Building and the King Living Kallang Furniture Store.
The sight of Pico came up after, and right away I was on Victoria Street going past the V Hotel, and the red-grey painted flats of Jellicoe.
I managed to get a lovely shot of Hotel Boss out the bus window this afternoon, then a lovely shot of Masjid Malabar right opposite.
Don't misunderstand this functional-looking hotel.
It is one of the most popular locations for indie travelers who like to explore the city on their own and do a spot of shopping.
The bus now continued down Victoria Street, passing by what I think is still a primary school, the housing estates that make up Kelantan Lane and Jalan Besar, and then the junction connecting Victoria Street to the district we call Rochor.
This junction here is known for several things, including the church of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Queen Street Bus Terminal (with all the buses that bring you to Johor Bahru), Fu Lu Shou Building on the opposite side, and the site that leads you to Bugis and town further beyond.
At one point in time, I think this carpark used to be the site of Victoria Street Wholesale Center for dried seafood like dried fish, dried fish maw, dried cuttlefish, dried ikan bilis and the like.
Those shops probably have shifted to the second and third floors of Albert Street Market just off the Bugis Street area further down the road.
The shop houses of Bugis Junction now came into view.
First up came the white painted ones with notable ground floor retail of fried chicken franchise Jollibee on one end, McDonalds on the other end and dessert quick-fix shop Mixue on the third end.
Then the mustard-painted ones that have Ang Ku Kueh brand Ji Xiang occupying two units on the ground floor and the famous Bee Cheng Hiang Bak Kwa store on the other.
Further on came what is now Bugis+ shopping mall, then the former St. Anthony's Convent whose building is now restored for use by the newly formed University of the Arts Singapore.
The Bras Basah district of Victoria Street now came up, first passing by newly restored, and renovated, St. Joseph's Church, the Hotel Grand Pacific, then Victoria Hotel (which looks like it has been there a while but is now under the Nuve Group).
The Cathedral of Good Shepherd came up after the next junction. Glad I managed to catch sight of the steeple this afternoon. It looked particularly nostalgic and serene, seen behind the narrow cone-shaped canopy of a tree.
Next to it was the Archbishop's House.
And then, after the next junction came the landmark church locals generally call the Armenian Church, although the full name is the Armenian Apostolic Church of St. Gregory, and now has a heritage gallery inside.
Past the junction of Coleman Street the bus now went, with the fully-functioning Central Fire Station coming up front, and then, slightly further down, present-day Hill Street Building with her colorful rainbow windows.
