Nestled at corner of Tanjong Rhu you can find a simple tranquillity of Jalan Batu HDB estate. This is an old estate of more than 40 years old, with more than 20 per cent of its residents above the age of 50.
I reckon not many Singaporeans would know of Jalan Batu, let alone coming over to this East part of the island. With the inevitability of modern development, whether this estate will continue to exist or suffer the same fate of Dakota Crescent remains for all to see.
With such a rich history behind Jalan Batu, I made a trip down to visit this place. I was greeted by blocks of old rental flats when I reached the place. This estate was built in the 1960s and from the outlook the area is well-maintained and relatively feels untouched.
Jalan Batu Hawker Centre & Market is one of the highlights of this visit which I will share more later.
Many pictures of this serene estate are taken.
Jalan Batu is situated between Dakota Crescent and The Stadium.
This is Geylang River – over here, you can find joggers and occasional anglers.
In this part of the estate, it is common to sight residents, mostly elders, sitting around chatting. Some of them will engage in a game of chess to while away the time. Nothing exciting about this place to shout about, it seems. I can see it would be hard for the current generation of youngsters to appreciate this place. However, I do feel that this place has a lot to offer, educate and left for Singaporeans to appreciate.
Traditional provision shops are still plying their trade and serving the needs of the residents here.
Remember many of us used to take such ride before? It will be a gem if you still can find 20c rides!
This friendly barber welcomes me to take picture of his shop. He gives a good and neat haircut. I patronised his shop and a haircut set me back for just $8. A good deal, right? : )
Chin Sin Huat Eating House is more affectionately known as The Tanjong Rhu “bao”. You may think that this matured estate has been forgotten. However, this eating house attracts a crowd of faithful followers everyday to taste its dim sum, char siew bao and surprisingly, wanton mee as well! I’m sure it will give you every reason to come here.
In Block 8 of Jalan Batu, a pleasant sight of a modern café called 33SIXTYEIGHT greeted me. Yup, not the old traditional coffeeshop but a hip and rad café selling gelatos, waffles and various beverages. This is an ideal spot to chill out and find comfort with scoops of ice-creams to cool down on a hot day.
The Hawker Centre is partially opened on the weekend, especially during the evenings. Most of the stores were closed when I came.
The owner of this coffee-store shared with me that this hawker centre has been around for more than 40 years. Over the years, it underwent 3 renovations. He is glad to be able to run his business here and intends to do it as long as he can.
This is my dinner. Yummy!
This is the fountain area where residents can congregate and chill out.
A closer look at the estate. It is a rare and beautiful sight with collections of memories over the years.
The corridors are definitely clean and neat.
Jalan Batu is definitely a gem in the Eastside of Singapore. Make a trip down today to explore this estate and discover great food along the way!
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