Holland Village
Holland Village – not a place located somewhere in Holland but a cluster of old shophouses that was so-called and is a place for hip gatherings and expensive stuff.
Growing up in C’wealth Crescent in Queenstown area means I have convenient access to many places in so-called central area. Chip Bee Gardens was just at the back of my block [106] which was situated on a crest of a ‘hilly’ area. We just cut through some fences and we could easily access Chip Bee Garden. Back then, the British army and their families were located there (at least a portion of it). It was a terrifying experience for a 6 year old boy to undergo. Each time we walk along those roads, the dogs would bark and in fact come running out of their unlocked gates. My brothers and I would have free running sessions. Of course by running, it meant the dogs would give chase naturally.
From Chip Bee garden, it’s just a stone’s throw frm Holland Village.
Holland Village used to have a pet shop selling different kinds of birds. that shop was located what now is the Cold Storage. If you look at the Holland Shopping Center from across the road, you can visualize the pet shop at your left. Sandwin sport shop was there ever since and I still remember their cockiness because they sell stuff to ang-mos. The Indian man who sells newspaper was in the same corner. Behind that shopping center was the open-air cinema, where one could pay 50 cents for a movie. The wet market is still where it is albeit much improved. No, Burger King wasn’t there at all back then. Some of those shops were just provision shops and one even sells banana fritters (goring pisang).
Then right at the end of the shop houses, stood an old house (no longer there) where an old man fixes and sells bicycles. My brother Fred saved previous monies to pay for every parts of the bicycle except for the body which he found strewn along some bushes. We had the most enjoyable childhood of our lives.
Well, will reminisce more later. . . .
