Tampines Singapore - Then and Now

This is not a "foodie" blog.  It is more than food to share this nostalgia blog about a place in eastern Singapore which some Singaporeans about Tampines over 50 years ago.

From afar at an overhead bridge at Tampines Avenue 5, opposite the round building known as the "Tampines Round Market and Food Centre" at Blk 137 Tampines Street 11, Tampines Round Market and Food Centre in Singapore.

Kids would be attracted to these cute doll toys at a stall outside the "round market".  These battery-operated dolls dance and sing and the children could not resist their temptation to beg Mum to buy one.

This is the iPad-age of the next generation.  This kid was playing his video game while taking his breakfast at the food centre.  Dad looks on for him to wait ... after all, its Children's Day today.

Food Centre

I do not endorse or recommend any food stall for advertising.  The best queue to join is to follow the smell of food, I was told.

This stall opened for business a little late ...

Ladies were picking an assortment of ladies' bags at a stall beside the food centre.

Demonstration of household products with sales talk which convince the potential customers at stalls located outside the Tampines round market and food stall on a hot Sunday morning.

Market

At the Tampines round market at Tampines Street 11, many market hawkers are second or third generation residents of Tampines.  They are the grandparents or great grandparents who formerly owned vegetable farms,coconuts tree plantations, poultry farms or land to rear pigs before the acquisition of the land in Tampines for resettlement by government  about 50 years ago.

The market hawkers now earn their living and switched to non-farm occupations (e.g. market or food hawkers) adapted to the changes for economic reasons and learned to survive their new ways of life in Tampines for generations.

While the present hawkers continue with their brisk business in Tampines, their children choose to switch to better paying jobs, professions or other businesses as a result of their better educational qualifications, skills or training for the improvement of the lives for their families. However, these former farmers of Tampines still prefer to stay in Tampines as their best homes to work, play and live in Singapore.

The unique architecture and design of this round building is well-known to Tampines residents.  Just mention the "round market" or "round food centre" and everyone knows!

However, over 50 years ago before Tampines was developed and built into today's HDB precinct new town, many younger generations of Singaporeans wouldn't know.

For the research material and photos curated from NewspaperSG and the National Archives of Singapore as resources to share on these related blog topics with thanks and acknowledgement to them.  Much appreciated.

Tampines Singapore in the Past here .