I loved looking at the upper storey windows of the old Chinatown shophouses. They have been restored. These shophouses date back to the 1820s. Life for the migrants, mostly from South China, was very harsh. The occupants of these shophouses lived in dark, grim, severely cramped conditions.
Chinatown was home not only to the Chinese but also the Indians. That's why you will find a Chinese temple next to a Hindu temple in Chinatown.
In 1942, during the Battle of Singapore, Chinatown was heavily bombed by the Japanese. On 15 February 1942, Lt Gen Arthur Percival surrendered to the Japanese. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill viewed the fall of Singapore to be the "worst disaster" and "largest capitulation in British history." Singapore was occupied and ruled by the Japanese for 3 years.
Lovely building Livia. Funny, have been following your photos without knowing where you were. I was last in Singapore in '94,and turned down a job there in '99. It must have changed so much, so I look forward to seeing your more of your street shots.
Yay . . love your outdoor photos. Beautiful color and love this POV. The lighting is great. Are all your days this sunny? Love the lanterns hanging there. A reminder of Chinatown. :)
Love the colours and the way lines and curves echo other lines and curves. Very interesting information in your description, too! I love the way you have moved into a completely different area but brought your wonderful composition and colour skills with you! Fantastic! :-)
Amazing shot! A FAV, Livia! My family and I had the chance of visiting Singapore seven years ago. Missed this shophouse. Maybe because I was too engrossed with the beautiful flowers. Singapore is like a big garden!
My family on my mom's side is from Singapore, and I was born there. I love seeing these photos as it really makes me think about my heritage. Wonderful shots of Chinatown!
I like this! It's interesting when you see details of places you've never been to and looks different: never seen windows like those anywhere before!! I thought about this already a few times before, and it never fails to surprise me
Amazing capture of a fabulous subject. There's no doubt your artestry encompases the whole spectrum from macro to streetscape. Love the colours and the story. Fav !!
@peterdegraaff Cool! Were those days great memories for her? My own parents did not come to Singapore until the late 30s. My mother came at the insistence of her mother, who wanted to find a safe place for her, seeing as China was at war with Japan at the time.
Wonderful - I love the combination of windows with the row of lampions. Very beautiful. And thanks for the great caption - I like to read some additional information about the place.
What beautiful architecture and thank you for the information too. Its so nice feel like I'm learning about the world through amazing photography. I really like the detail in this building, lovely capture!
I work in two separate cities, both being some of the oldest in America. I'm constantly amazed by the history and architecture of the past. Whether restored or not, the building itself becomes a sort of statue or monument to the lives that have passed through it. Great capture.
A great, big, bright and colorful "THANK YOU!" to everyone!
I wasn't sure if the history would bore people to sleep but I'm glad you've enjoyed the bite-sized offering of facts. I love looking at these windows and I'm glad you've found them interesting too. Thank you so much for your time and your comments. I appreciate your support so much.
wow - Livia - you are so out and about and just as good at it as you are at the macro shots and doll portraits - you are a real talent in my eyes; greatly admire your work
Love those colors
I wasn't sure if the history would bore people to sleep but I'm glad you've enjoyed the bite-sized offering of facts. I love looking at these windows and I'm glad you've found them interesting too. Thank you so much for your time and your comments. I appreciate your support so much.
Again, thank you!