A Chinatown triangle? Yes, the three streets of New Market Road, Park Crescent and Upper Cross Street are rich in history, and chinatownboy makes a written record of what this area of Chinatown was like in the old days.
The Block 32 (HDB People’s Park) was built to house the stall holders after the fire at the old People’s Park. The cloth sellers occupied the second storey. Until recently (even though many still manage today), many still went to find the cloth they like and then buy them to sew the clothes themselves or send to a tailor. It was often an adventure trying to buy cloth from these cloth shops. Franca Lingua is Cantonese, normally. While the shopkeeper might try his or her best Cantonese to persuade you to buy, he or she could turn to the other extreme of the colourful spectrum of colourful Cantonese to chide you for not buying. It could be heard for miles! (^^) Ah, the opening price could be sky high and one need to have the skills to bargain to a reasonable price, sometimes depending on the mood of the shopkeeper. If you are the first customer, God forbid, if you walk away without buying. Storms and thunder were sure to follow. These shopkeepers have this belief that the first sale must be successful, and they would go real low to achieve that. Imagine what happens if you are just a frivolous buyer?
Read chinatownboy’s written record in Bullockcartwater.
Tags: Chinatown Singapore, New Market Road, Park Crescent, Upper Cross Street
1 Response
Interestingly, they use to call that place “Pearl’s Square” in Cantonese isn’t it?
Posted on May 6th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Add A Comment