Where cold drinks once shook hands with hot drinks

This itinerant electrician and plumber was "parked" at the old Tanglin Halt Road estate which is now undergoing selective en-bloc redevelopment. Wish there is one in my estate. It costs a bomb each time you call a plumber, even if it's just to change that U-shaped thing of your sink. BTW, this bicycle may be a fixture at Tanglin Halt. When I visited again recently, it was chained to the railing, at the exact spot, in the exact manner, with its front wheel tilted in the exact angle. Its owner, as usual, is no where to be seen. I can only assume that hie is having his long daily cuppa at a nearby coffeeshop while waiting for his business calls. 

I HAD wanted to have lunch at the Commonwealth Crescent Food Centre but ended up at Tanglin Halt Market and Food Centre nearby. Just as well. People have blogged about it as having the "best food" in Singapore.

When I was there, many of the stalls were closed and shuttered. Perhaps I was rather late, around 2pm. Or perhaps the stalls have moved out due to the impending redevelopment. One of the few stalls which was open still was the soup stall. I had a big bowl of chicken soup with rice. Not bad. A group of sweaty kids appeared, with one of them saying "Let's find my favourite stall!" and then ran past my table, eager for his food. I wonder which is his favourite stall :)

I occasionally visited this place if I happened to be nearby. My first visit was in the 90s when my friend and I laughed over a signboard showing cold drinks on one end and hot drinks on the other -- with a pair of hands shaking each other in the middle. A very warm-hearted signboard -- "cold drinks" greeting "hot drinks" with a hearty handshake.

I looked in vain for this signboard that day.

A sleepy afternoon. The area seems nice, neat and clean. Very 60s,