Friday, November 09, 2007
When we were little, we would always look forward to our monthly trip to Pasir Panjang Food Centre for our Satay-treat followed by the more anticipated visit to Haw Par Villa. We would all(last time it was just the 5 of us before my mei-mei was born) squeeze into my dad's turquoise beetle-like Fiat & he would drive us to Pasir Panjang where we would tuck into what was then a very lavish monthly treat of Satay & shelllfish. As it happened only once a month, it was a treat that we would look forward to faithfully. I would remember vividly our 'moral education' lesson as we walk through the gates of Haw Par Villa. I remembered being very terrified walking through the different gates of Hell looking at the liars & sinners being punished for their Sins on Earth. I remembered my mom reminding us "Tengok tu, kalau tak dengar cakap mak dengan bak, nanti jadi macam tu...' as I watched in horror little statues being prodded & their bodies being deformed as a result of their ordeal in 'hell'. It was a memory very vivid in my mind and this place have a very special place in my heart - a very special childhood memory for us.
Last Saturday, we had our usual breakfast-out routine at West Coast & since both of my parents were with us, we decided, impromptu, to take a walk down memory-lane to Haw Par Villa. We thought it would be really nice to bring them to the place we so often frequent as kids and enjoy that moment once more, this time with our very own kids. So without my Casio digicam(which explains the less than perfect shots courtesy of my Nokia phone cam..) we drove to the Haw Par Villa to relive those good old days, a first for us in years & the very first for our kids....
Haw Par Villa definitely must have seen better days. In its heyday more than 40 years ago, Haw Par Villa could have been Singapore's first public attraction and definitely was a favourite picnic spot for many. In the 80s, even before it got its facelift and turned into a theme park, it was attracted about one-third of all visitors to Singapore.
You would be greeted by a 'Warden' who lets you know of the route & where to park, entrance is free but you have to pay $5 per car entrance.
Upon entering the main gates, you'll be greeted by statues and carvings depicting Chinese mythology. There's lots more as you walk on deeper into the Gardens - murals, pagodas, ponds, they are all here. But most, you'd discover depict scenes from the Hades, as according to Chinese beliefs. Statues of people being flogged, the "cow-head/horse face" guardians of Hell, sinking steam ships and other wreckages, Sun Wukong the Monkey God, the 12 zodiac animals, laughing Buddhas, a huge memorial for Mr & Mrs Aw Boon Haw erected on a slope, and even a replica of the Statue of Liberty. Hmmm, the last one really did look out of place among all the Chinesey stuff.
In the past, you might have dismissed Haw Par Villa as a boring, "unhappening" place, but despite it being rather run down and deserted, the Gardens is truly still worth a visit. Unconvinced, here are reasons why.
* Simply for the fact that it remains unchallenged as one of the most scenic sites in Singapore.
* To marvel at how someone so many years ago could be so rich to build a mansion for a brother, complete with an amusement park, and that was way before Michael Jackson.
* To give yourselves a scare looking at those haunting statues, although you don't believe in mythology. Try visiting alone and cover all corners of the gardens, including the cobweb-infested nooks and moss-covered/creeper-overgrown crannies.
* For the hill-top, picturesque view overlooking the sea.
* If you can't afford Disneyland, this is your best local alternative.
* Where else can you walk safely into the growling mouth of a giant dragon and exit through its tail?
* If you're a sadist who delights in scenes of blood, gore and chopped off body parts. You'll enjoy the exhibits at the 10 Courts of Hell.
* It's free admission. Being Singaporean too, we know you'd be happy to hear that.(Except for the $5 per car charge if you are driving in)
To congratulate its resilience to remain open and preserved till today. The fact that it has outlived the National Theatre, the Van Cleef Aquarium and even the Sentosa Ferry service, shows its importance in cultural and historical terms.