New Place

This is an aerial view of our new place, albeit a slightly out-dated one. The great thing about a google shot is that they are orientated with the north pointing up, so you get an idea of where the evening sun shines on. The block we live in is the point block at the extreme left. That uniformally green patch next to it in the west is a natural lake; no concrete embarkment and drains. We get a view of the lake from our balcony, but most visitors to our place can't see it. There's also a smaller lake next to it, south of our block. This is shallower and filled with kois and other clear-water fishes.

The new place is that strange hybrid which is neither private nor public. The buildings, as I understand it, are privatised, but the land still belongs to the Ministry of Defense. The buildings were previously army housing, and indeed, the area across the expressway is still filled with army camps. There are 5 blocks of 23 storeys and 8 other blocks of walk-up apartments. I reckon there are about 480 units here. The buildings are more than 30 years old. They are recepients of cool breezes. especially at night, when we don't even bother to turn on our newly installed air-conditioning units. Thankfully, there are virtually no mosquitoes, an amazing difference from our old place. There's a good-size swimming pool and a dependable cafe that cooks warm dishes. The population is also large enough to sustain a well-stocked supermarket. The residents here are now mainly tenants, with a large presence from India.

Historically, this was an oil depot, and the place was up in flames during the Japanese invasion. There are stories that all the drains then were walls of fire. Malay soldiers who were retreating from the Japanese army were burned trying to jump across these flaming walls. Today, none of this is evident. The estate is generously wooded and fringes the slopes of a sizable national park. Butterfly lovers and naturalists comb these havens with huge cameras. In the coming weeks I hope to join them and explore the grounds in depth.

Chup