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"jalan" means "walk" in Malay
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To experience the local actions and diverse cultures,
there is no better way than "jalan" around one of the heartlands of Singapore - a HDB housing estate in Woodlands
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How to get there
An MRT ride is all it takes to visit our Heartland and get away from the tourist belt.
It cost no more than $1.90 and 35 minutes from the city center (Orchard Road).
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Opening Hours
9am to 9pm when most shops are opened
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Entrance Fees
Free!!!
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Alight at Marsiling MRT station. Once you exit the station, you will realize that you are already in the Heartland,
surrounded by HDB flats.
In front of you is a playground where kids have fun.
Further up is a multi-purpose court. This is where some of us practice Taiji in the morning from 6 to 8 am
or play a game of sepak takraw (a game with rules almost similar to volleyball
but by kicking a rattan ball across the court to the opponent using legs or head)
in the evening from 6 to 9 pm.
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Beside the playground at the void deck of Block 164 is our friendly and enterprising cobbler.
There is a signboard on his bicycle with 3 languages (Malay, English and Chinese).
This hardworking cobbler will repair your shoes for a reasonable fee and his business hour is from Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm.
On a good day, he can make about $10 to 20 dollars and on a bad day, $2 to 4, barely covering his lunch for the day.
You won’t find many such "void deck or roadside" cobbler like him in Singapore now - it is a dying trade.
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Just after the multi-purpose court, you will come to a car park with a zebra crossing. Here you may bump into a mobile ice-cream stall
(a square icebox attached to a motor bike). Buy an ice-cream sandwich (ice cream wrap with a piece of bread). It just cost $1.00 only.
For the adventurous, go for the "durian ice cream"!
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Turn to your right now and straight-ahead you will see our hostel, Hostel One66, the first and only Heartland hostel in Singapore.
Below the hostel is a row of shops
a photo shop where you can get your photographs developed by the same evening if you sent in your negatives in the morning.
Get the world famous "TIGER BALM" and "AXE BRAND UNIVERSAL OIL" at the medical shop.
Spoilt for choices for bread/pastries at the bakery
or even see weaving of Garland at the Indian shop.
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Enjoy "alfresco dining" and "pubbing" at the local coffee shops.
Food is guaranteed to be cheap and good with lots of variety.
Try our local brew "Tiger beer" and you may end up with a table full of beer bottles - we don’t serve beer in jars at our "local pubs".
At the same time, you can watch live coverage of EPL, European Cup or even the World Cup
soccer matches and cheer with the locals when your favourite team scored a goal.
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Taste our King of Fruits - "Durian" and other tropical fruits at the fruit stalls or
try the local pancakes with kaya or the Pork/chicken floss bun at one of the local bakeries.
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Arts in the Heartland - Free!
Watch a chinese wayang (chinese opera show) in a open field under the stars during festive seasons.
Enjoy arts performances - This year, during Singapore Art Festival, the South Korea group "Tao Dulsori" brought their drums to
Yishun town (another HDB estate, 4 MRT stations away from Marsiling).
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After indulging in all the delicious local food, you may need some work out. Head to the nearby stadium with a 400 metres running track and gym.
A public swimming pool next to it will offer you a good tan or a swim without having to go the beach
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Go for a stroll at the Woodlands Town Garden which has a small lake and nice chinese and malay style pavilions.
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Our heartland, is as interesting as Little India or Chinatown, don't missed it!
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Copyright © 2005 Hostel One66. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without the written permission of Hostel One66 is prohibited. We can be contacted at hostelone66@yahoo.com |
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