A nostalgic walk into the days before HDB flats became the standard of housing in Singapore awaited 5 BTSS families on the cherry morning of 5 Dec 2020. Led by Mr Yap of Let’s Go Tours, we discovered the last surviving kampong in Singapore – Kampong Lorong Buangkok. This village is smacked in the middle of modern developments but once you enter it, you are greeted with a kind of serene and laidback feel. Through the 2 hour tour, the engaging Mr Yap fed us with history of the area and offered insights into the villagers’ life while we walked through the village. To let us immerse in kampong life, we played old school games like zero point and marbles. For majority of the kids in our tour, it was the first time playing them, and everyone had fun! To round off the tour, we were invited to a Muslim home and treated to homemade ice pops (the traditional one whereby they are made by tying a rubber band at the end of the plastic bag) – a first for many too!
Despite the social distancing rules we had to observe, I really enjoyed the tour and am so thankful to see the other BTSS families again.