The timeless Village

Even as time slips away and the cosmetic changes have been more than passing, this village has held its own and stood unwaveringly as a little gem. I find it reassuring just recalling its name - the only constant, perhaps, that has withstood the ravages of time. There was once when this cloistered urban village was where we retreat to after school, our white and green sharing the presence with another white and blue. Years later, slightly older and a little wiser hopefully, we were still visitors to the village, but liquors and spirits had replaced coke and tea as we hung out at places unsuitable for the uniformed folks.

I can't say I've developed any special affinity to this place. But somehow, my heart softens when I recall this place or step into it. Something about it gives it an unassuming charm. For one thing, it has remained nestled in a residential district which sites both humble public housing and private residences. Though many shops have come and gone, it has a surprisingly unchanging quality to it: the winding road cutting through the restaurants on both sides; the progression of eateries to cafes to bars and pubs from one end to the other; the shopping mall opposite crystal jade; the newspaper stands that display a magnificent array of international magazines and papers - all this and so much more have inevitably weaved themselves into the earnest fabric of this place called Holland Village.


I love these signboards. They are what make a street fun and pretty.


Colours galore for this marketing gimmick


Oh, what's a cosmopolitan village without the international bucks with stars


Gone is the King of burgers, in comes the unroyal Wendy's


Barrier to the heart of the village


Shophouses, signboards and al fresco rock


More than a pillar of strength, it's a monument of timelessness