Photographer shares “forgotten side of Singapore,” features old taxi stand at Sembawang Hill Estate

SINGAPORE: A talented photographer took to an online forum on Monday (March 25) to share a set of photos showcasing a “forgotten side of Singapore.” The photos captured an old taxi stand at Sembawang Hill Estate.

“Looking at (this) picture, reminds me of the 50-cent coffee, 10-cent drink in the school canteen, and S$2 cai peng,” an online user wrote on a post featuring four mesmerising shots of a taxi stand.

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The photographer shared a bit of trivia in the comments section of their post saying, “At Jalan Leban, a quaint hut bearing the name Sembawang Hill Estate Taxi Services (has stood) inside a small carpark for almost sixty years. In the past, taxi drivers would gather here for a chat or drink coffee while waiting for commuters to call and book their services. It is not in use anymore, but a group of old taxi drivers still maintains it from time to time.

“I recently did my first photoshoot for one of the taxi uncles here. I dont really know whether the portrait or landscape photo is better so I am putting both in this post. Feedback is greatly appreciated! Thank you for viewing. Taken with Nikon FM, Fuji 100.

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The photos sparked some fond memories for a handful of online users, who took to the comments section of the post to share their stories. “Wow, I had my pregnant wife sit there on the bench for a photo as well after our dinner at the Plum Village almost 3 years ago,” said one. “I didn’t know the history about this Pondok until today, thanks for that!”

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Another shared a childhood memory, writing, “My grandfather used to work here, and I remember the inside of this building and the little office. The walls were covered in all the old ‘family’ photos of taxi drivers at the 7th-month celebration festival at Sembawang too.”

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For a third, the photos brought about a different memory–one where telephone numbers used to be shorter. “I was super-amused by the 5-digit telephone number,” they said. “Back when telephone numbers only had 5 digits…”