Weekdays Down South

There's this undeniable charm about the south of our straits that's simply mesmeric. In writing or the spoken word, I can't necessarily give you a reason why. It could be the electric pace of Raffles City, or the calm respite that is Telok Ayer - an oasis in the business district with the best Thai Milk Tea in town to pacify any tension the day may have brought. Either way, I would always find myself winding down south. This time, my southern weekday was made better with a partner-in-crime: Ned.

We settled ourselves upon Populus, a cafe somewhere near Outram Park. As foreign as that station was when I alighted, memories of FYP came rushing back - days we've to go to SGH for interviews and people-watching. Oh, how glad I am the dog days are over.

I should for the better of me have texted Swee and get recommendations on what to order, but against my better knowledge, I didn't. Well, joke's on me cause me and Ned totally missed out on their coffee which was apparently, really quite solid.

Though our conversations hardly ran short, it's refreshing to see how the topics me and Ned talk about mature from back even we were eighteen - mindless gossips are still a staple, mind you, but we move on to discuss the misadventures and conundrums we face as recent full-fledged adults. Career woes and how fleeting the commodity of youth can be.

At this point I can't help but to recall how we crossed paths. As a self-centred teen then, I really didn't make an effort in making friends from other classes, much less know how they look like. Somewhere before the second semester of the second year in school, we were informed of a digital marketing masterclass where we have to register if we wanted to attend. Through a mysterious turn of events, we were put together for a group work, bonded and have been friends ever since.

Lucky for us, despite early reports of a July that's flashing hot, it rained that day. And in that cool weather, a walk-about was warranted and atop our fervent need for Cha Thai, we decided to let each corner turned be our guide, to catch glimpse the sleepy side of the south before happy hour began.

neon drew-populus-27

neon drew-populus-28

If you ask me, anywhere along the south - Tanjong Pagar, Keong Saik, Chinatown area, they're all a hipster's heaven and if your inbound tourist gets inquisitive and curious enough, your random footsteps will help uncover a heave of backdrops that's too pretty to come and go without making some from of digital imprint.

The remainder of the day includes getting the almighty Cha Thai before going downtown.