Chinese New Year Decorations at the Market 2010

Red is the auspicious colour

Sunday 31st January. I accompanied my wife to the Tiong Bahru market for our usual wet market shopping. Normally I will wait for her in the car while she shops for the household fruits and then I make a beeline for home to prepare breakfast for the family. Today, I decided to go in to savour and experience the atmosphere of one of Singapore's most established wet markets the Tiong Bahru market. Situated at the junction of Kim Tian Road in Tiong Bahru neighbourhood, it had undergone a major revamping of its outlook and now it is housed in a spanking clean 2 storey building. The ground floor houses many poultry, chilled pork and fresh fish stalls, plus many fruit and vegetable stalls. It is so well known that many hawkers have made lots of money for themselves and their children over the years. My wife's regular vegetable stall owner put 2 sons through overseas university and one is a policeman and the other a civil servant. You will find Japanese, Caucasian permanent residents or citizens shopping here because it serves only the freshesh and the best.



Flowers sell aplenty especially before and during CNY

As it is barely 2 weeks to Chinese New Year, the hallway is festooned with red banners and lanterns signalling prosperity and good wishes for the New Year. There are rows upon rows of flower pots for people who want to change their greenery and plants in their houses so brisk business is made. Newness of things signifies change of fortunes from bad to good as is all things red. There are red flowers, red banners, red clothers, shoes and of course red packets or 'ang pow'. The year of the Tiger is expected to be fraught with some difficulties as with every Tiger year but I believe with every challenge, there is opportunity, as in the Chinese word 'wei qi'.


Beautiful Flowers

Business challenges as with life challenges must be handled head on and as a Tiger, I have to show no fear and press on with all my might. This is what I would call the 'Showtime'.


Its very busy at the fruit stalls