One of the oldest streets in Singapore, Waterloo Street is home to stories often forgotten. The street is known for its diverse religious buildings co-existing alongside a vibrant arts community. You'll find Sri Krishnan Temple standing right beside the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple – both located in the same street as the Church of Saints Peter and Paul and the Maghain Aboth Synagogue. Scattered amidst them? Buildings that are part of NAC's Arts Housing Scheme such as the Stamford Arts Centre and Objectifs.
Perhaps older Singaporeans will recognise Waterloo Street by its iconic Mandarin moniker, 'Si Ma Lu', which is directly translated as 'Four Horse Road'. In fact, Singapore's longest-standing professional bilingual theatre institution The Theatre Practice – who has made the enclave home for more than 30 years – released a production by the same name right before the 'circuit breaker'. An ode to the storied street, the play was conceptualised in a "promenade theatre" format, with the audience walking space to space along Waterloo Street to uncover the secrets behind it.
To bring the stories to an even wider group, the theatre institution has partnered with local tour company Trafalgar on their latest itinerary, 'Crossroads Alive!'. The guided walking tour takes visitors around the arts and heritage enclave of the Bras Basah Bugis precinct, revealing the secrets and colourful past of the district. Through the tour, participants get insider access to enter some of the unique heritage buildings along Waterloo Street. Paired with historical anecdotes compiled during the creation process of Practice's 'Four Horse Road 2020' production, this is a rare chance to learn about the diverse communities that once lived, studied, worked and worshipped on Waterloo Street.
'Crossroads Alive!' starts with a two-hour guided walking tour around the arts and heritage enclave, taking participants around the art spaces, national monuments and former prestigious schools that have formed the neighbourhood's multicultural identity, before ending with lunch at The Theatre Practice's Tuckshop or Awafi Restaurant, Singapore's only Kosher Restaurant. We're not going to spoil the surprise for you, but here's an interesting fact. Did you know that there was once an old nightclub behind the NTUC income building, notorious amongst the boys from the St. Joseph's Institution (once occupying the current Singapore Art Museum building) for its suggestive murals? It's just one of the many intriguing anecdotes you'll hear during the tour.
After lunch, the tour continues in Tiong Bahru, the city's oldest public housing estate. Participants will walk through the hip neighbourhood with the travel director and glean interesting stories about its unique history and how it has since transformed into the neighbourhood it now is. The tour then ends at yakitori-ya-inspired restaurant Bincho for the 'Be My Guest' experience. This is your chance to chat with Chef Asai as he masterfully uses the Bincho–tan grill while you enjoy a tasting menu of different cuts of the tori along with some unique specialities.
'Crossroads Alive!' cost $228 per person, and makes up one of Trafalgar's myriad of itineraries to encourage Singaporeans to explore their own backyard. And hey, you can also use your SingapoRediscovers Vouchers to book this experience – so that's even more reason to experience it for yourself. For more info, visit trafalgar.com/staycations.
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