Posted on 02/20/2022 1:52:50 PM PST by DUMBGRUNT
Singapore is known for being one of the world's most highly urbanised countries, with no lack of gleaming skyscrapers and luxury apartments. But for one man, that couldn't be further from the place he called home - a makeshift shelter in one of the country's forests.
On meeting Oh Go Seng the first thing that strikes you is the glint in his eye.
He wears his 79 years very lightly, looking in far better shape than many people half his age.
His brother however, did get a government flat and Mr Oh was invited to live there - but he eventually moved out as he said he did not want to impose on the family.
So, he headed back to a forest close to where his old home once stood and started to spend nights in a makeshift shelter built from pieces of wood, bamboo and tarpaulin.
The worst aspect of living in the forest, he says, was the mice. They would find their way into his shelter and chew holes in his clothing
Mr Oh would sometimes use the money he earned to take a ferry to Batam, a small island in neighbouring Indonesia. It was there that he met Madam Tacih with whom he had a daughter.
"It was wonderful. I also got to watch television for the first time in more than 30 years. I enjoyed it so much."
"Even now I return to the forest every single day. I wake up at 3 AM, get dressed and head out to check on my vegetables, all before my workday begins."
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Here I thought Singapore was built out, edge to edge.
Singapore forest? I don’t remember any there.
Didn’t you see the five potted plants and trees in the west corner of the VivoCity Mall? He lived there!
“Here I thought Singapore was built out, edge to edge.”
I thought that for a long time about Japan. Because of all the tiny apartments and such. They have a lot of forest lands, much more than I would have figured.
In a previous life, I was sent to one of our vendors in one of these industrial parks because shipments were not making it to the job site (in Thailand) on time.
My assignment was to roost on them until deliveries were on-time. I had to stay a few extra days because the vendor (a big name company) was chronically short of help. When I asked him why, he said people in Singapore preferred to work in the urbanized third. A commute of more than 20 minutes was considered too long.
I really enjoyed the assignment and was just a little disappointed when the trip had achieved its objective and I was able to leave. The food was great, the company and accommodations were great and the 25 minute door to door commute from the Raffles Hotel to this vendor was about half of the time of my commute back home (then in Japan).
FWIW, more than 70% of Japan is forest and mountains. There is some stunningly beautiful back county including a perch on Mt. Zao where I could see the Pacific harbor ports looking east and the Sea of Japan looking west.
I lived there a total of 16 years.
Yes, I went there on Google earth and it blew me away. More forests, farmland and mountains than one would ever figure. It is almost all green except along the coasts where the cities are. :)
Feelgood story of the day...
I suspect its in the central water catchment / reservoir area. I ran a couple times with the Hash House Harriers group in Singapore. We ran through jungle forests, up and down small ravines, and had to swim across small lakes. And then you step immediately back into city life.
I’d be curious what his impression of Orchid Towers in the evening would be?
Or more precisely, the southern end of the teardrop shaped island with smaller neighborhoods along the coast.
“Or more precisely, the southern end of the teardrop shaped island with smaller neighborhoods along the coast.”
Yep...
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