Remembering Old Bidadari: Jogging Through History & Post-Run Hangouts

While flipping through my old photo album, I happened to find many pictures I took of tombstones.

​Before the multi-storey HDB blocks rose up and reshaped the landscape, Bidadari was our quiet getaway. Long before it transformed into a new residential town, it was where we used to jog and take long, peaceful walks with friends.  

​People often asked if it felt eerie walking around the old cemetery grounds, but honestly, we were never afraid of the dead. It was actually one of the few places in Singapore where you could find total peace and quiet.  

​Walking among the tombstones was like taking an open-air history lesson. I remember snapping photos of the memorial plaques and headstones of key historical figures who shaped early Singapore—names like Dr. Lim Boon Keng, Tan Kah Kee, and Boon Lay. It felt grounded, serene, and deeply connected to our roots.  

​Our routine was simple back then. Every Friday , the gang would hang out at the McDonald’s at Potong Pasir after our walks. But the real hidden gem of the neighborhood was the old-school Baba curry puff at Blk 137.

Back when I was at odds with my parents, they cut off my allowance. I managed solely on my savings—skipping recess entirely, only to treat myself to Baba curry puff after school every single day

 The Blk 137 Baba curry puff was authentic, handmade, and generous with its filling. 

​Hands down, that curry puff beat Old Chang Kee any day. Compare it to the over-commercialized factory-made puffs from Hong Lim or Tanglin nowadays—those commercial versions have shrunk down to the size of tiny dumplings, packed with miserable bits of meat, filler potato, and nothing but raw curry powder taste.

After CCA, just sitting at Potong Pasir Mac’s watching my friends get all the attention from the SAJC and Maris Stella guys while my luck remains at absolute zero. 🥲

​Bidadari has completely changed now, but for those of us who knew its quiet green paths and historical corners before the transformation, those Friday routines and peaceful walks will always be irreplaceable.