The hundred steps

The other day I was cutting my way from the old Cathay cinema towards Plaza Singapura when I stopped and saw something that brought back many fond memories of my mispent youth. tucked between what used to be Picturehouse (those of you of a certain vintage will remember this place, ;)) and Cathay Apartments is a nondescript flight of steps known fondly to students of MGS back when it was til at Mt Sophia as "The hundred steps'. it wasn't exactly one hundred, more like 97 or 98, but somewhere along the way, it was just stuck with the name.

Memories of trudging up this flight of steps every morning came flooding back. It was a good short cut then, despite the early morning excercise. the other alternative would have been to walk all the way pass Paradiz centre and walk up Adis Road. sometimes, when we were feeling particularly lucky, we'd use the lift at Cathay Apartments. Just take the lift to the 7th floor, door open and we're right at the top. of course, the security there didn't take too kindly to the infringement and once in a while, Mrs Tham would announce over the PA during morning assembly that under no circumstances were we to use the elevators at Cathay Apartments to get to school. the girls will obey for about all of 2 weeks and after that, we'll be back again...

having Cathay cinema right the foot of our school meant that we could always catch the 1.45pm show too! come friday during the last 2 periods of "Civics and Moral Education" one of us would mysteriously disappear for a long toilet break right about 1pm with a wad of money to buy tickets for the rest of the group. oooh, those were the good old days at the old campus.

Picturehouse and Cathay cinema is now no longer. in its place, there's some construction going on. but it was really nice to see that the hundred steps has not succumbed to development in the ever changing landscape of singapore. it might not win any heritage prize, but to me, its presence is more than enough