Yesterday, I mentioned in one of my Waves posts that I was planning to wander around the city and, of course, do some cycling. Well, things didn’t exactly go according to plan because I ended up changing my schedule to visit some friends around Upper Boon Keng instead.
But sometimes, changing plans can lead to another unexpected adventure!
After having a good chat and spending a great time with my friends, we eventually parted ways. My original plan was simply to rent a bicycle and cycle towards the MRT station. It sounded straightforward enough, but once I started pedaling, I realized that I was enjoying the ride too much. LOL!
So instead of heading directly to the MRT, I decided to wander around Upper Boon Keng for a while.
Upper Boon Keng isn’t really what you would consider a tourist destination. There are no huge attractions or famous landmarks here, but I think that is also part of its charm. It has this peaceful neighborhood atmosphere that makes wandering around feel relaxing, especially during the late afternoon.
I eventually found myself cycling along the Kallang River, which was definitely my favorite part of the ride. There’s something about cycling beside the water that immediately makes everything feel calmer. The river, the nearby residential buildings, the occasional joggers, and the warm afternoon sunshine created such a simple yet beautiful city scene.
And the sunset was beginning to make everything look even better!
The sunlight reflected beautifully on the water while the buildings around the river slowly became covered in warm golden tones. I stopped several times just to take photos because I really enjoy capturing reflections on the water. For me, reflections somehow make an ordinary city scene look much more dramatic.
One of the biggest highlights of my cycling adventure was discovering Chwee Kang Beo, a Chinese temple located beside the river.
The temple immediately caught my attention because of its colorful traditional architecture. Its curved roof, dragon decorations, red walls, and detailed ornaments looked especially beautiful under the warm sunshine. I think architecture like this becomes even more impressive during golden hour because the sunlight brings out so many little details that you might otherwise miss.
Of course, I parked my bicycle nearby and took the opportunity to capture more photos!
I particularly enjoyed trying different angles where I could include the sunlight behind the temple roof. Seeing the sun shining through the traditional decorations created one of my favorite shots from the afternoon.
Another funny moment happened while I was standing beside the river. I noticed several fishes swimming close to me, and there were turtles around as well. Even the pigeons seemed comfortable staying nearby!
I guess they are already accustomed to people and probably thought that I had some food to give them. Unfortunately, I had absolutely nothing with me. LOL! Seeing them gather around was still such a cute little moment and somehow made my quiet riverside stop even more enjoyable.
This cycling trip reminded me again that an adventure doesn’t always require going somewhere famous. Sometimes, renting a bicycle, following a river, watching the sunset, discovering a beautiful temple, and spending a few quiet moments with the local wildlife are already enough to make an ordinary afternoon memorable.
Another simple cycling adventure completed!
See you on my next adventure!
