Dear readers, I attended the Thomson East Coast line (TEL) preview last weekends.
The preview was fun as I participated in the interactive website quizzes which brought commuters who wanted to accumulate as many points for the lucky draw to visit all the 7 new TEL MRT stations given there are 3 questions specific to each MRT station to be answered (answer to question could only be found in the station). I thought I did well enough in terms of points and hope to win in the lucky draw where results will be announced this week. There were also interesting fringe activities in each new MRT station.
I commenced my preview tour of all 7 new MRT stations at one end of the line: Tanjong Rhu MRT station as this is MRT station where many would visit for the very scenic view of the Marina Reservoir beside Singapore Indoor Stadium. Thereafter, I continued my visit up the line, to Katong Park and Tanjong Katong MRT stations.
After touring Katong MRT stations and the vicinity around each MRT station (as I did so for each of the 7 new MRT stations), I changed approach and took the train from the other end of the line: Bayshore MRT station, before finally stopping at what seems to be the hub of the 7 new stations: Marine Parade MRT station.
Marine Parade MRT station is home to Parkway Parade shopping mall which has since been there when I was a young child. The shopping mall has been renovated times and times to keep pace with the times. And not to mention, the town around the mall.
A surprise find touring the 7 new TEL stations was at Marine Terrace MRT station. Stepping out from Marine Terrace station, one is brought to another side of Marine Parade town. There are nice good traditional coffee shops, bakery shops and provision shops. I managed to find a wooden comb that I intended to buy at one of the provision shops there, at an unbelievable 40 cents a piece!
What a nice rare and good-for-value buy from the TEL preview!