If We Dream Too Long (Singapore in the 1960s) Part 2
"Kwang Meng and Lucy had taken their dinner at at open-air stall, and were now strolling slowly along the Esplanade." - page 65
"...Anne suggested they go to the Esplanade which was within walking distance." - page 125
"...he walked beside the Esplanade, his Esplanade." - page 155
4. The Esplanade
When I first saw this, I thought "This looks just like any other ordinary place along a river. Where is the durian-shaped building!?" despite knowing that The Esplanade Theatres is still a pretty new (relatively) building and would definitely not be present in the 1960s.
However, in both "If We Dream Too Long" and the present, it is still a romantic place for dates (in my opinion). Kwang Meng has had so much memories made there, as seen from the extracted lines from the text.
Anyway, considering the present, the night scenery is dazzling yet at the same time, not too bright and glaring, and sets the mood just right.
Considering the past, I could imagine a cool, cool evening, with sporadic gusts of wind, in a dimly-lit street with the scent of the river wafting by.
Some background information about The Esplanade:
1. The Esplanade, in the past, could be referred to as the Esplanade Park.
2. The whole stretch of path and the other amenities in this park was constructed in the 1940s before Japanese occupation, by the British.
3. It was later renamed to Queen Elizabeth Walk.
It seems that "The Esplanade" cannot be just about its theatres; there is so much historical value within it. It houses memorials too, like the Lim Bo Seng Memorial at one end of the path.
Source: http://remembersingapore.org/esplanade-park/
