"There are no ordinary cats"
– Colette
From a back alley of warehouses built in the 19th century to becoming one of the coolest streets in the world, Haji Lane is not only rich in culture and history but also on every color, sound and flavor!
The area is known for its Peranakan architecture, with colorful buildings, vintage letterboxes, and wooden window shutters.
For more than a century, the shophouses of Haji were most commonly used as storage for the shops at Bussorah and Arab Streets and as lodging for muslim travelers whilst on their journeys. Nowadays, among the perfectly instagrammable crowd, spectacular jazz scene, quaint cafés and indie shops there is a different kind of pilgrim: the whole neighborhood is a haven for a small army of stray kittens, who have been wholeheartedly embraced by local business owners and residents alike. Not to mention the neighborhood hosts a surprisingly abundant number of cat rescue centers, cat cafés, a cat museum and even Singapore's first co-working space with cats (really!).
Ampang, Jack and Estee, former strays adopted by a Haji Lane boutique.
The modern Singapore stray is a genetic mix of local Malay cats, cats that came on ships with the forefathers from India and China, British cats that arrived during the colonization period and Japanese cats during occupation; a very adorable testimony of the melting pot of races and cultures that this Little Red Dot is.
The cache
Are you looking for a paw-some, cozy place to drop your TBs? We've got you covered! All you need to do is collect some clues on a short neighborhood walk. This is a letterbox cache that contains a stamp meant for you to chope on your personal notebook. You are free to trade other items within the box but please do not remove the stamp as it is part of the cache! This is a good 'ol style letterbox, you can retrieve it unplugged, without GPS, and we encourage you to do so!
Important: This cache has been made possible thanks to the kindness of neighborhood shop owners. It goes without saying, please act with care and respect! You do not need to disassamble anything to get to the logbook.
Stage 1 - The Basket Gang. Your adventure starts at the intersection of Baghdad and Muscat streets, where you will find the answers to the following questions:
1. One of the cats is sleeping on a stack of baskets. How many baskets make up this stack? Let this digit be X.
2. How many cats can you count? Let this digit be Y.
Stage 2 - The Garden Rascal. Once you take note of XY, walk southwest on Baghdad Street. Turn right on Arab Street, then left on North Bridge Road. Cross Haji Lane and, still on North Bridge Rd, walk a few more meters, keeping your eyes open for our kitten, Bao, who escaped her over-caffeinated, meo-ming friends and is hiding in the bush again. Take her with you as she will help you unlock the letterbox.
Stage 3 - Cool Cats. Make your way to XY HAJI LANE. The clearly marked cache is on the storefront.
Please make our day by sharing with us your pet pictures (not mandatory) as well as any furry friends or peculiar things that you see during your walk around the quarter, just kindly no spoiler pictures of any of the stages.
We wish you a nice day exploring our neighborhood. Don't forget to return Bao to her original spot for the next finder!
Happy caching!
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In loving memory of late Haji Lane's community cat, Tommy (5/7/13). May you forever chase butterflies amongst the clouds.