The Buddhist temple along Upper East Coast Road

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In the early months of 1968, the Munros took a leisurely stroll down Upper East Coast Road from their home at Bedok Corner, the familiar Sa‑chan‑lau three‑storey building. Vic Munro, armed with his new camera, captured the sights of the day - moments Jackie would later recall with fond clarity. It was the same day they met up with their wedding best man, who had flown in from the UK as part of the RAF’s Vulcan aircraft support team. The Vulcan was, of course, the very aircraft on which Vic had been working when the couple first met.

Among the photographs taken on that walk was this striking image of the Yuan Meng Shih Buddhist Temple (Yuan Ming Si / 圓明寺) at 631 Upper East Coast Road. A check with the temple authorities revealed that it was built around 1964, when the sea still lapped directly across the road - long before land reclamation reshaped the coastline. They also shared that the temple has undergone two major renovations over the decades, meaning its original façade has changed significantly since the day Vic captured it.

Our thanks to Jackie Munro for sharing this lovely photograph!



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