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Picture (1): Dawn at Smith Street, Chinatown
黎明时分的史密斯街，牛车水
It is around 7 am in the morning, the street is quiet. The bustle has not kicked in yet. Very soon, it will be afternoon and filled with tourists. Some 40 years ago, I walked down this street with my grandmother as she did her marketing on this street. This was our monthly ritual when I was aged 6 to 9.
早上七点的街道是宁静的，喧哗还在沉睡。很快的，中午到了，街道上充满着来自世界各地的游客。大概四十多年前，我陪着我的奶奶走在同个街道上，陪她买菜。这是我六岁至九岁时，每个月必定陪奶奶做的一件事。

Picture (2): The latest attempt to resuscitate the spirit of the Smith Street
最新尝试——复苏史密斯街的精神
After marketing, we would head to our favourite street laksa stall for breakfast. I remember tucking into the delicious yong tau foo laksa. The laksa gravy of this stall is unique: somewhere between the very “lemak” (rich coconut) laksa taste and a localised curry noodle dish. It has a distinctive “Chinese” favour to it, a milder spice flavour than a Malay or Indian curry. Although the stall’s recipe is more than 30 years old, it is a break from the traditional laksa recipe Singaporeans are used to. Apart from the unique gravy, they top their laksa with fried dumplings! It is just heavenly! I would slurp the chuo bee hoon (coarse rice noodles), at double quick time, leaving the yummy fried dumplings for the last bite.
当我们购买好所有的东西后，我们会到我们最爱的街边小摊，吃叻沙当作早餐。至今，我依然记得那一碗美味无比的酿豆腐叻沙时的味道。那个摊位的叻沙酱汁十分特别，是处于非常浓郁的椰浆叻沙和本土的咖喱面之间。它不像马来人或印度人的咖喱，拥有浓郁的香料味，而是有一种属于独特的“华人”味道。虽然摊位使用的食谱有多过三十年的历史，但是他们却打破了新加坡人熟悉的传统味道。除了独特的酱汁之外，他们还会在叻沙上放炸饺子。真是美味无比！为了能够在最后慢慢品尝美味的炸饺子，我都会以加倍的速度吃完那一碗的粗米粉。

In the early 80’s, with development and the call for better hygiene, the market, along with its street hawkers, was relocated to the Smith Street Complex. The street grew quiet as many dwellers and stalls disappeared almost overnight. Many other government and corporate entities have tried to revive Smith Street over the years but faced limited success. Each new revival would attract a big crowd initially, but the hype would soon die off. Many say that the street has lost its soul. The bustle of the street market with the din of the stall holders has now been silenced. In its place are ‘concept’ hawker stalls that open at noon catering to the tourists. The authenticity of a morning market has been lost.
八十年代初，随着发展与变迁，对卫生条件的要求提高，街边的摊位及巴刹迁移到了牛车水大厦。以街道为生的小贩和摊位在一夜之间消失了，街道突然变得寂静了。许多政府机构和企业尝试找回史密斯街当年的热闹场景，但是效果却不大。每一次的复苏活动虽在一开始时引起大家的关注，但是过没多久，那股热潮就平息了。很多人都说，那条街已经失去了它的灵魂了。伴随着喧哗街边市场的喧闹摊主如今已被消声了，取而代之的是这些专门为了旅客而设在中午营业的“概念”小贩。一个原汁原味的早上市场，就这样的消失了。

Picture (3) : The Laksa stall
叻沙摊位
Our favourite food from childhood is often the first thing that comes to mind when we are away from home. For me, it symbolises the flavour of home. It gives me the feeling of rootedness and belonging. Today, I am at the laksa stall again. The old faithfuls are already queuing for their regular fix. Besides the taste, this wholesome laska costs only $2, an anomaly in these inflationary times. Almost like manna from the sky!
当一个人远离家乡时，往往想念的食物就是童年时最爱的食物。对我来说，那是代表着家乡的味道，让我有一种落地归根的归属感。今天，我又回到了那一家叻沙摊位。老顾客早已在排队，等着满足他们的味蕾。在这个通货膨胀的年代中，一碗货真价实的叻沙只需要$2，真是叫人难以抗拒的异常美味。这简直就是从天而降的馅饼！

Picture (4) : Almost like Manna from the Sky!
好像从天上掉下来的馅饼哦！

The stall’s regulars, mainly elderly or middle-age folks, are familiar with its early and short opening hours i.e. 6.00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Otherwise, you might get the impression that the stall is perpetually closed! No young people in sight. Through no fault of theirs, the stall is located in an obscure corner of the vast Smith Street Food Centre. Many youngsters are also unaware that there is a parallel universe that operates at the same location, where they get their cheap beer at night.
这个摊位的熟客，大多数都是中年或老年人，他们对这个摊位又早又短，从早上6点到10点，的营业时间十分熟悉。不然的话，你会一直错以为这家店是长期关着的！来这家店关顾的客人中看不到年轻人。你不能怪他们，这家店位于牛车水大厦的一个偏僻角落。其实年轻人都不知道在他们每晚买便宜啤酒的地方，在平行时空中，有这样一个摊位存在着。

Picture (5) – Scenes of Days gone by!
以往的一景一幕
The stallholders are no longer the young men and women they once were. It has been 32 years since the move. There seems to be no one willing to take over their trade. Close to their stall I spot a sign – yet another closure of a stall run by an old timer. Over the week, as I reflect over the passing of the Architect of our Nation, I can’t help but feel that we may have lost some part of us in our rush to be first world. I feel the loss of this and many other stalls like it – our hawker heritage. I want my children to taste what I have tasted. Stalls like these are no longer accessible to my children. I feel sad that when they think “breakfast”, they think only of the MacDonald’s Big Breakfast.
虽然他们都曾年轻过，但摊主们已经不是二八年华的年轻男女了。他们搬迁至今已经有32年了，看样子，似乎没有人愿意继承他们的手艺。在他们的店面不远处，我看到了一个通知，又一家老店面停止营业了。在我们建国总理逝世的那一周，我不得不联想到，在我们朝向第一世界跃进的当儿，我们失去了自己的一部分。我感受到了这种遗失，就好像我们的小贩文化。我要我的小孩能够品尝到我所品尝过的味道。但那些摊位已经永远消失了，从我小孩的生命中，消失了。他们对于“早餐”的联想竟然只是麦当劳的大早餐，想到这一点，我不免感到十分悲伤。

How long more will the laksa stall continue? I do not know. Is this change really inevitable? Or can we do something about it?
叻沙摊还能维持多久？我不知道。改变真的是无法避免的吗？还是我们至少能够尝试，尝试作出改变？

Picture (6) – Yet another store closure!
店，又少了一个！
译／张佩思