When it's Day 4 and you finally do something actually touristy.
Yes.
It wasn't even the whole group! Sheen and I just got up in the morning and left by ourselves. We're a little lazy and we caught the taxi there instead of public transport - but then - we didn't step on a bus or train at all in Singapore.
Just walking in to the Botanical Gardens was so nice and dlkfjalskdf. Words fail me. Everything was just so open and airy.
There's quite a long walk in and the area is split up into two domes and different sections with lakes and ponds and so on. Sheen and I only went to the two domes - The Cloud Forest and The Flower Dome. So - be this is mini series of a photodrop. Yay. The domes are open 9am-9pm and cost $28 for an adult and $15 for a child.
After the decent walk, you finally reach the ticket office and the two domes aren't too far after that. This area was all undercover (and I'll admit, we sat down and rested for a bit - but we also took photos of the bay!) and had many cool sculptures. I actually really like wood and stone carvings :D
Upon entering the Cloud Forest (many of my photos are portrait, many apologies) you are greeted with this huge... I don't even know what you call it, Indoor artificial waterfall? On an artificial hollow mountain? Made of steel?
There are 5 levels (if I remember correctly) and you're supposed to catch the lift all the way to the top, and then take the escalator down. I know this, because this is not what we did, and there aren't escalators going up.. At each level of the mountain, it hosts different types of plants that would be found at different heights and climates that the mountain provides.
And as much as I like sculptures... totems kinda freak me out - especially faces. Can't deal with that. (damn that second from the bottom looks happy). But I had a lot of fun posing with these ahha - photos are probably on Sheen's blog. or in the video if you've got the link ;)
I thought this setup was gorgeous. I've seen doors and little figurines placed with bonsai plants before, but this little town was gorgeous. The houses are all so cute and there's such a large variety of plants. It's really quite realistic - apart from the fact that the train only goes around the town and the town only has a handful of buildings.
Finally ascending off the ground floor. hehe. oh ^ yes, MARBLED WOOD. Is that not cool? It was a very smooth bench. Anyway -> on to out mites and tites.
I just realised that the reason they have mirrors on the top is to make stalactites. so smart. wow. (OBVIOUSLY I DIDN'T THINK OF THAT)
Each level has it's own catwalk, I suppose not for those scared of heights - though it really is only about 5 floors. It's really nice being able to see the mountain from so many different angles as well. I guess it also spreads everyone out really nicely, so it's not to crowded. I'm not sure if it's because of the time we went - but the Cloud Forest dome didn't seem crowded at all compared to the Flower dome.
Scary people sculptures placed well though I'm sure many wouldn't have taken note of them. Too many pictures and not enough to say :S
Photographer Sheen hard at work. The view is also really good of the bay, however the roof of the dome makes it impossible to take photos. Quite sure the first photo is of bluebells.
Let's pretend the long gap between commentary is because I didn't want to disturb the flower spam rather than me having nothing to say. The third picture is of corsage orchids; the fourth, some type of daffodil; and the fifth reminds me of those hibiscus.
This is a rooftop garden (we've finally realised you're supposed to work from the top down). It was all dark cement and water - heavy on the fauna (but then again, the whole place is) - and I feel that this could be a really chill place to relax in if it was a public garden.
Momentary appreciation of the architecture and boardwalks.
I recognised some of these plants -> I think I took these photos for my mum. I'm sure we had the red Anthurium at the bottom at some point in the house. They're kind of waxy feeling..
View coming down the escalators and the route out of the garden. There's a video presentation happening about the effects of global warming and the water systems used in the gardens. The 3D map was cool and also was part of some presentation - but Sheen and I didn't really stick around.
After coming out of the presentation rooms, you walk alongside the streams - and it was quite annoying because of the flow of traffic through here. I wasn't able to stop for long so pretty much just snapped what I could and continued walking. Sheen was further ahead as well :(
We can end on the note that I thought these stones were really cool and had to take a photo of them.
Wow.
So that was the Cloud Forest and this was my procastination ~
It's quite a humid room but it was a very nice walk and quite interesting if you stop to read all the signs. On to the Flower Dome!
Directions: I believe it's very easy to catch public transport or walk to the Gardens from Marina Bay Sands, however - you can also tell a taxi driver where you need to go and they will know. The address is 18 Marina Gardens Drive - for those more keen :P.
Read about the Flower Dome here!
faithfully,
Mai
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