Determination & Resourcefulness - Gardens by the Bay

It seems strange to give such a title to a little spot of a garden on a spit of reclaimed land, but that was the impression in our heads as we walked away from the Gardens by the Bay near the Marina Reservoir.

Nai Nai has very kindly agreed to act as back-up during this crazy month of almost back-to-back traveling between YL and I, and is spending a few weeks with us in Singapore.  In our usual style, we dragged her out of the comfort of the apartment to traverse the island, and yesterday the Gardens by the Bay was on our agenda.

The iconic Supertree Groves at the entrance.

The inevitable reaction of anyone stepping into the Cloud Forest dome for the first time was one of gob-smacked awe.  A 35-metre tall "mountain" overgrown with dense, lush plants from tropical cloud forests rests majestically in the middle; a cascading waterfall and the (air-conditioned) cool dampness inside the steel and glass structure lent a esoteric futuristic vibe to whole place.  

We don't know much about plants, but it was fascinating to see the unusual colours and shapes even for plant dummies like us.  Notice the "periuk kera" (literally monkey's pot in Malay; known as pitcher plant in English) plant just above the boys, and the shiny white orchids above them.

And these flowers remind me of little forest fairies

A whimsical touch - miniature hot air balloons

Walkways extended out above the "mountain" allowed visitors to admire the dome in its full glory.  There were species from cloud forests around the world, flourishing strong and bold, in this man-made environment.

The Marina Bay Sands Resort seen from inside the dome

There are abundant signs on the exhibits, audio guides to excite nature and plant lovers, and enough interactive displays to keep the kids entertained.  But it still make for a very interesting day out without any of the educational bits.  

Unable to cover the entire place in the morning, we returned in the evening to visit the Flower Dome.

More hot-air balloons

YL was in love with the baobab trees transported from Africa.

We are the boring ones in the family. 

We were there at night, and while the lighting created a soft ambiance, we can only agree that it would simply be breath-taking in the daytime when the riotous colours are allowed to do its magic... The displays are so beautiful and healthy we reached out often to touch them to make sure they are real.  

So we walked away, fully impressed - despite our natural cynicism - by what determination & resourcefulness can achieve, fully exemplified by this little red dot of an island.  Happy Birthday, Singapore.