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Ruckdee
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Singapore Mission Botany

I live only two hours away by plane from Singapore. But for one reason or another, I did not have a chance to visit this island country until last year. While I was enjoying the view from a rooftop bar, I noticed a curious structure right behind the Marina Bay Sands. It's that dome-like thingy almost at the center of this picture. I discovered later on that it is a part of what is called Gardens by the Bay. So when an opportunity arose to visit Singapore again this year, I made sure I get to see that place in person!


Bright and sunny on the way from Bangkok


Still the same arrival sign I saw last year. Kind of like it.


And instead of a high-rise hotel like on the previous trip, I decided to try a small hotel in Chinatown for a change of scenery.


It turned out that, comparing the amount paid, the downtown hotel I stayed at last time offered a lot more for money.


Well, at least there are some nice graphic details to enjoy around here.


Anyway, it was time to head straight to the main attraction, Gardens by the Bay.


First order of business . . .










Not the portion size to keep me satiated but it was well prepared.


Fuel for life


The Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay had a French theme going on at that time.


They managed quite well to keep things cool inside despite the blazing sunlight.




I must have taken 100+ photographs of the flowers that day.


Some interactive games were installed.


I found these animated but uninteractive displays to be more informative though.


And then it was time for the next dome called Cloud Forest.






Walking down from the top


Parents are advised to mind their children to be safe.


To keep this post relevant to the forum . . .


I wish I had the time to read everything.






Projection goes all the way from the screen to the floor. That's cool.






A bird's eye view of the site


Time for dinner






Strolling through Clarke Quay area


This ice-cream seller spins coes like pistols and asks his customers to try and snatch them from him.


People seem to love sitting in the outdoor area here. But I find the weather to be too hot and humid to be comfortable.




The long walk back to the hotel




It was quite hard to tell night and day in this lobby.


Empty street in the morning


Not too many cars around yet


Admiring the cultural diversity of the Chinatown area




Breakfast is served.




And so is coffee.












I took a peek inside a temple on the way from the hotel.










Energy for the next stop






Welcome to the Singapore Flyer.


Let's spend the next 30 minutes in this capsule.


I find this inward view interesting with all the lines and everything.


The aircon was in fact efficient. The gentleman in pink was already sweating from his walk outside.


That prominent stadium to the left will host the Southeast Asian Games next year.


The two domes of Gardens by the Bay are visible in this shot here.


The famed Marina Bay area


I am quite ashamed to say that I was eating again already.






A little of everything




I wish silence could have been captured in photographs.


The water taxi seemed like a curious choice of transportation. It costed only SGD 3 to get from the Singapore Flyer to the Merlion. And we happened to be the only two passengers the entire trip.




Meeting of something old and new


I saw the Merlion only from the distance last year. This time it was different.


Snapping happily away before the evening's main attraction








This explains why I was wearing my Reverso for the day.






A father and son moment


With other family members present too . . .


There was so much food for the guests.


And the evening concluded quite beautifully with friends old and new.


Small gifts to remember the event by


Last morning before hte trip home


No wonder why the Singaporeans I met were all familiar with the beach destinations in southern Thailand.


First breakfast by chance encounter






Second breakfast at the recommendation of a friend




The tofu was quite good indeed.


Then another friend came to picked us up for lunch and a luxurious ride to the airport.


Goodbye, Singapore.


See you again when my wallet has reloaded.


Hope you enjoyed the tour. And sorry there were almost 100 pics in total! I really should learn how to write travelogues in a more compact form one of these days.

Ruckdee

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