Thanks to my visiting nieces, I finally had a chance to visit Gardens by the Bay last May, and as luck would have it, Tulipmania was still on at that time. The Flower Dome was a visual feast with a dome-ful of tulips in a variety of colours; even a little girl wearing a flamenco dress was lost in all the colours. And at the Cloud Forest, there was a variety of rare orchids in wonderful bloom - a testament to the feats of modern botany.
I'm sure I'd be more thrilled to see these floras in their natural habitat :-)
Gardens by the Bay is a good place to let kids run around especially at the Children's Garden where there is a huge playground for the little ones, with slides, monkey bars, spins, among other things that kids enjoy. There's also a tree house somewhere in the middle, which seems to be a great hit among tiny people. And there are bath fountains where water babies can freely splash around.
If you're planning to go though, just know that it can be very crowded on holidays. Somehow I feel that too much crowd diminishes the pleasure that can be had from some wonderful sights. Also, the smell of the Flower Dome can be overpowering. If you're asthmatic and sensitive to smells, just be prepared with your tissue at the very least, or if you're too sensitive, perhaps bring your anti-histamine. Lastly, don't go there when you're starving as the eating places tend to be crowded (I hope not all the time!) and the queues can be endless specially during the meal hours. If you have kids, bring some snack items - it will make waiting for your turn at the cafe/restaurant a bit more tolerable.
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| A piece of Holland in the tropics |
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| The girl in flamenco dress...or maybe she just woke up thinking she was a ladybug that day! |
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| Skywalk leading to the highest floor of the Cloud Forest. There's a lift for those with acrophobia. |
I always stop to smell the flowers ;-) more so when they are orchids, and I've taken a few snaps of that variety for some members of my family who love to grow orchids, and who fittingly take so much pride when their orchids are in full bloom!
