13th March 2010
One of the things on our ‘must do’ list for Singapore was the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the National Orchid Garden so this was today’s destination.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens are home to a great diversity of tropical plants set in verdant landscapes and covering a large area at the end of Orchard Road in the city. It is a tropical Eden, rich with 150 years of history, where time seems to stand still. A wonderful place away from the hustle and bustle of Singapore’s shopping streets, ideal for a rejeuvenating walk in a peaceful setting.
We wandered past Swan Lake with its huge Dancing Swans sculpture in the centre and where families were sat on the edge feeding fish and turtles or enjoying a pleasant stroll around the lake.
We followed the path onto the Ginger Garden which displays several hundred species of gingers and plants from related families. Here we paused by the waterfall which people can walk behind and its pool adorned with giant Amazon water lilies.
The National Orchid Garden is a permanent showcase of the diversity, richness and beauty of the orchid plant.
This is the largest display of orchids in the world and we certainly were not disapointed. A myriad of orchids greeted us, small or large, stunning or subtle, patterned or unadorned, intricate or simple an enchanting range of these beautiful flowers at every turn.
We also visted the VIP garden which features a select group of orchid hybrids named after visiting state dignitaries and VIPs including our own Queen.
Another highlight was the Mist House where set against a backdrop of tropical foliage and cultural decor, a host of rare orchid cultivars from the gardens’ collection is displayed. We also came across our old friends, the three wise monkeys.
The cool house, besides having the advantage of being a really cool place and being somewhere where we could seek refuge from the humidity outside, houses a montane tropical forest. Trees and rocks were draped with a profusion of spectacular orchids and fascinating carnivorous plants.
One of the quieter areas of the garden was the Bromeliad Collection, probably because they don’t have the showy blooms of an orchid. However, these highly exotic and most unusual plants from Central and South America were still fascinating and there were also a number of stunning statues and sculptures housed here.
All the time we were wandering around the National Orchid Garden we were surrounded by dazzling, vibrantly colourful banks of orchids getting the occasional waft of their heady scent. Quite a unique and special atmosphere.
After a spot of lunch we took a wander through the Evolution Garden. This is a journey through time from the beginnings of our fiery planet to the first living organisms and gradually changing plant life on land. This garden featured some magnificent Cycads and palms as its Jurassic Park centrepiece and along with its concrete trees made for an interesting path to follow.
As the rain began to fall we made our way through the bonsai display and the sculpture ‘The Passing of Knowledge’. The sculpture depicts the artist’s interpretation of the 4-Way Test, a philosophy embraced by Rotarians worldwide.
We finally took shelter in the sundial garden with its formal arrangement of lily ponds around a central sundial.
These gardens are a truly wonderful area within the city, a special place for peace surrounded by many different types and species of plants and varying landscapes.
We returned to the Fountain of Wealth after dark for the sound and light show that we had missed last night. Let’s just say the Bellagio has nothing to worry about. The pictures we had seen of the show had led us to believe it was a lot more spectacular than it actually was in reality. We did see the dedication messages that they beam across the water though and one was actually a marriage proposal. Thankfully the answer was yes!
Feeling slightly disappointed we headed off to the Esplanade down by the waterfront. The Mosaic Music Festival which is currently running here includes a programme of free music both indoors and outdoors at the Music Station. This is quite an intimate venue right on the waterfront with the Singapore skyline as the backdrop and probably holds about 300 people. Not a bad spot for a free concert.
As we arrived tonight a fabulous blues band called Soulmate were finishing their set. Their singer had a fantastic voice, really husky and blusey and she got completely swept up in the music, a complete joy to watch.
In between sets we managed to get a couple of seats ready for the next act. This was a group from Thailand called Blue on Blue. They started off with a couple of blues songs before moving onto some pop and ultimately some rock, but again an excellent group with a really funky bass player.
The final set of the evening was a blues jam where all three bands who had played during the evening returned to the stage and improvised, starting off with Soulmate, with members from the other bands joining them. Superb, simply amazing. They started with 4 people on stage and ended up with 3 lead guitarists, a keyboard player, a bassist, a couple of singers, a guy on the mouth organ and a drummer. Each member took their turns at performing a solo with even the bass player and drummer not forgotten. The result for the whole evening was an event we would happily have paid money for.
A much better bet than watching the rugby at any rate.