Singapore - Gardens by the Bay

Walking back after the dog walk we passed the tree most commonly seen in Singapore - the Rain Tree.  'The Rain Tree can easily be identified by its big umbrella-shaped crown. The leaves have a habit of folding up at dusk and before rainy weather, hence its name. When the Rain Tree blooms, the crown is covered in clusters of pink-white flowers'. source: common trees in Singapore.

Richard took us down to the Street Food market for lunch.  We passed the ParkRoyal hotel(?) on the way - with its interesting terraces...

Whilst the food was delicious the experience was a little sanitized - in keeping with Singapore's reputation for safety.

Gardens by the Bay -   SuperTree Grove

Kingfisher sculpture and Marina Bay Sands building and rooftop garden in background:  Marina Bay Sands

yet more food!

what's distracting Simon?

that'll be it...

ah, take me back, all is forgiven.

approaching the Gardens by the Bay Cloud-dome

we didn't see any...

Marina Bay Sands again

I bet that's a full-time job...

Inside the Cloud-dome.  Phew!

Orchids, obviously

Cloud-dome sky walk.  I didn't do it.

Count the animals in the carving.  There's more than you think!

The cloud-dome was spectacular.  Not only in the architecture and design, in the eco-system and built-in self-reliance, but in the wonderfully refreshing cool temperature (by comparison to outside) and the habitat planting.  I'd have a season ticket to this place, a jewel in Singapore's crown, the wow factor and the calmness combined for a special experience we won't ever forget.

Kat

Singapore - Night Safari & curry for breakfast!

This is one of the things Singapore is famous for.  I had mixed feelings, as I always do when visiting a zoo, but the aspect of going after dark was an interesting spin on things.  It was very busy, but we got into the queues and watched the show, and then toured round on the bus, and got off and walked a way.

This was our host for the show part of the attraction.  She was very knowledgeable.  I've forgotten what she said.

Wolf.  need I say more?

Unfortunately these are the best of the pictures I took that night.  I think my camera battery was running down, and it's not best easy to take photos of animals in the dark unless you're a professional and have the super-dooper equipment.

The next day Richard took us to to have curry for breakfast - apparently a must when visiting Singapore...  it was surprisingly good.

Richard had walked us to his nearest curry-house, along with his dog, and on the way back we ventured onto a walkway in the nearby nature resort to explore a little more.  We came across a family of monkeys, and then the vista was pure virgin rainforest - which is what Singapore would have been like when Stamford Raffles found it in January 1819.

All this before lunch.

More about that next time.

night y'all,  Kat

Singapore S.E.A. Aquarium

Richard had a few things to do, so we took the bus to Sentosa and found our way to the Aquarium. I'm very fond of aquariums.  I think it's because my star sign is Cancer - the crab.  I'm a water sign although I'm not a strong swimmer and consequently don't participate in messing around in the sea, in the pool or other water-based activities, sailing, rowing, and the like.

Singapore Aquarium certainly has the WOW factor - each corridor leads you through the complex through bigger and bigger tanks, and when you think you've seen the biggest and the best, it gets bigger and better still.

I could have spent much of the day there, but the children wanted to see and do other things, and their attention span isn't targeted at fish.  Here are just a few of the photos we took.  Stupendous!

shipwreck

an impression of the size of the shipwreck

shark tank

Simon in the shark tunnel

this was absolutely impossible to capture on camera - IMMENSE, jaw-droppingly amazing and huge with so much to see it's impossible to express adequately.

could have spent hours watching them watching the fish

scuba man and manta ray

leaving the shipwreck from the other side

Hard Rock Cafe, Singapore

Singapore is such a small place there it seems you're never far away from the sea/port/industry

fancy boat

Singapore's mascot - the sea-mermaid-lion

We headed back to Richard's and that evening we went to the Night Safari.  Photos of that next time.
Kat