Today we woke up around 6, so we decided to visit the botanical garden.* No worries about being too early — in consideration of the heat and humidity, the garden is open from 5 AM until midnight. We got breakfast at a hawker centre (mee siam for Erik, kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs for me), then headed out.
Even around 8 AM, the air was steamy and warm, but we were determined to see what we could. The gardens were quite busy; we saw families, people walking their (poor, overheated) dogs, and men and women in office clothes (cutting through the gardens on their way elsewhere?).
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Trellis garden with millipedes underfoot!!
Trailing bauhinia:
Can you see the humidity?
There were many people jogging. How can they?!
Reflexology path:
Corkscrew flowers in the Fragrant Garden:
Ants ants ants:
Gardenia:
Near the visitors’ centre and gift shop:
Big lawn next to a symphony stage. I wanted a better look at the stage — but not enough to overcome my distaste for walking any more than I had to in that heat! There was a yoga class on the lawn. We also saw multiple tai-chi classes elsewhere in the park.
By the entrance to the ginger (zingiber officinale) garden:
Flamboyant torch ginger:
Snail!!!
Crazy giant lily pads. I first saw these in the Washington, DC botanical garden when I was 10, and was completely struck by (and not a little scared of) them. I still feel the same way. They’re otherworldly.
Pretending the plant is a bell pull. I thought I was smiling but I guess it was just too hot for smiles.
The gardens were free to visit, so we didn’t mind paying extra for the national orchid garden.
I was charmed by the orchid trees. Well, as charmed as I could be while melting in the heat.
In the orchid garden we ran across a trio of staff members who were removing yellowed leaves from some of the vines. These groundskeepers were in evidence throughout the garden: pruning, clearing, tidying. They all wore long-sleeved shirts and pants and rubber boots. I hope they get to rest during the hottest part of the day.
Most welcome attraction in the garden: a “cool house” full of mountain plants! It really felt like the mountains in there: chilly, misty, delicious!
Every time I leave a cool place and step out into the humidity, my glasses fog.
An hour or so and several bug bites later, we finally gave up and took the subway back toward the malls to take refuge in the air con.
Only a day and a half left in Singapore.
*Fun fact: I’ve now been to botanical gardens in San Francisco, Washington, DC, Glasgow, Reykjavík, Paris, Hawaii, Kyoto, and Singapore. Three continents and five islands!
Wow, I think Singapore is more humid than North Carolina in August. Do sympathize with you — I don’t like it either. Does your apartment have AC? Beautiful botanical garden though! What season is it in New Zealand — fall? Whatever. It is bound to feel like heaven in comparison:)
Ugh, I don’t know — I’ve been to NC in the summer and it felt just as bad. 😉 The apartment had great AC in the bedroom but not in the rest of the place. But maybe that was good, because it really forced me to get out!!
NZ does feel like heaven in comparison, even though it’s been stormy for the past couple of days. It’s summer moving to fall, I think; the first couple of days it was a wee bit chilly in the shade and a little bit too warm in the sun. Now with this storm I can’t tell whether summer is properly over or not!
Beautiful pics! So many strange and foreign looking plants! I love it! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
You’re wokkom of course! I wanted to take pictors of ALL the plants just for you, but I gave up as I got hotter and hotter. ;b
Even if its a human-killer, the flowers seem to be surviving the humidity just fine – gorgeous photos!
Thanks so much! I think the plants love it! 🙂 (I guess I would too, if I were a plant and could sink my roots into the ground where I’m sure it’s much cooler!)
Ahah! A plant life is a good life I guess 🙂
Probably depends on what kind of plant and where. 🙂 I wouldn’t want to be a rosebush always having my heads lopped off! ;b
I think you’d have to learn how to use your thorns to defend yourself, that could be fun 😛
I’m imagining a rose striking kungfu poses: *hwaaaa* *cha-chaaaa* *kick!* 🙂
I’ve actually not yet been to the orchid garden in the Botanical Gardens ! If you have the chance, you could visit the new Gardens by the Bay (www.gardensbythebay.com.sg) at night. I hear that it’s pretty nice.
I was intrigued by Gardens by the Bay, though I didn’t have time to visit. In fact, we didn’t get to the Marina Bay area at all! My aunt’s photos of the Marina Bay Sands infinity pool are actually responsible for my interest in visiting Singapore, but I guess they’ve changed the admission policies since she was there, and now you can’t get as close to the pool unless you’re a hotel guest. So we didn’t bother.
Oh really? That’s a shame. I’ve not been to Marina Bay Sands yet even though it has been completed for almost two years since I left. It’s quite impressive to pass it while driving on the highway though I’ve yet to be motivated enough to check it out. Maybe later this year if I go back to visit. By the way, it was quite interesting to read about some of the places that you visited in Singapore because I’ve not been to / heard of some of them 🙂
I did see it several times from the road, and yes, it’s spectacular. I’m so glad you enjoyed my Singapore posts! 🙂 It was fun being in touch with you while we were there!
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Beautiful pictures, as usual 🙂 You’re really hot in Singapore, aren’t you!? Yet you’ve managed some amazing photography….kudos Lisa!
Thanks, Munira! I really do hate hot (and especially humid) weather. It just turns me into a pile of sweaty grump. Or sloth. ;b That’s why we’ve stayed in such temperate (and often expensive) places while traveling — if I did a year of travels through, say, Southeast Asia, I’d be soooo cranky from the heat!!