Orchids!

A Day at Singapore's Botanic Garden

Well after another four very full days of work my colleagues departed early Friday morning to return home to Virginia. 

As for me I opted to postpone my own journey back home to Arizona until Sunday morning to give me Friday and Saturday to do my final sightseeing. I began by changing hotels to the Hotel Vagabond on the edge of Little India and Kampong Glam (more about the hotel in a later post).

Singapore has been a full sensory experience. In some ways it conjures up some of the wonderful memories I have from spent living in Hawaii many years ago.

So with only 2 days left (and with many choices for places to visit) I opted to spend Friday decompressing in Singapores's renowned Botanic Garden. 

I am so glad I did.

So many of the places around this planet still leave me with awe, but (sadly) fewer and fewer places make me stop dead in my tracks and say "this is so amazing".

This Botanic garden was so amazing!

 

 Singapore's Botanic Garden

It dates back to 1859, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, has a Michelin 3 star rating and hosts 4,000,000 visitors a year. Yet, despite so many visitors my visit felt completely tranquil.

Details: The gardens are free, there is a $5 SGD charge to visit its renowned National Orchid Center. Don't miss that. There is a MRT stop at one extreme end of the Garden and a busy bus stop (with legions of buses heading for Orchard Road) at the other.  There are cafes and a couple of nice gift shops as well (with lots of AC to take the edge off the heat).

Enough with the text. Enjoy some visuals.

 A Black Swan at Eco Lake

 Heliconia's

(Related to gingers and bananas)

A Nearly 1 Meter Long Iguana 

(Completely missed by the 40 or 50 texting school kids walking a few feet away)  

 Orchid Eyecandy

Vanda William Catherine
(Dedicated to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge)

Trellises of Dancing Lady Orchids

(A hybrid flowered here in 1939)
 

Throughout the garden are lakes and marshy zones allowing for a spectacular diversity in plant materials.

 The Gardens Feature Areas With Open Vistas

(Right in the heart of the City)

 A Bride Was Posing for Photos at Swan Lake

You will have to walk a lot, the garden is huge. Wear comfortable shoes.

You will sweat through your clothes, bring water, hat, sunscreen and a pack of wet naps. 

You will lose track of time, my planned 1 hour visit ran about 4 wonderful hours.


Roadboy's Travels © 2016