Saturday, March 5th ~ Singapore

Tim, Gus, and Joanne at the Orchid Gardens

Only having one and a half days in Singapore to see the highlights might be considered criminal to many. I know I felt short-changed! There is SO MUCH to see and experience here that we have already started discussing when we can return. Perhaps next year and combine it with time in Myanmar or Malaysia or Bali or ??? 

View this morning out our 20th floor hotel window.

Up very early this morning, Tim started his day with the balance of a BIG bag of purple mangosteen fruit he had purchased at a fruit market across the street from our hotel. This sweet, delicious fruit is not easy to come by in the USA, and having it this fresh, right off the tree fresh, is a fruit lovers dream come true.

Sweet, tangy and oh so delicious mangosteen fruit

With latest research showing they can shrink tumors, lower estrogen levels and increase testosterone levels, it is being looked at as a possible cancer treatment/prevention miracle food.

And of course a morning cup of coffee also was in order. The barista here at our hotel has a bit of artist in her. She started her career at Starbucks and has been serving up black gold for 13 years now.

Morning cup of Joe

Trying to make the most of our time, we chose to explore via the local “Hop on, Hop off” bus. Here are some of the highlights in no particular order that we spotted along the way:

Merlion Park, Singapore

Merlion Park 

“The Merlion is a traditional creature in western heraldry that depicts a creature with a lion’s head and a body of a fish. In Singapore, it has become a marketing icon used as a mascot and national personification of Singapore.” ~ Wikipedia

The Flyer

The Singapore Flyer ~  One of the worlds largest Ferris wheels, it takes 1/2 hour to complete the ride. Offering amazing 360 degree views above Singapore, it is especially popular at sunset. At 540 feet tall, it towers over Marina Bay. It is almost ten storeys taller than the London Eye.

China Town

Civilian War Memorial

Across from Singapore Marina – a skyline view with the Lotus Building (Art Science Museum)

National Gallery Building

Marina Bay Sands Hotel

And a couple of skyline views:

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Our longest stop was at the famous UNESCO Singapore Botanical Gardens.

“It is one of three gardens, and the only tropical garden, to be honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Botanic Gardens has been ranked Asia’s top park attraction since 2013, by TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards. It was declared the inaugural Garden of the Year, International Garden Tourism Awards in 2012, and received Michelin’s three-star rating in 2008″ ~ Wikipedia

This park/garden is huge and is divided up into quite a few distinct area such as the Ginger Garden, Healing Garden, and my favorite: The National Orchid Gardens.

“The National Orchid Garden, within the main gardens, is at the forefront of orchid studies and a pioneer in the cultivation of hybrids, complementing the nation’s status as a major exporter of cut orchids. Aided by the equatorial climate, it houses the largest orchid collection of 1,200 species and 2,000 hybrids.” ~ Wikipedia

Map of the Botanical Gardens

Tim chose a great colored shirt to wear to the gardens today ~ matches many plants/flowers

Cascading fountain at the entrance to Orchid Gardens

Moss walkway

But of course the true stars were the many, many varieties of orchids and as well as other tropical flowers. I hope my friend, Wendy, also known as the “Flower Lady” will enjoy these masterpieces of nature.

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And this guy was just one of several Monitor Lizards we saw in the park.

Clouded Monitor Lizard

Tomorrow we fly from Singapore to Phnom Penh, Cambodia and meet up with our Intrepid Tour group.

GRATITUDE MOMENT: Today I am grateful for the abundance of plant life that grows here in Singapore. They seem to have an ideal climate for lovers of all things horticulture. I think even someone without a green thumb would have a hard time failing…