Singapore's Palace

We went to the Istana Open House during Deepavali, amidst much excitement, because we had never been inside the Istana before! Incidentally, Istana means "palace" in Malay, hence my title above.

We invited my mum and cousin Irene along, so the Bees can play with Chloe too!

It was a day of gorgeous, dazzling sunshine and cloudless cerulean skies - emphasizing the emerald green of the abundant verdant foliage in Istana. What a brilliant contrast of breathtaking colours! 

We were awed by the Istana's immense size and the seemingly boundless green fields. The children ran carefree about in the wide open spaces, the wind in their hair, their excited voices muted by the ubiquitous rustling of the many leaves on the old trees. 

The Bees and Chloe, grinning gleefully amidst the gorgeous greenery.

My mum was happy to be there as well, and was reminiscing about how she used to come to the Istana when she was a young lady. Nostalgia brought us closer to history, where historical monuments are usually preserved in the same likeness as when history was first solidified in that very same place. And we can feel many past generations of citizens traipsing across the extensive lawns of the Istana, all harbouring the same hopes and same dreams as us now. 

Granny with the brood of merry children against a backdrop of stunningly vibrant flowers. 

Endless verdurous lawns

Because of the capacious green spaces, the large number of visitors were well spread out, so we did not feel claustrophobic at all. There were thoughtful areas of rented playground equipment, marquees, school bands playing and stalls selling much-desired ice-cream and cold drinks on a scorching day. So the atmosphere was rather festive. 

We brought ice-cream for the whole group and sat under the cool canopy of several majestic rain trees, indulging in some relief and chilling out on the grass. It was certainly very relaxing and pleasing. 

Mum, Irene and the 2 little girls who were fascinated by the ice cream cones! 

We walked a fair bit in the heat, as the main building was nicely ensconced in the sprawling grounds with only sporadically shaded lanes. It took us more than an hour to slowly meander around the grounds till the flag of the main building waved invitingly at us, and we finally took some perfunctory photos in front of the building under the burning noon sun. 

Finally, the walk out was treacherous, with us having to carry the Bees as everyone was tired from the heat. Little Chloe was walking much of the way herself, though, which was so admirable! The collective sigh of relief and welcome when we reached the main entrance was almost comical, and Big Bee had to top off the comic element by posing beside the guard in the exact same position he was standing! 

I truly enjoyed this family outing, and I am sure the Bees will have as much fun with their cousins in future as I did with mine :)