{100 Places}: Botanic Gardens

When the Singapore Botanic Gardens was awarded the UNESCO World Heritage privilege, I was filled with trepidation. When a place I had always treated as home becomes world renowned, I know it will be filled with curious crowds and new faces. Which is exactly what happened. On our recent visit to the Botanic Gardens last week, Hubby asked a service staff if there was any change in their work since the UNESCO World Heritage award, and she said that there were so many more people, sometimes people who had not been in the Gardens since their dating days 50 years ago. I also read that the park authorities are looking at ways to preserve the authenticity and infrastructure of the park in anticipation of 6 million footfall by 2020. Yikes!

But this space is to reflect on the little beauties and happiness that Singapore Botanic Gardens had bestowed on us. It had always been home for us, with our weekly to monthly jaunts there, in various corners of this sprawling park. We love seeing the myriad changes of light in our different visits - the crisp, cool air of a coral-tinged dawn, the happy, yellow sunshine of late morning, the comforting shade of the verdant giants sheltering us from harsh noon, soft tangerine-golden rays of a setting sun that glistened on the lake, the lavender gloaming that made twinkling lights seemed so magical, and the dark, mysterious abode of sleeping trees.

The Botanic Gardens will always be remembered as a place where I grew up in. The jogs as a child with my parents and brother. The picnics with cousins as a kid. The place where Hubby and I brought our dogs to chill and relax before the kids came our way. The concerts my friends and I used to watch, sprawling on the lush meadow. And then fast forwarding to us in the same sprawled position - but watching Big Bee dancing on the same Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage. The breakfasts all over the Gardens - under the protective embraces of antiquated trees, beside the lake, alongside swans and pigeons. Outings with friends. Jaunts and discovery trails with the family. Too many precious memories are created here.

Our latest trip had us exploring a rainforest trail where we were surrounded by tall, venerable trees. Walking in the midst of towering trees provided us with much-needed refuge from the scorching noon heat. I had never hesitated about walking deep in the rainforests in the blazing heat of Singapore, because we would invariably be ensconced in a sanctuary of coolness and tranquillity, without the extraneous need for air-conditioning.

Another recent trip had us exploring the Botanic Gardens in the dark, as we strolled in the cool, crisp gloaming, after a tempestuous afternoon storm, only to find serenity amidst glistening wet grass and an orchestra of hidden singing frogs. It was so deserted that Little Bee joined the frogs in their choir with her loud, booming voice!

In time to come, I hope that our much-loved place will still maintain its authentic and unpretentious beauty, without too many touristy crowds!

Previous posts about Botanic Gardens:
Colours of Nature: The Colour of Drought
Colours of Nature: Strolling Through the Beginning of Time
Colours of Nature: Of Cygnets and Ducklings
Colours of Nature Part 2
The Macrocosm Of Nature
Soccer Babes
Light from the Heavens
Of Old Friends and Gatherings
Breakfast with Swans
Home of the Black Swans
Lazy Sunday Breakfasts
The Elusive Moon
Her Dance Odyssey
Grandparents

{100 Places}: Tiong Bahru

We spent an unhurried, languid afternoon in the old Tiong Bahru precinct, soaking in charming nostalgia and immersing in the laidback culture. Quirky shops and cafes sprung up alongside old, fascinating residential blocks and kopitiams. We ambled along its quiet streets and admired the plethora of bicycles all around. We loved the old walk-up apartments that were wistfully dreaming of an era spanning decades of turbulence in Singapore. We browsed in hole-in-the-wall bookshops and had breakfast and coffee in 2 fancy cafes (that were really pricey, in my humble opinion!). 

It was great for the Bees to see another slower side of Singapore, where crowds were elusive and the pace less hectic. Where one can browse in creatively original shops, without the need to visit large, sterile chain malls.

Early evening was exquisite - with tangerine golden sunrays casting a warm glow on the old gracious buildings. It is little niches like this that make me love the varied landscape of Singapore - and I hope that more quaint areas will be preserved and kept in their original condition, without the need to construct new boring and colourless air-conditioned malls!

{100 Places}: Arab Street

We constantly find it miraculous that so much diversity - be it in society or in nature - exists within this tiny island we call home. We enjoy exploring different corners of Singapore over weekends or during school holidays, and even then, there exists untouched places in Singapore where we had not visited before!

I thought it might be interesting to compile a list of 100 places around Singapore which we had enjoyed visiting - and are continually visiting, especially the free parks and nature reserves! I would love to revisit these places for a long time thereafter, and this would be a wonderful way to constantly remind ourselves of the beauties around us.

I thought Arab Street would be a splendid place to start with - an enclave right in the middle of Singapore which feels like another world, another era.

Brilliantly colourful wall murals grace the facades of quaint, old shophouses. Dusty shops selling mystical and nostalgic knick-knacks from exotic perfume bottles to candies right from the 1970s era. Charming hipster boutiques hidden in long-forgotten corners of the streets. Whimsical, tranquil cafes that ensconce us into another realm of time. More importantly, we love to soak in the vibrancy and buzz of the Muslim community, understanding a different way of life that is so familiar to us through the decades.

It is a perfect escapade for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Early evening is the perfect time to visit, with golden sunrays casting a magical glow on the majestic dome of the Sultan Mosque.

Previous posts about Arab Street:
The Arabian Enigma
Ghoulish Glee

Spider-Girls

The Bees indulged in a fair bit of rock-climbing at Kallang Wave over the December holidays. It was exciting for them, and a great activity to dispel their excess energies. Big Bee, being her usual athletic self, is a natural at rock-climbing. She would literally scramble up the entire length of the wall, scaling walls that are challenging even for adults. I could only achieve heights that are half of hers, as I always made the mistake of looking down at the tiny people below and then going into a panic attack!

As for Little Bee, she prefers scaling lower walls so that she could reach the top easier and that gave her a sense of achievement. Different kids, different approaches!

We also had great fun at the bouldering section, where we tried to scale the wall without any ropes or reinforcement - just pure, core strength. It was exhilarating when we tested our limits and crashed down on the soft floor of the boulder section, unfettered and liberated.

Rock climbing is a wonderful activity to challenge our children's (and ours!) limits, pushing them beyond their comfort zones and teaching them the power of strength and perseverance. We will be back for sure!

Exploring Our Heritage

A week before the Mid-Autumn Festival, we ambled around Chinatown and its surrounding streets just to gawk at the brightly-lit flowers that adorned the main road.

As we were in the region, we also went into some quaint, old shops to take a look at some old knick-knacks and toys, where Hubby and I were transported back to our childhood.

We showed some of these toys to the Bees, and extolled about the simplicity of life before the invention of Internet and complex electronic gadgets.

We were captivated by the sight of so many lanterns, and bought a number of them, in preparation for Mid-Autumn!

We chanced upon a timeworn aquarium shop, selling anything from fishes to terrapins to birds! It was a chaotic labyrinth within, but we wandered around the shop, peering into dark, mysterious fish tanks and ominous-looking styrofoam boxes with big, motionless terrapins. I did not think it was very humane to keep all the animals locked up in these tiny spaces, but this was nostalgia for Hubby and I. It brought back long-forgotten memories of little kids (us!) peeking at animals and fishes, almost as if aquarium shops like these were like mini zoos.

We then meandered down Keong Saik Road, and were amazed at the transformation of this street. What used to be a sleazy red-light district in the 1960s was metamorphosed into a hip, bohemian street with whimsical cafes and trendy motels, juxtaposed against a backdrop of modern, high-rise HDB flats and an exotic Indian temple. Truly fascinating.

I hope the Bees got a glimpse into a past that is fast disappearing in Singapore, understanding their roots even better. Simple jaunts like these are totally free and easy on our pockets, but they are so enriching for our hearts.

Paint The Afternoon Away!

We spent a fun, creative afternoon painting our blues away in Arteastiq, a Victorian-looking cafe with a big space for creative expression on canvas. It was so therapeutic and a great way for family bonding by giggling over and appreciating each other's paintings. 

Although we did paint at home sometimes, this was a different experience because the Bees were able to sit down and really focus on creating something from a clean slate. We were also inspired by myriad creative ideas of other painters around us, and could stick to an idea and paint it through.We could paint anything we want, and for the less inspired, there were booklets with picture ideas that we could emulate.

I love the different emotions fleeting through me when painting. Emotions like being reflective before painting. I usually looked deep within myself and examined my mood and propensities before painting. I usually like landscapes because they remind me of escapism into another land far far away.

Wonderment and curiosity. When I first laid my brush on a clean slate, I would never fail to marvel at the richness of colours, the dexterity of human fingers and the ability of the human mind to create something out of nothing. For me, painting never followed any predicted paths (although, frankly, I am but a rudimentary painter). I would usually experiment with different strokes, textures and colours, so I am constantly infused with a sense of curiosity about where all these would lead me.

Frustration (at times). Sometimes, I would experiment and play around with the brush strokes and colours to the extent that the outcome was very different from what I had envisaged initially. But I would adapt and adjust constantly. And this is the most important life lesson I learned from painting - that it is perfectly fine to make mistakes and that we can always adapt and change, so that these mistakes become blessings in disguise. I kept emphasizing this to the Bees, especially perfectionist Big Bee, whenever they grumbled that they mixed the wrong colours or painted the wrong strokes, etc. And I think painting is a wonderful way for children to learn to experiment and adapt!

And finally, satisfaction and gratification when I sat back at last and breathed a sigh of happiness.

Hubby's painting and his fabulous attempt at blending colours for a complete newbie! 

This was mine, and yes, I was dreaming of living on a deserted island at that point of time!

Big Bee's painting - she wanted to paint pop art for a change. This was her first attempt at graphical pop art and I thought it was so bright and colourful!

Little Bee's attempt to convert a landscape into a 2D pop-art portrait - can you spot the waterfall, overlaying branch and river boulders?

A Date With Shakespeare

We had a date with Shakespeare a couple of months ago where we watched The Merchant Of Venice in Fort Canning, under a starry night with balmy evening breezes.

Check out the crowds! We were lucky to have found an area right in front of the stage to plonk ourselves down! 

It was the Bees' first exposure to a play by the Bard, with full-fledged Shakespearean language. They had read a lot of his plays in adapted versions, in regular English, and we had talked about The Merchant Of Venice before this play. However, it was still a delight to see them looking quizzical in the first few minutes, whispering furtively, "Mummy! What language are they speaking in?" Haha.

I read the Merchant of Venice synopsis to them before the play, so the Bees were aware of the key protagonists and the main plot (and subplots). Once the play started and they got used to the archaic language, they were slowly drawn into the dramatic twists and hyperbole of Shakespeare's magic.

My qualms about this play were that 1) the setting was constructed deliberately in a modern setting with techno music (call me an old-fashioned, unadaptable fool, but I would prefer a good ol' Shakespearean play over these new modern re-adaptations!) and that 2) I wish more local actors could be in main roles since this was organised by a local theatre production company. The 2 key protagonists were non-Singaporeans. Otherwise, I thought it was a lovely evening out with the family, just kicking our shoes off, sitting back on the grass and simply having a chillax time!

Colours Of Nature: The Tree Huggers

Nothing revivifies our family better than a walk amongst the giants of nature. Even in insanely crowded Singapore, we try to escape far from the madding crowds on a regular basis - just so we can maintain our sanity, breathe a little freely, and retreat into our inner selves.

One recent walk that we really enjoyed was in the MacRitchie Reservoir Park. We hike here regularly because we love the serene combination of a large, tranquil lake and uncultivated forests deep within the park. Being mainly flat, it is also a relatively easy hike, compared to the steeper Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, so we could always stop anywhere and admire the amazing wildlife around us.

On that particular hike, we spent more than 3 hours traversing the edge of the reservoir waters alongside its boardwalk trail and wandering deep into its primary forests.

It was such a leisurely walk where we ambled along, spotting all kinds of wildlife like gigantic spiders, sun skinks, monkeys, kingfishers and all kinds of exotic birds, as well as damselflies and dragonflies. We loved the fact that these wildlife seemed really tame, nestled deep in nature, away from the harmful reaches of vile human intervention.

Long-tailed macaque monkeys

Nature's glorious beauties. Can you spot the spider with its intricate web?

This spider, perched in its huge web high above us in the forest, is as big as my hand (or bigger!)

Can you see the Common Sun Skink?

We loved the feeling of pure isolation in the forests, where we could be trudging along narrow paths without meeting another soul, surrounded only by towering trees that had seen more of this world than any one of us.

We shushed each other at regular intervals just so we could enjoy the pregnant silence of nature. And what deafening silence it was! Once human noises were curtailed, our ears were treated to the vociferous orchestra of the wild - the undulating trills of invisible birds, the hypnotic chirrups of  territorial crickets and the incessant whispering of stalwart trees.

The girls also used this opportunity to embrace these valiant trees, climbing as high as they could on the stout shoulders of these stately elders. They loved the feel of the textured bark on their hands and revelled in the support of the strong trunks and branches.

It was such a rejuvenating morning, and we are truly blessed by the myriad biodiversity in our very own forests!

Colours Of Nature: Deserted Island

Cerulean skies, white powdery sands, crystal clear waters with little fishes darting around, not afraid of human intruders. Lush overgrown woods with not a human soul in sight.

Silence. Pristine silence that lets us hear the diligent buzzing of bees and the whisperings of wild lallang that sways in the gentle breeze.

This is not a national park in a foreign land. Nor is it a beach paradise overseas. 

Instead, this is a little slice of paradise in Singapore - Lazarus Island. As part of hubby's and Big Bee's birthday celebrations, we had a bit of an escapade in Lazarus Island. We were far from the madding crowds of over-populated Singapore, and we could finally listen to the silence of nature.

We trudged in the luxuriant, deserted woods, occupied only by huge grasshoppers, crickets and swarms of angry, large red ants that freaked the girls out! 

We plunged straight into the spotlessly clear, unsullied waters and played with the teeming fish all around us. What untouched paradise is to be found just a stone's throw away indeed!

In the journey to the island, we also sailed past many of Singapore's Southern Islands. I find it sad that there are 63 islands in Singapore, yet the majority of Singaporeans had not touched foot on many of these quiet, uninhabited islands. 

After our little excursion, the girls were really curious about Singapore's offshore islands, and we spent a good afternoon exploring some of more popular offshore islands on the internet. Islands with fascinating legends and stories like Sisters Island, Kusu Island and Pulau Hantu. I wonder which island will we hop to next?