Day 2 in Singapore was spent visiting the Gardens By The Bay. This is an indoor garden which has two large sections - The Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. The Flower Dome was featuring a chrysanthemum display. These pictures are from the Flower Dome and several need no commentary.
This first picture is one of several of these shapes (not sure what you'd call it) just outside the entrance to the building. Those are real plants growing up the side into the top.
This is a picture of a sculpture in bronze called "La Famille de Voyageurs (the Travelling Family) by Bruno Catalano. While it appears to be full bodies partially shielded by the plants, the figures are exactly what you see - no legs - and they appear to be suspended in air. It is beautifully done.
These are wood sculptures made from trees. There were several of these around the gardens.
A sculpture of a lion that was a gift from one of the African countries. Unfortunately, I forgot to write down which country.
These plants look like they're dead but they're not. It's called Mother-in law's Tongue and it has an adaptation feature that make the copper coloured leaves look as if they were diseased or even dead, thereby defending itself from attacks from herbivores.
These plants actually look like glass.
This is the Bottle Tree or Drunken Tree found in the wild in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.
This is the fruit from the Bottle Tree. The silky hairs from the fruit are used to make pillows and cushions. The Native people from Paraguay believe the Bottle Tree is the origin of all life. The seeds were eaten as famine food and the flowers are made into tea to cure headaches.
Small cacti and plants surround this stalactite. Not sure if the stalactite is real.
This is called a Woolly Cactus from the Bolivian Andes. The woolly part protects the flowers from drying out in the desert sun. The smelly flowers open at night and are pollenated by bats that transfer pollen from one flower to the next, helping the plant to form fruit.
Another of those wooden sculptures.
Fish sculptures made from stone.
We are now entering the Cloud Forest. This waterfall is at the entrance and I don't know any of those people in the picture.
But I do know these two.
There are about 7 levels to the Cloud Forest and some of the catwalks can be seen in these pictures. The wooden carvings can be found in different places in the Cloud Forest.
These next few pictures are for my two little great-nephews. All the brightly coloured flowers are made from Lego.
These are a couple more different views of the Cloud Forest.
A beautiful arrangement in a little pond with the reflections off the water.
A view of the back of the Sands Hotel taken from within the Cloud Forest.
More of those things that look like huge wire vases (I guess). This picture was taken through a small opening in the Cloud Forest.
A view from one of the higher catwalks.
An arial view of a stalagmite & stalactite exhibition. I don't know if they were real but they sure looked real.
A view of the waterfall on the way down.
Wood carvings made from trees.
Preparations at the Gardens and at Marina City Park for the Mid-autumn Festival.
This is a small view of Singapore's large airport showing the example being set of going 'green'.
Singapore is a lovely city and it is evident that a lot of thought has been put into the development of the city. As you drive in from and to the airport, the boulevards are plentiful with trees, plants and flowers and there is an abundance of palm trees along the way. It's really unfortunate that our visit coincided with Indonesia's inconsiderate actions as we could not get an arial view of the city due to the haze. If ever I am back this way, I will definitely visit again.
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