Fascinating Blooms And Foliage

At Gardens By The Bay

Flower Dome

 

  

   

 

Cloud Forest

 

 

Click Here

Cool Conservatories

Cool Conservatories

Gaze at the fluffy clouds set against the clear blue sky and the view of the Marina
Bay skyline! Seems like a page out of a story book in Toyland. We seized the day
and came by Gardens By The Bay's conservatories to a much awaited visit. With
the Christmas season in the air, decorations are up. Here at the Flower Dome, we
explored the different gardens in cool dry climate of Mediterranean, Californian,
South African and Australian landscape. The Flower Dome is the lower and larger
of the two domes. 

  

 

I,OOO year old Olive Tree

Palm Trees

Bronze Sculpture

Pollen Restaurant

Bottle Tree, Cactus & Succulent

The Flower Dome was completed in Feb 2011. With the passing of time,
it's great to see the trees and plants grown and flourished. For those who
visited the gardens before, after it was officially opened, should come
by again for another visit. The Gardens at Bay South have blossomed
into a lovely, lush, verdant park.

* * * * *

Cloud Forest

The Falls

At the Cloud Forest, a cool moist atmosphere is simulated to resemble

a forest shrouded in mist. It features 38 metre high epiphyte clad walls
on the man-made structure with a cascading waterfall. Wow, the minute
we stepped into the Dome. We have never been so closed to a waterfall.

Heading To The Mountain

We took the elevator to the top floor and climbed up a flight of

stairs to Lost World.

Lost World

Cloud Walk

Mist being released into the air. Cloud forest are home to huge

biodiversity of rare flora and intriguing epiphytes.

Anthurium Flowers

Treetop Walk

This walkway is thirty metres above the rainforest floor. Supposedly

among the tallest trees that have grown high to reach the sunlight.

Picturesquely Enchanting

Into the Secret Garden

After taking a tour of the two domes, it would be best to post all the lovely

flowers I have seen in the next post. There were so many different variety
of blooms. Leaves that come in all sort of sizes, shapes, colors and texture.

 We were totally awed by what we saw. Stay tuned.
  

* * * * *

Sun Pavilion

  

Sun Pavilion is situated outside of the conservatories. It houses plants
of the prickly and spiky kind and succulents too. A white cactus tree is
not something we get to see so often. It was opened early last year.

* * * * *

Supertree Grove

 So much for now. Wishing a you Happy Holidays filled with peace & joy.

Click Here

Fascinating Blooms & Foliage

  

Passing Out Parade

12th Dec 2015       

Hi, what am I doing so early in the morning again. I am here to see the sun rise on

my left and attend my son's basic military training graduation. This will wrap up

his days of training. This is the day all of them are so looking forward to.

  

The recruits marched their way here on a 24km route march from Changi Ferry Terminal to the Marina Bay Platform for their graduation ceremony. So many parents turned up and it was like going for our National Day Parade. What better way to mark the end of the SG50 celebrations with this event that meant close to my heart. At the start of his BMT course in Tekong; a clip showing Mr Lee Kuan Yew stating that a strong military defence for a small country like ours, is vital and at the end of my son's course, at this Graduation Parade, his name being mentioned again. We remembered and missed him who recently passed on in March this year.

Playing in the background is the song singing 'Why Must We Serve?' is a good reminder to the boys the importance of their military training. My son moaned and groaned each time we send him off to camp.

     

It was a lovely and fine day we had hope for. Our sons will be graduating. Their efforts and endurance throughout the strenuous training had paid off. Our National Service equips recruits with basic military skills and knowledge. Also instilling in them a new perspective in the purpose of serving. A special thanks goes out to their Officers and Sergeants in charge. (especially to Apache Coy Platoon 2)

Parade March-In & March Out 

Proudly marching out in their full battle order, are the graduating cohort from SAF Basic Military Training Center and 4th battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment. They had marched through the night and reached The Platform at around 4am. This route march is the culmination of the physical and mental preparation by the boys over the period of four months.

It was heartening to watch them break into the BMT Roar. The highlight of the parade was seeing the recruits fling their caps into the air in jubilation to mark the end of their journey. Congrats & Well Done. You have push through, son !

Haven't seen him smile so happily for a long time

- - - >o< >o< >o< - - -

Hazy Daze

Hi, it's been awhile since my last post. I didn't go out much of my way to snap more shots to post. I have been working on the last drawing, cleaning out the muddied spots and making it good to sell on Esty. I feel like a carver slowly chipping the wood every now & then working on my craft whenever I have the time. It's very slow but I believe I will get there.

Most of our days here are affected by haze. Only glad that it did not spoil our National Day celebrations. Being our Golden Jubilee year, the Black Knights put up a great aerobatic display. We went out to catch it and be a part of our National Day celebrations. To hear the jets whizzed by was a thrill. To see the stunts they pulled was exhilarating.

The sky that day wasn't exactly clear. Nevertheless it was much better than the week before because it rained. With this haze stretching for so long. Mothers are worry for their sons going through NS training. Earlier this month we were invited the attend a Meet The Parents session at my son's camp. I was baffled as to why there was such a meeting. Meet the parents session are usually held during schooling years. Anyway we had to get up so early that we caught the sunrise on that hazy Saturday morning.

When we got down from the ferry, the boys were waiting to receive their parents. Each handed their parents a gift. In it was a cup and a precious printout of their weight loss. It has their before and after photos of themselves. Nine weeks in there, all the sweating melted their fats away. We were very happy for our son as he lost 10 kg. I don't think he would achieve that without the weekly routine of training and exercising. It was tiring for him to say the least. In the auditorium, we were treated to a montage of their candid moments in camp. Caught my son sitting in the chair waiting for his haircut. The officers briefed us about the progress they have made and what they will do in the coming weeks. When parents were asked whether they have any questions. Some voiced out concerns about their son's injury and why they got to know about it so late. As in later into the day. My son is still adjusting. Hang in there for a few more weeks till December, son.

Weekend is here again. Looking forward to food, rest and sleep.

 As for me, time to do his laundry : ( 

 Till the next time, bye and take care.

~~xox~~

Every Singapore Son's Rite of Passage

Hi, it's the end of July and something worth noting down, is seeing my second son off to his National Service. It is much easier this time for me as I saw my oldest son went through the toughest and survived. You never understand Mother's heart. No matter how much they have grown, we hold them close to our hearts because they are more precious than the jewels money can buy. I know our National Service is a very good training ground by our Government to transform them from Boys To Men. I haven't seen him scrub the toilet for me but he sure will have this opportunity to do so at Pulau Tekong. They will be able to handle menial task to defending our nation. Well, I'm grateful of course, he will shed off a few pounds along the way for free.

On their first day of enlistment, parents are invited to go along to send them off. It was like an orientation for us to see what they are in for and also to give us an assurance that they will be safe throughout the whole training. Sometimes, accidents do happen and that is where I put my trust in the Lord to see him through.

I know it will be rough the first few days. When you look back in future, may this be one of your challenging and yet rewarding experience in your life. I see how your Dad recalls so many stories and amusing moments he spent with other buddies during his NS days. Not forgetting some strange creepy encounters. Well, I don't mean to scare you.

Thank you for spending some of your time here with me today. So long for now. Bye . . 

Rustic Kampong Ambience

Hi everybody, just last week I had a short break at a resort in Malaysia. Had a wonderful time away from household chores giving my tired muscles a much needed rest. This resort nestled in a golf course is surrounded by vastness of space, greenery and sky. It brought instant relief to my spirit. 

What I like most about the resort were few buildings that were built in the traditional Malay style. I enjoyed exploring the place and taking pictures. I let the pictures do the talking at this Pulai Spring Resort in Johor.

Side View Of the Halfway House

Curvy Barge-boards to the Ornate Gable

The roof is embellished with decorative barge boards, fascias and embossed design
on the gable.

Pitched Timber Roof Truss

The Malay house's truss roof structure is sufficiently pitched with wide eaves

and gable-side overhang to protect the timber walls against the weather. 

Pulai Pavillion

Entrance

At the Opposite End

  

Traditional Malay palaces and houses are works of arts in their own right with their clever method of construction. It can be assembled without a nail being used. Their architecture are beautiful in design, scale and proportion.

Detail carving of the balastrade

In kampongs (Malay word for village), you'll see fowls strutting about.

I saw these birds confined to an enclosed space.

 

Here's a beautiful perfect pink torch ginger flower basking in the afternoon sun.

Time to head back to the hotel to relax in my cosy hotel room.

Infinity Pool

The scenery at the hotel's pool is breathtaking but I would rather lounge

in the cool comfort of my room. Till then . . . take care