Asia

This morning we took a taxi out to the Singapore Botanical Garden. It is a lovely facility. Today happened to be Labor Day here and a big holiday. The Garden was full of people using it as a park. There were joggers, families having picnics and many strolling through the beautiful gardens. The gardens are free to the public and so perfectly maintained. I can’t quite figure out how they do that as we often can’t find a trashcan when we need it. There was a $5 charge to go in the Orchid Garden but it was so worth it. I’ve never seen so many varieties of orchids. It was a huge area to wander around in and so beautifully designed. Orchid seeds are the size of dust. It was so interesting reading about how they develop hybrids. Everything is so tropical and lush. There are ferns of all varieties growing in all the trees. The staghorn ferns grow on anything that stands still and are huge.


National Orchid Garden	pink orchid	Hummingbird

Around noon we caught a cab again and headed to China Town. We ate lunch at Maxwell Square there. It was a gigantic area of vendors and seating areas. You just walked all through until you found something that interested you and carried it to your table. Ernie knew about the Tian Tian Hianese Chicken Rice that was served at one particular booth. It was the only booth in the whole place that had a huge line in front of it. The rest of us got a variety of things and shared.

We wandered around China Town for three or four hours. We all had such a good time and our bargaining skills improved as we went along!! Andrew was on quite a roll with Jasmine that worked in one booth. We went back several times. Sherry was quite tempted by a few things but practiced restraint….. I think holding out for the huge market in Beijing.


waterfall in the garden	Chinatown corner	the Garden Gang

We have been using the MRT (metro rail transit) most of the time and it is a great way to get around the city. Ernie sure knows how to get us all around. This is the only city on this trip that he has visited before and it’s been great having a guide!! After Singapore we’ll all being seeing everything for the first time!

We spent several hours down on the Riverside Walk. The street is lined with restaurants along the river. We took a ride on a river craft as an overview of the area. It is beautifully lit up at night. Along side the opening of the harbor stands a huge Merlion.

It is a cross between a Lion and a fish (or mermaid) that is an icon for Singapore. There is a legend we need to research about it’s origin. The Esplanade is a cultural arts center on the water that is shaped like Durian. A Durian is a very popular fruit in Singapore. The Phantom of the Opera is currently playing. They try to provide a venue there for all the many cultures of people represented here. After our boat cruise we ate at a very well known and popular spot called Jumbo Seafood. Their signature dish is Chili Crab or Black Pepper Crab. We tried both along with a few other dishes. This group is loving trying all the “local” dishes and all but Jane like to challenge themselves with spice!!

After dinner it a taxi was required to head out to the Night Safari which is a good way out of town. It is a zoo that is only open at night and has a lot of nocturnal animals and is open from seven until midnight. There are trails to walk as well as a tram to ride. We enjoyed the animal show as well. There are no bright lights in the park at all. It is lit to resemble moonlight. I think they lure the animals into the light each night with food so visitors are able to see just about everything there. It was a very short night as we had our alarm set for 5 a.m. Our flight leaves for Phuket at 7 a.m.