I haven’t been out of Singapore since I went to Chiang Mai about a month ago, and I’m getting antsy. That’s one of the problem with travelling so often, I think. I love traveling and exploring new places; staying in one place for (gasp!) four whole weekends seems like a lot.

Today was our fourth non-hazy day in a row, though it wasn’t a terribly nice day. The sun poked through the clouds every now and then, but wasn’t actually shining past about 11am. The last three days have been much nicer. Nevertheless, I had to do something new and exciting. Last weekend I went to the National Museum to see the newly renovated permanent exhibit, and today I went to Gardens by the Bay to see what I could see.

I’ve been to Gardens by the Bay only once before, which was at night on SG50. That was a very different atmosphere. Today the Gardens were calm, peaceful, and a wonderful break from the urban jungle that is Singapore. The Gardens by the Bay are connected to Marina Bay Sands, so there’s more than one “wow” factor to a visit there. I highly recommend it. A lot of people have heard of the supertrees, but I’ve linked a quick CNN article from 2012 for those who want more information. They’re as super as you can imagine.

Singapore calls itself “A City in a Garden,” and sometimes I have to agree that it’s true. However, Singapore’s industry is never far away because the island is quite small.

But then, when I turned my attention to the innards of the supertrees, I couldn’t care less about the refineries and shipping lanes. People have to make a living, after all.

I couldn’t resist taking a few close-ups of the foliage, either. I don’t know how good these photos are, but their subjects are pretty! There are themed gardens at Gardens by the Bay like the Indian, Chinese, and Malay gardens, as well as gardens showcasing trees, mushrooms, and fruits!

The strangest feature of Gardens by the Bay is this sculpture (people included in the photo for scale):

Lucky for me (and for all the other curious patrons) it was accompanied by this helpful explanation:

I’m not really a fan of the sculpture, but I think the rationale for it is beautiful. At any rate, it was a lovely afternoon spent at the Gardens by the Bay. I’m sure I’ll be back – hopefully on a clearer day!