Greetings!
Singapore has not disappointed us. It's a huge place, with almost 6 million people. We've walked, taken busses, hopped on and off double-deckers, and rode the underground. Yesterday, our goal was to see the
Peranakan Museum, and the
Singapore Botanical Gardens, and we were very impressed with both.
We were also impressed that the City uses its subways to display posters inviting passengers to comment on housing and health care.
Photos weren't allowed in the
Peranakan, and it would be hard to capture in photos what it contained. The term is used to describe those here whose ancestry stems from marriages of foreigners to local women. Similar to our immigrant communities, Singapore has very distinct invasions and occupations of cultures from far and near over the past six hundred years. The museum has several excellent exhibits which inform the viewer of the customs, ceremonies, beliefs, occupations, and styles of each. There is also a photographic presentation of the faces and stories of many of those who call themselves
Peranakans.
The
Singapore Botanical Gardens took most of the afternoon. We took the underground (four stories down), and were continually astounded at the number of passengers staring only at their cell phones during the entire trip. Two transfers later, we stepped out into a UNESCO World Heritage site (the only tropical garden so designated) spread over 82 hectares growing 10,000 flora species.
Once there, walking through the world's largest
orchid garden was jaw-dropping. And the ginger garden, and every other exhibit and collection. The cost ($1) can't even cover the brochures they hand out, much less the enormous maintenance expenses. We saw new colors and shapes and sizes, and we were in awe of it all.
Today, we went out again to see some of the finest combinations of architecture, containing exhibits of interactive art and science. The southeast area of Singapore has seen how over three billion dollars worth of investment can do to create a dazzling array of structures integrated into garden landscapes.
The creativity which has been brought to bear on the design and styling of buildings and landscapes is truly breath-taking.
Nearby the
Marina Bay Sands, the
ArtScience Museum contains several floors of interactive art and science displays within a giant lotus flower. Collaborations between technology companies, the British Museum in London, and many internationally-known artists have created a wonderland for kids and adults alike.
To see all of the photos taken over the past two days, click on:
Thursday, Mar 29th, Singapore
Friday, Mar 30th, Singapore
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