Botanical garden from the future

Gardens by the Bay

Sometimes it pays not to have a specific plan what to do in a city. While wandering aimlessly along the Singapore river, I caught sight of Marina Bay Sands, a resort that Lonely Planet describes as a "fish slapped on top of three towers". I recall seeing photographs of this resort on the internet some time ago and since it looks so intriguing, I went to have a closer look.

Marina Bay Sands

Behind the resort I noticed signs directing towards Gardens by the Bay and I followed them. I was completely blown away by what I saw! It's a high tech futuristic botanical garden that opened recently, just a few months ago, that's why it's not on the tourist circuit yet.

Canopy walkway among the supertrees

The first thing one notices are the artificial trees. I wondered what's the purpose of artificial trees in Singapore, where real trees grow everywhere. I discovered that the trees - called supertrees - symbolize sustainability. They are steel structures with solar cells at the top and plants such as orchids and bromeliads growing along the sides. The power from the solar cells illuminates the supertrees at night. The plants are watered by a sophisticated system that collects rainwater and redistributes it via irrigation systems. Visitors can walk high above the ground among the supertrees on a canopy walkway.

The garden includes two conservatories, round buildings that received the "2012 Building of the Year" award. The tropical conservatory houses a tall structure covered in tropical plants and a waterfall. Visitors ride an elevator to the top of the structure - it's 7 floors up - and then gradually walk down steel walkways that wind through the structure.

Tropical conservatory

Walkways through the conservatory structure

Decorations among the planted gardens include steel statues of insects that remind me of Terminator.

Steel fireflies adorn the reservoir

I'm so glad I discovered this garden. I never would have imagined that a botanical garden could be made to look so futuristic.

Sweating on the Southern Ridges

View of Singapore from Mount Faber

In the future, if I'm asked what was the most difficult summit I ever accomplished, I'm going to say:

"Mount Faber, the second highest peak of Singapore, 105 meters above sea level."

I'm kidding, right? No, I'm not.

***

Singapore wasn't on my list of destinations I wanted to visit. I dismissed it as just another Asian megacity. I changed my mind because my flight out of New Zealand went via Singapore and as long as I was passing through, I decided to stay for a couple of days.

The only thing I was even remotely interested in seeing in Singapore was to hike the Southern Ridges trail.

After spending the previous month in cooler autumn weather of Melbourne and New Zealand, my body wasn't prepared for the shock of returning to hot and humid Asia. Funny, because I thought that I was beginning to get used to being hot all the time. I even managed to run a half marathon in such weather. But I once again feel just like I did almost six months ago, when I first arrived in southeast Asia, ambushed by the heat and humidity.

Steel canopy walkways

Nevertheless, I embarked on the Southern Ridges trail, smirking at tourists who were buying tickets to ride the cable car or lining up for a bus tour to Mount Faber. I was confident I would reach the summit in a matter of minutes. By the time I finally reached the summit, I was sweating and struggling from the heat, thinking I would rather be on the air conditioned tour bus. I had to sit down and have an iced drink from a coffee shop before I was ready to continue. It took many more iced drinks and rests in the shade until I finally finished the trail.

The trail itself is interesting in that it's not really a hiking trail but more a city stroll. The paths are made up of either concrete steps, wooden bridges or steel walkways. Thankfully it passes through stretches of parks and forest that keep it shaded for most of the way.

Henderson Waves

I admired the Henderson Waves, a futuristic wooden bridge. A sign explains that it's well lighted at night and looks like waves from afar. Which got me thinking why I seemed to be one of only a handful of people who hiked the trail during the daytime. The locals probably come at night, when the temperatures are more bearable.