Gardens by the bay with ah mahs and ah gongs

We ended 2013 with a very meaningful last outing with the kids. Along with 3 other families, we took some endearing elderly folks from a nursing home for an evening out at Gardens by the Bay.

Arrival at drop-off point

Initially, to the kids, it was a group of old people, some with no arms and some with no legs. Over the course of a few hours, we got to know them better and shared a lot of laughs with the endearing old folks. One old uncle even serenaded us with Hokkien and English songs. He told us that in his day, he used to go for ‘tea dances’ and he loves singing karaoke with his mates.

It drizzled in the beginning and we were afraid that our schedule would be disrupted. However, I was surprised to find that the entire path is sheltered, from the drop-off point, to the row of restaurants, to the attractions. So rain or shine, we didn’t need to worry.

We had dinner at Peach Garden Chinese restaurant which accommodated our requests of set-meals at $15 per person. Thereafter, we headed to the Cloud Forest. We intended to visit the Flower dome, however the staff mentioned that as it was lit by natural lighting, we wouldn’t be able to see very much in the dark and suggested the Cloud Forest instead.

Upon entering, we were greeted by the mists of a waterfall, and we learnt that this is in fact the world’s tallest indoor waterfall! The waterfalls in tropical mountains have a part to play in the ecosystem as the plants around them absorb the water and slowly release them to support the land beneath.

Amazing waterfall

As i was still not able to walk more than 10 minutes due to my wound, I rented a wheelchair at the information counter for a token fee of $2. Just as I expected, the whole place is wheelchair friendly.

In the Cloud Forest, there is a room where we learnt that the Gardens is self-sustainable and that the Supertrees actually capture solar energy and serve as exhausts.

We saw a showcase of some rock formations such as rock icicles, rock candles and rock pillars. These are naturally formed by water dripping from the cave roof which leaves behind minerals that crystallize. It forms so slowly that it takes thousands of years for a mere centimetre to form!

Beautiful rock formations

The gardens are very beautifully lit at night.

Supertrees

It took us more than 3 hours to have dinner and visit the Cloud Forest as we had quite a large party and our pace was slow. It was a great opportunity for us to chat with the ah mahs and ah gongs and we discovered that some of them used to be ex-policemen and even ex-army officers in the British army.

It got me thinking that what we do in our heyday really doesn’t hold any significance in our twilight years. And it was crystal clear to me that it is so important to have people who will care for you and be by your side even when you are old and infirmed. And that we should live our lives with more humility because we never know when we will be in need of others.

Queuing up to go back

The kids were exhausted and were glad to bid the ah mahs and ah gongs farewell. We were heartened to see that all our kids have grown up and were so responsible and caring. It seemed like just yesterday when these kids used to bicker and fight as 4 year olds, and in a twinkle of an eye, they have all matured into young ladies.

Our teens all grown up

Sane tip: This is a wonderful place for both young and old to visit. There is something for everyone. A beautiful environment, lots of open spaces to run around and even educational information. There are a lot of elderly or sick who have been stuck at home due to their immobility. It is actually easy to rent a wheelchair and a transport service to take them out.

Save tip: Tickets for the domes are cheaper for local residents. Do bring along IC, student card or work permit card. Child/Senior $8 (1 dome). Adult $12 (1 dome).

A big thank you to the people over at Gardens by the Bay for the media passes. We all had a wonderful time!

Gardens by the Bay
18 Marina Gardens Drive
Singapore 018953

Silveray Pte Ltd
(wheelchair transport service)
www.silveray.com.sg
Tel: 93845566

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~