Flower Dome @ Gardens by the Bay

This is our 2nd part of the day. The first part was spent at Marina Bay Sands for the World Orchid Convention, click here for the post.

Jhon and I was exhausted but all WOC ticket holders get a sneak peak of the partially constructed Gardens by the Bay for free so how can we not go?

After a quick lunch, we took a shuttle bus instead of walking because it had started to rain. This also means we can't fully explore the place which is not THAT bad since we were really tired anyways.

We made a beeline to the Flower Dome and we were totally in awe. Immediately our fatigue disappeared as we entered what seemed to be another world.

The dome is like a greenhouse with a Mediterranean climate with plants from Mediterranean Basin, South West Australia, South Africa and Central Chile.

Never have I seen and surrounded by giant beautiful and sometimes suggestive cacti (see top left of 2nd photo)

It was really like a wonderland and I was half expecting for a sparkling fairly to flutter out of the trees.

Jhon and I was also amazed by the structural components of the dome. Do you know it is as big as 2.2 football fields?

An eagle overlooking the garden below.

Just looking at the photo refreshes me.

Moving along to the other part of the Flower Dome..

By the time we reach the lower part of the dome, it was evening and lights were switched on. The atmosphere changed immediately to a different and surreal environment.

One word I can describe it and it is magical.

By the time we were done, it was dark and we had to rush back to Marina Bay Sands to collect our 3 orchids and headed home.

We were super sticky with sore feet but it was all worth it. In fact, we can't wait for Gardens by the Bay to officially open on Mid 2012 so we can thoroughly explore the place. 

It is highly recommended to all nature and photography lovers! 

   

World Orchid Convention 2011

For the whole of last week, there was a World Orchid Convention at Marina Bay Sands. Jhon and I managed to catch it on the last day and it was one of the most tiring day we ever had. Not only we went to the WOC, we also went to Gardens by the Bay because anyone with a WOC will get a sneak preview.

It was the perfect place for Jhon to practice more on his shots and me surrounded by my 2nd favourite flower, Orchids. There were old, new and exotic orchids and I simply went crazy. I kept leaving Jhon behind and looked like a crazed woman in every picture I was in.

Time for the pictures overload...

Sometimes it was hard to take photo because people are so mesmerized with the orchids that they don't realized someone is trying to take photo and they simply walk by. Why am I backing them up??! There were rude people!! Luckily there were some who were nice enough to give us space and 1 dude actually controlled the crowed for us. Thanks dude!

There were prized orchids and displays won from students to professionals.

Love love love!

I really love this display. It's an orchid made of orchids.

Pretty...

There was display of small glass bottles with a little garden inside. It's cute and I want one!

They also have a section of the infamous pitcher plants (a plant that eat insects). I have never seen them up close with so much variety. The pitcher plant on the bottom right corner has been even reported to eat small rodents!!

Back to less scary plants...

After the exploring the entire place, we went to the section where people sells orchids. Every stall was crowded regardless of price. They ranged from $5 to $200! As expected, aunties swarmed for the $5 orchids where were beautiful but they were fully bloomed.

Of course, Jhon and I had fallen so much in love with the orchids that we could not resist our temptation to get one. We bought the $9 ones which I love! Jhon bought 2 purple orchids for Abg Jamil and I got 1 white-purple orchid for Mak.

We took a quick lunch, rested our tired feet (we spent est. 5 hours at the convention) and headed with our complimentary pass to Gardens by the Bay. I shall put it up in another new blog post because there were way too many pictures.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

   

Everything Peranakan

Many museums are open for free for a certain period of time in lieu of ‘Heritage Hop-About” for a period of time and one of the museums Jhon and I interested in was Peranakan Museum. Peranakan culture has similarities to Malay culture so I thought of exposing Jhon to it. Plus, they have cultural dance 'Gambang Kromong' and batik painting activity which I have always wanted Jhon to try.

We came in early so the crowd was very little and as soon we arrived, I zoomed in to the batik painting area and painted. I forgot how fun it was!!

The Museum consists of 10 different types of galleries, from Origins to Weddings to Feasts to Religion. We had 20 minutes to spare before their cultural performance starts so we explored the origins of Peranakan first. Jhon shared that there is also a big community in Philippines of just Peranakans.

As soon as we were done with the first gallery, the cultural performers started. There were songs sang and dancers danced. I absolutely love it when they performed “Sirih Kuning” which is a song about a girl turning into a woman.

I made jhon record some snippets of the performances. =)
You can skip to 0:47 for awesome dancing and music because I know the sound quality during the singing is unclear.

After the performances, we continued with the other galleries.

I love all things cultural. They always make so much effort in details, colours and meaning and Peranakan culture is no different.

Just look at their authentic wedding gear and the picture on the top right corner is actually trays stacked up and they are to be used when exchanging gifts.

Peranakan Deco.

Can you spot me? haha

This is the perk of attending early when there are not many people, the place seems to be all yours and you can act all artistic.

Under feasting gallery, me dining with my invisible peranakan friends.

Me chatting with my peranakan friend on an old school phone.

Religion idols.

More vintage stuff and when we were almost done with the last gallery, another performance started. This time, much more modern compared to the first performance.



After thoroughly explored the museum, we exited and made another beeline to the batik painting area! We spent 30 minutes painting and completing other people's painting area. I seriously could spend the entire day just painting in the colors.

Look how much we had done!

We had an awesome and enlightening day!
*dance like a peranakan*

   

Are you sure it’s for freee?

I got home yesterday and was eagerly shown a new exercise machine in the living room.

It was a stepping machine; I suppose to mimic stairs climbing. I was exhausted from work but my sis made me try it out. I didn’t complain because part of me wanted to try it out.

It’s like any stepping machine but it has a remote for adjustment of speed and time with cords at the side meant to be pulled for additional exercise on the arms. Oh, and it’s from OSIM.

I only lasted 1-2 minutes before my knees start to burn; a big sign of lacking of exercise but I can definitely see myself using this. Perhaps on the weeks I don’t can’t do my exercise, I can make it up with this.

I later found out (while frantically trying to keep up with the highest speed that my loving sis has set) that it was given to Abang Awil for free by his boss.

The same boss who likes to ask for odd work favours from him so when he said for free with no strings attached, my mom, sis and I unanimously said…

“Free… Sureeeeeee”

   

My Bestfriend's Sister's Wedding II

To read about the Solemnization, click here!

It's hard to say that Fazilah's wedding was an officially 3 day affair. Their solemnization was on a Friday and wedding ceremony on Sunday but they have some light dinner on Saturday for those who can't make it on Sunday.

Jhon and I didn't come for the Saturday affair because it was a relaxed day and we knew it was going to be a loooong day on Sunday.

I find the deco bold and beautiful. If you tell me verbally to choose RED, YELLOW and BLACK, I would give you a doubtful stare for my lack of adventure in style but I love it! It was impressive that Fazilah had an Indonesian themed deco too instead of just her outfit.

The procession was basic with a group (or is it troupe?) of  men hitting their 'kopang' with 2 'gantries'.

After photo taking with friends and family, the bride and groom headed to the Yan's house which happens to be 2 blocks behind Jhon's.

Imagine travelling from Kaki Bukit to Yishun to Kaki Bukit to Yishun and Kaki Bukit again. Confused?

Yan's deco was simple like any groom's deco usually do but I got to admit I can't stand the spotlight from underneath. Halfway through the ceremony, it started to rain cats and dogs and by the time the bride and groom have to leave, it rained like a typhoon.

luckily, everything still went smoothly despite of the rain and time management, guess who was singing when we got back to Yishun? The mother of the bride. hehe

By this time, it was a tad chaotic but in an understandable way, I guess. One thing for sure, I admired the bride and groom because they were constantly lost in their own world, joking around and laughing while everyone around them were tired and stressed. haha

I wish them to uphold that happiness as long as they shall live, no matter what.