THE JOY OF WALKING

Recently, hubby and I have embarked on an intensive jogging/walking and stairs-climbing routine.  When I say intensive, I mean doing it on a daily basis within a duration, and with a target to register at least 10,000 steps a day (using the Apps available on our iPhones to measure the steps).

Why 10,000 steps?  Well, this is not new but a recommended number by the exercise experts.  There has been research that supports the benefits of this recommended number such as weight loss, increase physical activity and reduce blood pressure, to name a few. We all know that it is important that we do not take our health for granted, and prevention is always better than cure regardless of our age groups.

Just how easy or difficult it is to achieve 10,000 steps a day? I would say it is not that easy but not impossible with some conscious and good effort.  Simple ways could be like walking to/from the nearest MRT station instead of taking a bus, climbing the stairs instead of taking the lift.

But of course, these are still not enough to achieve the desired 10,000 steps.   Hence, we are making an effort to jog/brisk-walk on a daily basis.  Our dilemma which I believe is also common to many Singaporeans, is about having time and making time for such exercises.  It is really not so easy given the long working hours, and the tiredness after a long day of work.  I would say we are making good progress since early this month, after hubby settled with a special work arrangement for a temporary half day work from home with his boss.  So we are making full use of this duration.

An average of 11,000+ steps since early April 🙂

As we jog/walk more, we began to venture out to areas slightly further away from where we live.  We began to use the park connectors a lot, and are getting to know our neigbourhood better.  I am enjoying and am beginning to appreciate the Park Connectors Network that we have in Singapore.  Thanks to the great job by the NParks (National Parks) Singapore!  The park connectors have provided very convenient and pleasant paths for people to exercise despite the limited land space in Singapore.  Greenery, shady and flowering trees, shrubs and colourful flowers aside, there are also fitness equipment, children playgrounds, benches etc. within the park connectors.  What else can we ask for?

Last week, after our visit to Tulipmania 2015, we had a walk along the bayfront area, from the Gardens by the Bay to the Marina Barrage bridge, in the dusking sky.  It was our first time to walk this part of Singapore.  It’s such a beautiful area.  Perhaps this explains why many have chosen to exercise there in the evening.

Our pleasant surprise that evening….. can you guess what they are?

We saw 6 wild otters!  We have read reports on wild otters being sighted in different parts of Singapore but little did we expect to see them, right there in the Marina area!  No wonder we saw signboards reading “Otters Crossing” along the bayfront area.  I hope these otters could find enough fish and food to eat!

Marina Barrage

Bayfront skyline after dark

Gardens by the Bay & Marina Bay Sands

Singapore Flyer

The night joggers

It looks like we have to move beyond our neighbourhood, explore other park connectors on the island and at the same time, get to know and appreciate my homeland better.  It is like killing two birds with one stone. 🙂

TULIPMANIA 2015

Tulipmania is back again, for the third consecutive year.  I thought it was just not that long ago that I wrote about Tulipmania 2014.  So, time really flies!!

Tulipmania 2015 is on for a longer duration this time, from 20 March to 10 May, in the Flower Dome of Gardens by the Bay.  In the past, it lasted about 3 weeks to a month.

This year’s Tulipmania uses the theme of magical fairy tales featuring Snow Queen, Cinderella, Rapunzel etc.

New batch of tulips in this section – most of them have not bloomed yet at the time of my visit on 2 April afternoon

Flower Field with a huge gingerbread house of Hansel and Gretel, surrounded by a variety of tulips and a tall Rapunzel’s tower on the right.

Due to the large gingerbread house structure and also other fairy tales designs and plants, the overall display did not impress me this time as it seems a little bit messy, and has somehow diluted the focus on tulips.  Though it is said that there are over 40 varieties of tulips on display this year, the quantities seem to have lessened as compared to previous years, and the flowers seem a little loosely planted too.

In my opinion, this tower with the long “hair” of Rapunzel could be more appealing if it were decorated with colourful array of tulips in vertical planting!  But of course, this is just a thought since I am not a floral designer.

The Cinderella’s carriage seemed very popular

There were also Little Mermaid (not so little, actually) and The Ugly Duckling (the swan, actually) surrounded by blue (called Blue Pearl) and purple (called Purple Sensation) hyacinths.  I suppose these hyacinths were to symbolise pond/water but too bad, they did not bring out the effect.  There was just too much green.

The Windmill with a variety of tulips and hyacinths

If I had to pick a display that I like most, The Snow Queen would be my choice.

The “Snow Queen” section is planted with many white hyacinths (White Pearl), white and cream tulips.  White tulips represent purity and forgiveness while cream tulips signify love forever.   Too bad, most of them were either over-bloomed or already fading at the time of my visit.

Many tulips in other segments were also over-bloomed or fading. I think the timing of my visit was not very right as it had already been about two weeks since the event started.  Tulip flowers have a relatively short life span of just a few days to a week, as I understand.

Fading Bright Parrots

Although I was a little disappointed with the overall display/design and also the condition of the flowers, I always find the vivid, colourful tulips a delight to look at.  They simply attract me.  This is partly the reason why I have been going to this annual event since 2013.

By paying a bit of attention to the brochure, and the small signboards on display, the event can be educational too.

Do you know that tulips are the third most popular flowers after roses and chrysanthemums?  And do you know that tulips are believed to have originated from Central Asia and brought to Turkey by nomadic tribes?  Interesting, isn’t it?  I always thought that they originated from Europe, if not Netherlands.

Now, my dream is to go to the Netherlands to see the tulip fields.  I imagine that would be fantastic!

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS 2014

It’s the last day of 2014.

The year-end rains seem to have stopped these two days, and I finally went to Orchard Road for the Christmas decorations last evening as I was in town to attend to some matters.  With only about half an hour to spare before heading to my final destination for the day, it was a quick walk from Ngee Ann City to Orchard Central.

Lobby of Ngee Ann City, outside Takashimaya

Paragon Shopping Centre

Robinsons @ The Heeren

CentrePoint

Orchard Central – too pinky!

 

Orchard Gateway

The theme for this year’s Christmas decorations on Orchard Road is “Christmas on a Great Street“.  Too bad, the decorations didn’t impress me.  If I had to pick one, my choice would be CentrePoint which seems to be a popular photo-taking spot.

On my way down to the Marina Bay area after Orchard Road, I stopped over the iconic Fullerton Hotel briefly and managed to snap some shots of its Christmas decorations.

Red and gold colours, with lots of bears in Fullerton Hotel

I like the decorations in the Fullerton Hotel a lot better!  I wished I had the time to stay there long, perhaps over a cup of tea and be soaked in the lovely mood there, with classical music being played at the background!

CHRISTMAS @ GARDENS BY THE BAY

I visited the Gardens by the Bay again yesterday evening, with DS this time.  I was keen to see the lighting of Yuletide in Flower Dome after dark, and also the Luminarie in Christmas Wonderland which is said to be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.

It was raining cats and dogs when we were on our way to the Gardens by the Bay in a taxi after 5pm.  We thought we could only settle with the Yuletide in Flower Dome which is held indoor, given the poor weather condition.  Very fortunately, the rain stopped around 7pm or I knew I would be very disappointed.

The rain has subsided a little when this shot was taken.  This giant Christmas tree with Cloud Forest at the background, bears the logo of Gardens by the Bay on top, and is decorated with lots of artificial dragonflies

Yuletide in Flower Dome, after dark

 

Reflection on the glass ceiling

  

Obviously the heavy rain earlier did not stop many from visiting the Gardens by the Bay.  The outdoor Christmas Wonderland event was packed with even more visitors which was not unexpected since there was no entrance fees required.  I saw that many of them were foreigners.  Many also went as a family, young and old, or with their groups of friends, and were busy snapping away with their cameras or smartphones.  The mood was just great!  I would say this is one event not to be missed in Singapore this Christmas, especially for those who have yet to see a Luminarie like this.

Christmas Wonderland

Mini Frontone of 14.4m at the entrance to Supertree Grove

4 Arches of 10m leading into Supertree Grove

Solo pieces of 9m each

Supertree with OCBC Skywalk.  The lighting was simply enchanting!

Marina Bay Sands seen from Supertree Grove area where the Luminarie is held

Cassa Armonica, a mini capola of 7.5m wide and 9m tall.  Choirs etc. are held here but we didn’t manage to catch any when we were there

Spalliera, a crown of lights, is the masterpiece in Christmas Wonderland.  It is some 17m tall and 31m wide.  Very impressive piece of work!

Blizzard Time is held 3 or 4 times a day at the Spalliera.  I managed to catch the one at 9:05pm from outside the Spalliera (see video below).  Many entered into the Spalliera to have a more up-close view of this magnificent luminarie, and also to be soaked in the fun during the Blizzard Time.  We had decided not to do so.  The ground was still wet, soft and muddy, and we did not want to dirty our shoes.   It would have been better if the ground was temporary paved before building the Spalliera, considering that year-end is a rainy season in Singapore.  This is one thing the organiser can improve on if a similar event will be planned in future.

Many people were still arriving when DS and I made our way out after 10pm.

Frontone, the Arrival Arches consisting of 1 Frontone of 15.65m & 6 arches

Thanks to Gardens by the Bay!  The events make this Christmas a little bit special for me because it was my first time seeing such Luminarie!

I have yet to see the Christmas lighting on Orchard Road.  With only 4 days to go before Christmas, I still can’t make up my mind to go.

YULETIDE IN FLOWER DOME

We are on the last page of the calender for year 2014.  Time seems to slip away at such a blinding speed!  And, 2015 is already quietly making its way in!

I still have no plans for this Christmas yet.  I would like to have DS joining me on outings to enjoy the Christmas decorations, and be soaked in the mood of this festive season which is my favourite time of the year.  It is just too bad that DS has been so bogged down by his work this year, even at this year-end.  I just can’t wait for him to get over the current project!  So much said about work-life balance in Singapore but I have not heard of any employers that actually care about and practise this, from people I know!

I visited the Gardens by the Bay recently. This time for the Christmas floral display themed “Yuletide in the Flower Dome“.

Yuletide in the Flower Dome

I have already lost count on the number of times I have visited the Flower Dome.  It is one attraction in Singapore that I have visited most.  Unlike other attractions, the seasonable or thematic floral displays and the beautiful blooms from the permanent display, make it interesting to visit the Flower Dome over and over again, and without getting sick of it!  There aren’t many such attractions in Singapore.

This year’s Christmas floral display in the Flower Dome is definitely much better than last year’s.  The wooden Christmas trees found both outside and inside the Flower Dome, are an eye-catcher.  Although looking plain and simple, they stand out amongst the other typical Christmas trees.  They are a piece of art.

Centre decorations after the entrance of the Flower Dome

 

Lots of bears are used for this year’s decorations.  Surely this will be an attraction for the the little ones and also the bear-lovers!

Bear Santa

Bears, Christmas trees and poinsettias aside, the decoration is set in a little snowy, western town with building, cathedral, snowmen etc.  There is also a candy factory (but no candy sales!).  Very Christmasty feel!

The tall tower which is recycled from the Orchid Extravaganza event a few months ago, lights up every evening, from 6:30pm.

This shot was taken towards the end of my visit.  The sky was dark, the reindeer were all lighted up but not the lights on the tower

I was so hoping that the lights would come on earlier, given the dark sky but they didn’t.  That was a little disappointment.  So, I reckon I will have to make another trip to the Flower Dome one of these evenings in order to see the lighting.  I think I also should not miss the Christmas Wonderland at Gardens by the Bay event which is an outdoor event that started on 29 November.  I have read that the Luminarie light sculptures in Christmas Wonderland were specially constructed and flown in from Europe, for the first time. I just hope for a good weather on the day I go!

Photo from Gardens by the Bay website

Flower Dome never fails to surprise me every time I visit.  This time it was this new installation.

La Famille de Voyageurs, Sculpture in Bronze (2014) by Bruno Catalano.  It is a gift from Singapore Changi Airport to Gardens by the Bay that embodies the strategic collaboration between the two organisations

It was pouring at the time I left Gardens by the Bay.  Thanks to the very thoughtful driver of the shuttle tram between the garden and Bayfront MRT station.  Instead of dropping us in the usual drop-off point which a walking-distance away from the station, he actually drove us all the way to the sheltered lift-landing area of the station and spared us from getting wet!  Thanks Mr Driver!  This is one very good example of a GEM (Go the Extra Mile) service which I would say unusual in Singapore!

19 days to Christmas!