With our newly self-proclaimed Singapore Expert Status (we did walk around for a day and see one museum- obviously that equates to expert level genius) we decided to ask around to find out what we should do the second day.
We were told by another family the Botanic Gardens were worth checking out – especially the orchids. I’m always down for seeing forms of photosynthesis, so we were a go. Bonus we got to take the INCREDIBLY clean metro system, complete with a cute cartoon character encouraging everyone to be polite, move to the middle of the car and give up seats near doors for the elderly.
(Also cartoons of giant eyeball creatures looking around suspiciously to communicate “see something say something.” AJ got really confused by the cell phone-triggered bomb one of the eyeballs was carrying in a suspicious looking bag while looking suspicious himself (though to be honest, if your whole body is a giant eyeball with arms and legs, no matter what, you’re going to be giving a lot of suspicious looking side eye) which required a 15 minute discussion about what the sign was supposed to be saying and then Mike jumped in about bombs and different triggers and the pros and cons of triggering a bomb with a cell phone. Finally I mentioned that a group of obvious tourists probably shouldn’t be having such a detailed discussion about bomb making and also we were on vacation and talking about bombs really isn’t my idea of a good time. See what you started stupid giant eyeball people!)
Upon arriving at the Botanic Gardens metro stop, we entered a rather large park full of rather large plants. To celebrate Christmas they had decorated all sorts of tropical plants with decorations and also created an elf display. Somehow viewing a decorated palm while self-moistening in the heat just doesn’t conjure a white Christmas for me. It was cute though.
The orchid garden was amazing. So many cool colors and shapes of orchids. Even orchids with “spinny” looking petals. We also experienced some of the afternoon precipitation as the skies suddenly opened and began to POUR. Fortunately that was the perfect time to stop for lunch. Winning.
While the metro system is clean, the payment system is a bit confusing the first time. It doesn’t take credit cards, it doesn’t take large bills and the cost varies depending on how far you’re going. It took an embarrassingly long time to get 3 cards on the way out (it’s always fun to be in public while fumbling with strange looking coins and bills in front of an automated machine- not to mention the added pressure from all the giant eyeball creatures giving us side-eye while we did so). But on the way home, AJ put his own money on his own metro card, sauntered up to the entrance gate and swiped his way in. You go with your bad self, child!
So why are we in Singapore you ask?? Our neighbors and good friends, Peter, Katie, Thomas and Marit Everett have been living in Shanghai for the past three years, and we decided we should visit them. However, as I have a husband who works in computer security, and China enjoys the challenge of liberating secrets and IP from our country, and Mike’s company has publicly called them out on their actions, Mike may be able to enter China, but possibly not so much with the leaving. So we decided to meet somewhere else.
We returned to the hotel in the late afternoon, chillaxed, and then met up with the Everett clan when they arrived. We spent the afternoon enjoying the pool followed by a dinner at a hawker market – basically a large building filled with tiny stalls that make every kind of food you could want and, frankly, for this person, many kinds you don’t. Still and all a very vibrant and fun place to have dinner and get to taste many different types of food.
The botanical garden was sooooooooooooooooooo awesome!!!!!!!!? but it was pouring rain .☔☔☔☔
???????????? we saw lots and lots of orchids. I even saw a Rooster ???? (it was the only emoji that was closest to a rooster )
The mrt ???? was AWESOME !!! It went so fast!!!
Then the awesome Everetts arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!
We got food at the hawker court. It was sooooooooo good!!!!!!!! I loved the food!!!!
There were lots of little shops with different types of food.
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