Story and photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling GourmetTM
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*****Gardens by the Bay is awarded Singapore’s BEST TOURIST ATTRACTION FOR 2013 by The Travelling GourmetTM
The inspiring and intrepid Travelling Gourmet explores Singapore’s newest botanical Icon by Marina Bay to be…
MESMERISED by a psychedelic collection of the most beautiful and exotic and uniques plants and palm trees, cacti, roses and all many of botanical gems!
Charming CLOUDS…
Do not miss the huge Cloud Forest that looks from the outside like a colassal Conch Shell. I stepped in to be welcomed by a mist of super coooool water from a magnificent waterfall that reminded me of those on the island of Maui in Hawaii. C’est splendide! I can spend hours here and still come back for more. Orchids, ferns, creepers, exotic flowers and more…I love them all. I like very much too the Secret Garden…What is there you ask? Can you keep a secret? Of course you answer, “Yes…” To which my reply is, “So can I, Ha! Ha!” *** Therefore you MUST visit Gardens by the Bay to find out!!!
Remember…FLOWER Power!
Fabulous FLOWER DOME is the place for those who like ravishing ueber-colourful flowers from all over the world. I like very much the Mediterranean section and I learned so much strolling around admiring the exhibits! Do not forget to vist too the Dragonfly Lake with its 440 meter long Boardwalk. I felt so full of vim and vitality after inhaling all the oxygen produced by the photosynthesizing plant life!!!
The many interactive displays and exhibits are wonderful learning experiences for young and old alike. It also creates awareness of the mnay envoronmental issues threatening our very survivabilty as a life from on this planet! I learned so much from my fruitful visit. I always believe what Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher said: The only true wisdom is when we realise we know nothing. Therefore we can always be humble and have that insatiable thirt for knowledge! The sea of learning has no shore…
If you are hungry, head for the Supertrees…
Near the titanic “Trees” there is food! As I ambled over I saw happy familes sitting and picnicking on the large round “Helipad” of green grass… I was suddenly reminded of the scene in the movie “Our Man FLINT” where the hero inflitrates Galaxy Island to find a “Utopia” of sorts…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSipevLMFw0
There is a ‘food court’ here with Cantonese (Peach Garden), American style Union Square (it took over from Canele which folded), Hill Street hawker food and Casa Verde for PAP (not the People’s Action Party BUT Pizza and Pasta) as well as Texas Fried Chicken which is fast food like KFC.. There is also more ‘fine’ dining in the form of Michelin star Chef Jason Atherton‘s Pollen restaurant which is a small Bar and Bistro style eatery (I hate the word eatery but it fits here). Chef Jason is a very good Chef and personal friend.
I tried the Portobello Mushroom Burger in Union Square. Not bad, with ratatouille topping, tomato slice and French’s classic yellow mustard (from New Jersey in USA NOT France)plus lots of Freedom Fries (President George W. Bush said it not me, Ha! Ha!) I liked the Mixed Green side salad in a small glass drizzled with Vinaigrette. Root Beer Float with Vanilla ice cream and A & W root beer was very satisying. I can recommend the Hill Street Kopi Tiam’s Seafood Hor Fun with squid, white fish fillet and prawn and chye sim stalks. The sign above the kitchen amused me: Hill Street Police Station…Ha! Ha! Gangsters and Ah Sengs peed in their pants when they were brought there for “serious interrogation”…Oops! I meant interviews…to assist the Police with their inquiries.
The Best place with the Best view…
is undoubtedly Supertree Dining by Indochine by my pal Michael Ma, who was one of the “Boat People”…driven out of his homeland by the evil, ruthless Communists. Michael is now one of the most succesful restauranteurs in Singapore. The lift to his restaurant takes exactly 36.2 seconds to get to the dining room 5o meters above the ground. Yes, I timed it with my Breitling Titanium Chronometer. It has the usual Laotian, Cambodian and Vietnamese dishes like Goi Cuon, as well as French-Continental cuisine. I really adore the Rooftop Bar…you have to climb up exactly 40 steps to get to it. Your reward…a panoramic 360 degree view to parachute deep behind enemy lines in Afghanistan for. Chill out with a Vodka Martini, shaken, not stirred…and a voluptuous Russian blonde by your side…
I definitely must return for a focussed in-depth food and wine tasting of the “specialite de maison” sometime very soon.
In my opinion, Gardens by the Bay shows the optimum use of state land by creating a world class iconic Wonder of the World. It is environment friendly, educational, recreational and Gardens by the Bay benefits many Singaporeans from all strata of society and tourists and as a bonus, brings revenue to our economy. So much better than an 18 hole golf course that panders only to a few of the mainly uncouth “yahyah papaya” and ‘nouveau riche’, while excluding the majority of society. Golf courses also waste water and are very environment unfriendly. As a sport, golf is documented by many scientific studies to be one of the worst forms of ‘exercise’, if you can even call it. You do not burn Calories when you zip around in golf buggies. Golf is also documented to cause back, neck, shoulder and elbow injuries in the long run…Your Honour, I rest my case.
A rose by any other name is just as sweet… 🙂
ENJOY life, save the earth, love your Mother…go visit
Gardens by the Bay
18 Marina Gardens Drive
Singapore 018953
The Travelling Gourmet 