Publish Date : 12 September 2007
Quite days… Wondering about that.. Granted, let me break that silence;.. Weekend was not that great with my outing ventures.. still, sharing gives a good feel..
Actually that wasn’t a weekend, a Monday..
Having a free Monday as I started to office late after this outing, made me to feel ‘Do Something!’.. and a pending ‘Chinese Garden’ came into pic, with a little ‘Google time’, we were ready.
That was my first mistake. (I do, and cover somehow.. 😉
Okie, as usual little about the place and my experience then few pics..
CHINESE GARDEN
Almost west end of Singapore, built in 1975 and designed by Prof. Yuen-chen Yu, a well-known architect from Taiwan, the Chinese Garden is modeled along the northern Chinese imperial style of architecture and landscaping. That is it. To attract tourists, they have got a Bonsai garden, Tortoise museum and couple of buildings of their ancient style.
And I started from east of Singapore (We stay there). An hour of journey in the train took us to Chinese garden. It was 3:30 in the afternoon and weather was to my good luck was good (else hot like hell). Light drizzling too.. We walked a bridge that connected the Chinese garden landscape. Basically an island inside the Singapore island.
Almost none were there. On a normal day, entrance is free for this. But to my dismay I had to pay hefty entrance fee as they were on a festival period. I complimented myself for my good research. And looked at the programme; 9-6pm is the general opening time, but in these festival days, 5:30pm is the start of the events and 12AM is the close. Many programmes and flying lanterns, etc as the agenda. And a free Moon cake (a local brand;bit costly) by 5:30. Oh, I thought that should go well with my tin coke.
Right after the entrance, I saw a huge tower/kind of building. As I guessed, rolling staircases of 7 stories. Nice, by the time I was there it was bit dizzy. But a good view of that so called landscape/island.
Couple of snaps, got down.
Then walked; walked.. Many sculptures were on the way.. One I liked was two monkeys.. and just below the sculpture, it was written as Monkeys. You bet it was really looked like monkeys, still I wonder what made then to write that below.
Then we walked further. A small fort kind of building came into picture and I learned that, that’s the tortoise museum. Fine, again learned fee for entrance for which webpage said free..
I bought it; Second mistake.
Gave the node to dilemma and we went inside the museum and learned its not. Its around 15-20 fish tanks with nasty tortoises. Clumsy, cant blame that I know.
Couple of pictures again and almost ran away from that place.
Surprisingly, I have some relationship with the ant-eater. Here Almost 5 feet ant-eater just in front of us and gosh, it gave time to take a pic. By the size it looked, should be 5-7 years old (thanks for Nat Geo TV channels, am a fan). Even though it wont do any harm, for sure, will give a good shock if people see it on their path all of a sudden.
Next, was to Bonsai Garden, to my continuity of bad luck that said 9-5pm is the opening time and that was NOT there in the website. Good. And it was 5:10PM.
We sat there in front of a micro lake/big pond. Know what, fishes and tortoises were started moving towards us. Look like visitors used to feed to them. I had nothing but water and was waiting for 5:30, so that I can get the moon cake.
With some relaxing of muscles, started to walk again. We found the place where we can redeem for the moon cake and asked about that. They asked coupons which we didn’t get. She explained that those who buy tickets after 5:30pm at the entrance will get the coupon for Moon cakes too.
Continuity, nothing else… :))
….. and we were exhausted.. Headed back to the station and returned to our place..
A good place, at a wrong time & day.
