There's a lot to like about Cheryl, our helper. There are the obvious things such as making our meals and doing our laundry. Then there are the even bigger things like she insists on pushing our incredibly heavy stroller (despite her tiny stature) and plays guide in the subway system (here called the MRT).
What isn't so obvious, but just as lovely, is that I get to see Singapore through her eyes. Cheryl is from the Philippines and grew up poor - I mean, really poor. Her home STILL doesn't have electricity. She works here to send money home to her children. She's smart as a whip and knows FAR more about raising kids than I do - something of which I'm painfully aware when Maisie and I mix it up. She knows a lot about Singapore, but yet she doesn't. There are times when having Cheryl with us is like having another kid because she's so excited and enthusiastic to see things.
There's a brand new attraction here called The Gardens by the Bay.
They are two incredible pieces of architecture, huge domes each with a different garden planted inside. One is called the Flower Garden, the other The Cloud Forest.
To get to them, you first must cross the "dragonfly bridge" which gives you a pretty nice view of the structures. Then you must walk through a huge garden with a variety of sections, each planted like a different part of Asia - the Malay Garden, the Indian Garden etc. Within this garden are these MASSIVE structures called Super Trees. They are easily 50 stories tall - perhaps higher. They are shaped like giant trees and are made out of metal. Plants and vines will eventually cover them and they will look like giant trees.
In actuality, they are chimneys connected to a giant boiler room underground. ALL the clippings from ALL the trees in Singapore are sent to this boiler room which in turn makes all the energy needed to support the domed structures. It's an incredible example of recycling at work.
We first headed into the Flower Garden to see exotic flowers. Turns out, exotic is all a matter of perspective. All the flowers inside the garden were things I could see in the States - things I have planted in my yard! Well - not all of the flowers, but many of them. Cheryl was enthralled - ooing and ahhing at each and every offering. "Oh - a rose!" she squealed. There were begonias and pansies, each equally exciting for her. There was also a cactus garden which felt like being in Midland. I was the one who played tour guide inside the garden. It was quite fun and I surprised even myself by how much I actually know about plants.
There were some things we don't have at home like an entire terrace of massive olive trees. The real treat here were the Green-Giant-tall-Baobob trees, MASSIVE trees that store water in their trunks found in places like Africa.
The kids loved it except that Hudson just wanted to run like a banshee and sobbed hysterically when we tied him into the stroller yet again. Maisie put on several dances for bystanders. Silly goose.
We had lunch in the main garden under the Super Trees. The kids shared a kids meal: fried chicken, pasta, fruit and mango ice served in a bento box. Cheryl and I had Laksa, kind of the national dish of Singapore. I LOVE IT! It's a coconut-based broth with rice noodles, shrimp, chicken, fish cake (not really sure what that is?) and clams topped with a sliced hard-boiled egg.
Cheryl was mesmerized by the second building also - the Cloud Forest. It's not so much that the plants were fascinating for her, but rather the temperature. I'm guessing it was about 60 degrees in there. For Cheryl, that meant it was the coldest place she'd ever been - ever! They had this mist going to simulate the clouds and Cheryl asked if it was snow!
Thank God it was cold because today was the hottest day here so far. I mean H-O-T HOT! I kept thinking I might just melt into the pavement like the Wicked Witch of the West. Half of me dripped into a puddle, I'm sure of it.
This structure was kind of a big, mountain of a thing with a waterfall and a walk up through the "clouds" that gave the most amazing view of Singapore's skyline and Malaysia's coast. There was also a cave with a bunch of stalagmites and stalactites. Maisie was very happy looking up at the mirrors on the ceilings, dancing once again for all to see.
My favorite part of the day was watching all the Chinese tourists taking pictures and video of Hudson with the same relish that they were photographing the exhibit! I hear he'll be a rock star in China!
