Gardens By The Bay

Having been around since mid-2012 (Bay South since 2011), GBTB has been a hotspot for tourists and locals alike. However, being the mountain tortoise I am, last Tuesday was actually my very first time there - after spontaneously making the decision that I should bring my grandmother to see the "frowers" (flowers) upon her mentioning "ah girl, the frower so nice one, this one is where," as she pointed to the GBTB advertisement on television.

First stop - cloud forest.

There was actually A SHITLOAD of stuff to see, like the 'prehistoric' plants (apparently plants that have been around since the dinosaur era), plants that only grow in higher altitudes, etc. Unfortunately though, my grandma was only interested in the lego insect-eating plants.

Like tourists in our own country, we then proceeded to the flower dome after embarrassingly attempting to touch the crystals in the crystal mountain when the signs clearly said "please do not touch".

(she really wanted to take a picture with the chicken)

(and the sheep)

(and the horse)

After which, we decided on lunch at the contemporary asian bistro, Verandah, which burnt $60 out of my pocket. Don't fret though! The food there is actually relatively affordable if you were to go Dutch or to opt for the set meals, as each set is priced at a very reasonable $15+.

(Not to forget, special shout out to the super cute, super tan waiter there that Carmen and I couldn't stop shamelessly looking at throughout our meal.) And off to the open gardens we went - unfortunately though, it was a GRAVE mistake because the sun was out to kill.

The weather was so unforgiving that none of us even wanted to snap a picture with the super trees! (source: Google)

But I am glad that my grandmother enjoyed herself, though she was also complaining about the weather alongside Carmen and I half the time. Wrapping up our trip, we settled down at the little cafe beside Verandah for some iced coffee.

In a nutshell: I personally feel that although the place is very well-constructed (the architecture is amazing?!), it's the kind of place you would visit once and not go back anymore because there is really no need to after combing through the conservatories. The conservatory tickets were definitely worth the purchase, as you won't be able to see flowers like those anywhere else in Singapore (that's why you gotta pay just to enter, duh haha). So if you're a huge fan of pretty flowers and interesting plants, it will truly be an eye-opening experience. The main point though, is that if your grandparents enjoy taking photos and slow walks, 10/10 would recommend anyone at all to take some time off to bring them there because perspiring under the scorching sun and looking at plant after plant (after plant) will be worth it when you hear your grandparent(s) say "thank you" or even a simple "I enjoyed myself today."

Next up: Happenstance Cafe (starring: Ruffles). So stay tuned if you've seen my dog and want to read about his experience at a dog-friendly cafe!