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12/08/04
08:01 Good Morning! Cheery and festive, the Pagoda plant has spectacular
blooms that attract lots of butterflies. As I found out, they don't
do well at all as cut flowers. They are best enjoyed uncut and left
alone in the wild. Like all our other natural splendors :-) |
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12/08/04
13:19 Marina City Park #1:
Today, I thought of dropping by this park right in the heart of the
business district (had to go through ERP twice to get in and out :-(
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12/08/04
13:20 Marina City Park #2:
Not three minutes away from the busy business centre of our city and
the broad tree-lined roads are totally empty! The sounds of birds
and cicadas were ringing in the air...wow! |
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12/08/04
13:22 Marina City Park #3:
The empty streets made it easy for me to just park anyhow and hop
in and out of this vast park. There is a lovely natural pond (without
concrete banks) in the heart of the park. Lush with water plants.
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12/08/04 13:25 Marina City Park #4:
Blooming water hyacinths a fabulous foreground to the backdrop of
the city skyline. I flushed a bittern and a pair of noisy white-breasted
waterhen. A pair of collar kingfishers were loudly scolding me too.
In the water, I spotted two gigantic snakehead fishes. |
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12/08/04
13:27 Marina City Park #5:
Pretty water hyacinths were introduced as ornamentals. They are actually
a noxious weed outside their native homeland of South America. Without
the animals that usually eat them, these introduced plants grow so
quickly that they can choke waterways and wipe out local animal life.
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12/08/04
13:28 Marina City Park #6:
The paths were lined with Golden Showers trees, all in full bloom
and fruit. This tree was introduced from India/Sri Lanka and is a
popular roadside tree. |
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12/08/04
13:29 Marina City Park #7:
High up in this tree was the remains of an unfortunate kite. This
must be the highly dangerous Kite-Eating Tree so prominently featured
in Charlie Brown cartoons :-) It also shows that kite-flying must
be quite popular in the park. |
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12/08/04 13:33 Marina City Park #8:
A short drive down and another hop out to another series of ponds.
This one was dominated by a HUGE sculpture entitled Soaring Vision.
The separate portions are supposed to represent "bursts of energy
of individual effort". I guess I'm not much of an artist because I
can't find myself liking this monstrous thing much :-) |
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12/08/04
13:35 Marina City Park #9:
There is also a tall single fountain in the middle of the pond. You
can actually see this even from the Benjamin Sheares Bridge. |
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12/08/04
13:36 Marina City Park #10:
Surrounding the pond is a tranquil portion shaded by eucalyptus trees,
their colourful peeling bark a lovely counterpoint to their delicate
leaves. |
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12/08/04
13:37 Marina City Park #11:
This portion of the park also has large statues of Chinese heros.
Which seemed to be very interesting to this group of elderly visitors.
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12/08/04
13:38 Marina City Park #12:
Rounding the pond, there's a lovely view of the fountain with the
city skyline. "Soaring Vision" looks less imposing from here, but
I still don't like it :-) |
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12/08/04
13:39 Marina City Park #13:
The reason why I'm making the long walk is of course to see my favourite
part of any park...the sea!! Swaying coconut trees frame the Benjamin
Sheares bridge and a little bumboat on the water. Sigh.... |
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12/08/04
13:40 Marina City Park #14:
On the way back to the illegally parked car, I notice that they have
planted mangrove ferns at the edge of the pond. Lovely!! So much better
than introduced stuff. These hardy ferns are colourful too. |
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12/08/04
13:41 Marina City Park #15:
Alas, as always, the hand of man (and woman) is always itchy to leave
a mark on nature. As Kok Leong said so appropriately, the tree is
scarred by these thoughtless people. Love surely doesn't justify vandalism?
:-(
Posted
by kllow14 Posted on 12/08/04 13:52
Vandals!!! Now the tree is ruin just because Bell needs to tell
whole world he/she loves Zhan. |
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12/08/04
13:47 Marina City Park #16 (last):
As I rush off (late again for another 2pm meeting, die), I notice
that a large area opposite the park has been left undeveloped. It
is thick with trees and no doubt wildlife as well. Wonderful! Certainly
a park worth a more leisurely visit. |
wildsingapore
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