We are happy to be back in the cool observatories and this time we took on a "Flight of Fancy" as hot-air balloons hover over the fields in the Flower Dome. 

It is a shame that the haze that struck us unexpectedly earlier this week, has forced many outdoor and even indoor activities to be cancelled. As the PSI level rises from unhealthy into the hazardous range, gone are our clear blue skies and fresh air that we wake up to every morning.

Under this hazy weather condition, we can only continue to enjoy the beauty of nature within the cool observatories. 

Our family was lucky to make our trip here before the haze condition worsens... It was a pleasure admiring the floral displays and keeping ourselves cool under the blazing hot sun. This is a big playground for our kiddos.

 Denver & Gladys enjoying themselves @ the Flower Dome. There's always something new to surprise us on every visit.

 Taking flight....

My Prince & Princess. :)

A photo collection of the flowers I took during our walk at the Flight of Fancy.

Spotted these two beauties 'flying' within the floral field.  

 Which one do you like?

Flight of Fancy will continue to take flight at the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest from 3rd June to 21st July 2013. Definitely a great place to be, away from the heat and haze, to enjoy the lust greenery, beautiful flowers and fresh scent. 

Gardens By the Bay always intrigue me. Love the beautiful landscape, its unique structures, the Super trees and how the entire garden stands out in the heart of the city. The moment you cross the bridge from Marina Bay Sands, it felt like you have entered another arena.

The Supertrees - as gorgeous as ever and it look charming in the night. 

Cloud Forest and Flower Dome - the Cooled Conservatories. 

Did not have the opportunity to walk on the OCBC skyway but I believe it will be a pretty sight from the top. :)

Ventured into the World of Plants from the Supertree Grove. There are lots more to see and learn about the various natural habitats and plants at the various zones. The World of Palms gives you a comprehensive information about palm leaves and usage of palms for food.

Learn more about decomposers and plants living in the shadows at the Understorey Garden. If you are tired, you can take shelter and sit on the mushroom stools while listening to the sounds made by the crickets.

Fruits & Flowers gives visitors an insight of the various flowering plants that are of many colours, shapes and smell. Walk around the information board to learn more about the fruits, parts of the flower, pollen and many more. It would be great if the area can plant more trees, plants and flowers to brighten up this zone.

Eight of the native Southeast Asia animals are showcased at the Web of Life. The topiary animals woven from Indian Laurel is a cool photography spot.

This gigantic orangutan is my favourite.  You will notice blue bins beside these woven topiary animals. Do not mistaken them for rubbish bins. Turn the handle on top and you can hear the sounds made by these animals.

Further down is the Discovery zone where you get to learn more about the plants millions of years ago in the Triassic/Jurassic age.

As we made our exit from the World of Plants, you probably will notice a prominent and impressive sculpture at The Meadow - Planet. The white infant sculpture, which is a depiction of the artist's son, appears to be floating above the ground.

“To me, Planet is a paradox – hugely heavy, yet the bronze appears weightless; overwhelmingly  big, yet also an image of vulnerability. It is both a reflection of ourselves and the earth upon which we live,” said Quinn.

(extracted from : https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/media-room.html)

We love to bring the children to the Gardens by the Bay soon to check out the various exhibits at the cooled conservatories and also the Garden Rhapsody - a show which we have yet to catch.

The Gardens by the Bay is opened to the public till 20th November 2011 and will be closing its door for another 6 months before it will be officially open again in June 2012.

It has been a gloomy day but that didn't dampen our mood to take a walk over to the garden to have our very first sneak preview. Flower dome, Cloud Forest and Supertrees are the iconic structures here.

Panorama view of the Gardens by the Bay

Close up view of the Cloud Forest which is still closed to the public.

Here we are at the Dragonfly Bridge - our entrance to the Gardens from Marina Bay Sands.

Check out the map of the Gardens by the Bay.

Dragonfly Lake

Great view of MBS taken from Dragonfly Bridge.

There are various garden themes within GBTB. Malay, Chinese, Indian, Colonial, Discovery, Web of Life, World of Palms etc It will be a great place for all to enjoy the greenery and scenery in the very near future.

Many interesting stone sculptures found within the Chinese Garden.

Each garden is uniquely designed to suit its theme.

My personal favourite would have to be the Supertrees. The Supertree Grove (surrounded by the gardens) is still under construction but it will be a main attraction and popular photography spot upon completion.

Quick facts of the Supertrees: Turning sunlight into clean electricity. Provide vents for the conservatory systems, and provide shade for visitors. They also extend the gardens' planting area. :)

We didn't managed to venture deeper into the gardens as it started to rain. Nevertheless, we had a great time! The Gardens by the Bay and Supertrees glow beautifully in the night. Check out the beautiful night shots taken by Sengkang Babies!

Its a pity that we did not stay through the night but I'm sure we will be back again soon!