Hort Park & The Southern Ridges

Nature walks are always good. Young, old and the future old can do it. Some reports have some beef with Singapore but we should be proud that with little land space, we could have so many parks, nature walks, park connectors, etc. where most cities we have visited are pure concrete jungles and little else. I mean birds don't even have a place to lay eggs there.

Singapore has since outscored ourselves when we linked the Southern Ridges with two bridges. Discovering the Southern Ridges from Alexandra Arch (a bridge with beautiful changing colour hues at night) to the Hort Park.

Southern Ridges

Nice walk through the forest via an overhead bridge. Just to confirm that pineapples grow from the ground an not in supermarket shelves. Next time, I'll prove that chickens roam freely and not grow in supermarkets too.

Telok Blangah Hills

On one side, Telok Blangah Hills is connected to Mount Faber with Kent Ridge on the other end. If you start form Mt. Faber and complete the walk at the West Coast you would have covered 9km. If you do not have the time or stomach for the challenge, then do it at different intervals for example, start from Telok Blangah Hills using the Henderson Wave Bridge to Mt. Faber. The Henderson Waves at 36m is the tallest pedestrian bridge here. It has an unique undulating design and its structure resembles waves when you look at it from the outside. It is 0.3km long and more than 12 storeys high as you can see rooftops of the housing estate nearby and all tree tops offers panoramic views of the distant sea and islands. For those who have height phobia do not peer down or peep through the gaps between the wooden floor as it will make you weak in the presence of beauty.

Telok Blangah Hills offers tranquility, birds, insects and macaques. Listen to the cacophony of the forest orchestra and enjoy the lushness as you walk through 1.3km of Forest Walk. This little hut here just above the car park is a good spot to top up on drinks from a coin machine before you start.

Henderson Wave Bridge is a work of art.

36m above the ground, higher than the tallest flats there. Good place to be when it floods.

































It's curvy and beautiful like a sports car with spoilers and body kit.

































Sometimes, you need a time and place like that to do silly things like comparing feet and shoes.

Hort Park

Hort Park, a 23 hectare park is like a hub of horticulture excellence in South East Asia. I think it is a statement for Singapore as a Garden City. Those who are interested or already into gardening must visit. The Spice Garden will show you how amazingly a sprinkle of some spice can add zest to life while the Bamboo Garden will heal you and give you strength as bamboo is a symbol of strength. Or if highly skilled, you can fly around from bamboo to bamboo practising martial arts. You will find no pandas here as the only two donated by China are at the zoo and they are now trying to name them. What do you think they should be called? Pan and Da, Ping and Pong, Bam and Boo or Ping Ping and Ann Ann? A panda walked into a pub one day and ordered some food and beer. After he finished, he whipped out a pistol and shot the person next to him and left. Another patron was bewildered and asked the bartender why it did that and the bartender explained: "A panda eats shoots and leaves." Then there is a "Living Wall" where a garden is cultivated vertically. How many of you know that trees and plants can regulate temperature? If you are out golfing, a big shady tree lets you know the difference between heaven and hell and where you might rather be. This is what greets you on arrival.

Landscaped gardens adorn the place with colourful flowers everywhere and heart-shaped leaves fluttering in the wind.

You can get your own Venus fly trap or pitcher plant. Just don't become their food as they grow bigger. Future gardens. All future buildings will have "Living Walls" like this? Perhaps Vertical Golf will be introduced and they will give you suctions on your feet like lizards. Our population has hit 5 million and one day they will take away some golf courses. Better play more golf now.

There's nothing like going to an air-conditioned place to top up your liquids with a nice meal after a good walk. Cheers!