Happy Place, Happy Space
We have been playing tourist in Singapore these past couple of years as we explore our neighbourhood and places a little farther away. This week, we were able to share some of our discoveries with Adventurous Friend from high school who visited from the US. She visited Singapore several times before the pandemic to attend academic conferences and do research. She finally returned to spend time at the archives.
We showed off some of our favourite older neighbourhoods; it was refreshing to enjoy these places with her interests in history in mind. We inevitably ended each tour with food. While Loving Husband and I still do not eat in public, Adventurous Friend was happy to sample the offerings at various hawker food centres. It was so much fun watching her delight in food she’d never tried before.
For our final outing, she requested we visit the National Orchid Garden.
We were excited to oblige as we had not been for some time. There were extensive renovations done and one of the new features is the Cool House, where we viewed flowers in air-conditioned comfort.
🌸 🌸 🌸
Reading your Joyful Posts brings me to my happy place. I hope having them in one place makes it easier for you to find when you need a bit of happy therapy, too.
If you would like to join in Happy Place, Happy Space, ping back to this post and I will include you next week
- Alison at Travels with Ali‘s Searching for Street Art in Penang – Day 2: hunts down murals & metal work
- Amor at We Travel Happy‘s Singapore Sunsets and the clouds that make them beautiful: takes us on a tour of Singapore sunsets
- Carol Ann Siciliano‘s Delights: has a varied week considering acts of kindness, Bob Dylan & Lime Basil seedlings
- Donna at Wind Kisses‘ Minimalist Photography: dazzles with a series of “simple” images
- Laurie at Notes from the Hinterland’s The Beauty of Early June: takes time out from editing to delight in her garden
- Natalie the Explorer‘s Corktown Common & Don River: takes us on a couple of scenic walks, with peonies thrown in
- Thistles and Kiwis’ This Week’s Small Pleasures: shares delights of the winter season – walks, food, cosying up at home
- Trent’s World‘s The Weekly Smile: draws strength from blog posts and chilling on beautiful sunny days
🌸 🌸 🌸
This post is my contribution to Weekend Coffee Share hosted by Natalie the Explorer.
Touring My Backyard 
Yay thank you for including my post in your blog, JuLyn. Ah you have a visitor already after the pandemic! That’s nice. We haven’t had any but I’m sure they’ll come soon. 🙂
LikeLike
I know, right? We’ve had a 3rd set already this past week, and expecting more come next week!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I so enjoy visiting familiar places with friends who are seeing them for the first time; we get to see the world with the Beginner’s Heart again. And feeling their excitement is the best! Thank you for mentioning my post. Jeremiah will be thrilled that you noticed Bob Dylan!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’ve had a 3rd set of visitors come through this week … it’s so interesting to see our old haunts through very different eyes (varying from visitor to visitor). Maybe because we have been deprived of visitors, but it really is so much fun.
P/S Bob Dylan warrants much thought & conversation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What fun! And an orchid garden—ooooh! Those are the most magical flowers.
LikeLike
Another place for us to tour together!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Add it to the list!! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Living in temperate latitudes it sounds odd to hear you speak of the Cool House. Here we have heated glasshouses to grow tropical plants, while in Singapore you must resort to air conditioning to grow plants that favour cooler climates (and to keep the visitors cool!) Logically it makes absolute sense, but it seems so odd from a UK perspective. I wonder which plants feature in the Cool House?
LikeLike
I know, right? It’s all topsy-turvy, isn’t it? We saw large orchids & pitcher plants and other strange & wonderful greenery in the Cool House.
Hope you are coping with the heatwave! My London family reported very uncomfortable temps this past week!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’re round 200 km north of London so the heat’s been slightly less oppressive here than in the capital, but still way too hot for me. At times like this I find myself very envious of your Cool House! 🙂
LikeLike
As I understand, many homes in the UK do not have air-conditioning, so I guess you’d have to find a shop which does as an alternative to the Cool House.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some public buildings and workplaces have air-con here, but it’s very rare in domestic buildings. I’ve been very happily retired for more than 4 years, but on hot steamy days like those we had last week I do look back wistfully on my wonderfully cool, air-conditioned office!
LikeLike
I only got a glimpse of outside the Orchid Garden. When I go back to Singapore, this is the first on my list of places to have a proper visit.
LikeLike
We don’t go in very often (not for running) but definitely worth the visit … so many lovely things to view!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so envious of your friend to be able to come to Singapore and spend some time with you. Orchids are one of my favorite flowers, and that orchid garden must be a treat. As always, thanks for the mention.
LikeLike
If you ever decide to venture into this neck of the woods, we will definitely walk with you in this garden … so many many many lovely (& wow-worthy) varieties.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for linking me! The air conditioner flower place looks beautiful
LikeLike
It was a lovely respite from the heat, and the plants in there were stunning! Always glad to share space with you!
LikeLike
No need for aircon now we are back in wintery Perth 🌧
LikeLike
I love the gardens in Singapore – such a wonderful place to visit and hope we can return one day. Thanks for the mention!
LikeLike
Hope you are able to return soon too! Always happy to share space with you!
LikeLike