When I visited the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, I spent some time wandering in the outdoor spaces at the park. The main feature of the gardens is also their most iconic: the Supertree Grove. The exterior of these massive structures contain vertical growing space for a wide variety of plants. One of the Supertrees also houses a restaurant at the top of the tree, so you can enjoy your dinner with a wonderful view across the gardens and Singapore’s city center. At night, the Supertrees host a magical light show, though unfortunately I was not able to see it myself due to the weather conditions during my visit.

Aside: Speaking of weather conditions, I had to pick up an umbrella on my visit because I forgot to pack my usual umbrella for this weekend trip. I ducked into a 7-Eleven, and the clerk apologetically informed me his only remaining umbrella was a white, long-handled one. I bought it for S$3 and went on my way. This is the best umbrella I’ve ever used. I usually hate them because when the wind inevitably gets a hold of your umbrella, you are an instant cliche, struggling to get it reoriented. But this umbrella allowed none of that nonsense. The long umbrellas are not as convenient, but their utility makes up for it. Plus, carrying a long umbrella with a curved handle makes you feel like you mean business or about to engage in a tap routine at any point, and the umbrella can double as a cane if the need arises. Sadly, the umbrella was too big to fit in my suitcase, so it got to stay behind in Singapore. /aside

Armed with my umbrella, I visited the various small gardens arranged around the central Supertree grove. There’s a Chinese garden, a Malay garden, an Indian garden, a colonial garden, among others. Each section relates to Singapore’s history and culture.

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