Singapore Garden Festival 2012

This year's Singapore Garden Festival is held at the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Living Squares

Plants grown in white hollow cubes

Display of common name and scientific name of flowers

Award winning Vanda orchids

Award winning slipper orchids

Award winning mini orchids

Kampong house

Miniature garden

Wall-mounted Phalaenopsis orchid

Wall-mounted air plants

How about some plants in your shower?

Terrarium by The Plant Story

Terrariums for sale (they are not cheap)

The exhibition continues on another floor

Garden display with the Seven Dwarf theme

Evil Queen in the woods

Japanese garden theme

The floating trees

Fancy a floral centerpiece like this in your wedding banquet?

The Cu Chi Tunnels

The Cu Chi tunnels were more than 250 km long and three levels deep. They were important for the Viet Cong victory over the Americans during the Vietnam War (1955 to 1975). Today, the remaining tunnels have become a main tourist attraction.

Watching a video on a really small television screen about the tunnels and the war.

One of the traps used against the enemy. When one step on the patch of seemingly harmless patch of grass, the ground swings down and reveal spikes inside the hollow bottom.

Our guide showing us how the soldiers enter the tiny underground tunnel.

Another entrance into the tunnel

Some sections of the tunnels had been widen for visitors to experience moving through the underground passage. Once inside, it is not possible to walk standing up. One would have to remain in the squatting posture and waddle from the entrance to the exit. By the way, there's no light in the tunnel.

Old military tank on display

There are other exhibits that help visitors understand the underground life during the war period. (But my pictures turn out rather ugly because of low light, so I shall not put them up here.) For me, the best part of this attraction was the opportunity to try firing an old rifle.

Mekong Delta Tourist Farm

After the visit to Li Chuan Food Products factory, we proceed for lunch on a boat located at a nearby river. Our host at the factory had already fed us quite well with food manufactured right in the factory itself. So, most of us were not hungry at all when we reached this boat restaurant. Instead, many were spending time taking photos.

The boat restaurant

The other boats that we would be boarding for the farm tour after lunch.

Lunch with a river view

Fried fish "caught" in carrot net

Boarding the boat that will take us across the river to the tourist farm.

View of the riverside buildings from the boat.

As we approaches the village, we had to switch from the big boat to the small sampan.

Cruising along the stream into the village

When we landed, we were given some cut fruits and a small glass of honey drink, while we watched the local cultural performance.

A bag of ducks on the road (perhaps a villager had accidentally dropped them along the way).

We were guided further into the village and got on a horse cart.


Coconut candy making tool

The tour ended with a demonstration of the coconut candy making process, at the Que Dua Coconut Candy (in Ben Tre). As we traveled in the boat on the Mekong river, back in the same way we came from, we were each given a coconut drink.