I'm back again! Oh gosh, university stuff's starting to take its toll on me. Although assignment season hasn't kicked off yet, I'm already bombarded with lots of readings, applications and not to mention, thesis-related issues. I'm so not looking forward to data collection and creating a big statistical mess out of my existing data! Oh well, I guess I'll see how things go...hopefully there'll not be any meltdowns!
Today's post focuses on the OCBC Skywalk - located right at the heart of Gardens by the Bay. I've been to Gardens by the Bay a few times, but this trip and the Waterfront Walk were the ones I preferred. I'll put up the remnants when I have time.
I might have mentioned this before...but whenever I head to Gardens by the Bay, I'll always go by this bridge, which allows me to walk through part of the Marina Bay Sands complex. This bridge offers great views of the waterfront, part of the CBD and the Gardens of course.
Wandered around a little around the Gardens...then decided to buy a ticket to go up the OCBC Skywalk. The Skywalk itself is amazing. It's 22 metres above the ground (approximately how high canopies in a typical rainforest will be), and is hoisted up and supported by a number of cables. It makes me feel as if I'm walking through a steel tree canopy.
Oh and here the trees are! I used a "Posterise" filter to create this effect here...but for the next 2 pictures, I didn't use any photoshop. I'm still quite a big fan of untouched pictures, so when I take pictures/filter pictures, I tend to be very particular about the slightest flaws. Perfectionist indeed!
The start of the Skywalk. The walk itself was curved and provided excellent views of the Supertree Grove, the Marina Bay Sands complex, the Singapore Flyer, the conservatories on the other side of the Gardens (which was covered in the post Waterfront Walk too)...
There were a few warning signs though...people who had a phobia of heights/vertigo/migraine etc. were advised not to go onto the Skywalk.
It may look like the floor of the Skywalk is made of opaque material. But in actual fact, the floor was made of some kind of NETTING over a steel cage...similar to the cages covering drains. Which means...we could see through the netting. It gave me a serious adrenaline rush.
And around this point here, as I was photographing the Supertrees, my lens cap suddenly dropped!!! I nearly had a heart attack, thinking that the lens cap had dropped through the holes and down below! 22 metres down! A split second later I checked and found out that the lens cap had merely dropped into my bag. It was such a relief...but sent my adrenaline levels pumping skyhigh. Being on top of the Skywalk was already quite an experience.
Had to maximise my time atop the Skywalk. So what did I do? Take as many pictures as possible!
Some of the pictures are photoshopped a little...others aren't. I don't usually photoshop pictures.
There we go! A good view of the Marina Bay Sands complex, part of the city, and in the distance, the Singapore Flyer. Speaking of which, I haven't been up the Singapore Flyer. Should do so one day.
Decided to wrap up my Skywalk visit by taking more pictures of course! This time, it was less exhilarating and I was definitely ready to go back down to ground level. I was also lucky - for there weren't many people on the Skywalk. I think there's a limit to the number of people allowed up the Skywalk.
But that didn't stop me from taking pictures of people ON the Skywalk! Here's a family - with 3 generations - atop the Skywalk.
And here's yet another small group looking over the Skywalk. Apparently we're advised not to lean over. It's kinda self-explanatory...
Hung around the Supertree Grove a while more...as I gate-crashed a photography session which was organised by the Kampong Glam Photography Club (I think it's a community centre event). They hired a model for their photoshoot, and one of them invited me to join in! More on that later.
Meanwhile, I took even more pictures of the Skywalk, this time from ground level. It provides a very different perspective altogether.
Oh, and I should really thank one of the tourists for recommending me a good spot for taking pictures of the Skywalk!
I had a fair bit of time to kill, so I ventured towards the Colonial Gardens (also within the Gardens)...and along the way I spotted this.
Had to rush back to the city for lunch, so I went back onto the same bridge...and took more pictures.
This spot here is also one of my favourite spots, and it's located just opposite the Marina Bay Sands complex. It allows me to take pictures of the reflections on the 3 towers.
And one last shot before I boarded the bus.
More on the 2nd part of this installment later! Stay tuned! Hopefully statistics won't be the death of me!