Celebrating Singapore Botantic Gardens as an UNESCO Site

It is rare that any places achieve UNESCO status at all. It is even less often that it came from whole countries smaller than even cities from many other nations. After all, there had only been about a thousand-odd UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Yesterday, the Singapore Botanic Gardens was bestowed the honour.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens had been a special place where fond memories coloured my life.

As a toddler, my first pet(s) were born there. I "collected" some tadpoles and Moss Ferns from a little pond and jovially took them home in a small plastic bag. It was the most awesome experience I ever had in my formative years.

I now take my kids to the Garden for picnics and general fun. Many popular facilities had since been built. There is a fantastic open-air auditorium, public amenities, ramps for the handicaps, restaurants and cafeteria, and even a museum where you could relax and read a book. Despite the addition of touristic infrastructures, the Garden somehow managed to retain the same magical rustic charm I experienced as a toddler.

Once in a while, when I felt like I needed a quiet place to chill amidst the buzz in metropolitan life, I would think of the Garden. The last time I went there, I sat on a bench overlooking a mini lake for 2 hours to calm my mind and contemplate on creative solutions for my work.

The wonderful UNESCO announcement couldn't come at a more opportune time as Singapore celebrates it's 50th birthday this year. Like the country that cradles it, the Singapore Botanic Gardens may not be the largest but it is nonetheless the loveliest and among the only few destinations that hold a special place in my heart.

I made this postcard with the outline of the national flower (named "Vanda Miss Joaquim") to celebrate the event.