I think I know how Aladdin felt when he stepped into a cave filled with treasure.
I stopped in my tracks when my friends swung the doors open. I was speechless.
Who would have thought that a 35-metre high manmade hill would make such an impact? But it did.
The Cloud Forest Dome enveloped me in its cocoon of misty coolness. Shrouded in mist, it felt like a mysterious forest glade out of which elves and fairies would emerge.
I felt I had stepped into a dream where anything was possible;
a hollowed out hill; caverns, elevated walkways, waterfall and water features …
Someone pinch me.
I revelled in the lush growth; rhododendrons, begonias, nepenthes, orchids, gesneriads, bromeliads, epiphytes, huperzias, platyceriums, fuschias, ferns … with some rare gems in between.
There were fir trees, tree ferns, maple, mulberry, brugmansias and many more plants from higher altitudes and cooler climes.
I felt a little dazed– as one would be when faced with endless buffet lines; tables of delectable food and insufficient time to savour it all.
But what fascinated me most was a carnivorous islet of sarracenias, pinguiculas, drosera and dionaea muscipula.
To the uninitiated, this pretty islet looks innocuous enough, but I wonder how many unsuspecting victims have fallen prey to its lethal charms.
I would have remained a willing captive under the spell of the Cloud Forest Dome I had to take a reality check. Time was running out and I had to move on …
Cloud Forest, I’ll be back.
(Next up, the Flower Dome)
I had no idea Singapore had such natural wonders! I must visit.
not totally natural but i loved it. wish we had something like that here.
overwhelmed…not enough wrords..bucket lifts for sure….thank you..
thank you, Sharon. 🙂