Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

There are many tourist attractions in Croatia, with Dubrovnik and the Adriatic coast as it's undisputed highlights. For a national park junkie though, the highlight would undoubtedly be Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia's biggest national park, and is also recognized as a UNESCO Heritage site. The park is well organized and set up, with a range of walking trails and interesting boardwalks, all intertwined within a rich verdant stage of trees, lakes and waterfalls. In particular, the boardwalks and all built such that one would be literally immersed within the park's impressive collection of lakes and waterfalls. The walking trails are all marked, and maps placed at various points within the park. One could easily spend a whole day on the trails, which is what I did - a whole 9 hours inside the park. There is also a short ferry ride on one of its lakes, all included in your ticket to the park.

I went to Plitvice Lakes in early spring, and as such, there were less greenery from the vegetation. The colour of the lakes though, were mesmerizing turquoise green. One could imagine then, that during summer, the place would be stunning, if it is not already. I'm sure the winter and autumn sceneries are pretty impressive as well.

The park has 2 entrances, and within the park itself, there are a couple of hotels, all from Entrance 2. For those who are driving, there are some villages near the park where there are plenty of homestays and guesthouses available. For those who are taking buses, and did not want to pay for the hotel prices, the best bet is the small village of Rastovaca, just 800m from Entrance 1. Almost every household in the village provide rooms for rent.

The bus from Zagreb takes just 2.5 hours, while the bus to/from Split takes about 6 hours. Plitvice Lakes National Park can be easily fitted into your itinerary as it's on the way from Zagreb to the Adriatic coast and vice versa. For those who love greenery, lakes, and waterfalls, the national park is a must-visit!!

Bukit Brown, Singapore

Looking for alternate green spots in Singapore? Looking for historic spots in Singapore? Look no further. Check out both Bukit Brown Cemetery.

Sprawled across 200+ hectares of wooded land, the cemetery is scattered over several hills, and is the largest Chinese cemetery in Singapore. However, it is so much more. As mentioned, the area is an excellent green venue for outdoor activities. These include hiking, cycling, birding and even horse-riding. The lush green is wild and natural, surely the draw for many an outdoor enthusiast.

But when I said it's so much more, I was not particularly referring to the greenery. I was thinking more about our heritage and culture. For in Bukit Brown cemetery lies many of Singapore's founding fathers and pioneers, and with them, a whole slew of historic and cultural insights. Sikh statue guards guarding Chinese tombs, mosaic patterns, engravings and reliefs, and many stories on the inscriptions and epitaphs that to this day, is still being uncovered.

Shockingly though, the government of Singapore had deemed it necessary to build a four-lane road cutting across it, and as a result, 4000+ graves had to be exhumed. Over 4000 slices of our history may be lost. And to make things worse, exhumation works are to begin in the fourth quarter of this year (2013), which leaves little time for people to uncover these histories. And little time for Singaporeans and tourists alike to enjoy the beauty and serenity of the place, for surely the outlook and ambience of the place would be compromised.

For all things on Bukit Brown, check out the aptly named website All Things Bukit Brown. There are free guided walks led by passionate volunteers almost every weekend, and I have to say, these guides will make your walk through the cemetery an especially educational one. The information and histories dished out by these guides are just amazing! It was doubly amazing when at the grave of Chew Boon Lay, whose name is now on our roads and a MRT station, his great grandson was around to recount the history!

One of the volunteer guides, Peter, telling a story

Grave of Chew Boon Lay, with his great grandon telling his history

 These group of people are still petitioning to stop the road development. For those who are going for the guided walks (and you should), please provide your support if needed. I feel a sense of loss and indignation for those people in the affected graves. It is especially poignant to think that in life, they had toiled for the development of Singapore, and in death, they would be ousted from their final resting place in the name of the development of Singapore!

The many histories of Bukit Brown

Supertrees, Gardens by the Bay

The landscapes of Singapore have been evolving so fast, with new buildings and landmarks appearing at breakneck speed. And so, when I came back from a year-long backpacking trip, I realized I have become essentially a tourist as well!

Now, just barely a month ago, Singapore unveiled yet another new icon and landmark - Gardens by the Bay. A 'superpark' comprising of 3 gardens covering over 100 hectares, it is giving Singapore a well-earned name of 'Garden City'. With 2 conservatories simulating different climates at other parts of the world, over a quarter million different plants can be found in the Gardens. It is indeed set to be one of the major attractions and icons of Singapore.

However, ironically, it is one of the man-made features in the Gardens that had become somewhat of a highight and icon for me (and many others). The Supertrees are huge tree-like structures that dominate large parts of the Gardens. These structures are modern wonders that supposedly provide various functions - from collection of rainwater to harnessing solar-power; from providing shade to providing lighting (shows). Indeed, when the skies darken, a music and lights show would provide the entertainment for the evening. And the beautifully lighted Supertrees does give a surreal ambience to the whole place! It also complemented the beautiful night scene around Marina Bay wonderfully. A worthy addition indeed!

So for those going to Gardens by the Bay, you may want to do so in the late afternoon and then finish off with a beautiful night view of the Gardens and Marina Bay!

And finally, a Happy 47th Birthday to Singapore!!!

Earth Hour 2012

Yes, today is Earth Hour, and it's happening 8.30pm in the time of your respective home country.



Will there ever be a possibility that a city participate in Earth Hour such that the whole city is plunged into darkness, and then the heavens will reveal itself in its full glory!


When its dark enough, you can see the stars. -- Persian Proverb

Terelj National Park, Mongolia

Situated just a couple of hours drive away from Mongolia's capital, Ulaan Bataar, Terelj National Park yields some scenery that seems worlds apart from that of the Gobi. It is thus a very popular weekend getaway for both locals and tourists alike.



The Park covers a huge area (typical of Mongolia!), but a section of it has been developed for tourism. There are semi-permanent tourist gher (Mongolian yurt) camps in the area made out of wood, and there are even restaurants and shops! But the surrounds are indeed beautiful and some say, its like the Alps. Hiking is definitely a highlight, and in summer, there're lots of flowers and birds in the park. My guide also said that during the right season, you can pick wild strawberries in the park and eat! You could also hire horses for rides further into the park, but even short hikes could yield fantastic viewpoints - excellent for photography as in the early morning, you don't have to go far for your sunrise shoots!!



While the Gobi is definitely an item in your itinerary in Mongolia, do check out Terelj National Park as well if you have some extra time! After some hard travelling in the dry Gobi desert, the lush green in the park is a welcoming sight and my group had a wonderful relaxing time at Terelj indeed!!

The Southern Ridges

Singapore is well known as an urban city, with tall buildings and modern shopping malls. But visitors to Singapore can also look out for some nice green outdoor activities in nature as well - one which is The Southern Ridges.



These Ridges stretch through three parks, covering Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, and Kent Ridge Park. You can take walks through many of its trails, cycle along its paths, or just relax in various sections of the park, eg. HortPark, a gardening paradise for horticulture enthusiasts. Besides HortPark, other attractions include Alexandra Arch and Henderson Waves, two bridges that links many of the walks from the various sections. These bridges are architecturally unique and in the evening, they're beautifully lighted to accentuate its form. The lights on Alexandra Arch actually changes colours through the night!



My favourite would be Henderson Waves though. It is Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge (36m) that connects Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park. It's structure is truly unique - constructed to follow the form of a mathematical function, its curves or "waves" is quite an achitecture wonder. The views atop the bridge is wonderful and it's no wonder that it's becoming a favourite outing for families and tourists alike.

National Parks Singapore provides more details, including maps and walking routes. Check out the Southern Ridges to see another side of Singapore!