today, i went hunting for a heritage tree - the bodhi tree - at the pearl's hill city park. i had mentioned this conserved tree in my previous blog entry. i found the tree and at the same time discovered another gem within the city - a peaceful and tranquil sanctuary sitting on top of a hill just a stone throw away from the hustle and bustle of chinatown.
the park was built in 1974. it was built around an old service reservoir. that part of singapore must have been quite well populated to be served by a reservoir that was built as early as 1904. the reservoir sits on top of a hill. a few years before the park was built, from the top of the hill, one could have seen the outram prison. the prison was demolished in 1968. today, the view from the top is one of an open field. even the blocks of hdb flats which came after the prison are gone.
picture from national archives of singapore
pearl's hill service reservoir
within this quiet park, there is a lotus pond. the lotus plants that are growing in this pond are different from the variety that i see growing wild at kranji. the flowers look the same but the leaves are much smaller.
it was also near the pond where i came across the largest number of squirrels concentrated on one tree. i counted six squirrels on the same tree. they were the least people-shy squirrels that i have ever encountered in singapore.
10 comments:
YG. Can you pls clarify. You mean that structure in your photo no. 3 is part of the old Outram Prison. Wow I really must make a trip to check out this place.
chun see, sorry to have mislead you. the photo shows the service reservoir. no more prison and no more hdb blocks of flats, only open field.
YG. This is the park that I always go during my Childhood days for track & field ECA weekly training during my pri sch days at Pearl's Hill Pri. hehe :)
There is this short staggered concrete bridge near the pond.
By the way, During your visit there, did you manage to find the mysterious bunker in Pearl's Hill City Park that I mentioned to you before in the blog post below few months ago? It is located just some walking distance from the pond.
http://kiatsans.blogspot.com/2009/04/mysterious-bunker-at-pearls-hill-city.html
guan kiat, i was trying to look for the bunkers but didn't find them. reason for another visit.
Thanks for the pix of the lotus pond you have taken, YG.
Where is it located for public to photo them, and is the visit foc?
“As a lotus flower is born in water, grows in water and rises out of water to stand above it unsoiled, so I, born in the world, raised in the world having overcome the world, live unsoiled by the world”
Buddha quotes (Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.)
YG. haha. That is a good one. :P
Another reason for going there again to look for that bunker. :D
Someone said before don't explore every part of a place, so that it can be reserved for another visit. haha
james, free admission to the park but parking (of cars) not free. there's a small coupon-parking car-park not far from the pond.
Thanks YG for sharing the discovery for photo shot location, worth the small coupons.
james, hope you will enjoy the place.
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