Botanic Gardens of the Past

I was flipping of my old photos which was kept for the past 50 years, when I was as little as a toddler. Seeming going back to past, everything was blank and I wouldn't recall much of the old, largest with lots of ponds, beautiful flowers, monkeys, swampy area of more than a century place called Botanic Gardens. In the past, it was used to be a little zoo back then.

My mum's car - Ford Prefect in 1950s

While flipping back to the history of it, only I remembered my mum mentioned to me that there was lots of monkeys around during and after the WWII when she drove her old "Ford Prefect" car in 1950s. My mum mentioned that she brought her old friends and drove her car and travelled around Straits of Malaya at the time before Singapore's Independence in 1965. She parked her car along the Botanic Garden's entrance, her hands held out to wave at a monkey as seen above picture.

White PAP in Straits of Malaya 1950s

At the same time, she was a member of PAP in white in the Straits of Malaya 1950s. She v drove a van to ferry the PAP staffs to the office. My mum was in the photo among them.

Now back to the past in 1950s, where my mum brought her friends, one of her younger sisters, relatives, me, my brother and her old friends to the Singapore Botanic Garden in 1950s and 1960s.

My Mum (long pant) & her friend@SBG 1950s

Every other occasions, she would bring her friends for a ride in her car that was in 1950s and 1960s within Singapore including Singapore Botanic Gardens. At that time, the vehicles were allowed to enter the Singapore Botanic Garden and there were lots of monkeys roaming around. Now there's hardly seen monkeys nowadays.

My family & Mum's old friend 1960s

 My mum sometimes brought her old friends, my god-sister's mum and her old friend's daughter including god-sister's grandpa along to the Singapore Botanic Garden during school holidays. Well, my god-sister was not born yet as the photo was taken in 1960s when I was in primary school back then. I was sitting on the grass with my younger brother, behind me is my mum, sat next to me is my god-sister's mum and her old friend's daughter about 2 year old sat on her lap.

Singapore Botanic Garden's footpath

The footpath at Singapore Botanic Gardens is still remain the same back then whenever we stroll along within garden's compound. My god-sister's grandpa stood far behind with my younger brother and my mum old friend's daughter walked on the footpath that reminds me of the times spent with my family and childhood friends of the good old days.

Me and my 'young' auntie

When I looked at this photo that make me wonder why this auntie loved to be close to me whenever she followed me. My mum told me that her friend loves to stick with me because I look very cute whenever she took photo with me around. I was wondered where she is now as I missed her alots since. My mum said that she has no ideas where she is and I presume she must be around 60 plus now, at that time I was told that she is not married yet when she followed me and my family to the Singapore Botanic Gardens in early 1970s.

Me and my mum's best friend on wooden bench

I recalled there were lots of 'long' wooden benches at Singapore Botanic Gardens during the times I visited in 1980s with my childhood friends. But now, there are few left and has been changing over the years. It was a long wooden bench at the shelter near the old 'Bandstand' on the left where I sat with my 'cute' auntie taken in early 1970s and love this bench as it brings back 'sweet' memory of my auntie whenever I stroll along Singapore Botanic Gardens when I am free.There are many historical places; 12 National Orchid Garden landmarks,  17 Historical landmarks and 8 Singapore Botanic Gardens Landmarks.

I am wondering if a century year old of Singapore Botanic garden would be our country the first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Well, time will tell.