Our Apartment Complex

I posted pictures of our apartment (highlighting my mediocre decorating skills, sadly) a while ago. One of my favorite things about where we live, though, is the surrounding complex.

It's a huge complex (taxi drivers generally know it by name, because so many people live here) of five 24-story apartment blocks. Each story has I think 6 large apartments, so assuming your math skills are better than mine (likely), you can see the complex is basically a small village.

It has its own transport (a free hourly shuttle, which runs from here, to the nearest mall, to the nearest MRT (subway) station); its own store (a very cramped minimart, ironically run by Indians, just like it would be in the US!: they sell basically everything, including diapers, imported wine, and cheesy romance novels in Tagalog--for the maids who live here); and a whole army of employees: gardeners, trash processing people, security guards, pool cleaners, hall cleaners, managerial office staff, and so on.

Let's take a tour! Little R will lead the way...

 This is the pedestrian entry, for which you need a key. I never have mine, so I always go by the car entrance instead.

This is the central patio area. To the left (though you can't see it) is the minimart; down further is the clubhouse (where you can sit in air conditioning and read the complex-supplied newspaper), gym, karaoke room, and sauna (I don't know what's up with this either, considering the outdoors at 90 degrees with 100% humidity is basically already a sauna). Up a flight of stairs are tennis courts and a large outdoor BBQ pit area. (The basketball courts and putting green are at the back of the complex.)

One of the reasons we live here is the pool. There are actually multiple pools (5 I think?), including a children's wading pool. We often go swimming here in the afternoons (midday is just too hot); it's a lovely place to hang out at night as well, as it's cooler and they light it up attractively, at least if you don't have a baby who has to sleep.

There's also a play area, which includes this structure and several small bouncy cars. R loves hanging out here (she is very fond of the slide). It's a little strange for me though, as pretty much every other child who's not Japanese (the Japanese are great believers in parent-only child-raising) is accompanied by their (usually Filipino) maid. I've only seen other parents a few times.

As you might have seen in the first picture, the complex also has a rooftop garden (on the fourth floor, interconnecting all towers). It's a nice place to wander around in as well.

It's pleasantly landscaped and includes tiny (2x2) gardening plots. The waiting list is like 5 years long though, so we don't garden here. There's also a traditional Chinese tea bench (this is a huge untrimmed slab of wood with matching chairs), for picnicking I guess?

There are a couple of small play structures up here as well. Sometimes R and I come here just for a change. They aren't as big, but she is able to climb the entire slide the wrong way, so still enjoys herself.