Don't jump down onto the electrified track— I know you want to..

And don't even think about parking your bicycle on this sidewalk!

In fact, don't.... um.... do that thing you were about to do.
Singapore

 


There's a strong Victorian feel to this former British colony, and you can often hear just as much English as Chinese shouted. The Singapore shoreline. The merlion looks quite small next to it. The rest of Asia seems to go for neon, and Singapore just goes for gigantic buildings. What everyone comes to see in Singapore, the giant merlion fountain. What, it doesn't spin around or anything? I'm suddenly reminded that I haven't watched <i>The Matrix</i> in a long time. On Orchard Road a giant procession of Chinese New Year floats began to go by. It's not <i>carnaval</i>, but it was interesting to see. The Esplanade theatre area, built to resemble a durian, a spiky, stinky fruit. First attempts to build a banana-shaped theatre were catastrophically unsuccessful. Night time in Singapore. The tourist bus stopped running because of New Year's. Thanks for telling us. At least they can't turn off the moon at ten o'clock. Papayas in a street market. One part of my brain thinks they're oranges. The stall needs a yellow tarp! The YY Kafei restaurant near our hotel, The Beach. The hotel was nowhere near the beach. But the restaurant was a good one. Siloso Beach. For all the adulation over Singapore their beaches are underrated. There was heavy industry on the other coast, but it was still cleaner than the tourist litter in Bali. Huts near Siloso Beach. I think it would be fun to stay in one of those huts. Not so fun without air conditioning. Detail of Sri Krishnan temple in Little India. Why <i>little</i>? It was a large temple. Perhaps because there was <i>little</i> space to walk on around noon time. The action below our window, Liang Siah. It actually died down fairly early. Singapore is not Bali. Dunlop Street, Little India. Dingy streets but bright, bright colors. The opposite of Korea! Tall, tall, short. Singapore's a tiny country, and there's really nowhere left to build but <i>up</i>. Downtown mall escalator. Swoopy. Perhaps the architect was watching <i>A Space Odyssey</i> beforehand. Sentosa Park. Sentosa Island is pretty small—the lion probably takes up half the island's mass! Palawan Beach, Sentosa Island. Singapore's beaches aren't highly rated, but I thought they were fine. No laws against bikinis... yet. Singapore at night. They say air conditioning made Singapore possible, but I'd say second is the elevator. Morning shutters from our hotel window. Much of the downtown core has the Lego-like look, perhaps for maximum space efficiency. Ferris wheel near harbor. Apparently that was the location of the carnival, but it seemed to always be taking place where we <i>weren't</i> every night. Marina Bay Sands. A giant and very expensive hotel built offshore of the peninsula. I'm doubting it was a 'Super 8.' Mall neon at night. Areas such as Little India are picturesque, but it's a jump into the future on Orchard Road. It might be brighter by night than by day. St. Andrew's Interior. It's Singapore; you need to schedule services around shopping hours! This is the <i>old</> courthouse, as all the signs emphasize. Perhaps the new one is covered with neon and video screens. We took a tourist bus that rings around Singapore. There's actually forest in the country, here in the northeast around the botanical gardens. The Quay District and a Bumboat. Not sure why it's called a bum-boat, although perhaps yours is sore after sitting on those wooden seats. Geylang, in the southeast. On our first stay our hotel was there, billed as 'near night markets.' It was a market, all right—Singapore's red-light district... Lantern reflection, behind the Fullerton. If you have to wait half an hour for a taxi (again and again), you might as well look for photogenic scenes. The front of Raffles Hotel, built in 1899. Drinking a Singapore Sling there, a garish concoction of syrup, gin, and cherries, is supposed to be a <i>must do.</i> I'll have a beer, please. Such an efficient city, where signs tell you the vacancy rates in the hotels. Mind you, not any hotel <i>I'm</i> ever going to stay in. At night even stoplights are photogenic.

Singapore Zoo & Jurong Bird Park
Typical for Singapore, the zoos are expensive—untypically, they're hard to get to. But the zoo is enormous and takes a good day to see everything. Where else do you see Komodo dragons and kangaroos? The bird park is slightly more low-key, and you're going to see birds and lots of them, but it's also first rate. The parks are worth the 2-in-1 pass.
Giraffes, Zoo. Have I already used the joke about 'whiplash must be a bummer'? Lion, Zoo. Again, they play up the 'fierce lion' angle, but this one was pretty mellow. Elephant show, Zoo. There's a cheesy elephant show, but it was more interesting watching them play in the rain later. Kangaroo, Zoo. They just munched leaves. No bouncing, no Sylvester the cat, no giant mouse. What a letdown. Sumatran Komodo Dragon, Zoo. Not the most huggable animal, but it was also mellow. Toucan, Jurong Park. They were actually aggressive and hostile birds. I'll never eat that stupid cereal again! Penguins in water, Zoo. Many types of penguins, although perhaps these guys just took off their tuxedos for swimming. Pelican trio, Jurong Park. They always look like proud birds. "Yes, you can put a whole fish in your mouth, but I have a smartphone." Birds in the open, Jurong Park. When they get older they sit on a bench all day. I wonder if they complain about the government. 'Critter House,' Zoo. I'm not sure what type of cat-like animal this was, and it didn't stay around for introductions. Butterfly on Ken, Zoo. My theory is that other insects resent butterflies: "Because they're <i>cute</i> they don't get swatted!" Nyala & Gnu, Zoo. Perhaps who ever named them was just sticking out his tongue and was misunderstood, but here they are. Pink Flamingos, Jurong Park. Like the ones in San Diego, they just don't seem like rugged individualists to me. Gibbon, Zoo. He slid along the power pole and jumped around. I get anxious when I can't find a USB port, too. Night owl, Jurong Park. This was a dim room full of animals who prefer the dark. As liberal as the park is about photographs, I wish they would flog people who use their flash in there. Sun Bear, Zoo. This bear seemed to be hugging the tree. Perhaps it was looking for something to eat, or perhaps it had had a long drink of fermented honey! Tortoise, Zoo. "I forgot my sunglasses. Excuse me for a week while I go under the rock to find them." Zebra & vines, Zoo. They looked like solitary animals. I suppose they get tired of being called last on the guest list every time. Ariel & lemur, Zoo. The lemur didn't seem to mind having his tail tickled. I don't advise trying this in the tiger cage... Bird blur, Jurong Park. Birds don't stay still for long, thus a lot of my pictures of them look like Santana album covers. Manatee, Zoo. They look imposing but they're lithe, graceful animals. When no one can eat you in one bite you can be as graceful as you like. Jurong Park waterfall. I felt very primitive, staring at a water display all day. It's very unlike modern man, who would stare at a <i>digital</i> display all day. Sumatran Orangutan, Zoo. Some of the zoo animals seemed like they were posing, but the <i>don't-taze-me-bro</i> primates seemed more aloof. Ponderous duck. I just like writing that: ponderous duck. It sounds like an expensive brew pub beer! Aerial walkway, Jurong Park. It's not for anyone with a height phobia, but I thought it was fun crossing an elevated bridge through the canopy. Resting Cheetah, Zoo. Perhaps he had a stomach ache from too many cheez snacks. He seemed very mellow for a cheetah.


This'll be the player
Merlion at Waterfront (February 2006) 0:06
Carnival Band on Orchard Street (February 2011) 0:27
Siloso Beach, Sentosa Island (February 2011) 0:15
Sentosa Waterfront Park (February 2011) 0:24
Ariel & Lemur at Singapore Zoo (February 2011) 0:05
Birds at Jurong Park (February 2011) 0:10