A Visit To The Zoo

Wow. That was quite a period off from blogging. Now I'm back again to sharing pictures and trips lately. Starting this month - a visit (back) to the zoo, Singapore Zoo, with a couple of friends (one of which came from the US).

* * * *

We enter the Singapore Zoo

You will see these stuffed snake toys being sold in the souvenir shop inside

You'll find this intricate animal wall pattern atop the souvenir shop

Colorful Macaw birds for photography

A siamang. A type of monkey. He (or she) is looking at a trainer nearby.

Cute otters waiting for food from spectators

Now these are fake otters on display nearby

An unusual tapir animal, with its long snout for a nose

Singapore zoo has also lots of different flora species like this one

White tigers (tiger, tiger burning bright)

The map we have says its a babirusa (a pig or boar type of animal). It could also be a warthog.

Lots of kangaroos in the Australian Outback area of the zoo

And this one doesn't mind to pose for the edition of FHM or Maxim Singapore Zoo

Ok, this is not the way to ride an elephant

A wondrous finale show from the playful elephants

I was taking some pictures of penguins when I noticed this bird perched silently on a glass wall

Lots of penguins, looking like robots in their synchronized movements

A very old turtle (how old is this one?)

How about some fear factor style hissing cockroaches?

Somehow I'm nervous while taking a closeup picture of this lemur even though it seem so (somewhat) cute and gentle

African lions (thanks to my camera's excellent zooming)

Zebras eating their afternoon meal

A crash of rhinoceros quietly moving around their den

I thought this was a fox sleeping, but our map said this is a maned wolf

* * * *

If you ever go around this zoo, I suggest you bring along some big bottle of water (though drinks here are sold but are too expensive) as walking around could be very tiresome. Add to that the humid weather of Singapore that makes walking one sweating activity. Good thing there are air-conditioned shelters strategically placed around the zoo for visitors who needs some rest.

The zoo is located at 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore.

Have fun in this zoo. I had a blast here along with my friends.

Figures And Statues

Astro wants to greet me with a friendly fist signifying strength or force be with me. Or I think he's giving me his version of a dirty finger. You be the judge. Either way, he seems happy to have his photo taken. I found him in an Astroboy franchise shop in Bugis Junction.

Really, I wanted to give this mouse a hi-five, but the sign says it all. Found him also standing in one of the entrance of Bugis Junction.

I suddenly remember my Thai trip during the late 90's upon seeing this statue in one al-fresco restaurants along Boat Quay. Women would say Sawadee ka, men say Sawadee krup. These are their polite greetings to anyone they meet. I'll say to this statue, Oy, kamusta na po?

This statue is really surprised that I caught him in the act of doing something I couldn't really tell. This one I took in one of the Chinese temples of shrines inside Tanjong Pagar.

Look closely and the statue's head has been vandalized by some naughty people. I could accept the santan flower, but not the dried-up pink bubblegum stuck up near his ear. I know vandalism here in Singapore is punished by caning. Ouch.

New And Other Thoughts

I knew it's so late. But better late than never.

Things have gone overboard last month - flat moving out (and enough of annoying flatmates) :-P, long work periods (I've had it with production work) >:-(, and other stressful situations I could not list all. Let's just say I have some time at hand to take a breather and relax for a while. With last month, I've neglected my blogging activities (heck, in the first place, I don't have any responsibility even to my readers, so I should give myself some slack on this).

Enough talk. Let's move on to the pictures I had captures especially during the Chinese New Year festivities here in Singapore. By the way, the major change in the pictures is the increase in both height and width. So bear with the site as it loads the pictures.

So many of these orange fruits were on display in almost every household. A local co-worker told me these are called Kan. I told him back in the Philippines we call these Ponkan. He's not sure about the name though.

I captured this hanging on a column of a restaurant in Bugis Juction (near Bugis MRT station).

These brightly red colored Chinese lanterns hang at the entrance of Fullerton Hotel near Boat Quay. I believe they're still there, even if Chinese New Year celebration had officially ended last month.

A colorful night dragon dance. The paper dragon went crazily around.

Look at how deftly these guys twirl and swirl the paper dragon.

Chinese architecture at its best. Looks real, even though it was created from temporary building materials.

More to go.

The Bus Ride

I considered my last Saturday bus ride to work (uh, yes, I had to work during weekends to finish some tasks) truly extraordinary, since I know most of my Singapore bus rides are too quiet and mundane. Why out of the ordinary? Here's what happened:

Rewind back to early Saturday afternoon. I remember our bus stopped at Bedok station and some school children entered. Along with them was a scruffy looking old woman who suddenly sat on top of those counters which I would call the "baggage counter" (I call it this way because I see most locals place their things - bags, packs or shopping bags - on top of this counter) and nonchalantly crossed her leg and placed her feet on top of those seats facing backwards. Most of the people boarding caught sight of her position. Even those who were concentrating on sending / reading SMS (ok text) messages on their cell phones suddenly glanced at her astonishingly.

The bus moved on to the next two bus stations. The school children in front of me (I was sitting at the third row from the driver) were noisily chatting and laughing when suddenly the old lady became noisy and started shouting towards the kids (she was speaking in Mandarin, I think, the local language of most Singaporeans here which I would never understand at all). The last thing I knew was she threw her dirty slipper towards one of the girls. Everyone was surprised by her act. She started to talk madly in all I can say babble talk (Babel, yeah, that movie still haunts me emotionally). A minute later, her burst of anger was vented towards a school boy one seat in front of me. I think I misheard the boy saying something to the old lady only to be embarrassingly replied with a slipper aimed towards his head. I tried to look away and be unmindful of the commotion, but I can't. At the corner of my left eye, I could see the slipper hurtling towards the boy. I stirred from my seat out of reflex, thinking that slipper would be hitting me instead. My emotions heightened at the moment (I'm a dragon - the fire dragon person) thinking I could smack this person but I just stayed at my seat like a stiff statue, still mindful of the next dangerous action from this crazy person. The school children decided to move and occupy the back seats. The old lady just stared madly at them. With crossed arms, she stayed sitting in her position.

The bus stopped at the next station. Three young ladies boarded and unluckily took the front seats where the school children had previously occupied. The ladies were happily chatting with each other when suddenly (yup, again) the old lady shouted at them and seemed to reprimanded one of the ladies (for being too loud or whatever). This time she stepped down from the counter, took hold of slipper and without warning smacked hard one of ladies' leg. Next thing I knew was she spitted at the young lady (I think at the lady's leg again) to everyone's horror. What astonished me was that everyone seemed to be frozen in their seat and seemed helpless in stopping the old lady's actions. Even the bus driver could not do anything but stopped the bus for a moment and simply chided the crazy woman. The three ladies were already (I think) begging the driver to do something but amazingly nothing was done to permanently stop the ongoing commotion.

The shouting match went on between the old lady and the three women. I really could not understand Mandarin so I could not deduce what both parties were telling each other. What everyone got squirming in their seats was when the old lady slid off both of her slippers and began licking the soles. She looked at the ladies while licking her slippers, as if mocking them in a twisted way. Worse was when she began to slap her face with her slippers, sobbing and feeling for something (I would think) she had done bad in the past, and pulling up her dress to reveal her breasts.

She quickly left the bus at the Changi Hospital station, crying in her departure. She sat down beneath the waiting shed's benches. The local nurse who had just boarded the bus looked surprised and confused when she heard of the tales coming from the three ladies and their encounter with the old lady. Everyone began talking of the ordeal.

Extraordinaringly, hellavaride, nakakapanibagong bus ride ito.

More Christmas Pictures

More pictures I've taken of Christmas celebration here in Singapore.

Yesterday afternoon, on the eve of Christmas, I got to be invited by a church friend over to their flat and join in a simple Noche Buena gathering with other friends.

It was awfully quite outside as dusk creep in slowly. Actually, it was raining when we got to the flat. I think we were the only group (all Filipinos) who were loudly celebrating that Christmas eve with lively music, movies, soul food, and some treats for the children of couples who came in the gathering.

As some Filipinos would say: Grabe, ang saya-saya talaga dito ng Pasko sa Singapore, no?

Ehem.

After the event, me and my couple of friends hurriedly went home. I thought I would be able to arrive back to my flat before midnight, but I wasn't able to. Christmas Day came by 12, and I was still inside the bus. I just silently greeted Jesus a happy birthday.

A shot of poinsettias, taken from a church altar

Most of the pictures were taken this afternoon down in Orchard Road where the area was closed to traffic and thousands of people flocked around the vicinity to see the events and free concerts.

Lamps along Ngee Ann City Mall decorated with yellow and red gem like lights

One of the colorful parade floats featured in the event

Just too many people criss-crossing Orchard road

A dragonfly paper figure on a float

This one has a paper butterfly and some flowers and lights used as decors on another float

A terracotta figure playing a harp

I always liked this Paragon Mall Christmas tree decked with hundreds of stars

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

Now I go back to work tomorrow.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Well, technically, tomorrow is December 25 (Asia-Pacific timeline) so tomorrow is Christmas day. But let me greet in advance everyone, especially my family back home, my good and true friends, blogger friends, and my old and new officemates a warm Merry Christmas (Maligayang Pasko).

Below are some of the pictures I've taken around Singapore, particularly at Orchard Road where a thousand lights and Christmas decors are out on display to celebrate a colorful Christmas.

An picture at Orchard Road with Christmas decors

Tangs Mall beautiful gem decors during daytime...

...and at night

Small Christmas trees

The star studded Paragon Mall Christmas tree

Same Paragon Christmas tree during the night

This is so cold

Tangs Mall colorful Christmas decor that dangles from the ceiling

Remember the tree like blue glass structure of a mall featured in my March blog? Well here is the same one, inside, with Christmas lights

Hitachi. Inspiring the next... the young and old with its colorful tree

Really, last night was so crowded

Giant Takashimaya mall Christmas tree

Up close and personal picture with the Christmas balls

This is the carton Christmas tree

A Christmas kiosk

Terracotta figures and the aunties. The aunties are real; mind you

"I am not part of the painting!"

I remember I featured some silver students before last September blog post. Not meet the silver man...

This is one of the stilt mans along Orchard road giving away flyers and paper ads

The tall stilt man posing

Underneath the Christmas lights...