Singapore; Wednesday, Oct 25.
Feeling so much better after an horizontal nights sleep, we took the Hop on, Hop off bus and got a tour of the north central area. Little India was all decorated up. We then switched buses and headed out to the Botanical Gardens which are on the highest point in the city, still not very high but slightly cooler, temperatures in the low 30°,s. We spent a very pleasant couple of hours walking through the park and communing with the hundreds of Orchids in the Orchid Gardens. Singapore claims to be the Orchid capital of the world. Many hybrids are developed here. There is a special garden called the VIP garden which displays new orchids named after many famous visitors to Singapore, including Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher. The intensity of the display is sometimes almost overwhelming and the layout of the gardens is really carefully thought out to maximize the effect.
As out bus left the gardens it started to rain heavily, that put paid to our plan to go for a ride on a bum boat, as the local boats are called in the harbour. Instead we went back to the hotel for a nap. Later we took a bus trip to the Night Safari. This is a Zoo of nocturnal animals. It includes elephants, Lions, Tigers, the worlds largest rodents, several varieties of deer and many others. The illumination is faint approximating moonlight under a full moon. You go on a forty minute tram ride, actually it is more like the people mover at Niagra Falls than a tram, around through the rainforest to see all the animals in their night time activities. The fact that it was raining in the rain forest - did I really say that - put a bit of a damper on things, but it was still a unique experience. The evening at the zoo ended with a performance by a group from Borneo who apparently have given up head hunting for flame throwing. We ended the evening at the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel for a couple of Singapore Slings (a concoction of Gin, Cointreau, & Cherry Brandy shaken with Lime & Pineappe juices, with a dash of Angostura Bitters & Grenadine. A great way to end the night. We got a taxi back to our hotel. Sorry no pictures. Had trouble getting them to load. Will try again tomoorow or Sat.
As out bus left the gardens it started to rain heavily, that put paid to our plan to go for a ride on a bum boat, as the local boats are called in the harbour. Instead we went back to the hotel for a nap. Later we took a bus trip to the Night Safari. This is a Zoo of nocturnal animals. It includes elephants, Lions, Tigers, the worlds largest rodents, several varieties of deer and many others. The illumination is faint approximating moonlight under a full moon. You go on a forty minute tram ride, actually it is more like the people mover at Niagra Falls than a tram, around through the rainforest to see all the animals in their night time activities. The fact that it was raining in the rain forest - did I really say that - put a bit of a damper on things, but it was still a unique experience. The evening at the zoo ended with a performance by a group from Borneo who apparently have given up head hunting for flame throwing. We ended the evening at the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel for a couple of Singapore Slings (a concoction of Gin, Cointreau, & Cherry Brandy shaken with Lime & Pineappe juices, with a dash of Angostura Bitters & Grenadine. A great way to end the night. We got a taxi back to our hotel. Sorry no pictures. Had trouble getting them to load. Will try again tomoorow or Sat.
posted by Seán at 10/26/2006 10:37:00 AM
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