First day I noticed all the big old trees that remind me of home.They seem to have an interest in the public’s mental health.And physical heath with exercise equipment in the public parks.With motivational placards around the track. Greenery on the wall at the subway station by the arboretum Swan with swan sculpture
Rosti! Most delicious thin grated potato grilled with cheese mushrooms and crème fresh.
Mall with sidewalk artColonial architecture in the Chinatown marketMurals of what might have gone on a hundred years ago. Entrance to “Dorothy’s” our first gay bar in months!I can’t tell you how good it is to be acceptable and not illegal somewhere. It’s been a long time since I felt a need to closet myself, it’s hard to do now. Makes me realize it is always hard for people to be unacceptable the way they are. Singapore is quite different than Malaysia. There is definitely a religious sense here more than in Seattle. We were told that there is a whole chapter about bees in the Quran. Lau Pa Sat Hawker Center (food stalls) – used to be an open air fish market by the river but when people were relocated to housing from their boats they started these inexpensive food courts and moved the neat building downtown. It’s neat to see the low old building between the big ones. So many interesting buildingsThe his one was close to Habyt Cantonment where we stayed. Save the name, it was the only inexpensive hotel we could find. Singapore National Museum- Cannons can be this decorative?!The his map was fascinating. I didn’t realize how early the Japanese started the aggressions that became part of WWIIAs they started invading China, I think it was areas the immigrants to Singapore and Malaysia were from. So of course people here were sending aid back to China to fight for their families and villages. And in 1941-2 as they rapidly took the British colonies that were not well fortified, the Chinese in Malaysia paid dearly. As the Japanese took some revenge treating Chinese worse than others here for that reason. After independence from the British and then the Malaysian Alliance in 1963, Singapore took and ran with its opportunity to develop. There was HUGE flood of immigrants again as the industry improved and housing was highly overcrowded and often minimal. The drastic changes seem probably quite harsh but it seems to have really turned out very well for grandchildren of those most impacted. City beautification and greening was partly achieved with harsh penalties for littering etc. but I must say it is a thriving huge city that is green and modern and so clean it is a little creepy.They seem to have done well with the public education campaigns More art A walk in the park. The Wave… I didn’t get a great picture, but it is a very cool skybridge. From WikipediaA chunk of the planned hike was closed for maintenance, but the normal trails were also nice. Then I needed a bathroom by the tram station. A full wall window? A fountain? That is the fanciest bathroom ever. And then the most impressive area comes by busThe Marina Bay Sands. Of course I will never stay there, but the Gardens By the Bay is mostly free to the public. “Super Tree” in the background Kingfisher. The first time we went, we basically just stayed for sunset and were tired. But the taste certainly made us want to come back. Walkway between subway exits, piano just lives there in case someone wants to play. Full moon. Must be nearly mid way through RamadanOk, some people don’t like zoos, but this one had a good reputation for having open plan and lots of space, so we went.
ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THE SYMBOL FOR SUSTAINABILITY GROWN PALM OIL. IT IS IN EVERYTHING FROM SOAP TO FOOD. WWF SAYS NOT TO BOYCOTT PALM AS IT IS A VERY GOOD OIL THAT GROWS PRETTY EFFICIENTLY. JUST MAKE SURE THE PLANTATIONS ARE DOING IT RIGHT!
Bird show – done with educational emphasis on protecting nature. he music as the birds released made me cry. The orangutans have ropes and trees as well as a platform. They are kept contained by trimming the trees at the edges. Here a keeper is spraying water for them to cool off. You can walk right underneath them. Swinging upChimps have a similar enclosure and so much personality at feeding time.The lady standing kept trying to draw attention and more fruit for herself. She got her fair share. We sat with this guy a long time. He was so beautiful Skink- which end is forward?Zarah made a friendSwimming lizard?!Mouse deer! They are about 8-10 in highThen these guys came along to eat and pull the branch across the path I think there were five ring tailed lemurs that were hanging outAnd eventually moved onSame big conservatory/ enclosure not sure his name but so so fluffy!Still same areaStill same. Bushy crested hornbill?Flying foxes – Zarah photo credit. it was the best zoo I’ve seen. Evening being fancy at the Raffles Hotel barThe lines of fans on the ceiling move back and forth I wonder if someone used to have to pull a cord manually…Everyone is encouraged to throw the peanut shells on the floor. Pretty lady on the balcony of the interior courtyard.
Jessica Wandering 
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