Don't our smiles all reveal that we're thinking: "I really hope these apes don't leap on me and rip me to pieces"
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Sunday, as was typical of our trip we woke late (having gotten back to the guesthouse late as well--also typical of our trip). By the time we finally got on the road to the zoo it was afternoon.
We arrived at the Singapore Zoo a little before two, but we still managed to see much of the park and a lot of fascinating and beautiful animals. The kids got to ride an elephant and we had our picture taken with the orangutans. Some slides below:
Here's the sign I mentioned in the slide show caption with the zoo somewhat defensively assuring us that the camel's skinniness is NOT their fault.
The Singapore Symphony Orchestra performs on an open field near the Woodlands MRT station and Woodlands mall.
At about 5:45 P.M. we left the zoo and took a cab to the Woodlands MRT (metro rapid transit or train) station where the Singapore Symphony Orchestra was performing in a grassy field near the station. We met up with Terry and Liane there. The concert was entitled "Russian Spectacular" and for the sake of our students pop/hip-hop/and rock-addled minds, was mercifully short. Some highlights included a couple of gorgeous violin solos by a teenaged violinist about the same age as our students, and Tchiachovsky's 1812 Overture as the finale.
Here's the teenage violin prodigy, Selina Tang, playing with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra
After the concert we ate and socialized with the Farrises while the kids shopped at the Woodlands Mall before taking the MRT home.
5 comments:
I'll save my other comments for Interference, but since you mentioned it here and not there, let me just say it made me smile to see your photos of the zoo, which I vividly remember being a highlight of my one brief trip to Singapore. I've always loved zoos (which I'm ambivalent about, for the usual nature-lover reasons), and that one has long been considered among the world's finest for its spacious, naturalistic habitats and its success with breeding certain endangered animals (like polar bears) which most zoos can't even manage to keep healthy. For me the biggest thrill was seeing their pack of African Wild Dogs, aka Cape Hunting Dogs (another animal most zoos have had little success with) in action--I happened to be strolling past that exhibit right at feeding time, so I was treated to a front-row seat for a spectacle I still vividly remembered watching on Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, my favorite show as a kid. The zookeepers hurled slabs of raw meat down at them, and the dogs promptly commenced the bloodcurling 'screaming' and shockingly vicious-looking infighting over their 'prey' that famously causes even the largest, most unflappable savanna animals--ones who don't bat an eye at the approach of lions--to stampede into piranha-infested waters rather than brave the dogs. I snapped eagerly away with my camera, telling myself that Falstaff (my pug) would surely swoon with admiration to see these undisputed Macho Men of the canine world in action. (Or more likely, piss himself and run for cover. But it's a nice idea anyhow.)
OK, so that was totally geeky and obviously there's way more to Singapore for tourists than the Zoo, but anyhow I enjoyed the reminder. :-)
I feel the same as you about zoos. I guess I think of them as a necessary evil. . .and I'm glad it gives us the chance to see animals we might not otherwise see.
The interesting thing is that they will be closing the polar bear exhibit. The zoo is going to be focusing on Southeast Asian animals, which I guess is appropriate. They have two polar bears; a mother and son. The mother is old for a polar bear--29 years-too old to move, so they are going to let the mother and son be together until she passes away and then move the son to a new zoo.
I saw the African dogs too though unfortunately I missed the feeding time.
I loved Wild Kingdom as a kid too!
Hey! Nice slide show productions! I love the Narita one and especially like the monk going to their ceremony shot. The swimming polar bear picture is amazing! God made animals so cool! Elephant riding...wow! Nice journal of your trip to Singapore.
~Ken and Crystal =)
I'd give $ or a banana to see an Ape hug you from behind=) I can't wait to visit Singapore
HaHa,Bev, very funny :)
Actually they told us that an adult orangutan is stronger than three or four grown men and we strictly order NOT to try to touch the orangutans during the photo. So we definitely felt a little nevervous.
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