Travels with Skis

Note from a small island

Arrived in Singapore the day before yesterday. After all the 'death to drug traffickers' blurb on the plane, I was somewhat surprised to find that customs consisted of just one dude who looked to be half asleep.

Ziggy met me at the airport - we jumped into a cab and headed to The Bayshore (the tower block complex where Ziggy lives [N 01°18.777  E103°56.397]). I have never been to fond of the idea of living in a block (maybe university halls have something to do with that!), but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The apartment is not the characterless space that I had assumed, but actually very charming. And the facilities..... a pool that seems to go on for miles, tennis courts, putting green, golf driving nets, gym...... There is probably a bowling alley somewhere, but I haven't found it yet. Everywhere is of course impeccably clean. The view from Ziggy's apartment looks like this:



After scouring my guide book for something interesting to do on my first day in Singapore I plummed for the botanical gardens. I spent a day in Kew Gardens a couple of weeks ago for Simon P's birthday - the botanical gardens here are the complete inverse of Kew. Everything that it inside at Kew is outside here, and everything (well, not *everything*) that is outside at Kew is inside here - yup, they have a COLD house here! There is also a pretty impressive Orchid garden which boasts this little beauty among its numbers.... ladies and gents I give you "The Golden Shower" ;-):



A Terrapin!:


Gasp - not graffiti in Singapore:


Ziggy:


Ziggy in a street:

click here for the Japanese version.

posted by snow_gibbon @ 9:29 pm