A couple of Singapore's Sights

Cotton-top Tamarin

The Singapore Zoo is, by far, the most impressive one we’ve ever visited in our lives.  The first thing we noticed was how accessible the animals were.  Upon entering the gates to the zoo we were greeted by cotton-top tamarins playing in a tree - we would have been able to touch them if they weren‘t so fast!  Later on that day, a lemur curiously licked my arm while I was busy watching the flying squirrels and fruit bats.

 Another distinctive feature of this zoo is the climate - there is no need for enclosures to protect from the bitter winter weather.  Only the most dangerous of animals are behind glass - shockingly the lions are out in the open, though there is an electrified wire, neatly camouflaged by foliage.  There are several shows, such as the Splash Safari or the Rainforest Show, and dozens of feeding sessions scheduled throughout the day.  Under supervision, you can buy food and feed it to eight different types of animals, including white rhino, baboons, giraffes and even manatees.  For a fee, you can have an elephant ride or have your photo taken with a California sea lion kissing your cheek.  High in the trees is a series of ropes and platforms for orang utans to swing, lounge and climb in the world’s first free-ranging orang utan habitat.  They’re given a surprising large section of the zoo to call their home, far above people's heads as they walk along the pathways.

Free ranging orang utan

Hamadryas Baboons share a home with Nubian ibexes, black backed jackals, saddle billed storks and banded mongooses.  Over in the Australian Outback, kangaroos mingle with emus.  Sure, it’s a zoo - all these animals are neatly packaged up for tourist consumption - and so it’s not quite as amazing as seeing these animals out in raw nature.  But the authentic landscapes, lush greenery and tropical flowers make this one of the most impressive man-made venues we’ve ever been to.  

However… the day before, we went to the Jurong Bird Park.  Thinking this would be similar to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary (but tropical!), we left in the late afternoon, assuming that 1 ½ hours would be more than enough.  Boy, were we wrong - this place was huge!  Just like the Singapore Zoo, it was exquisitely landscaped and interactive.  Perhaps to a lesser degree than the zoo, as birds tend to be a little more shy and flighty than many animals.  There was a Lorry loft (world’s largest walk-in lorry flight aviary, with over 1000 free flying lorries), an African Waterfall Aviary and a Pelican Cove, among other sights.  The Zoo and the Bird Park turned out to be world class.

Jurong Bird Park

Sadly, after two days of almost solid walking, we were too tired to head back out for the Night Safari. We consoled ourselves with the idea that we’d be back in Singapore, given that the city is such a major hub in Asia.  This way, we’re leaving something to look forward to for next time!   Speaking of the airport, while waiting for our flight to Bali, it occurred to me that you could easily live there, even more happily than Tom Hanks did in that movie “The Terminal”.  This is a posh airport - I’ve been to a few large hubs now (Toronto, Chicago, Hong Kong) but this one stands apart from the others.  Just dream it up, and you can find it there.  Want a massage?  Buy high-end merchandise?  Meditate?  Stroll in gardens?  Note to self:  Singapore’s “Changi Airport” is the ideal place to spend an annoying layover.