While in Singapore, I took the
opportunity to explore the city and see some of the sights. Among these
was a trip to the Singapore zoo, which was a pretty unusual experience.
Normally, I wouldn't have travelled thousands of miles just to see a zoo,
but in this case, I made an exception, because it allowed me the
opportunity to get up close and personal with more wild animals than you
usually encounter in the US. You see, there are a lot fewer safety rules
in effect in foreign countries, with a lot more legal waivers in effect,
so there aren't as many barriers between you and the animals. I pet an
iguana, a ring-tailed lemur, the orangutan baby you see here, a baby
spider monkey, and a wallaby, to name a few.
The Singapore port authority is very serious about security on the
docks, since the warehouses and office buildings near any wharf or pier
are often the places where crime is the most rampant in any city (just
play Sim City; you'll see) Probably the safest port we pulled into (well,
safe for the boat, anyway... there were still a zillion ways to die in
Singapore, and you didn't even have to look very far.
The famous Singapore Sling itself. Thinking back on that time, I
realize I should have kept the glass or something, because it was way too
expensive to just drink down and walk away with only the little tag-board
coaster as a memento.
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Another resident of the Singapore zoo. This guy didn't look like he
was too keen on being petted, so I contented myself with a photo from
about four feet away. I wasn't as brave with the kimodo dragons, however
-- they were only separated from me by a three-foot moat and a small fence
about a foot and a half tall, neither of which would have stopped them if
they were determined to snack on me. At least the lions, tigers and bears
were kept behind plexiglass enclosures -- I can't say for certain how
tasty I'd be, but I'm not willing to offer myself as a taste-test to find
out.
Here is a picture of a portion of the famous Long Bar at the
Raffles Hotel in the central area of the city. Here at this exclusive
hotel was where the original Singapore Sling was created, and I was in the
neighborhood so I stopped by to have one. It was kind of like Jell-O
without the pectin... and for $18.29 Singapore (call it about $10.75 US),
I probably could have found some other entertainment more tangibly worth
the money... but then again, experience is priceless.
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The famous Singapore Sling itself. Thinking back on that time, I
realize I should have kept the glass or something, because it was way too
expensive to just drink down and walk away with only the little tag-board
coaster as a memento.