7-11 Everything You Ever Need

In Singapore, 7-11s are the one stop for almost all conceivable needs. Things you can purchase at a 7-11 here: Phone Cards, Cell Phone SIM Cards, Hard Liquor, Soft Liquor, food, add cash to your 'cash card' (used for parking around Singapore), basically all your essential needs (communication, liquor, and occasional food).

I imagine I have only begun to explore all that 7-11s have to offer, although it really is to my dismay to find the familiar convenience store on EVERY corner! This weekend I will dive into China town and Little India to escape the franchises!

Orchard Road

Orchard Road is very close to my hotel and is one of the top shopping emporiums in Asia (aka major tourist trap). The Christmas decorations are amazing, they go over the top with dazzling lights and displays on every corner.



You just can't escape Starbucks!


Okay, look closely and see see if you catch the incredible irony in the following two pictures. Leave me a response if you catch it....wow.



Simply gorgeous, block upon block looks this way.


Okay, way too many caucasians in the store fronts!


I would have gone shopping at Paragon, but all I could afford was this picture.


Oh, and a quick food update. Tonight I enjoyed sea cucumber and abalone, very tasty once I got over the texture! Last night was eel and sushi, yummy!

Ken

Bukit Timah Natural Preserve

I spent the morning hiking about in Bukit Timah Natural Preserve. It is an original, untouched piece of rainforest that thankfully was set aside years ago. It is home to thousands of species of flora and fauna, and they are still discovering new species. I found it strange that the locals coming down the trail were all carrying small towels around their necks, but after 30 minutes in the sweltering 90 degree humidity under the canopy, I clearly understood! I could barely see sometimes due to the copious amounts of sweat poring off my brow. Needless to say, it was well worth the adventure. Given the poor lighting it wasn't a perfect environment for pictures, but thankfully a few shots turned out nicely, they are below. Click on the images for a larger pic.

Singapore Zoo

A truly amazing zoo, famed fair and wide for its efforts to make the viewer feel completely in the natural habitat of the animals. Bars or other deterrants are hidden from view, giving an uncanny sense of having unhindered access to the animals. Not perhaps as revealing of Sinagpore culture as other posts (look for more to come shortly), but humor me in my love of the natural kingdom.

An amazing fruit bat, with a two foot wing span. They were flying all around me in the enclosed tropical habitat.



Wow, breathtaking. Especially when he would look directly at me!


One of Chloe's (my pot bellied pig) less attractive relatives.


A tropical flower


A wonderfuly playful baby hippo! A few moments later the enormous mother was carefully nudging the baby in order to push it up onto the shoreline. Wow!


Ring tails over my head in the enclosed tropical habitat. These guys are free to roam all around you.


Click on the images for larger pictures.

Captain's Ball

I had a good, but busy, day at work. I was invited to stay after and play with my Singapore colleagues in a competitive game of Captains ball. Essentially it is ultimate Frisbee except that the frisbee is always live even if it hits the ground, it is played in a tennis court, and to score a goal you have to throw the frisbee to your goalie at the opposite end of the court. We played 2 games, one with a frisbee and one with a volley ball. It was a fun game that was mildly competitive but surprisingly team oriented and nice to the opposition, wow! I think I was guilty of fouling more than most, but the refs seemed to give me a beginners grace. I didn't let on that I always play sports that way! ;)

It was great fun to be included, I appeared to be the only non-Singaporean in attendance. We all wore matching T-Shirts and there was lots of emphasis on working together. Everyone were painfully good sports, I really had to shape up. I do enjoy this respectful culture though, it could really rub off (although I wouldn't hold your breath!).

The picture is of our winning team after the two competitions. We soundly beat Dry Etch, much to everyone's pleasure. I was told I did a good job, but I think the main thing I accomplished was a lot of sweating in the humid air.