My Thanksgiving in Singapore

Suffice it to say i did not waste one single moment yesterday on my Thanksgiving in Singapore.







I started the day at the Singapore Botanical Gardens. Words won't even do this place justice. Especially when it comes to the orchid garden. There were thousands of different kinds there. Even a VIP section. It was amazing. Here are a few pics that don't even begin to explain the beauty in this place. (On a side note, when my parents used to come here for my dad's work, they used to run together in these gardens. And my mom swears that a friend saw a cobra just slithering around one day on a run. SO glad i know that now after i went there!)

And on to Chinatown. I spent several hours walking around and taking it all in. Got a few gifts and then went to eat at this Hawker Centre which is kind of like a big local food court. This lady who made a present i got recommended it. I figured i'd be the only blonde in there, but i was in fact the only WHITE person in there. But it was great. I got chicken and rice at stall 10 called Tian Tian. And i washed it down with a strawberry green tea. And a banana fritter that i was told to get from stall 62. SO good. And with that i was done in chinatown.

Next i headed to the Singapore Zoo. It was so great. They had these areas where you walked in and all the wildlife was around you. Monkeys above your head. There was this one place called the Fragile Forest. The zoo brochure says, "fluttering butterflies, amazing arboreal animals like tree kangaroos, lemurs and sloths." And they weren't kidding. There were butterfiies flying all around me. It was so cool. It was probably my favorite part along with all the monkeys.

Finally, i headed to one of things i was most excited about seeing in Singapore -- the Night Safari. It was pretty amazing. I started with the creatures of the night show. it was interesting, but i couldn't wait to get to the actual zoo part. I did the walking tour and the tram ride. The tram was okay, but the walking tour ROCKED! Mainly because of two things: the Giant Flying Squirrels and the Mangrove Bat Walk. Yes you heard me, giant FLYING squirrels and bats (and they FLY too). These were two "walk-through" exhibits. Like free-flying around you walk-through exhibits. And I can't lie, i was slightly scared entering both of them (seeing as you had to go through three doors to get inside-so they wouldn't get OUT.) I went to the squirrel one first. And it was fine at first, until this BIG squirrel flew literally right in front of me. Landed two feet away. I was so freaked, yet it was so cool at the same time. You'd think after that i'd think twice about the bat walk, especially when there were warning signs saying the bats were fruit eating bats and would not bite or anything. But i paid no heed to what the warnings said. And i walked right in, clutching my water bottle to my chest. Boy am i glad i had something to hold on to, because right when i entered a bat flew right in front of me, then one flew right behind me hitting my backpack. Thank the Good Lord Almighty that there were other people in there because i would have screamed SO loud that all that bats probably would have attacked me. But i held it in. My heart almost beat out of my chest. But somehow i was able walk forward to get to the other side and out. Of course, the people that walked in behind me kinda pushed me along. Otherwise, i might have just stayed frozen in place. It was funny. Scary. But funny. And i can honestly say that looking back it was one of the coolest experiences i've had in a long time. (note: the above picture of me at the safari sucks, i know. I mean, i had been on my feet for over 12 hours in the heat. Sweating like you wouldn't believe. But i had to post it because it was the night safari and it was the only pic that you could actually see!)

So that ended the day. I grabbed a taxi and headed back to the hotel. I know this is super long but i wanted to post one of my favorite signs i saw today. It's a little blurry, but i think you'll get the point. (And if we're all really honest, I think we can relate sometimes...HA!)

And with that, i'm out. On deck for today (and i am now late bc i was writing this): cable cars to sentosa island, little india, arab and bujis street and shopping on orchard road. oh yeah!
See ya.