Singapore Zoo, December '09

ready to charge!

makan dulu... isi minyak

After years of hoping to come, we have finally arrived at the Singapore Zoo! We have buttered Iris for awhile now, and she was very excited to go 'visit the animals', prior to our trips to KL Zoo and Melaka Zoo. We drove straight into the site with me fresh from the marathon earlier in the morning, and driving is very easy that we reached the Zoo early in the noon.

After a quick re-fill with buns and milk outside, we were ready to charge (they had a big breakfast, and as usual, I'd be bloated with 100+ too many). We paid, and entered. Immediately we went to the Amphitheater for the penguins/seal/manatee/pelican show. It was so fun, and interactive too. We sat in the front row, that whenever the seal splashes, water came raining on us. Iris absolutely loved those moments! But she is a little too scared when we ushered he to go shake the seal and get a peck on he cheek.

When we walk around, it is amazing to forget that we were in a zoo due to the absence of the smell, and the homes for the animals are clean, and looked comfortable for the animals. To be honest, I was walking half awake, and all I could digest was how nice the zoo is with its free-ranging orang-utan, the outbacks, the African adventures, elephants etc. Zoo Negara in Malaysia is waaay out of its league. And we spent the most times at the Kids World where Iris spent trying all games. I was equally surprised that she tackled some obstacles and is more adventurous now. Good for her!

The zoo isn't as big as ours, but it was like walking in Ikea where the spaces are cleverly used and excitement with many pop-up vistas create visual diversions, and hence makes it look like a lot. With many trams going around, and boats at the Seletar Reservoir, it certainly creates many mini adventures, and helped my tired feet, and my pregnant wife. But Iris was having a blast, not once did she ask me to carry her. Thank God!

she was grazing into the ice-cream parlour

adventure racer in the making, hopefully later not wearing a skirt, lah

waaa, tackling obstacles already

mountain climber making way up

Elephant Kingdom - look how nice and clean it is

One for the charm

feeding goats as a substitute, as her customary rabbit-feeding was not allowed

Going on a boat over Seletar Reservoir. The boat is battery operated, and very quiet

Look how big and healthy those manatees!

The ones Iris loves, the cute penguins (she is reading Happy Feet now)

before we were all soaked by splashing Carlos

Carlos the Seal

Carlos the Seal ready to smooch all the kids

All in all, we walked straight for 6 hours before we were politely ushered out to the exit. We still have so much more to go to, but time was not on our side. We stopped at the souvenir shop and bought some stuff for Iris (only to leave them behind somewhere... damn!) and exited the door. Such a wonderful treat! We have truly enjoyed the experience, and thanks to a free-injury marathon, I was able to have a family quality-time.

We did not go to the Night Safari. Perhaps later for that, now that it is very accessible to visit. After all the walk, Iris fell asleep immediately as we got into the car. I wished I could sleep too, but a 3-hour drive awaits. We were totally tired, we cancelled the plan to go to Melaka for a day and drove straight home. I figured, a full rest day at home is better, even though the idea of Cafe 88's hot curry puff, and cendols while listening to old kopitiam songs was compelling. Ah, perhaps later.