173. SINGAPORE's UNESCO SITE

The Botanic Gardens might well be the only UNESCO World Heritage site in little Singapore. In time to come, the Sungei Buloh Wetlands has a chance...so too the landfill island of Semakau - once bird and fish life thrive, with corals been nurtured in its surrounding waters...when Mother is treated with respect and love, she responds...

 

 Bamboos have their diversity, with bamboo grass providing cover over the grove... 

Like dancing ladies in full skirts...

In such a large lake there are just 2 swans...
Why aren't there more bird life? No nests anywhere! More insect life? No cobwebs anywhere! No monkeys - granted they are pests and can be dangerous in a pack so I'm fine with them been confined to Bukit Timah. There were just a few butterflies but surely...gardens don't have to be this sanitised...
At least in the water, there's more life...large catfish and a monitor lizard with a good many tortoises...that's more like it...

Refreshing change - sounds of a waterfall - from a pipe!


















Heliconias are this varied - part of the ginger and banana family...same same but different!

Beneath those nets are the tops of trees. One may recline here and commune with the night sky

The relationship in Mother's scheme of things is always symbiotic - Life supports Life...the humans may view that as parasitic - in the natural world, the fitter and stronger will survive but in the world of the humans, if they live right, it need not be that way...

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Within a space of 2 weeks, I visited the gardens twice and discovered parts of the grounds I hadn't seen before. A 2nd exploration took me to an art gallery. Currently on display is a collection of artwork by Tham Pui San

Singapore's national flower Miss Joaquim...

172. THE KLANG CLAN

Politics divided us in 1963 - followed soon after by race and religion...yet when I'm with this large clan, we speak the sort of English only we can understand. There were so very many similarities even though they are Tamils of Sri Lankan ancestry, chiefly born and bred and schooled in Malaysia, speaking fluent Malay...
So much love and respect exist between the large brood, between the young and the old, it's beautiful to see...other members are scattered elsewhere in the world but communication took place regularly over the phone 

Like us, everything takes place at the dinner table, glorious food and catching up on gossip...

I had my fill of mixed kavalam rice and appam Lankan style - a rich thick center of coconut milk, plain and with palm sugar

Extended table for an extended family as we observed Father's Day - and a birthday over in Seremban

Coconut drinks from the garden was what I needed in the scorching afternoon...I had 2! :D

Paid respects to a recently departed soul - the family brought along offerings of flowers and food items, sang and prayed...I offered aarti

My host family

...and ladies who lunch...as it was Hari Raya season...excuse and reason to have more eats...

Was suggested to dress nice as it's a respectable venue - this is Malaysia after all - my fashionably torn shorts will not do! Do they know it can cost to look so cheap! :D

Spent several days working out at this yoga studio - spontaneous decision and it was just perfect after all that eats - 

 Interesting facade of a large shop selling sari materials

A gate I passed which caught my eye - leads to the official residence of the Sultan of Selangor

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