231. BIRDS OF A FEATHER

 

Ready for the big walk - water, check. Hot tea, check. Brolly, check. Raincoat, check...

The previous park in Jurong. For a critter park to last 52 years reflect well on its management...

All our creature/critter parks are now located in one location in Mandai, with shuttle bus/tram services between the parks...

I like it that a portion of my ticket cost goes towards the work they do, so too, purchases from the souvenir stores...

My favourite old trees - the Park is fortunate to secure these 2,  for such old specimens are often protected, banned from exports. Last we brought in baobabs was from Madagascar.

This bird show was entertaining (the feathered variety)...those featured were a smart lot...

These long-legged models strutted their stuff as they came down the runway...

For cool respite, there are museum rooms for those into facts and figures or simply to sit and escape the humidity...

This Balinese theme is nice...on the Naga terrace

By nature, birds preen a lot - they are clean, feathers have a healthy sheen, obviously have enough to eat. They don't need to hunt, and are not hunted by predators. I'm happy for them that they are safe in a sanctuary such as this, will perhaps breed and their species can thrive and survive. Zoos all over the world pride themselves on successful breeding programs...we are no exception...

Left to her own devices, Mother Nature's creatures will build nests and reproduce - here there's heaps of nests in this compound. I've lamented before how our numerous parks are devoid of natural life without nests of any sort - that can only happen due to the human's interference. I told NParks so...now I see more life but we need bees...can they be nurtured in a controlled environment...can the same be done with dragonflies in that dragonfly pond at the Bay Gardens...?

Penguin parade...

In the previous park in Jurong, the penguin enclosure was a big hit too...

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230. SMALL TOWN VIBES

 

Chankerk Teh runs art studio My Art Space at Istana Park and is an accomplished artist. I went along on another short sketching trip, this time covering Kluang and Batu Pahat.

This old style coffeeshop was a step back in time through some time tunnel, going way back into the 60s...

A selection of toast was offered that was toasted over charcoal, washed down by the sort of coffee only small town coffeeshops can brew. Small rice packs had that old school taste, the way I remembered it!

These 2 snaps of old style kettles turned out like beautiful paintings, I just had to have both here...

Old world brand...

Loads of flies to make it all so authentic...! We were told they're organic! It's an agricultural town, houseflies are pets...!

Best known for their pineapple plantations in the old days in which there was a large cannery in the main town, Pekan Nenas. These days it's smallholders selling the fruits for fresh consumption. Change is the only constant...

It's in the small towns that one sees the traditional practices and beliefs which the older people hold dear. There's a good number of old folks everywhere I went to as younger folks are in the cities for work, large numbers are in Singapore. In the cities, they fall into the clutches of Westernised religions...when they return home to their home towns, there may well be a culture clash...

Traditional practices are more accepting of the beliefs of others - they see it as One and they are the same or closely similar to one another's beliefs. At this Taoist/Buddhist temple compound, there's an altar dedicated to Ganesha, a diety closely associated with Hinduism. It's beautiful to see...

Locals are extremely warm, friendly and genuine. They drop by to have a looksee, chat, brought us drinks and candy...

Breaking bread and breaking wind together...

Dropped in to check out Chankerk Teh's studio in Kluang. It's a meditative space...like!

The locals here erected a catch-up gossip corner under this bamboo grove. It's beautiful to see this. They must have had this for a generation for the bench had given way and was propped up here and there! Life is simple, people are contented as they are kind and generous not bitter or angry and nasty, blaming everybody but themselves for their wretched lives...

Assessment time - critical appraisal...

Catch of the day. Fishermen bring in their catch, weigh them to get paid, I'm sure they just get by...

Life on the farm

Nice place, Talula Hill - a farm resort...great views from every angle, those undulating terraces make for fabulous sketches, which the group delivered...

Grand finale. Some hobbyists produce works that are so super it's hard to believe they are untrained amateurs...Creativity is our very core...I can't sketch to save my life, I draw instead, but I enjoy writing and can be quite prolific and I'm untrained...

Quietude, solitude, focused, meditative one pointedness - you don't need a whole jingbang to sketch or paint...even when more than one, they don't chatter...

This cutie is the head waiter at this resto. We liked his cape - he can be the Little Prince of this small town...!

Photos came from Chankerk, Kelvin, Ching Yee, Yours Truly