Today we spent the day with the animals, literally. We took the train and then the bus up to the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. This had been recommended to us by a few people and all the guide books said it was a 'don't miss' thing to do in Singapore. They were all correct. The zoo is set up like no other zoo I have ever seen. There are hundreds of varieties of primates and most of them are free to roam the park A few varieties, known to get aggressive, are not given this freedom, but many of the smaller ones, and those that are gentle with people, just wander about and swing in trees with people below them. It was inspiring to see the way everything was organized.

The shear quantity and variety of animals was overwhelming. This was not just the typical animals, but many very rare and endangered species. The zoos in SE Asia are actively involved with species preservation due to habitat decline and massive poaching that takes place here. The numbers are staggering, and yet it still goes on in many areas. Tiger skins and heads, elephant ivory, and herbal medicines are all sought by people so there is no shortage of poachers willing to risk the jail time and fines.

The zoo included land animals as well as displays from the ocean. This was fun for me given my love of the water! We took tons of photos and even some decent video. In all, we spent nearly 5 hours to cover the zoo. WE may have missed one or two things, but not much. We were very diligent to try and see every animal. We even visited the animal hospital on the grounds to see the surgery ward and some of the equipment and medicines they use for the animals. Mostly herbal medicines for intestinal problems, and a lot of info on acupuncture, which is used extensively when an animal has problems for which this will help. It was very fascinating to see all of this.

Around 6:00 we stopped for dinner and walked a few hundred yards to the entrance of the Night Safari. This is similar to the zoo grounds, but it is where a lot of the nocturnal animals live. There is a tram that drives through the grounds on one track, and then a series of footpaths interwoven with this to allow people to walk through. The entire place is bathed in gentle lighting to produce a sense that there is a full moon and you are walking through the jungle on a moonlit night. It is both thrilling and a bit romantic. There are some animals that are free to roam onto the paved road that the tram uses, but are secured from getting to people on the paths by an ingenious system of hidden fencing in vegetation and cattle guards on the roads. We spent a few hours, first on the tram, and then walking around checking out the animals.

We finally arrived home around 11:00 totally exhausted, but very satisfied! If anyone is planning a trip to Singapore, put this on your 'Do Not Miss' list. Tickets to both parks, including the tram ride, came to about $40 for the two of us, so it's also a great value.

One final note. For the past 8-10 years, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream has had customer appreciation day at their stores in the US and gives away a free ice cream to everyone for part of a day each April 25. I have never been able to get one because the Hawthorne store always has a line around the block by the time I remember it, or get off work. Today when we arrived at the zoo, there was a Ben & Jerry's ice cream store and guess what? Today is April 25!!!!! We actually got one before we went in and one on the way out. Heck, they told us to come back for 3rds, but we thought better and had real food for dinner.

Tomorrow is our last day in Singapore and then we hop the train for Malaysia and a new set of experiences.

Stay tuned,

Eric and Val