Adios Bali

Our conversations after the morning excursion revolved only around whales and dolphins, much to R's delight. He was certainly seeing a role reversal and was happy to see the adults share the enthusiasm and regard he always had for them:-p

Our next stop was for breakfast that also doubled up as a vantage point to view the twin lakes, Tamblingan and Buyan. We ordered a sumptuous breakfast, almost a brunch, and savoured it while admiring the panoramic view of the beautiful clear lakes.

We headed next to Ulun Danu, a temple by the lake Bratan. Of all the temples we visited in Bali, I found this to be the most beautiful. By the time we reached Taman Ayun, our last point for the day, it was well past noon. The sun was bright and fierce outside. Inside the cool interiors, the kids had dozed off. It had already been a long day. For them as well as for us. M and N decided to give the last bit a miss. Resisting the temptation to follow the majority and stay in the cool confines, C and I decided to make a quick stopover. Despite the heat wearing us down, we were able to appreciate the nuances of yet another well-maintained and picturesque temple.

We joined the rest and headed straight to our hotel in Ubud. Tired and weary, all we could think of was sleep. Shopping was on our list too and I had planned accordingly; to wrap up the sightseeing by afternoon and have the second half of the day free to relax and roam about in the streets of the Ubud market. So, after some rest and refreshments, we set out once again.

Shopping in Bali is fascinating. The streets are replete with colourful clothes, attractive trinkets, and beautiful masks. It took me quite a while to get used to the currency. They round off the thousands to write it as 100.000 which means you pay 100 thousand. All the calculations and the conversions whirred my mind into a tizzy each time. I was advised to follow the golden rule of bargaining. Depending on your negotiation skills you can get an item for half or even less than half the original rate quoted.

Shopping for artifacts and knick-knacks always delight me and we spent a good deal of time roaming about the pretty corners and picking up a few lovely pieces. I savoured the remnant moments trying to string together the lovely memories from our long trip. Always a bittersweet moment when holidays end and I wonder about when and where would I go next :-)

Some pictures from Ulun Danu and Taman Ayun for you.

Ulun Danu

Taman Ayun

We bade farewell to our friendly and warm driver-guide, D, the next morning after he dropped us to the airport. It was indeed nice to meet you, Mr. D!

Adios Bali!

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A fitting finale

"We need to start tomorrow by 3:30 a.m. for Lovina Beach," said D, our guide, signing off for day 2 in Bali.

Our minds whirred. "Oh my! How are we to manage that with little kids? Will it be worth it? Do Dolphins really come out in the open?" 

Though excited, we were also fraught with unsureness. However, we quelled these before laziness and skepticism cast their spell. Between us, M and I dutifully set up individual alarms and agreed to be the supplementary human alarm for the one that may have overslept. 

I willed myself to shut off the mind that kept me awake with thoughts of waking up in time! At some point of being in a semi-wakeful state, I slipped into a world of nothingness. The alarm shrilled and I jumped up all dreary eyed. Clarity dawned in a few seconds and I busied myself to get ready. As C got ready, I slipped out into the dark and walked noiselessly towards M's suite to see if they were up. Comforted by the fact that they were in the similar stages of getting ready, I returned to wrap up. R was sleepy-eyed but excited enough to let me change him into fresh clothes. I was aware of the slight nip in the air as the seven of us bundled ourselves into the warm vehicle. The kids promptly fell back asleep and so did I. 

The car halted to a stop and I woke up to a heavy misty cover hanging over the gray waters. There was quite a crowd gathering that seemed to be awaiting a certain momentous moment. I looked quizzically and was told that it wasn't sunrise time yet- an opportune time to catch the dolphins skipping in the wild seas. We met our boatman-cum-wildlife guide who asked us to wait by a narrow long boat that was divided into lateral rows by thin planks that could seat a person each. Batches of tourists set off in similar boats into the sea one by one. Our boatman seemed to not be in a hurry while we got restless. The hues in the sky changed rapidly with the slanted rays of the rising sun. Blue-gray to pink-yellow to off-white. Finally, our boatman brought out our boat and gestured us to take seats. M sat right in the front while I took the last row. We cut through the waters at a steady pace, leaving behind the shores farther and farther. The pleasant sun rays were starting to feel warmer. I enjoyed the fresh, cool breeze and occasional sprinkles of water on my face as the boat sometimes raced, sometimes slowed in pursuit of the gregarious dolphins.

The fleet of boats circled together, the boatmen signaling one another over their walkie-talkies. It was well over an hour, but all we got exposed to was endless sheets of water. The little moments of heightened heart beats as the herd followed a lead call would die down soon to discover a false alarm. During the course, I realized that our boat had moved much ahead of the crowd; our boatman being the leader of the crew and more experienced at reading the cues. We wandered for some more time without luck.

Just as I let my shoulders slump, closed the shutters of the SLR, and wore a look of mock disdain, our boatman screamed, "Whale"! He sat right behind me, so I couldn't have doubted my ears. Yet, I sat in disbelief, erect, boring my eyes into the waters all around, right up to the horizon. So did the others. Nothing. A few seconds later, he screamed again. This time, there was no mistaking. We caught the water fountain right before our eyes. The works of a blowhole of a whale beneath. We let out collective gasps of wonder and excitement.

We couldn't believe our luck. This was like winning a lottery without even buying a ticket! Our boatman inched the boat up nearer the spot. Like a blood-thirsty animal, we wanted more. I changed the camera shutter speed and kept clicking greedily in the general direction of the first sighting. Amidst excited squeals and hidden nervousness, we saw it. A part of its body arched up the surface. Then, the tail came right up above and swooned downwards in a slow, sweeping gesture. I was wide-eyed and struck with wonder. I let the camera lay still. Fortunately, M had more presence of mind and a vantage point. So, we ended up with a video that will be a keepsake for posterity. Was it a humpback whale or a Beluga? We wouldn't know. A whale is a whale is a whale :-) Surely, some exciting memories to revisit when R grows older.

We last caught a glimpse of the mighty creature that glided away into deeper waters from underneath our boat, its body glistening a shade of green. A hush of reverential silence descended upon the boat. Moments later, the rest of the boat crew caught up with us and that moment gave way to more excitement as the fun-loving dolphins decided to show up and regale us for the next hour with their antics, skipping with infectious happiness. They teased us into chasing them, disappearing into the waters on one side and resurfacing from another, almost as if enjoying all the attention they were receiving.

Our final day in Bali had surely started on a super-high note. We returned to the shore grinning from ear to ear, filling our minds with stories to tell everyone.

The rest of the day's details will follow soon in another concluding post. Soon!

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Temples, a volcano, and some coffee

We woke up to a bright sunny day. Contrary to weather reports for this time of the year in Bali, we hardly experienced any rains. Not that I was complaining. I'd had enough of the gloomy Bangalore weather and continuous downpour that had ceased just a month before our travel; a ripple effect of the cyclonic rains at Chennai. I stuffed myself with the scrumptious breakfast at our hotel; croissants that crumbled into a buttery smoothness as I bit into them, crispy, sweet pancakes, and a bowl of colourful fresh fruits, umm, heavenly!

We clambered onto the seven-seater vehicle to visit the first temple on our list.The seating arrangements in the Innova were always interesting. The three kids got along like fire but it was exactly that. Fire, that would sometimes be a warm, happy glow binding them in amicable harmony and at other times, a fierce, raging tornado threatening to bring down the roof of the car. So, depending upon the mood and the sentiment, the adults took turns in maintaining the equilibrium. Much like the puzzle where a tiger, cow, goat, grass, and the human had to cross the river in a single boat.

I tried to take in as much of the local flavour as we zoomed past the lanes. The local houses around Bali are beautiful too. The architectural carvings on the pillars supporting the main entrance lent them an old world charm. The Balinese tradition is, in many ways, similar to our Hindu culture. They too make a daily offering to God; on a small woven basket made from palm leaves. These offerings are found almost everywhere: outside houses, restaurants, and places of worship.

The temples in Bali have a charm of their own. A huge enclosed space with many shrines ensconced within, they resemble, in a way, the temples in South India that also have smaller shrines devoted to other sub-deities within the main temple. The thatched roofs placed one above the other resemble our own gopuram. The Balinese mainly worship Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. However, tourists are not allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum. So, we missed drawing parallels between their deities and forms of worship with ours. Another interesting fact, in contrast to our Hindu temple culture, is that you are allowed to enter the temple premises with your footwear on.

The following pictures are from Goa Gajah, or the Elephant Cave, our first stop. This is more of an archaeological structure than a temple.

Lake Batur and Mount Kintamani was our next stop. The air turned cooler as we winded our way uphill. Kintamani is an active volcano that last erupted in 2000. We ambled towards the vantage point that was a restaurant with an upper-level deck overlooking the wide expanse of breathtaking beauty.

The shades of brown and black volcanic ash over the tall, stoic mountain on the left stood out in contrast to the shimmering blue-green water at its feet on the far right. Almost as though the towering structure, older and wiser with ravages of nature and time, stands as a guardian of the young and free-spirited that wants to explore the path ahead, unrestrained. I took in the beauty of it all slowly, imprinting them to the walls of my memory.

Our next destination generated some amusement as we listened to our guide enlightening us about the history of Kopi Luwak, Did we want to try it out?? Err...we looked at one another unsure. Only C was pretty sure he absolutely had to taste it, the dubious coffee extraction story notwithstanding. Well, I hadn't expected anything else from a true blood coffee lover! His excitement soon rubbed off on us and we made a beeline to the nearest coffee plantation. Apart from tasting the over-priced Kopi which I felt was overrated for all its proclamation of fineness and purity (?), we got to sample about 12 different varieties of tea. I immensely enjoyed the latter part.We purchased packets of the lemongrass and ginger varieties and set off for Tanah Lot temple located on the west coast. As we made our descent in our vehicle, sudden heavy droplets of rain splattered the car windshield which soon turned to an unrestrained shower. The downpour lasted for a total of 15 minutes!

Even as the skies cleared up. we stopped by for lunch at a lovely restaurant that was artistically done up and had a view like this:

By the time we hit the plains, the heat and humidity got to us and we dozed off for most of the travel time.

Bali's temples are not only beautifully constructed, they are also scenically located. Tanah Lot is a cave temple, situated off the sea coast. The cave at the bottom houses a holy spring water source. The priests chant a little mantra, sprinkle holy water on you and apply a tilak with rice grains on the forehead. A frangipani flower is also stuck behind your ears. We got to taste the sweet holy spring water (perceived similarly to our tirtha) that flowed naturally from inside the rock.

We later stood on the rocky cliffs with the super-excited kids in tow. Our laughs were drowned by the gusty sea breeze. The strong, big waves that hit the rocky structure at quick successions took us by surprise and unnerved me a bit. C held on to R's hand with a firm grip and led him a little away to a safer landing.

After clicking some pictures of the glorious sunset, we called it a day. But not before feasting our eyes on the colourful trinket stores that lined the lanes leading us out of the temple area.

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Of Beaches, water and underwater

I had read up on a few travel blogs on Bali and scanned the accommodation options on TripAdvisor for starters on what I should expect and plan. Since we had only three days, I knew I had to plan carefully. I dislike having every waking hour of activity yet at the same time look to optimize the time spent at a place. I narrowed down on Ubud as our base in Bali. Somehow, it seemed just right for our taste. Beyond this, I got stuck. Tour planner or self-planned; B&Bs or hotels? I found the right person who had been to Bali a couple of years ago and was happy to share the details I needed. Getting a first-hand opinion on what places to avoid and which ones to include helped clear the fog in my head.

I'm always a wee bit anxious while finalizing the accommodation on the basis of online reviews. There's always a tiny voice of apprehension at the back of my mind until I reach the place and testify myself. Though, I must say that the likes of TripAdvisors have rarely let me down. Yet, the operating word here is rarely. I needn't have worried. Our hotel was as beautiful as I'd imagined.

Bali is tourist-friendly; we felt welcomed and warmed up to the friendly faces we encountered throughout our stay. Even locals seemed to reflect a sense of calm and inner happiness off their faces.

Day 1 was earmarked for some choicest beaches sprawled across the southern side of Bali. I had requested our tour-guide to include a beach meant for water activities even as we had jointly planned the itinerary. Our first stop was, hence, Tanjung Benoa. This is a beach that specializes in water activities. So, if you're imagining yourself basking under the sun with clean, golden sand and glistening clear waters, this is NOT the one for you. For that, you've got plenty of other beach options. Bali does not disappoint anyone :-)

The spot looked busy with travelers swarming in and out of the changing rooms and the instructors handing over safety instructions and sports gear to the ones that signed up for a particular sport. M and N are water sports enthusiasts and have done some extensive scuba diving while in the US. They were, however, not too keen this time. By contrast, C and I were rookies and tethered on the border not being able to decide between opting for kids-oriented sports or plunging into the deep waters (quite literally!). Holidaying with kids meant that we had to prioritize. We also didn't want to spend all day at one beach, so N helped us take a quick call: He and M were to take the kids to a turtle island while C and I were to experience the underwater sea walk. Scuba-diving seemed out of scope for two reasons. One, both of us are non-swimmers. And the second, and more important one was, although we have the appetite for some adventure, we are not entirely the bindaas kind and prefer to take one step at a time.

We had no idea what kind of experience was awaiting us. We quickly changed into the appropriate swim gear. The kids, M and N and we hopped onto two different boats. I had butterflies in my stomach; of excitement and nervousness. I asked C and he said he felt similar. We linked hands and giggled in anticipation. Savoring the kid-free moments, we watched in happy silence the calm waves that bobbed up and down the sides of our boat. We cruised to a certain point, then disembarked onto a bigger boat that doubled up as our base for our underwater activity.

There were a few others before us. As the instructor helped them wear the oxygen mask and briefed them about what to expect, we lapped it up as earnest students waiting to experience it all. Our turn came and my heart beat faster. Wearing the diving shoes and donning the diving helmet, C was the first to climb down the ramp leading to the man-made walk trail underwater. As he disappeared into the waters, the instructor on the boat helped me with my helmet. he repeated the signs I had to remember while under water and reassured me that I had nothing to worry.

As I climbed down one step at a time, I was cognizant of how heavy I felt. The distance between the rungs seemed more than I had expected. As I lowered myself slowly until there were no more rungs beneath, all I could see was water around me. The underwater instructor was at a little distance away from me and I could spot C waiting a bit farther at the beginning of the walk trail perpendicular to the ladder. At this point, I felt quite clueless abut how to proceed. I was apprehensive to let go of the sides of the ladder and wondered how to wade the short distance to the trail. Panic gripped me and I decided to climb up and ask for clarification. The underwater instructor seemed equally baffled and a tad annoyed with me as he quickly caught up with me above water. He impatiently explained that I had to let go of the ramp once I reached its end and hold on to his hand while he escorted me underwater to the handrail of the walkway. Oh, alright, I had not known that earlier!

This time, I gingerly let go, found my hand in the instructor's firm grip, and let myself float along towards the trail. I could read C's baffled expression from behind the glass of the oxygen helmet as I joined him. Yes, "to let go" is what was required; of doubts, apprehension, and nervousness. To completely take in the beauty of nature. To admire in awe the myriad fishes of different sizes and colours that swam next you, wondering perhaps where we came from. To wonder at the sea green clear water that was lit up bright by the sun far, far above.To caress the colorful reef that swayed to the tune of the waves. To consume the quietness of a different nature.

From time to time, I had to swallow my spit to release the pressure building in the ears. We walked on laboriously, firmly gripping the handrail with both hands. It was funny to note how distance and weight assumed different proportions when under water. On multiple occasions when I let go of a hand off the grip on the handrail and tried to grip back, I missed the target. I could never judge the distance. The instructor came duly to the rescue and literally guided me as one would a blind person. It was funny as well as humbling.

We headed back eager to share our experience with the rest and to find how they fared. It turned out that the turtle island was a huge hit with the kids. The island housed not only a turtle conservatory farm but also a variety of other species like the bald eagle, python, and porcupine. The kids had had a riot time posing with the animals. Needless to add, another page from R's dream book had come to fruition.

It was well past lunch and we certainly had no time to cover two other beaches and a temple for the day. The kids were in a mood for frolicking in the waters and making sand castles, the quintessential picture of a beach for them. So, we gave the Uluwatu temple and the sunset beach a skip to visit Pantai Pandawa beach. It should read as Pandava beach but the Balinese pronounce it as 'Pandaawa'. The beach was teeming with tourists and for a moment, I regretted our decision to choose this spot. However, the kids had a blast, getting drenching in the rising waves, and collecting sea shells and corals. We even managed to catch the Kecak dance. The start of the dance didn't appeal too much to me with the men making strange dance moves and chanting. Later, however, I was intrigued enough to watch it through as the dance drama depicting the Ramayana got interesting in bits and parts.



This has been quite a long post. Hoping to wrap up this travelogue soon. 

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Of collecting and collating memories

We shopped for hours, M and I. I intended buying gifts for family and close friends. In between shopping for others, I browsed and picked up junk jewelry and clothes for myself. Flitting from one shop to another in the row of several tiny shops lined next to each other, we enjoyed the art of shopping as only women can. Despite not being the quintessential shoppers. We realized that we are quite similar in our shopping habits. Focusing on things that we had in mind and not lingering around shops we have no intention of buying from.

We came back satiated to join the men and kids at a beach that's just across M's house. The evening was cool with a light breeze. The clean sand glistened against the dark evening sky. The sea glittered with the lights cast into the waters by a fleet of ships lined up in neat rows farther down the shore. The kids were making merry building sand castles and running about unfettered. As we adults huddled together in the open seating area of the adjacent food court, a heady mix of different food smells wafted across. Just the perfect evening one could have. Food, drinks, and friendly banter with some occasional food for thought thrown in.

We left for Bali the next day afternoon. The flight was a bit delayed and as is wont with the smartphone and wi-fi era, the extra time was duly spent clicking and posting selfies. We caught up with some sleep on the flight. Just before we began our descent, we woke up to a beautiful sight of the bright setting sun casting a radiant yellow and crimson glow on the sky on one side while the cool white moon shimmered pleasantly on the other.

We met D, our warm and courteous chauffeur, at the airport who'd also be our tour guide for the next three days. On the way to our hotel, we passed by a lot of  life-size statues at road junctures depicting scenes from mythology, particularly the Ramayana and even the Mahabharata. It was not surprising considering the fact that the island is named after the mighty king Bali in Ramayana. Over the next three days, we were to discover a beautiful land; one that was similar to India in many ways, yet one that retained a distinct, unique culture of its own.

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A day full of twists and turns!

Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumble Bee, Avengers!

Sword! fight!

swish, dwish, dishoom, dhaaa!

If you are or have a sci-fi aficionado in your home, you're certain to nod your head at the above. For the uninitiated, I'm talking about the world of Sci-fi heroes and Transformers: a fixation with R and his friends' circle. They discuss these characters so passionately as though a post-doc degree would depend on the discussion. And, each is an SME. The already make-believe characters come alive in more creative ways in these little heads. From time to time R imagines himself to be one of these avengers who can transform into vehicles and fight the evil.

So, can you imagine the excitement levels if he went to a place where he could actually be a part of the transformer's game plan?!

The Universal Studios

The Universal Studios in Sentosa Island is a theme park. The joy-rides are based on themes lifted off popular children's' movies like the Madagascar, Lost World, Transformers, Shrek, Disney, and so on. Even before we had the trip planned, R's (like-minded) classmate who had already visited the place had got R all excited about the transformer's ride. So, we knew that we simply HAD to cover this one come what may.

We were quite a large group this time. (M, her kids, M's Sil and her kids and the three of us.) The place is HUGE and very creatively done. Each section is well-planned and laid out. There are rides for all ages. You can re-live the childhood in the right sense. I, for one, absolutely love these joy rides and can give any kid tough competition when it comes to being involved. We initially followed the route map to avoid missing anything. However, the queue for each of the rides proved to be deterring, and in the end, we had to split up as three groups to cover what was most important to each.

Our first ride was on a boat that took us through a long tunnel. The dark tunnel had the characters of Madagascar playing out a scene, mouthing dialogues targeting the passengers on the boat, springing surprises at blind turns along the way. The ride, bereft of any adrenaline factor, was a cute presentation; strictly for little kids :-) After the ride, the characters came out to engage with the crowd. R thoroughly enjoyed himself, dancing to the music without any inhibitions, displaying a streak of flamboyance in some sense, quite unlike his parents. A good thing, I'd say!

Inside the tunnel

A couple of rides and a short 4D animated movie later, we decided to break for lunch. We were also tired and worn out by the long queues everywhere. The good thing is, the rides display a real-time indicator right at the beginning of the queue that indicates the amount of time one would need to wait in the queue. So it's easier to decide right at the beginning if the ride might be worth the waiting time.

It was almost 2 pm as we strode towards the Lost World section. Most of the rides showed a waiting time of one hour, the exciting ones more than that. So, it was time to pick and choose. Our instinct told us to finish off the great transformer's ride before anything else, so off we split ourselves. This was one of the best decisions we made. You'll know why, soon.

M's son, E, came with us.The queue there reminded me of the queues at Tirupati. We went from one enclosed section to another, each time hoping that would be the last one, only to find ourselves into another. There was so much build-up to the actual ride. Every enclosed space was filled with transmitters, video screens that displayed some mathematic mumbo-jumbo, and movie characters on different screens trying to solve a life-threatening situation. The answer being the avenger of course, who can save them from the alien's attack or some such. R and E thoroughly enjoyed being in the queue too!

Finally, after about an hour or so, we reached the end of the line and all the hoopla. As we strapped ourselves to the seat and set off, we realized that all the hype was totally worth it and perhaps more. The 4D animated experience was simply mind-blowing. You've to experience it to know. Even the ones who scoff at sci-fi stuff will agree to this. R was going to boast to his friends back home for a long while now.

As we got off, contemplating going back for a second round, we were greeted by the rest of our group. Our description of the ride got them all excited and they decided to head towards the queue right away. And, then, I saw an opportunity. There were two more rides under the sci-fi section that were not meant for little kids. I thought it was a good idea to pack off R with the rest and try one of those rides with the husband. The plan seemed perfect and we split into different groups again.

About 10 minutes in the queue and I saw M and a security person approach us with a worried look on their faces. I knew instantly something was wrong. M said that we needed to go with her as R had got himself injured. We jumped off and darted outside. I was imagining all the worst scenarios in my head and couldn't even bring myself to ask M the details. As we ran, I only kept asking where R is and if it was too bad. By then I saw R with a gash just below his left eyebrow. The moment I saw him, I just enveloped him into a tight hug. It was not as serious as I'd imagined; his eye escaped narrowly, he's not unconscious, these thoughts kept going on in my head in a loop. Actually, I just felt a wave of relief wash over me.

R was sobbing, more out of shock than pain. The only thing he kept telling me, in between sobs, was that he wasn't running. I've always reprimanded him for not being careful and being susceptible to all kinds of injuries. Poor thing! After I had calmed him (and myself) down, I asked M what happened. Apparently, they were at a queue for a different ride and R just banged himself against a railing. R's version was no different. He was trying to keep pace with others and banged against the rod which he missed seeing. The railings were all smooth with no rough edges and the whole thing baffled us and the staff who, as part of due diligence, tried to understand how the accident occurred. The wound wasn't bleeding a lot but since the gash was wide, stitches were required to seal the area. The medico-in-charge advised us to take R to a children's hospital nearby since the charges in the Park would be way higher and besides they might not have the best of facilities. Oh boy! a hospital visit in Singapore. We were told how expensive medical facilities are and while this was not a good time to calculate expenses, we couldn't help wondering how much of a blow this could be.

M's SIL decided to wait back with her kids and E while M and her younger one D accompanied us to the hospital. The staff at Universal were highly prompt and made sure to see that we got dropped off at the taxi bay, and even got a preferential cab service. The ride to the hospital was more solemn than anxious since R was not complaining of any pain and he wasn't showing any red flag signs. R required five stitches and we were done with all the formalities and procedure in less than an hour's time. And, yes, since it was a government hospital, we got let off with minimal (relatively speaking, of course) expenses. We had to take care that the wound was minimally exposed to water and keep him off strenuous activities for the next few days.

So, yes, we even did a tour of a hospital while holidaying. How much more exciting can the trip get! "All izz well" is all we could hum as we hit the bed that night. 

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Rendezvous with feathered friends, a river cruise, and a dinner by the bay

The effects of the day's activities and the previous night's flight journey hit us hard by the end of day one. Also, the husband and I were just recovering from the effects of the flu. So, like good kids, we decided to hit the bed early to sleep it all off. Of course, it was a silly thing to do when you have some fun company. Indeed, you lose track of time, and fatigue simply melts away when you have so much to catch up. M and I kept chatting well into midnight; the kids and the menfolk were holed up separately (each happy with a suitable company).

Jurong Bird Park, Merlion Park and around Clarke Quay:

We all woke up quite late the next day, quite understandably so. After a heavy brunch, we started off for Jurong Bird park. We had to take the MRT to the far end of where we stayed. The train ride lasted about 30 minutes during which we amused ourselves with the names of the station and in general people-observing. M had asked me to avoid carrying full-lengthed clothes and as I looked around, I was quick to acknowledge that the weather condition was just one of the reasons for her advice. I felt quite over clothed even in my knee-length skirts and capris. Not that it really mattered. Just saying:-p

From our station, a bus was to take us (per info provided by the App) to a particular point after which we had to walk (yes, you guessed it right. Just a few hundred meters) to the Bird park. We were a bit wary of the last leg of the journey considering how the App was quite off  the mark the last time. We must have stood out as perfect tourists with the camera slung over the shoulders and an in-general air of unsureness, for a bus driver proactively directed us to the right route number that had a stop right outside the park. The route mentioned by the App would have stopped short of 3 bus-stops! Just imagining another lengthy period of sun-walking made me shudder. We'll remain forever indebted to the guy.

(Dear App makers, either you over-estimate the enthusiasm of tourists or you need to get yourself updated.)

The Bird park lived up to the expectations of all the word-of-mouth and online reviews. The myriad, colourful species from around the world are wonderful to look at. We timed ourselves to catch two bird shows and they were absolutely superlative. If you plan to visit the park, do allow yourself time for these shows. These, and of course, the sheer collection of bird species, make the park stand apart from any other zoo.

After the Bird park, we grabbed some late lunch and headed (via the MRT) towards the Merlion park that's centrally located. It's an area bustling with office-goers, tourists and locals. We enjoyed the perfect evening weather to stroll by the river bay (the same river connects the Gardens by the bay, the Flyer, and the Merlion) towards the park. We sat by the steps near the Merlion until dark and then took a short river cruise to the Clarke Quay. The cruise was a short 20-minute ride with an audio-video clip that describes the iconic structures that you see around along with its associated history. We passed by many bridges (each of them with a history and usually named after a colonial governor) that dot the entire span of the river.

Helix Bridge-It has a canopy structure that resembles the human DNA

Anderson Bridge

The Quay was beautifully lit-up for Christmas (although my guess is it is all through the year), and bustling with energy, and people, with a line of multi-cuisine restaurants dotting the shoreline. We chose a Mexican restaurant (actually anything that offered a decent choice for veggies was how we came about to choose it) to have dinner. Quite an expensive affair, but at least, it offered some decent portion of food. But, what's a holiday without some indulgence! However, our general observation was that fine dining in Singapore not only leaves your pocket but, sadly, also your tummy lighter. However, the food courts around the housing complexes are far less expensive and also serve a decent portion of food; quite popular amongst the locals.

The food was good and the view by the bay even better. With our palates and heart satiated, we headed back home as yet another fun day came to a close. Leaving you with some pics from the day.

Carrying an Ostrich egg

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