We’d planned on heading over to Batam today. But, we got kind of a late start, and I just wasn’t feeling it today. Instead, we opted to go to the Singapore Zoo, which is considered by many to be the finest zoo in the world. While I’ve not been to that many zoos, I’d have to say that I agree with the assessment.
It’s simply awesome. The zoo is essentially a tropical forest populated with animals in naturalistic, ‘open’ settings. There are few (and in some cases no) barriers—and no cages—between the people and wildlife. So, depending on the species, you feel that you’re visiting them more-or-less in their natural habitat. Honestly, if I were an animal, I think I’d live pretty happily at the Singapore Zoo.
Our visit took the balance of the day. The only downside was the heat and humidity (though, as Floridians, it felt more-or-less just like summer at home). Fortunately, it’s very shady, the sky was a little overcast, and there were plenty of cold drinks to be had. You can get to the zoo via public transport, but we opted for a taxi because it’s much faster and they’re very affordable in Singapore.
Here are a few snapshots from the Singapore Zoo:
Good example of the naturalistic setting for these lions...
A Komodo dragon, who's relatively close to home...
A ring-tailed lemur, up close and personal...
Emerson fell asleep on the way home from the zoo and continued to slumber after we returned to the hotel. Once she awoke, we went out to explore more of the Orchard Rd area. Singapore is an interesting city. It’s a rich stew of numerous cultural influences. It’s tropical, historical, and contemporary. It offers a fusion of Asian cultures wider than Hong Kong or Macau, which are both strongly Chinese in their unique ways. Yet, Singapore feels less “foreign” to a Westerner. Indeed, I think it’s an ideal gateway city for those new to Asia.
Tropical and modern...
High-end retail aplenty...
European influences...
Tonight we had dinner in a hawker center (think: Asian food court, but with awesome and affordable food unlike at malls at home). Libby and I had a full Chinese BBQ (Char Siu) and rice dinner for about $3USD per person. And, it was far better than what we’d pay $10-15/pp. for at home.
Tomorrow, I think we’ll make a run at the Riau Islands in Indonesia. 
A few other matters…
Health updates: Emerson developed a fever again last night, but her temperature was fine this morning. She’s got a runny nose, but she’s otherwise her usual happy self. It seems to be just a cold. Libby’s otherwise back to normal, albeit a bit tired. I continue to feel fine… though I keep away the plague to descent.
Visa clarification: I meant to say this on my Day #10 post, but I forgot when writing… how’d we miss the visa requirement in the first place? Honestly, it was a simple oversight. I checked the requirements for every other country on the trip. Most either didn’t require a visa for Americans or granted them on arrival. Given that I’d never heard anyone mention visa requirements for Australia (including the airline on booking our inbound flight) and that Australia is—well, how should I put this?—part of the developed, English-speaking world, I simply made a bad assumption. Fortunately, it was entirely recoverable, but I’m still really annoyed with myself for not clarifying the requirements in advance. Such an amateur mistake!
As serendipity would have it, we saw a fascinating documentary last evening about the eruption of Krakatau in 1883. It seems that ongoing volcanic action is creating a new island at the rate of five inches per week. Be sure to give it a wave on your way to Jakarta!