There’s a lot of green in Charleston. Sometimes blue, and probably other colors, too, but given that I’ve been a hermit so far, I really can’t speak to the presence of a single other color.

In Charleston, we have sharks and jellyfish and alligators (and an aquarium), but I haven’t been to the zoo so I must also conclude that the only other animals apart from these that exist in this climate are dogs, which are positively everywhere.

On both counts, Singapore is different.

I got to play tourist for two full days while in Singapore, and two recommendations for attractions befitting a touron were the Botanic Gardens and the zoo. I didn’t remember the Chicago Botanic Gardens very well — it’s probably been fifteen years since I was last there — but the SBG are huge: I spent three hours wandering around and barely covered a quarter of it. Just a stone’s throw from the Bukit Timah campus of the National University of Singapore, the place has sprawling grassy areas for studying and plenty of shade for quiet reading.

A curious juxtaposition exists, however: in the midst of the tranquility comes the clamor of construction; Singapore’s urban development stops at the border of the enclave but the cranes, visible from deep within the Gardens, serve as a perpetual reminder of how much Singapore is growing.

Jackhammers and machinery aside, within the Gardens there vibrant reds and lush greens:

  

Flamboyant yellows:

Puffs of pink:

Oranges:

Warm browns:

Even some white.

Maybe it’s overdone, but no judgment from my end: the scenery and relative respite from the fervor of the city make it an ideal and attractive place for wedding or engagement photography. The possible compositions for such shoots are endless.

My being impressed with Singapore’s flora and fauna continued with the zoo.  As with the SBG, it, too, was more inviting and engaging than a lot of other zoos I have seen. Maybe it was because I visited somewhat early in the day, but most of the animals there (lion and the ever-elusive mountain lion excepted) were fairly active. The exhibits are also thought-out, leaving plenty of room for visitors to gawk and to observe the animals from multiple angles.

The feeding session for the orangutans seemed to bore them, however; they had queued up for food from their handlers before the visitors even arrived. It made the session no less entertaining, though!