Monitor Lizard in Chinese and Japanese Gardens

A contributor to Stomp has seen the same (?) monitor lizard as in my previous post.

Chinese and Japanese Gardens

One of the interesting aspect of going for relaxed walks with no time lines and no marked routes is that you come across things that you never thought is even possible. You can pause, see the sight in all its glorious detail, analyse it (or wonder what was happening!) and let the sight sink in for ever.

Chinese and Japanese gardens is an intriguing place. It is right next to many HDB precincts, but it is a world apart in these gardens.

A decade back when there was an entrance fee (I vaguely remember it to be S$ 7) it was a crowded place. Now the entrance fee is gone, but looks like even fewer people go in to these gardens. When I went there for a walk, it was eerily quiet with only a handful of people.

As you can see only a few of the above photos have any human beings in it. How nice!

At the end of the walk in the gardens this is what I saw - a monitor lizard - coolly walking around. Is it Galapagos islands or is it Singapore - I wonder!

It is a Shrimp!

Recently I have been noticing an unusual level of activities in Little Guilin “Lake” near the Bukit Gombak MRT station.  A large number of people are fishing (and I think it is fishing in the "lake" is illegal).

But what I found curious was many were not using the usual fishing rod. A small thread, a hook and on the hook is a piece is bread. Dip it into water and in seconds lift it up – and there is a shrimp at the end of the thread!

How in the world is it possible to have shrimps in Little Guilin? There seems to be a lot looking at the catch. A kind "fisherman" arranged this shot for me.

I wonder where the grand parent shrimp came from!

First Month Review

Nokia’s advertisements say that “It's what computers have become”. How true. My N95 crashed twice like a computer during my last walk and the Nokia Sportstracker website considers my single walk a three!

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/user/profile.do?u=masug

In the first month, I had 15 walks and have covered a total distance 153 kilometres. For the Coast to Coast Walk, I have to walk twice the distance in half the number of walks (days). Still, personally I consider it as a great start considering the fact that (1) most of my walks are during weekends (2) my relative newness to long distance walks and (3) I managed to go for a holiday to Kerala, India (but did not walk much).

I am also setting a target of 200 kilometres for the month of January 2009. Hopefully it won't be like my last years New Year resolutions (what was it anyway?) :)

I conclude my New Year's first post by attaching some photos from my Kerala trip. It is a beautiful place - similar to Bali, but much better. However it is not very touristy - but tourist facilities are still minimum.

House boat in Astamudi Lake

Today's catch?

A toddy (coconut liquor) shop at the sea shore.

A cold bath on a warm day!

Rubber plantations.

Local Hindu temple.

Village walkway.

Bukit Gombak Trail: Gone Forever? Update

After my last post I managed to walk around Greenwood Park and Bukit Gombak Trail.

The long defunct Greenwood park, is now totally covered bushes and mostly hidden.

Here is the Bukit Gombak Trail closure notice.

Things look bleak for both the trail and park – but “Little Guilin” (aptly named so for its likeness to the actual Guilin in China) looks beautiful as ever.

Bukit Gombak Trail: Gone Forever?

Today I thought I will blog about some sights which I captured a while back during my walks, which Singaporeans may never be able to see again.

Bukit Gombak trail extended from the Bukit Gombak Stadium next to Bukit Gombak MRT, uphill (Bukit Batok Town Park) and came out at the other end at Chu Lin Road, then on to Jalan Remaja, Hillview Avenue, Bukit Batok East Avenue 2 and finally back to Bukit Gombak. The last 4 are my own additions to make a circular track back to the starting point. One might not want to climb back and return to Bukit Gombak after going in one direction – it is too strenuous.

Unfortunately during last year’s heavy rain many parts of the trial collapsed and now an information board have setup which says “The trial is now permanently closed”. How sad!

I used to enjoy this trail – as it was never crowded and from the top of the hill you could have some great views.

Here are some pictures from the now defunct Bukit Gombak Trail and some nearby areas.

At the starting point of this trial is Little Guilin. A very quiet and enjoyable spot. This place is full of very "romantic" couples and some illegal (I guess) fishermen.

Here is one of the local residents. I wonder what else is hidden in there.

This is something I found in the trail when I took a slight deviation. Looks like this carved stone a part of a temple ruin.

This a stretch of the very deserted Bukit Gombak trail.

One of the magnificent views from the top – Guilin View Condominium reflected on the Guilin “Lake”.

And this is Chu Lin road at the other end. With just landed houses and some child care centres this is a quiet part of Singapore.

An encounter at Jalan Remaja.

A very unique plant at Hillview Avenue.

There is also another nature park near Bukit Batok West Avenue which is now closed – the Greenwood park. Some of photos below are from there. Here are few shots from the hillside park which I took ages back!

An old well!

A green snake!!

And I never went there again. :)

Note: The above pictures were taken over a period of many years and some of them are 5+ years old.

Bukit Timah to MacRitchie

 

Well almost!

The plan was to walk from Bukit Timah to MacRitchie Reservoir Park. The route I decided to take is - Bukit Timah Nature reserve - Kampong Trial - Rifle Range Road - MacRitchie Trial - Tree Top Walk - MacRitchie Reservoir Park. Everything went fine except the last phase. I lost directions (again!) went a few rounds and finally after 23 kilometres of walk ended up much further north - near Lower Pierce Reservoir!

The start at Kampong trail itself was not auspicious. Just 200 meters into the trial a snake cross the path in a hurry just a meter or so from where I was standing. With hair on my neck standing up, it looked as if it crawled over my foot. The next snake was just before I reached Riffle range road. The snake was at least 10 meters away (but again at that moment it looked too close).

For a person whose closest interaction with wildlife in recent times is eating fried chicken at KFC, this came in as a big shock.

The main challenge of the Kampong trail is that at many places the trial is too narrow and overgrown plants (looks like few people take this route) almost hide the track.

You never know what you will be stepping on. The rest of the trail was well "developed".

Apart from the snakes and (which I believe to be) a monitor lizard the only other animal that was abundant is monkeys in Riffle Range Road. They are so used to the place, they literally own it. Some stood right in the middle of the road - cars had to take a detour not to hit them! Birds were plenty and there were a few bird watchers as well.

Once you enter the MacRitchie trial things are well organized (and I cannot believe I still got lost!). Well marked trials which are wide enough drive a car through in most places, abundant maps, few rest places all prim and proper.

I wonder why most of the streams in the forest area are red in colour. Is it red algae or something else?

The Treetop walk starts with a serious climb from the Ranger Station. It is a one way circular trial. At the entrance of the treetop walk there is even a person sitting there to ensure no one walks back.

The Treetop walk gives you a magnificent view of lakes and the forest canopy. It sorts of sways a little bit as well.

One the other end there is some climbing down to do - but well laid out steps are there.

And finally you reach MacRitchie Trial (pink one) and then back to Ranger Station. The whole walk from the nearest cark park (Venus loop carpark) should be close to 10 kilometres and with some serious climbing and steps, it is not for the weak or disabled. The one way route makes it difficult to change your mind half way as well.

The next part is the fun part. I walked round and round (as you can see in this map), but did not find my way to MacRitchie. I ended up at the entrance of Singapore Island Country Club and a kind security person gave me directions and advice to get back into the trial. I still didn’t make it to MacRitchie. I ended up taking a deserted track and finally ended up in this neighbourhood.

Some tips before winding up:

1) Avoid Kampong trail; if not walk with someone else. There are snakes - some are big and long - and crawling too close for comfort. I am not experienced enough to determine whether they are poisonous or not.

2) It will be easier to walk from MacRitchie to Bukit Timah than vice versa. This is because Treetop Walk is a one way route. If you do the Bukit Timah to MacRitchie walk you will walk an "extra mile". Do so only if you love to walk!

3) When you have lost your way in the middle of a lonely jungle trial even a good GPS (even a Nokia N95) is not good enough. Try talking to people (if you manage to find one).