CHRISTMAS AT ORCHARD

I think this is near Abercrombie and Fitch boutique

It is always an interesting sight and experience every year to go down Orchard Road to check out the christmas decoration fronting the many shopping centres and boutiques. 

Some choose to play safe and go for the conventional colours but others are more daring and go for innovative displays. Most seemed to go for subtle colours of gold, silver and brown this year but I love the striking blue mass display in front of Mandarin Hotel.

this display is so eye catchingly innovative

the white rings give it that extra oomph

Centrepoint

outside Centrepoint

Orchard Central

back to Mandarin Hotel

RIVER SAFARI

Believe it or not because this is my first visit to the River Safari.

The area is not very big and hence the tour wasn't as long as I expected. The overall experience was just fine for me, without the wow factor, and frankly I don't think I would visit it again for some time.

green wall near the entrance

a crocodile sculpture

stuff crab at the turnstile entrance

Mandai Reservoir

pair of Mandarin Ducks

albino terrapin

an alligator sculpture

a long-tailed macaque

display of giant fishes

the fishes are scary

is it a stork?

a frog that is easily missed!

entrance to the Panda exhibit

one of a pair of red panda

it was walking round and round the small enclosed site

we were lucky to spot one of the Pandas Jia JIa

it could be a stuff toy for all I know

close-up of the Panda

the Panda's enclosure

watching the Polar Bear feeding from the side of River Safari

in the faraway land on the right are giraffes, or so I was told

Spider Monkey carrying its young

enclosure of the Spider Monkeys

close-up of the Spider Monkey's face

safety in numbers for a school of freshwater fish swimming together 

scary big aquarium housing Manatees (Sea Cows, Dugongs)

seriously, they don't resemble mermaids to me

an otter sun-tanning

ok, it's a male

rolling around to scratch its back