Things you like about Singapore?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Reminds me of hordes of girls in CBD here wearing really elegant office dress and elaborate make-up, paired with stilettos, but they hunch as they walk. Erm.... not pretty.

Isn't that the truth!

[Edroche]

There was a monitor lizard the size of a small dog traipsing around Robertson Walk a while back. I should upload the pictures I took of it.

Not sure how they'd react if one crossed their path up close.

The below video might answer your question. Check this bad boy out, got this on the iphone a year ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiBCXy3I ... e=youtu.be

The first one I caught in my back yard (seems it liked my dogs dry dog food and was living in the monsoon drain at the edge of the road so would come up at night to feed). Eventually the dogs barking got me curious and eventually I caught the critter. It measured 6' from nose to tip of tail. About 2 years later I caught a 2nd one that measured 4'6". The first one went to the Singapore Zoo and the 2nd went to one of the ponds just down the street from me on the old Seletar Golf Course. I understand a lot of the ducks on the pond disappeared in the ensuing months as well. I had an Indian neighbour who tried to get me to give him the lizard, but my wife said, NO! because he'll kill and eat the lizard. Oh, one other interesting fact about monitor lizards, they can also climb trees if necessary. Their talons look like eagle talons and are just as sharp.

Jesus. How did you catch the lizard and how long did you keep it for? I hear they can run quite fast. I ran over one by mistake recently. It was coming back from another void deck trip, got startled and ran between the wheels of my bicycle. Went over it with the back.

[the lynx]

And I had one chasing after me

Moral: Never go near one when you have open wound.

Edited: to minimise TMI effect

[Hidy Ho]

TMI!!! TMI!!!

[x9200]

This one is from Melaka (city centre, ~100 m from the Renaissance hotel);. Probably ~3m long. I asked my wife to go there next to him so I can take a valid comparative photo but some women have no respect to a proper scientific conduct.

[Mi Amigo]

I'd still rather have an encounter with one of those guys than with Edroche's dog

We used to often see quite big monitors at the first place we lived here; it was an old condo with large gardens at the end of Sunset Way, backing on to Maju Camp. We also used to see the odd monkey and snake there too. Recently we've been hearing a lot of monitors on our walks up to the Marina Barrage; they seem to like lurking in the undeveloped land near the entrance to the MCE construction site. Not exactly a tuneful sound, but I do like these creatures.

[the lynx]

...to a proper scientific conduct.

Which is?

[x9200]

...to a proper scientific conduct.

Which is?

... described in my message above. On a different note I think I should stop being ironic as from my recent experience I clearly do it wrong.

[the lynx]

...to a proper scientific conduct.

Which is?

... described in my message above. On a different note I think I should stop being ironic as from my recent experience I clearly do it wrong.

Nah, it is not just you. Very highly probable that I lost the irony around here at times.

[zzm9980]

They keep dozens of monitor lizards at Sungei Boleh right by the building at the entrance to the park. You can just hang out there without even paying the entrance fee if that's all you want to see. You'll be about a meter away.

[Brah]

the girls!

I have never seen so many pretty and well-dressed ladies in my life.

Go to Japan and see how it compares.

Yer... been to Tokyo... but the girls there... I wouldn't call "well dressed"... they are just completely strange. OK, they do take alot of care about the way they look, but dressing up like Little Bo Peep takes a certain kind of nutcase.

I work in CBD... so maybe I do lack a wider experience. And I've only been here a month.

CBD is as good as it gets here, and Lynx is right - sometimes though the clothes are right, the walk or stance or posture or gait is all wrong and kills it. A surprisingly large number of attractive and well-dressed ladies with feet pointing at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock. Makes for an awkward walk.

Re Tokyo, not sure where you were but in any of the business areas you see the best dressed and well turned out ladies anywhere. Sounds like you were in Shibuya or Harajuku where they you're right, they dress anywhere from odd to downright wacky.

I'm talking strictly about OLs, although at the better nightclubs the women can be scary hot looking. Try Maronouchi, Ginza, Roppongi (the office areas, not the seedy parts), Akasaka, etc. - the business districts. If you're married be sure and go alone though.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Jesus. How did you catch the lizard and how long did you keep it for? I hear they can run quite fast. I ran over one by mistake recently. It was coming back from another void deck trip, got startled and ran between the wheels of my bicycle. Went over it with the back.

Being the ole farmboy that I am, I had a welding machine as well as a complete workshop behind my old Black & White in Seletar. Therefore once I figured out what the dog was barking at, I made a typical Snake Pole/noose arrangement and as soon as I snared him (as he was right beside the house on the outback patio ) I pushed him into the deep narrow drain that goes around each unit. They are about 9" wide but about 2' deep. Once getting him in the drain, I stood on him and with heavy duty welding gauntlets (elbow length) and my old cowboy boots on, I'd grab one nasty end just behind the skull and my BiL would grab the wildly swinging other end. I also had a large critter cage (trap for dogs or monkeys) so in there he would go. Kept it for a couple of days each time until the novelty wore off then the 1st one (the bigger one) got a visit from the zoo people. The second one, as noted, was released in one of the golf course ponds, where it proceeded to decimate the resident duck population.

Word of advice. Don't try this silly crap by yourself unless you are crazy as a loon, like me. One bite from those bastards will turn septic in less than an hour.

edited: 9" not 9'

[Brah]

How aggressive are they - would they try to approach a human? I'm wondering as we came upon one while walking along the river, and if we were there a bit earlier it would have been a surprise meeting for all.

Same thing happened on our condo grounds, which are quite lush and with a lot of places where one of these critters could live a long time undiscovered.

[JR8]

I've seen them at McRitchie reservoir, but they don't come up too close.

However I've also seen them come up the beach on Tioman (Tekek beach), and they'll wonder around in the sand amongst the bungalows and dive centre and compressor-huts apparently completely unafraid.

I've heard that said of their bite too. Apparently their mouth/'teeth'[?] are home to a lot of seriously dangerous-to-mammals bacteria.

[Brah]

You mean like Kodomo Dragons?