Saturday, March 24, 2012

Oz - Singapore onboard ms Amsterdam

Just returned from another fantastic voyage lecturing onboard the Amsterdam for the Holland America World Cruise - Sydney to Singapore segment.





Fascinating opportunity to lecture about the amazing creatures of Australia -- platypus, devils, saltwater crocs, cassowaries, and koalas.

Check out those daggers!!  These are very effective for keeping pesky humans in line.

A bit of excitement as the Komodo Dragons got a bit too close to the crowd.  "Do not Run!! DO NOT RUN!" said the Ranger, "...but move quickly!"  Yes - that is the ranger holding a Dragon by the Tail!! (Photo with thanks to Barbara Heywood-Chasey)
Hong Kong was brilliant at night!
Snake & Scorpion Wine! A sip per day might help if you have aspirations to become a snake-oil salesman!  Many shelves were filled with these and similar offerings in Nha Trang, Vietnam.  Pity to see thousands of creatures end up this way.

Singapore: Learning about Bananas from Tony at the fascinating Bollywood educational garden - perhaps the only organic veggie garden in Singapore www.bollywoodveggies.com.  Handy Trivia:  If the Banana is edible the flowers point downwards... if the flowers point upwards it is ornamental.