Out and about

I really enjoy Friday afternoons.  Away from work, I get to squirrel myself away in my room for several hours with a scented candle and do whatever I please.  Sometimes, I write.  Sometimes, I knit.  Most times, I manage to squeeze time in for a nap.  Pretty thrilling, I know.

I also like looking back over the pictures that I've taken that week.  Carrying a DSLR almost everywhere you go is no fun, but it allows me to practise on almost anything that I see.  

Lately, I've been thinking that I could spend my Friday afternoons going walkabout in various places of interest to see what kinds of photos I can take.  I've been out with a camera before, but people are always patiently waiting or not so patiently sighing as I get down on the floor to take my fortieth picture of a random plant, so the idea of exploring for an afternoon at my own speed really does me.

Right now, the Botanic Gardens and the Singapore Zoo are at the top of my list.  (Okay, I don't have a telephoto lens but even if I don't get great animal pictures at the zoo, any excuse to go there, am I right?)

For now, here are some of the places that I've been wandering around this week.

The first picture and the one above are sights that I see at Waterloo street every Saturday.  I love all the buildings on the street, each with their own stories and histories.  Every week I show up for my exercise class fifteen minutes early so that I can take a slow stroll.

Some weekends, I walk to this playground down the road from my house and do some stretching and arm exercises there.  The children stare at me, but it's quiet and tucked away from the main road.  You have to walk down a lane between two blocks to get there and the alleyway is full of pigeons.  I'm not fond of what my friend, Julien, once referred to as "flying rats" but I do think that the sight of them perched all over hapless citizens' laundry can be quite amusing.

I particularly like this picture: it looks like Darkwing Duck is swooping down on unfortunate evildoers.  (The '90s anyone?)

And finally, this Thursday, I went down the road to Amanda's house for what I hope will be one of many swim sessions before work.  She has an awesome pool in her estate and we spent a half hour doings laps before eating some well-earned MOS burger.

I love the little garden outside her house.  It's packed with plants in all colours and variegations and it looks deliciously cool, mysterious and welcoming at the same time.

My favourite part is the pot fountain that bubbles behind this hospitable gnome:

I also got to meet three of her six cats.  In particular, Blackie was very charming, following his human all round the house and miaowing plaintively when he realised that she was going to leave.  He is so quick and sleek and black that I didn't manage to capture him properly, but I think what I did catch is pretty sweet.