Collage of female posteriors

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NOG guiding

Drizzling a bit today but all is fine. Guided 3 Italianos and 2 trainee guides (not the volunteer kind but those going for licensing exams one - very easy to recognise since they copy like no one's business).

Went a bit earlier to recce but then the blooming season is at all time low. Enjoyed the kaya toast from the Kopitiam there though.

Met a CH tourist who was commenting that the cicadas in SG are louder than those in CH - must be kiasuism even in the entomological world.

Managed to catch hold of a nice presentation of Dillenia suffructicosa flower and fruits


Then walked past the Bandstand post-rain


Today sooo yellow


More yellow


All freshly planted.

A couple of Chinese cymbids in flower. Too bad the weather here is too hot for scent production

All claimed to be Cymbidium ensifolium




Then you got Cymbidium finlaysonianum from SEA


Dendrobium farmeri's in bloom at the Orchidarium




So's the Sobralia sp.


Newly planted hybrids at the THSMH





Jasmine-scented Vanda Mimi Palmer



Like this yellow one:


Ornithochilus fuscatus in bloom in the Cool House

Kena pang sei by SBG (again)

After a trip down on the east to Jason's place, took 14 then changed midway to SBG to do my monthly volunteer guiding. The rain was pouring, giving me 2-toned cargo pants- the rain was so bad that my pants remained soaked after in the shelter while waiting at the visitors' centre.



I am usually the one taking the late afternoon slot and I do get people joining me - and recently, a lot of trainee tour guides (commercial ones not the volunteer ones - IMHO, they should go for the morning slots with KH as he gives a lot more historical tibits; I'm more focus on culture and the plants).

Walk past the busy hall at the Tanglin side, dunno wat's happening and saw this lying on the floor


Came from these in Symphony Lake?


I did my general survey at the NOG before heading down to the meeting point - this to to prep me as to wat to show and wat to say later on. Some parts can skip, some parts can tok a bit more

Reached the meeting point already, boh lang. Even the 2 gals at the desk were MCC and the office was empty. LL, had to give JP and ring ring and she also MCC because this was THE SECOND TIME LIAOZ. Everyone abandoned post to service the crowd at the Hall in Tanglin core on Self-esteem.

Then one staff rush over to set up the sign up desk etc. But then hor, it was about 1615 - the tour was to start at 1600 and guests should register by 1545 as stated on the webby. Last ditch attempt to get people to sign up was futile. Even if the staff whole heartedly set the things up to appease me which I appreciated, it was no short of wayang as the time's up. Those who walked past must have left on their own accord thinking that there's no session today.

At least it was better than the last time when I entered the office and the guy started stammering and smacking his lips.

Waste my time travelling it's ok. Making me pang sei my fellow pharmacy staff for the annual BBQ in East Coast, it's ok, but to deal disservice to the public not giving them the opportunity to go through a guided tour, I think the management have to sit down and think about it - after all they are part of a PUBLIC institution; and I dun like to blame staff whole are poorly managed, poor managers have poor manpower allocations and task designations.

The 1600 slot is very important for a lot of people. There are still a lot of people (like me) who work 5.5 days. 6 day work weeks? wait nong nong. People will complain that they can't do this and that because some places are not opened on Saturday.

So at 1630hrs, I had waited enough, I just say bye and thanks and left walking in the rain - too distaughted to catch a cab down to East Coast - I may just ruin the partay mood with my brooding

Anyway some pics

It was raining at the gate





Tanglin Core





kapok tree (fibres to stuff pillows)


Nice pretty flowers



Brassavola Singapura (basker!!! mine not yet flower =/)



Flowering brommy


Variegated Crinum asiaticum (to add to the confusion as to which is the type, the Japanese version, the blah blah blah version)


In the cool house
Dendrobium goldschmidtianum


Phalaenopsis schilleriana



Dendrobium dearei


Dendrobium uniflorum


Phragmipedium spp.


Phalaenopsis pulchra


Bulbophyllum echinolabium Scent of a million dead pachydermis


Ensete superbum