Inspire Me Thursday

Songbirds of Singapore

The songbirds have started to gather and it’s Sunday morning in Singapore. So, before all the other tourist finish there breakfast a the Best Singapore Hotels, I head on out to the Wah Heng  coffee shop at the corner of Tiong Bahru and Seng Poh Roads. Wah Heng has caged song birds crowed in from ceiling to floor brought in by the locals. It truly a site to behold.

The birds, China thrushes, red whiskered bulbuls, merboks, white rumped shamas and mata putehs arrive in intricately carved, richly lacquered teak cages with porcelain inlays and ivory fittings. The owners proudly unveil the cages and move them from hanger to hanger with what appears to be strategic, just like an intense chess games was being played. The owners trying to position their birds near those that will encourage them to sing at their best. Songbirds, in nature, will try to out-sing, out perform each other in an attempt to attract the female of its species.

I managed to get a prime seat due to my missing out on breakfast at the hotel. I was so delighted as the birds began to warble. I got to chat up some of the owners and ask how they care and feed for their birds. They were eager to give me details on what the birds eat and one owner told me that she believes the food will influence how the birds will sing. She said a carefully controlled diet for her songbird will include live insects, fruits, baby cereal and a hard boiled egg every now and then. I noticed there were vendors just outside selling cages and feeds; doing a very brisk business I might add.

The regular Sunday crowd, which climaxes between 8am and 10am was an informal kind of competition. The owners will say different, but it seems to me to serve as a practice session for when and if they choose to enter into a more serious songbird competition. Like the National songbird competition can have a cash prize of $10,000 dollars! I’m just glad to listen to the beautiful songs, have a nice cup of coffee and watch the owners persuade their songbirds to sing the prettiest.

Ibiza’s Es Paradis

Some of the most pleasant memories on a trip come from staying at one of our 5-star Ibiza hotels .  There is an intoxicating sense of island warmth that permeates everything here, in the affect of the locals and the internationals, the mood on the streets, and the daily interactions.  The beach has a presence that is really everywhere in Ibiza, and one can’t forget they always close to the water.  In the hotels, there is an amazing combination of old-world charm mixed with new world state of the art technology.  Style and fashion are impeccable here, and the design is eclectic, mixing the best of old Europe with the best of life on the sea.

For three decades now, Ibiza has had a reputation of being one of the biggest ongoing parties on the planet, and if you’re wondering about checking into the nightlife here, one look and you’ll understand why people come here.  Ibiza attracts celebrities from all over the world, and also attracts excited youth cultures, and anyone looking to turn up the volume on their ability to rejuvenate in a very lively atmosphere.  One of the most popular clubs here, and one worth looking at, is the famous Es Paradis .  Pepe Aguirre and Lluis Guell started Es Paradis in 1975, and now it is one of the best parties in the world.  With its excellent DJs, celebrity guests, incredible pyramid ceiling that lets in the morning light when the party is over, and 10 bars, this place is built for life with gusto.

One of its most famous events is the Fiesta del Agua, or Water Party.  This is a stunning spectacle where 80,000 liters of water inundate the dance floor and turn it into a giant swimming pool.  The video of the event is amazing, and the live version is even more spectacular.  There are bulletin boards dedicated to internationals who want to write about their experience at Es Paradis , and all of this should be enough to convince the curious guest to have a look at what paradise might be.

Tigers near Udaipur

I found game-viewing in India to be quite different that what I experienced in Africa . It’s much harder to view a tiger than it is the sprawled belly-up lions in the shade of an acacia tree.  The tiger is very solitary animal and inorder to find one, we had to scour all the dusty tracks for any telltale footprints or it’s pugmarks. I found I had to become the thing I was hunting. I listened to the jungle sounds, an alarm cry of a monkey here, a cry from a deer there and the rustling of a peafowl feathers. I used my vision with the intensity of a searchlight, scanning among the trees, probing around every rocky ledge and peering into crevices where a tiger might hide. Hoping that I might be fortunate enough to spot one on my very first day. No such luck.

I headed back to my Hotel in Udaipur to cool down and get much needed refreshments. The next morning I tried again. I crossed a meadow where Chital were grazing. This is the tiger’s favorite prey. I passed a conclave of langur monkeys and pack of Seoni wolves, which apparently are even more rare to spot than the tiger. I was amused to see Dhole wild red dogs playing amongst themselves in the forest as if I wasn’t there. I watched them play king-of-the-castle for almost an hour and them bid them farewell as I was off in search of my elusive tiger.

The sun was hot only after three hours into the morning, so I made a stop underneath a Tamarind for a bush breakfast. After a nice refreshing lite breakfast, I went back deeper into the jungle and came upon 5 padded howdah elephants with riders who told me to get on board because there’s a tiger about. As Soon as I am perched side-saddle on the elephant’s broad back, we were off. Suddenly, there was the tiger! Reclining on a throne of leaves. Majestic in all of his orange glory. Even in repose, the sight of him made me gasp. He was huge and his round-eye stare was penetrating. His forepaws were bigger than my head. My legs dangled only a few yards away from his cavernous yawning jaws. He rose to his feet and strode easily through the trees as he growled full-on. An earth-shattering sound announcing his territory. Impressive and scary. I’m so glad I didn’t come upon him on foot! But, all the same, I glad I found my prey and managed to shoot several photos.

Birds of Thailand

Before I arrived in Thailand , I did a little research about the bird population. I found Thailand has over 900 documented species and that of those one-third are migrant. It can’t be a simple as that I thought, so after I got situated in one of the Hotels in Thailand , I went investigating.

Some species are for sure migrants, others are definitely residential and the rest of the birds are breeding visitors. One of the migrants, the Barn Swallow , was just recently found to be a resident also. So, I was correct, it’s not that simple to document the amount of bird species in Thailand. So, basically, what I’m conveying is that Thailand is a ‘must’ for any serious birdwatcher. I found, through my own due diligence, that there are well over 100 protected areas in Thailand and that these areas are in the National Parks, wildlife sanctuaries and in no-hunting areas. They even have organized breeding programmes for the most endangered. I found that most of these areas are easily reached by car. I was disappointed to find some closed to the public, meaning me, I really would’ve like to observe and note what species were there. I can only assume it was closed to the public because those were the breeding program areas.

I found my most favorite National Park was the Khao Yai . The park is teeming with bird-life. But, not only bird-life, the park has  over 200 elephants and approximately 20 tigers. They even have a stuffed man-eating tiger in the gift shop. The tiger was shot and killed because it ate 2 park rangers. Well, duly noted, and a warning to all visitors. Needless to say, I was in bird heaven. I observed several species of the Hornbills, Barbets and flocks of Fairy Bluebirds. A spectacular bird park indeed and one I recommend you visit first in Thailand.

The Breeze on the Island of Menorca

Menorca, although the second largest of the Balearic Islands just after Mallorca, is one of the more serene destinations of these holiday favorites.  There are many resorts and hotels Menorca offers, that cater to families and those wanting a bit more quietude than that found on say, the party island of Ibiza .  Interspersed between the resorts are small fishing villages and rugged terrain perfect for long hikes that take one away from the hustle and bustle of life.  This is a very hushed environment, that has escaped the development and the commercialization of the other islands in the chain.  With a relatively low population of almost seventy thousand more and more tourists are looking to find permanent property, permanent residence on this island.  As stated once by Mark Twain, who spent many months on the island, once the breeze flows across oneself, one can not be rid of it and must come back.

There are more beaches on this one island than those located on Mallorca and Ibiza combined.  And due to the minimal amount of change and development, many families are re-locating to this island as well as the poets, the painters and the writers of past generations through current and modern artists.  This sheltered affect the island has maintained is one of the aspects that makes it so attractive.  For while there is fun and excitement to be found, it is found in cities that do not include sky scrapers and mass influxes of tourists each year.  And while celebrities and royals are certainly welcome, so is the common man and his family.  Some of the more famous beaches on Menorca include Cala Tirant, Santo Tomas and Playa de Fornells.  The coastline along these beaches is a combined landscape of pristine white sand and rocky cliffs and coves.  The perfect getaway for those wanting to take in the surf, or hone their rock-climbing skills.  Or, to just find an out of the way spot for a picnic and a sunset.  While partying on the Balearics is hip, relaxing on the Balearics is becoming the new fashion, for families and all those wanting a little respite from the daily life at home.

Art of Bangkok, Thailand

Envy and admiration.  Two words that describe the world view on the artistry of Thailand .  From the 5 star hotel Bangkok offers, to the shanty towns, the country is filled with color.  From the architectural design to the folk art sold on the streets, Thai artists pay much attention to the skill and the detail of the art they create.  Not just the art tourists may take home with them either, but in the ice sculptures that will melt within the afternoon, to the melon and other carvings created with fruit, that will likewise, disappear within any given afternoon.  The creative spirit in Thailand is rooted deeply, so much so that the psyche, the heart and the mind, of the artists and the country, is entrenched with the importance of artistic endeavours.  From the traditional artisans to the modern painters, Bangkok is one of the many villages in the country which celebrates the human spirit.

There are many aspects the further nurture the creative life of those in Bangkok .  Bangkok is centrally located, and many artists from other villages and regions of Thailand, base themselves in Bangkok.  The government of Thailand has sponsored many artists, be they painters or fashion designers, architects or sculptors, for their continued studies in other countries.  Artists give such opportunities have come back to the city after their education and adventure abroad.  There is no singular medium or style.  The art created in Bangkok remains closely connected to the traditions, and while they do stick to the ways of the ancestors, the younger generation resisting change to a lesser and lesser extent.

Younger Thais travel much more than their parents ever did, and the influences of the world are having an effect, but not taking away from the regional and cultural heart.  The adventures they embark on serve to enhance what they create, but never take away from.  As far as the financial point of view, well, one could buy a beach house in Boca Raton, or invest in a work of art.  And at this point, who is to say which is the safer of the two investments? I will place my bets on the artist, every time.