Do not feed the monkeys

Recently we visited the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. It is supposed to be the last remnant of the original tropical forest that used to cover Singapore before the locals discovered the lure of modern condos and comfortable living.

In origin it took explorers 5 days to get to the summit and plant their flag up there, now it's a few bus stops away from Orchard.

The first thing you notice is the deafening sound of lovelorn crickets fighting to keep hold of their territory and attract the cutest females.

The second and probably most bemusing thing you notice is that most visitors walk backwards. At first I thought it was an eccentric if peculiar local habit.

In reality the reason is linked to the fact the walk through the first part of the forest is incredibly steep and while one does not notice it going up, calves and thighs burn and scream coming down and it feels like a little annoying dog is biting your legs with glee and the typical little dog's determination. The slope eases after a while and the walk becomes a gentle stroll with various ramifications that take you to different parts of the reserve. We walked to the top of the hill, a scary 161m above the sea and joined all the other people who had made it to the summit. And this is when we saw the first monkeys. We had read at the entrance to the reserve that monkeys are not supposed to be fed but I really did not expect to see any and I imagined these signs to be more for the tourists than to indicate real presence. The same with signs giving suggestions on how to behave if confronted with a snake be it a green tree snake or a cobra. Having had a very close, almost intimate encounter with a cobra once and lived to tell the tale I had decided to take these signs at least half seriously instead of laughing them off.

In any case here were the monkeys, about six in all and maybe two babies eating flowers growing through a fence. Of all the animals in the world primates are not really my favourite. They look too human and usually display the least positive and honourable of human traits. They scream, they steal, they pout, are aggressive in a thuggish way and generally make a lot of fuss for nothing. Still watching them in their natural habitat was special. So close to the city centre, a mere 10 minutes away by taxi and still immersed completely in dense vegetation such to make one feel as if civilization was miles away. The vegetation was so thick I could not see through it but glimpses of white which I mistakenly imagined to be the cliffs of Malaysia. In reality Malaysia, at least in this part of the world, does not have any cliffs and the white bits were the walls of large housing estates but still, it was romantic for a moment.

We took a detour coming down the hill and walked our way through the "waterfall" path. Not much of a waterfall but one could hear the sound of water rushing through the forest.

Overall a lovely shady walk on a warm sunny day.

If you want to hear the crickets click on the link below and enjoy!