Mission Reptilian Successful..
Well, by now you guys must have figured out that I like to see reptiles, butterflies and bugs. Seeing it all for free, or free range is of course the best way but just sometimes the only option to see a particular species is to visit them in captivity. Today's mission, go and see the Melaka Reptile and butterflies park, located about 10KM out of town and get there on the bus.
Melaka Sentral, it's not that far actually, about a 30 minute hike according to the backpackers bible, the one you often see backpacking travellers clutching as they try to navigate their way around. To further my enthusiasm for the hike, it's more than likely that I shall get to Sentral before the bus. The free tourist map, duly collected on my arrival in Melaka, clearly shows a direct route, easy to follow I should think and should get a view of the town away from the heritage area and tourists.
A 20 minutes hike reveals shopping complexes, shopping precincts and shops. A host of pavement cafes serving a comprehensive menu from their makeshift kitchens. Over the main river bridge and onto what was clearly once Green-belt land, now under development with with, no less than 3 giant shopping complexes, hyper markets to the French, Tesco's to the Brits. Yes, a giant Tesco on former green-belt land. What ever the politics, Malaysia is expanding at 6% year by year according to the news, so little wonder there's a little bit of a property bubble then! Another 15 minutes towards Tesco and the overpass from there into the Sentral Bus Station. A good 35 minute hike to the Sentral from town, and I didn't see any sign of the Bus 17.
As usual, there has to be a consultation then consensus on what bus go's where or at what time, because no one in the place seems to have a precise answer. There is a bus that stops close to the place, Taman Rama Rama.
About half an hour trundling through the northern suburbs and the driver points ahead, about another 5 minutes hiking upto Taman Rama Rama then as I get off at the unofficial stop.
The lobby has a few caged birds - peacocks, parakeets and various others. Caged monkeys, and a few lizards all there to greet visitors, who have paid the princely sum of £2.85. Into the butterfly farm then, and there are plenty of inmates all trying to escape. Plenty of butterflies, but actually only about a dozen different spices, and most of those I saw elsewhere in Malaysia. A far cry then from the 30 species as advertised in the tourist blurb!
Next along the trail is a crocodile, basking In the heat, mouth wide open as though lunch was going to just walk on in! On through some replicated jungle and ponds full of goldfish can be seen, ok for those that like to watch giant goldfish swimming about, nothing much for the camera here though. But, now it gets interesting as the next section deals with the snakes, a few scorpions and some pretty big chameleons, all in glass tanks. All except the scorpions which are holed up in a replica cave and actually could be touched. Welcome to the 'Snake Garden', says the sign here, warning that these are mildly poisonous and best not to touch or tease. A hefty fine awaits visitors caught teasing or annoying these mangrove snakes, sleepily hanging in the trees, but watching my every move I bet. Well, I'm not going right in there, since I can get a few snaps from the doorway, keeping one foot as a door stop, just incase a quick exit is required! Of course I bet the snakes are de-vennomed, but it's a risky business finding out, pretty quiet around here, no staff on hand.
Well, that was an interesting 90 minutes spent getting a few snaps of some native and imported creatures. The butterfly section, pretty disappointing I would say, certainly nothing to write home about. The reptilian sections were more interesting with that snake garden saving the day. Possibly genuine, maybe a set-up, but interesting nonetheless. Flagging down that bus from the opposite side again after about 30 minutes waiting. That's good, because buses often don't return the same route making life difficult! Also, there seems to be one bus per route, so it's just as well to try and calculate when they might next turn up, because there really isn't any kind of schedule.
Well, by now you guys must have figured out that I like to see reptiles, butterflies and bugs. Seeing it all for free, or free range is of course the best way but just sometimes the only option to see a particular species is to visit them in captivity. Today's mission, go and see the Melaka Reptile and butterflies park, located about 10KM out of town and get there on the bus.
Melaka Sentral, it's not that far actually, about a 30 minute hike according to the backpackers bible, the one you often see backpacking travellers clutching as they try to navigate their way around. To further my enthusiasm for the hike, it's more than likely that I shall get to Sentral before the bus. The free tourist map, duly collected on my arrival in Melaka, clearly shows a direct route, easy to follow I should think and should get a view of the town away from the heritage area and tourists.
A 20 minutes hike reveals shopping complexes, shopping precincts and shops. A host of pavement cafes serving a comprehensive menu from their makeshift kitchens. Over the main river bridge and onto what was clearly once Green-belt land, now under development with with, no less than 3 giant shopping complexes, hyper markets to the French, Tesco's to the Brits. Yes, a giant Tesco on former green-belt land. What ever the politics, Malaysia is expanding at 6% year by year according to the news, so little wonder there's a little bit of a property bubble then! Another 15 minutes towards Tesco and the overpass from there into the Sentral Bus Station. A good 35 minute hike to the Sentral from town, and I didn't see any sign of the Bus 17.
As usual, there has to be a consultation then consensus on what bus go's where or at what time, because no one in the place seems to have a precise answer. There is a bus that stops close to the place, Taman Rama Rama.
About half an hour trundling through the northern suburbs and the driver points ahead, about another 5 minutes hiking upto Taman Rama Rama then as I get off at the unofficial stop.
The lobby has a few caged birds - peacocks, parakeets and various others. Caged monkeys, and a few lizards all there to greet visitors, who have paid the princely sum of £2.85. Into the butterfly farm then, and there are plenty of inmates all trying to escape. Plenty of butterflies, but actually only about a dozen different spices, and most of those I saw elsewhere in Malaysia. A far cry then from the 30 species as advertised in the tourist blurb!
Next along the trail is a crocodile, basking In the heat, mouth wide open as though lunch was going to just walk on in! On through some replicated jungle and ponds full of goldfish can be seen, ok for those that like to watch giant goldfish swimming about, nothing much for the camera here though. But, now it gets interesting as the next section deals with the snakes, a few scorpions and some pretty big chameleons, all in glass tanks. All except the scorpions which are holed up in a replica cave and actually could be touched. Welcome to the 'Snake Garden', says the sign here, warning that these are mildly poisonous and best not to touch or tease. A hefty fine awaits visitors caught teasing or annoying these mangrove snakes, sleepily hanging in the trees, but watching my every move I bet. Well, I'm not going right in there, since I can get a few snaps from the doorway, keeping one foot as a door stop, just incase a quick exit is required! Of course I bet the snakes are de-vennomed, but it's a risky business finding out, pretty quiet around here, no staff on hand.
Well, that was an interesting 90 minutes spent getting a few snaps of some native and imported creatures. The butterfly section, pretty disappointing I would say, certainly nothing to write home about. The reptilian sections were more interesting with that snake garden saving the day. Possibly genuine, maybe a set-up, but interesting nonetheless. Flagging down that bus from the opposite side again after about 30 minutes waiting. That's good, because buses often don't return the same route making life difficult! Also, there seems to be one bus per route, so it's just as well to try and calculate when they might next turn up, because there really isn't any kind of schedule.
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