Crocodiles

National Geographic confirmed that Lolong, the giant crocodile in the Philippines is the world's largest salt water crocodile in captivity. Measuring 21 feet, it looks like a dinosaur.

A few flash floods here and there in Singapore especially the ones at Orchard Road and there was furore but if we were to take things in perspective by looking at other people's problems like the flood in Thailand then ours will look so small. So too in life as everyone we meet is fighting a harder battle.

In keeping up with my tradition of going to a place never been before or doing something never done before I decided to check out a farm. Many of us have been to Thailand or the Jurong crocodile farms where they put on a show with the man sticking his head in between a crocodile's mouth. We see them in the local zoo too.

This one is at a place where I knew since I was much younger and drove past often but amazingly has never stepped into it.

It has been around since 1945 and besides being a factory for production and export of reptile skins has since a long time ago been opened to the public by the owner Mr. Tan.

It is at a beautiful dated and old mansion along Upper Serangoon Road.

You can see photos pasted on the wall of the young Mr. Tan at work and then you turn around and you see the real him albeit and older version manning the souvenirs stalls.

Best of all you get to see the crocodiles up close. The mansion next to it can have a view of the monsters anytime but after reading about the flood in Thailand where crocodiles escaped from enclosures, I think you would rather not.

The one above in the tray was vibrating and making a sound as if it was mating season as you saw on TV. It was really loud and sounded like a T-Rex.

These beasts are not to be trifled with.

There are warning signs telling you the obvious.

I saw a Caucasian man carrying his daughter and peering over a parapet to have a look. I think it was not a wise thing to do.

At strategic spots there may be fencing but please take precaution.

This is a huge one with its mouth opened.

Crocodiles are "Buaya" in the Malay language. You can find many buaya at the golf courses - human ones. Please do not put your head between their mouths.

I found an antic urn in the toilet. It has been in use since olden days. Maybe it was used to store salted vegetables when brought in by the provision shops. They were then automatically recycled to be used for storage of rice grains or simply fill with rain water or to store water in the bathroom. Water kept in such urns becomes pretty cold if you were to use them for your shower. As a child I have kept fish in an urn like that at my maternal grandmother's place. The fish grew a darker shade in colour due to less sunlight in the bathroom. One day during a flood, they escaped.

Go pay a visit as there are nice souvenirs like croc skin products and you can buy and wear a crocodile tooth around your neck. Wear it to eh golf course to ward of buaya.