Journal of Life (2006 - 2008): Lions Nature Education Center

20-August-2006
*

I'm still having this hang over effect even though we have been back from Singapore-JB for more than 2 weeks. It's like when one have drunk too much, wake up the next morning, feeling lost and empty inside. Also, don't know why I keep dreaming about a big house with a big garden? What is the hint hiden implicitly behind?

This weekend, same like many other weekends, we tried not to go to places where a big bunch of crowds would be there. We picked Lions Nature Education Center this time, which is situated near Sai Kung Town.

The Center comprises 34 hectares of land, with informative and attractive field and outdoor display areas, such as an arboretum, a rocks and mineral garden, a medicinal plants garden, a demonstration tree nursery, an insectarium and a shell house (Lion EEC Shell House) ,etc. The Centre is used for the purposes of public education, recreation, nature conservation and scientific studies.

Chilipepper. When the kids can accept hot stuff later, it will become one of the main ingredients in our diet, just like ginger, garlic and orion.

Sesame. This is the 1st time I seen a sesame plant. It's quiet different from what I imagined, though I can't tell what exactly that I imagined before. Nonsense....

Okra. I don't like to eat this when I was small, but I like it when I get older. Sign of aging?

Eggplant. Besides purple, there also got white and green eggplant in the market here. Whatever color it is, we love it and eat it almost every week.

Papaya tree. I miss papaya tree. I remember my mom planted papaya tree in the front yard at our old house. It's one of the cheapest fruits in Malaysia, but it's bloody expensive in HK. So, I seldom buy papaya over here, kind of sabotaging its "unreasonable" high price.

When they were small, they like to chase after dogs for no specific reason. But when they get older, they are scared of dogs for no specific reason.

We didn't realize Vincent has plucked one of the chilipepper away until he showed us proudly after some time. Luckily nobody have seen it and we didn't get fined because of it.

Insectarium. Vincent was so generous to offer his chilipepper to this giant "insert". If it's chocolate candy, I'm sure he won't want to share it with anyone, not even if the monster chased after him.

Lots of insert specimen inside there.

When we were small, we like to slip the airplant leafs in the book and close it up. After some time, roots grow out from the leaf. And it's great to see how new life can grow out in such a simple way.

This is my positive view and negative view when I see the parasitic plant (guest) grow out of the provider plant (host) :-

Positive : The host and the guest are interdependent to make a better life together, that the stronger will support the weaker for survival. A warm world it is.

Negative : The guest is taking advantage of the host. Without the host, the guest can't survive alone. Without the guest, the host can live better. A shit world it is.

Vincent didn't want to get in there. In fact, he is pretty anxious about the place. Emm...did he think this is the entrance to 'hell'?

Vincent was so anxious that he ran far to the medicinal plants garden, and kept calling us to leave the 'hell'.

Mini pond, with nothing inside.

The vending machine can bring us real trouble at times. Whenever they see this machine, they will poke high and low for can COKE. If we don't make their wish come true, they will bug and nag for a very long time. End up, we have to ignore what they said and did to avoid getting cross with them. Really, I never see any kid who doesn't like COKE. Guess the business can survive a very long time.

As usual, they like to look here and there for stuffs they can play with...

Here is another example...

Rock / Mineral Corner. I would be more interested if they display diamond, crystal or gem there. However, they display various unpolished rocks, which are quite similar in my eyes.

This place look like a Malay village, isn't it?

Banana has never been my cup of tea. I like fruits with lots of fluid, but banana is rather dry.

The longer they squat there, the more polluted the pond would become.

What's wrong to the head of that fish? Brain tumor? Because of living in the polluted pond for too long?

May God bless these fishes...

Fisheries hall. The closing time is 4.30pm sharp. BE PUNCTUAL.

I like to imagine this is the back yard of our house, where we can make a swing for the kids, set up a camp site for them, or inviting friends over for BBQ, etc.