Pulau Ubin

About a month or so ago I joined the Singapore Active Toddler's Playgroup as a way to meet other moms and as an outlet for Ethan when the twins went back to school. This morning we went to a "meetup" on the island of Pulau (pronounced "plow") Ubin. It means "granite island" in Malay and is named this because it used to contain granite quarries. They quit using these quarries in 1999 and now the government parks owns it and only 50 people are left living there. We got there by taking a 10 minute bumboat ride from a jetty near the Changi airport. Once you are there you can choose to walk or ride a bike and explore. Our group went on the Sensory Trail which is maintained by both the parks services and the Singapore American School students. We had a guide who was able to identify all types of plants and we were able to touch, smell, and taste many of them as well as learn their uses.

This tree is a cocoa tree and has pods that grow on it that contain the cocoa beans.
Here is the beginning of the Sensory Trail
The above picture was taken in the village center. I will write a post later to explain this festival in greater detail but it's in celebration of the "Hungry Ghosts Festival."
Kaitlyn and a little friend are making a "house" out of a palm leaf, sticks, and leaves.
Kaitlyn in holding a coconut that has started to sprout. This can now be planted to grow a coconut tree! Too bad we don't have a yard...
This is the view we had approaching the island. It is reminiscent of what Singapore used to look like maybe as early as 30 years ago.
These houses out over the water on stilts are common.
The above are the traditional Malay houses that you will find in kampung (villages.) They are open air and pretty rustic.
Kaitlyn and these two boys carried this palm leaf through most of the trail in order to build their "house" at the end.

I learned that this is called a banana PLANT not a tree. The thing hanging down under the bananas is actually a flower from which more bananas are starting to grow.
These are the bumboats that we rode to the island in. They are noisy, not real clean, and ride low in the water.
If you look in the left corner of the picture you can see a cocoa pod.
You will need to click on this picture to make it larger to see the fishing villages that are built out on the water. They are not connected to land except for the stilts they are built on.
Disembarking the bumboat was quite an experience! The captain backs the boat right up to the stairs and revs the motor while in reverse to hold the boat there while passengers alight! It was a little intimidating for the kids to get off the boat like this - especially as the waters are choppy from other boats so you are moving around! There is no such thing as a "no wake" zone here!