Land of Eternal Summer and Snakes

I am loving the weather in Singapore right now. Because we are basically on the equator, there are no seasons here: it's the land of eternal summer. After almost a month of grim wintry temperatures, bare trees, and darkness by 6 pm, strolling around in sandals and a tank top through lush jungle feels exceedingly luxurious.

We went for a two-hour walk in the nearby West Coast Park, and even at 4 pm it was hot enough to sweat. Little R had a great time toddling back and forth--she kept leaning backwards to stare at the trees until I was afraid that she would fall over. She also likes picking up sticks and wandering around with them clutched in her hand: another way that a baby is like a dog.

On the way to the park, as we were passing under a tree a snake suddenly rappelled down out of the branches, two feet ahead of us. It was about two and a half feet long, and not very scared of us at all, apparently, as it just hung out hissing for five minutes or so (since little R was in the stroller I did not want to go past). Eventually a passing truck convinced it to retreat, and it slithered up the tree with great dexterity. Looking it up at home, it was the Oriental Whip Snake, which is mildly venemous. It made me feel a little bit creepy: snakes are all around, in the drains, trees and who knows where else!