Butterfly Garden at Singapore airport

Never knew that there was a butterfly garden inside the Changi airport. 

One gets to see a variety of these colourful friends. That is actually a butterfly with golden wings (looks metallic)

Noticed many tourists dropping in to have a quick look and click some pictures 

There were some sponges kept around with some sweet liquid on them. These attracted the butterflies 

Also noticed these slices of pineapple. 

Apart from butterflies and normal plants, there are some carnivorous plants too like the pitcher plant. 

Top view of the garden 

Even though it is an enclosed space, it provides a good natural ambience to these insects with enough sunlight.

As usual there was an electronic board here too, to give your ratings. 

Like mentioned here, take nothing but photographs.

This was the lady who told me about the butterfly garden. 

Her English was not perfect but she made sure that I understood what she wanted to say (see video) Also liked the way she made the tea for the customers. Each place has a unique style of preparing tea and coffee.

I liked the design of these three TV panels set up at the airport lounge.

Each TV was playing a different channel but it did not disturb others. It was because of the placement of the speakers (with the proper volume) 

So people sitting in these seven chairs could hear only the channel they are viewing. 

Talking of airports, I recently read that Kochi gets the world’s first fully solar powered airport. (The Week dt 20^th Sept) 

 The GM of CIAL said “the excess power generated from the solar panels during the maximum sunshine hours would be banked in the grid of KSEB. It will then be used in the non-sunshine hours of the day. The airport used to pay around Rs 3.25 lakhs to the KSEB before the solar panels came. That is a saving of around Rs 12 crore per year. Considering the initial cost of Rs 62 crores of setting up of the panels, the break even comes within 5  years” Wish others too would follow this practice. 

I mean just imagine, these panels generate 50,000 units of power every day. This is equal to planting 30 lakh trees or running a car 75 crore miles without burning any fuel.

Washrooms

It is interesting to see the different signs that are put up in the washrooms of hotels and restaurants.

Some are very simple like these

 

These are from a hotel in Amsterdam.

 

The entrance for this one is a common one (for Men and Women) This was in California where we had brunch at the Cliffhouse. The type of art used here is from the early fifties.

This is from La Bularia, an eating place in Amsterdam. From the drawings, one can make out that it is a Spanish joint.

 

 

One that I saw in France

 

 

I don’t know where I clicked this but the braille letters at the bottom indicate that they have thought of the blind people too.

 

In case people can’t read the “Ladies” sign, there is a picture of a girl alongside it. The drawing of the girl is in Mario Miranda style, but not actually by Mario. This is at the Baga beach, Goa (Hotel Britto)

 

Talking of toilets, I found this feedback system installed in Singapore airport (Changi) very interesting. After using the toilet, you can give your feedback by just pressing a button. What a simple and effective way for instant feedback.

 

Like me, all must have pressed “excellent” as can be seen here.

Coming back to washroom, this is one sign which needs no description. Every Indian anywhere in the world will know the meaning of this. Clicked this in an eating place in the suburbs of Mumbai.