Monkeys and other Singaporean yard pets

Today I was driving through the neighborhood and a trash can was tipped over with monkey's around it.  One was hold a Capri Sun pouch with the straw in it's mouth.  I think it's time to do a blog about the monkeys.  I didn't want to just jump right in expressing my opinion about them without
giving it some time to watch them and have a more complete thought.

Monkeys are regular visitors in our neighborhood.  There a jungle area behind some houses where the monkeys live, but all our fruit trees and garbage allures them out to see what taste treats await.

I had seen monkeys walking around even passed them on the street with no real interaction.  However, one morning while returning from the gym a large pack of about 12 were walking towards me.  I know I am not supposed to look at them, but I had to watch because I was afraid, there were so many.  Sure enough, I guess I stared a little too long, and 2 jumped towards me baring their teeth and hissing.  I proceeded to side step as fast as I could away from them and then walked quickly home with my heart beating fast.  

My next interaction was while driving, a few monkeys were on the side of the road and one was sitting in the middle of the road.  I stopped and waited for it to move out of my way.  As I drove past  something was thrown at my car!

So at this point, I basically hated the monkeys and stayed away.

Then one day I was doing laundry in our cottage in our backyard; I saw 6 monkeys feasting on our mango tree and playing with each other.  From inside the confines of a wall looking through a window at them they were actually cute.  Then I spotted the little baby hanging on it's mom.  It was tiny and black, some of my hate for them melted away.  

I still try to stay away from them but I do enjoy looking at them from behind glass. The plentitude of fruit trees around us makes them risk coming out of the jungle to get a good meal.  And all our garbage readily available if your trash can is not bungie corded shut is a real appeal.  One day I saw a trash can on it's side and McDonalds wrappers all around it and of course a monkey was sitting there enjoying lunch.  If you ever saw the movie Over The Hedge you'll get the idea.  If you haven't seen it please do, it's SOOO funny.

The monkeys are the most entertaining and talked about creatures in our midst, but we do have an assortment of tropical birds that sing beautiful songs, squirrels run about, and occasionally you might get a glimpse of a monitor lizard roaming your yard.  I finally saw one in our yard and ran to get a photo so you all would believe me when I say I saw one.