So I took opportunity to tag along a friend visiting his home town recently. It turn out be an eye opener.
It was a six hour bus ride from Singapore, arriving 3.30am! We talked about swiftlets much of the journey.
His home was a few km out of town. The noodle shop we had breakfast is converting to bird house above! Row of fake windows installed to keep up the appearance.
A short distance away, this whole stretch of shop units are all bird houses except for the 2 corner units! Many are doing pretty well.
Soon we headed into town to visit some of his bird houses. I couldn't track all the bird houses owned among their relatives!
There are always some improvements to make, this time installing tweeters above the staircase.
While his uncle & dad fixed some water pipes. The ladder is over the air well 3-storey above ground! Not work for the faint hearts.
I took a walk around the vicinity, several new constructions are all bird houses in progress.
New builds are taller than the surrounds.
This area must have more that 100 bird houses. Look into this alley, it is all bird houses - left, right and to the rear! It all happened within a few short years. It showed how quickly investment money followed the birds. Property prices has gone up dramatically.
A spirit house dedicated to the "Haven God", common seen in this town. Many houses have one in the courtyard that reminds me of the Thai spirit houses.
This is a standalone bird house out of town. A new construction next to one just completed a few months earlier! I am pretty impressed the rate of bird occupation rate here.
Built in the midst of rubber estate (to the left) and oil palm plantation (to the right).
They are lucky souls here - how many have such a place in our backyards?
