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Fuzzy: Uh... You could take your real form if you want. I mean, I'm cool with it.A Shapeshifter (or a Master of Disguise or Master of Illusion) can look like anyone, and sometimes anything. But most such characters will have a regular form that they usually appear in. This is either because they like that particular appearance, because they need to present themselves in a consistent (or more normal) appearance for the sake of others, or it's simply because that's what they and/or their species normally looks like. It usually depends on how their particular style of Shapeshifting works. For more practical reasons, this is just easier to draw. Or it's implemented so that a single actor can be cast in the role. The only time this might be a problem is when a shapeshifter is an assassin or otherwise working in espionage. Their enemies have seen the face of the shapeshifter, yet they remain using that same appearance in everything. This is rarely addressed; it is assumed to be part of the Willing Suspension of Disbelief. There are also variations regarding the nature of shapeshifting within the fiction itself. There might be mass displacement or other limitations. Of course, in the real world an individual has many options, either superficial (clothing, cosmetics and jewelry) or intensive (plastic surgery and tattoos), to appear as their "preferred self-image." It certainly isn't unlikely that a shapeshifter would have the same desires. There are usually two types of Default Forms:
Jess: This is my real form, dummy.
Fuzzy: But I thought...
Jess: That I'm a giant slug monster, right? That may be the packaging, dude, but this is who I am. You get the difference?
Fuzzy: So, like, you identify as a smoking hot babe?
Jess: Nah. The smoking hot part is just the shape-shifter bonus.
Jess: This is my real form, dummy.
Fuzzy: But I thought...
Jess: That I'm a giant slug monster, right? That may be the packaging, dude, but this is who I am. You get the difference?
Fuzzy: So, like, you identify as a smoking hot babe?
Jess: Nah. The smoking hot part is just the shape-shifter bonus.
- True Form: The default shape is simply the shapeshifter's actual appearance. This is often the case if the character is a member of a shapeshifting species or if the shapeshifting has some limitation, like how long the character can be transformed.
- Preferred Form: Their appearance is the form they like best. They may have a natural appearance that is completely alien or too bizarre (or just too expensive) to be practical for human interaction; such shifters often become humanlike in most cases. Oddly, few shapeshifters capable of this option seem to have the energy to go for their most powerful form as their Default.
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Examples of True Form:
Anime and Manga
- Albireo Imma's artifact allows for shapeshifting to a wide variety of people, including Gateau Vanderburg, Takamichi and Asuna's teacher and Nagi Springfield. But the robed appearance is what he really looks like.
- Due of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, though as a very effective assassin, the only enemies who've seen her default form don't live long enough to squeal about it. At least, until Zest proves to be too much for her and promptly kills her to avenge his friend, Regius.
- Mr 2 Bon Clay from One Piece can only use his most advanced techniques in his default form, because they require perfect knowledge of his body's strengths and limits.
- Most users of Zoan fruits typically use the human form as their default form... because it is a default form from before they gained their powers, after all. True form either way. Chopper is the only one pulling off a preferred form, using his hybrid form as a default form. He even reverts to it when losing control of his powers for some reason, despite others becoming their original form in such circumstances.
- The Mazoku of Slayers are preferred forms. They can appear to be anyone or anything they wish to, they just have 'default' human forms so that they can be recognized by people they want to be recognized by. On one occasion a Mazoku took the form of the default form of another Mazoku to act as bait for Lina and co, who were trying to track the other Mazoku.
- While Oolong and Puar of Dragon Ball can assume any shape they want, their default forms are a short, anthropomorphic pig and a strange creature that looks like a fusion between a cat and a bat respectively.
- In Fullmetal Alchemist, Envy has both a true form and preferred form. Its preferred form manifests as an androgynous teenager with hair done in long spikes. As for his true form, Envy has two true forms. The first is an elephant-sized, six-legged...thing covered in the screaming faces of the souls imprisoned in its Philosopher's Stone. The second and real true form is hidden with that: An almost embryonic version of its larger form which uses the mass provided by human bodies to shapeshift.
- In the 2003 anime version, his true form is different, and is instead revealed to be the dead son of Hohenheim and Dante. He despises his resemblance to the father who was never there for him and so only assumes the form once before transforming into a giant snake.
- Played with in Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. The human forms that the dragons normally appear as are their true forms just as much as their draconic forms. It's explained as it being what their essence would look like if they were born as humans.
Comic Books
- Mystique of the X-Men. Interestingly done in X2: X-Men United, where Rebecca Romijn played Mystique in disguise — sans makeup. From X-Men 3, it seemed like the X2 no-makeup appearance would be her normal human appearance, except with dark hair.
- In X-Men: First Class, Mystique could almost be considered to be true form and preferred form. Her original form is the blue skin and red hair we all know and love, but she spends most of her time as Jennifer Lawrence, much like Rebecca Romijn sans makeup in X2. The fact that, like Clayface, she has to continually put effort into shifting, coupled with the final abandonment of her "regular human" disguise tips her into true form by the movie's end.
- She basically has 2 default forms. Blue-Skinned when her mutant powers are working, and normal human when de-powered. Basicalle, her Human Default Form is her exact look with normal skin and eyes.
- Clayface from Batman. Batman: The Animated Series explained that shapeshifting is an acquired skill, or "muscle tensing," so he can't just constantly be in another form.
- The Marvel Universe has the Skrulls, who often hang around in their normal forms even when there's no real reason to do so. The Skrulls believe they are superior to all other forms of life, a very good psychological reason to assume their natural forms whenever possible, much like the way someone who has to wear a uniform they consider demeaning for their job probably takes it off in their spare time.
- Apparently, it can also be uncomfortable for them to remain in an assumed form for too long at a time. In one Fantastic Four story, Lyja makes an excuse to her date to take a short break and rest a few minutes in her default mode, because her human form gives her a headache.
- Martian Manhunter from The DCU. The familiar alien "superhero" form in the comics is actually a slightly more human-like version of his true appearance, which is kind of playing with this trope.
- Courier, a shapeshifter who most often appeared in the pages of Gambit's solo series, is an interesting twist on this. Courier's default form started off as a man, but after being melted (while impersonating a woman) and reconstituted by Mister Sinister, became a woman permanently.
- When he's not fighting, flying, or impersonating more famous superheroes, Hulkling of the Young Avengers looks like an ordinary sixteen-year-old boy.
- All the Endless in The Sandman can change their looks at will, but they all have default appearances they stick to when they're among other immortals. Morpheus usually looks tall, thin and pale, with messy dark hair, but he occasionally shows up in other forms appropriate to the person he's talking to — for instance, when visiting the dream of a cat, he looks like a cat.
- Or, when seen by the Martian Manhunter in the first volume, as Lord L'zoril, a giant flaming head. Considering that the Martians' weakness was fire, nightmares must have been common.
- Death's favorite form is that of a perky goth girl. She even appeared (briefly) in this form in a story set in ancient Greece, when her nephew Orpheus visited her in her home (which initially appeared as a slightly cluttered late-20th century apartment). The sight disturbed Orpheus so much that she promptly changed herself and her home into a form he was more comfortable with.
- Beast Boy in Teen Titans, when not in animal form, generally takes his natural form, a human male (albeit one with green skin).
Fan Works
- Hakkōna: Kiku's base form is that of a nekomataneko, a mix between human and nekomata. In other words, his true appearance is that of a human with cat ears and twin tails.
- In With Strings Attached, George's default form is sort of true form: his 21-year-old body with any changes he might have made to himself, like a new hairstyle. However, since he has no time limit or stress in other forms, he will cheerfully stay other things as long as he feels like it.
- In Masques, Aralorn is a half-human shapeshifter, whose default form is human. She doesn't seem to routinely change her appearance. However, other shapeshifters seem to make themselves supernaturally beautiful, just because they can. Aralorn is comfortable with her real face, and after she took the form of a beautiful woman, reverts to normal.
- Played against in Larry Niven's "What Good Is a Glass Dagger?", wherein the true form of werewolves is the wolf form, not the human form.
- In Octavia Butler's Wild Seed, the character Anyanwu takes on different identities when moving from place to place, and is able to change her race, gender, and even her species. In private or with someone who knows her secret, she reverts to the form of a beautiful, petite twenty-year-old African woman. This is the original body she had before her mutant abilities first developed.
- All users of Andalite morphing technology in Animorphs have a default form which they must revert to if they wish to take on a new animal form. There is also a time limit to how long one can remain morphed; exceeding this time limit results in Shapeshifter Mode Lock that not even reapplication of the morphing tech can fix. Tobias falls victim to this early in the series, becoming trapped as a red-tailed hawk; later in the series he regains his ability to morph thanks to the Ellimist, but now has the hawk as his default form.
- Given a twist in Tais Teng's SF short story "Gekleed in Twijfelachtig Vlees" ("Dressed in Doubtful Flesh"). Problem solver Percy d'Arezzo (y Mac Shimonoseki) is hired by a shapeshifter who has forgotten his true form. Percy proceeds to take litmus tests for a baffling gallery of shapeshifter species in an attempt to solve the problem by elimination.
- In The Bartimaeus Trilogy, spirits are described as having both a true form and a preferred form. All demons have a default form, but they generally do not assume it on the mortal plane because they look slightly repellent (hell, even some spirits prefer not to see each others true forms). Instead most spirits generally refer back to a form most humans are comfortable with, whatever happens to match their preferences and history best. For example, Bartimaeus defaults to imitating Ptolomy out of respect.
- Adding to the complication is the varying ability of shape shifting between spirits. Many spirits are simply too unimaginative to take on complicated forms, while stronger spirits wind up with a Red Right Hand or other signs of Morphic Resonance since their power is too much to contain.
- The Were Hunters in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series can change into a specific animal.
- In Robert E. Howard's Kull story "The Shadow Kingdom" the Master of Illusion Snakemen are really reptilian headed men.
- Harry Potter
- Boggarts are rumored to have a true form, except nobody knows what their true form actually looks like; the instant a Boggart is spotted, it immediately transforms itself into something else. The only person who does know, is Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, as he was able to see inside a dresser one was hiding in, thanks to his magic eye. Sadly, he doesn't say what it looks like.
- Tonks, a Metamorphmagus, is also a mild true form example. It appears that she changes her hair dramatically for day to day wear, but rarely changes the shape of her face or her eyes, which is how Harry consistently identifies her.
- In Consider Phlebas, Horza, a member of shape-shifting race of alien mercenaries, spies, and assassins averts this trope pretty hard. When he's picked up by a salvage ship after being left adrift in space, he immediately begins modeling his form on the hulking Jerk Ass captain (he had been in the form of an old man from his last assignment) anticipating the need to kill and replace the man down the line, which would be easier if he already had the body copied and then could just change his face when the time was right. He does revert to a true form after dying, but a disturbing dream sequence earlier in the novel suggests that he might not have even recognized that face in the mirror (he may have been a different member of the same race who lost himself in impersonating Horza for an assignment a long time ago
- In Mistborn, the true form of the shapeshifting Kandra race is a big blob of tissue that essentially resembles a giant amoeba. They very rarely use this form, however, since in order to take the shape of someone or something a Kandra first has to ingest the one thing they can't turn into- a rigid skeleton. There's some crossover with preferred form, since although Kandra normally use the bones of whatever individual they're replicating, among themselves they use artificial skeletons called True Bodies that set a preferred shape for that Kandra, and are often fanfically inhuman.
- Galaxy of Fear has two Shi'ido, alien shapeshifters. Their default Shi'ido forms are gray-skinned and humanoid but with unusually long fingers. Young Shi'ido are born looking like this. The villainous Shi'ido spends more of his screen time in other forms, the heroic one usually looks like himself and explains in The Brain Spiders that having his own form and identity is important because otherwise he could lose himself.
- While the titular Eldritch Abomination in Stephen King's It has a Preferred Form it often takes among humans (a Monster Clown, see below under Preferred Form), It also has a True Form, a giant cosmic spider which is connected to something called the Deadlights. While the spider form is implied to be something of A Form You Are Comfortable With (not that it's particularly comfortable) because You Cannot Grasp the True Form, it IS the only form that can actually be killed and the form It reverts to when hurt, so it fits the spirit of the trope.
- Shapeshifters of Monster Hunter International look like human form bread dough with glazed eyes. But they do have some kind of internal skeleton.
- All sorcerers in The Belgariad are able to alter their forms with few limits, though in practice they tend to only transform into animals. Nevertheless, this trope, combined with a Double Standard about personal appearance, explains why the male sorcerers have all looked like old men for thousands of years, whereas female ones look young and beautiful: they have an idealized concept of how they should look, and subconsciously transform into that image.
Live-Action TV
- Star Trek franchise:
- Star Trek: The Original Series episode ''Whom Gods Destroy". Lord Garth is a human being who learned the ability to shapechange. His default shape is his original (human) body.
- On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Odo is a shape shifter whose natural form is a gelatinous liquid that he must revert to every 18 hours. Others of his species (usually referred to as the Changelings or the Founders) have the same natural form, though the need to revert to it is implied (and was stated by Word of God) to be limited to Changelings inexperienced with their shapeshifting abilities, such as Odo. Indeed, most Changelings live as a vast sea on their homeworld.
- Supernatural: The Trickster, although he's been shown to be able to assume other forms (Doctor Sexy, the guy he dropped in a wormhole) tends to stick with the one played by Richard Speight Jr. That form actually consisted of the entirety of his first appearance, sans wardrobe changes. As he's actually the Archangel Gabriel it's not explained his default form is the visage of his vessel, as all other angels require. It's certainly not his actual true form, as an unmasked angel is an eye-burning, ear-splitting Brown Note.
- In the first season, episode six centers around a shapeshifter who changes into the shape of civilians in order to murder and torture their family members so that the people he imitates get arrested for the crimes. While we never see his true shape (although we see a blurry version while he is shedding the skin of a civilian), when disguised as Dean he tells Becky that "he" thinks the shapeshifter is simply a very ugly human who evolved to have the skin-changing ability. However, this is neither proved nor disproved in the rest of the episode.
- The X-Files: the Alien Bounty Hunter first appeared in "Colony" in the form of a Russian pilot played by Brian Thompson. While he could take on any form, he is most often seen in the appearance of the pilot. It wasn't until "The Unnatural" that his true form was revealed to be that of a Grey alien and that he was using his current human template as far back as 1947... long before the events of "Colony". It was further revealed that there may have been more than one ABH but that they all had the same 'default' appearance since Mulder saw a number of Greys after being abducted and they all bore the same human form.
- Space: 1999: The second season featured a new regular character Maya, who was able to transform into any lifeform for up to an hour
- Older Than Feudalism: Most gods of Greek Mythology who can shapeshift (Zeus, looking at you here) have a normal, everyday form. Of course, Zeus had a preferred form and a true form, so he was both A and B. He didn't appear in his true form to mortals, for reasons Semele discovered just before she burnt to death.
- Similarly, Hindu gods, which also manifest a variety of avatars, have a "true form" that mortals can't see. Arjuna gets to see Krishna's and its unbearable to look at.
Other Sites
- SCP Foundation, SCP Foundation SCPs 1000 And Beyond, SCP-1536 ("Doppelgängers"). SCP-1536's True Form is a large brown beetle 35 centimeters long and 15 centimeters wide with two legs on each side of its body.
Tabletop Games
- In Exalted, each Lunar has three "default" forms: their original human form, their totem animal, and their Divine Beast Transformation. When their Anima Banner reaches a certain level, they are restricted to these three forms.
- Their patron, Luna, is an odd case; all forms are said to be "true" to her (so long as they were never beings that equalled her in power), but her central identity is evoked by a specific form (a humanoid feminine figure in a night sky-colored cloak), albeit one whose face is constantly shifting through endless appearances.
- Dungeons & Dragons:
- The vast majority of shapeshifting creatures and classes follow this trope, like the Dragons, Doppelgangers, Changelings, Phasms, etc. They have a true form which they will automatically return to in case of death, if entering an Anti-Magic Zone, or if affected by some specialized spells like Force Shapechange.
- In the case of the changelings of Eberron, one of the three philosophy (the Reality Seekers) are based on this. They remain in their natural forms most of the time. Changelings are particularly unusual in that, unlike their Doppelganger counterparts/ancestors/relatives, they actually have not only a default form, but a default gender as well; changelings are born genderless, become male or female early on in life, and don't gain the ability to assume the opposite gender until adolescence.
- Warhammer/Warhammer 40,000: Tzeentch's Changeling subverts this, as it doesn't even remember what its original form looks like. Tzeentch knows, of course, but he's not telling...
- Although most are represented in the process of mimicking a creature, many shapeshifters in Magic: The Gathering are shown as an inform mass of goo.
Video Games
- Jenova from Final Fantasy VII has two. When it was first uncovered from a 2000-year-old tomb, it resembled a white-haired woman. It remains stuck in this shape (sans a few body parts) after being put in a holding tank and later frozen. Jenova mostly appears like this in flashbacks; for the majority of the game, it is disguised as Sephiroth.
- Druids in Warcraft, although some have been shown to have given in to feral instincts after staying in one form for too long.
- Worgen, playable in World of Warcraft, eventually learn how to freely change between their new wolven forms and human forms. The Worgen form however is their new default form, enough stress or adrenaline will cause them to revert into their bestial forms.
- Fire Emblem has Manaketes, who are basically humans with wings (and even that depends on which game you're playing). They need special stones to access their dragon forms. Later games reveal that the dragon forms are their true forms, and that the special stones are a Power Limiter: Without them, Manaketes tend to go a bit... nuts due to their power.
- Xane is a Chameleon class unit who can transform into another unit but reverts to his default form after five turns.
- Doopliss in Paper Mario 2 has his default form he reverts to when defeated or not transformed into something else (which looks like a Bedsheet Ghost with party hat), as do possibly the Duplighosts in Paper Mario 1 and Mimi in Super Paper Mario.
- In Sonic Heroes, after Metal Sonic captures Chaos's data and becomes liquid metal a la the T-1000 Terminator, he chooses to take on a larger, spikier, eviler-looking form based on his original form. When he's defeated though, he reverts to his very first form.
- Touhou 12's Extra boss Nue Houjuu is a Master of Illusion youkai who exploits the fear of her true form. Her true form is better described as a Japanese teenager with messy crow black hair and strange wings◊. She is also known as the energy ball midboss in Stage 4 and 6.
- It's debatable whether Alex Mercer of [PROTOTYPE] would be considered to have either a true form or preferred form to fit this trope. He does use his appearance before being infected as a default form, this form being the one he assumes whenever the player deactivates all disguises and powers. However, it's later revealed that he's not actually the "real" Mercer, but the Virus itself after consuming Mercer and assuming his shape and memories. So in that regard the player-controlled Mercer never really had a real original form to begin with; the closest we see would technically be either his black and red tendrils or the brilliant red goop the virus was while inert in its vial. His successor in [PROTOTYPE 2], James Heller does use his a true form, however.
- A Very Long Rope to the Top of the Sky: The shapeshifters that infested the Green Heart have a default form of a "hideous snake lady", in Yvette's words.
- Several characters in Disgaea 4 have shapeshifting abilities, though it's so downplayed you might not even realize it unless you watch some of their attacks. For example, Valvatorez is apparently a humongous black dragon, but chooses to walk around looking like a skinny teenager. He used to look older than he does now. It's not entirely clear how powerful their shapeshifting abilities are, however, meaning they may just have a single convenient human form to move around in and their true forms.
- The Pokémon Ditto looks like a pinkish blob in its true form, until it turns itself into whatever Pokémon it's battling.
- Myan's real form in Cat Nine is well, a cat. Since her collar's the one who allows her to transform, she'll revert back to a cat if it gets taken off.
- For El Goonish Shive shapeshifters this seems to be the main way they're shown. The default forms are also said to be most powerful. Raven is shapeshifted most of the time, but returns to his real face when fighting and later uses an illusion for disguise when he expects to need all his power. There may be some debate as to which one is the actual default/normal form for Grace: human/squirrel with Cute Little Fangs is seen more often than the three-tailed spiked squirrel of death mode, as the traits of her strongest parent species are said to be inactive. They also include ability to mix in acquired forms as well, thus after being turned into a half-hedgecat she sometimes adds hedgehog spines to hybrid forms as well.
- Jymre from Hitmen For Destiny usually appears as human, but in his real form he is a weird-looking alien (see here).
- April Fools' Day from Holiday Wars has a default form where he looks like a scruffy punk from the 80's.
Western Animation
- Ben 10. His Phlebotinum only allows him to change form for a set period of time, afterward he changes back into his normal form. In the future of "Ben 10,000", he unlocked the master code removing the timelimit, and he instead chose the really fast XLR8 as his default form because he'd basically decided to never stop working. His younger self showed him that he should change back to human occasionally. In Ben 10: Ultimate Alien episode "Ben 10,000 Returns", Ben's Future Self has unlocked the humans ultimate form, meaning he can stay human, but use the powers of all the aliens.
- Master shapeshifter Amorpho from Danny Phantom is really a faceless ghost in a black trenchcoat/hat.
- In The Fairly OddParents!, nearly all of the magical creatures have true form Default Shapes.
- In Futurama, Alkazar courts Leela and other aliens by shapeshifting to resemble a male of their species. When Fry and Bender blow Alkazar's cover, Leela and his other wives beat him up until he reveals his true form: a 3-foot alien cricket.
- Hades' minions Pain and Panic from Hercules can assume any shape and voice they wish. Their default forms are a fat pink demon and a skinny blue demon respectively.
- Teen Titans
- Beast Boy stays humanlike when not an animal.
- Madame Rouge's default form can be described as The Baroness and The Vamp (might be a preferred form-it's never said if it's her true form or merely a preferred one).
- The villain of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic's Season 2 finale is Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, who dramatically reveals her true form (the same general shape as an alicorn pony, but with hole-punched legs and various insectoid characteristics like dark, chitinous skin, antennae, and a set of transparent, fluttering wings) once she is outed as an imposter. The rest of her invading army have a similar default appearance.
- Jake from Adventure Time defaults to the form of a large (roughly half human-sized) bipedal dog. His powers have severe limitations: he can't change his surface coloration, he appears to need to retain eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, and he occasionally mentions having internal organs which can be rearranged but not done away with altogether. He's something of a halfway point between a Voluntary Shapeshifter and a Rubber Man. As of "Skyhooks II", his true form had been reset to a tall, blue, five-eyed monster. It's unknown if the aforementioned limitations of his powers have been removed, or if he could still resume his original dog form as an example of a preferred form.
- In Generator Rex, the default form of Jack Scarecrow is that of well... a scarecrow-like guy with red eyes.
- In The Amazing World of Gumball, Penny (Gumball's girlfriend) used to hide herself in a peanut-shaped shell. In "The Shell", she is revealed to actually be a shapeshipter fairy-like creature. In her default form, she has a yellow body, antlers and wings. In every transformation, she has a pair of antlers.
- My Life as a Teenage Robot: Jenny Wakeman can reconfigure herself for nearly any situation. When she isn't fighting, she's a 600-pound Ridiculously Human Robot high school student. Preferred form sneaks in at times, as it's never clear how much (if any) mental effort it takes to keep a gadget "loaded" and Jenny would rather pretend to drink milkshakes with her neighbors. Plus, some of her powers crop up once and never again, while her rocket engines and arm blasters are used in nearly every episode.
- On his downtime, Klone from Blackstar usually looked like a statuesque humanoid with gray skin, white hair, and elfin features. That this was also the form he wore when he got knocked unconscious by the Overlord's minions seems to indicate it's what he really looks like.
- When he wasn't on the job or pulling a prank, Hordak's master spy Imp from She-Ra: Princess of Power is usually seen in something of a cross between a blue piglet and a bat. It's actually rather cute. Since he's never been rendered powerless, it can't be stated for certain that this is his default mode, but it's probably a safe bet.
Examples of Preferred Form:
Anime and Manga
- Doppel from Daily Life with Monster Girl prefers to look like a naked dark-skinned girl with long prehensile white hair that always conveniently covers her naughty parts. And while she calls herself a doppelganger, her true form is hinted to be more like Nyarlathotep, the crawling chaos of the Cthulhu Mythos.
- Envy of Fullmetal Alchemist. His/her default form is rather conspicuous looking, with rather feminine attire and unusual hair that resembles the leaves of a palm tree. However he/she chooses to keep this form because he/she thinks it's cute. This is not his/her real form, which is what could best be called a corpse dragon, though he/she has a "truer" form if all the aforementioned "corpses" are destroyed. It's a tiny slug/leech-like thing with big eyes. In the 2003 anime version, he keeps the same Default form, but his true form is instead an adult human male, namely Hohenheim's son with Dante.
- In InuYasha, when we first hear about Naraku, it's like shapeshifting was going to be a significant part of his arsenal, and it was how he'd gotten the drop on Miroku's grandpa, Inuyasha and Kikyou. However, within the series, his mask is always worn until he takes on the form of a certain feudal lord, impersonating him for that two-parter... and from then on, that's the face he always has, whatever he may be doing with the rest of his body. The idea of turning into one of the cast and kindly asking whoever has the jewel shards if he might hold them for a moment never seems to occur to him, probably because of the five main cast members, at least two could sense that he was a demon and at least one could tell they smelled different.
- The Tower Guardians from Bizenghast are a combination of both types, since both their animal-like form and their human form are their real forms. They are put in with preferred form because they spend the most time in whichever form they like best, with Edaniel liking his animal form and Edrear preferring his human form.
- Chopper from One Piece, whom is a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user, mostly stays in his reindeer-human hybrid form, which he calls "Brain Point", as it is the form he does his best thinking in. It's also his cutest form.
- Alucard from Hellsing. He states multiple times throughout the series that "My form is of no concern to me", or anything along those lines. Basically, he doesn't care what he looks like, just that he needs an appearance.
- In Haiyore! Nyarko-san, most of the story takes place on Earth, so most of the alien characters stick with human form; however, it's implied that they prefer this anyway, because Earth's pop culture is loved throughout the galaxy. The title character claims to be Nyarlathotep the Crawling Chaos from the Cthulhu Mythos, but sticks with the form of a beautiful human girl with silver hair and emerald green eyes, claiming that it's just one of her thousand different forms (and the easiest on the eyes). While the stories that do leave Earth sometimes show more alien creatures, there are still plenty who stick with human forms even out in space; Nyarko in particular is shown in a Flash Back to use her human appearance going all the way back to her childhood.
- Note that in the anime adaptation, Nyarko never actually shape-shifts (unless you count her Henshin Hero transformation), only jokingly threatening to do so; the original light novels contained a scene where she morphs her face into that of a Nanoha Expy in order to prove to Mahiro that she's really an alien.
- In The Lucifer and Biscuit Hammer, the eleventh golem Maimakterion has a true form (resembling a giant meat bun with eleven eyes), but swiftly assumes a preferred form of a young boy of about 12 years. He initially takes it on just to pass as human, but it eventually becomes the default he prefers to return to as he develops more of his own sense of personhood.
Comic Books
- Xavin, a Skrull in Runaways, was originally sexless, but when (s)he began a lesbian relationship, his/her female human form became the default. Though like all Skrulls, (s)he will revert to skrull form if rendered unconscious. Karolina later determined that Xavin's "true" self was the female body s/he reverted to when they were being romantic, because that was the form Xavin took when s/he temporarily stopped focusing on her physical form while arguing with Karolina.
- M'gann M'orzz, the DCU's Miss Martian. Her preferred default is the green-skinned redhead usually seen in the comics, with her true form being one of the monstrous White Martians. Some comics have suggested that the real difference between Green and White Martians is purely psychological. Green Martians are peaceful, philosophical types, so they adopt a non-threatening form. White Martians are savage warriors so they adopt a more monstrous form. Theoretically a White Martian who defected to the Green camp would naturally adopt the true form of a Green Martian (and vice-versa) but this has never been demonstrated in the comics.
Fan Works
- The Pony POV Series has Loneliness, Trixie's Enemy Within. During Twilight Sparkle's trip into Trixie's mind, Loneliness takes multiple forms, but her most commonly used one is Morgan, Trixie's mother. There is no indication that this, or any of the other forms she takes, are her true appearance.
- In Shining Armor's side story, Reznov's story of Makarov suggests "Makarov" is simply this for something called the Shadow of Chernobull that a Hooviet experiment accidentally released from Pandora's Box (the Draconequus, not the myth) who took on the role of the Super Soldier the Hooviets had tried to create.
- The demonic One-Eyed Black Cat in the Haunted Mansion and the Hatbox Ghost Fan Verse is always shifting a bit, but he generally appears as a black feline with only one good eye. Its proportions and its level of ghostliness greatly vary.
- Atlas Strongest Tournament: Aurelia seems to prefer Scootaloo's form as a disguise. In fact, she keeps using it even after the changeling plot is uncovered, something Scootaloo herself lampshades.
- The Undocumented Features story "Hunter Rose" has a subplot blurring the lines between the Preferred Form and True Form versions of this trope. The UF-verse incarnation of Hyatt from Excel Saga had her trademark Ill Girl symptoms because she was actually a member of the same species as the Martian Manhunter, who had taken an illegal and very unreliable treatment to change her default form to 'human'. After being critically wounded and saved by someone inexperienced with their healing powers, Hyatt ends up with her True Form changed to a green-skinned version of her chosen form (ala Miss Martian); she still chooses the human form as her Preferred Form.
- The aliens (the ones in the silver jumpsuits) in Galaxy Quest were actually tentacled beasties, prompting an onlooker to exclaim "Oh, that's just WRONG!!" when one's tentacles become visible as she embraces and smooches a human crewmember. Their default forms were humans, with Vulcan-esque hair styles.
- Jaclyn from Igor is usually seen in her "Dr. Schadenfreude's Girlfriend" guise, though she changes into other doctors' girlfriends, thanks to a set of shapeshifter pills. Her actual self is a hunchback.
- In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Kirk and McCoy are aided in escaping from a prison asteroid by a chameloid, whose default appearance is that of the lovely Iman. When Kirk questions whether that's her true form, she responds "I thought I would assume a pleasing shape."
- The Terminator franchise had the lanky Robert Patrick police officer T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and the supermodel Kristanna Loken Terminatrix T-X in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Their true appearance is a liquid metal blob and an endo-skeletal robot, respectively. They also play with this trope with Ahnold, but with his voice, rather than his form. He can imitate anyone's voice, but most of his lines are said in a thick Austrian accent. Catherine Weaver of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles spends most of her time in a form played by Shirley Manson. She's also pretending to actually be the person whose form she's wearing, so she would retain that one.
- Loki of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is revealed in Thor to be unknowingly using his illusion powers to create a glamour that hides his true form- a blue-skinned Frost Giant. Since Loki thinks of himself as Asgardian and hates his true species, he keeps the glamour on afterward.
- Freddy Krueger of A Nightmare on Elm Street is an accomplished shapeshifter in the dream world, regularly appearing as other people, mechanical devices, and a host of other forms. While he can look however he wants, as a nightmare ghost he prefers to appear as his post-death burnt self, probably to scare his victims. His true form in the real world are his skeletal remains, but it remains to be seen if he even has a true spectral form.
- In the Hurog series, Oreg is quarter-dragon. Both of his forms are his real forms, but he seems to prefer the human for everyday life - probably because of the hands with opposable thumbs.
- The titular djinni of The Bartimaeus Trilogy is a shapeshifter, but his preferred form is that of his former master, Ptolemy. He takes the form as a way of remembering his old friend, and as a mark of respect. It's also noted that his shapeshifting has a very strong Egyptian bent in general (Ptolemy was Egyptian, just to be clear). For example, if he becomes a cat, its a desert cat. If he needs to be an insect, it's a scarab beetle.
- Other spirits also have a few regular fallback forms—Faquarl favors the form of a chef, for example.
- Sang-drax of The Death Gate Cycle usually appears as either an elf lord (when he wants to be charming) or a giant snake (when he wants to be Nightmare Fuel). Neither is his true form, but the snake is implied to be the closest he can get to it without breaking the brain of whoever he's talking to.
- In the Garrett, P.I. novels, shapeshifters fall under preferred form. It's mentioned that one of the unnamed shifters takes on the looks of a soldier he fought with during the war, several decades before the current story and a few months before the entire group of shapeshifters pull a FaceHeel Turn.
- The eponymous Eldritch Abomination from the Stephen King novel It takes many forms within the course of the story (usually the worst fear of the person it's antagonizing at the time), but its favorite form is that of a Monster Clown with balloons called Pennywise.
- In Paranormalcy, Lend's true form basically a water being, however his default form is a teenage boy, in order for him to go to school like a normal person.
- The Gys-Voolbeerah of the Perry Rhodan universe were an interesting case of this due to having actually forgotten the original form of their species. As a result, an individual's 'default' form was generally what they felt comfortable with at the time, often inspired by past impersonations.
- The aliens from Roswell High would be this type. Although, they do seem to have an automatic human shape as a kind of default adaptation.
- The Valar and Maiar of J. R. R. Tolkien's Silmarillion (in particular Morgoth and Sauron) lose their ability to walk around as "unclothed spirits" if they invest too much energy in a form. In the latter case, they assumed human form, tall dark and terrible and after being wounded or killed off too many times, lost the ability to shapeshift into a pleasing appearance.
- In the 15th Dresden Files novel, Skin Game, the character Goodman Grey is defined as a shape shifter in practically his first mention in the book. Grey's appearance is that of a standard suit for most of the action, and it seems as though he is very comfortable in this form. From what we learn later, however, this observation remains to be confirmed. Grey turns out to be a Naagloshi Scion.
- Chytrine of The Dragon Crown War usually appears as an ethereal, somewhat-elvish looking woman of great beauty and indeterminate age, though she can take on other forms as well, up to and including a dragon. It's eventually revealed that she's a hybrid of urzrethi (a race of shapeshifting humanoids) and dragon (also shapeshifters in this setting) so what she actually looks like - or if she even technically has a "true" shape in the first place, getting shapeshifting from both sides of the family tree and all - isn't specified.
- The Child-Goddess Aphrael of The Elenium prefers to appear as a young Styric girl wearing a white smock. She chooses this form because she loves the affection it brings her and makes people easier to manipulate. Her true form is a supernaturally beautiful woman which she prefers to keep hidden; it is only briefly glimpsed when she must assume it to perform a spell.
Live-Action TV
- Frobisher in the Doctor Who Expanded Universe. He's a shapeshifter, but is usually in the form of a large talking penguin simply because he likes it.
- Heroes
- Master of Illusion Candace is in preferred form when she's knocked out, and true form when she's killed. Even though in the latter, another illusion that she'd cast disappeared. Good job, Internal Consistency guys.
- Another character was capable of imitating other peoples' appearance; possibly that of anyone he came in contact with. We never got to learn how his ability worked or what he actually looked like before he got brain-fingerbanged, care of Sylar. Wait... Oh, Crap!...
- Star Trek franchise:
- Star Trek: The Next Generation:
- Q has a default human form that looks like actor John de Lancie, usually dressed as a Starfleet officer, with no particular reason given for choosing that appearance in particular other than wanting to be recognized. One assumes that the Q don't even have what we'd consider a "physical" form, the closest we ever see is a diamond flash of light. They apparently have some non-visual way of recognizing each other, as John de Lancie's Q recognizes another Q (played by Corbin Bernsen) in human form as the particular Q the latter is, and further recognizes the Q who takes the name "Quinn" on Voyager as who he is.
- Likewise, the Allasomorphs in Next Generation hang around in humanlike forms while visiting the Enterprise; they are eventually revealed to be Energy Beings in their true forms.
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine:
- Odo defaults to a humanoid form with a smooth, largely featureless face. The reason given is that he's not very good at imitating human or Bajoran features. Presumably he could make a closer approximation than he does considering that he can imitate almost everything else perfectly, but it would fall into the Uncanny Valley so he sticks to his distinctive appearance.
- Later, the other changelings, most notably the Female Changeling, default to a face that looks similar to Odo's when dealing with Alpha Quadrant species and wishing to be correctly identified as changelings. Unlike Odo, they can imitate "solid" species perfectly when they so choose.
- Star Trek: The Next Generation:
- In the original V (1983) miniseries, the alien invaders took on human form to disguise their true reptilian nature (as well as their intentions to cannibalize the human race). Oddly, the aliens continued to maintain their human appearance long after the jig was up. (It's possible the human suits had some sort of protective factor against the environment, but it also conveniently kept half the cast from having to don expensive alien makeup before shooting.)
- In My Parents Are Aliens the aliens are capable of shapeshifting but spend most of their time in default human forms (if the intro sequence is to be believed then their true forms are some sort of green blobs). Interestingly, Sophie is not particularly good at morphing, and this was used as an excuse when her actress was changed in later seasons. She supposedly morphed into the new form offscreen and then got stuck that way, before eventually deciding that she preferred it.
- Angel: The members of the Ra-Tet. Mesektet took on the form of a little girl.
Tabletop Games
- In Eberron, the changeling philosophy of The Passer is based on this part of the trope: pick an identity from a common race and stick to it, never letting anyone find out your true race, and essentially turning your back on your kind to become a member of your new race.
- Changelings in Rifts have a true form default form, but since they are usually so hated they never use it when they can help it. Every Changeling NPC described in a Sourcebook has a "Favorite" form they use for an unofficial default when around friends.
- Justified Trope with Changeling, a Mutants & Masterminds NPC, a Grue from an alternate universe where the Grue race is far more friendly than the basic universe. She takes the form of a blonde human, because of the Alterniteens telling the alternate universe Grue race that the other Grue are bad.
- Krahka. Her toy is actually a combination of all six Toa Metru toys, and is the final form she took in The Darkness Below. She has no known real form.
- The Makuta, mainly because their real form is Pure Energy contained in armor.
Video Games
- Decoy Octopus averts this slightly in Metal Gear Solid - and much more thoroughly in The Last Days of FOXHOUND. In MGS, he's only ever seen 'in disguise', and the only way you know what he 'actually' looks like, is from an old photo from his personal file. In TLDOF, he's also almost always in disguise - usually as one of the other characters - and when he's transferred to the spiritual realm, he shows up as an invisible man in a trench coat, remarking that he doesn't actually think of himself as looking like anything.
- Or was he never there to begin with?.
- However, The Last Days of FOXHOUND does use preferred forms for Decoy Octopus: when we first meet him he usually disguises himself as Ocelot, but after Liquid Snake takes a level in badass Octopus switches his default form to being Liquid.
- Many dragons in Warcraft use a humanoid form (usually high elves) while interacting with mortal races. In World of Warcraft, players may meet a Bronze Dragon known as Chromie in her Gnome form in several locations, and it is not until the end of a high-level instance that she actually appears in dragon form, and even then only briefly. Krasus in the novel is a similar case, though he prefers his original form. Finally, the raid boss Nefarian is encountered several times in human form. In the real fight, he remains in his human form while setting a horde of dragonkin upon the raid before finally transforming into his real form.
- Subverted with a minor character in City of Heroes, a shapeshifter working for the Malta group who is theorized to have forgotten what he originally looked like. (Of course, this was mostly so the developers could just use existing models to represent him.)
- Mimi from Super Paper Mario has the default form of a green, blocky little girl. This is not her true form, which is some sort of horrible spider-monster-thing.
- The protagonists of Mega Man ZX Advent are both true form and a variant of preferred form; their shapeshifting is linked to a Transformation Trinket, so their true form is what they are when they're not using it. The game itself, however, enforces the use of a specific powered form when entering cutscenes or speaking to NPCs.
- Nyarlathotep in the Persona 2 duology appears as both Akinari Kashihara and Tatsuya Suou, mostly to troll his enemies.
- Double from Skullgirls has a default form of a shapeless blob of body parts, which she flashes into throughout fights, and turns into after defeat. In cutscenes and pre-fight bows, she seems to prefer the appearance of a slightly pregnant looking nun with black irises.
- The Elder Scrolls series has the Daedric Princes, divine spirits who retained their Complete Immortality by choosing not to participate in the creation of Mundus, the mortal plane. As immortal spirits, they can manifest in whatever form they wish. Most tend to stick with one fairly consistent (and often humanoid) form in order to deal with mortals more easily. A few are known to change gender between appearances, while Peryite prefers the form of a green dragon in mockery of the Aedric Top God Akatosh) and Hermaeus Mora forgoes anything humanoid for a full blown Eldritch Abomination preferred form.
Web Comics
- Cassiel from Misfile usually uses her school-girl form on earth, even when it would make more sense to take a different form to avoid detection. The implication is that she is just too lazy or too unimaginative to come up with another one note .
- Jess from Sam & Fuzzy is a ten-foot slug with shapeshifting. She spends most of her in the form of an attractive woman in her twenties, though she is capable of taking many different forms, including a "sexy dancing toaster" at one point.
- Mimic from Rusty and Co. can technically takes the shape of any "inanimate" object, but he's most commonly seen as a treasure chest with a large, toothy mouth and red lips.
Web Original
- You didn't really think we could avoid a Whateley Universe example, did you?
- Jello is technically an Shifter/Exemplar, but her BIT is basically a blank slate. Her default form resembles some kind of peat jelly.
- Jimmy T. doesn't really seem to have a default form, or default gender, either; he is in Hawthorne cottage because, while he has good control while awake (even if it is sometimes a bit painstaking to get it just right), his dreams cause him to shift unpredictably at night, often into an ameboid puddle. The form he had the most trouble maintaining? His original body.
- The Super Villain Dragon Queen is an illusionist who uses them to make herself a sexy seductress. Her default form is a dumpy middle-aged shrew.
Western Animation
- Nergal Junior from Billy & Mandy usually takes the shape of a short boy with a washed-out complexion and black hair; the form of the first kid he approached and asked for friendship, but rejected him, causing him to attack in rage. His true form, which is never shown onscreen, is apparently unimaginably horrifying, so much so that he is extremely sensitive and self-conscious about it. However, in a later episode, he takes on a grotesque, monstrous form several times to scare people. With its bumpy black skin, tentacles and other features which were shown in partial shots of his true form, this is arguably the first appearance of his actual form onscreen.
- The Zeta Project: Zeta is a robot built for infiltration, who could don virtually any holographic disguise, but favored a dark haired man in a purple trench coat. This is actually explored in the first episode; Ro takes him to a fitting room and helps Zeta create a 'default' appearance designed to minimize suspicion. Before that, his default form was a middle-aged man wearing grey, or as Ro put it "Joe Robot".
- In Gargoyles, all members of The Fair Folk are shapeshifters, but each has one form they prefer. Their true forms, however, are so obscure that Word of God is even they don't know the true form of their species.
- Bertrand from Danny Phantom is really a green blobby ghost, but he frequents in his human form the most.
- Inque from Batman Beyond had a slightly human-like "combat form" that had a white blot on a featureless face and her hands were barbed whips or some other weapon. When in a peaceful mood she would take on human features, which is assumed to be an approximation of her human appearance before the mutation serum was used on her, as she still has an oily look. Otherwise she looked just like a blob of ink.
- South Park
- In the episode "Cancelled", an alien greets the boys in the form of Stan's father. He explains that this is A Form You Are Comfortable With but they think that's stupid because its reminiscent of Contact. When Najix takes its true form◊, they scream and quickly ask it to go change into something else. They then spend a few moments going through possible forms (including Santa Claus, Saddam Hussein, Don King, and Frank Sinatra) until they decide on a taco that craps ice cream◊.
- Parodied in "Something Wall Mart This Way Comes", when the boys, trying to destroy the new Wall Mart, find a white haired man in a white suit who says he is the Wall Mart, and can take on many forms. He then puts on several hats to find A Form You Are Comfortable With, and when they destroy the 'heart of the Wall Mart' (a mirror), he says he will change into his true form... and rips off his mustache and jumps around.
- In Young Justice, Miss Martian defaults to a green-skinned version of her civilian, human identity. It's eventually revealed that she developed it based on an old sitcom that she watched on Mars. "Image" also reveals that she's ashamed of her real form, which is a White Martian, not a Green one.
- Beast Boy usually takes a form halfway between a human and a monkey, but this seems to be personal preference, since he turns into his normal human form (except for still being green) on one occasion.
- At the end of the series it's revealed that Martian Manhunter's default form isn't his real form either since Green Martians are identical to White Martians except for the coloring.
- Aku from Samurai Jack uses a towering and demonic but vaguely humanoid shape as his preferred form. His true form however is nothing more than a seething, amorphous black mass of pure evil. Literally.
- Steven Universe plays with this. The show features Gems, a race of aliens with the ability to shapeshift. Each Gem has a form they default to while not actively shapeshifting, typically one that looks human, but with unusual skin tones and hair colors. It's stated that this physical form is technically an illusion—their gems are their real selves—but they seem to be born humanoid and Homeworld Gems look humanoid despite little interactions with humans. However, when they're extremely injured, they have a chance to change their default forms when they "regenerate". Each time this happens, they cycle through all their previous default forms. The new default form is usually very similar in appearance to the last, with only a few small changes. Elements of True Form slip in because gems actually can't make large changes to their base form and keep it stable. Attempting to make it significantly larger, for example, causes the body to start to collapse and deflate.


text: What western or PNW state has the best combination of fly fishing variety and hunting variety? I'll say WA is pretty hard to beat as there is the coast, the anadromous fish, the resident stream fish, the Bass, the Pike and the Tiger Muskie. Then there is big game hunting and upland as well. It really is a difficult place to beat. I think OR can hold its own with WA when it comes to this variety and possibly ID. Western Montana has some great hunting as well, but I think it lacks in variety when it comes to fishing. A Trout mecca it is, but lacks in other areas. Curious what you folks have to say based on your travels and experiences!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
FORT LEE, Va. – Military commissaries worldwide will return to normal operating schedules next week, the Defense Commissary Agency has announced.The DeCA announcement comes in the wake of the Department of Defense's Aug. 6 decision to reduce furloughs of its Civilian workforce from 11 to six days."This is welcome news for us all," said Joseph H. Jeu, DeCA director and CEO. "Our stores will return to their regular schedules after (Saturday)." At Fort Drum, regular hours will resume Tuesday. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday; and closed Monday."We recognize the disruption that furloughs presented to our patrons as far as access to their commissary benefit," Jeu added. "We also understand the economic hardships many of our employees faced with the pay they lost during the furlough period." Since July 8, the one-day-per-week furloughs impacted all of DeCA's more than 14,000 U.S. Civilian employees worldwide. With the end of furloughs, Jeu asked that patrons be patient as product delivery schedules return to normal. "We will do everything possible to ensure that our shelves are properly stocked with the products our customers want when they shop," he said. "However, there will be a short adjustment period as our stores settle back into their pre-furlough operating and delivery routines."Commissary customers can quickly find out about any changes to their local store's operating schedule by going to www.commissaries.com, clicking on the "Locations" tab, then "Alphabetical Listing" to locate their store, and clicking on "Local Store Information." Community members may contact the Fort Drum Commissary at 772-6581.
DeCA Public Affairs Division


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text: I cultured a bed of mixed hardwood chips outdoors with Stropharia rugosa-annulata two years ago, and some other mushroom has come up this spring. I have tried to key it without much success to this point. It grows in clusters on the wood chips. The mushrooms are a tawny color. Has a light brown spore print, is veiled, leaving a ragged lookig annulus . The stems are about 8 mm. at maturity. The stalk is centered on the cap, but turns off center lower as it enters substrate. The cap is smooth, not viscid when wet. Gills appear to be notched ( this is kind of confusing character to me, does one look at young specimens or old ?), the gills where they meet the stem continue as raised segments on the stem for about 4mm or so, but also look somewhat notched where they meet the stem. They have pulled away from the stem at maturity. The stem has a solid outer portion but the interior apppears as a pithy core. Any ideas on this one, I can try and get a picture of it if needed. I am thinking cortinariaceae or strophariaceae ? I would appreciate your thoughts. I fried up like three of them, they taste quite good. Probably not the brightest thing to have done at his point, but I ruled out Galerina and Amanitas. Thanks, Kevin


text:
Punta Malabrigo Beach Resort
Lobo-Malabrigo Rd., Lobo, Batangas
- 2 Reviews
- 0 Recommend
- 2 Reviewers
Primary Details
- Category:
- Hotel
- Phone
- +639165588487
More Info
- Hotel Star Rating:
- 1
Most Recent Reviews
Stunned by this stone beach!!
We went on an unplanned Roadtrip down south just to see what else batangas has to offer.
So When we arrived in Malabrigo Lobo, we were directed to this resort by the locals. And when we saw the beach our jaws dropped by the beauty of it. It was stunning!
Stones and pebbles, wide shoreline, turquoise to deep blue sea and the freshest air there could be
Move over laiya and anilao, Malabrigo is something else!
It is on the edge of batangas facing Mindoro. The 3-4 hour drive from manila is worth it .
Unfortunately we were not able to swim due to high sea current. But its okay just seeing and feeling the beach is enough
The resort do not serve food though, and since were on an unplanned trip we have no food , So we went on a side trip to the nearest pancitan, and it was oh soo good
- No. of Comments: 0
- No. of Likes: 2 Likes
Classes in Ateneo are done, it's summer, so we were off to another adventure! It's our first time to go to Malabrigo, Lobo, Batangas.
The trip: it's good not to have to pass Tagaytay or Bauan (to Anilao), no traffic. You'd have to pass some mountains before reaching Lobo, Batangas, it's a scenic drive though that part in Catandala was a bit scary.
The beach: covered by smooth pebbles, not sand. Clean & easier to walk on compared to Anilao.
Water: clean but has some drastic drops. We encountered some itchy things though. Better to wear rash guard.
The resort: basic & small. We had problems: CR smells like cockroach, the was a tuko in our room, bed sheet was itchy, bed was not comfortable, pillows were hard, and the room was dirty (plastic wrappers under the bed, cockroach eggs on curtain). For 2thousand pesos per room, i expected at least a clean room.
Plus points for the resort:
1) they allow you to bring your own food w/out charge. You can also cook using their gas stove for a fee.
2) dogs are allowed! Arwen had fun walking around the beach. She even had a dog suitor, Jackie Chan, the resort owner's dog. But Arwen can't have BFs (my rule).
3) there's a nearby watchtower that gives a glorious light at night.
Will we go back? Maybe, if they promise to clean the room.
- No. of Comments: 2
- No. of Likes: 3 Likes


text:
I'm getting rather frustrated. Over the past couple of days a strange problem has come and gone unpredictably; when I'm using the Visual editor to make a post, and I want to put in a link or a picture, sometimes the TinyMCE popup box causes my page to freeze for some time and doesn't load completely. Even if I can then hit SAVE to save the page, it doesn't seem to actually save any of the links I've made in that session.
And sometimes the popup box looks like this:
{$lang_insert_link_target} {$lang_insert_link_target_same} {$lang_insert_link_target_blank}
{$lang_class_name} {$lang_theme_style_select}mce_plugin_wordpress_moremce_plugin_wordpress_page
This only happens sporadically, but as I was working on a richly-linked piece tonight and have spent more than an hour trying to work this out, I am getting a little fried and was wondering if it has happened to anyone else?
I'm also noticing that sometimes when I hit Save it doesn't, the computer simply cannot load a page at all. I hit refresh and it clears, but whatever I was trying to save has gone poof!


text:
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thoughts to occur.
Loss Reason #2: Poor Communication. The connections between brain
neurons weaken. The number of dendrites, the branching fibers at the end of
neurons, declines. So do brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, that neurons use
to communicate with each other.
Loss Reason #3: Diminished circulation. Less blood flows to your
brain. This is due to clogging deposits inside blood vessels and arteries.
Brain cells can't get the energy they need to function well as they're not getting
enough oxygen and nutrients.
Loss Reason #4: Excess protein deposits. A sticky protein
called beta-amyloid forms on the brain. It disrupts your ability to think and
Are You At RISK for Memory Loss?
may be at higher risk for memory loss if you suffer from one or more of these
documented risk factors ...
High blood pressure. A large,
preliminary study in 1998 found a link between high blood pressure and mental
Stress. Studies show that
high levels of the stress hormone cortisol can weaken memory.
Lack of exercise. Some
studies suggest that physical exercise boosts cerebral blood flow, which in
turn promotes neuron growth and prevents cognitive decline.
Poor diet. A recent
investigation found that a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil may protect
against age related cognitive decline.
High blood sugar. High blood sugar is linked to lower levels
of brain function and greater memory decline in older women.
Nutrient deficiencies. A severe
lack of vitamins B12, C, folic acid or omega 3 fatty acids may cause memory
loss by damaging brain tissue.
Environmental toxins. Studies
link heavy metals and chemicals to memory decline.
Menopause. Poor memory and
decreased concentration can result from hormonal changes that come with age.
Yeast. An overgrowth of candida yeast in the gastrointestinal
tract can cause difficulty concentrating.
you don't have to do just let memory loss happen.
discovered two all-natural supplements that can sharpen your thinking. And significantly
improve memory. The first is from a new generation of science-backed brain
boosters. CDP-choline.
stands for cytidine 5-diphosphocholine. It's natural,
but it's not a vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herb. It's classified as a molecule.
molecule occurs naturally in your brain where it creates phosphatidylcholine or
PC. You may have heard of PC. PC makes up the
membranes of fat, healthy brain cells. You can find PC
and its sister, phosphatidylserine or PS, in many memory-enhancement products.
Flooding the brain with the basic building blocks of brain cell
membranes allows them to repair themselves. But the scientific evidence for PC
and PS is mixed. Some studies have shown they improved mental functioning while
others have not.
However, when I began looking at studies on CDP-choline, I discovered
a brain booster that could really deliver!
During a study of 95 volunteers between the ages of 50 and 85,
those taking CDP-choline daily for two months significantly improved their "verbal memory". 1
And the journal Psychiatric
Times stated that CDP-choline
"improves overall energy metabolism in
the brain, increases brain levels of dopamine and norepinephrine [beneficial
brain chemicals], and enhances short-term memory in patients with [cognitive dysfunction]."
In fact, this all-natural brain booster is so safe and effective
it's now widely prescribed in Europe as a treatment for brain
CDP-choline is relatively new. But the
second natural
brain booster I discovered has been
used for 6,000 years in India.
This little known, all-natural memory helper is from the plant Bacopa monniera, also known as water
Bacopa or "Brahmi," as it's called in India, is believed to make
you smarter. In fact, drinking "Brahmi tea" was said to help ancient Indian seers
recite Sanskrit epics, such as the Mahabharata, entirely from memory. And modern
day clinical studies confirm the ancient Indians were on to something very
smart, indeed.
In one recent study, people taking an extract of Bacopa showed significantly improved performance on working
memory and information processing tests over those who didn't take Bacopa.2
Another study found similar results. Bacopa "significantly
improved verbal learning as well as delayed recall". Measurement was done by
the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. In fact, researchers concluded that Bacopa "has potential for safely enhancing cognitive performance in aging."3
Scientists believe Bacopa's secret is something known as saponins. Saponins work by enhancing nerve impulse transmission and
repairing damaged neurons. Even
more promising, they may help reduce the beta-amyloid protein deposits shown in
studies to slow down thinking and memory.
Bacopa may be one of the reasons why age-related dementia appears
to be virtually non-existent in India,
afflicting less than 1% of the population over age 65. To put that in
perspective, The World Health Organization reports that Americans over age 65 are
up to 600% more likely to develop severe cognitive problems than older Indians.
However, you don't have to accept a fading memory as an inevitable
part of growing older. CDP-choline and Bacopa are on the
cutting-edge of natural brain support.
David Blyweiss, M.D.
Dr. Blyweiss began his medical career as a clinical pharmacist in South Florida prior to earning his medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine in 1982.
This dual background allowed him to both appreciate the relevance of conventional pharmaceutical/surgical based treatments in acute medical conditions, but also to recognize where these approaches fell short in treating the majority of patients who suffered from the chronic degenerative diseases of "western civilization origin."
Dr. Blyweiss was one of the initial researchers doing the early work on chlorhexidine (Phisohex) while earning his first post graduate degree at Temple University School of Pharmacy. During medical school he worked with the WHO (World Health Organization) in vaccinating children in the islands of the Carribbean. He has traveled much of the world, most recently to Belize, Central America, Gabon, Africa, and Zagreb, Croatia working closely with teams of specialists to identify new plant life and natural products for possible human benefit as well as researchers and their stem cell transplantation teams. He has consulted for and created state-of-the-art nutritional supplements for multiple nutritional companies since 1999. He is currently in private practice in South Florida where he resides with his family.
you can do even more to sharpen your memory, clear your thinking and hone your
concentration. There are twelve more brain boosting nutrients that I recommend:
Wild Blueberry Extract: British doctors discovered a diet rich in ordinary blueberries reversed memory decline in as little as three
weeks. The secret is blueberries' anthocyanins.
They appear to stimulate
the development of new brain neurons, improving neuronal signaling and
Folic Acid: Best known for preventing birth defects in pregnant women, folic
acid can also improve mental performance when used in the right amounts. In
2005 Dutch researchers discovered people who took 800 micrograms of folate
daily knocked 5 1/2 years off their ages when it came to performance on
standardized memory tests.4 And that was merely the average. Some
people erased even more years.
Vinpocetine: An extract from the seeds of the periwinkle plant, vinpocetine
helps improve blood flow to the brain. Three separate studies of older adults
with memory problems found it significantly
improved attention, memory and concentration over a placebo. Some people
reported increased mental alertness and a surge of new energy and vitality.
DMAE: DMAE or dimethylaminoethanol
is found naturally in your brain. It supports the neurotransmitter
acetylcholine that's necessary for mental sharpness. As you age, your DMAE
levels plummet. Research suggests replenishing lagging levels can help improve concentration.5
Pantothenic Acid (B5)
and Vitamin B6: Helps the
brain make neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine.
Vitamin B12: Helps the brain manufacture SAMe, the neurotransmitter associated
with a calm, happy mood.
Phosphatidyl: A basic building block of brain cell membranes. Research shows phosphatidylcholine
or PC works well when taken with CDP-choline to enhance memory function.
N-Acetyl Cysteine: An amino acid that helps the body produce the mega-antioxidant
glutathione. Glutathione protects cell membranes from damage.
Perluxan™: Contains high concentrations of beneficial alpha acids. Studies
suggest alpha acids prevent run away inflammation that can result in brain cell
Rosemary and Ginger: Two common kitchen herbs that together, fight anxiety and improve
blood flow to enhance memory.
show these time-tested nutrients and new brain breakthroughs can help you feel
less absent minded. And you'll easily remember important dates, events and
other precious information.
That's why I put today's two top brain breakthroughs, CDP-choline
and Bacopa, plus all twelve of these time-tested nutrients into one affordable daily
All these ingredients by themselves would cost $160.99, but you
can get them in my Mem-Plex formula for as little as $29.99 per bottle.
And all in two tablets. No fuss, no muss.
Just two tablets a day of MEM-Plex gives your body the support it needs to
Click here to try MEM-Plex for yourself.
Blyweiss, M.D.
Senior Advisor, UniScience Group®
P.S. Take advantage of this special, no-risk offer to try MEM-Plex. You have one FULL YEAR to see
how well MEM-Plex improves your
concentration, memory and mental alertness. If you're not thrilled with your
results, you can return any unused portion and get back 100% of what you paid,
less shipping and handling. Order here.
YES! I want to take advantage of MEM-Plex's revolutionary, unique blend of 21st century brain boosters and memory enhancement compounds to prevent and reverse the memory problems associated with aging. Rush me my RISK-FREE order of MEM-Plex.
I understand that I must notice significant improvement in my short-term memory, attention span, ability to concentrate and overall feeling of mental alertness or I may return the unused portion of my order at any time for a FULL refund.
The information provided is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. Dr. Blyweiss is compensated by Uniscience Group for his work in formulating and endorsing this product.


text:
Van Hire Depot Guides
Dorchester Dorchester is a country of Dorset. A town has a very lively market. This place is near the Weymouth and Poole. The town is... read more
Blandford Blandford is a very small town in the district of Dorset in England. With a population of just over 8,000, the town is well... read more


text:
Inspired by the legendary designs of Persia's most prestigious rug-weaving capitals, these extraordinary reproductions recreate some of the most prized antiques in Safavieh's archival collection. Intricate Tabriz, Lavar Kerman and Isfahan hand-knotted motifs are remarkably adapted to these hand-tufted rugs of incomparable quality. The finest New Zealand wool is chosen to achieve the intricate weave of these carpets. With utmost attention to every detail, Safavieh creates its Persian Legends collection in India to provide consumers an exquisite yet affordable artisan-crafted look.
- 100% New Zealand Wool
- Cotton backing, rug pad recommended to avoid shifting and sliding
- Hand Tufted in India
- Crafted by master weavers
- Vacuum regularly and spot clean; for hard-to-remove stains professional rug cleaning is recommended
- For an instant decorating makeover, this area rug is one of the easiest and most fashionable ways to refresh a room with character and style
- Please note: The digital images and product dimensions on our website are as accurate as possible. Due to differences in computer monitors, some rug colors may vary slightly. Lengths and widths may vary from the published dimensions. We do our best to provide you with an exact measurement, but please be advised that some variation exists. Patterns may vary slightly according to shape and size selected.
- 60 day Manufacturer Warranty, for warranty information on this product, please call our Internet Customer Service Center at 1-800-435-4654


text:
Home is where his heart is
Souter eschews power for a small N.H. town
- |
WEARE, N.H. - General John Stark Highway takes you past Sully's Superette, Mister G's Tires, and the Mobile Home Cooperative to the center of a town that, in the words of a roadside sign, is "a part of yesterday in touch with tomorrow."
A few miles more over the Piscataquog River, past stone walls, a syrup stand, and chicken wire fences, stands a rickety farmhouse. A crooked mailbox and horse-and-buggy nameplate on a time-worn barn bear the name Souter.
Here is where Supreme Court Justice David Souter was raised and returns each summer to sequester himself in the farm house that his grandparents built in this rural town of silos and grassy pastures, and where he is beloved as "one of our own." This is what he has given up one of the most powerful jobs in the land to return to.
"This is his favorite place in the whole world," said Maureen Billodeau, the town's collections clerk, who says she sees the justice when he comes to Town Hall to register his car or just say hello. "It will be so good to have him back."
Souter, who was born in Melrose but spent much of his childhood in New Hampshire, is revered here less for being an exalted figure in American jurisprudence than he is for his persistent rejection of the trappings of power, and big city life. Souter made no secret, during his 19 years on the high court, of his disdain for Washington, where he kept a Spartan apartment in an unfashionable neighborhood and rejected the glittering social life that is lifeblood of Washington power circles. He frequently proclaimed his love for New Hampshire, and fled here often, writing once that "I need some period of the year when I can make a close approach to solitude."
Such expressions of love for their way of life have won Souter a kind of hero status, as the rare figure picked for stardom but who wasn't seduced by it.
"He wants to be here for the same reasons I do," said Chip Meany, a 66-year-old who is the town's code enforcement officer. "Peace, quiet, and friendly people."
During his summers at the farm, Souter leads an uncomplicated existence, even by New Hampshire standards. Many said they believe he reads, mostly, confining himself largely to the farm and seeming to have few needs. Some say they see him on summer evenings taking nightly runs along back roads, and that he appears from time to time in town.
Famously averse to contemporary gadgets (he is said to have been given his first television set by former New Hampshire senator Warren Rudman but that he never plugged it in), Souter is reputed to have few technological conveniences save a telephone.
"He lives a pretty primitive life," Meany said, saying he had heard that Souter's refrigerator was a model so old that the cooling unit is on top. "He's out there in the puckerbrush, in that house that's old as the hills. You look at the house and it's like going back 100 years. But it's home."
Outside Meany's office hangs a picture of Souter with George H. W. Bush, who nominated him to the high court in 1990. Beside that hangs a commendation from the town for being named to the court, and a handwritten letter from Souter thanking the town for the honor, which he said moved him deeply.
Souter's devotion to his hometown, residents said, showed that fame and success hadn't changed him. Indeed, friends close to Souter said decided to retire, at least in part, because he was ready to throw off the shackles of Washington, D.C., for a simpler, quieter life.
"It's a hillbilly town," said Victor Castonguay, 52, before explaining he meant that as a term of endearment. "It's slow, relaxed. Everyone knows each other. It's a good life."
Souter's 8-acre lot, by far the most modest home in a neighborhood of modest homes, is appraised at $226,000, according to town records.
In the windows hung ragged curtains and curled, crumbled blinds. Plastic held down by rocks guarded the base of the house, where paint had all but peeled off the frame.
Yet the wooded road was deeply peaceful, with the chirping of birds and the wind whistling through the trees the only sound for minutes at a time.
Around the corner, Alice Grenier said she woke up to the news that Souter, her old friend, was coming back to Cilley Hill Road. Souter had told her as much last summer, she said, but he had told her to keep it quiet since he might change his mind.
"I have an idea he'll fit right back in," she said.
At a general store in the center of town, where customers can buy antiques, sandwiches, and fishing bait, locals looked over a newspaper with the news on the front page.
"If I had a job like that, I'd want to be done, too," said Audrey Janssen, one of the owners.


text:
Rolled and groaned and tore the sheets
Made to exit the suffocating heat.
Snarled at the light that came through the blinds,
Heaved a sigh as I wiped my weary eyes.
Oh, the grandness of the dawn!
Beauty in the pallet, and the birds' graceful songs.
This charming time is simply not for me:
I'd rather wake up at quarter to three.
But I must remove myself from this bed,
And greet the day with a pounding head.
My throat it aches and tears my voice,
It's morning: How could I possibly rejoice?
I stretch and yawn and slowly shift
My body in a single lift.
I look around in much dismay:
My room is always messier at the start of the day.
I pluck my hairbrush from the piles,
I walk down the hall: it seems to go on for miles.
At last I reach the bathroom door,
Feeling like a marooned pirate swimming to shore.
I brush my teeth and wash my face,
I comb my hair at a rather slow pace.
Am I feeling less sleepy? Absolutely not.
The tire has me drunk like a very strong draught.
And so with drained limbs I move on with my day,
To work and study, to laugh and play.
When I return to my bed I fall in with a grin,
Though it disappears at the thought of waking again.
The end.


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Skip to comments.China offers Type 054 to meet Thai frigate requirement
Posted on 02/03/2013 9:39:25 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
China offers Type 054 to meet Thai frigate requirement
By Jon Grevatt
China has offered Thailand its Type 054-class Jiangkai frigate to meet a requirement to procure multipurpose frigates for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), thus potentially putting Beijing and Washington head to head in a large-scale international procurement programme.
Sources have confirmed to IHS Jane's that preliminary discussions between Thailand and China have commenced over the potential deal, in which China has said it is prepared to sell to the RTN three Type 054-class vessels at a cost that will meet the programme's budget of USD1 billion.
While the RTN is said to favour a purchase of a US, European, or South Korean platform, the potential deal to procure from China is being led by the government, which views the Type 054-class as a cost-effective alternative to Western vessels. Additionally, logistical arrangements would favour China given that Thailand already operates a number of Chinese naval platforms.
Lockheed Martin of the US has already confirmed that it is considering offering its Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) as a solution.
A deal to procure the Type 054-class vessel would include technology transfer to enable maintenance, repair, and overhaul
(Excerpt) Read more at janes.com ...
I dunno, it's probably made of chrome painted rice paper.
Clinton sell them the blueprints?
Makes our new littoral "combat" ships look like a joke. But heck, a WWII USN destroyer already does that too.
And just where the frilly heck would Clinton get the blueprints?
12.5 foot draft. 36.6 knots. 5000 mile cruise range. Four 5 inch turret mounted guns. Torpedoes, depth charges. Festooned with 40mm and 20mm.
A Fletcher class destroyer, built to WWII specs could utterly slaughter the Littoral "Combat" ships. Updated it would be an embarrassment. The new ship carries the Griffin missile. (a whopping 13 lb warhead. The weak love child of a Hellfire and an 82mm mortar. 12 mile range!) It also has a single HUGE 2.2inch gun. In short, it's almost unable to defend itself on the surface, and has no defense at all against subs.
It it supposed to operate close to shore, but has a 13 foot draft as opposed to the Fletcher at 12.5 ft. Also close to shore is very dangerous for the Littoral. A single tank ashore could kick it's butt. But if it dared shoot at a Fletcher, it would be slaughtered by the four 5 inch turrets at 15 rounds a minute,,each. The Littoral could shoot it's 57mm, try a Griffin, or run for it's life. But it better run. A single 120mm tank round could destroy a littoral.
Why? Because Littorals were actually exempted from the ability to absorb battle damage requirements.
Silly ships, built to please contractors and procurement admirals. While our enemies build warships.
Have to ask Vince Foster, when I hear back, I'll let you know what he says.
Only if you can get the LCS up to 30,000ft altitude. Surface launch it's 3(and a half)miles.
Thin hull cracks so easily it would make a spectacular target, LCS is little more than that.
Thin hull cracks so easily it would make a spectacular target, LCS is little more than that.
Functionally it comes out equivilent to a Perry FFG: only one helo, but more extensive radar, stealth, twin shaft diesel powerplant.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Promote your Blog Or Website using the Alexa Toolbar Creator
Alexa allows website owners and bloggers to create custom toolbars for their sites using the Alexa Toolbar Creator. Now, your customers can keep up-to-the-minute news and information from your site or business site–directly in their web browser. Why would the new Alexa Toolbar may be an important tool for you and your customers?
Begin by logging in to your Alexa account and customizing your toolbar. If you do not have an account with Alexa, signing up is really easy; click the 'register' link on the site's upper left homepage. After entering in all your information, you will be given a code to insert into your site's home page for validation process, with which you can begin to customize your site's toolbar. Customization is easy and you can add your site's RSS feed, Facebook, and Twitter pages to the toolbar, so that your users can have easy access to your site and business. Once this is complete, you will have a URL that you will use to install a button on your website's homepage, offering your site visitors the opportunity to download your business's customized toolbar. The toolbar is compatible with Internet Explorer and the Firefox web browsers.
With the new Alexa Toolbar, users can have instant access to the content on your site and still use the toolbar to access their Twitter and Facebook pages, and they can even add to their Amazon Wishlist, their favorite products found on your website via the customized Amazon link for your sites toolbar. You can even install a search tool for your site content on the toolbar–which establishes the importance of using effective keywords that would help your visitors find what they need on your site first — via Google search, before finding the information from another site listed in the search results! The benefits for personalizing an Alexa Toolbar for your website:
- You can "reach your audience wherever they are on the web!"
- You can "keep in contact" by keeping your readers informed of the dynamic content published to your site via RSS links–whichlinks back to your site on the web.
- By using the features installed on the toolbar you can keep your brand out in-front of your audience.
- You can use your logo and links in the toolbar to maintain site visibility and user access to your site–no matter where your customers or site visitors go on the web.
- By using the handy Twitter and Facebook links in your toolbar–users can immediately share your webpage information to the social web (social networking).
Using the toolbar can be useful in driving traffic back to your website = increasing your website traffic via the dynamic titles of your articles fed to your personalized toolbar via the RSS news feed installed on the toolbar. Use the toolbar as an additional tool to effectively promote your site–driving traffic and links back to your site.
Your site's personalized Alexa Toolbar will be available on your Alexa.com profile for your website and ready for download. It only takes a few minutes to create the toolbar and best part about it all– it's free.
How Alexa Toolbar Creator works to Promote your blog?
- Sign up / Login to Alexa account (free)
- Go to this Alexa Toolbar Creator page
- Add custom search for your blog
- Promote your blog by adding Twitter, Facebook, RSS links
- Add your own logo
- End up with something like ours like this
How you will promote your blog
Offer your visitors to install your free Alexa toolbar to their Browsers like we have on our sidebar. Forget it forever.
If 0.5% visitors installs, that will be great because:
- It has custom your own blog searching function
- Has latest Twitter update function
It is a free way to promote your blog as well as branding your blog without installing or loading anything. If you update, it will take live auto update.
See our Custom Alexa Toolbar, you will get an idea how it can promote your own blog:


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Having visited Singapore on business in the past, I wanted to revisit to see if anything had changed. I was pleased to discover that standards were still high with plenty of bargains to be found.
My wife Trish and I were planning a trip to Sydney to stay with her sister and family for a few weeks. I suggested we stop in Singapore to break the journey and see how the place had changed since my regular trips there on business.
How to get around
By far the best way to get around Singapore is the air conditioned MRT underground train system that costs around 10 per cent of the equivalent journey by taxi (note that taxis are only allowed to stop when hailed - touting is illegal and 'guided tours' often include a 'friend's' jewellery showroom; so it's best to firmly say 'no thanks' and walk away).
Where to stay
Singapore has some of the best hotels around, with levels of comfort and service most of us dream of, and the Grand Copthorne Waterfront was up there with some of the best I used when I was on business. It is situated on the bank of the Singapore River, with a terrace where you can sit and watch the locals jog past as you sip a cold Tiger beer or cocktail. The rejuvenated Clarke Quay area, where godowns (warehouses) have been transformed into bars and restaurants popular with locals and expats, is within easy walking distance along the river path used by the joggers.
Where to eat
Do try a fish head curry at one of the two Banana Leaf restaurants in Racecourse Road (owned by competing brothers and serving huge fish heads to discerning locals and businessmen using a piece of banana leaf as the plate). The taxi drivers will know the places well. It's a far better meal than the name implies and was a regular lunchtime pleasure for me on sales trips - equally, the Newton Circus Hawker Centre is an experience in itself; but be aware this is one of the few places credit cards are not accepted, so you need a few dollars in cash. Order from the stalls, give your table number and your repast will arrive from different directions in no time at all. Evening temperatures of 24C are perfect for an al fresco culinary delight. The Curry Laksa (a spicy noodle soup with chicken and seafood) in The Copthorne's coffee shop was one of the best I have had and came with a 50% discount because we were on the stopover package.
Where to shop
Singapore is famous as a shopping destination and it has many bargains to be found in electronics shops in the many malls, though haggling is needed to get good prices at most shops (except for the few fixed price ones). If you plan on updating your camera or whatever, it is best to do research at home into the model you want and what it costs where you live. You should also be aware that the prices you negotiate in Singapore will probably be based on a cash basis and charges will be made for the use of a credit card - ask first and say how you intend paying (the charge varies according to what type of card you use). I always found the prices at the excellent Changi Airport Duty Free shops were a bit higher than I could negotiate in town.
Things to see
Singapore Zoo is, I think, one of the best in the world, with the more aggressive animals kept back by walls and water ditches - we saw white tigers, baboons (to which we threw food at the encouragement of the keepers) and a variety of other special animals with no cages to get in the way of the view and photos. There is a free road train running round the zoo if you find walking in the humidity a bit taxing and there are always plenty of taxis waiting to take you home.
We took advantage of the discount voucher in the stopover package to do a comfortable river boat tour that allowed excellent visibility of the Marina Bay hotels, finance district high towers, the 'Durian' Performing Arts Centre (built since my business trips there and a most impressive building) and the iconic Merlion (the boat is probably the best way to see the statue/fountain).
Clean as a whistle
Singapore is one of the cleanest cities in SE Asia I have ever seen, though a trip to Chinatown (deemed of historical significance years ago) and its interesting shop-houses gives a colourful reminder of what Singapore was like before it became a modern city - Little India also offers the most colourful buildings and temples you are likely to see, with little shops still selling spices and food in the side streets that could be in India itself. Don't forget the camera!
A return to any favourite destination is always a potential disappointment, though Singapore came up trumps despite the many changes since our last visit. Singapore Airlines continue to outshine other airlines for service and in-flight entertainment, with the new T3 at Changi Airport proving that the high standards at the older terminals have not been forgotten; it's probably one of the most efficient airports in the world from the passenger's point of view. Apart from the other factors mentioned, Singapore has the significant advantage of having English spoken to a high standard almost everywhere, making it one of the easiest SE Asian experiences in the world.