Sate or Satay? Doesn't really matter

I just scarfed down the most incredible sate I have had (well maybe equal to the snack Ry and I shared in Thailand - but we wont be seeing pork satay here.  I was on my way to the local Chinese place that taught me t' chau pi xai (for bok choy), when I saw a scrawled sign written with a spray can of paint "SATE". So I quickly did a U turn and pulled up. The aroma was intoxicating.  Asking what kind of meat was met with mutton and chicken. How much was responded with 50 sens a stick. I could hardly wait to get them into the car and begin gnawing on them. What a feast in a land that I was convinced did not want me to enjoy meat.  I am so embarrassed - he convinced me to buy RM10 which translates into 20 sticks.  I now have 6 untouched sticks and not a vegetable in my belly.  Now I ask - why on earth would I bother to make my own when a nice man at the entrance to an alley near my BHP petrol station does this daily? It is times like this that I am happy that the North American health inspectors don't dictate the rules here for food service. Voting?  Incredibly, I believe the crazy mutton wins hands down! Kind of like a taste from home. Even if we pansies eat only lamb there. I also stopped into Rosemerah to ask my buddy if he would bend his rules for time using the tandoori oven. I am taking nann which he fires in the tandoori, making it very much like thin and crsipy pita, because I am taking hummus to our Canada Day party on the weekend. Also taking Som Tum, so should be quite international.  Now I am thinking I should also load up on the SATE and impress the pants off the Canucks. I had stopped in at the KT hospital to finally get the dr report for my insurance claim.  All my colleagues told me to ask the nice dr that looked after me to our party. He was not there but the nurses all remembered me, so said they will let him know and then asked if they could come too,  Guess we will have quite a mixture there.  I will take m,y camera. Fitting too that we will celebrate on the same day that all of you will be celebrating.

Its a bird, its a plane -- No, its falling palm fronds

We are looking up and to the back because falling palm fronds were crashing down around us.  Not a signifcant event to an elelphant whose back feels like  a concrete parking lot. But for we humans, the size and weight of these fronds are like small to mid size tree limbs. They seem to fall naturally in the jungle. I guess nature's way of pruning the dead wood. In this picture, we were on our way to the waterfalls.

Tried to make a slideshow but internet was not my friend

We travelled around Koh Samui and took in many temples. The first - Big Biddha, is actually on its own little island off the islamd. It is approached by a small road, so no need for boats.
A slide show would have been much nicer because the detail of the photos was spectaular.  If I do get a chance to get the slideshow going I will repost these.Just leaving this text here to show you all that I tried to upload pictures. I must admit that when I return to Canada I will NOT miss the nasty internet service here.  I have been at the computer for 2 hours trying to upload 3 pictures.  I have no idea how anyone does anything online here.  I give up.  I will try again on Friday after work. I have a long day tomorrow and where I am going has even worse service than here. Can you believe it?
g'nite
who know, I might be able to get a slide show uploaded after all.

I seem to use any excuse I can find

Because I was on antibiotics from my recent illness I ended up with a small cut on my finger that blew up with an infection. I just had it cut open and cleaned out and now have a very awkward hand for the keyboard. This post has already taken me an hour.  I guess I needed the antibiotics but darn it, I am now vulnerable to all the nasty bugs all around me.  So, that is my latest excuse and I am sticking with it!
Photo clearly shows that I could put on a finger puppet making seminar this week.

Dont worry. The other fingers were not cut off. They are just folded over because Mr Puppetface takes up too muich room right now. Now gonna take a pain killer - they dispense good ones here, and go to bed.                                                                     

Sorry, I still didn't get things posted

with this in my path on the way to work

AND THIS HOW THE END OF THE DAY LOOKS

I HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO DEVOTE HERE LATELY. I PROMISE TO GET BACK AT IT THIS WEEK

Gordon, Monty,family, and friends

You may see a pattern here. I seem to be obsessed with reptiles. Why? Well today at one of my schools after our meeting, the teacher advised that there was a snake behind me. We vacated the room and a workman came in armed with a stick and a broom sort of thing. I did not stick around to see the outcome. Today, on my return to the house I decided it was time to clean out the clutter of papers around my computer desk now that I have a real desk for that sort of stuff. I pulled the little computer desk from the wall when I got to the final stages of papers strewn about, there in the centre was a Gordon look alike.  He didnt scurry like Gordon, but rather fluttered.  I got my outdoor voice tuned in and shreiked at him and chased him around the living room, all the time trying to get the patio door open to shoo him out.  It was actually fairly simple because he was a goof and kept thinking he was hiding from me by squeezing under the arch of one of my shoes, under the bar of one of my lawn chairs, and then ultimately toward my small piece of luggage (still open in my living room from my Thailand trip last week). No way was he going in there, so I flung the bag across the room, and grabbed a broom, swishing him acurately into the air and out the door. Now I feel bad. He seemed to be a special needs fellow. Maybe arthritic or disabled in some way. He really did not dash about like the others. Or maybe he was a she, because I would say 'rotund' comes to mind when describing his/her girth. Not that girls are chubby, but perhaps 'she' was with child(ren). Well, I am over that now, as long as I dont find a corpse outside my patio door in the morning. I am not gonna look tonight.
I am staying home this weekend, so I will definitely get more Thailand pictures on the site. Ryan gave me a map of the island, which I have hung on the wall with some carpet tape - my living room art.

after 2 hours of effort, this is the only picture I could upload

As you can see, we had a lovely pool by the sea. But I have spent two hours trying to upload so will shut down for the night and meet you at Rosemerah on the weekend over an ice cappuccino.  Watch for temples, elephants, interesting rock formations, and of course - my favorite - food!

I was in the pool daily after Thai massage, and can walk somewhat like a normal citizen again.Thanks Ry, yet again. g'nite

Still have more Thailand pictures and a bit about Monty

With the frustration of using two computers and having downloaded my Thailand pictures to one of them, I seem to always be on the wrong computer at the wrong time. Complicating that further with the fact that I actually have a job to do, and for some reason work, I have not uploaded all my favorite shots from my vacation wtih Ry.  I hope to stay home this weekend and catch up with life, so hopefully I will get these pictures on the blog for all of you to feel a little envy when you see how I lived for that magical week.
For your amusement, I seem to have added another critter to my household. I bit the bullet and stopped in at a shop on my way home from work yesterday. I was tired of sitting on the pathetic sofa effort that was left for my use in this house. I had the options of sitting on the cheap office chair I bought, a plastic lawn style chair, or the nasty little wooden sofa thing that has such thin cushions you feel like you are sitting on children's playground climbing bars.  So, my real options were to sit on the computer chair, stand, or go to bed. Well I lie. I do have my lawn chairs, but when company comes over, I have to offer that to them and I sit on the plastic thing.  Anyway, I have been stalking a furniture place and finally made my offer. The guy accepted and followed me home with his truck. I bought a REAL SOFA & A REAL DESK WITH A REAL CHAIR. I will photograph all soon and post. Really quite swish!  Oh yes, the reason why I was telling you all this is because after the delivery man left I felt it was necessary to remove the cushions from the sofa to be sure that no snakes, etc have joined my household. Good idea, because when lifting the second cushions, MR LIZARD - and I am not talking gecko, jumped from the sofa and began hitailing it across the living room floor with me in quick pursuit.  This fellow is not a cute little green thing. He is a minature crocodile - and he jumps like a frog amid his rapid scurry.  I tried to get to the patio door ahead of him to open it and encourage him to leave. Unfortunately he dashed to the cabinet that houses the tv and all the papers etc that I need to sort and put into my new desk. He disappeared onto a shelf where I had Jenn and Ry's photos I carry with me everywhere. Ha! Armed with cockroach spray (that I killed the snake with) I sprayed furiously around the photographs and then waited.  Bravely I removed both photos only to discover that he had vacated that territory and God only knows where the heck he is now.  I whined about this to a colleague who said 'maybe it is one of those monitor lizards'. Good grief, it better not be. Take a look at a google of monitor lizards and you will understand why I say this. Those critters are frequently on my roads to work and they are about 8 feet long. So, now that I have a real desk to house the unsightly papers that need to accumulate in all good households, I am hesitent to reach into those sheves to sort them, for fear of meeting Monty. (thought that was a good name for some critter that could be a monitor lizard).
As for the sofa, desk, and chair, I created these in my mind. I wanted wicker and tropical design and that is exactly what they are.  I must have created Monty in my mind too, because I really beleive if you create it in your mind, you will have it in your reality.  Drat, I gotta learn how to get my focus off lizards, snakes and the like.  And of course, I have sprinkled berlereng (Malay for sulphur) all around my home, so the flippin' lizard is now corralled into my house, instead of out of my house. Ah, the correct spelling of a Chinese medicine shop is Seng Seh, and I spelled it in a previous post like it sounded.
Now time to don my duds and find a way to work.

As I awoke to a monsoon style rain (not monsoon season) I read this

A friend in Saskatchewan sent me a picture of the weather there. This is summer in Saskatchewan - a time when farmers count on a little rain and a lot of sun and heat to create the environment to grow their crops to make a living. As I whine about the heavy rain that seems to be determined to fall here, and should not be falling, I see that others in far corners of the world are having the same problems. My rainfall is a burden to bear, as it can mean a drive far out of my way because of flash floods. The Saskies have a bigger problem, it can mean a serious glitch in their finances if farmers cannot make a living.

By the time I wrote this, the rain here stopped. I don't think the Canucks back home were so lucky.

Note to Self

Never, ever leave a banana with a note book in a bag in the trunk of the car if you live on or near the equator.  Nasty fumes develop - much like the chemical reaction of decaying matter that floats through the storm channels here. Who would have thought that a tastey little treat like a banana had such a negative side? I also did not realize that a little note book could grow into such a powerful source of stink just because it had a date with a banana. And the notebook unfortunately has to be kept as I used it while my computer was ill. So, I guess I now know why everyone was avoiding me today, at least until I figured out that I was the cause of the stench!
However, after that ephiany, I came back into town on a quest for a place that did photocopying from large size paper to small size paper and in colour.  I could get one of these options out in the countryside but not two together. I could not find a copy center in all of Kota Tinggi  - I tried computer stores, paper stores, and finally was led to the camera shop where I bought my tripod and camera. Silly me - to not think of a camera shop. So, ready to head that way I was stopped in my tracks by a couple of men on their knees trying to repair some kind of a water line. They were armed with some wrenches, but what caught my eye was the spool of white tape on a white spool.  I have been asking everyone for 'plumber's tape' to no avail.  However, there was the product right before my eyes. I asked them what the stuff was called while I pointed right at it. They looked at me and muttered something in Malay.  (probably shove off) So I asked again, using even more words which is very clever since they could not understand what I said the first time. I was greeted with 'take it, take it, buli buli'  ( I think the buli buli means ok, ok.) So I did.  I knew it was useless to try to talk and I now have a partial spool of plumber tape that I desperately need to fix 2 of my toilets.  And the empty spool can go to the hardware store with me to buy more. YAY (One of my toilets was running all weekend while I was in JB, and my landlord will not respond to my request to have them repaired)
On my way home I found a Cheng Che, which is a Chinese Medicine Store. Someone told me to sprinkle sulphur around my home and I will not be troubled with bugs (such as cockroaches and scorpions) and snakes too. So I wanted to try this. Said I needed to go to one of these stores. I stopped in at another acquaintance and asked where a Cheng Che is in Kota Tinggi. So, stopped there, and picked up a sack of sulphur.  Then decided to ask about cures for dengue fever pain. Now I have this bottle of pills that I am to take 4 at a time, 3 times a day for 4 days. Apparently, the cure is sure and I will be rid of the pain after that time. So, if you don't hear from me by Friday night, send out a search party. I have either been consumed by a python, bitten by a cobra, or done in my the sulphur or magic pills.
Now it is time to fire up the barbecue with my new chimney fashioned from a tomato juice tin (to speed up the coal burning process) and grill some satay and roasted red peppers. Not too shabby huh?
But I have to admit - KFC beckoned me inside for some coleslaw today. Even with all the good stuff I prepared ysterday!

Good Grief

I just took a look at the blog posts and realized that I have posted two the same. Guess that clearly indicates that I am tired and not paying attention. I hope I did not work in the same manner all week.  Am leaaving for JB to have lunch with colleagues to celebrate a birthday party for one of our members.  Not sure where we will go, but I know it will be good. Then a swim in the pool and maybe a Thai massage to finish off the weekend.
back later

Fears of Repetetive Strain Injury

After a couple of days on the island I was fearing a tennis elbow problem - or at least a sprained wrist. I seemed to think there was going to soon be a shortage of food, so did my best to consume everything in sight when I saw it. And, with the china dishes and genuine stanless steel cutlery - none of which I am accustomed to any longer, my fear was that lifting these heavy utensils would strain my muscles. But I did a good job of keeping up my strength with what I constantly put in my mouth as nourishment. Poor Ryan, the financier of all this gluttony kept smiling and opening his wallet.  He are a few shots of what I seemed to enjoy the most.

Ryan introducing me to barbecued seafood Thai style on the beach. I think we spent the entire week just smiling at each other. It was so wonderful to have him to myself and be able to talk my face off and listen to him tell me what he has been up to since we last stayed up all night talking. These reunions have to become more frequent, and lucky for me, we both agreed with that.

 First you choose what you want and then they bring it to you barbecued

Our first course was gigantic prawns.  This was my dinner plate, and it was a large plate, so you can see that the prawns were enormous. These little puppies were just mine, and were followed by a red snapper, which we shared. This was the evening I tried Som Tum (Papaya Salad) for my first time. Definitely 'Some Yum' .  Clearly no hunger strike was happening in Koh Samui

I am very proud to say that I beheaded the prawns myself.  I think it was because it was quite dark out and I could do the beheading without really seeing what I was doing. Ryan served the fish.

New Hats and Refreshments

After choosing new hats to keep the sun off our skulls, we needed to stop for refreshments, and what better place than one that serves Mojitos?

Our hats were matching, although Ryan's was much more substantial. Mine however, could be molded into several styles, all of which I tested during the week.

tired again

Not gonna write much here except to explain that I have driven more in the past three days than most weeks. Special meeting took me south for a few hours after driving north to my schools, then off to JB to pick up my laptop which is only partially in my posession. Cant really complain - a colleage helped out - and then dropped the ball, leaving me with a computer without a battery or a cord or a carry case. Alas, I am home with a partial computer and very tired. I will try to post something from the Thailand adventure tomorrow. 
I am currently gathering material to show you palm oil plantation production, so hopefully will have that on the blog soon too.  After an elephant encounter on the back road, I am breathing easily knowing that I did not meet up with the whole herd at once. 
good nite

Very very weary

I cannot post any more. I am so tired. Yesterday Jeff and I were heading back to KT after workshop at my base school. We were less than 10 km from home when we hit a gridlock on the actual 2 lane highway on the route. People were shouting at me and waving their arms saying No No NO  do not go.  So when I figured out what they were warning I hit my horn for Jeff to stop- although we were going nowhere anyway. Seems we hit a flash flood that I have since discovered is a miracle I have never hit one earlier. We had to turn around because I have found over the months many little side routes and we drove back toward my schools and then veered off to the right and joined up to that famous backroad I take to Jeff's schools.  We had to drive  all the way to his schools and then back up to KT via his route. Whatr a nightmare!. Then I went scouting out the police station so I could figure out how to go to work this morning. I never did find the police station and admitted defeat. This morning I tried again and after several wrong directions by well meaning people I found the place. Complete with a gatekeeper and a rifle. After 2 hours of whatever I was assured that the road was open again but I had no idea where the heck I was any longer. So, a nice police man complete with guns and sirens guided me to the highway and I was on my way again.  You cannot say that these people wont help!  So for that reason, I am exhausted and need to turn off the computer and turn in.  Today was also a long day on it's own because I was back at the route that I took last night unexpectedly so a lot of driving in just two days.  I really am embarassed with this whining. I really only worked for a few hours this morning and and a couple of hours this afternoon. But it really is tiring to drive so long and so far for so little. good night all, I will be back.  Oh yes, but tomorrow I have a meeting in Jeff's schools ( not a usual occurance) so long drive again, and then over to JB because my computer seems to be repaired. But the nice colleauge who took it in for me while I was in Tailand lost the receipt so I have to get a letter written on work letterhead and take my passport to claim the bloody thing back. Ergo more driving! So again good night I will be back sometime tomorrow hopefully with the pictures of Thailand. and the fabulous vacation I had with Ryan.

we stopped for mojitos after I found some perfect hats for Ryan and I at some vendor's emporium.  Thought the beverages would go well with the adornments.

Mojitoville in Koh Samui - I guess that is why the big grin. The silly hats were actually great, I wore mine all week. And there were many versions to create but wont post just now.

VIEW FROM OUR RESORT

ONE COULD SIT ON LOUNGE CHAIRS ON THE SAND OR UP ABOVE BY THE POOL, OR OF COURSE IN THE DINING AREAS TO SEE THIS SIGHT DAILY

Arrival Night Koh Samui Sunday June 5 2011

I can't beleive I am posting this picture. I am bedraggled and sitting in a bit of a rain shower on the beach on front of our first night in Koh Samui.  I think my big grin says it all

Why do young people always look so good in pictures?  Maybe because they are your children, no matter what age! This man is the handsomest man I saw in Thailand.

the beginning of Koh Samui

Because I am so unsophistocated, I made Ryan pose with my elephant folded towels in my room.  I never moved the darn things all week. There were more towels in my bathroom and I enjoyed having them to greet me in the morning. Following, is a shot of them alone, just in case you are as corny as I am.

Aren't they adorable?

We need a new picture of the Vancouver baby

Talked with Vancouver part of the family this morning. All was busy there so we decided to talk later this week. I hope to have a skype chat so I can snap a picture of the baby who grunts, as she is changing every day and I need to have a picture Her big brother was too busy exploring his back yard which he has missed for several months during renovations.  Hope they are  available for the picture taking so I can hang them on my wall with the leftover duct tape! We kept missing the opportunity to purchase pst cards to send to the children until finally at the airport there were none bought. I luckily have a friend who lives in Thailand and is bringing me a card which I will send to them from Malaysia. Good thing Levi and Kollin cannot read. They will  not know how decietful their Nana is until much later - long after this blog is printed in a book.

Pai Kha - The Elephant

OK, after some searching online, our elephant was called Pai Kha

I thought the trainer said Pie Cow, but now see that the transalation for Pai Kha is  'go' 'journey'. So that is what he would say to the elephant when he talked to him.  He would say 'hello, pai kha' and the elephant would raise his trunk, trumpet, and flap his ears happily. Then he would say 'how are you feeling Pai Kha"?  and again he would trumpet and flap his ears.  Then, when he asked Pai Kha if he was humgry, he vrey noisily trumpeted and we headed to a field where he grazed on the jungle buffet.   It was amazing how he only made these noises whenever his name was mentioned.  A very clever fellow indeed.  It was also very amazing how he talked so gently and lovingly to the elephant with sort of grunts and groans, much like the sounds the elelepant would make. It clearly was a language they had between each other that both understood.  The trainer made these noises when the elephant was being driven by Ryan, and we were sttanding in the river on the way to the waterfalls. He wanted the elephant to move so that the photographer could get a good angle for a pictures. The elephant moved back and sideways until he was standing where the trainer guided him to stand.

KFC loses to the local market fare

this actually looks like what I made. I am so excited that Ryan introduced me to this one because I no longer have a need to sneak in the back door of KFC for coleslaw.  This stuff is exactly what one needs to replace salads when living in the tropics. I am not sure how I find white (unripe) papaya. The vendor assured me that what I bought was perfect for som tum, and it is. But the ones I saw and ate in Thailand had "white" unripe papaya. Mine, like the photo had the orange flesh of a papaya, but very firm.  Ryan was very clever - he indulged me with ceasar salad, baby organic greens, and various other salads before he ordered this one. I have already made a batch myself since getting home and intend to take it to work with me this week.

Frannie and Mickie on the beach Koh Samui

not sure how to make this fit without the scan background, but for now, here is Mickie and Me on the beach. I love meeting all the people in Thailand with animals in their lives. They love their animals and it is evident in how they respond.  Mickie easily crawled into my arms and places his soft cuddly arms around my neck.  He was adorable, and his fingers were as soft as kid gloves.  Yet another gift from Ryan as he indulged my fantasy of holding a cute little monkey.

Ryan steering Picow (spelling???) I will have to ask Ry how to spell the name

One never knows what fears they will overcome when the get up in the morning. Mine was clearly getting onto this creature and believing I would also manage to get "off".  I did, and I lived to tell you about it.  But had a few doubts when the driver jumped off and left Ryan to navigate us through the jungle.  He drove well, and I not only survived the event but sprinted off the elephant back thanks to the mutiple Thai Massages Ryan financed for me in Thailand.

Chaba Cabana Resort Koh Samui

There are just way too many picutres to show you how beautiful this place is, so for now, here is the  entrance.  As I get my pictures onto the computer I will take you on our vacation and all we experienced. It is so difficult to understand that only about 9 - 10 hours driving south can be such a different experience. Both Thailand and Malaysia have the same coastal climate and geography, but Thailand has figured out how to entice and entertain us with anything you can imagine, while Malaysia's east coast is very untouched and undeveloped for tourism.

My favorite guy is taking me away

Ryan is meeting me in Singapore and then we will fly to Thailand together later that day.  I am such a lucky lady to have such a handsome nice man in my life. I've travelled more lately than I did in my entire life before this stubble jumper adventure. Except for our Mexico Christmas I have not travelled with Ry other than when he was a child. And the best part is that he is footing the bill.  (I think)
Be sure to watch for new posts after this one. They should be good.

Drivel

Getting to Singapore is actually very time consuming. It is odd because it is just a short bridge over the water from Johor Baru.  But there  is so much walking I felt like I had walked to Singapore before we even left the Malaysian side of the border. Once we were scanned and screened, we traipsed through the Singapore side and hopped a bus that took us to a skytrain. We bought passes to ride the train, and took about an hour to get downtown.  Then, we discovered that the trains stop running by 11:30 although the border remains open 24 hours. So, we just squeaked through each train we needed and the final two buses to get back to customs.  Once back in Malaysia, Travis and Em went on a search for getting into the parkade to retrieve the car. We took as long trying to get the car out of the parkade as we did in all the train and bus trips on the other side of the bridge. Finally back at their place,we all took turns having showers and falling into beds. I got up early as usual and went down to the pool and stretched and kicked around in the water. Finally went back up to the condo and found everyone else sound asleep still. Could not find any paper to write a note and did not want to text anyone and wake them so left.  They finally got up and thought I was in the pool. On my way back to KT I thought I would stop in at Tesco as I have not been there. On my way out I found this Thai massage place that looked clean, respectable, and just what I wanted. After counting out the few pieces of money I had I realized I could have a 1 hour Thai massage and I did.  It was wonderful. After talking with my new friend from Australia, who is a nurse and advised me that dengue fever leaves one with the serious muscle aches and pains for a long long time, I was hoping this would help. I was in such pain yesterday and could not get rid of it. After the massage I felt a lot better, but still have several areas of cramps. So I am gonna head back to this miracle worker and have a 2 hour massage next time. It should get me almost back to normal. at least until the nasty cramps return at a later date. I felt so wonderful after that I seemed to have turned myself around and was heading back to my friend's condo instead of home. I only realized this when I saw the landmark I use to turn off the freeway to get there. I have no idea how I did this because I saw the KT sign when I began driving. However, I could not have because I was heading toward Singapore. Felt pretty smug because I managed to turn myself around and get home before too much time had passed. As rthe subject line indicates, this was very much drivel. Hope was was not too boring.  For those of you that will come to visit me, I will be sure to make you an appointment with Pa, my new Thai Massage therapist. She is great!

Raffles

This place is incredible.  It is exactly how I would picture a tropical hotel for the wealthy.  We wandered all over the property because John could not recall the location of the bar made famous for its Singapore Slings.  We knew we would be paying a high price for the honour of drinking one of these but decided it was something we needed to do. 

         These are a few views of the hotel that touts itself as the most famous hotel in the world. It has gone through a number of changes, one being a a prisoner of war camp at the end of WWII. Interesting place for prisoners of war huh?  It went into receivership at one point and now is a flourishing luxury hotel in the heart of Singapore.  The famous Singapore Sling was invented by a bartender by the name of Ngiam Tong Boon while working in the Long Bar sometime before 1915.It is clearly a tourist attraction because everyone that we saw there was sipping on the famous drink.  We met a girl from Autralia who ended up joining us on the remainder of our evening before heading back to Malaysia.  You drop 30 SGD for these sips, and frankly, only once. They taste like Kool Ade that is too concentrated.  We were forced to purchase gin and tonic to water down the syrupy concoction.  So after leaving behind over 50 SGD each, we experienced a lovely grand hotel and some class that we had been missing in our new home towns. You need to understand that 50 SGD are almost as debilitating as CAD.  Our sad little RM's convert to SGD almost 2.5 to 1.  So in Malaysian currency, we were paying about RM120 for this indulgence.  The best part of our journey was taking in a downtown that reminded us of home. There were sidewalks to walk on, intersections with pedestrian lights, shops and restaurants that served international fare, spotlessly clean streets, and rich Asian culture preserved in the mixture. Levi will be receiving a post card from Nana. Finally I found a post card to send someone, and a post office to send it from. Sorry everyone else, I did not have addresses with me as I am so conditioned to not finding post cards anywhere.

Armenian Church in Singapore

Didn't take a shot of the church itself - I forgot.  But went inside and took a view of the pews because they were so pretty. We all had a short sit down to feel the atmosphere there. The grounds were lovely too.

The church is very small - more of a chapel.  It is built in the round, and doors open in all directions - and appear to be always open. 

Cultural Finds in Singapore

BEHIND ME IS A STRUCTURE OF 3 COLUMNS.  THIS BUILDING IS SHAPED LIKE A SHIP, AND THE SIZE OF ONE TOO, SUPPORTED HIGH IN THE AIR ON THE COLUMNS.  Not a good shot of what we saw - sorry.  But a passerby stopped to tell us that it is owned my the American Mafia.  Not sure if that is true, but won't find out either because we didn't bother going there.

Dont Ask

Starting with the easiest memento from Singapore, here are a couple of items that probably don't need any explanation.

if you could read the item on the left, you can see where we were - might say something about 'Raffles'. If you google that name, you will see historical landmark in Singapore. The writing over the man and woman says Singapore Sling.

As for lamps from Ikea, Emma and I were outvoted.  Besides our not being able to take the cars out of the country, our cell phones quit service out of Malaysia too. So, the guys would not let us out of their sights as we  had planned on the onset of the trip.  We did everything together, and I have to admit, it was fun. We did take in cultural heritage sites as well as good food stops that John led us to because he had lived in Singapore for about a year recently.  We dined at what looks like a food fair, but is all ethnic.  Indian food there, and then dinner was a Thai restaurant (nothing at all fancy but great eats). So by the time the guys said we could head to Ikea which would be on the way back to the border, it was 9:30 and we knew that we would not get there before it closed. So, another pit stop where the item on the right was acquired.  Thank God John has a big backpack. I am thinking that the guys never intended to go to Ikea, and just kept us entertained until it was too late. Em and I have decided that they will drive us to the bridge in a couple of weeks and we will do our own Ikea run, get the lamps and then get picked up at the border in a couple of hours.