SIN to MNL

Am headed to a new city and country this morning...Manila, Philippines.  It is going to be a quick trip and just for business.  More later...

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Leftovers

Last night I was lucky enough to eat dinner with my friend and her two daughters.  I was even luckier to have eaten a true, homemade Thanksgiving dinner with carved turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and apple pie.  The luckiest part was that they sent me home with leftovers which I ate for dinner this evening.  Mmm...

I love Thanksgiving leftovers.  To be fair, I actually love pretty much any kind of leftovers...especially when I just have to heat them up and I didn't do the cooking.  But Thanksgiving leftovers are especially nice.  I guess it is because they are foods that don't get cooked all year long.

I suspect that many of you may be getting tired of eating your Thanksgiving leftovers.  I on the other hand had a giant smile on my face the entire time I was heating mine up and then eating them.  I was tempted to take a picture of my plate to post on here but figured that might be taking it a little too far.

Enjoy your Sunday!

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On top of the world

Okay, maybe not the world but certainly high atop of Singapore. 

On Thanksgiving day, I went with some friends to the top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.  Here's an old picture of it in case you have not seen it before: 

The skypark is on the upper left side of the building and is 55 floors above the ground.  It is long enough to fit three football fields which makes it very long.  I watched a television show about how they built it and the level the skypark is on was lifted from the ground in three different sections. 

To give you some perspective, here is a picture from the ground looking up:

We were standing out on the part that sticks out to the left.  So, now for some perspective from high above...

Yes, those little tiny things are cars driving on the highway below.  55+ floors up is pretty stinking high up!

The views of Singapore are pretty amazing.  You can see Malaysia to the north and Indonesia to the south.  What you can really see is just how big of a city Singapore actually is because of all of the high rise buildings.

 

In order to maintain the views the edges of the skypark are clear plexiglass and tension wires (seen in the picture above with the Flyer).  It gives you the impression that you could just step off of the building.  I'm usually pretty good about being up on the top of tall objects as long as there is a barrier to prevent me from falling...but there were a couple of times I had to hold onto the edge just to get close enough.  If you are not fond of heights you probably wouldn't like being up on top near the edges.

I was also able to see the area where I live...

 

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T-day recap

After a fun day of wandering around with my friends (more on that to come) we ended the day with a traditional (sort of) Thanksgiving dinner. We met up with a group of my local friends at an American restaurant here that was having a Thanksgiving dinner promotion.  A set meal with turkey, stuffing, and pie...mmm... 

Course #1 -
Roasted pumpkin soup with garlic toast. 
Quite tasty.  We were off to a good start and I was hopeful this was going much better than my Thanksgiving dinner defeat in Bangkok last year.

Course #2 -
Traditional roasted turkey breast, with sun-dried tomato and ricotta cheese stuffing, served with sweet yams and french beans. 

The food all tasted fine but the turkey breast was not carved off of a turkey and we all decided it seemed to be processed turkey.  Slightly disappointing but far better than no turkey at all.

Course #3 -
Pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

It smelled and tasted like true pumpkin pie.  The only difference was the strawberry they put on top as a garnish.  (I know it is hard to see in the photo above - we were sitting outside and it was quite dark and I didn't want to use my flash.)

So, overall not nearly as delicious as a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner.  However, a million times better than last year and the year prior where I didn't even get a Thanksgiving dinner.  I did check to see about getting a turkey at the grocery store and braving an attempt at cooking dinner.  I was quickly put in my place as just a small frozen turkey breast was $40.  Holy cow!  What on earth do they have against turkeys over here?

The best part for me was having a bit of home here with me for the holiday.  Ashleigh and David have been exploring Singapore since Sunday.  It is nice to come home and have somebody to chat with in the evenings.  They are headed off to their next destination today but it has been great fun having them here.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! 

So, two years ago I was in Rishikesh, India and woke up to news about the Mumbai bombings.  We then went out whitewater rafting on the Ganges River later that day.  One year ago I was at work in our Bangkok, Thailand office wishing I could get my hands on a proper Thanksgiving meal.  This year, I am sitting at my home in Singapore enjoying a cup of coffee and waiting to start the day wandering around with two friends visiting from the US.

I was in the office yesterday and a local asked me why we celebrate Thanksgiving.  She said she had always assumed it was a religious holiday.  I told her it was not and explained the story of pilgrims and the indians and how Thanksgiving came to be.  I always seem to be the one asking the questions so it was a nice change to be able to explain something to somebody else.

Here are a few of the many things that I am thankful for...

• a wonderful husband
• amazing family
• friends that are more like family than just friends
• cuddly kitties
• good food
• health
• the opportunity to travel
• receiving fun packages in the mail (thanks to my brother for the cool turkey pictured above)
• my job
• a good cup of coffee
• my magnificent mom
• the ability to video chat with people so we are almost in the same room
• hair
• laughter
• living (okay, even if it is part-time) in an amazing city like Durham
• experiencing something new on a pretty regular basis
• airplanes...imagine how long it would take me to get home if I had to go on a ship
• access to great healthcare at Duke
• reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones
• learning that it is worthwhile to have a camera in my bag at all times
• reading good books (and even some not so good ones)
• American soldiers both past and present
• the kindness of strangers (who have now luckily become friends)
• knowing that Alan will be here in just over two weeks

I am also thankful for all of you who read my blog and stay connected with me even though you are half a world away. 

What are you thankful for?

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Emerald Hill

When looking at the skyline in Singapore one thing you will always notice are tons and tons of cranes.  This place is booming with construction and it always seems that something is being demolished to make way for the next new and shiny building.

That being said, there is also some amazing architecture that has managed to survive.  These are the low-rise buildings that seem to get lost in midst of some pretty spectacular and much taller buildings.  There is a neighborhood, Emerald Hill, that is quite close to my house where they have maintained these original, low-rise buildings.

Along Emerald Hill, the buildings are still mostly residential.  When you walk up and down the street it is a bit like walking back in time.  You enter off of Orchard Road which is one of the busiest roads in Singapore with some of the biggest and shiniest new buildings.  You immediately find yourself on a small and rather narrow street in between rows of terrace homes such as these...

Everything on these buildings are such a contrast to the craziness of Orchard Road.  The windows have fabulous shutters...

The entrances and doors welcome you with their ornate beauty...

I'd love to get inside a few of these buildings...the outsides are so beautiful and decorative that I'm certain there is as much love and detail on the inside. 

Even the mailboxes are better looking than most...

There are a few of the buildings that have been converted into storefronts.  It is nice that they have kept to the original structure and design of the buildings so that they blend in to residential area.

Someday I'll try and find my way inside of one of the homes.  For now, I'll just enjoy their beauty from the outside...

 

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Asian Games

The Asian Games are currently being competed in Guangzhou, China.  They are basically the Olympics of Asia.  There are 45 countries competing in 44 sports.  Most of the typical sports are present such as swimming, archery, gymnastics, wrestling, and baseball.  There are also a number of sports that are not seen in US competition such as cricket, dragon boating, kabaddi, table tennis, sepaktakraw, squash and board games. 

I am secretly excited to watch coverage of the board games competition!

I love watching these sorts of competitions.  Seeing amateur athletes compete and represent their countries is something that always makes me so happy.  Even if they don't win a medal it must be so amazing to compete on behalf of your entire country.  

So, tonight at the gym I was watching some coverage of the swimming competition.  Singapore was competing in a relay race and I found myself routing for them to win.  I've never had allegiance to any other country besides the US so it was a little odd to me.  But, I guess that Singapore is now my second home so it makes sense that I should cheer for them.

The Singaporean relay team didn't do so well...they were disqualified.  I did not find this out until the race was already completed...maybe they will make up for it in the board game competition!

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Rainy Sunday

I never used to carry an umbrella with me.  If it started to rain I would just get a little wet. 

Then I moved to Singapore...where we get tropical rain.

It only takes getting caught in the rain here once, maybe twice...and you will never leave the house without an umbrella.  Part of the problem is that rain pops up out of nowhere.  It can be super sunny and a big, ugly cloud will blow in and in a matter of 15 minutes it will be raining.

Today it was a very rainy day so I thought I'd give you a video so you can see that when it rains...it pours...

(Apologies for the shakiness, I was trying to stay dry.)

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Look up

When kitty-sitting and unable to locate the kitty...

Look up...

Yes, that is AliG sitting on top of my range hood in my kitchen.  He hung out up there for about 30 minutes last night.  Clearly, he has refined his jumping skills.

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How lucky am I?

In the past two weeks I have received five packages in the mail.  5!  Holy cow!  That is equivalent to winning the lottery in my book.

Some of the packages were expected and others were items that were shipped because I had asked for them...thanks mom & Alan.  Others were a complete surprise and contained all sorts of fun things...thanks mom, Alan, Alan (brother), and Claire.

Beyond the initial greatness of receiving the package and the excitement in opening it are the pieces of home that people share with me.  Now, I know that sounds incredibly mushy...especially coming from me...but it is true.  My apartment here is pretty sparse on the decorating front.  I have little to no knick-knacks or pieces of memorabilia.  So when I get these packages with fun or useful things in them I immediately find a place for them.  And...every time I see them it reminds of who sent it and of that little bit of home.  They are little things that keep me from getting lonely...knowing that somebody took the time to send me something is a really great feeling.

This morning, AliG decided that I should be awake at 6am...on a Saturday...ugh!  I guess I can't blame him since he had just had a week of me getting up at 6am...he probably thought he was helping me.  Anyway, it was nice to be able to get up and enjoy a cuppa in my new coffee mug sent from Claire:

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Flyer

The Singapore kind...
Last night I went out for a work function and we went for a twilight ride on the Singapore Flyer.  It is essentially a giant ferris wheel.  I drive by it every time I go to the airport or am on my way home from the airport but have never been on it.

This is obviously not the flyer but a good picture of downtown Singapore:

It is very hard to get a good picture of the complete wheel from below:

 You start out by getting into a big observation tube:

And for the next 30 minutes you make your way around the circle and get some great views of Singapore (there is a little glare because of the glass)...

 

It was fun and was pretty since the colors of the wheel kept changing...as you can see above it was both blue and pink.

It was a nice thing to do and especially nice that I did not have to pay the admission price.  However, it is good to tick another thing off of the Singapore to-do list.

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A package with a purpose

So, yesterday (still today for all of you) was Veterans Day.  Obviously it is a day that is set aside to remember and honor those who have and who are serving in the US military...something that we should do more often than just one day a year.

Living overseas and visiting many non-democratic countries has given me a different perspective on freedom.  I, like many, take it for granted on a day-to-day basis.  Simple things like freedom of press is very noticeable when it is hard to find a newspaper in Asia that is not government controlled.  As ridiculous as the US media can be, they still have the right and the ability to say and print and show whatever they want.  And more importantly, we as citizens have the right to watch and say and read whatever the heck we want.

I encourage all of you to give back to the active military personnel who are currently serving overseas.  If you need an idea of what to do go check out the Any Given Soldier website.  It is a website where soldiers sign up and indicate what sorts of things they want and need while serving overseas.  They ask for simple things like baby wipes, socks, beef jerky, old magazines, stationary, etc.  These are all things that are relatively inexpensive to buy and place in a package to ship to them.

Yep...you can even have fun at the post office while doing this good deed.  It is a win-win situation!!!

You basically choose a soldier, find out what they need, drop it in a package at the post office, and in 7-10 days they will have something.  I think it is especially great for the soldiers who do not have a strong support system and may not be getting regular mail.

So, what are you still reading this for?  Get up and throw that pile of books you were donating to charity in a box and head to the post office...or run to Target...oh how I miss Target...and buy 3 things off one their wish lists...or...just write a couple of great letters and send them.

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House guest

Guess who has been hanging out with me? 

Mr. AliG...(hanging out with his elephant, Pad Thai)...

He is a lot bigger than the last time he hung out with me.  He is a little less hyper and I have far fewer scratches on my arms.  Although, he has taken to running after me and jumping up on my legs in an all out attack.  It is funny but a little painful.

But...he does like to cuddle and it is nice to come home at the end of the day and have a kitty want you to pick him up and snuggle with him.

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Reindeer update

Okay, a bit of an update from my post earlier in the week about the odd looking reindeer. 

I was walking by today and realized that there are only six...two of them are missing!!!  I've never met the reindeer personally so have no idea which is which...but I counted and there were only six. 

Who's missing? 

Did Vixen woo Dasher and they ran off together for a romantic trip in Bali?

Are they working in shifts because of the heat?

Did they get caught spitting and get thrown in jail?

Did they get in trouble for not choosing that red-nosed kid during the reindeer games?

I have no idea...the mystery of these reindeer just keeps getting more and more interesting...

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Deuce

This morning I was out for some Saturday morning errands and stopped by my favorite store, Daiso to pick up a couple of things for a friend.  I rode up the escalators and turned the corner and HOLY COW...in the place of my favorite Japanese $2 store was a restaurant! 

What?! 

Had they gone out of business? 

Did they move and not leave me, their most favorite shopper, a forwarding address?

Um...I am not happy about this...

Not knowing who to ask for assistance I just went about my shopping.  I wandered through another store and could not find what I was looking for.  As I was leaving, a little frustrated, I looked down the stores and at the end of the shopping center, on a different level I saw this...

Not only was my favorite store still open...it is now about 5 times as big as it used to be.  It was as if the skies parted and they sent the store straight from heaven...begin harmonic angels singing now...

Okay...maybe it wasn't quite like that but seriously, this place is SO much nicer than the last one.  It is really well lit, there are actual aisles and room to move around, and there is a much bigger selection.  And...it is still always $2 for every item.

I honestly have no idea why I love this store so much.  It is loads of fun to wander around and read the quirky translations from Japanese to English.  There are also a bunch of completely random items.  If you ever come to Singapore I'll take you to the new and improved Daiso...are you excited?

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Curry and spice and everything nice...

Today is a public holiday in Singapore to celebrate the Hindu holiday of Deepavali.  It is the Festival of Lights so tonight I went to Little India to see the festivities.

Little India is typically pretty busy but tonight it was extremely busy.  The MRT train was completely packed on the ride there and there were loads and loads of people wandering around.  As soon as we got up from the MRT we saw the lights...

Other than the large number of people and the lights on the street there really wasn't anything going on.  I figured there would be candles and different types of lights in the shops and the homes but there really weren't.  I guess this makes sense though...if you think about a holiday like Easter there really is not much going on outside of the home.  I think I expected more because so many of the Asian holidays are so colorful and loud and creative and fun to watch.

There were a lot of people just sort of hanging around.  They were mostly male and they were either just standing around in groups of 4-5 or sitting around.  And by sitting around I mean sitting on the curb, leaning against the outside of storefronts, or sitting on the grass in green spaces.  They were just talking and laughing but most of them were drinking beer...from the can...through straws.  Funny. 

Despite being a bit disappointed that more wasn't going on I did have a great meal.  We ate a great Indian meal at the Banana Leaf.  It is aptly named because when you sit down they put a banana leaf in front of you and instead of using plates you eat directly off of it...

The food was delicious...mmm...you know I love Indian food.

We wandered around a bit more after dinner but only found a couple of kids playing with sparklers.  It was cute.

Happy Deepavali everyone!

A few more pics from around Little India since I haven't posted any in awhile...

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What were their names?

I never know quite what I'm going to run across when I'm walking around Singapore.  I'm usually pretty busy dodging people so don't always look around at my surroundings.

On my usual walk home yesterday a big part of the sidewalk was taped off with "Works Ahead" signs notifying me well in advance.  Not really paying attention...I just kept walking and scoped out my route through the now narrow path on the sidewalk.  It wasn't until I got right up on the tape and the signs that I saw it...

A larger than life replica of a reindeer...slightly out of place on a sidewalk in front of the grocery store in Singapore. 

Not a cute and cartoon-y Rudolph the Reindeer way but an actual real looking reindeer...the kind you might find at the Natural History Museum.  There were a number of them...and each of them had a small Asian man hugging it around the neck and another hugging it around the backside trying to position them in the display...just so.

I think I may have actually stopped for a moment to watch these guys.  I was enthralled with the likeness of the reindeer and the determination of the guys trying to move them.  Would they actually hug them like that if they were alive?  Won't the reindeer be a bit hot in the Singapore sun and humidity?  It is only November 1st, why on earth are there already Christmas decorations out?

I had to laugh out loud as I walked away.  It was just too funny of a sight.  The rest of my walk home I kept trying to remember all of the names of Santa's reindeer.

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen...

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