Olympics Get Under-way

At last the Olympics are under-way. After all the hype and comparisons that are so unfair and irrelevant, we can get to watch the athletes do their thing.  We didn't get to see much of the Opening Ceremony, just snippets, but loved the Mr Bean segment. With no dialogue the humour has no language barriers so is universally enjoyed.  We are pleasantly surprised to learn that one of the free to air stations here is dedicating the major part of its programming time to the Olympics for the next few weeks so we will probably get to see more of the games here than we have since moving to the NT.  Mind you, we mightn't see too many Aussies compete, but we will see table tennis! Actually we have already seen plenty of variety so what we get, we get.

Meanwhile, here in Singapore there is a Media Company called Moove Media which offers a range of advertising platforms - including buses, taxis, rail stations and prime ambience sites. At the moment they are decorating these spaces with cows.  Well, why not?  We are not sure what the intent of the campaign is, other than to advertise the company, but the characters are certainly colourful. You can find them on vacant lots or beside railway stations, they are popping up all over. We found this lot beside Bugis Station on Tuesday when we went back to the Arab St area. They have now finished the upgrade to the approach to the Sultan Mosque which we saw being undertaken when the Mundays were with us. 

We had lunch at the Blue Jazz Bar in the colourful Bali Lane

Then we went to Chinatown to visit the Chinese Heritage Museum housed in the restored shop houses on Pagoda St.  It traces the lives and times of early Chinatown when Singapore was just developing as a seaport and many desperate migrants were leaving China after years of war and famine.  It was a risky journey back then, somewhat like the voyages currently being undertaken from Malaysia to Australia. They came from various Chinese provinces to the promised land of Singapore, to work as coolies and rickshaw pullers. Many of the women were known as 'samsui women' undertaking the hard labour on  construction sites. The living conditions were tough. Seedy and underground practices of opium smoking, gambling dens and secret societies blossomed and tempted many into ruin. They came with the intention of making their money and going home, but few did.  

This week we received our photobook we had put together online from photos of our trip to Italy last year. It was so good to revisit all those memories again, so now we are busy doing the same for the Spain and France legs of the journey. It is quite time consuming to select from all the digital photos and then decide the layouts for the 50 pages etc, but the finished product is great. We got onto a good deal through a company called Groupon who send daily email offers. Pretty sure they are also in operation for Aust, they are very popular in Singapore, in fact Morris Allen have just advertised on the site and have had a terrific response.   We are also on one of their travel deals next week to visit Malacca on our days off.

This week we have booked our December flights to Kathmandu and put some thought into what we will do the week of Christmas.  Have put an offer to Adrian, Luke and Tahlia but still awaiting decisions so will keep you posted. Also booked tickets to Sri Lanka for a week in September and researched a possible itinerary. There seems to be more than enough to visit in just the 8 days we have available. The plan includes arriving Colombo, moving on to the historic cultural triangle area then down to Kandy in the central highlands and Galle on the Southern coast before returning to Colombo.  A nice mix of culture and wildlife we think. Actually have spent far too long on the computer booking tickets, sorting photos and trying to arrange to vote in the upcoming NT election.  It all gets to be very time consuming.

This week the walkers tackled Bukit Timah again and I have to admit I can now walk it so much easier than the first time.  Having a hiking pole definitely helps take the strain off my knee but I also feel a lot fitter and stronger after all these months building up the fitness. Drawn by screeching calls, we came across a massive eagle's nest way up in one of the tallest trees of the forest. Didn't manage to find the bird but now we have located the nest we will keep an eye on it with binos in future.  We also had the first sighting of the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo which was a thrill. 

In the evening we met up with the MAE socialites for dinner at Shish Mahal Restaurant, eating in the outdoors in Albert Court. In the early 19th century Hindus held their fire-walking ceremony in Albert Street Road. Tamils in Singapore used to call Albert Street the “Street for Fire-walking” but these days it is a charming walkway between the antiquated architecture of the shophouses. A great location, within walking distance of Little India, Arab Street and Bugis Village - all famous for their colour, vitality and culture. Must check out the rates of the Hotel of the same name for future reference.

Having managed that yesterday, today we backed-up with a 4 hrs walk around Jurong Bird Park.  The boys and I visited this with Joan 10 years ago but today was Eric's first. This is SE Asia's largest bird park and home to 8,000 birds of 600 species from around the world. Apart from all the usual cages, lakes and displays they also have 4 huge walk-in aviaries with free flying birds. These were all fabulous and we can't pick a favourite. The 'Jungle Jewels' contains brilliantly coloured birds from South American rainforests. The 'African Waterfall' has the world's tallest man-made waterfall at 30m and we were very up-close-and-personal with the feathered residents on the suspension bridge. The 'Southeast Asian Aviary' gave us the opportunity to observe at close range all the locals, most of which still allude us in the nearby parks and forests. They also have a raucous Lory Loft which is 9 storeys high and you stand amongst the canopy with over 1,000 screeching lorikeets and their close relatives. It was a fabulous afternoon but after the train journey, we were both a bit weary lugging the groceries home.

Forgetful

When Jenni and Glenn left, they forgot a pair of shoes, that I am now wearing. Thanks Jen.

When Denise and Colin left they forgot to mention they were leaving us with a bit of a tummy bug. It only took a few days to pass through, literally, and I'm sure we will soon forget and forgive. We have since enjoyed the surprise gifts we came home to after work on the evening they left, they forgot to mention those.  Thanks again, the orchids are still gorgeous.

Sorry Mum, I keep forgetting to ring you!

Eric's birthday again! He keeps reminding me that for a long time he had planned to retire at 54yrs and 11months but I'm sure, as he gets even older, he'll even forget that.   It was on Friday but he slept-in most of that morning and so we postponed a special dinner until Sat night when we ate at Ivin's Peranakan Restaurant. Peranakan refers to the early Chinese immigrants in the Malacca Straits settlements during the days of British and Dutch control. I can't figure the difference between Peranakan and Nyonya cuisine but we love it. We shared a Beef Rendang,  Braised chicken in thick spicy tamarind gravy with buah keluak nuts, sweet potato and its leaves in coconut curry sauce and rice. Your mouth is watering isn't it?

I didn't forget to get Eric a present, and when I gave it to him I got just the reaction I was expecting. Last year when we were in France we were impressed by the simple wine buckets they had for your table.  It is just a simple plastic bag.  I decided that we just had to have one, but for the life of me, when we got to Paris we couldn't find them for sale anywhere.  This week the wine merchant in Nex had a special where you got given one if you bought 2 bottles of French wine. Hey, there are worse things than having to drink a crisp white wine from the Loire Valley! I forgot that Eric prefers reds (not really). I also haven't forgotten that he, who loves listening to Adele, gave me an Adele dvd for my birthday earlier in the year.

The walkers hiked around our Serangoon loop this week and as you can see from the picture above we have turned them all into bird watchers. After the walk we had a meeting at our hawker stalls to discuss dates and details about the Nepal trek. We are thrilled that Jim from SW Rocks is now planning to join the trekking party too. A pity Joan is not expecting to after her recent accident in Norway. Peter had forgotten to mention that we will spend most of the nights in tents, rather than lodges, since we are not on the tourist trails but really just the trail the villagers use.  I'm trying to forget the images that keep surfacing before my eyes of squatting over a hole in the ground,and focus instead on how bright the stars will be! If anyone else is considering taking up the offer in last week's post to join us, you need to confirm before the end of the month because Peter needs to pay a deposit based on numbers.

The MAE Tipping Competition wound up yesterday with a trivia afternoon at a condo in Simei.  Luckily we bumped into Peter on the same train because we had forgotten to read the directions from the MRT. About 25 people had a fun afternoon with lots of prizes, and poetry of all things. Eric got pipped in the last round by a guy who only works part time, we think he had too much time to study the form guide. I surprised myself by coming fourth, just out of the money of course. I can't remember ever doing that well before.

I promise not to forget to write again next week.

A Touch of Darwin

Thank goodness that was the last week of the tipping competition.  All the MAE staff were invited to participate in a 10 wk competition and every week it has been my responsibility to fax in the tips for our branch members.  It is a small pressure that I wont have to worry about anymore since, as of this weekend it is over.  The scores for the last two rounds have not been published but the last time we saw them Eric was leading.  Fortunes can change quickly though as some of the questions have nothing to do with sport as we know it. Examples include Canadian Ice Hockey, Fusbal and Women's European Volleyball. There are AFL and NRL questions but they are not so easy to pick anyway. Then there are the questions about weather which are anyone's guess. The function next Monday should be fun.
Denise and Colin, from Darwin, arrived Sunday evening and we loved hearing all about their time spent in Sabah and Sarawak over the last 3 weeks while the schools have been enjoying the 4 week mid semester break. We've been comparing stories and  reliving wonderful memories, especially when we saw their pics of orangutan in the wild and rafflesia flowers in bloom.  Unfortunately Colin was a bit under the weather when he got here but we were still able to talk him into a walk the next morning. This week the walkers took on a lap of Bedok Reservoir. We took the MRT to Tampines and met the rest of the group at Maccas. A short bus ride on the top deck took us to the lake and we set off at a very leisurely pace for about 5 kms enjoying the breeze off the water and some bird spotting. We were surprised to find an exhibition of the Berlin Wall. When the wall was dismantled in November 1989 parts of it were sold worldwide.  Four segments are now permantly exhibited here on the bank of the Bedok Reservoir. These segments feature the painting "The Kings of Freedom". It shows two kings: one is colourful and lively, the other is dull and blindfolded. This graffiti is an apt artistic representation of the former two different societies on each side of the wall. Further on, there was a fabulous high ropes course strung between the Mahogany trees that looked very challenging  and  a highlight for us was finding the brown-capped woodpecker for the first time.

After a lovely lunch at Judy's local restaurant we visited her house.  She rents a room from Anthony, a local Singaporean who owns a unit in a Govt Housing Devt.  He is a very generous host and insisted we try the durian puffs he had bought especially for us. Fortunately Col likes durian, the only westerner I have ever found who does. The rest of us politely declined the third round of offers. To me, durian still tastes like slimy onions that have gone off. It kept repeating on me too until I ate licorice to disguise it. Denise and I enjoyed a spa in the afternoon and then we headed into Little India for dinner.  The sights and scents of this area never disappoint.

Today Col is feeling much better but Denise has no voice. She says she feels well enough to go exploring though, so we all took the train to town to see the sights; Orchard Rd, Raffles Hotel, the Padang, Marina Bay Sands and the Gardens by the Bay.  Having left home by 10:30 we were pretty beat when we walked in the door after 5pm.  I was pleased to have found the promised matching glasses at Tangs for D & C (ignore the medical reference) to take home, and they were pretty impressed with the gardens. It seems there are still enough attractions to entice them back for another weekend - next year perhaps.  Hopefully!  We've loved sharing Singapore with them, just as they enjoyed sharing Cooinda, in the Clare Valley, with us a few years back.  We look forward to their return.

Last week at work was Open Week, where parents and prospective parents are invited to sit in on the lessons and observe what is going on and how their students are responding. It makes you especially caful to have everything you might need for the lesson at your fingertips, but other than that it was no big drama. Not a lot of parents turned up at our centre, just enough to keep you on your toes. Next week is Test Week so that is pretty easy to administer now we know what we are doing.  This time last term we were having a week off to spend in Darwin for the wedding.

Mundays on Thursday

If you have email, you really should read it. We had sent Jenni and Glenn the details of how to find our apartment, same set Luke and Tahlia had no trouble with, but they didn't read them. They did get to our condo but then had no idea which level or number. Fortunately I found them in the lobby not too long after, but it wasn't the open arms welcome they were expecting. Pity that. We spent Friday in the Arab Street precinct, the area around the Mosque was alive with all the men making their way to prayers. We stopped by the Dinky Di Secondhand Store where I bought the mahjong set a few years back. This store is amazing, you can't step in more than about a metre because every bit of space is occupied with trash and treasure. We found an old sewing machine that I thought could be useful but you had to wind the wheel by hand, not electric, so saved my money. Before we headed off to work we enjoyed another lovely murtabah upstairs at Zam Zams and then left Jenni and Glenn to wander and shop on their own.  That evening we returned from work to a home cooked meal which was quite a novelty and much appreciated. 

It wasn't easy to get to work on Saturday morning but as usual the day went very quickly and afterwards we headed straight to Little India where we found the Mundays sharing a beer at a sidewalk cafe, enjoying all the sights and colours of this vibrant district.  They had spent the day indulging in retail therapy, something they have had little opportunity to do of late while towing a camper van through the centre of Aust. We shared a meal at the New Everest Restaurant where some of the staff now recognise us which is nice.

While we worked, Jenni and Glenn ventured into town and explored the Marina Bay area including a circuit on the Singapore Flyer. By sheer coincidence I had arranged with Punggol Branch that Kovan staff would share drinks with them after the working week on this particular Sunday. They are at the end of the line so to speak, 5 stations further east from Kovan and it seems they feel a bit isolated at times. So after work on Sunday Jenni and Glenn met us for a quick tour of the branch and then we all caught the MRT to Punggol and then the light rail to Riviera.  This area is all new development so the skyline is littered with cranes and glitzy new buildings.  We found the local staff, including Wayne and Pauline Ash who lived in Butterwoth with us in the 80s, at a bistro.  It was a chance for the Mundays to catch up with them, and amazingly, there was another chap at the table who had also been a work colleague of Glenn.s on the Central Coast.  Small world! The bistro was in a great location overlooking the river and its meandering walkway; looks like a good option for a future walking club venue. 

Although a sleep-in on Monday morning would have been appreciated, we all headed up Bukit Timah with the walkers.  Jenni and Glenn were very brave to tackle this, as it is the only significant hill on the whole island, but then they have done Kota Kinabalu in Sabah so why not? In comparison this is just a pimple. I used my new hiking pole that I bought in Turkey and believe it really did make a difference for my knee in handling all those deep steps. 

After lunch at Beauty Plaza we had a spa at the condo and contemplated the next dinner setting and menu options.  How is it that when you are busy, a cheese sandwich and apple can feel quite satisfactory, but when you have time to think about it you can spend so much time and energy discussing and considering food?  We settled on Chomp Chomp Hawker Stalls in Serangoon Gardens where we dined on stingray flaps, satays and bee hoon. 

On Tuesday we all enjoyed that long overdue sleep-in.  The Gardens By the Bay opened only a week ago so we took the MRT to Marina Bay precinct to see the latest of the Govt's projects which are transforming Singapore into the 'City in a Garden'.  Jenni paddled a dragon boat across this same marina in an event just a few years ago and they are staggered by the development that has gone up around it in such a short time.  Only the first stage of the garden, 54ha of a 100ha site, is developed at this point and apart from the beautiful plants it also has supertree sculptures (which are really vertical gardens) that stand up to 50m high and 2 cool indoor biomes, one moist and one dry. 

We only had time to scratch the surface of all that there is on display and words, even pictures, can't do justice to the colours, perfumes and scenery.  You'll have to come and enjoy it for yourselves.  Eric and I will definitely be happy to revisit with you, especially as the Mundays generously bought us year passes to the ticketed areas. I had to dash off to the Skin Clinic for a check up in the afternoon, happy to report that all is well.  Love the medical system here, only wait a week to see a specialist, only pay S$80 for an appointment with them! 

In the evening I was committed to a Book Club mtg.  Felt I had to go since I had suggested the book this time.  It was 'Year of Wonders' by Geraldine Brooks and everyone loved it, if you are looking for a recommendation, though it is not on the new releases list. 2001 I think, we have to select books that everyone can get copies of in Singapore. The others all ate at Lau Pa Sat which offers hawker food right between the big business towers of Raffles Quay. We all arrived home within minutes of each other, which was a good thing since they had both sets of keys. 

Initially there were a couple of options for Wednesday morning before we went back to work and they departed for the airport: we could visit Singapore's Biennial Flower Show at Sun Tec City, shop at Marina Bay Sands or just share some relaxed down-time together. The night before we were all full of enthusiasm but when the morning dawned (or truthfully it was a bit later) option 3 seemed to suit everyone best. Jenni and I blogged (yes she now has a blog up and running) and then she taught me (again) how to play Australian Rummy. The last time we played this she was spending 4 hours in Gosford General Hospital Outpatients while her allergic reaction to betel leaf subsided. Eric and Glenn discussed music and shared movies and digital books. All too soon it was time we made our way to work and they picked up the last few items before packing.  We have so enjoyed their company over the last week - the select kind of friends you can see very little of over the years but pick up conversation with as if you had seen them last week. Special.

Term Three already

After such a wonderful holiday it was also time to come home to our cosy apartment in Serangoon. We've put the rug on the floor and everyday it reminds us of our time in Istanbul. 

The regular exercise program has to be resumed with no time wasted as we are both carrying a little 'tukish delight' on the waistlines! How does that happen even when you walk everywhere? We had a full day to relax and get ready for the return to the working week. Some of us achieved this more easily than others - Eric really struggled this first week but I think after a good sleep-in today he is back on top of it. Yesterday he had to go back to the hospital for follow-up blood tests and the terrific news is that both his cholesterol levels are in the optimal zones and his triglycerides are too. So we celebrated, sensibly of course, when I joined him for lunch at Nex. On the way home we noticed a new reflexology centre has opened in our little shopping strip across the road so I decided to support them as my feet are sore after pounding all those cobblestones in Turkey, or maybe it is just that I am wearing work shoes again. Anyway, Fu got to work on my feet and despite her limited English and my non-existent Mandarin I could tell she was very impressed with my bunions and giggled every time I squirmed in the chair. The harder I tried not to squirm the harder she worked! I've just finished reading a book that features a red room of pain, I have now found the blue room of pain! But it feels so good when she is finished, I'm going to have to have more of this. 
We postponed the walkers meet to an evening one, or only Peter and I would have been participating. As it turned out there were still only four who met at our Serangoon MRT and we showed them our local bush walk trail. 

We finished at our place for a refreshing drink and then dined at our local hawker stall. Peter has a new plan for the trek in Nepal that wends its way to Gudel but returns by a different track that is longer but gentler. All this to try to accommodate me. There is also the option of an extended walk for those that want it to a peak at about 4000m from which you can see the tallest of the Himalayas and the worlds deepest valley. My local GP will give me a syndvisc injection in Nov so I have run out of excuses, we are committing now and so will begin the fortnightly hikes up Singapore's tallest hill and opt for flights of stairs instead of escalators in preparation. Anyone reading this want to join us?  We'd love to share the experience. The plan is to meet in Kathmandu on 5th Dec and return there on 14th (I think). 3 days walk in, 2 nights in the village, 4 days walk out. So you could be back home for Christmas. As this is a trek to the village where Peter raises money for the local school, it is nowhere near the tourist trails. Once in a lifetime opportunity!

So remote Kathmandu isn't on the same map

This morning I have been for a Tai Chi Meridian Reflexology session at the centre in our basement. I've walked passed this many times and wondered what goes on inside, behind the windows pasted with posters of the body's meridians and reflexology points, but so often they are not operating when I am interested. It reminds me of Yansie's TCM centre in Darwin where both Eric and I had acupuncture and cupping a few times. Returning from the pool today they were open and had a free appointment. I have now discovered the green room of pain! But afterwards I feel lighter, my eyes are brighter and I have more movement in my neck and shoulders. I bet I'll be revisiting here after Nepal in Dec.