Completing the family visits

Well, it's done! NT DET accepted my resignation without any attempt to have me reconsider. Not even a whimper of protest from them.  We noted in the news today that NT Teachers are on strike over cuts to staffing, so it seems like a good time to end relations. To confirm our plans we just signed a new 2 year lease for our condo apartment at Serangoon this morning and have the completed paperwork to extend our Employment Passes for the same period. So, we're are here for the next few years if all goes to plan.
Speaking of NT Schools, I skyped with the SRC of Clyde Fenton School in Katherine on Wednesday and they were excited to tell me that they have raised over $1,000 for Gudel School in Nepal. Their Principal, and our good friend, Sandy set the ball rolling earlier in the year after our trek to the village. Eric managed to Skype with them back in August, sharing photos and talking about the difficulties of living in such a remote place. The SRC set to work and held a number of events including market stalls, dance parties and film screenings. It is an amazing amount raised by a school community from a relatively remote area in itself. The students were keen for us to spend it all on sports equipment but Gudel couldn't use that much equipment in their small grounds. We are yet to finalize what it will all be spent on but some will certainly be used for sports gear. We've also spoken to both our boys recently on Skype. Adrian is busy building his first guitar from scratch from a block of mahogany and Luke sounds very happy with his job at Escape Travel. Tahlia is changing jobs to try an admin position at Marrara Christian College.

On Thursday we attended our final PD day for the year. It turned out that Eric facilitated the session I was attending. Of course, as you would expect, our group came up with some terrific ideas for refreshing the course delivery. Then on Friday before work we celebrated Michael Munroe's birthday with a few friends at VivoCity. 

Before work on Saturday my brother Col and his partner Beth arrived on their way home from France and Portugal. We just had time to leave them keys, show them how to heat water and where the laundry was before leaving for work. They walked with me to the MRT so they had some idea of the lie of the land. It seems they mostly regrouped and rested for the day after that long flight and then in the evening took a short walk over to NEX Mall before meeting us at the new Chuen Kee Coffee Shop that has opened in the Lew Lian Gardens HDB complex. The redevelopment has been a point of interest for everyone walking by in the last few weeks and on Friday morning it opened with plenty of fanfare, many flower tributes and with blessings by the Lion Dancers. 

Sunday we had to front up for work again but Col and Beth found their way via Little India to Chinatown without any trouble, and from there to the Kadampa Meditation Centre in Tanjong Pagar.  They had really enjoyed all the colour and old style architecture of the area. We met up at Dhoby Ghaut in the evening and had dinner at The Green Room located in Bishan Park. Unfortunately by the time we got there it was really too dark to appreciate the beauty of the park but it was lovely and cool and there were many people out enjoying it. The food was wonderful and the outdoor setting just lovely.

On Monday we tackled the trails of Bukit Timah again. I did my best to get out of it, insisting that I was hosting family but even they didn't support me. Gosh it was a hard slog this week and so hot! So hot in fact, that one of our team collapsed with heat stroke. Fortunately there were plenty of experienced people on hand to get her cooled down quickly and off home in an air-con taxi. No such luck for me, it was the usual bus and train ride all the way home.  

Meanwhile, Beth and Col wandered Gardens by the Bay and then the Singapore Art Museum. They too were ready to put their feet up when they got home. In the evening we joined Michael and Deb Canaway at Marche Restaurant in Somerset 313. They cook the food right before your eyes so it's fresh, high quality and free of preservatives, artificial colours and flavour enhancers. The variety of dishes is amazing, Dad would have loved it. 

Tuesday morning we woke to pouring rain. I think it poured most of the night. Beautiful and cool but shame about the visitors enjoying our pool. Beth enjoyed a shiatsu massage at the Fushouse Wellness Spa in the shopping strip of Lew Lian Gardens HDB while the rest of us didn't move far at all, just enjoying each others' company. 
Later we all followed a walking trail around Geylang, one of the distinctive older districts where the clan associations, set up as a first point of contact for newcomers in the migrant wave between 1840 and 1940, provided kinship and support in shophouses whose architecture has been preserved. Hokkien, Teochew and Hakka groups were either cast out or fled the Chinese mainland due to famine and abject poverty at that time and the Clan Houses served the purpose of integrating the newcomers into the ways and customs of locals. 
Geylang is also a red-light district for Asian prostitutes mostly from Thailand, Indonesia, China and Malaysia. The district is home to hundreds of brothels. Some are regulated, while others operate behind the scenes illegally. Eric tried to capture a snap of Beth and Col together, about to cross the road, but 2 of these girls were also in his field of view and they demanded that he delete the image. Even if they belong to a registered brothel they are not allowed to solicit on the street. He obligingly did as he was asked, concerned a pimp may be nearby. We did keep a few other shots of the local sites though.

 Soon Thian Keing Taoist Temple

 Hui Hwa Pugilistic Art Assoc wall

 Khadijah Mosque

 Strip of Buddhist shops in Sims Ave

 At Blk 134 we found a strip of shops all specializing in Buddhist products including statues, prayer tapes, monk robes and incense. We shared a vegetarian lunch here as there were grocers and hawker stalls.

 Chinese Traditional Medical Hall

 This traditional Chinese medical practice was first opened in 1922 and has been in the family for 3 generations. 

 Shophouses in Lorong 24A

 Sampling Herbal Tea in Geylang Rd

 Hua Tuo Guan is a 24hr teashop offering herbal drinks and snacks. Some, like the tea I tried have a 'cooling' effect on the body and are good for sore throats. Some are tonics to invigorate different parts of the body (if you know what I mean), or simply energizing a tired body.  Ingredients might include lily bud, lotus seed, gingko (for memory) and barley. the house specialty, served from the giant brass gourd-shaped vessel as seen above, is made from 24 herbs and is promoted to alleviate 'heatiness'. 

 Crn Lorong Bachok

This richly decorated corner home of 1929 now serves as the training centre for Lion Dance performers. We were becoming somewhat foot-sore and weary by this time and departure time was approaching for Col and beth so from here we made our way home. 

In the evening the visitors made their way to the airport and we joined the trekkers at New Everest Kitchen to meet one of the Chinese contingent who will be joining us. Cheng Wen is the husband of Chunjiao who trekked with us last year. Everyone ended up back at our place afterwards. A very full few days but so wonderful to have had everyone from the family here now.