After 17,000 miles round trip, we have made it home. When HP stopped paying for the hotel room, we lost our internet connection, so we couldn't post about our last 2 days. Right now, I am so tired that I can't see straight, so even if I tried to blog, it wouldn't make any sense. I will do that in the morning.
Thanks to all who helped with my kids. This truly was a wonderful trip for Chad and I.
And just to clear up any misconceptions, Chad was the one posting about trying all the strange seafood. I ate chicken!!!!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Singapore Food 101
The team all in our bibs doing the "crab".
The night before we ate at the top of a hotel on the 38th floor overlooking the city. The view was amazing. Unfortunately I hadn't bought our new camera until the next day...
The night before we ate at the top of a hotel on the 38th floor overlooking the city. The view was amazing. Unfortunately I hadn't bought our new camera until the next day...
"Drunken Prawns" After...I was instructed to rip off the head and then suck out the juices (from the head). Very strange but it actually tasted ok.
"Drunken Prawns" Before....
they were alive and kicking. they put some sort of alcohol to in the bowl and shook them up to stun them before cooking.
"Chili Crab" very good, a bit spicy. I was directed to eat the roe out of the body of the crab--"best part". not too bad.
They say the eyes are the best part. They also eat the fins--well actually you suck on them to get all the juice and skin off. Just have to be careful not to swallow the bones! Yes I tried it : )
Top left: scallops, Top right: jellyfish, Bottom left: very spicy green beans, Bottom right: baby Octapus (carmalized, so very crunchy)
Sentosa Island
Fruit art
Merlion at the waterfront
Sanna In the Jungle
Sanna in the Under Water World on Sentosa Island.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Yesterday was a pretty relaxing day for me, although I did something nobody will believe. This lady from church told me about a spa she takes all her friends to. It's called fish reflexology. You put your feet in a pool of little fish, and they eat all the dead skin off your feet. I knew I would be trying new things when I came to Singapore, but paying someone to let fish eat my feet??? I went, and once I got over the initial ticklish-ness, it wasn't horrible, but some of those fish were big enough, you could really feel them. It didn't hurt, but imagine 50 fish bumping into your feet. I took a video of it, I'll show everyone later, although all you can hear is my laughing.
The food here has been amazing. Last night we ate on the 39th floor of a hotel, a round restaurant so we could see all of Singapore. We got there right as the sun went down, so we could watch all the lights come on. It made me realize how small of a part of Singapore we have really seen. Monday night before we ate on the Singapore River. All along the river there are probably 50 little restaurants in a row. Across a walkway there are chairs and tables set up right on the river. Each restaurant is a different country's food, and they all have pictures of each dish. They all ask you as you walk by to eat at their food. A lot of stores are like that. The owners follow you through the store as you shop, pointing out things they think you would like.
One of the people at dinner was telling us how hard it is to buy a car here. They only allow 4000 a month to buy a car, so you bid for the right to buy a car, it runs about $10,000. Then you buy a car for about $60,000, then you register it for $20,000. All told, it costs about $ 90,000 to buy a Honda Odessy. Then you have to pay for parking, and a lot of the roads are toll roads. You carry a little machine in your car with like an ATM card in it. Certain roads have a toll plaza that deducts from your card every time you drive through them, different amounts depending on the time of day. It's crazy how much things cost around here. Rent on a 1700 sq foot apartment is $10,500 a month. To buy your own apartment runs over 3 million dollars. Everyone lives in apartments, there are not very many houses.
The food here has been amazing. Last night we ate on the 39th floor of a hotel, a round restaurant so we could see all of Singapore. We got there right as the sun went down, so we could watch all the lights come on. It made me realize how small of a part of Singapore we have really seen. Monday night before we ate on the Singapore River. All along the river there are probably 50 little restaurants in a row. Across a walkway there are chairs and tables set up right on the river. Each restaurant is a different country's food, and they all have pictures of each dish. They all ask you as you walk by to eat at their food. A lot of stores are like that. The owners follow you through the store as you shop, pointing out things they think you would like.
One of the people at dinner was telling us how hard it is to buy a car here. They only allow 4000 a month to buy a car, so you bid for the right to buy a car, it runs about $10,000. Then you buy a car for about $60,000, then you register it for $20,000. All told, it costs about $ 90,000 to buy a Honda Odessy. Then you have to pay for parking, and a lot of the roads are toll roads. You carry a little machine in your car with like an ATM card in it. Certain roads have a toll plaza that deducts from your card every time you drive through them, different amounts depending on the time of day. It's crazy how much things cost around here. Rent on a 1700 sq foot apartment is $10,500 a month. To buy your own apartment runs over 3 million dollars. Everyone lives in apartments, there are not very many houses.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Last two days
Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. Chad has to take the computer to work, and then we go out to eat right after that, and that lasts a while. The food here is incredible. Last night we went to the Shangri-La Hotel for dinner. This is a 6 star hotel, and this buffet was amazing. I'll let Chad post about all the food he ate, because it was a lot of Seafood, but it was all amazing.
Yesterday I went to Little India, where the streets look like any town in India. Shops of fresh fruit, and lots of shops of the brightest colored cloth you can imagine. The day before that I went to the Arab Quarter and shopped there. A lady from church took me. There was no way I would have found my way around without her help. I rode the subway system by myself for the first time too. It was so clean and safe.
Chad has to go to work again, so I will have to cut this short. I miss you all, and see things I wish I could share with everyone. Michelle, you would have LOVED this restaurant last night. I love you Tanner, Brooke, Travis and Cody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yesterday I went to Little India, where the streets look like any town in India. Shops of fresh fruit, and lots of shops of the brightest colored cloth you can imagine. The day before that I went to the Arab Quarter and shopped there. A lady from church took me. There was no way I would have found my way around without her help. I rode the subway system by myself for the first time too. It was so clean and safe.
Chad has to go to work again, so I will have to cut this short. I miss you all, and see things I wish I could share with everyone. Michelle, you would have LOVED this restaurant last night. I love you Tanner, Brooke, Travis and Cody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Church in Singapore
We took a cab to church today and got there right as it was getting started. There are three buildings here and a new one is being built. The building is 5 stories, with 2 chappels. The Chinese ward was on the 4th and we were on the second. The building is brand new, but the configuration is interesting. no benches, just padded chairs set up on a hard wood floor. The ward is made up of a lot of foreigners--the bulk are families working here on a 2 or 3 year assignment. We met people from Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Indonesia, Australia, Thailand, and of course the US. They called it the "Ex Pat" ward; we think it stands for the "Expatriot" ward, meaning they live here but aren't citizens of Singapore. They have a lot of turnover, especially in the summer when families travel home for the summer while school is out. I met someone I knew from the Singles Branch in Stockton. Her husband transfered here about 2 years ago. What a small world it is.
Later this afternoon we went to the Island called Sentosa. It is a big resort with a beach and touristy things. Unfortunately, we left our camera in the taxi, so we only have the pictures we took with our phones. We went to an aquarium that was pretty neat. They had a tunnel where you could walk underwater and see the sharks, and they had people diving in the tank with the sharks. You could rent all the diving equipment and dive with a trainer. There was a boy about 12 years old diving when we walked through.
Then we took a cable car ride across the river back into Singapore. It was scary high, but we could see forever. The buildings here are so tall, and there is so much construction going on. They are building a casino, the first one in Singapore, and it is the biggest construction sight I have ever seen. I would post pictures if I could.
I finished reading my book, Breaking Dawn, and now I have to go back for my slower reread. Tomorrow, a lady we met at church is taking me around and showing me some good places to shop. For the next 4 days, Chad is in meetings all day, so I am on my own. It's not too scary, as long as I know where to tell the taxi driver. And a lot of places are withing walking distance, so then I just have to find my way back again.
I miss everyone back home. Chad's ring tone on his cell phone is Cody singing, and so every time his phone rings it makes me miss my kids. I love you all.
Later this afternoon we went to the Island called Sentosa. It is a big resort with a beach and touristy things. Unfortunately, we left our camera in the taxi, so we only have the pictures we took with our phones. We went to an aquarium that was pretty neat. They had a tunnel where you could walk underwater and see the sharks, and they had people diving in the tank with the sharks. You could rent all the diving equipment and dive with a trainer. There was a boy about 12 years old diving when we walked through.
Then we took a cable car ride across the river back into Singapore. It was scary high, but we could see forever. The buildings here are so tall, and there is so much construction going on. They are building a casino, the first one in Singapore, and it is the biggest construction sight I have ever seen. I would post pictures if I could.
I finished reading my book, Breaking Dawn, and now I have to go back for my slower reread. Tomorrow, a lady we met at church is taking me around and showing me some good places to shop. For the next 4 days, Chad is in meetings all day, so I am on my own. It's not too scary, as long as I know where to tell the taxi driver. And a lot of places are withing walking distance, so then I just have to find my way back again.
I miss everyone back home. Chad's ring tone on his cell phone is Cody singing, and so every time his phone rings it makes me miss my kids. I love you all.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Breaking Dawn
While we were exploring, I walked into Borders just to make sure that they would have Breaking Dawn , which I thought came out on Monday. There, by the checkout stand was a copy of it. I grabbed it, checked to make sure it was an actual book, and ran to pay as fast as I could. It is an international version, in paperback. I am not sure what is different about an international version, but I will find out as quickly as I can read it. If you don't hear from me for a while, you'll know what I am doing. :)
Flight to Singapore
Well, we made it to Singapore. After 8452 miles in the air, long, boring miles, we arrived in Singapore at 11:00pm. The flight was pretty uneventful, which I guess is what you want in a flight. We watched a few movies, Kung Fu Panda (really funny), Ironman (Chad loved it), and Prince Caspian (I loved it). We slept a little, and some typical airline food, and tried to get comfortable (didn't happen). All together, we were in the air for 18 hours, and a 2 hour layover in Tokyo.
The Singapore airport is only 6 months old, and SO CLEAN!!! Everything is glass and windows, and the bathrooms were the cleanest bathrooms I have ever been in. The nice thing about getting in at midnight was there were no lines at customs. We took a taxi to the hotel, about a 20 minute ride. They drive on the opposite side of the road here, and the drivers side is on the other side of the car, so it is a good thing we didn't have to rent a car. I would have crashed before we even got out of the airport.
We slept pretty good last night, thanks to some Advil PM. The hotel has a breakfast buffet that is part of our room, very nice. Lots of fruit, bacon, eggs, hash browns, pastrys, waffles, and then fried rice, chow mein noodles, pickled vegetables, lots of Chinese food I wasn't sure exactly what it was. At least I know I will be able to eat a good breakfast.
We are going exploring in a little while with another guy on Chad's team. Mike is from Boise, and met us in San Francisco for the flight here.
The pictures are the view from our hotel window. We are on the 12th floor. If you notice, the cars are on the wrong side of the road.
That's all for now. Love you all.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Getting Ready for Singapore
Well - something exciting is finally happening in our life. Chad's work is sending him to Singapore for a week, so I am tagging along. Various relatives are taking our kids, and we are spending 12 glorious (I hope) days in Singapore. You will be able to check in daily and see pictures of what our day has been like. I hope it's as fun and exciting as I hope, although I do plan on spending at least one day by the pool with Breaking Dawn (see above). No kids, no phone, just me and Edward!!!
I'll try to update as much as possible during our trip. 3 more days and counting
I'll try to update as much as possible during our trip. 3 more days and counting
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