Friday, January 21st, 2005
It was a Muslim Holiday(Hari Raya Haji), so many places were closed. Banks, Jeremy's lab, many shops/stores...but we were able to grab a later breakfast and we went to Jeremy's lab anyway. Got caught up on email and enjoyed the AC! I also got a tour of where Jeremy will be working, and it's a big difference from his last lab! Everything here is new and Big! Jeremy has a work area/desk that is 4 big stations long, and above it are two rows of 8 across cubbies. And, two computers! The lab is right next door and they have lots of table work space, and cabinets, and unlimited supplies for their research. All they need to do is ask for it, and they get it. And they don't even have to clean their own glass ware. Someone else does it for them now! Down the hall is the kitchen. Big tables and counter space and fridge and microwave, and a whole wall of windows with a view out towards the harbor in the distance. I have to say, it's pretty nice. He's diggin it! And the AC is just so nice!


(he actually fell over)

After we left the lab, Jeremy took me to Orchard to see the main "downtown" areas with the tall bdgs and crazy shopping malls etc...it was high tech crazy busy! And the malls are huge and made of polished stone! We decided that the Orchard area was not for us, and decided instead to figure out where I could begin taking lessons to get certified for Scuba. Jeremy had produced a list of 5 star, PADI certified places here on the island and so we picked the one that would be closest to where we will be living. We went to meet with this team, a husband and wife, and talked a bit about how it would all go down. Kazue, one of Jeremy's other lab mates is also going to do the course with me. We will sign up when Kazue and I can talk about a schedule which will be after the Chinese New Year. Before we left the Holland area, where the class will be, we decided to check out a little mall. Much more like an Arts Fest type layout, only inside a bdg. I actually found a set of 6 chopsticks with beautiful sleeves and a pair of pants and a shirt that fit me. Jeremy and I are a bit larger than the typical folks that shop here, so finding sizes has proven to be quite difficult. I'm wearing my new outfit in the pix (farther down) with Rafi's family.

Saterday, January 22nd, 2005

We got up really early and went for a swim at the pool at Davis's condo and then went to Little India for breakfast. We thought that we would see some Indian rituals involving piercing the bodies and walking on hot coals to thank the Gods for answering their prayers from the year, but we were there on the wrong day. We did however get to see some of Little India.


(temple statues)


(a Temple in Little India)


(Little India Street)


(Shops & Jeremy)


(Temple Corner)


(A colorful shop)


(The Flying Pigeon!)

When we got back from Little India, we went to get me a bike as well. We found that with all the walking, and b/c it's so hot and humid, your feet and legs get swollen walking on all the hot pavement. So, the bikes are a welcome respite. We went to the same shop that Jeremy got his bike, and they took care of me. You can barter here, unless it says in the shop "Fixed Price" but I'm no good at it. But the guys at the shop gave me some discounts anyway. We bought a lock, Jeremy a new light, and my bike and we were on our way. Each of the bikes cost us $S80.00. We hope to sell the bikes when we leave as well, to make some bucks back. Maybe Rafi can help us with that. We did more running around and in our running saw all this fresh fish at the market. We couldn't believe how cheap it seemed so we called Rafi and asked if we brought over fresh fish and beer if we could all have dinner together with he and his wife. He said sure!


(mmm, fresh veggies)


(cheap fish)


(and fresh prawns)


(tons of fresh food!)


(bananas)

Since we had some time to kill we went to find the local dirt jumps, which, there really are some here!




(not with these crappy commuters!)



Our communter bikes would never hold up to those jumps.

It was so hot and since we were riding, we decided to head to the market where we found a sweet crate to attach to Jeremy's bike, bought our goodies for dinner (see above pix) and went to Davis's to shower and await Rafi's call for dinner. He was right on time at 7pm, ready to pick us up to walk over to his apt, in the HDB housing right across the street from us. His wife, Nurhayati Lubis, prepared all the food not allowing us to help, Rafi set us up with movies in the living room.



Ok, so that was what was left over!

Nurhayati Lubis doesn't speak English very well, so she was a bit shy about communicating with us at first. His daughter, Nuryusrina, who is about 4, was also very shy, but by the time dinner was served (his wife didn't eat with us she waited until we were done) his daughter Nuryusrina was warming up to us and beginning to play. Notice none of us are wearing shoes. It's the custom here to remove your shoes outside before entering.







We ate a wonderfully flavorful dish of the fresh fish and prawns that we brought over paired with the ABC and Tiger Beers mixed together (like our own black and tans in the states). We ate with our fingers, no utensils and after what we thought was the main course, another course of Fried Noodles came out (the greenish dish above)(we brought the noodles over too). They were so good, with dried onion in them. We showed them lots of pix of our friends, families and Oliver, and places in the states from Jeremy's computer, took some pix of them, and just shared. They showed us their wedding DVD which was quite impressive. By midnight, Raif's wife was cooking again, this time homeade French Fries! There was so much food left over. We got a doggie bag and by the time we were walked back to our condo (Rafi walked us the whole way back) and we went to bed, it was the latest I'd been up yet, after 2am! Now, I should get on a better sleep schedule but it made for a very long day!

Sunday January 23rd, 2005

The first day we actually slept in. Now the schedule is getting a bit better. Waking at 8:30am we went and got some breakfast and then headed into Jeremy's lab for some email time. After getting caught up with Email, and Jeremy sleeping in his chair for 3 hrs, we decided to go and find High Tea at Raffles. This was suggested to me that I go to this by a few folks on the plane. After fumbling about Raffles, which is another big building type city area with nothing but malls, underground and above ground


(MRT at Raffles)


(tall buildings at Raffles)

we decided that this High Tea thing was a bunch of malarky. Rafi told us it was for catty women who liked to gossip. And it was expensive for little finger sandwiches with the corners cut off. We decided to leave Raffles area and head back over to Orchard to catch a movie-"Electra". We found a Barnes and Nobles and got a small bite to eat, and then we went to our movie, where we got to buy our tickets in advance, AND got to pick our seats! We saw Electra in English but with Japanese subtitles. We also got a huge thing of popcorn, which was the most buttered popcorn either of us have ever had. You had two choices for popcorn, either sweet or salty (like we are use to). After the flick, back to Davis's and a shower and then bed.

Monday January 24th, 2005

Jeremy had to go to work Monday but we went to the bank first to try and get me a bank acct. We found out that I cannot get a bank acct until I have a sponser, someone who has been here for at least 6 months and who also has an acct at the bank that Jeremy picked. Rafi said that was a bunch of crap, and looked at the paperwork they gave to us, and told me to go a different bank, his bank, and that he would sponser me. Regardless, we ended up at Jeremy's work, me on email again, and Jeremy doing a bunch of nothing. Since his lab is waiting for supplies to arrive, there is very little for him to do, but he needs to be here, and workmen come now and again to add shelves, etc.. to their lab. He was able to do a little bit of set up and began learning a program he needs to work with. After work, we rode home (to Davis's) and Jeremy got his climbing gear and we headed to the gym he's signed up at. (Climb Adventure) I am unable to climb just yet, as a Christmas Accident on the water tubing with Uncle Bob has left my left arm, somewhat inoperable for strength and hanging. Thanks to my wonderful loving sidekick Jeremy, who jumped into my arm, hyperextending it, while I was holding on for dear life being dragged behind a tube at 35 mph, driven by Uncle Bob! So, I'm healing, but wanted to check out the gym. Jeremy has also made fast friends with a few guys there, and last night we talked of all the great climbing and biking in Malaysia and Scuba diving around here and beyond. They invited us to join them for dinner at another Hawker Center, but it was much nicer than the ones we've been visiting, albeit more expensive as well.


(Chinese New Year, the Year of the Rooster)




(check out the ornate ceilings!)


(Mouth of Truth!)


(the outside vendors)

I had the finest Satay that Singapore has to offer, Beef and Chicken! It was delicious! John, Jeff, David and Ian invited us to join them for dinner after climbing. Ian lost his job in Tokyo and is only stopping through here to see his friends. David will be losing his job in 6 weeks and plans to leave and go back to Great Britain. John is in the process of selling his flat and he and his wife are planning to move back there too, but just not yet. And Jeff, is staying put. He's an amazing climber and if we stick with him, we'll be unrecognizable as climbers when we come back. Note: Neither Jeremy nor I can even do one pull up at this time. We'll see how that changes at the end of the year. After dinner with those guys, we walked back to the MRT and headed home, biking the last bit of the way. David asked if anyone was going to go to Little India to see the festival of the men walking on nails, and piercing their skin the next morning? We looked at the map, knew where to go and made a plan for Tues morning.

© December 6, 2008