We are enjoying the new experiences, sights and smells here in Singapore. This is a wonderful place; ultra-modern on its face, with all the conveniences of the US, but without the dirt, smog, crime and confusion (although we have our own brand of confusion here....). I forgot how much I enjoy living in a tropical climate, with all the exotic flora and fauna. It's really interesting and a refreshing change of pace from the NE, but I must say that it is truly HOT and humid. The air is thick with moisture and I seem to be sweating virtually all the time when outside. But I choose to accept it as a reality of being here, so the sweat doesn't bother me that much.
"Hot & Humid" are words often gasped by Newbies to Singapore.
Leaving The States
Our flight to Singapore was perfect. We arrived at Newark and moved our luggage to the Singapore Air counter, where the people there jumped to our aide. There as no line at all and after quickly checking our bags and waiving the excess baggage fee as a courtesy, they personally walked us through security to the SG Air Lounge, where the boys and I have a very nice, free meal and relaxed in comfort for a couple of hours. they then returned and walked us to the gate, onto the plane before they started boarding, and handed us off to the flight crew. We were instantly swarmed by about 10 gorgeous flight attendants in their attractive dresses. They fawned over Oliver and Cooper, gave them toys and coloring books and hung around with us for 5 minutes. It was great. The plane was about 1/2 full with seats that folded out into flat beds with sheets, pillows, etc. The boys slept over 7 hours. They then proceeded to sit on the beds and use them as their own personal playpens -- playing with Lego’s and watching movies, eating meals and snacks, etc. Every couple of hours a flight attendant would come to one of the boys and sit with them, playing an laughing, just for fun. It was surreal. At the end of the flight the ladies came over and signed Cooper's cast. The boys were perfect travelers -- not even so much as an argument broke out between them during the 20 hour trip. And Cooper, a/k/a "The Mayor", worked his way along the aisle meeting and greeting. When we arrived in Singapore our bags came out in 5 minutes, and we breezed through Customs. It was 6:30 am and Lisa was there to surprise the boys. Our diver then whisked us off to our flat. It was so relaxing from start to finish. I should do an advertisement on it. I'll fly Singapore Air any chance I get. Singularly the best flight experience ever.
Lisa & me on our "look-see" in February
HDB Hawker Centre
On Sunday we met with Lisa's new assistant and her husband (both Singaporeans) at a hawker center in a very local area (Bedok - Housing Block 8). It was this bustling outdoor food center surrounded by HDB (public) housing for Singaporeans. Derrick, gave me a first hand tour of the place and the little market behind it, where I tasted fresh fruit which the vendors broke open and handed to me for free. The food we had at the hawker center was out of this world. It included dumplings, and noodle soups and stir fried oysters in a fiery sauce and Malay Roasted chicken wings and several other items the most notable of which was a spicy bbq'd stingray. We washed it down with sugar cane juice and finished with a bowl of warm rice soup with sweet sesame balls which was a perfect dessert. The boys loved it - especially the chicken and the satay -- and were fascinated with the hot, bustling flurry of strangers and exotic sights surrounding them. It was a great time and definitely not in the tourist guidebooks. We all shared the cost of the food -- a veritable feast -- and I think spent no more than $25 for all 6 of us. And despite that were the only Caucasians there, no one looked at us curiously or acted as if we were out of place. Indeed, we were not out of place, because such concept doesn't seem to exist in Singapore. The diversity is so rich and widespread that no one notices or cares who is there. Everyone is just part of the crowd. It was a wonderful, foreign but totally welcomed experience.
Bedock Block 8 Hawker Centre with our new friends.
Hardship Living
Our air shipment came in today and it appears everything survived the transit. I do wish we have packed more basic things in it, however. We were about 200 lbs shy of our weight limit, so we have learned by the mistake. As an example, we should have packed some of our cookware in the air shipment, since the rental cookware is literally the size and quality of that cheap-o boy scout camping equipment that you buy at Wal-Mart. It is all very small and thin. Plus we have exactly 4 knives, forks, spoons, glasses, plates, bowels; one 8" skillet; one Quart saucepan, etc. But no mixing bowls, or anything like that. It is too basic to live with -- just enough for a weekend of "camping" at a Motel 6. The good news is I did include my good cooking knives in the air shipment, so I now can cut simple things like a mango instead of sawing at it with very possibly the dullest 6" blade I have ever held. Still, if this is as bad as it gets, then life is good. Ours is hardly a "hardship" assignment.
Overseas Family School
Lisa flew to Beijing this morning for the week. But 20 minutes before boarding she realized she forgot her Employment Pass Card -- necessary to reenter Singapore. So she called me and I threw on some clothes, raced to a cab, tore out to the airport (the other side of the island) and handed her the card through the taxi window (in mandatory exchange for a latte). She won't make that mistake again!
So after that little early morning travel treasure the boys started summer camp at Overseas Family School and loved it. They have already made a few friends and really enjoyed the computer and art classes. The school is perfectly understated on the outside -- whitewashed cinderblock and red-roofed buildings with open, covered breezeways to all the classrooms -- but chalk full of computers, books, musical instruments, etc. on the inside. And the student body that we observed is truly international. It's a real melting pot in which I think the boys will thrive.
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