Day 11- August 11, 2011

Finally sleeping in until 8.  Of course that will end next Monday as Elliott starts back to school.  Not really sure what time his bus comes.  I'm sure it will be early. 

Our day has become pretty routine.  Go upstairs to eat breakfast at the buffet.  Go do something like shopping or sightseeing, go eat lunch, head back to watch a movie on tv and play on the computer adn then decide what we're doing for dinner. 

Today is no different.  At the buffet, I had a boiled egg, chicken sausages, some watermelon, and toast.  There are a lot of other things that you can have at the buffets.  Cake, lots of pastries,  some things with curry, chicken nuggets (yep-I swear these are from McDonalds), some unknown things that I won't touch and always watermelon. 

After breakfast, Elliott and I went into the little living room off the breakfast room and sat in the massage chair.  It was super !!  It was like a person was in back of you doing a real massage.  I haven't done it before, but I think I'll be a regular after Elliott starts school.

I decided that we needed to head to the hair salon that Chris C. suggested and make an appointment with the person that she suggested.  We took a taxi to the mall that it's located in because I knew that it was quite a walk from the MRT and I didn't want to be sweaty when I got there.  Made an appoinment for Aug. 23.  Kelly, my hairdresser of 30 years, made sure to write down my hair color recipe to give to them.  I sure hope I don't end up with something that isn't what it's supposed to be.  So I have an appointment with one person for color and Adrian for hair cut.  Rememeber, not everyone knows how to take care of Anglo hair.  Keep your fingers crossed.  I'll post pictures when it happens.

We decided that we would walk back to the MRT since it wasn't too hot outside.  Here's a picture of the 4 huge malls at the four corners of Orchard Road.  The one on the right is the one with the most expensive stuff in it.  They are all 5 to 6 stories tall.  And huge. 

Headed back to the apartment  to watch our afternoon tv.

I have to show you that I have been decorating the apartment.  Here's what I added to the mantle above the tv. 

Don't you like it?  It feels like home!!

Thinking about dinner tonight.  I think pasta and Prego sauce is the fair.  I wonder if that rice cooker will cook pasta too??

Night for now.

Trece

Day 10-August 10, 2011

Slept in a little today.  Went up for breakfast and it was extremely crowded.  Several "old" people were just sitting around having coffee.  Finally they noticed that several of us were standing and eating and they got up and gave away the tables.  Around here they only rush in the MRT stations.  When they are shopping, it's like having Sunday drivers all around you.  I've never seen people move so slow.  Drives me crazy !!

Handed off our passports to some guy that is supposed to pick up our dependent passes.  Can't do anything until he gets back.  (I hope he comes back.)  I guess I'll try a little laundry while we wait.  The guy made it back around 1:30.  He left with our passports about 9.  He could have gone to Malaysia and back with them.  It sounds like a racket to me. 

Elliott and I road the MRT to ChinaTown so I could show him the market.  It's crazy.  We went looking for the iphone cover that looks like a flipflop.  Got a hot pink one. Only $10.  Really cute, but I'm not sure it's really practical.  Now it doesn't fit in my Vera Bradley wallet very well.   We'll see how it goes. 

Took him to the "wet market" where all the veggies, spices and meats were.  We left immediately as the fish were smelling a little ripe in the afternoon. 
Elliott decided that Chinatown is where we need to go to bring back "stuff" for our friends.  I did find a plethora of frig magnets and lots of other touristy stuff.

On the way back to the apartment, we stopped at a different mall.  We had been to the market there before, but not the mall area. We found a KFC to eat at.  It's just as greasy here as it is at home.  We went up to the 6th floor and found a store called "Spotlight."  It had just what we needed and more.  Found Ernie a coffee mug to take to work.  He needs one and has to bring his own.  Found a plain white one for $1.20.  He'll be so happy.  This store has everything from material, to scrap booking supplies.  I'm not sure how to describe it.  It's like the Wal-Mart of everything else but food and cleaning supplies.  There is also a movie theater in this mall.  And a Yamaha piano and musical instrument  dealer. 

I'm cooking tonight.  Actually, I'm just heating up the cooked chicken that we bought yesterday.  I decided that rice would be good since we bought some.  Now to learn to use the rice cooker.  Again, I had to look up the instruction manual for the machine.  I didn't find the exact one so I just winged it.  I didn't have a measuring cup, so I guessed about how much rice and water I needed.  Good thing we bought Ernie the white coffee mug because I don't have a measuring cup.  Pretty much guessed everything.  Threw it in the pot, closed the lid and pushed a button.  Using the timer app on my phone, I guess that it needed to cook for 20 minutes. Started to smell good.  Luckily, it turns off when it thinks it is done.  Rice and Chicken.  Tasted just like home.  Now to do something that I haven't done for a long time.  Hand wash the dishes.  We bought some "Dawn" detergent today, so it wasn't so bad.  The stuff that they had stinks.  It reminds me of the "swamp water" that used to clean the cafeteria floors at school.

That's all for another day. 

Good Night.

Trece

Day 9-August 9, 2011

Happy Singapore National Day !!

We attempted to go the Jurong Bird Park.  It looked  really interesting and a good thing to do since Ernie was off and we could drive there.  Well, we were wrong.  The parking lot, which I think held maybe 200 cars, was full and running over.  I think the way to go there is either not on a holiday, take a cab, or take public transportation.  Maybe another day.  So on we went to the Woodlands to do our weekly grocery shopping.  Causeway Point has a good market in their mall plus it has a car garage.  Ernie has learned to back into the spaces very well since he is required to park that way at the lot at work.  Sometimes the people are not very patient at letting him back up though and they start to honk, but for the most part, people are friendly drivers. 


We went through the market and picked up a whole cooked chicken, rice, pasta, small jar of Prego, some mushrooms, some salt, some grated parmesean cheese, some perrier water, and a bottle of cheap australian wine.  I'll be cooking this week a couple of nights for sure.  We have no tupperware with us, so we have to eat it all in one night I guess. 

Outside the store we stopped at a bakery that had all kinds of small pastries that we picked up for dinner.  We picked up around 12 for $8.50.  Now that was a steal !!  And they were all good. 

After the store, we drove around the Woodlands to try and get the lay of the land.  It is so hard to tell if I have been by something before or not, because the tall buildings all look a like.  Once I get here, I'll have to get out and ride my bike around and try to figure it out.  It's easier now to get around  the city. 

Back at the house now and I'm trying to do a little laundry.  It's 6:30 and I'm a little sleepy.  The only thing on tv is CNN talking about the riots in England.  So sad. 

We are looking  now at plane tickets back to the states in December.  Singapore Airlines still looks like the best even though it is a little more expensive.  The layover in Moscow is short and the seats in economy are an inch wider than the ones on Continental.  I know that sounds like a crazy reason to pick an airline but with my behind being wider than others, it is a must.    

I better go turn off the dryer, I hear the high pitch whine of the machine screaming like an airplane engine. 

Not a really exciting day, but I think we must be getting used to being at home in the compartment here. 

Much love for the everyone,

Trece

Day 8-August 8, 2011

We've been here a week now. I have learned so much about this place.  Just getting around on the MRT.  I've also learned a little more about the dryasher.  I've learned how to just wash and not dry.  I'll be hanging up laundry all over the place now.  I'm still working on the No-Iron shirts. 

Elliott is trying to re-wire the world.  He's trying to make it where he can leave the phone on.  Well that would be great except a cable is now streched across the living room floor in everyones way. 

Went out for lunch about 2.  Went somewhere on Orchard Road.  We had Burger King. Then walked around at one of the malls.  Not sure which one.  Then I looked out the window and figured out that I wanted to check out ION on Orchard Road.  I had heard that it was very expensive.  Elliott navigated me there.  Best news of all I found a new store with something like Bath and Body Works. It's called L"occitane.   I found a Verbena pump hand soap.  I felt like I had died and gone to heaven.  Three great things in one day.  Iced Tea, doing 4 loads of laundry in one day and now Verbena Hand Soap.  Unfotunately, it came with a high pirce.  $25.  It's about the size of one BBW  Coconut Lime Verbena soap.  Oh well.  It's the little things in life that mean so much. 

Elliott was correct when he said that it got more expensive as you went up.  Prada, if I remember correctly, was about the 4th or 5th floor.  After that, there were very names that I had even heard of when we reached the upper floors.  I don't thing I'll be going up there any time soon. 

We headed back to the apartment to watch movies and rest.  You have to remember this is our "corporate" vacation also.  I don't think that it's set in for Elliott that he starts back to school next Monday.  And I get to become a stay at home mom. 

Waiting for Ern to get home and it's 6:39.  He's been driving the car, so I know he waits until the traffic is lighter.  Actually, the traffic is nothing compared to what we have at home.  People are nicer on the road and there are no big Suburban type vehicles on the road to worry about.  I may try and cook some stuff that we got at the store.  Not really sure.  The choices are very small as we only have cereal, bread and some frozen stuffed dumplings to eat. 

Well, we actually went to Clarke Quay and ate at a place called Senor Taco.  It was just a small sit outside place.   I had two small quesadilla's for $12.  Ernie and Elliott had a combination quesdilla and taco platter.  I forgot to tell you the tortilla's were less inches around 6.  Really small food here.  But it was enough.  I think my stomach has shrunk since we haven't had the huge Texas portions available to us.  Water is not easy to get.  You have to ask for it and some don't even give it out.  So i have learned to buy tea bags and make iced tea here at the apartment.  I guess I need to learn to sneak a bottle of water into restaurants and drink it like a wino out of a bag.  Oh, Teresa, if you want some margaritas, you'll need to bring lots of money.  You can get a liter for $40.  Or you can get just one for $14.   

Tomorrow is National Day in Singapore so Ernie is off.  Not sure if we have any big plans.  I do know that we need to drive the car to the grocery store.  Maybe we can drive to the Woodlands grocery store as we know how to park at their parking garage and it's going the other direction from the inner city.  We'll see.  I'll fill you in.

Good Night,

Trece

Day 7-August 7, 2011

The hotel held something really special for the guests.  A Meet and Greet.  Unfotunately it came with a fire drill.  Hearing the noise and still having just woken up, we rushed around gathering purses, billfolds and phones and ran out the door.  I did take the time to change from my pjs into shorts and a shirt.  Of course, it started to lightly sprinkle outside.  We did actually meet some other Exxon Expats from EMRE in Virginia (Exxon Mobil Research and Engineering)  A couple with two young children.  I can't imagine moving with little ones.  About an hour after the alarm, we were allowed to go back up to the room.  Apparently someone accidently or intentionally pulled an alarm.  I hope they are found and punished. 

Sitting on the couch watching it rain, I noticed a large white house on a hill not too far from us.  I asked Ernie if he thought it might be the Presidents place.  After looking it up on line, I found that I was correct and that they called it Istana which means palace.  It was built by the British Government in 1869 to house its Governors here.  Singapore was at one time under British rule.  The big white house is the official residence of the President of the Republic of Singapore.  Anyway, as I was looking at the website, I found that it was open today.  It's open only 7 days a year and I found a day.  So we decided that was something that we wanted to do. 

Elliott of course decided that he did not want to do the touristy thing.  Erna and I went by ourselves after it cleared up a bit.  It was humid among the trees but it wasn't hot.  The entry gate was on Orchard Road of course.  Isn't everything there?  I've attached some pictures of the grounds, the buildings and some of the beautiful vegetation.  The big canopy tent was set up not just for this but for the 46th Singapore National Day.  That's kinda  like our July 4th.  It was beautiful, but I still think our White House is prettier. 

After Istana, we met Elliott at the MRT and walked over to Clarke Quay to eat dinner.  We ate at Hooters.  Sometimes there are things that the waitresses do not understand.  Elliott wanted a plain glass of water and that was all.  "All our water is bottled" she said, yet I saw people afterward with glasses of water at their tables.  And Ice Tea.  That's another story.  Ice Tea around here comes in a can with lemon and a pound of sugar in it.  Yuk  !!  I finally got a "plain glass of tea" with ice put in the glass.  How hard can that be?  But I did get curly fries.  And Elliott got a hamburger.  Yum.

After dinner, Elliott headed back and Ernie and I went to the store.  Carre Four is the name.  Like a really cheap WalMart.  I was looking for a pitcher to make Ice Tea.  $15 plastic small pitcher.  But we needed it.  And I bought some Famous Amos cookies.  Can't wait to dive into those. 

It was really crowded today going anywhere on the train.  They shop more on Sundays, I guess. 

It's about time for me to quit for the day.  I'm worn out with all that walking around. 

Good Night to all.  Love and Miss you,

Trece

Having trouble getting the pictures to load up.  I'll try and get them on tomorrow.

Day 6 - August 6, 2011

Actually slept until 7:30 today.  Yippee.  Going on a tour today with someone from the Relocation company.  Elliott decided that he did not want to go so he can hang out with his friends.  I'm sure that he will miss something. 

Met Yvonne down in the lobby to start our adventure at 10.  A driver was waiting to take us around after we talked with Yvonne about what we wanted to see.  Headed down to China Town.  The driver dropped us off at the entrance to an open air market.  The entrance is the picture of the Shrine of which the picture is not very good.  I need a new camera.  The part of the market that we saw had all kinds of things to buy from silks to clothes to cameras to iphone 4 covers that looked like transparent colored flip-flops.( I only have an iphone 3 so I didn't get the cover. Anyone want one?)  At the end of this aisle was the huge open "wet market."  It has all the fruit, vegetables, spices and meats and fish that you could want.  Not sure what half of it was.  I'm sure that I wouldn't want to eat half of it either.  Notice the picture of the fish heads.  Yum !!!!  What a smell !!!

Luckily, we didn't stay in there very long. Out to the fresh air and a beautiful Buddhist Temple was in front of us.  We are allowed to go inside even during the service that they were holding.  Yvonne told us that if you do something wrong, you go straight to hell.  There are levels of hell.  If you kill, you go to the worst hell.  The firey furnace hell !! ( There are some pictures in the temple.  I need to learn how to insert the pictures where I am talking about them).  Yvonne told us that this is the 7th month of the Chinese Year.  It is "Ghost" month.  A long time ago, they believed that you could not swim because the ghosts could be waiting under the water and take over your body and you would die.  The believe that you should not sit on the front row, because that is where the ghosts are and they will take over your body.  I wonder what next month is.  I'll look it up and let you know. 

Next stop on our tour was Clarke Quay.  It is located on the Singapore river.  Quay is like a dock area.  It was used as a dock area when they first started using Singapore as a shipping community.  It's a little bigger than the small river that runs through San Antonio.  It's full of restaurants and bars where everyone (a lot of expats) go in the evening to eat and party.  It is very colorful.  All the buildings are original wearhouse buildings.  They have just been gutted on the inside to update for the restaurants.  There is even a Hooters there. Really???? !!!!  It was not busy because it was early during the day.

Next we went to another Quay.  Robertson Quay.  Much quieter and more family oriented.  And it does start earlier.  There is an Austalian place there that serves kangaroo meat.  I hope to try it before we leave. 

On to our next area.  We drove through Little India.  Glad we didn't stop there.  It's too crowded.  I hear that they have wonderful carpets there.  Maybe we'll get some shopping in there one day.

Driving on through town, we head to the Marina Bay area.  We'll hit that area as tourists soon, but not today.  I'm looking for a hair dryer that has some power to dry my hair.  We're dropped off at another mall that has the best store in the world. I've hit the WalMart of Singapore.  It's called Carre Four.  It was every thing.  We picked up some things that you are supposed to put in your closets to keep the moisture out.  I also picked up some stain remover for clothes.  I'm sure it's not like Oxy-Clean though.  Miss that stuff.  Traveling through the market part, we head up a flat escalator that you put your grocery cart on and head up to the second level.  I think I have been on one of these in a dream before or it's just deja vu.  Looking around as we run to the dryers, I see that cheap bras cost $40-80 !!  Now I know why they asked us to bring some from our Walmart for Expat clothing drive we are having in Oct.  I'll never pay that for underwear !!  We hit the hairdryers and I find that none of them are as powerful as the one I had at home.  After testing several, I end up with the most expensive.  $139.  Yes.  $139 for a hairdryer.  If everything costs this much, I'm going to need a bigger allowance. 

A delicious lunch in a restaurant mall with roasted pork, duck and bbq pork.  Side dishes were fried rice, noodles and vegetables.  Yum !!  I had seen these things before and I knew what they were. 

Driving on through the to the Woodlands, we saw many other things and places that I don't remember the names of.  I did see the embassy.  Good thing to know.  I just noticed from our side window, I can see the presidential palace or like our white house.  It's white and palatial looking.  Yvonne said the president does not live there though.  He likes living in his own home.  Must be nice.  She said the grounds are open 4 times a year.  Maybe I'll get to see it sometime. 

In the Woodlands, we found the so called "corner" market that I will be shopping in near our home. They say it's close enough to walk.  Maybe I'll ride my bike? 

On our way back to the apartment, we drive through two parks, both are on the coast where you can see Malaysia on the other side of the water.  One is in the Woodlands and it's new.  The other is called Sembawang Park.  It's larger and near several of the Black and White houses that they have here.  (That's a later story-I want to get pictures and more info first)

That's the end of our 6 hour tour.  What a day.  I'm exhausted and not feeling well for some reason.  Not sure if it's a bug from the Ice Maker in the frig what.  Took a 2 hour nap. 

Elliott went to Orchard Road to hang out with his friends and we went to a little place near here on just off the Orchard Road MRT to get some pastries.  I ate mushroom and chicken puffed pastries and Ernie ate chicken curry ones.  They were great.  Went back afterwards to wait up for Elliott.  He got in at 11.  Can you believe that we are letting our only child out in a foreign country alone? 

  

Day 5-August 5, 2011

Ernie being the dedicated person that he is went to work today and of course I was awake and up at 6.  Still thinking about that laundry, I decided to let Elliott sleep and left it alone.  I guess it's back to a routine time around here. 

Worked yesterday on getting the ice maker to work.  You don't get ice around here.  They chill drinks and serve it.  But I want ice. It made a bucket full, so now I have to empty that one out and fill the container with more water.  Yes, I have to fill a container.  It is not hooked up to the water in the wall.  How hard could that be?  It's right next to the sink.  Which reminds me.  Let me tell you about cooking in the new kitchen.  I waited for Ernie to get home so I could boil the water for the pasta.  He had to turn on the big propane bottle under the hob. (oven)  It took forever for it to boil and after eating it, I would have rather just had plain rice.  We also had corn.  We have a combination oven-microwave,  I put the corn in a bowl and pushed a button that looked like a start button.  Well the corn starting popping out of the bowl in about 5 sections.  Obviously, their microwaves are stronger than ours.  I'm really not looking forward to cooking much more here.  I miss my icemaker, my kitchen and most of all-my washer and dryer (separate). 

Elliott and I are headed out around noon to go to the market. I think we'll take a cab though. It's only $5. It's a really long walk from the nearest MRT. Everything that I buy will be melted. 

Well, I didn't buy much.  Some coke, some matches, a sponge, and some tea.  We went to a mall that we hadn't been to this week.  It's only one MRT stop from us.  It's called Novena Square.  We actually ate at a Burger King.  It was really good !!  Nothing exciting.  I'm getting better at the escalators.  I didn't hesitate as much. 

Spent the rest of the afternoon on the computer, straightening up, reorganizing and washing one load of laundry.  Waiting on Ernie to come home so we can go out to eat.  I've already decided that kitchen wasn't made for cooking.  At least for me. 

Went back to eat dinner at Novena Square.  Went to a Japanese restaurant.  The boys like it.  I don't.  I got gyoza (stuffed dumplings).  Ernie got home late so we were the second to last out of the restaurant.  It was only 10.  I guess these people wanted to go home or something.  Walked back  from the the MRT late at night.  You would never do that in Houston.  Not even in Clear Lake. 

Put in another load of clothes to wash.  Knits aren't as bad as cottons.  My pants came out so wrinkled that I'm either going to have to iron them or wash them again and figure out how to stop the dryer from drying.  I hate that thing.  Can you imagine, I'm have to iron my good No-Iron Shirts?!!

Oh well, that's enough for one day.  Tomorrow the company has hired someone to take us on a tour of the country.  I just want to know to have my hair done and where the best market is.  There are no Targets or Wal-Marts or Krogers. 

Good Night to all on the other side of the World !!!

Trece