absolutely hilarious

Maybe you have to be there to think it is funny but I'll try.
Singaporeans at first seem aloof, and not very friendly. They say it is because the city population is so dense, they carve out their space and guard it. I have rarely if ever seen anyone in public, in a crowd,  catch my eye  (or anyone else's) to nod hello. They just don't initiate contact, nor seek it out. We might nod at someone, smile and maybe think or say hello. Not here.
So, coming home on the subway with Tim, we were standing in the crowd on the train. I had noticed that in Jan/Feb when I was feeling so lousy, and got on the train, more often than not, someone would give up the seat designated for old, pregnant, or disabled, to me. I guess I looked REALLY old. Well I had noted that since I have been back, I have not been offered that seat. Now my hair is still gray. But I guess my demeanour has changed as I feel better. Well tonight, a young man got up to give me his seat. I went to sit down and a guy slid in before me, eyes down and just took it. Well I didn't really care, I thought how gallant of the young man, but I feel better, was standing with Tim, and did not have far to go. But I looked at the folks across the way, and they caught my eye, and laughed. At one point there must have been 6 people laughing out loud at this little exchange. Laughing out loud. It is exceptional in that there is so little personal contact with strangers normally. As we got off the train several smiled and shared the little scene with us as we left. We stepped off the train laughing out loud.
Went to the Chinese visa place. You go to the web site, fill out a 7 page online form, print it out, and book an appointment to hand it in. So I went at the appointed time, filled-in form printed out, with my passport, and dependant's pass in hand. And a copy of my 4 day itinerary, and a printout of my airline tickets. Oh yes, did I say I am going to Beijing in May. More of that in a bit.
So I go up to the desk to get a number to sit and wait to hand in my application, but they hand me another copy of the same form that I have to fill out by hand there. The one online on their site was not acceptable. Why? ??????
So hand in form, photocopy of pass, they take my airline tickets (oh you can make another copy) and then take my passport. TAKE my passport. They will have it until I pick up my visa which will be ready in 6 days. To hand over my passport goes against every grain in my body. But China. When I went to China in '78, we handed over our passports in the airplane before we landed and were given them back on the airplane after we took off. I thought maybe things had changed. HA
So yes I am going to Beijing in May. My girlfriend Patty (who I surprised at her place in Regina for St Pat's Day-she didn't know I was even in Canada. HA) So Patty is visiting her daughter Amy in Taipei. She is coming with her sister Trina. So Patty and Trina will fly Vancouver/Taipei for 4 days to visit Patty's daughter Amy, who is teaching ESL in Taipei. The three of them  will then fly to Singapore and I will show them around for 4 days (our first guests) and then Trina, Patty, Amy and I will fly to Beijing for 4 days. Do the Great Wall, Terra Cotta warriors,  Forbidden City, etc, and then they fly home and I come back to Singapore. How neat is that. Hence the Chinese visa.
Good night my friends