Judy and Gord and Cammie have been and gone! They were here for 4 days, and are now off on a side trip to Thailand. I can't wait to get their views.
You can take some things in Singapore for granted, until you visit another Asian country. Singapore is a first world country. Other Asian countries are certainly not: Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. How Singapore has done what they have done in 47 years is truly remarkable.
The infrastructure here is excellent. The unemployment is low, the standard of living high. The man responsible, Lee Quan Yew, set out to make Singapore a business hub of Asia. He has done it. The businesses must pay a lot of tax, because income tax is 15%, education to the end of high school paid, some health coverage for all residents, air quality really very good, considering the population is 5,000,000.
Of course there is the other side of the coin; strict laws for everything imaginable, enforced strongly, secret police, cameras everywhere. But the city is easy. Traffic orderly, city safe , wonderful public transit, very little begging, (I have seen 3 in my 16 months here), and they encourage tattling, or reporting on anything out of the ordinary.
I actually think I am repeating myself. Sorry folks.
Judy and family and I went to Marina Bay Sands Hotel. That is the 51 story 3 towers hotel, with 2500 rooms, with the massive boat/swimming pool on top. If you haven't, you should google it. The Wades asked what they should see, what was the one thing they should be sure to see. For me it is MBS.
In the hotel lobby, Judy engaged in a conversation with a hotel staff. That turned in to a private tour of the top. Instead of $20 each, to look over a fence to this amazing pool, we got to walk through the pool area, and they got the whole shpeel. Interesting though, the wonderful employee talked of a partnership between the builders and the government. I think the real story is the builders went bankrupt and the government bailed them out.
Another day we went to Little India, to the seven story, two building, 24 hour, 7 days a week, department store Mustafa. It is truly amazing. Makes Honest Ed's look like a small boutique! More than you can imagine of everything, including the kitchen sink. A whole department of chocolate, an area about 2,000 square feet!
I was able to take Judy to an FOM lecture on Indian painting telling a story. Meanwhile Gord and Cammie did a river cruise downtown. We then headed home to home cooking for Cammie, who is a real sport, 12 years old, and trying strange food. But she thought some was almost as good as back in Fort Erie!
When they left town, I did aother cooking class. This now my 4th here down the street. I should get good at this. I would like to be able to know the spices and curries for Thai, Cambodian, Laotian, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Singaporean cuisine.
I am back to my yoga every day. I really am making headway. As slow as it is, I can see progress. My pain is still silent, thank the Lord and alleluia, and in some ways I am in better shape than before this whole awful year of fibromyalgia. So I am a happy camper. But I do see I have to stay with it, and if I miss a day or two I stiffen up.
I saw a wonderful movie, Midnight's Children. A book of Salman Rushdie's made in to a film. He did the screen writing and the narration. It was particularly interesting for me because I am reading his autobiography, Joseph Anton, about his years he lived in hiding during the fatwa.
The last 3 weeks we have been through the hottest weather I have experienced to date. Apparently April to July, yes JULY, are the hot months. I think I was so out of it last year, or every day seemed so hot, that I didn't notice. Actually I do recall July being moderate. Well it sure ain't moderate now. Very hot and very humid.
I am starting to think of trip home. I plan to come back in August and stay to October. Tim will come for 2 weeks in September for a wedding in Collingwood. Oops I am repeating myself. Sorry.
I'll sign off. Off to the gym. It's 8 p.m. but the gym is cool, actually cold, so it is easy to talk myself in to going.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
A quiet moment
I have a bit of time, and am trying to stay awake and lively. Judy and Gord and Cammie arrive just after midnight tonight. So I will head out to the airport to meet them at midnight.
Tim has gone to bed. He gets up at 3:30 a.m. -3:30 - and will not be home until tomorrow afternoon. A very early start to his day. And a late to bed for me. We can go days without really having a conversation or a meal together. I don't know how he does it. But he is blessed as a good napper. He can store up ahead and after these gruelling flights.
It has been a busy few weeks. It is now two months with no pain. Yippee!
I have done some cooking classes. A woman a 30 minute walk from here teaches vegetarian cooking in her home. I have done a Sri Lankan cooking class, a super foods class, a private where she gave me recipes for meals for Tim to take on these overnight flights. Good protein, no carb overhang of the sleepies. It is great. I have a goal - to be able to identify the difference between Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Malay, Sri Lankan, Indian cuisine/spices. Quite a challenge I think.
But I have a year.
I also want to learn Tai Chi. There are classes a 15 minute bike ride away, free, Saturday mornings at 6! Hmmm. My sleep is getting better so I am thinking of setting an alarm to get there. When in Rome. Well when in Asia I should learn Tai Chi. I learned some a few years ago. But I have lost it. I have not lost the wonderful feeling of focussing, and discipline. (My osteopath also said it would be really good for the fibro.)
We went to see Noir, a show by Cirque de Soliel, and it was fantastic. Maybe the most entertaining event I have ever seen. It was in a very small theatre, smaller than Stratford Festival Theater. A cast of maybe 20 performers put on the most entertaining, awesome, funny funny evening. Do catch it if it comes to a theater near you.
Not sure how the next few weeks will unfold. Judy and family will be taking trips from here, and whether I go with, or do some travelling of my own, remains to unfold. I have a friend in Georgetown that I might go visit. And I have to plan our trips to Maldives and Borneo for May and June.
The weather here is stinking hot. It really is as hot as it has been since coming Jan 2013. And has been so for weeks. Yikes!
Tim has gone to bed. He gets up at 3:30 a.m. -3:30 - and will not be home until tomorrow afternoon. A very early start to his day. And a late to bed for me. We can go days without really having a conversation or a meal together. I don't know how he does it. But he is blessed as a good napper. He can store up ahead and after these gruelling flights.
It has been a busy few weeks. It is now two months with no pain. Yippee!
I have done some cooking classes. A woman a 30 minute walk from here teaches vegetarian cooking in her home. I have done a Sri Lankan cooking class, a super foods class, a private where she gave me recipes for meals for Tim to take on these overnight flights. Good protein, no carb overhang of the sleepies. It is great. I have a goal - to be able to identify the difference between Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Malay, Sri Lankan, Indian cuisine/spices. Quite a challenge I think.
But I have a year.
I also want to learn Tai Chi. There are classes a 15 minute bike ride away, free, Saturday mornings at 6! Hmmm. My sleep is getting better so I am thinking of setting an alarm to get there. When in Rome. Well when in Asia I should learn Tai Chi. I learned some a few years ago. But I have lost it. I have not lost the wonderful feeling of focussing, and discipline. (My osteopath also said it would be really good for the fibro.)
We went to see Noir, a show by Cirque de Soliel, and it was fantastic. Maybe the most entertaining event I have ever seen. It was in a very small theatre, smaller than Stratford Festival Theater. A cast of maybe 20 performers put on the most entertaining, awesome, funny funny evening. Do catch it if it comes to a theater near you.
Not sure how the next few weeks will unfold. Judy and family will be taking trips from here, and whether I go with, or do some travelling of my own, remains to unfold. I have a friend in Georgetown that I might go visit. And I have to plan our trips to Maldives and Borneo for May and June.
The weather here is stinking hot. It really is as hot as it has been since coming Jan 2013. And has been so for weeks. Yikes!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
yikes
I just checked my hits for last week. 174!!!! 65 one day. Yikes!!!! Thanks guys, for staying in touch. It makes me feel great.
I was whinging to my sister about how lonely I was, how much I missed my kids, my family, and my friends. How I should not be sad because this really is amazing. But...
She wisely said, you want your cake and eat it too. You have this amazing adventure, and do not have the community of your friends. You have the one and not both. When you get home you will have your community.
I love that people still think about us so far away. Out of sight out of mind. But your hits tell me we are remembered.
Thank you all.
I was whinging to my sister about how lonely I was, how much I missed my kids, my family, and my friends. How I should not be sad because this really is amazing. But...
She wisely said, you want your cake and eat it too. You have this amazing adventure, and do not have the community of your friends. You have the one and not both. When you get home you will have your community.
I love that people still think about us so far away. Out of sight out of mind. But your hits tell me we are remembered.
Thank you all.
life is good
I am just kind of ruminating about the last year. My palette it gloriously colourful. Lots of great ups and few downs. Life is good good.
It has been over a year. I went to the doctor today and reported to her that I am without pain, and have been for one and a half months! I only whisper it, and every morning when I wake up, I kind of check my knees before getting out of bed. If they bend without pain that is a good thing. It is good.
I really think that the combination of modalities I am doing is what is working. Tim reminds me that I am very lucky to be here to access my activities that I think are helping.
I was sent to an ear/nose/throat doctor who gave me some things to sleep better. I had been told that the amount of sleep I was getting was not enough to allow the body to repair. He suggested sleeping on my side and doing a nasal rinse morning and night. I have to say I was very sceptical that it would do anything, but I am sleeping longer and deeper. And I feel better.
I see an osteopath regularly. I didn't really know what an osteopath was. Well, you lie on a table and he digs his elbow in to your rump, and jabs you til you say until "uncle". Then he smiles and digs deeper. He sticks his fingers under my ribs and pulls at them. They actually move for him. He digs under my tailbone and pulls it. It moves too! All this with a smile. Very painful when he does it, but I feel better.
I go to massage downstairs here in the complex. A tiny Malaysian girl, Suzi, has been working on me for a year. I have to say it is harder for her to hurt me the way she used to. That means things are better, and I feel better.
I go to yoga as often as I can, a good week, four or five times. I have a program to do at home, or in the gym, or when travelling. No excuses for not doing yoga every day. But....
I try to either do yoga or a program in the gym, or swim every day. And massage and osteo once a week. I have never had the luxury if all this egocentric activity. But I am without symptoms.
I went to my rheumatologist and reported that and expected her to say. "Lovely, the fibromyalgia seems to have gone" Instead she said "Lovely. Some patients do report a relief from symptoms for a period". So a month and a half is great and I am going for indefinite relief.
My sister Judy is coming next month with her husband and grand daughter Cammie. They will be here 3 weeks, going and coming from Singapore to Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. So I am looking at our trips for May and June.
This is where I pinch myself. I am looking at Maldives for early May. I have heard it is gorgeous, and after all, Royalty goes there for a getaway. Well, I looked it up on a map to find out where it is, and am putting together 5 days in May to the Maldives.
Kota Kinabalu Malaysia is supposed to be amazing, and we have 10 days in June. Both these places are for fantastic diving, and I hope snorkelling, and have hotel villas, where the rooms are on stilts in the ocean. You look out your bedroom balcony to the fish swimming in the turquoise water under you. hmmmm.....
It has been over a year. I went to the doctor today and reported to her that I am without pain, and have been for one and a half months! I only whisper it, and every morning when I wake up, I kind of check my knees before getting out of bed. If they bend without pain that is a good thing. It is good.
I really think that the combination of modalities I am doing is what is working. Tim reminds me that I am very lucky to be here to access my activities that I think are helping.
I was sent to an ear/nose/throat doctor who gave me some things to sleep better. I had been told that the amount of sleep I was getting was not enough to allow the body to repair. He suggested sleeping on my side and doing a nasal rinse morning and night. I have to say I was very sceptical that it would do anything, but I am sleeping longer and deeper. And I feel better.
I see an osteopath regularly. I didn't really know what an osteopath was. Well, you lie on a table and he digs his elbow in to your rump, and jabs you til you say until "uncle". Then he smiles and digs deeper. He sticks his fingers under my ribs and pulls at them. They actually move for him. He digs under my tailbone and pulls it. It moves too! All this with a smile. Very painful when he does it, but I feel better.
I go to massage downstairs here in the complex. A tiny Malaysian girl, Suzi, has been working on me for a year. I have to say it is harder for her to hurt me the way she used to. That means things are better, and I feel better.
I go to yoga as often as I can, a good week, four or five times. I have a program to do at home, or in the gym, or when travelling. No excuses for not doing yoga every day. But....
I try to either do yoga or a program in the gym, or swim every day. And massage and osteo once a week. I have never had the luxury if all this egocentric activity. But I am without symptoms.
I went to my rheumatologist and reported that and expected her to say. "Lovely, the fibromyalgia seems to have gone" Instead she said "Lovely. Some patients do report a relief from symptoms for a period". So a month and a half is great and I am going for indefinite relief.
My sister Judy is coming next month with her husband and grand daughter Cammie. They will be here 3 weeks, going and coming from Singapore to Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. So I am looking at our trips for May and June.
This is where I pinch myself. I am looking at Maldives for early May. I have heard it is gorgeous, and after all, Royalty goes there for a getaway. Well, I looked it up on a map to find out where it is, and am putting together 5 days in May to the Maldives.
Kota Kinabalu Malaysia is supposed to be amazing, and we have 10 days in June. Both these places are for fantastic diving, and I hope snorkelling, and have hotel villas, where the rooms are on stilts in the ocean. You look out your bedroom balcony to the fish swimming in the turquoise water under you. hmmmm.....
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Back to catch my breath!
I am now back in Singapore to catch my breath. I have done a lot of travelling in the last month. Australia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam. I keep the leftover money from each country I go to - for the next visit there! I put it in ziploc bags. I have 10 TEN!!!! ziploc bags, of the different currencies I have used this past year! But I've done more trips than that , because I have been to some countries several times. I think the count is 21 trips I have made. I am not sure the size of my palette, but I do know it is not blank!
Doing trips so close together makes it hard to digest what I have seen. Kind of like "if it's Tuesday it must be Belgium". I will try to space them out a little. I don't have a trip planned for April. Yet.
My twin sister is arriving April 5th, with her husband Gord, and grand daughter Cammie. They are here for 3 weeks. They will do a side trip to Thailand, and I might go with them to Vietnam, HCMC and Mekong Delta.
I wanted to make a wee note about in Sri Lanka. Tim bought some take-out to eat on the train ride Galle - Colombo. He got it in a bag that was two pages of math homework, scotch taped to make a bag. Talk about recycling, and using things up.
I really have some things to digest with the last two trips, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. Having stayed longer in each, and spending more time looking around, the poverty is something I want to cringe from. But you know, they are happy, generally speaking. They have very little, their house might be made of driftwood, on a mud floor, no windows, and a tin roof, but they seem to be tight knit families, happy children, "good" teens and the old OLD ones are part of the family, out selling chatchkas, or weaving, or playing with children. We befriended a lady who sold us our bottles of water. She was sitting on her front stairs, her daughter, her, her mother and her grandmother. 4 generations living and being together. It looked pretty nice to me. We met a very elderly lady selling at a roadside stand. She was well in to her nineties. In fact we met many 90 year or more old women. They are smiling, useful, amazing skin.
We did a bicycle tour in Hoi An. It's very flat around there so it was easy. But in such heat. It is wonderful that you can put on SPF 50 and be out in this scorching sun, and not get an ounce of colour. The tour took us around to men making fishing boats, the way they have done for centuries. Women weaving mats that they use for a mattress. The mats are cool on the platform (very hard) bed, and they might finish a beautifully designed mat/rug maybe 6'X10' and get $4. We ate a home cooked meal in someone's front yard. Biking past homes, the children playing would call out "helloooo hellooooo" and we would call back. We went through the rice paddies, along very narrow paths. On a bridge that looked like it was held together with spit. Hairy! We saw women making mother of pearl inlay boxes Beautiful. It was very refreshing to look at these artisans and not feel pressured to buy. I must say the touts in the old town really got to me.
They have the 90 year old women, and the adorable children in their pyjamas, at night sitting by the road side, selling candles. Lit and coloured and beautiful. But... I get the feeling that they know we have money so why don't we buy. What reason wold you have for not buying. If you have the money. "Buy from me. buy from me. Happy hour price" (that means two for one!)
When we went once to one tailor, it was a workshop filled with many different tailors. All women. Very competitive. There was a fight going on between several women. I thought it might become violent. Women are really good at screaming and yelling. It was so charged. A little embarrassing. I was so glad our tailor was not involved. But it must be so stressful to make enough money for your family when there is so much competition.
We picked up our clothes. Most of it is absolutely wonderful. I am unhappy with my outfit for the wedding. I am going to have to mail it back to her. She didn't line it. Which makes sense in this climate. But back home we are used to more structure, not billowy, flowy.
Now I will try to add photos. I never know if it will work, or this will get sent off without.
So here goes.
Tim's coconut drink
Our take away pineapple from the side of the road
For heaven's sake- Just STOP!!! Botanical Garden Nuwara Eliyah
Beach in Unawatuna, S.L.
Tim's takeout bag
Out of that damn comfort box again, a 3 week old crocodile
Hands up, Baby, Hands up - chickens in the Hoi An market singing the Club Med song
Ninety three and looking mighty fine
My new man 96
Hoi An, a beautiful tiny skinny lane, about 30" wide
Lanterns at night, so beautiful
Doing trips so close together makes it hard to digest what I have seen. Kind of like "if it's Tuesday it must be Belgium". I will try to space them out a little. I don't have a trip planned for April. Yet.
My twin sister is arriving April 5th, with her husband Gord, and grand daughter Cammie. They are here for 3 weeks. They will do a side trip to Thailand, and I might go with them to Vietnam, HCMC and Mekong Delta.
I wanted to make a wee note about in Sri Lanka. Tim bought some take-out to eat on the train ride Galle - Colombo. He got it in a bag that was two pages of math homework, scotch taped to make a bag. Talk about recycling, and using things up.
I really have some things to digest with the last two trips, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. Having stayed longer in each, and spending more time looking around, the poverty is something I want to cringe from. But you know, they are happy, generally speaking. They have very little, their house might be made of driftwood, on a mud floor, no windows, and a tin roof, but they seem to be tight knit families, happy children, "good" teens and the old OLD ones are part of the family, out selling chatchkas, or weaving, or playing with children. We befriended a lady who sold us our bottles of water. She was sitting on her front stairs, her daughter, her, her mother and her grandmother. 4 generations living and being together. It looked pretty nice to me. We met a very elderly lady selling at a roadside stand. She was well in to her nineties. In fact we met many 90 year or more old women. They are smiling, useful, amazing skin.
We did a bicycle tour in Hoi An. It's very flat around there so it was easy. But in such heat. It is wonderful that you can put on SPF 50 and be out in this scorching sun, and not get an ounce of colour. The tour took us around to men making fishing boats, the way they have done for centuries. Women weaving mats that they use for a mattress. The mats are cool on the platform (very hard) bed, and they might finish a beautifully designed mat/rug maybe 6'X10' and get $4. We ate a home cooked meal in someone's front yard. Biking past homes, the children playing would call out "helloooo hellooooo" and we would call back. We went through the rice paddies, along very narrow paths. On a bridge that looked like it was held together with spit. Hairy! We saw women making mother of pearl inlay boxes Beautiful. It was very refreshing to look at these artisans and not feel pressured to buy. I must say the touts in the old town really got to me.
They have the 90 year old women, and the adorable children in their pyjamas, at night sitting by the road side, selling candles. Lit and coloured and beautiful. But... I get the feeling that they know we have money so why don't we buy. What reason wold you have for not buying. If you have the money. "Buy from me. buy from me. Happy hour price" (that means two for one!)
When we went once to one tailor, it was a workshop filled with many different tailors. All women. Very competitive. There was a fight going on between several women. I thought it might become violent. Women are really good at screaming and yelling. It was so charged. A little embarrassing. I was so glad our tailor was not involved. But it must be so stressful to make enough money for your family when there is so much competition.
We picked up our clothes. Most of it is absolutely wonderful. I am unhappy with my outfit for the wedding. I am going to have to mail it back to her. She didn't line it. Which makes sense in this climate. But back home we are used to more structure, not billowy, flowy.
Now I will try to add photos. I never know if it will work, or this will get sent off without.
So here goes.
Tim's coconut drink
Jane's new pet, in a buddhist temple Colombo
Thursday, March 14, 2013
I sit on the balcony of our hotel in Hoi An. It is old, lovely little cabins around a pool that is perfect temperature. An area set aside for foot rubs! A bar you swim up to. We went for a swim last night, coloured lanterns lighting the pool, washed in soft colours. It really was magical.
Tim has gone for a dive, all day. I am so glad he is taking the chance for diving. I am left behind to mope around, going to a jeweller who does knock off Cartier, Tiffany, and I am going to do Christmas shopping! Then I will go to a tailor and design an outfit for a wedding back in Collingwood in September. It is tough, but I will try to stay strong, and persevere through.
Hoi An is a city in about the middle of Vietnam. Vietnam is a coastal country stretching from north of Hanoi, to south of Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Hoi An is about midway. Vietnam has been plundered by everybody, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, American. The Vietnamease are a people so forgiving, resigned but with dignity and patience.
Hoi Yan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is charming, compact, old, a wonderful mix of local residents, local business, small hotels, (I have not seen any chain hotels) and retail and food vendors galore.
The VN live to eat. The food is amazingly delicious, delicate, complex, contrasting yin/yang flavours. We did a tour of Food of Hoi An. The guy, Neville, is quite a person. Came here for a holiday, fell in love with the food, moved here, and runs this 5 hour tour, to the market, to street stands, to restaurants for tastings. 7:30 to 12:30. Basically nonstop eating. Or I should say nibbling. The BEST ice cream I have ever had, coconut, and coffee, from a street hawker, homemade fruit pop tubes in ice in his rolling shop. I had a wee slug of VN coffee. Don't think coffee, think dessert substitute. They make it with sweetened condensed milk, and it is delicious. I sure wish I could drink caffeine. They have not heard of decaf. They look at you like "why bother then?
Aside from all the wonderful food treats, with addresses of best restaurants, Neville gave us a list of tailors for the perfunctory Hoi An purchases of tailored clothes in 3 days. We each brought an extra suitcase to take home our treasures. We each bought linen suits, two tops each, two cashmere suits, two tops each, and I think we are about to $500. Of course it's all in the fitting, which we have today.
Tomorrow we are going on a bicycle tour around the surrounds, visiting fishing village, have lunch with a local family, more about that after we have done it.
The country is very poor. To think of surviving on what they earn is mind boggling. I know we have so much and they so little. But last night I had an occurrence that has wrankled me. We had had a meal in this restaurant near they hotel. Coming back last night, we stopped in for some food. The same server remembered us. She asked what we had done all day. I started by saying we had ordered suits to be made. "Why you not come to me? I have my sister make you beautiful clothes" I lied and said we had made previous plans with this other place. But she was so miffed. Immediately she changed tack. "Jane, darling, you have children. I have daughter. I try to pay her expensive school. Can you help me with her education? " Post cards, note card come out. We thought we would help her a little. The postcards really are amazing photographs. we don't buy postcards, but thought oh well. We picked some cards and note cards. Forty dollars! No, thanks. It turned then. I felt we were being pushed, taken advantage of, and I just wanted to leave with no cards. We settled and left (with cards) but for less that $40, and a very sour taste in my mouth.
My iPad has a mind of its own and I just hope this gets posted as I have intended. Photos will follow when I am back to my computer, and am more familiar with how to do it. Can' t ask too much of this old broad. Now off to work, buy buy buy spend spend spend.
Tim has gone for a dive, all day. I am so glad he is taking the chance for diving. I am left behind to mope around, going to a jeweller who does knock off Cartier, Tiffany, and I am going to do Christmas shopping! Then I will go to a tailor and design an outfit for a wedding back in Collingwood in September. It is tough, but I will try to stay strong, and persevere through.
Hoi An is a city in about the middle of Vietnam. Vietnam is a coastal country stretching from north of Hanoi, to south of Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Hoi An is about midway. Vietnam has been plundered by everybody, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, American. The Vietnamease are a people so forgiving, resigned but with dignity and patience.
Hoi Yan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is charming, compact, old, a wonderful mix of local residents, local business, small hotels, (I have not seen any chain hotels) and retail and food vendors galore.
The VN live to eat. The food is amazingly delicious, delicate, complex, contrasting yin/yang flavours. We did a tour of Food of Hoi An. The guy, Neville, is quite a person. Came here for a holiday, fell in love with the food, moved here, and runs this 5 hour tour, to the market, to street stands, to restaurants for tastings. 7:30 to 12:30. Basically nonstop eating. Or I should say nibbling. The BEST ice cream I have ever had, coconut, and coffee, from a street hawker, homemade fruit pop tubes in ice in his rolling shop. I had a wee slug of VN coffee. Don't think coffee, think dessert substitute. They make it with sweetened condensed milk, and it is delicious. I sure wish I could drink caffeine. They have not heard of decaf. They look at you like "why bother then?
Aside from all the wonderful food treats, with addresses of best restaurants, Neville gave us a list of tailors for the perfunctory Hoi An purchases of tailored clothes in 3 days. We each brought an extra suitcase to take home our treasures. We each bought linen suits, two tops each, two cashmere suits, two tops each, and I think we are about to $500. Of course it's all in the fitting, which we have today.
Tomorrow we are going on a bicycle tour around the surrounds, visiting fishing village, have lunch with a local family, more about that after we have done it.
The country is very poor. To think of surviving on what they earn is mind boggling. I know we have so much and they so little. But last night I had an occurrence that has wrankled me. We had had a meal in this restaurant near they hotel. Coming back last night, we stopped in for some food. The same server remembered us. She asked what we had done all day. I started by saying we had ordered suits to be made. "Why you not come to me? I have my sister make you beautiful clothes" I lied and said we had made previous plans with this other place. But she was so miffed. Immediately she changed tack. "Jane, darling, you have children. I have daughter. I try to pay her expensive school. Can you help me with her education? " Post cards, note card come out. We thought we would help her a little. The postcards really are amazing photographs. we don't buy postcards, but thought oh well. We picked some cards and note cards. Forty dollars! No, thanks. It turned then. I felt we were being pushed, taken advantage of, and I just wanted to leave with no cards. We settled and left (with cards) but for less that $40, and a very sour taste in my mouth.
My iPad has a mind of its own and I just hope this gets posted as I have intended. Photos will follow when I am back to my computer, and am more familiar with how to do it. Can' t ask too much of this old broad. Now off to work, buy buy buy spend spend spend.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
We've seen much better
Unawatuna (sounds like Lion King, right?) is NOT one of the ten best beaches in the world. We have seen many much more beautiful. Too bad we spent our beach days at less than yet another Paradise.
We stayed at the Unawatuna Beach Resort. Sounded good to me. Oh my. We got to our room and found many many ants at the door to the balcony. Lots of ants. Then I put my bag on the bed and found more. We went to the front desk, and I asked to change rooms.
Sorry we are fully booked.
Sorry the manager is in a meeting.
We do have one we could show you.
It at least didn't have ants. But it is a hotel long past its shelf life. Apparently they have built a new wing, that we were not in, and they plan to tear down the old wing. Not a moment too soon, I say.
We did meet some interesting people. A couple from Australia who take 2 of 3 big trips a year and had spent 3 weeks in Sri Lanka! Another couple who are expats from Scotland, who built a place here, and come for the winter.
Frankly I can not imagine choosing this heat. The tea plantations, yes, but the 33' and humidity here, and the poverty, and very third world, I would not choose.
The beach was a dark sand, filled with tourists, lots of Germans, Scandinavians, and Russians. The
beach was high and getting in the surf, the drop off was quick. The sunsets were less that breath taking. Listen to me, not the white powder sand, not the empty beaches all to ourselves, not the gorgeous fiery red ball of a setting sun. OY I can' t stand myself.
Tim did a dive, in very sandy low visibility , and I walked the beach. The other hotels were really third world, and I guess at least I can say ours seemed the nicest.
There was a tragedy that happened. I noticed that there was a huge congregation of locals on the beach, and snorkellers and divers in the bay. Apparently, a young SL boy, 27, at medical school in the States, was home on holidays, was drunk, and drowned. It certainly put a pall on our visit there.
We took a hotel room for the third night, in the fort at Galle. Just down the road. The hotel was gorgeous, old, started out as the govenor's mansion in the late 1800's, has been fixed up beautifully, but as a World Heritage Site, can only be done as it was. So beautiful wood, mahogany, and the setting was perfect and the service as well. A few great meals, breakfast by the pool in an interior courtyard, rather continental. Galle is an old town, dating way back, with residuals of the Dutch occupation, and they were who built this magnificent fort and town. When the tsunami came through, the dutch-built 10' stone walls held, where as the town was devastated.
To wander the fort you see a little of everything. Touts wanting some money somehow, begging, offer to take pic, tuk tuk? beautiful white cotton clothes ( those beautiful white cotton nightgowns, with cut out lace, $2!). There are VERY modest homes, very old, and run down. There are gentrified homes, and must be an expat community, ( we passed a talk being given around a table of maybe 20 expats or they looked like expats), some very beautiful jewelry shops, designed with local semi precious stones, art galleries, and funky clothes. The tourists were a mix of backpackers, and seniors.
We had some fabulous food. Sri Lankan food is very subtle. The curries are calm. I meant to buy a cook book. I will. I have one from Bali and am going to start collecting each cuisine. [I am going to an Indian cooking class next week- visit to the market, and a class, and lunch!- here in Sg]
We went to church, and it was in a small chapel. All 7 of us at the mass. It was so small I did both readings. Not much choice. Tim had forgotten his glasses! We expected the priest to toe the line and be very conservative. Well the homily was probably one of the best I have ever heard - on compassion- and we got to chat with him after. Got the low down on the conclave and the Vatican City gossip. He was a big surprise- in his white white robe, white white hair, and black black skin. The windows were open and there was a basketball game of young boys. Often the priest's voice was drowned out by the boys, but it added to the charm. I find the accent of the Singalese difficult to keep up to. I wonder if those 5 others at mass understood my accent when doing the readings!
We went by train back to Colombo. Now that was an experience! We got 2nd class tickets - no such thing as first class. It cost us $5 to have the tuk tuk drive to the train station, and $3.74 for TWO tickets 70 k to Colombo. I think maybe the tuk tuk ride we paid too much $5?, but the train was $3.75 worth. Very dirty, very crowded, we had seats, windows open for air, but I was sitting in the sun , and the temp was 33". I was melting.
But then back to our gorgeous "palace" hotel in Colombo for a day. We hired a driver to take us back south (?) to a beautiful beach, Bentota, and we did a river safari up an inlet to see crocodiles, bats, mangroves (very cool to boat through them).
These posts are way too long. Sorry. But this week was a real eye opener. I think I don't need to see India. A terribly close-minded statement, but the heat, poverty, crowds, it is a handful.
Things are so busy, I do not have time to post pics. I will.
But tomorrow very early, we fly off to Vietnam, to Hoi An to have clothes made. Yippee. I am fortified with photos of clothes from magazines, Tim will get a suit. We will get winter coats made (I call it my funeral outfit - ouch), and they make shoes and handbags, in 3 days , we are there for 6!!!!!
We are taking an extra suit case.
Oh yes, by the way SriLanka is west of us. Duh! And surprisingly north. At 35'- we are at 1'. No wonder its hot here. But oh my golly, Sri Lanka was too. Hotter I think. If that is possible.
We stayed at the Unawatuna Beach Resort. Sounded good to me. Oh my. We got to our room and found many many ants at the door to the balcony. Lots of ants. Then I put my bag on the bed and found more. We went to the front desk, and I asked to change rooms.
Sorry we are fully booked.
Sorry the manager is in a meeting.
We do have one we could show you.
It at least didn't have ants. But it is a hotel long past its shelf life. Apparently they have built a new wing, that we were not in, and they plan to tear down the old wing. Not a moment too soon, I say.
We did meet some interesting people. A couple from Australia who take 2 of 3 big trips a year and had spent 3 weeks in Sri Lanka! Another couple who are expats from Scotland, who built a place here, and come for the winter.
Frankly I can not imagine choosing this heat. The tea plantations, yes, but the 33' and humidity here, and the poverty, and very third world, I would not choose.
The beach was a dark sand, filled with tourists, lots of Germans, Scandinavians, and Russians. The
beach was high and getting in the surf, the drop off was quick. The sunsets were less that breath taking. Listen to me, not the white powder sand, not the empty beaches all to ourselves, not the gorgeous fiery red ball of a setting sun. OY I can' t stand myself.
Tim did a dive, in very sandy low visibility , and I walked the beach. The other hotels were really third world, and I guess at least I can say ours seemed the nicest.
There was a tragedy that happened. I noticed that there was a huge congregation of locals on the beach, and snorkellers and divers in the bay. Apparently, a young SL boy, 27, at medical school in the States, was home on holidays, was drunk, and drowned. It certainly put a pall on our visit there.
We took a hotel room for the third night, in the fort at Galle. Just down the road. The hotel was gorgeous, old, started out as the govenor's mansion in the late 1800's, has been fixed up beautifully, but as a World Heritage Site, can only be done as it was. So beautiful wood, mahogany, and the setting was perfect and the service as well. A few great meals, breakfast by the pool in an interior courtyard, rather continental. Galle is an old town, dating way back, with residuals of the Dutch occupation, and they were who built this magnificent fort and town. When the tsunami came through, the dutch-built 10' stone walls held, where as the town was devastated.
To wander the fort you see a little of everything. Touts wanting some money somehow, begging, offer to take pic, tuk tuk? beautiful white cotton clothes ( those beautiful white cotton nightgowns, with cut out lace, $2!). There are VERY modest homes, very old, and run down. There are gentrified homes, and must be an expat community, ( we passed a talk being given around a table of maybe 20 expats or they looked like expats), some very beautiful jewelry shops, designed with local semi precious stones, art galleries, and funky clothes. The tourists were a mix of backpackers, and seniors.
We had some fabulous food. Sri Lankan food is very subtle. The curries are calm. I meant to buy a cook book. I will. I have one from Bali and am going to start collecting each cuisine. [I am going to an Indian cooking class next week- visit to the market, and a class, and lunch!- here in Sg]
We went to church, and it was in a small chapel. All 7 of us at the mass. It was so small I did both readings. Not much choice. Tim had forgotten his glasses! We expected the priest to toe the line and be very conservative. Well the homily was probably one of the best I have ever heard - on compassion- and we got to chat with him after. Got the low down on the conclave and the Vatican City gossip. He was a big surprise- in his white white robe, white white hair, and black black skin. The windows were open and there was a basketball game of young boys. Often the priest's voice was drowned out by the boys, but it added to the charm. I find the accent of the Singalese difficult to keep up to. I wonder if those 5 others at mass understood my accent when doing the readings!
We went by train back to Colombo. Now that was an experience! We got 2nd class tickets - no such thing as first class. It cost us $5 to have the tuk tuk drive to the train station, and $3.74 for TWO tickets 70 k to Colombo. I think maybe the tuk tuk ride we paid too much $5?, but the train was $3.75 worth. Very dirty, very crowded, we had seats, windows open for air, but I was sitting in the sun , and the temp was 33". I was melting.
But then back to our gorgeous "palace" hotel in Colombo for a day. We hired a driver to take us back south (?) to a beautiful beach, Bentota, and we did a river safari up an inlet to see crocodiles, bats, mangroves (very cool to boat through them).
These posts are way too long. Sorry. But this week was a real eye opener. I think I don't need to see India. A terribly close-minded statement, but the heat, poverty, crowds, it is a handful.
Things are so busy, I do not have time to post pics. I will.
But tomorrow very early, we fly off to Vietnam, to Hoi An to have clothes made. Yippee. I am fortified with photos of clothes from magazines, Tim will get a suit. We will get winter coats made (I call it my funeral outfit - ouch), and they make shoes and handbags, in 3 days , we are there for 6!!!!!
We are taking an extra suit case.
Oh yes, by the way SriLanka is west of us. Duh! And surprisingly north. At 35'- we are at 1'. No wonder its hot here. But oh my golly, Sri Lanka was too. Hotter I think. If that is possible.
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