Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Singapore
It was time to make our quarterly trip to Singapore to see my doctor and get refills on my meds. We have no trouble at all going to such a beautiful island. We left on Thursday afternoon and arrived by dinner. Singapore is only a two hour flight and then they are one hour ahead of us. They are working on expanding the airport in Singapore so we were rerouted to the exit by a different direction. Everything is so neat and orderly there, everything is done by queing up. In other words you stand in line to wait for the taxi, your turn at the counter, etc. Because cars are hard to come by on this little island many take either taxi's, buses, which are frequent or the subway as we in the states would call it. Back to my story, as we qued up for the taxi ride to our friends house, I felt like I was in line for a Disneyland ride, too many people were in line so they had us go up one row and down another. After 15 minutes we made it to our taxi and then to our friends who only live about 10 minutes from the airport. I can never get enough of the view from their 19th floor flat, and of course we had to take the lift to get up there oh and we had to put our luggage in the boot of the taxi.
On Friday after my doctor appt our friends picked us up and showed us an area of town where many churches and ministries have opened a restaurant, convalescent home, drug and alchol rehab and are getting ready to open a home for abused and pregnant teens. They also have a beauty shop, car repair shop and other such businesses that gives people an opportunity to work. We have a friend who volunteers her time to teach computer skills to some of the people. This is what the church is all about.
Saturday afternoon Mark and I took a trip down to the beach where they have hundreds of every kind of restaurant you can imagine, they even have a boat ride down the canal. Of course it would not be Singapore if you did not have so many different malls to choose from to shop in. We started in one for me with more girly things and then we headed a few blocks up to the electronics mall. It was 5 stories and had anything electronic you could want. Along with the high prices. The only place that got our money that day was the McDonald's we stopped in for a drink and a place to rest our weary feet.
Saturday night the same friend that volunteers her time took us out for a steamboat dinner. The owner is a good friend of hers and he gave us a lot of attention, I think she brings him a lot of bsiness. He is young but also has several other places in Singapore and even one in Australia. It was similar to the Japanese style resturant. She ordered and they brought plates of uncooked fish, beef and seafood and then a brooth that is set on the table and the food cooks right there. They also have the veggies and mushrooms etc to add to the meal. It was so good and then she ended the meal with some different desserts. Oh and the drink was an apple, rose tea. Very refreshng.
Sunday we got to attend our frends church. We always enjoy that and then we had to head back to the airport for our flight home. Thanks again George and Joyce, we will miss your flat but look forward to your new home.
On Friday after my doctor appt our friends picked us up and showed us an area of town where many churches and ministries have opened a restaurant, convalescent home, drug and alchol rehab and are getting ready to open a home for abused and pregnant teens. They also have a beauty shop, car repair shop and other such businesses that gives people an opportunity to work. We have a friend who volunteers her time to teach computer skills to some of the people. This is what the church is all about.
Saturday afternoon Mark and I took a trip down to the beach where they have hundreds of every kind of restaurant you can imagine, they even have a boat ride down the canal. Of course it would not be Singapore if you did not have so many different malls to choose from to shop in. We started in one for me with more girly things and then we headed a few blocks up to the electronics mall. It was 5 stories and had anything electronic you could want. Along with the high prices. The only place that got our money that day was the McDonald's we stopped in for a drink and a place to rest our weary feet.
Saturday night the same friend that volunteers her time took us out for a steamboat dinner. The owner is a good friend of hers and he gave us a lot of attention, I think she brings him a lot of bsiness. He is young but also has several other places in Singapore and even one in Australia. It was similar to the Japanese style resturant. She ordered and they brought plates of uncooked fish, beef and seafood and then a brooth that is set on the table and the food cooks right there. They also have the veggies and mushrooms etc to add to the meal. It was so good and then she ended the meal with some different desserts. Oh and the drink was an apple, rose tea. Very refreshng.
Sunday we got to attend our frends church. We always enjoy that and then we had to head back to the airport for our flight home. Thanks again George and Joyce, we will miss your flat but look forward to your new home.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Saying Good Bye
We were sitting in the airport with Jen and the boys, waiting for our flight. It was bedtime for the boys but they wanted to wait with Grammie and Papa. After staying with them for so long it was soooo hard to leave. We had explained why we had to go back and they understood but that did not make it any easier. Suffice it to say that I was glad that I put that extra tissue in my purse. We really miss our walks around the lake with you guys.
Our 13 hour flight back left close to midnight and after they served the first meal, we feel asleep for a good 7 hours or so. Then came the breakfast meal and our arrival in Hong Kong. We had a three hour layover and then a 2 1/2 hour flight to Vietnam and another meal. Our plane got in a little late and by the time we got our visa, our luggage and then a taxi it was midafternoon when we finally made it to our apt. That is midafternoon of Aug 6th, two days after we left.
It took me a week to finally get everything unpacked, dusted, mopped and cleaned out from months of non use. In all of the cleaning etc I have not seen one cockroach, only a gecko that lives with my pots and pans and always makes me jump when I open that door. I always tread softly when I get up at night because they are usually having a party in our hallway or bathroom.
We are still catching up on all the news with our Vietnamese friends and their mom invited us to a dinner at their house where she served Mark's favorite pork and springrolls. She even sent me home with some to cook up. They had some visitors from the Phillippines that we got to meet and fellowship with, who also enjoyed the food. On the ride home we were short a motor bike so Mark and I had to ride on the back of our friends, good thing it was a short ride.
We want to thank all of you who made our trip home so welcoming and enjoyable. We are blessed to have so many friends and family and prayers for us.
Our 13 hour flight back left close to midnight and after they served the first meal, we feel asleep for a good 7 hours or so. Then came the breakfast meal and our arrival in Hong Kong. We had a three hour layover and then a 2 1/2 hour flight to Vietnam and another meal. Our plane got in a little late and by the time we got our visa, our luggage and then a taxi it was midafternoon when we finally made it to our apt. That is midafternoon of Aug 6th, two days after we left.
It took me a week to finally get everything unpacked, dusted, mopped and cleaned out from months of non use. In all of the cleaning etc I have not seen one cockroach, only a gecko that lives with my pots and pans and always makes me jump when I open that door. I always tread softly when I get up at night because they are usually having a party in our hallway or bathroom.
We are still catching up on all the news with our Vietnamese friends and their mom invited us to a dinner at their house where she served Mark's favorite pork and springrolls. She even sent me home with some to cook up. They had some visitors from the Phillippines that we got to meet and fellowship with, who also enjoyed the food. On the ride home we were short a motor bike so Mark and I had to ride on the back of our friends, good thing it was a short ride.
We want to thank all of you who made our trip home so welcoming and enjoyable. We are blessed to have so many friends and family and prayers for us.
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