Phuket, Thailand

The kids came for their first visit to Singapore in March.  Luckily for them, Merck paid for the non-stop Singapore Air flight.  It’s 19 hours long but all business class!

We decided we’d like to go to the beach for the first few days so they could relax while recuperating from jet-lag.  The many beaches of Thailand are only a short flight from Singapore and we decided on Phuket.  Phuket is an island on the west coast of the Malay peninsula with the Adaman Sea to the west and Phang Nga Bay and the Phuket Sea to the east. Bangkok is 425 miles to the north.

We stayed in northern Phuket away from the busier beaches of Patong and Karon in the lovely Aleenta resort.  While we were there we decided to take a day-long boat trip to the Phi-Phi islands, Hong Krabi and Phang Nga Bay, the home of the James Bond Island, which is famous for it’s role in “The Man with Golden Gun” back in the 1970s.

Phi-Phi islands are known for their diving and snorkeling areas.  They are also the islands on which the movie "The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed.  The islands are stunning and the snorkeling very good.  Phi-Phi as well as Phuket were devastated by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.  In Phi-Phi the destruction of the unrestrained development was a blessing in disguise for the eco-system of the island.

As we traveled north toward Phang Nga Bay we visited Koh Hong Krabi.  Koh means island and Hong means room and this particular Koh Hong is near the town of Krabi on the Thai peninsula.  It’s called a room island because is has an eroded group of caves in the middle of the island which harbours a large lake with a small passage to the sea. When the tide is high long tail boats are able to enter the ‘room’ and visitors can swim in around in crystal clear water with a depth of around one metre.

From inside Koh Hong Krabi looking out to the sea.

We finished our travels at Phang Nga Bay, home of many other koh hongs and the much visited James Bond Island.  Originally and locally known as Koh Tapu or Nail Island, it found fame in the 1974 Bond film "The Man with the Golden Gun" which starred Roger Moore and Christopher Lee, as the three nippled arch-villain Scaramanga.

Nearby is the village on Koh Panyee.  This is a remarkable village, the whole of it built out over water on stilts with a giant rock monolith guarding its rear.  There are 1,485 people from 315 families who live permanently on Koh Panyee.  All of them are the descendants, directly or indirectly, from one family who were the first people to settle on Koh Panyee some 200 years ago.

Our last night in Thailand we decided to head down to Patong Beach which is known for it’s clubs and bars.  There were plenty of bars, shops and nightclubs all selling beer and other things that I won’t include on a blog that children might read!  We did end up at Molly Malone’s - you can always count on the Irish!  And we were very thankful we had made the decision to stay on a quieter beach.

The Thai people are very friendly and when meeting you make the Wai gesture - hands clasped together as if in prayer with a slight bow of the head. It is used to say hello without speaking but also as an sign of respect.  This gesture is often incorporated with the Thai word “sawatdee,” an all-purpose Thai salutation. No need to distinguish between "good morning" and "good evening", "hello" and "goodbye": sawatdee covers it all. When parting, some say chohk dee, meaning "good luck". Chohk dee also serves as a substitute for "cheers", not in the British sense of "thanks", but in the old-fashioned sense of "may the road rise to meet you, may the wind always be at your back."

Yes, Thailand has McDonald’s and Ronald is in a Thai state of mind!

Chohk dee!

Kamakura, Japan

I’m way behind on posting blogs.  Dan and I went to Japan the week before the kids came to visit.  Needless to say I didn’t get any posts done while they were here.  And since then, well, I just don’t have any excuses.  So here’s the long overdue post on Kamakura.

Dan’s colleague, Kumiko Ota, and her husband were gracious enough to take us to Kamakura during our visit to Japan.  Kamakura is a little over an hour away by train southwest of Tokyo.  Located on the ocean, Kamakura was the capital of Japan’s first military government, the Kamakura Shogunate from 1185 to 1333.  It has been the center for Zen Buddism for hundreds of years and is know for it’s multitude of temples and shrines.

Kumiko and Takeshi first took us to a Shinto Temple where we had a vegetarian lunch prepared by the staff.  Shinto priests are allowed to marry and the priests sometimes stay at temple through many generations.

Next we went to Hase-Dera Temple that overlooks the sea and houses a statue of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy.  Built in the 12th century, the temple also has a cave that contains a statues of the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan.

We also visited the Giant Buddha that is over 1200 years old.  A 15th century tsunami destroyed the temple that once housed the Great Buddha, but the statue survived and has remained outdoors ever since.You can go in the Buddha and climb to the top, similar to the Statue of Liberty.   

Our final stop in Kamakura was Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shinto Shrine.   Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura shogunate, built the shrine in 1191 and invited Hachiman, the god worshipped popularly among warriors, to reside there and guard his government. Cherry trees line the avenue to the shrine. The trees were ordered by Yoritomo as a prayer for the safe delivery of his first-born son.  The cherry trees were just beginning to bloom when we were there and it was quite lovely.  We were fortunate enough to see a traditional wedding procession.

As in almost all Shinto shrines all across Japan, Omikuji can be found. Omikuji are a written predictions about a person's near future. They give general advice about things like which direction is best, travel, business and illness. They are usually left out in a wooden box near the shrine with a sign stating how much for one. After paying, you unroll the folded paper and take a look at your fortune. Fortunes are divided into different levels of luck and misfortune. If you don’t like your fortune, you simply tie the paper to the strings hung at the shrine so the wind can blow the bad luck away.

Our kids in Singapore

Phil and Anne are with us this week in Singapore.  We are so excited to have them here!  Dan and I were in Tokyo last week, arriving back in Singapore just in time to welcome the kids.  We're off to Phuket, Thailand for 3 days and then we'll finish the week seeing the sights here.  I'll have a backlog of posts to get out once they head back to the States but unfortunately I'll have a lot of time on my hands!

A Little Piece of America!

Yesterday I was in the United States! Actually I visited the United States Embassy here in Singapore but while I was there I was on US soil. We had a very interesting tour with a representative from Consulate services and the Head of Security. Here are some of the things I learned:

There are approximately 20, 000 US citizens in Singapore including men, women and children.

The Embassy helps US citizens with things like: Adding passport pages, securing passports for children of US citizens who are born in Singapore, passport applications for non-US spouses, helping with estate matters when an US citizen dies abroad, and notarial services.

Most people who work at the Embassy are not US citizens but Singaporeans.

There are over 28 languages spoken at the Embassy.

Those US Citizens working for the State Department are assigned to a specific Embassy for 2 to 3 years.

All the materials used to build the Embassy were brought over from the US. The marble and granite in this embassy are from New Hampshire and Minnesota.

If the police are chasing you, don’t run to the Embassy gates shouting “I’m an American, I’m an American!” The Embassy will turn you over to the police. That’s just a scene from a movie.

US citizens when travelling or living abroad should register with the State Department. Consulate Services stated that Singapore keeps an immigration record and informs the Embassy with to the number of Americans either living or visiting but not who and where we are.
They encourage all US citizens who travel to register and list their trips on the State Department website so in case of a disaster, natural or man-made, they would know where you are and could look for you to get you back to the US. Otherwise, you have to make your way to an Embassy to receive assistance.
https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/

Robinson Crusoe Never Had It So Good!!

This weekend Dan took me to Nikoi Island for my birthday. It’s not your usual beach resort but one that we certainly enjoyed. Nikoi is a privately owned island off the east coast of Bintan, Indonesia. The island is only 15 hectares (about 37 acres) and has just 15 bungalows so there are never more than 50 people staying on the resort.

After reaching Bintan from Singapore on the ferry, a car drove us to a small village about an hour away where we boarded the boat for the 30 minute ride to Nikoi. I’m not sure what I was expecting but the fishing boat with a couple of wooden sofas on the deck wasn’t what I had imagined, but along with the island staff and supplies, we had a smooth journey.

We arrived at a beautiful white sandy beach where we were lead to Yogi’s Bar for a welcome drink before going to our bungalows. Yogi is famous for his drinks and I must say he lived up to his reputation. And yes, those are a bunch of bananas hanging from the rafter, ready to be eaten!

The bungalows are lovely thatched roof structures that are almost completely open-air and they seemed to be made of all natural materials with the beams, railings and steps appearing to be drift wood that was used in construction.

There is no air-conditioning but with the cool island breezes we slept quite well. There’s also no TV, internet, or dress code and you can feel the pace of life slow way down. A Kenny Chesney song comes to mind!

Meals were served in large open air pavilions at long communal tables. The food was delicious and made from ingredients that came over to the island that day. The fruit was especially good as many of the pineapples, coconuts and bananas are grown on Bintan. We also enjoyed sitting by the ocean, feet in the sand and drinking a nice bottle of wine. The full moon last weekend was just an added bonus!

They have a lovely pool and deck that looks out over the ocean towards iPod rock, so named because it looks like an iPod sitting in its charger. There’s also snorkeling equipment, kayaks and sailboats that can be used. The snorkeling is good as there’s a reef that keeps the water around the island nice and calm. We walked around the island at low tide and next time we visit we plan to kayak around as well. The beach cabanas look like Robinson put them up himself.

All-in-all, it was a fantastic way to spend a birthday and when we go back we’d love to take our U.S. visitors with us!

Gong Xi Fa Cai

This past Sunday was Chinese New Year and there was a huge build up to the holiday and the week long celebration. It is the biggest holiday for the Chinese who make up 80% of Singapore’s population. Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year somewhere between January 21 and February 20, falling on the second new moon after the winter solstice. This year is the year of the Tiger and as they say here – Gong Xi Fa Cai – Best Wishes for a Prosperous and Happy New Year!

The Chinese New Year celebrations are marked by visits to relatives and friends. More Chinese travel on this holiday than at any other time, it is said to be the greatest human migration in modern history. New clothes are worn to signify a new year with the color red being used liberally in all decorations. On the days before the New Year celebration, Chinese families give their home a thorough cleaning. It is believed the cleaning sweeps away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for good luck. Brooms are put away for the holiday so the luck cannot be swept away. Most have a family dinner on New Year’s Eve and then go down to Chinatown for celebrations at midnight. Dan and I went to Chinatown around 9pm and it was so crowded then, that I cannot imagine the crowd at midnight!

Red envelopes, hong bao, are given by parents and family to the children. The red packets usually contain money ranging from small amounts to several hundred dollars. The money is always given in even numbers with the number 8 being especially lucky because in Chinese saying the number 8 sounds like the word for wealth. Odd numbers are not given because they are associated with cash given during funerals. Also the number 4 is unlucky because saying it sounds like the word for death.

Dragon and lion dances are held during the holiday. It is believed that the loud beats of the drum and the deafening sounds of the cymbals together with the face of the dragon or lion dancing aggressively can evict bad or evil spirits. They are held in the streets, in front of temples and even inside retail stores as this photo shows. We ran into this lion with his band of drummers in the cosmetic section of a local department store.  He even went up the escalator!

Most people get 2 days off for the holiday and most stores are closed for the actual New Year’s Day with many Chinese owned stores closed for the entire week.

A large parade is held at the end of the week with fireworks culminating the holiday. This year the parade was held at the huge Formula 1 grandstands near the Singapore Flyer. It was an amazing parade with over 7,500 participants, 15 large floats, firecrackers, stilt walkers, dragon and lion dancers.
Here are a few video links of the parade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60yMGkVz4gk
Stilt walkers at the opening of the parade - walking with fireworks on their backs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MBvEgQmL2c
Fire-eaters & Firecrackers! The noise was deafening. Look at all the people with their hands over their ears!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrXMpi-bPTA
Lion and Dragon dancers!

Health & Beauty 101

Now that we’ve been here for a month we’ve begun to check out the facilities for hair care, massages, pedicures, etc. Singaporeans put great stock in their beauty regimes and have some interesting alternative treatments – reflexology, ear candling, ayurvedic oil treatment, and acupressure message.

Since Singapore’s weather is always warm, most people walk quite a bit, and sandals are the order of the day, good foot care is paramount. Good pedicures are abundant for about S$50 (about $35), but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Foot reflexology is the practice of applying pressure to parts of the feet with the goal of encouraging a beneficial effect on other parts of the body, or to improve general health and to relieve problems in the rest of the body – cure for migraine, back problems and neck problems. Dan found a Javanese Reflexology Center (Salon is too fine a point!) just around the corner of our apartment. He had been several times and took me for a visit a short time after my arrival in Singapore. Dan was so excited and thought it was a terrific massage; I on the other hand could not believe we paid someone to hurt my feet that much!

So having given up on foot reflexology, I decided to try a fish spa. Went to a “spa” called Kenko, advertised as offering Reflexology, Fish Spa and Internet Café! I went in and asked to have a “fish spa” and of course they were having a promotion. As an aside, every store, salon, restaurant in Singapore is always having a promotion! If I booked a 30 minute massage, I would receive a free fish spa. I mean what fool wouldn’t book a massage to get a free fish spa! Sooooo, they take me to the back and I sit in one of those shoulder massage chairs – chest against the chair, face in the hole – and the masseuse begins to (and I use this term loosely) massage my back. When she started with her elbow in my back, I let her know that the pressure was a little too hard but by the end of the massage, I actually thought she had broken a rib! I was sore for three days!

After my “massage” I was apprehensive about the fish spa. First, I was ushered into a foot bath where my feet were washed, and then led to a platform over a large fish tank, basically a deck with several holes cut in it over the tank.

Sitting down on the platform, I put my feet in the water and then came the doctor fish, Garra rufa, which eat the dead skin off your feet. They were first used in Turkey to help people with psoriasis, eating the dead skin and leaving the health skin to grow. It’s a little disconcerting having the fish swarm around your feet but not painful. At each opening was a plexi-glass table with a computer so you could surf the net while the doctor fish did their work – thus the internet café part of the marquee.

I’m still looking for a massage that doesn’t hurt and I haven’t given up on ear candling and the ayurvedic oil therapy but have decided to take a more cautious approach to further treatments!