A DAY OF SIGHTSEEING, LEARNING AND JAPAENESE FOOD!

My Saturday started with a trip to the pool to catch some sunshine. For the last few weekends it seems I arrive at the pool just moments before the sky opens up and the rain begins...so today I decided to go a bit earlier and see if that worked. It did. I had a lovely nap in the sun.

In the afternoon I was meeting up with Lynn from the office. She has just returned from a two month stay in the U.S. where she was taken about to see Iowa, so she was "paying it forward" by taking me around. Lynn grew up in Singapore so I knew it was going to be interesting to hear things as we went about the town...things that only someone that has lived here their entire life would know. I was very excited about my day ahead.

Lynn arrived at apartment and we headed to the bus stop. I have not mastered the art of the bus schedule or route yet, so it was fun to go with Lynn. She said we were going to start by going to her Dad's house. I was excited...I've only been in my apartment and Sandy's apartment, and now I was going to get to see a true Singaporeans house. Oh, so excited!

We took a bus ride that took us past things I had not seen yet. My neck was moving from one side to the other and I was trying to take it all in. There is so much to see here...and I want to see it all!!!! We got of the bus and had a few blocks to walk to her father's home. The first picture here is a picture of the President of Singapore's house...yes, he lives right here (and probably has other homes too). To the far right you can see a guard stand. As we walked past the home we also saw police motorcycles and a fancy car...I'm sure he travels protected much like the President of the United States.


This is Lynn's Dad's house. It was lovely. The first floor had marble floors and was a living room. Lynn's brother and his wife live here also, as well as Lynn's youngest sister. The living room had been made "child proof", just like we have to do in the U.S. The young child that lives there had an adorable motorized car that he was allowed to drive in the living room, and apparently a few things had gotten broken BEFORE they child proofed the house. I made me remember days gone by of Zac getting into everything!

This is Lynn and her father. He was a lovely tour guide. Just behind them you can see the doors open on the car...he had prepared to take us touring where ever I wanted to go and had opened the doors for us. What a gentleman. I learned that he had moved to Singapore when he was 18 or so, and has lived here since then. He was a policeman. He is now retired. He was so very gracious taking me about, telling me stories and being so kind.

I had mentioned to Lynn that I could see water out the office window, but had no idea how to see it from anywhere else and that I would like to see the coast area. So, she made that happen! We took a ride to East Coast Park and I got out to take some pictures.

I learned as we were driving to the Park that many areas of Singapore were "reclaimed" which means sand was brought in, and the land was created, diminishing the water area. Lynn's father would point out housing areas that use to have "sea side views" and the government reclaimed the land in front of them and those areas no longer had "sea side views". He explained that sand would be brought in, and pipes would be put vertically into the sand, very far down, and they would stay that way for a number of years. This would allow the water to evaporated and the sand to settle. After a number of years, the land would then be stable enough to begin building.
Here is a picture at East Coast Park. I'm standing on the beach and you are seeing the Straits of Singapore. The boats you see are carrying cargo to Singapore. Lynn's Dad explained that they would anchor out in the Straits and smaller boats would come and remove the cargo and bring it in-land. This was because the boats paid less tariff (Deb S....sounds like our game from our last class) the further out they anchored. Interesting!

Now I'm standing on the beach, looking behind the water. You can see that many people were camping...I almost felt like I was back in Iowa!!! This gentleman in the argyle sweater was so kind as he agreed to take a picture of Lynn and I.

So, here we are...Lynn and I on the beach. You can see by my hair, and the trees in the background, that there was quite a breeze. It was lovely. It was very hot, but the breeze made it feel better. I was having so much fun! I definitely will be going back to this park. There was an area to camp, play soccer, walk, run, roller blade, bike, swim, and rest. You can rent bikes along the path here. I think I'd like to do that and see the whole park.

This is a banyan tree. It only grows by the sea, as it survives by the salt in the sea. What looked like tree trunk to me, was actually the roots....above ground. It was amazing and this picture does not do it justice!

There was also a picnic area at the park. You could reserve the BBQ areas, much like we can in state parks in the U.S. Here's a picture of the BBQ area and the background is again, the Straits of Singapore. It made me wonder if this was a family or a group of friends...I often watch people and wonder what their story is.

We then took a ride around the neighborhood where Lynn's Dad lives. I am amazed at the beautiful homes and the painting on those homes. Here is a picture of row houses that were all beautifully painted, each one painted differently, yet they all went together.

This picture is showing some men painting the row house. It's not at all like painting a house in the U.S. as they were painting details on this house. One color was the main color, but then there were raised details everywhere that were being painted another color. I would not have the patience for this!

As I was walking around to take some pictures I saw this "front yard" of this row house. I felt like I was imposing on their privacy, but had to have a picture! Behind the gates a lot of times you see a car parked, but on this one there was just a "sitting area" (my guess). I imagined a neighbor stopping by and sitting down for a visit here. It just looks so quaint!

Lynn's Dad dropped us off at the MRT station and we were headed for Clarke Quay. First we stopped in a mall (there is one everywhere you look) and had a "dessert"...we had a waffle! Yep, that's not breakfast here, it's a dessert. My waffle had white chocolate and oreo crumbs. YUM-O!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sandy works in I.T. at Principal and she has a counterpart that is working in London. He was coming through Singapore for one day and Sandy took him about town. Lynn and I were meeting up with them for dinner. Now, those of you that know my eating habits, know when I say that we went to a JAPANESE restaurant that I was VERY beyond my comfort zone!!!! But off we went. Here's a picture of the sign outside the restaurant. You then walked up about 30 steps to a beautiful, yet simple restaurant.

So, the menus arrive....I believe we had eight different papers or booklets to look through. It was very different than an American restaurant where each person is given a menu. Here, the pile of menus is put in the middle and you all share. Outside Sandy had scoped out the menu before I arrived and saw that there was a "Steak Set" and thought I would be okay to eat it. "Set" means something comes with the food...much like we think of a meal at Outback would include a salad and baked potatoe. Here the "set" meant soup and rice. So I asked Lynn if it would be okay to ask for the "Steak Set" without sauce. She said "of course". When the waitress came she asked about the steak without sauce and me not really wanting the "set". The waitress suggested a Wagu Steak that came without sauce or set. Lynn explained it is a good steak, but would have some fat on it. I said YES!

Here's something that was on the menu....can you imagine even ordering...grilled pregnant smelt???

Vamsee wanted a California Roll (I learned this was sushi) and the restaurant was out. Apparently we were quite late for dinner and they were out of sushi....a Japanese restaurant out of sushi....Vamsee could not believe it...and it became the joke of the night that he couldn't get this.

My steak arrived...oh, it looked so good!!!!!!! I had only chopsticks to eat with...so I got a lesson on how to break them apart, how to hold them, and most importantly the main rule...just get the food to your mouth!!!!

I was in heaven...in a Japanese restaurant...heaven! The steak was done medium rare and perfect. They did not ask me how to cook it, but it was perfect. I savored every bite. No sauce, just steak, and it was precut in squares for me....which makes sense since you only get chop sticks. I had a few problems with the chopsticks, but quickly learned how to "get the food to my mouth" just so I could eat!

The bill arrived....oh my goodness...the "Steak Set" was something like $25 SING ($18 US), but my steak was $59 SING ($42 US)....but it was worth every single dollar...I enjoyed it completely and can say I have eaten in a true Japanese restaurant, even if I did NOT eat Japanese food!

Here's my dinner company...

Vamsee and Lynn

Sandy and me

Saturday was a fabulous day in Singapore. It was fun to hear about the country from someone that has lived here their entire life, or most of it in the case of Lynn's Dad. To gather for a dinner with three others...that's the most people I've been with at one time since arriving in Singapore!