Back in Singapore

Ok - I'm back in Singapore! I spent a little over a month in the States - seems like it was a long time and then again, it seems like I was there for no time at all! Basil was able to spend 10 days in Louisville, then he had to return to Singapore because he had to go back to his 747.

It was such fun to see Abby, Doug and Shari! When we got off the plane in Louisvile and we exited past security, we were looking and looking for Miss Abby to come running at us. No Abby. No Shari. No Doug. We waited there for a minute thinking maybe they were running late. We called Shari's cell phone. She explained she was running late and to go on and retrieve our luggage and she'd meet us down there. So we headed to the escalator to go down to baggage claim. There, dancing around at the bottom of the escalator, was our little Abby just waiting to surprise us! Shari always seemes to plan a different way to surprise us! Such fun! We got the biggest hugs and kisses! I think Abby had grown a foot and seemed like such a big girl - no little baby or toddler any more. Such a sweet, cute, precious little lady! So full of laughter and she doesn't lack for energy - she's always on the go!

It was wonderful to be home again! Shari and Doug have done wonderful things with the house! Definitely putting their mark on it, as they should. Very comfortable and homey! Shari - great job! Fun to watch Abby with Cindy, the next door neighbor. I think Abby thinks she's just hers to visit whenever the f ancy strikes her. Went to see Teri a couple of times to get my nails done and drove down to Louisiana to see friends and take care of things there. Basil had the opportunity to visit his sister and friends in Columbus. It was a very nice - albeit too short - a visit!

The biggest thing going on while I was in Louisville was Abby's first dance recital! She went to dance classes all this past school year and she was in 3 numbers in the recital. There is nothing in this world cuter than 3 year olds dancing on stage in their cute costumes! Brought back so many memories of all those years of dance with Shari. It was like I was looking at her up there. Abby did very, very well. No crying or acting scared - she followed the instructor out there, got into position and did her dances. Ok, well there might have been a little looking around and missing a few steps, but she did so good, as did the kids out there. Shari and Doug took sooooooooooooo many pictures and videos - maybe Shari will post some here with Abby's other pictures! It was such fun to watch her - I would not have missed it for the world!

Flight to and from Singapore was very uneventful - I was count that as a good thing! I flew Northwest Airlines this time. The best thing I have learned with flying them is that when you leave either here or the States, since I was booked on them all the way - you don't have to deal with your luggage again until you reach your destination. That was a whole lot easier than going through New York, retrieving luggage and catching a bus to go across town to JFK and then checking it again. This was so much easier! If you're planning a visit here, think seriously about booking all the way here on the same airline!

Since returning to Singapore, it's done nothing but rain! Lots of thunder and lightening and soaking rain. Good excuse to stay in, unpack, sleep and get my body clock back on this time! Basil is still on a trip, so I've had the place to myself for 3 days. While I was gone the boxes I mailed to myself from the States finally arrived. I mailed them from Louisville through the US Postal system on Feb 21st. They finally arrived after I got in the states, almost 3 months later! It will be like Christmas unpacking them! My Internet phone is in one of the boxes, so I'll have it out and working this next week, I hope! I'll send an email letting you know the number and when it's up and running!

Basil has spent several days in Amsterdam and several more days in a couple of different places in India. I think he's getting a little more acclimated to India - the culture shock isn't as great as it was the first time! He's taking pictures, which I will help him download and I'll put some on here. Shari is helping me learn to put pictures on here, too, so soon there'll be stuff to not only read, but to look at to!

Guess I'll go take a little nap and wait for Basil to come home!

Abby - I miss you and I've already sent you three packages. Watch for them. Grandpa Basil is bringing stuff from Amsterdam, so we'll mail that tomorrow. You are so precious!

Shari and Doug - thanks for putting up with me for so long a visit - you two are the most wonderful kids a parent could have - Basil and I are sooooooooooooo lucky! You all are doing a terrific job with Abby - she's wonderful. All your time and attention with her definitely shows.

Lynn- thanks so much for the wonderful visit. Your yard was unbelievably beautiful with all the flowers in bloom. Can't wait until the next time "court" is in session. Tell Gene it will be as usual!

Andrea - it was so good to see you and the family! Everyone looked so good!

Cindy - thanks for being such a wonderful neighbor and friend.

Deb Mac - congrats on selling your book!

Patsy - so wonderful to see you! You look terrific!

Faye - I heard you got the shock of a lifetime when Doug came home!

Don and Linda - dinner was great! Let's do it again as soon as I get back home! Plan your trip here!

Heather - yes, still the future. Yes, he's still there.

Cleanliness is next to .... the police station

The last few days I have been shopping quite a bit and so I have been utilizing the transportation system. Buses, MRT (the subway) and of course, taxis. Everything is so clean. The reason being it's frowned upon, and in many cases illegal, to eat and drink outside the confines of a restaurant or hawker stand (the little sidewalk cafe things).

You simply do not see people eating or drinking on the street, buses, subway or in taxis. Most raxi drivers will refuse you service if you have a drink of any sort in your hand. It is actually illegal to eat or drink on the buses and subways. Big fines and/or jail time. You do not even see babies in strollers with a sippy cup or bottle in hand. Mothers will stop at a restaurant or the sidewalk cafes to bottle feed a baby or give a sippy to a child. No one leaves McDonald's with an open cup. Consequently, you don't have sticky spills or messes left behind, either from the food and drink in spills or in trash left behind.

The buses are clean, many of them are double-deckers and some even have a flat screen tv tuned to a local station to watch while you are riding. Some of the bus stops, but not all, have flat screen tv's to watch also while waiting for the bus. They are built for small people though. Gene - when we take you on a bus here you will be stooped over until you sit down. You'll be impressed by the bus system, but uncomfortable until you sit!!!

The strange thing is I'm noticing about the Asian culture is that people do not look at one another and will very rarely make eye contact. Me, being from Texas always having a smile, nodding and speaking to people - they just don't have any idea what I'm about! Some will immediately look away, some will very tentativly smile back, some just look shocked. I just plow blindly ahead and smile, nod and speak to everyone! Establishing new cultural ties! When asked a question, people will look at you and have always been unfailingly nice and helpful and friendly.

We're headed back to the States for a visit arriving in Louisville on the 9th of May so we'll see some of you pretty soon. This will be Basil's first trip home since October. Look out Abby - he's got big hugs - lots of them for you! Look out Shari - he's got everything in the world for Abby - clear a space for it all! I think one whole suitcase homeward bound is presents for all!! If we don't get to see you - at least look for a phone call that comes up on calller ID as being from Louisville - Shari's number or my cell from Shreveport.

I don't know if I'll blog back from the states or not, so check back and watch for the next one!

Love to all!

Lindsay - we're here for 6 years. You've got plenty of time for a visit - tickets are about $900 to $1500 round trip. No jobs to look for here. Jobs are available, but you must find one from the states, get a contract in hand and they sponsor you to come here and work. People do not hardly change jobs because the paperwork and permits are such a hassle for anyone from any country other than Singapore. Even the workers from Phillipines, Indonesia, anywhere - it erequires lots of work to work here. But it can be done!!

Jim and Pam - hope it was a fun trip!

Patsy - I see margaritas in our future - soon!

Lynn - see ya soon!

Heather - loved the stuff about your trip!!

And Heather - Still future. Still there.

Where in the world is Basil now?

Thought I should probably give an update on Basil and his flying since that seems to be the reason we are over here! He is having an absolute ball! I'm up typing on the computer while he is sleeping. I thought I'd just stay up so I can make some breakfast or dinner or whatever when he wakes up to get ready. He takes off about 4 am and flys to Hong Kong. He'll stay there for 2 to 3 days and then be back. This should be his final training flight. If all checks out and the training captain signs him off, he'll fly his next flight as a full fledged Captain with Singapore Air Cargo! The training has been long and tedious, but good. He loves flying the 747 and going all over the place. Ok, to be perfectly honest - he doesn't love everywhere he's been to.

He was in Calcutta, India last week for 3 days. definitely not his cup of tea. He says the first thing that hits you is the smell. Next is the crazy taxi drivers and their driving. He got in while it was dark and said it was terrifying driving in from the airport to the hotel. Riding in a taxi in broad daylight did nothing to dispel the terror. In fact, he said that was almost worst because you could see everything when you weren't hiding your face in hands! The mass of people, the poverty, everything - he was shell shocked when we spoke on the phone. After a couple of more taxi rides and trying to decide what to eat and where - he was a little more acclimated, but I suspect it will take several visits there before he is not just in a daze about it. He still has Mumbai, Delhi and Chenai to visit.

Favorites stops have been Melbourne, Australia and he seems to like London and Hong Kong. Dubai he says is incredible with a horrendous amount of traffic on the road and pretty crazy drivers there, too. The goods you can get there are mind-boggling as is the amount of building go on there. Our friend Wayne got to go to Auckland, New Zealand and he loved it there. He spent two months living and working in India and was just having the most fun with Basil's shell shocked reaction to it all. Bear in mind the fact that Basil has never really seen poverty on much of any level in the states, much less abroad. Whizzing past the housing projects at 65 mph has been the bulk of his experience with poverty. But not anymore! He's seeing the really real world now. Wayne just keeps laughing at him! India is one place I have never had a desire to see. I would, however, love to see New Zealand.

Guess I'll go get dinner or breakfast for him so his stomach won't be growling during his check ride to Hong Kong! Then I figure I'll get some sleep unless Abby calls to tell me she wants to see me on the 'puter!

Joyce - getting ready for Barb's visit? Still playing Blokus?

Rusty - baby yet?

Lynn - our bet is on!

Karen - where are you?

Shari - love ya! Love Abby! Love Doug!

Heather - yes, still.

Forging the bonds of friendship

Today I have been looking at persian carpets. After a 3 hour lesson in the designs, patterns, origins and materials used I am so overwhelmed I may never be able to decide on one - and the trouble with that is - I need two!

Here's a sampling of what I have learned todayabout hand made rugs: they are city made or tribal made. City made means that exactly - made by people who live in cities. Usually a family, many of which have been making rugs for generations. They are pretty exact with their patterns, which look like giant cross stitch patterns. Tribal rugs are made by people who live outside cities. Their patterns are not generally written down and the designs are passed on from generation to generation. Their patterns are not as exact, so are thought to be more "one of a kind", whereas the city ones can be reproduced from the written pattern. Technically since all are handmade, they are "one of a kind", but more room for error or uniqueness among the tribal ones. Rugs are made of silk, wool, cotton or any combination thereof, with silk being the most expensive. Tribal rugs are almost never made of silk. Cotton only rugs are not as durable, silk is the most durable and the most expensive. These carpets come in a variety of sizes and come from Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, India, Nepal along with some from Turkey. I have listed them in the order of their desirability. Iranian ones are the most expensive, etc on down. So the silk ones from Iran are the most expensive ones. You are supposed to look not only at the front of the carpet, but also at the back of it to see if you can see the knots and tails. The more you don't see, the better. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and colors. Just when you think you've seen every color and design you can imagine, they bring out a whole new batch. And bring them out they do! Before you can blink twice they have flipped out and unfolded at least 50! It is astounding how fast they can unfurl them and refold or reroll them.

As we were finishing up today, a gentleman came in to look at rugs. The owner of the shop introduced us and the man gave me his business card. He is with the Raffles Hotel and was looking for persian rugs to lay down in the lobby of the hotel. For those of you who might not know, the Raffles Hotel is Singapore's oldest and most prestigous hotel. The hotel bar is where the Sinagpore Sling drink was invented!

The man who owns the rug shop is an Iranian by the name of Saeid (pronounced sigh eed). Very nice, well educated, speaks English very softly and very well. Came very highly recommended. He told me today never pick a rug until at least your third or fourth visit. Just come in, drink tea and look. One will call to you. As we were concluding our lesson and visit for the day, I was asking where in Iran he was from. He tells me Tehran, as is his wife. He learned the business from his father and his grandfather. He came to Singapore several years ago because it is an easier place to do business from. But he says I would love Tehran and would be treated very well there in private homes. Visits in private homes best, in public very political with much rhetoric and posturing. Many rules in public. Then he says too bad nations cannot be more civil as everyday people are to one another. Then maybe we could all get along better. Amen to that! I'll buy my rugs from him.

Faye - Shari says you read the blog all the time. Send an email to rathbun_debbie@yahoo.com and let's get acquainted. What's your favorite color to wear?

Cindy - I can never reach you! Just wanted to say hi!

Sam- are your parents trekking through the wilds of central America yet?

Patsy - cannot wait for a Wed night Mexican fest with you!

Becky - sounds like you all are having some fun coming up!

Heather - Yes, still in the future. Yes, he's still there.