Islands

Hi,

I was just about to tell you how it was a typical cloudy day in Chiang Rai when the wind came up and now it’s storming.  The rolling thunder tells me this may come in waves.

I was sure this week’s ‘Easy Monday’ song was one you would get quickly.  We’ve ‘sung’ this one before.  

“Hurry, don’t be late.  I can’t hardly wait, I said to myself when we’re old.  We’ll go dancing in the dark, walking through the park and __.”  Hint:  This should be easy.  Imagine thumbing through old, happy memories.

Based on real science, I have the flu.  The science included elevated temperature, achy joints, nasty cough, etc.  There is also that wandering mind thing, but that happens even when I’m not sick (555) so I didn’t include it in the science.  

All I can tell you about life outside is that the corn field next door finally got plowed under.  Big news in the hood:  Gong went to the fruit market today and got a bunch of mangos and watermelon so we’re set for a few days.  Daku has been bugging me to take him outside and doesn’t understand why we’re not doing our boy thing.

Friday night in Singapore, after we got settled at the apartment, Claire and her two little dogs took us to the pet supply store.  Some treats were found and I ended up walking Ginger home from the store.  Rosy is the other dog and they are Dachshunds.  Feeling a little dog like that pulling on a leash is a lot different from trying to manage Daku when he wants to pull.  We all got along great for the whole weekend.

Singapore is a very clean, orderly place.  We had seen a documentary a few days before we went, but it didn’t prepare us for the feeling we got.  There was a calm, polite vibe that took a minute to get used to.  On our train ride into the center of town Saturday morning, as soon as we got on the car a young girl jumped up and gave her seat to Lisa.  It happened a few more times.  The kids are taught to do this in school.  The train system is very efficient and we rarely had to wait more than 3 minutes.  We had brunch at a little cafe that played very cool music and had good food.  

The major adventure for Saturday was the big park complex, called Gardens on the Bay, near the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Casino.  There is a little zoo inside the park and lots of walkways through nature.  Singapore prides itself on its green space.  Trees, gardens and little forests are everywhere you look. The hotel is an iconic structure with three tall buildings (2,561 rooms) and a large shelf-like structure going across the top of all of them.  We didn’t get to see it from up there, but there is a swimming pool that appears to flow over the side.  

 

Today’s first photo is the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Casino.

This next photo is an overhead shot of Gardens by the Bay.  The orange structure on the bridge is made of fabric with lights inside.  We didn’t get to see it at night, but I can only imagine.

Have a Happy Tuesday.

                Peace,

                          Danny

“We are life islands in the sea,

separate on the surface but 

connected in the deep.”

~William James