From Singapura

Hi All,

Well, it has been a whirlwind since we touched down in Singapore (also known as "Singapura," city of lions) last Friday morning at 2:30 a.m. Our initial host, a former high school friend of mine, Tom Weinland, picked us up at Changi International Airport. It is Chinese New Year, and the whole island is celebrating, including Tom and his Chinese wife, Pui San, so we have been swept up in the festivities while trying to get our "duck's feet" working here. The weather is fairly mild, mostly in the 70s and 80s during the day, and super humid, as always, with daily downpours, usually in the afternoon.

I'm mostly relying on my iPad for accessing the internet, but wifi is is spotty, even here in ultra-modern Singapore, so who knows what future travels will allow (i.e. don't be too concerned if posts here are few and far between!). We have decided to spend more time in fewer places, so after a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, we will fly to Burma (aka Myanmar) for 10 days, then to Bali for 10 more,. We decided that, since Burma is just opening back up to the wider world, the changes likely to take effect there will vastly transform it in the very near future, so we will take a peek now. Bali is... well, Bali. After that, we will head back north - still to be determined.

Also downloaded an app called Blogsy for interfacing with the blog more effectively - supposedly makes it easier to upload pictures, videos, etc. - but still figuring it out. As so much seems to be, sounded easier than it actually is! Will try to get that configured so I can share my pics. For now, here is a picture of some so-called "super trees" (thank you, Google images) that are in Gardens by the Bay, part of a huge new construction project recently undertaken here. Singapore is making moves to "go green," and these tree-like structures function like mature trees, collecting rain water and hosting 162,000 different plant species planted around their trunks! Photovoltaic cells also harvest solar energy. It's a small space, Singapore, so they build efficiently (and vertical!!).

So, Gong Xi Fa Cai (Happy Chinese New Year)! It's now the Chinese year of the snake - I myself am a rat, so that makes me a little queasy!! : )

Hope you all are well!

Sandy