Jungle Love

When you move to a new country it’s important to experience the culture and partake in the regional customs and celebrations. That is why last August when we were still new to Singapore we made plans to attend the National Day Parade.
 

It is equally important to learn from your mistakes and never repeat them which is why with National Day approaching again this year we decided to look into getting out of town for a few days.

Monsoon and rainy season limit the options for traveling during the summer months around South East Asia unless you want to take a chance on a cheaper trip that will just about guarantee to be at least a partial wash out. This is what has driven us to an almost annual trip to Bali the past few years (we somehow make due with these hardships). And once again the conversations started, but having just been there a couple of months ago we expanded our search a bit and decided to take a chance on four days in Langkawi, a small island off the west coast of Malaysia with a fairly consistent climate.

I was able to book the short hour and ten minute flight using sky miles, so with the money we saved I upgraded us to what was recommended as one of the nicest, perhaps even the best, resorts on the island called The Datai. It is located on the northwest coast about a half an hour from the airport and is situated right in the middle of a rain forest. It shares a beach with one other resort and is very secluded.

After a delay we arrived very late and very hungry on Friday night. We were seated in the lounge with a welcome drink as the staff checked us in and explained the lay of the land – such as requests not to feed the monkeys and recommendations on ensuring our balcony doors are locked because they will break in for food. Maybe seeing Rise of the Planet of the Apes on Thursday night was not the wisest idea.

Once settled we quickly made our way to the main Dining Room restaurant and enjoyed a late night dinner followed by a nightcap back in the lounge accompanied by live music and then it was off to sleep.

Keeping a consistent agenda with all of the trips I have booked, the only item on the itinerary was relaxation. So we slept in late and made our way to the breakfast buffet shortly before it closed. It offered all of the western norms as well as a fair spread of Malaysian specialties.

 

Then it was back to the room to prepare for a day in the sun. We started by taking the 173 step staircase (!!) and few hundred meter walk through the rain forest to the beach. As advertised, it was a lovely setting nestled between the hillsides. There were plenty of lounge chairs available either right out in the sun or well shaded by the mangrove trees. “Two in the shade please.”

After a while we made our way down to the water, pleasantly surprised to learn that when an island’s temperature is consistently warm all year, the water is like a bathtub.  And we spent a good part of the afternoon floating around the Andaman Sea.

The resort offered two pool options, one down by the beach opened to all and another at the top of the staircase for adults only. So after a light snack we decided to take the inevitable trip back up and spent the evening poolside, scanning the treetops for local wildlife.

That evening we decided to once again descend down to the beach and had a pre-dinner drink at the seaside bar and watched the sunset. The resort had a restaurant on that level that offered theme buffet nights and we had made reservations for the Seafood Night. A mix of grilled items, made to order pastas and a wide variety of prepared selections were very satisfying if not amazing.  Full enough we decided to forgo the stairs and waited for the available shuttle service to bring us back to the lounge.

 

We closed the night back in the lounge with a cold draft and a nice Cuban cigar for myself. However the music that evening was drowned out by the croaking of frogs in the lobby pond. Where they were the night before is anyone’s guess, but they were making their presence known now. Life in a rain forest.

Heavy rains overnight cleared up for another beautiful day and we basically replicated day one with a stop at the spa for myself to see if I could actually make it any more relaxing. On our way up to the pool in the late afternoon we did get greeted by some unexpected guests. A pack of about 20 macaque monkeys were making their way down the boardwalk as we were making our way up. They strolled right by us with subtle glances but not much of a reaction.  Unfortunately I didn't get any great pictures because there were a few other women on the deck; a French one who tried hiding behind Lisa and just kept saying, “There are too many of them,” and another who had a knack for stepping in front of me every time I snapped a photo. Oh well, they are quite common around Asia so besides the proximity it was far from the first time we have seen them.

For dinner that evening we dined in the Pavilion next to the main pool which had some very good Thai food, though it was the least favorable service we had through the weekend. However we did end up with some other unexpected dinner guests. 

In Southeast Asia newts are quite common. We can see them every day in Singapore and there were even some in HK as well, and as you may imagine there is an abundance of them in the rain forest. They tend to be out at night and hang around any lights and are basically skittish little guys that run at the first sign of motion. I’m not sure if these two were on a dare, just really liked Thai food or we are just that good of company but they kept coming back and hung around for our whole meal. They posed for pictures and came within inches of us – darting away if I moved for something quickly but then reappearing a few minutes later.

We wrapped up the night with a quick stop at the lounge as the frog festival was on once again, and the next day was the only morning we had to get up. 

Once I booked the trip, as Lisa will do, she started researching Langkawi online and came up with a plan for us on Monday. We chartered a sailboat, The Rampant, out for the day. It was about a 45 minute car ride to the port on the southwest corner of the island and Carl and Bea, the owners and crew, were waiting for us on the dock at 9:40 am sharp.

The boat accommodated up to 12 guests but only 7 booked that day and 2 did not show up, making it a very comfortable group of 5 of us going out, the other three being a father and his two daughters originally from Seattle but living in Singapore now as well.

 

There wasn’t much wind so we had to motor our way out and we stopped along the picturesque trip for some swimming, kayaking and lunch. There was an uneventful stop at a beach on a deserted island as well where we did a small trail walk to a man-made lake which seemed a little forced to show you got something extra for your money.

Bea was Swiss and Carl South African and they told us some interesting stories of how they ended up running charter trips out of Malaysia. We asked Carl for some advice on our upcoming trip to South Africa, but he hadn’t been there in about 20 years and I think we offered them more advice on traveling around Asia than we received.

They were able to raise the sails for the return voyage and we got back to the resort in time for our evening at the pool and we were happy to see that we were joined overhead by some Dusky Leaf Monkeys, aka Spectacled Langurs, the cuter of the two types of primates that shared the island. We got to see a mother and baby and some in house arguments settled and ended up with stiff necks from watching all the action.

That night we headed back down to the buffet for Italian Night which was surprisingly better than we could have hoped, ending the evening with a cold draft and one more Cuban along with the now ever present croaking chorus.

Our flight on Tuesday was not until 8:45pm and the resort was nice enough to let us check out at 6:00pm so we spent a condensed day that looked an awful lot like Saturday and Sunday ending with an early and tasty dinner in the Dining Room where we ate the first night.

On our way to the airport just outside the resort our car came to an abrupt stop and swung to the other side of the road, making it clear our driver was avoiding running something over. Once past he slowed down to show us the last wildlife we would get to see. There was a giant cobra crossing the road which we were glad we only learned about on our way off the island.

I can't say that it was Langkawi itself that we loved as we were not that adventurous there, but we did have a great long weekend at The Datai and I would highly recommend that to anyone – particularly those in Singapore only an hour away. Bali will always be Bali but this was a really nice change of pace and may be the last tropical adventure we have during our stint in Asia. But then again…

I’ll blog ya’ later…

I'm Going to Go Back There Some Day

What do two travel addicts do when their travel will be drastically curbed come 2012? Pack up the suitcases and pack in the trips! Leaving Asia without seeing Hong Kong one more time was unthinkable for me, so about a month ago we took that 3.5 hour flight from one of the world's most eh-alright cities to one of the world's greatest (in the humble opinion of the author, but trust me). We visited one year ago, nearly to the same date, but we had only moved four months prior and all our friends were still living there, so it felt as if we had hardly left. Paul also worked for two days when we were last there, while this time we went purely for the purpose of being in a place that we love.

After our cramped 6:30 a.m. flight, we had to wait on the non-resident immigration line at the HK airport because our resident cards have expired; no more breezing through with the magic thumbprint. Everything else was instantly familiar. We got into town by early afternoon and checked into our first hotel in Lan Kwai Fong, the crazy busy center of the city. It was a nice hotel, but it's in a tower that also contains bars and restaurants and overlooks the streets of LKF where sidewalk revelry continues late into the night. It was only a Thursday, but when I briefly woke at 2:30 a.m., I could still hear a buzz.

After checking in we quickly headed off to the tailor that has made custom suits for Paul in the past. They have all his measurements on record but they re-checked a few before he chose material and ordered another suit and some pants to be collected on Saturday - two days later. How many ways is this city great?

We hopped on a tram toward Wan Chai, our former neighborhood. To my surprise, my beloved $2 tram (a few cents in USD) now cost $2.30. We were lucky we had some spare change or we'd be fare dodging criminals on the run. We took a short walk before lunch. Much was the same. There were several new eateries that I have no doubt we would have eagerly sampled (sigh). We had a lunch reservation at Rokaku, our favorite sushi place. That's right - I ate sushi, and I and my unborn child lived to tell the tale. Don't tell the pregnancy cops. To Paul's great disappointment, they had no salmon sushi, which he had been imagining since he made the reservation. But it was still as good as always.

Next on the list and just around the corner was Sift, the cupcake shop. Personally, that's what I've been dreaming about... always. We ate them outside and savored every crumb. Then Paul went off to get a haircut while I did a little shopping. The selection of maternity clothes in Singapore is rather dismal and, not surprisingly, overpriced. So I took the opportunity to hit up some shops I knew in hopes of picking up some essentials.

We both eventually ended up at the hotel where we freshened up for dinner. When planning our must-have meals, our first choice was our favorite restaurant Wagyu. Tragically, they decided to close for renovation the week we were in town. But Wagyu Lounge, the smaller sister restaurant/lounge nearby has a very similar menu so we had a suitable back-up. And really, there were no complaints. Service was still as service should be. We shared a delicious appetizer and mmm'd over excellent steaks. We ordered a bottle of wine, of which I had a glass.

***Disclaimer*** My doctor stated that she has no problem with the occasional glass of wine. I didn't even ask. She brought it up, and she has certificates on her wall. I am just a sensible adult, but I agree.

Upon receiving the bill, we realized what perspective can do. We had a truly satisfying dining experience - with wine - and the price seemed reasonable... better than reasonable, almost inexpensive

compared to what we would pay for the equivalent (as if there were one) in Singapore.

We stopped at a small bar in Soho called 1911 that we used to go to occasionally. Then we walked back to LKF Tower which housed our hotel and stopped in one of the new bars there, Lily, just taking in the variety of old and new. We would probably find ourselves at Lily again if we still lived there, preferably when I could have an actual drink rather than watching others drink. It was great to have so much within walking distance of the hotel. Hitting the bed became the next must-do activity after a long day of travel.

The next day Paul went off on his own while I met friends for lunch at a new place, also by the Wagyu group. Considering how hard it is getting a group of busy girls together, it was a pleasant surprise that all whom I met in the YWCA's "At Home" class my first year in HK were available, at least the six who remain in HK, and we had a lovely lunch. Then my friend Victoria came maternity shopping with me. She's also pregnant with her second, due one week after I am.

Don't feel too bad for Paul being abandoned. He did some shopping of his own and fit in a massage at our favorite Wan Chai place. In the evening we met my friend Peggy and her husband Sander for dinner at W52, another new Italian place which was very good. Peggy bought us our first baby gift, actually our first baby item whatsoever, an adorable little outfit with a rabbit on it since the baby will be born in the year of the rabbit in the Chinese Zodiac. At least it better be a rabbit because if I have a dragon, as cool a nickname "Dragon" is, it means I will have been over two weeks past the due date.

We spent our second and third nights at a different hotel than the first, a Novotel in Wan Chai, because we used credit card points to pay for it. It wasn't as swanky as Hotel LKF, but the room was quieter (and free). It also put us in walking distance of a very important destination: The Flying Pan. Saturday morning started with a satisfying breakfast at our favorite weekend comfort spot. We frequented the place enough that the wait staff always knew that we both ordered iced lemon teas every time and they would practically hand them to us as we came through the door. After nearly a year and a half, they seated us and stunned me as one said, "Two iced lemon teas?" Then I felt guilty that they may think we just don't go there anymore! 

Flying Pan

After breakfast, we went to the Thai massage place where I indulged in one of the things I miss most, a cheap 90 minute foot massage. Paul joined me, but maybe he shouldn't have since he woke the next day to bruises on his legs and a mild rash from the massage oil. It wouldn't be a trip for us if he didn't claim that I try to kill him somehow. My legs were fine.

I had a brief meet-up with another friend, and then Paul and I spent the rest of the afternoon walking, shopping and picking up the finished suit. For a trip that should have been inexpensive, with a free hotel and budget flight, it ended as anything but. Paul bought a camera (long cringe-worthy tale regarding a series of injured cameras); I bought a camera lens, and we both bought clothes. We bought all this there because it's much cheaper than in Singapore, so we continue our questionable endeavors of spending money to save money.

Exhausted, we had a quick rest before meeting our friends Victoria and John at yet another new find, Duecento Otto (208). Excellent food in an elegant atmosphere. Unfortunately I had woken up with a sore throat and by evening felt an oncoming cold, so I had less of an appetite than I should to fully appreciate everything on my plate, though I heroically persevered through dessert. After dinner Paul and I made stops at two of our old spots, MO bar, where I had a glass of orange juice rather then my favorite lychee rose martini, then live music at The Lobster Bar, where I had peppermint tea rather than my favorite chocolate mint martini.

Sunday I awoke feeling terrible. At least the full force of illness struck on the last day, not the first. We decided on a final meal of dim sum at Peking Garden. I had even less of an appetite, and I knew that that would make me sad some time in the future when I may be in the mood for good dim sum. We walked back to Wan Chai and absorbed many familiar scenes, as if I could transport them with us. We paused once more at Ship St., our old residence. I stood and gazed down the street with a lump in my throat. Then off to the airport.

Down on our old corner

I was so truly happy to be in Hong Kong again. I loved every moment, and I said aloud more than once what I felt inside: I am happy. Some of the storefronts, names and places have changed, but the essence of Hong Kong thankfully remains the same. Some friends have since moved, but it was a joy to see the friends who are still there; they are part of what made our experience all that it was. We revisited old favorites yet we were also met with many new delights. It's also wonderful to have cities of the world, once foreign, feel familiar... to walk around without a map, to smile at the best, to grumble at the worst (people still walk straight into you). In many ways it still felt like home. What a privilege.

Sometimes you don't know what you have until you miss it, but I cannot say this about Hong Kong. I'm thankful that I knew that I loved it while I lived it. I hope we encounter its vibrance again one day. 

Two iced lemon teas, on the way!

A little Mac in Hong Kong

Two Of Us

I've always had this title put aside for the blog announcing our return home from Asia. As it turns out, home as we used to know it is elusive. "Two Of Us" is a Beatles song, some say about Paul and Linda, some about Paul and John. I don't understand the meaning behind all the lyrics, but I understand the feeling behind them. It's about two of us bound together on a journey. It's about home being wherever and whenever the two of us are with each other. Two of us drawing our own lines on the map, at our own pace.

Two of us riding nowhere
Spending someone's
Hard earned pay
You and me Sunday driving
Not arriving
On our way back home
We're on our way home
We're on our way home
We're going home

Two of us sending postcards
Writing letters
On my wall
You and me burning matches
Lifting latches
On our way back home
We're on our way home
We're on our way home
We're going home

You and I have memories
Longer than the road that stretches out ahead...

This blog has always been our postcard, our written letter. Today it reads:

Weather is hot.

Having a great time. Wish you were here.

Great news, we're having a baby!

If you're still a regular reader of the blog or if you've seen or heard from us in the last several weeks, then you already know, but it still seemed right to make the written announcement. Now you see why the title itself, "Two Of Us," no longer fits, no matter where we may find ourselves on the map. Where we call home next, there will be three of us. Paul and I met over twenty years ago. He and I have memories, indeed. This month we'll be celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary, and in January we'll be celebrating the arrival of our baby. A tiny American expatriate in Singapore. And we really are having a great time. And we do wish you were here.

Some time last year, we were walking home from dinner (probably pizza) one Sunday evening. At the crosswalk on our street a man was walking with a little girl of about four years old. Trailing her father, the girl was pulling a small suitcase along on its wheels across the street. Partly to her father and partly to herself she said, "I love dragging this thing around." A smile I couldn't help spread across my face when I caught her musing. Maybe it was the sight of a girl appreciating a new accessory; maybe it was the recognition of a girl who felt safe walking alongside her daddy; maybe my heart nearly burst for a child's enthusiasm for journeys ahead, and I felt lucky to be a witness to her joy.

Now I wonder, what will we pass along to our future son or daughter? A yearning for exploration? Appreciation of The Beatles? A hankering for pizza? Two of us and time will tell.

Drive My Car

Here's one fact that tells you something about how the Chinese government feels about the USA: It costs three times more for an American to obtain a Chinese visa than a national from just about any other country.

With valuable visas gleaming, we made our second trip to China on Friday, June 17. Our friends Maggie and Chris from Hong Kong now live in Suzhou, China, about two hours from Shanghai. Suzhou is billed as the "Venice of the East" because of its many canals. Since we won't be getting back to Italy as we thought we might in our tenth anniversary year, China was the logical runner up! Maggie is pregnant and due October 7 (a great birth date) so we chose to visit before baby hi-jinks ensue.

It's a 5.5 hour flight from Singapore to Shanghai and we arrived in the afternoon, greeted by Mrs. Wu. Maggie and Chris have a car and driver, without which navigating the streets of Suzhou and Shanghai would be unfathomable. Maggie had sent me a pre-arrival email saying that the driver would meet us at the airport holding a sign. She said, "Her name is Mrs. Wu and she'll take good care of you." And there was Mrs. Wu, ready to whisk us away to the city in the comfort of a minivan. It was a long slow drive into the city through the rain, but being met and driven made everything so much easier. You know, they speak Chinese everywhere over there?!

M&C met us at the hotel in Shanghai. After dropping off the luggage, we headed out together to Yuyuan (Yu Garden), a sprawling historical site of gardens, ponds, "rockeries," pavilions, halls, courtyards and of course shops and food stalls (including 2 Dairy Queens). It was raining so we didn't get to fully appreciate the gardens. We did get to drink soup through a straw from giant dumplings though. Mrs. Wu went home for the day so to return to the hotel we had to negotiate for a cab in the rain, not an easy feat. But the cab driver we nabbed gave us his card which came in handy later when we had an even harder time getting a cab outside the hotel en route to dinner. Of course, his price went up in those few hours but it was worth it.

Chris chose Yunan cuisine at Lost Heaven. We had a reservation but we still had to wait at the bar upstairs. It was a pretty cool atmosphere, though the service was, let's say, unpolished. We were waiting long enough that we decided to order some spring rolls. A waiter said he was checking on our table availability, but when Chris finally went down and asked on his own, the table had been waiting for us. Our spring rolls still hadn't arrived so we wanted to pay for the drinks and proceed downstairs, but as we tried to pay, the waiter stalled so that the spring rolls then appeared. We asked if they could be brought downstairs and he agreed, and handed Maggie the dish. You had to walk through an open courtyard to reach the stairs. It was an upscale place; it shouldn't have been so hard to understand that we didn't care to carry the spring rolls ourselves to our table downstairs while walking through the pouring rain. But it's China, hence it was difficult. Once the waiter begrudgingly agreed to escort our spring rolls and we shook off the weirdness of the wait, we had some excellent food and a very enjoyable dinner.

After dinner, we walked a few blocks on The Bund and across a bridge to Vue, a panoramic bar in the Hyatt boasting fantastic views of the city. Shanghai is notoriously hazy and polluted and with the added rain and fog, we had to take our hosts' word that there were skyscrapers out there. It was a tease to see only the lower third of Shanghai's modern skyline, but it was impressive still.

Saturday morning Mrs. Wu drove us to Taikang Lu in the French Concession, not far from the hotel. It's an artsy enclave that recently developed from a residential area that dates to the 1930's. Trendy cafes, coffee shops, art galleries and craft stores nestle amongst local residents' homes and their everyday items like washing and kitchenware and electric cables. It was a great area worth exploring. We ate a good breakfast at Kommune, a coffee shop on a cobblestone alley. The rain started pouring again as we finished the last few smoothie gulps and we had to escape with umbrellas into nearby shops. We wandered a bit but I would have surely returned to this area if we had been in Shanghai longer and if the weather was more hospitable. Unfortunately we missed some good photo opportunities because it was just too much to wrangle a camera with an umbrella.

On our way out of Shanghai we went to the Jade Buddha Temple. More rain. Then we made our way to Suzhou with Mrs. Wu. In need of an afternoon snack, we went to a little gem called Yaba where we filled our grateful bellies with the region's specialty dumplings. These were slightly different from the many other varieties we've had. They're called shengjian: soup-filled and pan fried, some sesame seeds and chives sprinkled on top; they are delicious. Maggie said that there's normally a queue out the door but we were there late in the afternoon so it wasn't as crowded. Paul had a minor fumble and accidentally knocked a few dumplings on the floor. One of the staff unexpectedly and very generously came and replaced the whole plate of eight. Paul later tried to pay for them but without any English, the kind man indicated that a smile was payment enough.

We continued with the Suzhou experience at Pingjiang Lu, a charming pedestrian street alongside a canal in "Old Town." We strolled in the rain and then settled in at a cozy tea house. After a relaxing break we went to another part of the old town, Shan Tang Jie, another scenic pedestrian street along the water. We walked around until dark and then we took a boat ride on the canal. Winding down the day, we ate dinner at one of M&C's favorite spots, Bashu. We tried some rabbit legs and some frog and some other "normal" dishes like spicy chicken and cucumbers. I could go for another rabbit leg!

We finally landed at M&C's door in Suzhou Industrial Park. They have a spacious apartment in a high-rise with a view of Jinji Lake. I got to see Baxter and Lily again, the cats I used to check up on when their parents were traveling, back in the days of being J Residence neighbors in HK.  I'll flatter myself and say they remembered me.

On Sunday morning, Maggie made us a hearty breakfast and we took it easy. And... no rain today!!! Under a gray but dry sky we visited The Humble Administrator's Garden, the largest in Suzhou. Guides tout their services at the entrance and Chris agreed to an English-speaking guide named Andrew. He turned out to be knowledgeable and affable, if a little hard to understand. The garden, with a long history originating with the Tang Dynasty, was very pretty, and of course it was crowded (it's China) but not uncomfortably so.

We ate a quick lunch at Yang Yang where we had another Suzhou specialty, sweet and sour fish. Apparently this place is recommended by Lonely Planet. I didn't know they made it out to Suzhou! After lunch we all indulged in massages at Dragonfly Spa. Inexpensive massages has to be one of my favorite things about living in Asia (minus Singapore; nothing's cheap here). Our laid back day ended with some steaks grilled on the BBQ at home.

Chris went off to work Monday morning and Maggie went to her Chines language class while we borrowed Mrs. Wu to go to Zhouzhuang Water Village, a well-preserved 900-year-old town surrounded by rivers and lakes. We didn't hire a guide on this outing, but we happily ambled on our own through the winding water lanes and over the arched stone bridges. We took another boat ride through the canals while glimpsing everyday life lived along the water. The town was more authentically preserved than Pingjiang Lu yet also more touristy.

We were driven back to meet Maggie at home and then we headed out together to Tiger Hill. Here we saw Huqiu Tower or the Tiger Hill Pagoda... also know as The Leaning Tower of China. It does indeed share the peculiar quality of the more famous tower in Pisa, though it predates it.

We met Chris for dinner at Li Gong Di, a modern leisure spot on the other side of Jinji Lake. We ate at a German restaurant after walking along the lake for awhile. Back at home, the days and nights of eating and sightseeing caught up to us and we all hit the pillows pretty early.

In the morning we said farewell to Chris before he left for work and then to Maggie. Mrs. Wu drove us back to Shanghai where we decided we would spend our last few hours before heading to the airport. It was gray but not yet raining when we got there so we walked along The Bund. We hoped to go up to the Shanghai World Financial Center for a bird's eye view of the city but with the cloud cover, it would have been the view of an unfortunately near-sighted bird. We couldn't even make out the distinctive building's outline along the landscape.

We had lunch at M on The Bund, a relation to M at The Fringe, which was a wonderful restaurant in HK. It was decent but not as good as HK's M. We could see from the window that the clouds, rather than lifting, descended lower as we ate. The rain started as well. So we began and ended our Shanghai visit with rain. The rain became heavier as we made our way to the car for our last escorted drive to the airport. Somehow, we arrived early yet our flight was delayed, eventually by three hours, so it was a long journey home.

Shanghai seemed like a really interesting city to spend time in. Too bad it rained so much that we didn't get around as easily as we might have. Suzhou had some unexpected attractions. It's obviously a rapidly developing, modern, industrial city representative of China's phenomenal growth and increase in wealth. The endless high rise housing complexes aren't exactly a beautiful sight, but there is beauty within. We saw the largest of the gardens but there are many throughout the city. You know you're in China, yet there is a mix of people as well as a mix of old and new and a decidedly suburban atmosphere. Maybe it's the WalMart.

Maggie and Chris adapt well and they have a good life in Suzhou. We were happy to see this part of China, and the world, that would not have been on our radar if friends hadn't moved there. Though upon concluding our second trip to China, I remain grateful that we've lived in Hong Kong and Singapore - Asia Lite - compared to mainland China. I think I'm simply too timid to live among so many millions of people who shout a lot and who negotiate the price of everything (and who eat a lot of things I can't identify nor want to).

A driver certainly helps! Having Mrs. Wu transport us nearly everywhere was a huge advantage. In our four days there, we saw two serious car wrecks. Thanks, Mrs. Wu, for delivering us safely and thanks to Maggie and Chris for lending us her service.

Most importantly we got to spend time with our friends. Always warm, generous and enthusiastic, they were even more gracious hosts than we could have hoped for.

Three Is A Magic Number

Here's the story on how we landed in Bali for the third time in three years. May 7 was election day in Singapore (there's only one political party so 'election' is a loose term). Since it fell on a Saturday many local firms gave employees off on Monday. We were aware of the possibility, and Paul's company finally announced on Thursday that they would also offer a day in lieu of election day. Paul emailed me at home to let me know since we had been wondering.

I interpreted the news as "I am off on Monday." Not one to waste time (alright let's be realistic: not one to waste a travel opportunity) I began looking up airfare to Bali on Friday. Friday as in tomorrow. I found perfect flights at a reasonable price. Then I searched for a place to stay, and my top choice was available at a last-minute discounted price. I consulted Paul. Then we left for Bali the next morning.

We had been considering a long weekend away in May but nothing had fallen into place. Once we were at the airport Paul clarified that he did not specifically have to take Monday off, just that he was given a day for election day, to be taken in the future. So Monday was the future! Did I rush into it? Yes, for once!

RASH

1 adj

: marked by or proceeding from undue haste or lack of deliberation or caution

Used in a sentence: I need to make rash decisions more often.

We arrived early Friday afternoon. We didn't get to sit next to each other on the plane since we booked so late but Paul sat in front of me. We agreed on a strategy to attack the now familiar visa-on-arrival line and we got through pretty quickly. After staying at the same place in Jimbaran twice, formerly the Ritz Carlton now Ayana, we decided to try something new. We still love that salt water pool overlooking the ocean but after the slight letdown by small details between our first and second stays, it seemed like time to hold onto the good memories and venture out. Disini Villas in Semiyak was the chosen location. Seminyak is a busy town with shops and restaurants, very different from isolated Jimbaran Bay.

Down a narrow side street off a busy main road is a hidden oasis. All you can see past the front office is a long cobblestone road and a succession of individual doors to 24 private villas. Our door opened to a beautiful pool surrounded by a fountain, loungers and lush greenery as well as an outdoor living space with kitchen and living room. Inside was a serene bedroom with an opulent Balinese wood framed, four poster, canopied king size bed. We were welcomed with brownies and iced lemongrass tea. I do have a knack for selecting accommodations.

Seminyak is supposed to be the place to eat in Bali with its many restaurants and cafes, some right on the beach. Last year we liked the restaurant Bumbu Bali in Nusa Dua so much that we wanted to find something similar with local flavors, and Nusa Dua was a bit too far to drive for dinner. We tried a place in Seminyak called Ketupat.  I think there was only one other couple in the fairly large restaurant when we arrived. In fact, the cab driver said, "Quiet place!" but a few more followed later. It was a nice open air setting with good food, but not Bumbu Bali good. It also started pouring rain soon after we ate and we had to finish up inside.

It was still raining when we got back to the villa so we relaxed in the living room and Paul had the couple of beers that were in the fridge, mostly on the principle that that were so incredibly cheap, compared to Singapore, that he just had to.

A hearty breakfast was included and served in the villa. Then we walked to the beach. It wasn't a very pretty one. I think Jersey Shore beaches are nicer. It was hot and uncomfortable in the sun so we headed for guaranteed relaxation at the villa. And then there was the hammering. There was some construction going on nearby along with the noise that accompanies it. Workers were walking around on roofs in the visible distance so the private villa was somewhat less private unless you avoided certain angles on the property. Though the proprietors couldn't be blamed for noise near their property, it was the only drawback of this location. The super cheap Balinese massages we got down the street helped ease that tension.

That evening we ate dinner at a well-known and often suggested place called The Living Room. It was a gorgeous setting. The food was pretty good but it was a bit disappointing because it was very expensive, certainly by Bali standards and even by other standards (except maybe Singapore's). Time for more relaxation back at the villa. If only we were closer to Jimbaran beach and our favorite spot, Lia, for fresh seafood at marvelous value.

On our last full day someone from the villa kindly gave us a lift into town where there are several furniture shops. One of the reasons we had wanted to return to Bali was to check out furniture again. The shop where we saw the coffee table we liked last year was in walking distance from the villa. As it was a Sunday, almost everything was closed, including that shop with the table. C'est la vie. We explored the streets of Seminyak instead, and got another massage to manage the disappointment.

That night we decided to ask for a suggestion for good local food, and the young woman who gave us one surely meant well, but I'd spend the time and money to take a cab to Jimbaran Beach next time before taking another suggestion from her. Mang Engking looked really nice, with sprawling decks and huts over water. There appeared to be large groups of Japanese tourists so it must appeal to someone, but the food was not good at all. That was a real disappointment when we know how good you can eat in Bali at the right places. It also rained again but it didn't last as long.

We said goodbye to Bali on Monday, hopefully not for the last time but most likely for a long time. It was a great spur of the moment getaway. The villa was lovely. We got to spend time in an area new to us, even if the food overall couldn't compare to our previous experiences. And I'm glad I misunderstood Paul about the Monday holiday and jumped the gun to revisit a place we love, a mere 2.5 hours from where we live, to grab a few more special remembrances.

It also happened to Mother's Day that weekend, and Father's Day is next weekend. So happy Mother's and Father's Day.

New York, New York

I guess I'm a bit out of practice but I'll see what I can do.

It's more than a month since we've returned from the great tour of New York and New Jersey in March/April. If you're someone we ran into back there, it's probably a distant memory, but I still seem to reference our time abroad by intervals between visits home. This one was our third in three years. It had been 15 months since the last visit, and the flight has become longer since then. That's one reason we stayed longer, in addition to knowing how time seems to speed up when we're there. In three and a half weeks we did alright, especially without the interruption of any blizzards or major holidays. Whoever was in charge of weather, I had hoped for a few more sunny pleasant days. Thanks for holding back on the snow though.

I shouldn't begrudge the weather at all, considering that we each arrived at Newark Airport to the news of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. As I've said before, when you travel a lot the world takes on a smaller, more intimate scale. Japan was one of our absolute favorite countries so far and when you've encountered warm people and a fascinating culture personally, you feel the news is more than news. The devastation is still hard to comprehend.

I say that we each arrived at Newark because I flew with the commoners in economy, with a stop in Hong Kong, while Paul flew direct in business class. My flights were 3.5 hours + 15.5 hours. Paul's was 18 hours, 40 minutes straight. That's a lot of movies. I had the small relief of the middle seat next to me being unoccupied on both of the long flights. It does make a difference. I passed through Hong Kong only momentarily but I had an aching desire to linger, even in the airport.

Paul worked for the first two weeks in the Jersey City office so it wasn't all fun for him. His second week of work we spent at the same hotel in JC that we stayed in before we moved to Hong Kong. It gave us the opportunity for a quick route to Manhattan where I met Paul after his meeting in the NY office one day. We had dinner at Union Square Cafe, a place that was on our list for years. I don't know why we waited so long! It was fantastic. After overpaying for so many mediocre meals in Singapore, our meal there was a true delight. And somehow, even high end tabs now seem fair after the exorbitant prices we're used to paying here. We stopped in a bar for a beer after dinner and I don't remember the price, but I know it wasn't $18 a pint.

We got to see a lot of friends, including a couple we knew in Hong Kong who relocated to NJ last year. One day you're having lunch with people in Hong Kong's Soho, and a few years later it's dinner in Hoboken with them and there 6 week old baby boy. Much thanks to our "old" friends for making time for us, especially the ones who drove from Maryland and Virginia to say hello. Hey, when we move back and we're just around all the time, will you still treat us so well?

Paul had one free week and we used a day to be NYC tourists. We caught a matinee, along with the white haired crowd, of the play That Championship Season, starring Keifer Sutherland, Jim Gaffigan, Brian Cox, Chris Noth and Jason Patrick. It was difficult to decide what to see with so many star-studded options, which is something to really appreciate about NY... and the slices. While we were walking to the theater we looked for some quick pick-up food before the show. We stopped in a pizza place and each got a slice. I got a Sicilian. It was far from the best pizza I ever ate, but it was still good, and we ate it while walking down the street. Such enthusiasm over a slice of pizza? Yes, oh yes.

After the play we walked through Times Square and then to a bar in the area while on a mission: to give an Irish boy a hug. I have a lovely friend in Singapore, Maura from Ireland. Her son lives in NY and tends bar at - where else - The Irish Bar and around the corner at another called Old Castle. I told Maura we would stop in and see him and she asked that I give him a hug from his Mam as she misses him terribly. We ventured into one of the bars, ordered a beer and asked for Ronan. "Ronnie?" was the response. "He's working around the corner tonight." Then we went around the corner and asked for Ronan again. "Ronnie? Yeah, that's him at the bar." So we had a drink in Ronan/Ronnie's company and I delivered the hug and received one to bring back to Singapore. After the bar we went to Les Halles for dinner. No surprises there; we've already tested the steak frites in the past and were happy to go with a familiar and reliable option.

Our day made me feel lucky to have been born and lived in one of the world's truly great cities. Yes, even the lowly borough of Staten Island qualifies. The "bridge and tunnel" crowd make up an undeniable part of the city. Like it or not, Manhattanites. As a matter of fact, I hit four out of five boroughs while in town. Staten Island and Manhattan, of course. Brooklyn for lunch and for dinner. And Queens for a soccer game. Though next time, I'd likely avoid traveling on the Staten Island Ferry on St. Patrick's Day. It was a bit too much welcome back all at once.

We shopped too much; we ate too much; we wished we had more time to spend with everyone. This is now our official itinerary on every home visit. Thanks for the time, the bagels, the crayon artworks. They remain with us (especially the bagels). We passed our March 15 anniversary of moving to Singapore while in the US. I meant to notice but I was probably planning a meal.

To my parents, how does the blog look on the new iMac?

I'll try to be bloggier in the upcoming weeks.

Escape

Want to escape to a tropical paradise? I was just waiting (six months!) for some more wintry weather back home to write this post. My odds are woefully good this winter, aren't they? Enjoy Maldives.

2010 will be difficult to top as a year of travels and adventures of Lisa and Paul. Some time last year, maybe around May or June, Paul said he was thinking of arranging a surprise trip for us. At first it didn't come together but then he did succeed, and the destination was to be a surprise to me. I am our full time travel agent so this was quite a twist. All my girlfriends were envious of the gesture itself as well as rabidly curious. They asked me what my best guesses were. They suggested I check credit card statements, online browsing history... really! Why would I do that? I loved not knowing. How many surprises do you get in life - good ones? I sat back and relished the anticipation for weeks.

And the man can keep a secret. When I showed him a friend's online photos of Maldives, maybe even as the idea was still budding, he threw me off the trail with, "It doesn't look so special." Then he wouldn't tell me how long the flight was for fear that flight time was a giveaway. All I wanted to know was what to pack and all I was told was beach stuff. The secret was not revealed until we checked our luggage at the airport and the agent said, "What's your destination?" Even then, Paul seemed reluctant to reveal it. The mystery had ended and the escape was to begin.

One fantastic benefit of living in Singapore is direct flights to places that often involve flight connections from anywhere else. On Wednesday night, we took a 4.5 hour flight to Male (pronounced mah-lay) where we were met by a representative of the resort who walked us to our waiting boat. The boats were lined up like taxis next to the airport. The boat ride was 45 minutes to an island in the South Male Atoll. FYI, Maldives has a dizzying number of islands, some that require a second flight from Male to reach. Maldives time is three hours behind Singapore so we arrived about 11 p.m. which was 2 a.m. to us.

There are certain images that, once seen, live on in the mind's eye. I don't have a photograph, and I may not have precise words, but arriving on the island of Velighandu Huraa at night is one of those images. At first sight, I felt as if I may have arrived in another world. The water below us at the arrival jetty appeared black and nearly motionless in the night. As we approached shore the white sand radiated a glow that the concentrated darkness could not dim. It was the first of many instances in the next several days that I would ask myself, is this real?

We walked the sandy path to our beach house and were welcomed with tropical smoothies and home made chocolate chip cookies. We were offered cooked food also but we were more tired than hungry. We surveyed the house and what little we could see of its surroundings in the dark and then promptly fell asleep, even too tired for a cookie.

We awoke early on the morning of our 9th wedding anniversary to the sound of birds, many many birds, most of them bold insistent crows. Don't know who let them into paradise. Then we got our first good look around in daylight. The house, #19, was lovely: a grand weathered wood door concealed an inner path of stepping stones to the front entrance. Inside the house was a spacious entryway and wardrobe area leading to the the airy, high-ceiling bedroom, enclosed by windowed walls on two sides. The room opened onto the back patio straight ahead and the private pool on the left. We could open everything up and still enjoy privacy inside and out as the entire property was walled and landscaped for just that. The bath "room" could be reached from a path alongside the pool or through the inside hallway. Paving stones led to the outdoor shower which looked down the length of the pool. There were plush spots all around for lounging outside and the tropical yet sophisticated decor exuded relaxation. In short, it was spectacular.

But one thing can outdo a spectacular house, and that is an idyllic beach just steps from it. I had no idea when we arrived so late the previous night that the ocean was a stone's throw out our back gate. There were only 19 houses on the island, six beach houses like ours and the rest were poised over the ocean. Everyone asks, "Did you stay in one of those houses over the water?" but Paul thought it would be hard to beat our water cottage experience in Borneo with giant sea turtles swimming under our feet, so we didn't this time. We walked past the other five beach houses and realized that we lucked out with the most private one; parts of the other houses were visible from the beach but ours wasn't.

Three islands made up the resort complex. Ours, Naladhu, was the smallest and most exclusive. We had access to all three islands but only Naladhu guests could access ours. There was a gated footbridge leading from Naladhu to the small island, Veli. The third and largest island, Dhigu, was reached by speedboat which was available on request. I think we test drove every hammock on each island, including one propped in the ocean that Paul swam out to. I confess that when we eventually explored the other two islands we felt slightly snobby because they were much more crowded and the pools were nice, but they weren't... private nice. There was a mix of tourists, many Russian. Our own island's small number of houses were hardly occupied so even our beach felt somewhat private.

With our first trip to "The Living Room," our island restaurant, the serious (over)indulgence began. I ordered some eggs and the bread basket and wasn't sure if they understood my order as a stunning bounty of assorted fresh breads and pastries appeared before us. The bread basket instantly became our morning routine for five days (I'm still working off the croissants). There we also met our House Master, Hassan. His job was to arrange for anything we asked for, as if we could ask for more. Here we didn't have as much luck. Hassan was perfectly polite but awkwardly quiet and not all that helpful even with simple questions. Another staff member who was always at the Living Room, Chili, was much more personable.

Oh yes, the crows had their eyes on the bread basket too. We watched them watching us and they looked frighteningly intelligent as one was moving a chair cushion nearby to get a better perch position.

We soon discovered the equally prolific yet much more endearing of the island's wild residents: hermit crabs. They were everywhere and they are adorable. The sand was animated with countless critters - until you approached. We never tired of walking along, saying, "Look a hermit crab! Oh no, it's just a shell," as they tucked tight into their houses. We also discovered, much to their angst I'm sure, that when you hold one up at a height of 2-3 feet from the ground they poke themselves out of the shell again. Don't know why. But it was fun.

There were island tours and day trips on offer, but ours was not the sort of place you'd have any reason to leave. The friendly resort manager told us that we could borrow kayaks next to the dive center at Dhigu and paddle out to a tiny island and snorkel around it, so that's what we did. The snorkeling was excellent. We saw lots of fish around that small island, but we discovered that the sights were even better right out our own backyard. We took full advantage of snorkeling right from the beach and spent much time checking out the scenes just below the surface. There were so many kinds of fish so close to shore. We also did one dive a day on two different days. They were average but not that memorable. We may have had more fun snorkeling. It's certainly cheaper (i.e. free).

Through our five day stay we sampled a variety of the islands' restaurants including Italian (which wasn't really), market style seafood, international and Thai. The Thai food was very good but it earned our favorite status for other reasons. The restaurant was scenically set over the water halfway between Naladhu and Veli. Soon after we had ordered dinner from the gracious wait staff - who crafted palm fronds into animals for us - my hand brushed my earring, a silver hoop, and it fell out. Before I could even look down, it fell past my lap, directly through a seam in the floorboards and into the water below. I could never have aimed so precisely - what an unlucky stroke of coordination. I looked around on the floor to make sure it was in fact gone and our waitress came over and asked if I lost something. She helped look for a minute and I told her my earring fell into the water. She left and I resigned myself to the loss when a moment later a waiter appeared with a ladder and a flashlight. I thought no way... and then he was over the side, pants rolled up, searching for the silver hoop. As if this wasn't gallant enough, he found it! Now that's service. I'm glad it was low tide; it would have been even more embarrassing if the SCUBA gear came out.

I may as well mention here that throughout Asia, they seem to love the soft rock hits of the seventies and eighties a la the old "106.7 Lite FM." And if it's not an original Air Supply song that's playing, someone somewhere has covered the song in this "lite" style, however inappropriate. There is an endless supply of mellow jazzy singers cooing songs by Depeche Mode, Madonna, Nine Inch Nails - it's mind boggling - and not far from Bill Murray's SNL lounge singer skit. While absorbing such a rendition while eating dinner on our anniversary, I cracked myself up by improvising a rather crass AC/DC song sung in a tone that could put a baby to sleep. I had myself laughing for days.

Our last night, the wonderful staff arranged flowers on our bed while we were at dinner. We were scheduled to leave Sunday but not until the evening so we had one last lazy day at the beach, snorkeling and relaxing as the weather held out. By the afternoon it was raining so we missed out on a final sunset at the Living Room where the staff prepared a cozy candle lit table for our farewell dinner.

Chili accompanied us on the boat back to Male. It was a local holiday so Hassan had the day off, not that his absence was too noticeable, and Chili was going back to Male to spend the holiday with his family. When we were going through airport security, Paul realized he forgot our house key in his pocket and had to run out and return it. Wishful thinking, maybe.

And that was our escape to Maldives: pure relaxation. From the lavish house and pool to the impeccable service and the pristine beach, we were truly spoiled with luxury. Our house was stocked with books, iPod and a TV and we were so thankfully at peace that we didn't turn the TV on in all five days. It was like taking a deep breath.

Thanks, Paul, my love. Six months from now is our tenth anniversary... I'm looking forward to seeing how you'll top this.