tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56367152583358493552024-03-13T10:26:27.181+08:00FOUR MONTHS IN SINGAPOREInnocently living abroad and at sea at the same time-- from February 4 to May 25, 2011.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-42583073851957648802011-11-04T10:58:00.017+08:002011-11-05T09:11:39.108+08:00Friday, November 4, 2011 (Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0InHuDPYvs4PSfjGgITs8VEnkQlIZSxpAy93vPdI0A1hJhPJOtCqTbxgJdIMBAkpYt6yzJaZAatk-ZKFDrQO8c4BvMscn94PKTQqj3WBJ48zghHNZackvQDLxJYkMIIAvbUGAVAsfeda/s1600/1104rugbycity.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0InHuDPYvs4PSfjGgITs8VEnkQlIZSxpAy93vPdI0A1hJhPJOtCqTbxgJdIMBAkpYt6yzJaZAatk-ZKFDrQO8c4BvMscn94PKTQqj3WBJ48zghHNZackvQDLxJYkMIIAvbUGAVAsfeda/s400/1104rugbycity.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671108456566778882" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">ROLLING WITH THE SEVENS: </span>Tonight marked the opening night of the <a href="http://www.scc.org.sg/main/clubNews.html">Singapore Cricket Club's</a> International Rugby Sevens tournament. It runs through the weekend. We headed over to the club's Pedang to catch the first night. The setting was great, with Singapore's grandeur hovering above the temporary stands and playing field <span style="font-style:italic;">(above).</span> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbF6k5WvaUydyLTKT2idt-i_eR8Wv6TBiIxyKKqUhhLh8svFgpkFucjDJ_Jtx66mFPxRVksrDK6m9wpgVFA9X4VHY7kF0n0zjyqrjjZFDev07qWVGRsKVpqVkvAiEXhJncjhmbj4dhalE/s1600/1104breakaway.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbF6k5WvaUydyLTKT2idt-i_eR8Wv6TBiIxyKKqUhhLh8svFgpkFucjDJ_Jtx66mFPxRVksrDK6m9wpgVFA9X4VHY7kF0n0zjyqrjjZFDev07qWVGRsKVpqVkvAiEXhJncjhmbj4dhalE/s320/1104breakaway.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671108824574339362" /></a>Much of the day's competition involved high-school-age teams and women's matches <span style="font-style:italic;">(one of which featured the breakaway score at right)</span>.<br />The field in the seven-on-seven tournament included teams from Kenya, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden and France. Attendance will surely be better on Saturday and Sunday. <br />This was enjoyable, even so. Lots of hard hitting during the ultra-fast games (which have two 7-minute halves with a clock that essentially does not stop. We saw many of the men's teams in the evening, but left after too many one-sided shutouts. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkajWse2yNsz3EJD-ifJ81BNILek4zEpVWr4Nx0qDOPh_HldJvoRXgN4Vq3IZHuafG8TzzBvT8NSwKRz_HStfKjmANt-9Yqd4h6t1kfdAC_qUHEHspxl4sm6X3GuV8Y5U9ZCB3z2-OJkyJ/s1600/1104pension.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkajWse2yNsz3EJD-ifJ81BNILek4zEpVWr4Nx0qDOPh_HldJvoRXgN4Vq3IZHuafG8TzzBvT8NSwKRz_HStfKjmANt-9Yqd4h6t1kfdAC_qUHEHspxl4sm6X3GuV8Y5U9ZCB3z2-OJkyJ/s320/1104pension.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671110758237128066" /></a>We endured five of those in a row, including one 62-0 spanking. They scored 62 points in 14 minutes of running time. Results are posted <a href="http://scc7s.macoocoo.com/SchedulePools.php">here</a>.<br />I got a kick out of the sideline advertisement shown at the right: www.unfreezemyukpension.com. It's not a protest, as I thought it might be. It's a business pitch. It has nothing to do with a Singapore version of the "Occupy" movements.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuGO7uDdBAgfExFC1RCYixSy8Licdz3jo59ev3UFEYseKLg8xCwVTEtx6d8KtSCRlYXH-Gi1hVuZmW3Dz0nCB2MtaItPTAk91GiMXXXZMk30k50XOTHDW3wQrDdSz2Jyrr8zaVkJ1cZRJ/s1600/1104SingHospital.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuGO7uDdBAgfExFC1RCYixSy8Licdz3jo59ev3UFEYseKLg8xCwVTEtx6d8KtSCRlYXH-Gi1hVuZmW3Dz0nCB2MtaItPTAk91GiMXXXZMk30k50XOTHDW3wQrDdSz2Jyrr8zaVkJ1cZRJ/s400/1104SingHospital.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670975156056582434" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOOyk4La_VYpJhr4WowV8Vk5z80-GibcrHGw2hew9nzilNeEH2LPXnORhpR8KWqyFHWqsv6-TrkMwTzwFpKdOTzW7IHiIFbDRQaxULQcd_bFN-xwT17XPguYMrwcdnLLw1IjZubCEDBvj/s1600/1104Dorothy.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 177px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOOyk4La_VYpJhr4WowV8Vk5z80-GibcrHGw2hew9nzilNeEH2LPXnORhpR8KWqyFHWqsv6-TrkMwTzwFpKdOTzW7IHiIFbDRQaxULQcd_bFN-xwT17XPguYMrwcdnLLw1IjZubCEDBvj/s200/1104Dorothy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670976585891037714" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">A HOSPITAL VISIT:</span> I decided to get back on the case a bit on the death of my great aunt Dorothy Lincoln <span style="font-style:italic;">(right)</span> of Worcester, Mass., who died here in Singapore on April 1, 1909. <br />She had just turned 19. <br />Typhoid was blamed.<br />I had visited the site of her first burial--and described that in the entry on <a href="http://fourmonthsinsingapore.blogspot.com/2011/04/tuesday-april-19-2011-singapore.html">April 19, 2011</a>. <br />I didn't get a chance to go to the actual hospital where she died in the spring, so I MRT'd my way over to Singapore General Hospital this morning.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0G9sGHKZAslrnyWANrZodxxvc-JyRj0h1ZSYgqxGWDlJUO1Lk-Q0B0QaMs1MwAN1cT3XGGMwPyEdT1DufUV1qHha8fDP6LfVHF5P1Vppi9yjMp75YSR1mWKN5Etdps9i41FTxI2vtXjHP/s1600/1104SGHMuseumEntrance.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 172px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0G9sGHKZAslrnyWANrZodxxvc-JyRj0h1ZSYgqxGWDlJUO1Lk-Q0B0QaMs1MwAN1cT3XGGMwPyEdT1DufUV1qHha8fDP6LfVHF5P1Vppi9yjMp75YSR1mWKN5Etdps9i41FTxI2vtXjHP/s200/1104SGHMuseumEntrance.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670976001023687218" /></a>The hospital has a very tidy <a href="http://www.sgh.com.sg/about-us/sgh-museum/Pages/SGH-Museum.aspx">museum</a> <span style="font-style:italic;">(entrance shown at right)</span>. The exhibits include a display of a postcard that showed what the hospital looked like in 1908 <span style="font-style:italic;">(above)</span>. Since then, numerous buildings went up (including a clutch in 1926), were damaged (during Japanese attack and occupation in the early 1940s) and replaced. Now, the hospital is located amid a large complex of health-related buildings and centers, including the National Eye Centre, National Cancer Centre and Health Sciences Authority. A worker at the SGH Museum said no records remained from as far back as 1909--as far as she knew.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtYOqaQ0jX-wPg1JwqyVRMARVZp52vRVHi-orJoR5pV6SajrB5qiVdKaGia9pAaUX2UgHje-xQ-vShJa4yj7qN1DTZDKrzOtSNw9XuT8W2mpjcYK5W2Gj-VstEakSOpsUCxEDaPVqFBel/s1600/1104trees.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtYOqaQ0jX-wPg1JwqyVRMARVZp52vRVHi-orJoR5pV6SajrB5qiVdKaGia9pAaUX2UgHje-xQ-vShJa4yj7qN1DTZDKrzOtSNw9XuT8W2mpjcYK5W2Gj-VstEakSOpsUCxEDaPVqFBel/s320/1104trees.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670978214964296386" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">A DISTINCTIVE SHADE TREE:</span> While walking on an overpass from the Outram station to the Singapore General Hospital, I noticed a great lineup of Rain Trees lining the roadway. I find these really appealing. Evidently the leaves fold up in rainy weather. I have not noticed that. The leaves also fold up about sunset, <a href="http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=174&Itemid=161">according to Singapore's National Park Service</a>. That's why they are called Pukul Lima in Malaysia. That means "5 o'clock" in Malay. Until the arrival of Standard Time in the early 1980s, sunset in Malaysia and Singapore was pegged to 5 p.m.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-490062147238242062011-11-03T10:53:00.015+08:002011-11-04T09:11:06.696+08:00Thursday, November 3, 2011 (Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXK0Ux25KD8XQEVpXSFXlORZyjWQcqwxVV1wfKZeXICfkXhaqydllnHpDf_eFu-gnsptz5X6JVOIZH1fqU6p5IiDvk2CNZltbsAm-WGPvkGBmhXmB1_aVEdr73rKoj8kcqhVwxZm4mxVcQ/s1600/1103cheatingspouse.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 329px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXK0Ux25KD8XQEVpXSFXlORZyjWQcqwxVV1wfKZeXICfkXhaqydllnHpDf_eFu-gnsptz5X6JVOIZH1fqU6p5IiDvk2CNZltbsAm-WGPvkGBmhXmB1_aVEdr73rKoj8kcqhVwxZm4mxVcQ/s400/1103cheatingspouse.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670597323630565634" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">QUICK, FOLLOW THAT CAB!</span> I apologize for the blurriness of the photo. The cab drove away as I fumbled through my photo app on the iPhone. But the back bumper had an advertisement that I thought was worth capturing. The ad promotes the following web site: <span style="font-weight:bold;">WWW.CATCHCHEATINGSPOUSE.SG</span>. The Web address is plastered on the taxi's sides as well. Nothing more needs to be said. The <a href="http://www.catchcheatingspouse.sg/">site</a> is self-explanatory. No euphemism needed, I guess. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYD2gJudKXKZMSdGg4ge2cFUwcgrrjk-GGiKSwgZzYOZcWsxjoHRw43EP2lV_gqIWgeJuKthLinOApYlBxCh9_edL7d0oHAtLQ_zfJK_wJXJbZHIrsGO0DK-R0rZlCIuNBGwOOtqF59d2t/s1600/1103Tiger.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYD2gJudKXKZMSdGg4ge2cFUwcgrrjk-GGiKSwgZzYOZcWsxjoHRw43EP2lV_gqIWgeJuKthLinOApYlBxCh9_edL7d0oHAtLQ_zfJK_wJXJbZHIrsGO0DK-R0rZlCIuNBGwOOtqF59d2t/s320/1103Tiger.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670669080465774690" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">QUICK, FOLLOW THAT GOLFER!</span> I hate to say it, but it's a too-easy transition from that cab advertising to the fact that golfing great Tiger Woods is making his first visit to Singapore this week. <br />The photo<span style="font-style:italic;"> (at right, distributed by Agence France Presse)</span> shows him atop Marina Bay Sands Casino, with central Singapore city in the background. It was a missed product-placement opportunity for the local favorite <a href="http://www.tigerbeer.com/home.asp">Tiger beer</a>.<br />According to today's Straits Times newspaper, Woods was invited here by the casino. He was reportedly going to hold a clinic at the <a href="http://www.lagunanational.com/">Laguna National Golf and Country Club</a> for a group of 18 invitees. He then is scheduled to head to Sydney to play in the Australian Open.<br />Other major golfers will be in Singapore that weekend for the <a href="http://singaporeopen.barclaysgolf.com/index.html">Barclay's Singapore Open</a>, which runs from Nov. 10-13 at the Sentosa Golf Club. The first round will air on Golf Channel next week from 1:30 to 5 a.m. (Eastern US time, I think) Thursday. <br />At least two players, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood, think the Singapore Open could become a <span style="font-weight:bold;">Major</span> on the men's pro tour--so the sport can break out beyond its U.K./U.S. playing boundaries in a big way.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-1AxJs0f9DZySvS9m3hEaPaaSAh5b5jwNZCCbdHHwl1s_8lous3MonQGE3djaDlzSBNF2kTLsK5NKW7-B6NeMK4JJ4eJwVzsZUj4GLUTnBtUnmPwsYzzQ-BIzvk8pDA3Lh-ekPeoftml/s1600/1103Hemisphere.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 170px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-1AxJs0f9DZySvS9m3hEaPaaSAh5b5jwNZCCbdHHwl1s_8lous3MonQGE3djaDlzSBNF2kTLsK5NKW7-B6NeMK4JJ4eJwVzsZUj4GLUTnBtUnmPwsYzzQ-BIzvk8pDA3Lh-ekPeoftml/s320/1103Hemisphere.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670939536491872946" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">COVERING TOPICS GLOBAL AND LOCAL: </span>We had a great dinner at the home of Robin and Monica Tomlin. Joining us were Arnoud De Meyer, Singapore Management University; Kishore Mahbubani, of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore; Andrea Muller of Principal Global Investors; and Rudy Muller of Adisseo. (Sandy and I had prepared for the dinner by reading Mahbubani's intriguing book <span style="font-style:italic;">The New Asian Hemisphere</span>, right.) <br />Conversation included our best guesses for the futures of Europe, the United States and China. Rudy and I had a lengthy side conversation about his hometown--Syracuse--and his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottingham_High_School_(Syracuse,_New_York)">Nottingham High School </a>(where my son Edward graduated). A little bit of old home week.<br />The setting and food drew upon Singapore's rich Peranakan heritage, which is captured wonderfully at the city's <a href="http://www.peranakanmuseum.sg/home/home.asp">Peranakan Museum</a>.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-83508648865651680762011-11-02T10:41:00.011+08:002011-11-03T12:30:31.114+08:00Wednesday, November 2, 2011 (Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvT4CdD2Yx_gl1OCXgISo0BOfHEe13NI-X3g2WKu4j50y53W9TKh_4ixMITk_sso8P-km4R3iGvigL4ctbv77cpLv5rsRKBaaapMhukOoroc8oTU1CziLodHZhbW1xTwebfkO3FPueuxIa/s1600/1102dredger1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 376px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvT4CdD2Yx_gl1OCXgISo0BOfHEe13NI-X3g2WKu4j50y53W9TKh_4ixMITk_sso8P-km4R3iGvigL4ctbv77cpLv5rsRKBaaapMhukOoroc8oTU1CziLodHZhbW1xTwebfkO3FPueuxIa/s400/1102dredger1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670575934112022722" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYU3BHTcX1OPuZIw8JX6e4zqeig6SkU3gwDJ-c7TVstIX5cgSRCGbiOR9t3dha0Sdqhh98sf7QEwD3Px3fb6HeIMVEu87TZt_Qa08DPrFK6cUvzC4AXtoD6IHfuGp-UKg4AxsXCtGVbPe/s1600/1102dredger.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYU3BHTcX1OPuZIw8JX6e4zqeig6SkU3gwDJ-c7TVstIX5cgSRCGbiOR9t3dha0Sdqhh98sf7QEwD3Px3fb6HeIMVEu87TZt_Qa08DPrFK6cUvzC4AXtoD6IHfuGp-UKg4AxsXCtGVbPe/s320/1102dredger.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670576055968706530" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I LOVE WORK; I COULD WATCH IT FOR HOURS:</span> Today, with the silt having settled in the river, I saw one small boat out on the river with a man in the bow wielding a small fish net--clearly looking for bits of trash. The river, and the marina bay are now part of the nation's key reservoir system. It now longer flows into the ocean, thanks to a barrage system. Aside from boats for tourists, there still seems to be very little recreation activity on the waterway. But the water remains a hallmark of the city and commands attention. Yesterday morning I came across a dredging operation in one corner of the bay <span style="font-style:italic;">(above)</span>. The driver was excellent at his handling of the shovel, from his cab on a floating machine <span style="font-style:italic;">(right)</span>. Actually, it looked like fun. Maybe there's some potential as a amusement park ride someday. The silt he brought up will be floated away, likely to be used for any of a number of landfill projects--as the ever-growing Singapore slowly edges its way out to the sea.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmonhxafJNtW6cc8jH381oCjaQjniegEI74TPxLfjcDM8ZzfXBFJnj5U7Hks3-NP-5bIzq9aDAe_98u5aDOPG93R6j_tyrlVNtHUz7t26_HpNKcUMFo9X-YByVDSkg6M3FFu9R0qZRk_o7/s1600/1102secondfloor.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmonhxafJNtW6cc8jH381oCjaQjniegEI74TPxLfjcDM8ZzfXBFJnj5U7Hks3-NP-5bIzq9aDAe_98u5aDOPG93R6j_tyrlVNtHUz7t26_HpNKcUMFo9X-YByVDSkg6M3FFu9R0qZRk_o7/s200/1102secondfloor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670589050546378722" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">CLUBBIN' IT:</span> We had a great dinner at the <a href="http://www.amclub.org.sg/dining/-2nd-floor">Second Floor</a> restaurant in the <a href="http://www.amclub.org.sg/">American Club</a> in the evening, with hosts Chew-Mee Foo Kirtland and Gordon Kirtland and their daughter Kim-Mei. Joining us were Stacy Choong and Dr. Toh Han Chong. Great food. Talk ranged far and wide (The Jackson Lab, food, American colleges, food, national service, maids, food, the Straits Times, food, and <a href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1163233/1/.html">Tiger Woods</a>, whom Duncan had spotted earlier in the day working out at the American Club). Then we settled for quite a while on YouTube (e.g., "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cats+that+look+like+hitler&aq=f">cats that look like Hitler</a>") and humor. They all encouraged us to make some quick clicks to the YouTube postings of the <a href="http://www.mrbrownshow.com/">"Mr. Brown Show,"</a> which is widely known in Singapore. Han compared it to "Saturday Night Live." I dutifully followed orders and was intrigued by a spoof about the ways cooking with curry can affect relations with neighbors. Here's the video, but first, get <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_McLean">Don McLean</a>'s song "Vincent" in your mind, starting with the familiar opening words of "Starry, Starry Night":<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MhLozqBqPMk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5t_treDEzPYbFrKOAdrwCUryOGY0wrL0cISVc4a-H3SdrvgqV76jeUPAYjcjMH0sydwE0OvPAb5WAQFuXuUy8opRM9QnwcCLbdVeTz4rPONhOgNx6ZZRAx_-xJzt15rWi87x0vHgpA4U/s1600/1102burns.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 197px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5t_treDEzPYbFrKOAdrwCUryOGY0wrL0cISVc4a-H3SdrvgqV76jeUPAYjcjMH0sydwE0OvPAb5WAQFuXuUy8opRM9QnwcCLbdVeTz4rPONhOgNx6ZZRAx_-xJzt15rWi87x0vHgpA4U/s200/1102burns.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670592303204274674" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">A TOUGH JOURNALISTIC DECISION:</span> I was startled in the morning, when I opened the Straits Times (with breakfast before me) and came face-to-chest with this image of a burn-victim's scarred torso. Part of me applauds the decision to be very open journalistically. There's no need to sugar coat the tragedy and horrid effects of an attack at a workplace. But I wonder if newspapers in the U.S. would balk at printing such an image. My guess is that it would be done rarely. It might have blunted my appetite but it sure drove the point home, that the injuries were vast.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-39908603695537359732011-11-02T10:35:00.010+08:002011-11-02T15:25:04.421+08:00November 1, 2011 (Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucHRgSjywZ4NgOJqAr2nBr65uH9gygS8cf2wyifLLVGR7EgFiin-pukMZyoXprYW9wqk8JMeBQ51GQGCwprjplPPJSPIgH2-6CLf3rhrOVnRyD0T7mBJErWdpz5555VA6Ett0eLO7nwgi/s1600/1101BeeHoon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucHRgSjywZ4NgOJqAr2nBr65uH9gygS8cf2wyifLLVGR7EgFiin-pukMZyoXprYW9wqk8JMeBQ51GQGCwprjplPPJSPIgH2-6CLf3rhrOVnRyD0T7mBJErWdpz5555VA6Ett0eLO7nwgi/s400/1101BeeHoon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670226200932609074" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">IT'S BETTER FOR YOU THAN CAPT. CRUNCH: </span>For the second day in a row, I had a fried vegetarian bee hoon for breakfast. It's pictured above. It includes (according to the menu description) "wok-fried rice vermicelli with white cabbage, carrot, mushrooms, bean sprouts and deep-fried dried bean curd." That's the curd, sitting on top.<br />Anxiety bubbled up when I first ordered it, because the waitress swept away from my place setting the fork, knife and spoon. She replaced it with the chopsticks. I had gotten fairly proficient during the four-month stay last February to May. Hmmm. Happy to report, it is just like riding a bicycle! After a few wobbles, the sticks worked just fine. Even so, Sandy, safely out of harm's way in the background, had some training wheels ready, just in case.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yBzTd842rvGG1psk7FyjR0VMCyZq39TxvSrrfFWN8hD-8m49MprXFSBrI5vMVMG9UcZo6owdHRQeNm7I6fQAYztD926w2_6r9OUa5NsoS2vKco3aVa6cnvtacMNxOU9rAgsb6K3lcJhw/s1600/1101mozzies.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 141px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yBzTd842rvGG1psk7FyjR0VMCyZq39TxvSrrfFWN8hD-8m49MprXFSBrI5vMVMG9UcZo6owdHRQeNm7I6fQAYztD926w2_6r9OUa5NsoS2vKco3aVa6cnvtacMNxOU9rAgsb6K3lcJhw/s400/1101mozzies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670228329744132050" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">THEY CALL IT SINGLISH: </span>The language lessons continue with the Straits Times. The headline pictured above in today's paper uses the word "mozzies." Twice. The word is the nickname for mosquitoes, a life-form of great interest in Southeast Asia. For a similar article, the International Herald Tribune had as its headline: "To curb dengue fever, a sneak attack on the main culprit." Basically, scientists are hoping that some genetically engineered mosquitoes will be willing and able to kill their own children. All things going well, the adults will pass a lethal gene on to their offspring, who will, in turn, die before reaching adulthood. This could cause the ultimate generation gap.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QElfJnTO72-QwzGjnq-OWVUlVSAasLUtjtbTaieqdra5xxtJKhCDfPA0REeANJqPArEx3SShgSpjcaO8H-WRZyayqYEFmXs-S-BwcRvkPgbazWNEr2XUg80D4ZQb83F_kQmERi3kPmhe/s1600/1031trees.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QElfJnTO72-QwzGjnq-OWVUlVSAasLUtjtbTaieqdra5xxtJKhCDfPA0REeANJqPArEx3SShgSpjcaO8H-WRZyayqYEFmXs-S-BwcRvkPgbazWNEr2XUg80D4ZQb83F_kQmERi3kPmhe/s320/1031trees.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670224631354493122" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">MEANWHILE, BACK IN MASSACHUSETTS: </span>Last weekend's storm did plenty of damage in Massachusetts, and thousands are still without power. I think Jo and Huck are still powerless in Worcester, but they do have water and gas for the stove and hot-water system. <br />Damage to trees in Winchester was significant, but power problems are apparently minimal. We got a glimpse of what the storm did to two trees in front of our house. They were snapped off at the 10-foot height. We're sorry to see them go. <br />Thanks to Paul Donahue for sending the photo. Vicious rains here the last two days, but no wet, heavy snow (of course).Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-57063023170919539802011-10-31T14:52:00.010+08:002011-11-01T09:39:00.395+08:00Monday, October 31, 2011 (Singapore)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0TebZWY5f7141-DrVZigSFb_IlnUW5AMjnFd_ILLrOaNUZ5AZgzRVqhI2nCtQWsISbG0lvVHP0RpnVO4C4OTQid8e28mIokM9eJ6_w5cpgRQ6_njtybiS6S5BVBrB-A_IY69z1ehxTlO/s1600/1031FrontLinePoster" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0TebZWY5f7141-DrVZigSFb_IlnUW5AMjnFd_ILLrOaNUZ5AZgzRVqhI2nCtQWsISbG0lvVHP0RpnVO4C4OTQid8e28mIokM9eJ6_w5cpgRQ6_njtybiS6S5BVBrB-A_IY69z1ehxTlO/s320/1031FrontLinePoster" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669548544510294082" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">THE FRONT LINE</span> WAS A HIGHLIGHT OF THE PLANE FLIGHT:</span> I forgot to mention yesterday that I watched an excellent movie from Korea on the flight from Newark to Singapore. It's called "The Front Line." The film, set in the Korean War, hauntingly captured lots of the elements of World War I--vicious combat, futile taking and re-taking of positions, stubborn commanders, hints of empathy between enemy soldiers.<br />The director and everyone wrung just about all they could out of the $10 million budget and created a memorable pic. The contrast was embarrassing, when stacked up against the U.S. movie I watched, "Captain America." Talk about getting bang for your buck, or not. I did not like "Captain America" in any way whatsoever. "The Front Line" moved me to tears--twice. I hope it gets an Oscar. There's a chance. It <a href="http://www.asianmoviepulse.com/2011/07/war-drama-the-front-line-dominates-south-korean-box-office/">did very well in Korea</a>. It is Korea's official entry for an Academy Award as best foreign-language film.<br />American rights are in the hands of <a href="http://www.indiewire.com/article/well_go_takes_korean_oscar_contender_front_line/">Well Go USA Entertainment</a>. It plans a January release.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHclWmoF28NYTk-VRmCEHXOapmC_38FeRGGbh0CP5aRpo2ds7qlQ4ULsmnBwJl4iAvRS6c6zDM7IaT24JS_VvCgUKxg9ggPnL66FZ-FG8pkQHE5k2J8_LuWFBGcrDanD0zoJucXhFhRyc/s1600/1031SaladStore.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHclWmoF28NYTk-VRmCEHXOapmC_38FeRGGbh0CP5aRpo2ds7qlQ4ULsmnBwJl4iAvRS6c6zDM7IaT24JS_VvCgUKxg9ggPnL66FZ-FG8pkQHE5k2J8_LuWFBGcrDanD0zoJucXhFhRyc/s200/1031SaladStore.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669555737713935074" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">SLINGING SALADS IN SINGAPORE:</span> We had lunch today at a place near Sandy's work called The Salad Shop (which has a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Salad-Shop-Singapore/363860972639">Facebook page</a>) and a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1XByxlyQY8&feature=related">cute YouTube clip</a>.<br />They take pains to de-link salads from vegetarianism. Hence, the "salads are for everyone" theme and the message on the staff's T-shirt (shown above): <blockquote>"for herbivores, carnivores and everything else in-between." </blockquote>That just about covers it.<div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXJNqVSK-kp4sJL8tmzyVZ0ER8Jf3SSLy4RZxXg6E81q8XPM4zJta-7ms9tfbSei2tBcng-m2qfB2BjJr6PC3NqmIXNVjnfgss9Kw8E0djGRuxKK6uIYyPOO7Vjk2iN_z0X_OyFU-HpEw/s1600/1031Gunthers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXJNqVSK-kp4sJL8tmzyVZ0ER8Jf3SSLy4RZxXg6E81q8XPM4zJta-7ms9tfbSei2tBcng-m2qfB2BjJr6PC3NqmIXNVjnfgss9Kw8E0djGRuxKK6uIYyPOO7Vjk2iN_z0X_OyFU-HpEw/s400/1031Gunthers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669834811044161042" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">MORE ON FOOD--THIS TIME AT GUNTHER'S: </span>Might as well acknowledge right now that food is becoming a big theme for Sandy and me this week. Not surprising. The dining options are many and varied. In the evening, we went to <a href="http://www.gunthers.com.sg/index2.html">Gunther's</a> on Purvis Street for a managing directors dinner. There were six of us. I couldn't avoid taking a picture, sub rosa, of the evening's specials<i> (above)</i>, which were placed next to me. Some were still moving--the Alaskan King Crab could not stop puckering its "lips". I thought I heard it implore "pick me." I did. I noted some of the ones we ate, or considered deeply. <br />Not pictured is the "cappuccino, white truffle". Delicious, but likely NOT coming to a Dunkin' Donuts near you.</div>Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-1811546861742955772011-10-31T07:37:00.015+08:002011-10-31T18:24:37.024+08:00Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011 (back in Singapore)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrg7jx7z5if3blXsCGS8fAkrUk3jnJkuwUGjKYr2dFiGTNHuZ-k8LPc9XLYsrMagUBvkSzCVAxBPZbUys1BiFOiod0VDplFFbDmj_wICoCYMor02PiVxwrd90MpV29hfQWkjkFI6Gl2U7/s1600/1030cleaners.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 197px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrg7jx7z5if3blXsCGS8fAkrUk3jnJkuwUGjKYr2dFiGTNHuZ-k8LPc9XLYsrMagUBvkSzCVAxBPZbUys1BiFOiod0VDplFFbDmj_wICoCYMor02PiVxwrd90MpV29hfQWkjkFI6Gl2U7/s320/1030cleaners.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669544354331926914" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">IN AN EFFORT TO STAY AWAKE (PART I).... WATCH WORKERS WORK: </span>The plane landed about an hour ahead of schedule, at 4:45 a.m. Sunday Oct. 30. Essentially, I bypassed Saturday entirely, having left Newark at 11 p.m. Eastern Time--just ahead of the wicked storm that struck Saturday and Sunday. The day's main task was to STAY AWAKE. One way I did that was to stare unthinkingly out the hotel window at a couple of remarkable building cleaners <i>(right)</i>. They resembled Spiderman as they "walked" along the exterior wall of the neighboring Maybank building. They performed without a net, but, presumably, with plenty of good rigging and hooks and ropes around them. This kept my attention. This kept me awake.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDsAweox0XEF82pD8OsAQU4UEL4YG9IeAVhHzMeibzSpeJX7If44H-ixZWu7ogxKZPc92peqZHgRox-QRZek1YrjPVWsKCitptKUFDW4AKKN16ueMLAl9E0wRKaZ8Esz1eq95DOqjGfTh/s1600/1030thrillersmall.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDsAweox0XEF82pD8OsAQU4UEL4YG9IeAVhHzMeibzSpeJX7If44H-ixZWu7ogxKZPc92peqZHgRox-QRZek1YrjPVWsKCitptKUFDW4AKKN16ueMLAl9E0wRKaZ8Esz1eq95DOqjGfTh/s400/1030thrillersmall.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669498599138371346" /></a><b>IN AN EFFORT TO STAY AWAKE (PART 2).... WATCH A HALLOWE'EN DANCE TO MICHAEL JACKSON'S "THRILLER":</b> One of the first things we did on Sunday morning, within hours of arrival from Newark, was to take a walk around Marina Bay. All was as I remembered it, until we arrived at the city's signature Merlion statue. When we left in May, the scaffolding and walls were being dismantled from around the waterfront statue, ending a weeks-long exhibit that put the Merlion INSIDE a temporary hotel room. Now it stands, uncaged, in all its water-spewing glory.<br />Anyway, on the E'en of Hallowe'en, we heard the distinctive strains of one of Michael Jackson's great tunes, "Thriller," coming from the area around the Merlion. As we arrived, we found a group of costumed youngsters <i>(above)</i> dancing to the music, in bright sunshine and nearly 80-degree weather. They were, indeed, "sweatin' to the oldies."<br />From a distance, I spotted the organizer and noticed the shirt she was wearing. When she turned her back to me, I thought the image above the words showed a profile of Vietnam. Or Italy. Or my spleen. Then I got close enough to read the writing: "His music will live forever." Indeed.<br />I heard nobody mention the <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j0Dxk6Bx7DBxvdJhadgmTyOjh-DQ?docId=CNG.b32ad127f9d5ddfadad0926b8ce5458b.81">ongoing trial in L.A.</a><br />IT would have been great if one of the costumed kids had shown up wearing a<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnk7lh9M3o"> "CPDRC Inmate" costume</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnwcundyYEja3jp1AJ1fBdqO3tjR4Rark35qJu3GS2LvBQYdSFvKz7KrrgBQlfGPxdh62QAdNItHuxZH7jLhkwZxnaTXr6e1DDE1uYx1fQeRgqHLaf9-vvtQ8_lTBUmRmNncc10wRhXEP/s1600/1030tabletennis3" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnwcundyYEja3jp1AJ1fBdqO3tjR4Rark35qJu3GS2LvBQYdSFvKz7KrrgBQlfGPxdh62QAdNItHuxZH7jLhkwZxnaTXr6e1DDE1uYx1fQeRgqHLaf9-vvtQ8_lTBUmRmNncc10wRhXEP/s320/1030tabletennis3" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669498032556361538" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">IN AN EFFORT TO STAY AWAKE (PART 3).... WATCH WORLD CUP TABLE TENNIS:</span> How lucky can we be? We discovered from the Straits Times that Singapore was hosting the <a href="http://www.vwwc.com.sg/">Volkswagen 2011 Women's World Cup</a>--in TABLE TENNIS. Sure enough, Sandy--gamer that she is--needed only moderate convincing-cajoling-cooing. After a pilsner and Cobb salad at Brewerkz on Clarke Quaye (site of our February Super Bowl viewing), we caught a cab to the Toa Payoh Sports Hall.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdP007aLywtTmv7Q2ZJSnWdJ6BTK9yrngtLyM96fEPNdmNS6KLi928-LU7igKC119dfUNFuDwA34WyGKXrni1FB73vQqExnKyaqIQZWH_Gs_vxJhT2OVzqf5SqXcNmljQxfNoGE0P3xL4j/s1600/1030TonyTan.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 166px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdP007aLywtTmv7Q2ZJSnWdJ6BTK9yrngtLyM96fEPNdmNS6KLi928-LU7igKC119dfUNFuDwA34WyGKXrni1FB73vQqExnKyaqIQZWH_Gs_vxJhT2OVzqf5SqXcNmljQxfNoGE0P3xL4j/s320/1030TonyTan.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669505170482441698" /></a>The hall, which probably seats about 2,000, was nearly full. (In the photo above, Sandy and I are inside the circle to the right.) (None of my photos came out. The players moved too fast. I did get a photo of Dr. Tony Tan, right, president of the Republic of Singapore, who, fortunately sat quite still for at least one moment.) The <a href="http://www.buypromoitems.com/thunder_sticks_thunderstix.htm">thundersticks</a> (aka, ballonstix, cheerstix, bangers, bambams) were prominent. (Too prominent, actually. Sandy nearly got whacked on her left ear a couple of times by an thundersticker with a large wingspan.) The table tennis (aka ping-pong) was, in a word, outstanding. The hand-eye coordination was amazing. So, too, was the hitting.<br />This was an excellent break from other sports:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Unlike tennis,</span> there were no ball boys or ball girls. The competitors have to track down the wayward pong, or is it a ping. Maybe neither. Each had to go get the ball. If the ball bounded beyond the low walls surrounding the playing area, people (often cameramen) tossed it back in play.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Unlike baseball,</span> they use the same ball throughout a game. They might have switched balls between games, but there was none of the annoying ball-replacement that slows down an already-slow baseball game. This is more like cricket. The same ball seemed to be used throughout--certainly during each game. As the ball "aged" and "cured" throughout the game, the players kept pace. I think they were using the official 2.7-gram, 40-mm-diameter celluloid sphere.<br /><br /><b>Unlike American football,</b> there was no "posturing" or "trash-talking" or "taunting." Displays of celebration included a subtle fist pump. There were some grimaces. Definitely no "woofing".<br /><br /><div><b>Unlike cricket,</b> the scoring was straight-forward and, dare I say, intuitive.<br /><br /><b>Unlike Rest-of-the-World football, </b>there was no faking of injuries.<br /><br /><b>Unlike American college basketball,</b> there were no 20-second timeouts that last long enough to accommodate a 45-second television advertisement. (During a timeout, an official emerged and placed an LED clock on the ping pong table, at the end used by the player calling the timeout. The LED showed a clock ticking down.)</div><div><br /><br /><b>Unlike, say, the Georgia-Florida football game,</b> there was no tail-gating.</div><br /><br />The winner was <a href="http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Sports/Story/A1Story20111030-307755.html">Ding Ning </a>of China. Most of the crowd was interested in the match for third place, which featured fourth-ranked Singaporean Feng Tianwei (shown below). But she lost to Hong Kong's Tie Yana.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCh9BAkyopE99D9oBSSSpZaCAXnnmQrVqVk1izfzUjVCEW-U11grfEenXjPSC_rCv7nOPSrwEDHo8rlawU9hELlQBWPlYYPcHw8C5aSLB9nrMY9jShtbIm9s0ec9zN6t2lm19IJ2XcZHh4/s1600/1030TableTennis2" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCh9BAkyopE99D9oBSSSpZaCAXnnmQrVqVk1izfzUjVCEW-U11grfEenXjPSC_rCv7nOPSrwEDHo8rlawU9hELlQBWPlYYPcHw8C5aSLB9nrMY9jShtbIm9s0ec9zN6t2lm19IJ2XcZHh4/s400/1030TableTennis2" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669504066757802114" /></a>Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-13720643633882964172011-06-23T17:15:00.008+08:002011-06-23T19:51:52.055+08:00Thursday June 23, 2011 (Winchester, Mass., USA)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AzLNt-yx3NgMRDl3RI8JZ6h4vN75RttuOoBZ99RvgtAgDoJDOPr5GmyFcyfS29KMmqWkzH_r1lfu3qnI0gdYWX1v5HRsJYwJN8Sx2-RyEG7OSaFmQKKaZ5GZpQagibM2RfNcq1kGz1An/s1600/0623hangovertuktuk.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AzLNt-yx3NgMRDl3RI8JZ6h4vN75RttuOoBZ99RvgtAgDoJDOPr5GmyFcyfS29KMmqWkzH_r1lfu3qnI0gdYWX1v5HRsJYwJN8Sx2-RyEG7OSaFmQKKaZ5GZpQagibM2RfNcq1kGz1An/s320/0623hangovertuktuk.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621349118790957714" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-43pON4gWKSo2-1Tqp8hiPzM1usPHfIUrafdtRE8F7w4nGZ_O3DWtsMzOkWkMIaqwgDGXbCz8GwkijMESuxh7mWhruHfYTgnXr_pgyBMIFax86zIWOCwF-FPwoImjixwuir26kkZSi42/s1600/0623hangover.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-43pON4gWKSo2-1Tqp8hiPzM1usPHfIUrafdtRE8F7w4nGZ_O3DWtsMzOkWkMIaqwgDGXbCz8GwkijMESuxh7mWhruHfYTgnXr_pgyBMIFax86zIWOCwF-FPwoImjixwuir26kkZSi42/s200/0623hangover.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621350241317396402" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">THAI-ING ONE ON:</span> Eager to "return" to the old neighborhood (Southeast Asia), Sandy and I did the next best thing. We went to a showing of <span style="font-style:italic;">The Hangover: Part II</span> in Woburn. Once we heard the focus of the ongoing debauchery tale had shifted from Las Vegas to Thailand, we knew we had to go. It made me feel much better about <a href="http://fourmonthsinsingapore.blogspot.com/2011/05/wednesday-may-18-2011-bangkok-thailand.html">the day I had in Bangkok</a>. I emerged without a tattoo and free from any annoying contact with a chain-smoking monkey. I do wish I had actually gotten on the Chao Phraya River, which has a couple of scenes in the movie. I tried in vain to spot any footage of Tom's International Collection or of our hotel. I longed for more glimpses of the tuk-tuks <span style="font-style:italic;">(shown above in a clip from the movie)</span>. And who knew you could zip from Bangkok to the beautiful Ritz Carlton's <a href="http://reserve.ritzcarlton.com/phulay_bay/Overview.aspx">Phulay Bay resort in Krabi</a> on the Andaman sea in a matter of minutes? (In real life, such a trip requires zipping around all of Malaysia and Singapore.)<br /> The movie, despite its concentration on the, uh, underbelly of Bangkok, did NOT deflect our interest in returning to the city or country. One message from the movie: Be prepared for the unexpected in Bangkok. As Stu says in one key point, "All I wanted was a bachelor brunch." As I mentioned in my blog entry, "All I wanted was a ride to the palace." This is a perverted twist on the saying, "No battle plan survives contact with the enemy" (courtesy of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmuth_von_Moltke_the_Elder">elder von Moltke,</a> I think).<br />I loved the tagline in the movie: "Bangkok has them now."<br />Many Thais are <a href="http://news.ninemsn.com.au/entertainment/8264557/hangover-ii-no-headache-for-thailand">evidently nonplussed by the depiction</a> of the city and country. <br />Such a movie CAN help tourism, of course. The topic of the original <span style="font-style:italic;">Hangover</span> movie surfaced in a cab ride in April from Sydney to the airport. The driver, who combined strong Pakistani roots with an equally strong Aussie accent, told us he'd like to visit the U.S.A. <br />We asked where he'd like to go. <br />He said he longed to go to Las Vegas. <br />We asked why. <br />He laughed and said, "We saw <span style="font-style:italic;">Hangover</span>. I want to go there with my mates."Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-8067324460454636142011-05-26T19:55:00.008+08:002011-11-01T09:43:50.277+08:00Thursday, May 26, 2011 (Winchester, Mass., USA)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7c2p4e13nPbAUzxjUxH8Z-qfDWmPQrLimPw6b1_8zEMepKYlYqTbTkqdNEpmtkcEUETQ_blY6Q3u1XzTS5RRUMGUXQseiFXi9sRGzxGrWRNJ_zxCI3cQP3YHvXQ6KoSDoNbtYMaiOaM3/s1600/0526pringles.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7c2p4e13nPbAUzxjUxH8Z-qfDWmPQrLimPw6b1_8zEMepKYlYqTbTkqdNEpmtkcEUETQ_blY6Q3u1XzTS5RRUMGUXQseiFXi9sRGzxGrWRNJ_zxCI3cQP3YHvXQ6KoSDoNbtYMaiOaM3/s400/0526pringles.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611001314343420082" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtGbxTv62uzu-SiK8k1hSgKsUG8scuxLSw15vLzCJ0nuv9x94adFOXse3K__E0kni9Kz67CYQqGe4Ms-VYc3zUKb0eDZtHYVJBQOxeoH7FmYCDw7AusTWbW8IzcTvrqVvrHPVsW8J3EZD/s1600/0526PringlesGirl.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtGbxTv62uzu-SiK8k1hSgKsUG8scuxLSw15vLzCJ0nuv9x94adFOXse3K__E0kni9Kz67CYQqGe4Ms-VYc3zUKb0eDZtHYVJBQOxeoH7FmYCDw7AusTWbW8IzcTvrqVvrHPVsW8J3EZD/s320/0526PringlesGirl.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611001470653468546" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">GO TO ASIA AND FALL IN LOVE AGAIN..... WITH..... PRINGLES:</span> Upon reflection, I've wondered about the things that surprised me during the four months in Asia. One thing definitely stood out. The Pringles Proliferation. They are sold in all the usual places (e.g., 7-Eleven stores) and in some unusual places <span style="font-style:italic;">(such as on the floating convenience stores in Halong Bay, Vietnam (above and right, with helpful arrows pointing to the Pringles cannisters)</span>.<br />These were a bit of a blast from the past. They came out when I was in high school. I liked them immediately, but since then we kind of drifted apart. Didn't see each other often. Really wasn't much chemistry. Then I went to Asia and BLAM. The feeling is back.<br />There's plenty of information on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pringles">the Wikipedia entry</a>. <br />There's a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PringlesAsia?sk=wall">Facebook page for Pringles Asia</a>.<br />There are<a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/taste-test-asian-pringles,2306/"> plenty of flavors</a>, including <a href="http://www.awanderingsole.com/archives/montage-monday-pringles-flavors-abound-in-se-asia">"soft shell crab" flavor</a>. And there are some <a href="http://www.pringles-fan.nl/">Pringles collectibles</a> out there.<br />They travel well and last forever.<br />I will eat some in the U.S.A., especially if I can find some of that Seaweed-flavored Pringles.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-35261174886027628312011-05-24T21:04:00.011+08:002011-05-26T09:04:59.112+08:00Wednesday, May 25, 2011 (Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCByYP0n40Gpq5yreoYnAOhTvGrqraF1UW03T2s3bZjeeIBvCSwcxvyzUJWbhk7K64saXuTpyK0x4a1nTYc8WSaGPQlNLmd2WWMkUAjobybGoP-li9Q70eWz2Y4f2q6VRIX_6C5C9DWyAL/s1600/0525merlion.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCByYP0n40Gpq5yreoYnAOhTvGrqraF1UW03T2s3bZjeeIBvCSwcxvyzUJWbhk7K64saXuTpyK0x4a1nTYc8WSaGPQlNLmd2WWMkUAjobybGoP-li9Q70eWz2Y4f2q6VRIX_6C5C9DWyAL/s400/0525merlion.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610268110612849794" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpcu9nHvE_Y6Is8EDysEOkWscYs5uyGUYiOCitTjo5_un3l__RKIFxPGMzCrETrZhSa7iqLUWWqo43J4-zaw1gDdZgG7pps3g7cvvrGjTsxNQerxC8wPNlYvl7qVJQS5y0w4u08VWej6g/s1600/0525MerlionFront.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpcu9nHvE_Y6Is8EDysEOkWscYs5uyGUYiOCitTjo5_un3l__RKIFxPGMzCrETrZhSa7iqLUWWqo43J4-zaw1gDdZgG7pps3g7cvvrGjTsxNQerxC8wPNlYvl7qVJQS5y0w4u08VWej6g/s320/0525MerlionFront.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610268309415485970" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">MERLION IS FINALLY UNCAGED:</span> After spending a couple of months being cooped up inside a temporary hotel room, <a href="http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_938_2004-12-27.html">Singapore's signature statue</a>, of the mythical Merlion, is returning to the light of day (see <a href="http://fourmonthsinsingapore.blogspot.com/2011/03/tuesday-march-1-2011.html">March 1</a> and <a href="http://fourmonthsinsingapore.blogspot.com/2011/04/friday-april-29-2011-singapore.html">April 29</a>). During its life as a hotel room, <a href="http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_640037.html">it was fully booked</a>.<br />On Tuesday workers were peeling away scaffolding. Not sure when the water will spew from the mouth. Glad this happened by the time we left. The statue has been under wraps basically since we got here in February. <br />Now Marina Bay is back to normal. <br />Today is our somewhat reluctant getaway day. Our flight leaves Singapore mid-morning, ending a delightful stay.<br />The Merlion is back in action, and we have left the building.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-29026275583264646542011-05-24T07:49:00.016+08:002011-05-24T19:02:22.712+08:00Tuesday, May 24, 2011 (Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxoWQfdI2Ch4ix4zTVAxnP9fPEA8PlFslVVO4ilideJejx8X3OLAbaHT-fFJCmKiQiQuKtmJx7t_A0kSoVPBXaKBZ8IOWzlmm9N08tL47MQkfxws3sDZhHY5UZ3g0kDYnePbWjOfcfODA/s1600/0524parting+shot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxoWQfdI2Ch4ix4zTVAxnP9fPEA8PlFslVVO4ilideJejx8X3OLAbaHT-fFJCmKiQiQuKtmJx7t_A0kSoVPBXaKBZ8IOWzlmm9N08tL47MQkfxws3sDZhHY5UZ3g0kDYnePbWjOfcfODA/s400/0524parting+shot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610227781100521378" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">A PARTING SHOT:</span> I glanced out the window this morning and saw a little water ballet going on by the wharf. It included the incoming <span style="font-style:italic;">Los Angeles Express</span> (left) and the outgoing <span style="font-style:italic;">San Francisco Express</span> (second from left) and the outgoing green <span style="font-style:italic;">Lyra</span>, with attendant tugs. I'm going to miss the water traffic. (Both of the <span style="font-style:italic;">Express</span> ships are out of Hamburg and are in the <a href="http://www.hapag-lloyd.com/en/home.html">Hapag-Lloyd</a> fleet.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvNEbRJJ7yVF-DqTCXnjAgzu0MOsj8CjGx5IDcwm017Qcj61cn8OX-lxvct_OYkVYqulMC5SuPssTHtLcFvkAQWazQeNM8SaXyb_5MITTsfiLl_NnJY-o8ishllvPafXSDRHJBLbkGhxJ/s1600/0524marinetraffic.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 118px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvNEbRJJ7yVF-DqTCXnjAgzu0MOsj8CjGx5IDcwm017Qcj61cn8OX-lxvct_OYkVYqulMC5SuPssTHtLcFvkAQWazQeNM8SaXyb_5MITTsfiLl_NnJY-o8ishllvPafXSDRHJBLbkGhxJ/s200/0524marinetraffic.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610230627275818226" /></a>On a whim, I submitted a photo I took this morning of the <span style="font-style:italic;">Los Angeles Express</span> to marinetraffic.com. Lo and behold, <a href="http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/showallphotos.aspx?mmsi=211781000">it's on the site</a>. (That's a screen-capture on the right.) As of now this is one of ten photos taken of the ship. Heck that's almost enough for a CALENDAR of FOLD-OUTS. I think that makes me a <span style="font-style:italic;">published ship photographer</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVWmNSerRV4NgJOjfoIqZyWjGcwW0_jPdcPQ_4tNSdxnxAsoWUuJiHQGHY8dVq9xOfokjmLtC-Erb_S3mRasFS9k0PvvvIsNYFH2csdidpVk96wVBbaQzPQjtKWAeRjRVvlnXZZAG1uUp/s1600/0524breakfast.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVWmNSerRV4NgJOjfoIqZyWjGcwW0_jPdcPQ_4tNSdxnxAsoWUuJiHQGHY8dVq9xOfokjmLtC-Erb_S3mRasFS9k0PvvvIsNYFH2csdidpVk96wVBbaQzPQjtKWAeRjRVvlnXZZAG1uUp/s400/0524breakfast.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610226561112694322" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">I'LL TAKE THE BREAKFAST BEHIND BANANA LEAF NUMBER 2:</span> I've walked by a small breakfast place often during the last four months and have noticed a number of people buying some food that's wrapped in a banana leaf that's been folded into a pyramid-shaped structure. I never knew what was in it, and I wanted to find out. I assumed it was some sort of rice-based concoction. What better day than today? After all, we fly out tomorrow morning.<br />I walked up to the counter, pointed to the closest little pyramid, said I'd like to buy one. I think I was secretly hoping it was some kind of rice dish that included some Cocoa Crispies or Corn Flakes. No such luck. <br />I had some shredded dried FISH for breakfast, with some egg, rice, chilli sauce etc. In addition, as if to make sure I knew it had fish in it, the unwrapped leaf included the fried/dried/smoked/whatever carcass of a fish.<br />Not used to that.<br />I'm not sure of the name of the meal. I think it's some form of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasi_goreng">nasi goreng</a>. It cost only S$3.30 (including the coffee).<br />No, you don't eat the banana leaf. That's what I was told by a horrified onlooker.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN7STY7hIhvAnk_55dCk5NTIXiLm7v4Kgvxd30lSs5BSYq6TbSZMBSEWT26TveG3R8ToDTCfu7EUEa08yYwNrlssWhOtvziSxPhXffdcIsNu5LTVHpuWthVNq8nT-5kgEpeDYOqKv7kZY/s1600/0523dengueAd.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN7STY7hIhvAnk_55dCk5NTIXiLm7v4Kgvxd30lSs5BSYq6TbSZMBSEWT26TveG3R8ToDTCfu7EUEa08yYwNrlssWhOtvziSxPhXffdcIsNu5LTVHpuWthVNq8nT-5kgEpeDYOqKv7kZY/s400/0523dengueAd.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610065943604673586" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">WHAT'S A MOZZIE? </span>As is my wont, I went to boston.com this morning to check up on Boston-area news. This banner-ad appeared on the top of the page. I am sure it did not appear to Massachusetts viewer. It touts a "5-step Mozzie wipeout," connected to efforts to limit <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002350/">dengue fever</a>.<br />After months of seeing the ad, I decided--on our last day--to find out what this is all about. <br />I am probably the only person in Singapore who did NOT know that "mozzie" is a nickname for a mosquito. (It's kind of a jaunty diminutive for such a deadly beast, no? Is it a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocoristic">hypocorism</a>?) <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII3yGYVePC_FuJtwUeSi5VA8NPkfLWeUVIRNNIRdI0WGPeAXtVLHvPlMwaW3W8lxrfaZvkmHyPKSiB27mAkzrIOKi-nFt2G6pJX1lIB_4OHJJQ244q4FiRzumr-rr0ZzMlGnd0TU7-S-2/s1600/0523DengueBooklet.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII3yGYVePC_FuJtwUeSi5VA8NPkfLWeUVIRNNIRdI0WGPeAXtVLHvPlMwaW3W8lxrfaZvkmHyPKSiB27mAkzrIOKi-nFt2G6pJX1lIB_4OHJJQ244q4FiRzumr-rr0ZzMlGnd0TU7-S-2/s200/0523DengueBooklet.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610065832212090546" /></a>Dengue is a big deal here. The government does a lot of campaigning for it, including releasing a booklet called <span style="font-style:italic;">Denque Prevention Tips for Foreign Domestic Maids</span>. It's in English Tagalog, Bahasa Indonesia and Singhalese. One tip that really doesn't come up much in New England (when it comes to eliminating still-water breeding grounds) is pictured at right. The wording that goes with the picture is "Cover bamboo pole holders when not in use." It shows how to cover up the ends of bamboo poles that extend from some homes. These hollow protrusions are not designed for flag poles. They support poles used for drying clothes. They'd rather use their precious energy resources on something other than drying clothes.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-5232522811772515282011-05-23T15:56:00.010+08:002011-05-24T11:29:08.944+08:00Monday, May 23, 2011 (Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3EaGFakadCKnk0JZv-e881bhYVsGITC6qMlB-6DIOoR-mxRwf41GCuXJ4XkwjSbysOUPhCI2rj4XfczPrNf9K0KePtt45T7keNm9GIPbY5snqFSsWwS08fSlorRfVb7bg7Kr0xv2-5fc/s1600/0523silk.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 139px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3EaGFakadCKnk0JZv-e881bhYVsGITC6qMlB-6DIOoR-mxRwf41GCuXJ4XkwjSbysOUPhCI2rj4XfczPrNf9K0KePtt45T7keNm9GIPbY5snqFSsWwS08fSlorRfVb7bg7Kr0xv2-5fc/s200/0523silk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609837102949246754" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT, BUT THE PROCESS REALLY WAS SMOOTH AS SILK:</span> </span>While in Beijing, we bought some pillows and bed coverings at the <a href="http://www.yuanhousilk.com/Article_Show.asp?ArticleID=1">Yuanhou Silk</a> store. We were <a href="http://fourmonthsinsingapore.blogspot.com/2011/04/wednesday-april-13-2011-beijing.html">at the store on April 13</a> (The little cocoons at right that we got from the store are NOT going into our luggage; Sandy thinks I threw these away weeks ago. I didn't. Took the photo today. Then I threw them away.) <br />Anyway, back to the silk store.... We bought some stuff. The store absolutely positively guaranteed the stuff would be at our Winchester home within 40 days. TODAY would be the 40th day. And, guess what? UPS made its first delivery attempt A WEEK AGO. We found out on Friday that UPS had tried delivering the stuff three times and was done. We heard from people at Yuanhou that the shipment might have to be returned. (Sending silk to China has that <a href="http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/carry-coals-to-newcastle.html">coals-to-Newcastle</a> feel.) <br />Well, it turns out that the package can be held in Chelmsford, Mass., until June 2. We can pick it up ourselves. So, the long-distance shipping seems to have worked. The shipping history shows that UPS's shipping process began on May 10. Here's the lineup:<blockquote><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chek_Lap_Kok">Chek Lap Kok</a> (the site of Hong Kong International Airport) (May 11, 10:40 a.m.)<br />Anchorage, AK (May 12, 1:10 p.m.)<br />Ontario, CA (May 12, 10:27 p.m.)<br />Louisville, KY (May 13, 10:23 a.m.)<br />Chelmsford, MA (May 15, 6:11 a.m.</blockquote>Went smoothly until it hit our neighborhood. They did it in less than 40 days. The guarantee, I'm sure, was that they would get it TO our home within 40 days. Getting it INSIDE was not part of the guarantee.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKcT6A2B7uFORqZPLmrv93WTpTirurty1qzE61IYM6d5AW3u-OYaR6AwjSAXEH4Sd9Hm7rjL2V0bDUdSrum5avfUwXl77vHoMyb6H46YAz6m4tr6-aN5fdsqd9eGKnKQsJwzYFFzQWv74/s1600/05xxtugboats.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKcT6A2B7uFORqZPLmrv93WTpTirurty1qzE61IYM6d5AW3u-OYaR6AwjSAXEH4Sd9Hm7rjL2V0bDUdSrum5avfUwXl77vHoMyb6H46YAz6m4tr6-aN5fdsqd9eGKnKQsJwzYFFzQWv74/s400/05xxtugboats.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609907474346759266" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">NEXT TIME IN SINGAPORE....</span> As we prepare to leave, I'm thinking of a few things I'd like to do next time here. My eyes go out to sea. I wish I'd been able to spend a couple of hours on one of those tugboats that wrangle the container ships and help them dock.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-27409136371178850902011-05-22T11:14:00.010+08:002011-05-23T14:14:14.627+08:00Sunday, May 22, 2011 (Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcvze5WmcFxICCNV5SfIAaIS08a4jFkYLMnlQu1dKNhSQXeSKfjiNjyfYoK8IB7CW71n6T3IzJ_CDzmbSIxmUuRxxMDnGobKwn2iqI8GO_MhBHPF8pg69yqV5TC7043wXeSjXOdoQ9sXv/s1600/0522sothebys.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcvze5WmcFxICCNV5SfIAaIS08a4jFkYLMnlQu1dKNhSQXeSKfjiNjyfYoK8IB7CW71n6T3IzJ_CDzmbSIxmUuRxxMDnGobKwn2iqI8GO_MhBHPF8pg69yqV5TC7043wXeSjXOdoQ9sXv/s400/0522sothebys.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609426890797261730" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">SORRY TO BE BLOCKING YOUR VIEW OF THE ARTWORK: </span>At noon today we taxi'd over to the Four Seasons Hotel to see a colleague of Katie's and walk through <a href="http://www.luxury-insider.com/luxury-news/2011/05/art-jewels-sothebys-singapore-preview">an exhibit of highlights</a> from Sotheby's June auction of Impressionist, Modern & Contemporary art in London.In the photo at right, we are posing in one of the galleries on the 20th floor of the hotel with Miety Heiden of the New York office. I know, the message appears to be that we are more important than the art. If you must know, that's "Edwardian" by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Currin">John Currin</a> at the left. We are almost totally blocking "Cafetiere V" by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Dubuffet">Jean Dubuffet</a>--behind me-- and "Eccentric Scientist" by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Lichtenstein">Roy Lichtenstein</a>--between Sandy and Miety. We had a nice lunch afterward. I had what is probably my final <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasi_goreng">nasi goreng</a> in Singapore. I think the chilli drove much of the cold out of my head.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVAX0aFXvYNQ6oTX6qpuH7lOVNxnByRTV6VIW0NB3rmY5K6w35HgOCPLnOQjWZHr-8MgmLOBuJ4UhMaA2gH3Nh0Evz7tu-w9tNpc5ALCluuXwuDEINTzr_gpfF89FR5sY-USP2xXx6lwd/s1600/0522party.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVAX0aFXvYNQ6oTX6qpuH7lOVNxnByRTV6VIW0NB3rmY5K6w35HgOCPLnOQjWZHr-8MgmLOBuJ4UhMaA2gH3Nh0Evz7tu-w9tNpc5ALCluuXwuDEINTzr_gpfF89FR5sY-USP2xXx6lwd/s320/0522party.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609789906905654866" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">A LONG GOOD-BYE:</span> We had a going-away party for the Cambridge Associates office here in Singapore from 6 to 10 p.m. (and beyond). Everyone gathered at the rooftop restaurant called the Lantern, atop the Fullerton Bay Hotel, which is perched on Marina Bay. It was great fun. All the photos were just enough out of focus to be annoying. The group shown above is sitting in the southeast corner of the rooftop. Behind them radiate some of the night lights of Singapore. Our original plans called for flying back on Monday. Now it's Wednesday. The clock is ticking. Do we have enough room in our luggage? Big question.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-9911451024972565362011-05-22T08:28:00.010+08:002011-05-22T11:14:15.247+08:00Saturday, May 21, 2011 (Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0U_30Mwop8T7aA-r5Afndj8cFplOVX89wAK9Xeb0p8id4y758Nkggkpoxs-NUoOuUfotE3IfTG9oqrdtJjgXR-ss_j1Q7GL17MFhCBOIfda_qLBCEFYfBkFdr9oI_XCd-SeKAUjPRtn8V/s1600/0521lionkingAd.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 88px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0U_30Mwop8T7aA-r5Afndj8cFplOVX89wAK9Xeb0p8id4y758Nkggkpoxs-NUoOuUfotE3IfTG9oqrdtJjgXR-ss_j1Q7GL17MFhCBOIfda_qLBCEFYfBkFdr9oI_XCd-SeKAUjPRtn8V/s400/0521lionkingAd.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609345223626289202" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE KING:</span> Sandy and I went on a date today. We figured we better get at least ONE in before we leave (on Wednesday). We saw "The Lion King" in the theater at the Marina Bay Sands. (Of course, it was the matinee; we thought we might keel over during the second half of any 150-minute performance that would begin at 8 p.m.) <br />We absolutely loved it. For a review and some images of the Singapore production (which opened in March) go <a href="http://superadrianme.com/2011/03/10/the-lion-king-singapore-review/">here</a>. I recall that a traveling version will be <a href="http://blog.syracuse.com/entertainment/2011/04/lion_king_roars_into_syracuse.html">in Syracuse this fall</a>. It's well worth seeing. After the show, we ate supper at <a href="http://www.marinabaysands.com/Singapore-Restaurants/Fine-Dining/DB-Bistro-Moderne/">db Bistro Moderne</a>. All within walking distance of home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQscvGVzL1pdVpyuRvlU9QR5_6nxnbCfepMxBilDP5bbR61raeg8s_I1sp-F97GeNeEumA_ONvUWZTx21h6Nla-ujeHuODVRP2jrMUtjzb9hVZ6WNG0xdBeXHVmuHdyh3carSwKftrZiBn/s1600/0521singadistant.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 169px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQscvGVzL1pdVpyuRvlU9QR5_6nxnbCfepMxBilDP5bbR61raeg8s_I1sp-F97GeNeEumA_ONvUWZTx21h6Nla-ujeHuODVRP2jrMUtjzb9hVZ6WNG0xdBeXHVmuHdyh3carSwKftrZiBn/s400/0521singadistant.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609335358131366898" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnx1I0W7MO_hqI2fSu9A87Aegss6T5sCB6yreJvT5g7OvW1JF59ky0p01aFAR4S0RiYq7Y0PSu9B_cafBJYeQB6yQRGeMmmN2zkFwHQ1lhrc5-j5SQlwUySR7XvML6fitRZq3xzxX9oOw-/s1600/0521singa.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnx1I0W7MO_hqI2fSu9A87Aegss6T5sCB6yreJvT5g7OvW1JF59ky0p01aFAR4S0RiYq7Y0PSu9B_cafBJYeQB6yQRGeMmmN2zkFwHQ1lhrc5-j5SQlwUySR7XvML6fitRZq3xzxX9oOw-/s320/0521singa.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609335516756612050" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">SPOTTED A DIFFERENT KIND OF MANE MEN ON THE WAY TO SEE <span style="font-style:italic;">THE LION KING:</span></span> While walking along the shore of Marina Bay, we came across installations of cat/lion statues. These represent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singa_the_Lion">Singa the Lion</a>, who is a mascot for the Singapore Kindness Movement. <br />It's been around since 1982, when it was created in conjunction with a National Courtesy Campaign. Lots of Singaporeans have grown up with this mascot. I think these particular Garfield-esque felines were installed earlier this month, while we were away. <br />A sign near the trio says, "I'm here to inspire kindness and graciousness in everyone." When we first walked up two children were fighting over who would be the first one to touch the lion. <br />They pipe in a lot of music along the shoreline here. With these kindness cats in place, I don't think the playlist will include the Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready to Make Nice."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQvg6BzZPdzUAQS9300j8z74yjud_w4fQynK9kQSBfdBFrw6gfuRJt_ZWicZuKoKvB40rPxZwrnnMDjPE1wSvjNMZ50BPOTxqmJoe5axwi6qXheO459F5gNnPefWCTLeY9OXf55v39nek/s1600/0521711casino.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 316px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQvg6BzZPdzUAQS9300j8z74yjud_w4fQynK9kQSBfdBFrw6gfuRJt_ZWicZuKoKvB40rPxZwrnnMDjPE1wSvjNMZ50BPOTxqmJoe5axwi6qXheO459F5gNnPefWCTLeY9OXf55v39nek/s400/0521711casino.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609340654098634706" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIq_MKg1JXdolPouUvyqCSqqWTNcfUh5yD1tsp0Zr2mS-JCJym0q-4Ns6iUfTErfxdBeABEnW0i5NmgThaBllgo2P0NiIRx-SuRKrvJG8DDSCg2NsxO617eFA7JfJMV3GTlVR2PpD46JV/s1600/05217elevenlogo.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 170px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIq_MKg1JXdolPouUvyqCSqqWTNcfUh5yD1tsp0Zr2mS-JCJym0q-4Ns6iUfTErfxdBeABEnW0i5NmgThaBllgo2P0NiIRx-SuRKrvJG8DDSCg2NsxO617eFA7JfJMV3GTlVR2PpD46JV/s200/05217elevenlogo.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609345330592694146" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">WILL YOU BE ABLE TO WALK INTO A CARTIER STORE WITH A SLURPEE? </span><a href="http://www.lvscretailasia.com/marina-bay-sands-shoppes/">The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands</a>, known for its luxury-goods lineup, is filling some of its storefronts on the western end. As we walked to the Lion King, we noticed that one large spot will be devoted to a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7-Eleven">7-Eleven</a> store, I mean shoppe. The convenience store fills many niches in Singapore and Southeast Asia. It can evidently stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the world's great high-end emporiums. On the level below, the sign says, "The world of luxury shopping starts here." It's a whole new world. The attitudes around the 7-Elevens here are totally different from the attitudes in the U.S. The products are wide; the neighborhoods cover the entire spectrum.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-42574699886107855612011-05-20T20:57:00.013+08:002011-05-21T08:28:56.180+08:00Friday, May 20, 2011 (Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0R_deKCPNFF8jOKk3ZK-6HnYI7bojhF50hRKXBq-h7uOoL_gUMlyDX0KomG3KFNdp6ntdioqQokDHnuH_GhDZ4Jfc2WODqYskFe4jt3NzYCJXH89VVctAsxYDxTQlz2fMWZkTs4t5Z4r/s1600/0520citygallery.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0R_deKCPNFF8jOKk3ZK-6HnYI7bojhF50hRKXBq-h7uOoL_gUMlyDX0KomG3KFNdp6ntdioqQokDHnuH_GhDZ4Jfc2WODqYskFe4jt3NzYCJXH89VVctAsxYDxTQlz2fMWZkTs4t5Z4r/s400/0520citygallery.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608795885753906946" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAGf97xFkgxvFfjJZfRXgDbebJv8WlzLpRftK3QywTW1LgDxtLAj70-gp4Ivdlf2BwbKRKzgniPwvZs-_3LXLvMw6OAIUfkGm9aMaxIwGiqi1MPgsJJPM270dlRsf6aoBsU4okPaJnIwg/s1600/0520supertrees.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAGf97xFkgxvFfjJZfRXgDbebJv8WlzLpRftK3QywTW1LgDxtLAj70-gp4Ivdlf2BwbKRKzgniPwvZs-_3LXLvMw6OAIUfkGm9aMaxIwGiqi1MPgsJJPM270dlRsf6aoBsU4okPaJnIwg/s320/0520supertrees.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608795625960719618" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">SO, THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE:</span> From the top of the Marina Bay Sands Casino, you look out toward the ocean over the top of a huge landscaped area. Dotting the place are numerous tall structures--about 25 meters high and up <span style="font-style:italic;">(right)</span>. They look like GOLF TEES for Paul Bunyan. We lazily wondered about them. <br />Today, because I stuck my head into the <a href="http://www.marina-bay.sg/">Marina Bay City Gallery</a> I found out what the heck they are. I overheard a tour guide telling students <span style="font-style:italic;">(above)</span> about something called "supertrees" that are sprinkled throughout the area. These are basically "vertical gardens" that will eventually feature flowering tropical climbers, ferns and other plants. They will be lit up at night. These will provide shade. From the Web site above: <blockquote>The ‘Supertrees’ are man-made structures that will incorporate vertical greenery with environmentally-sustainable functions such as collecting rainwater and recycling heat.</blockquote> We'll be gone before we can get an up-close look. Might be worth coming back to see them when they are done.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfb02alVlvICD_0x2XPySeKkitIuBOqf8eVFb5UMsvyEbYzPoWI8LT-XRc9735r2xlvmRt0lHo8V3uEwitshwiDv4IQMdc9fsHQMNJ7FzqFSib1gAusjOad5sOBknw3qw6TH9H15NdRp89/s1600/0520yew.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfb02alVlvICD_0x2XPySeKkitIuBOqf8eVFb5UMsvyEbYzPoWI8LT-XRc9735r2xlvmRt0lHo8V3uEwitshwiDv4IQMdc9fsHQMNJ7FzqFSib1gAusjOad5sOBknw3qw6TH9H15NdRp89/s320/0520yew.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608804587732664402" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">IT'S OFFICIAL:</span> Today's<span style="font-style:italic;"> Straits Times</span> captured what will be a historic moment. Lee Kuan Yew's tenure as cabinet member here in Singapore. The news of his intention to leave the cabinet was in the news last Sunday (when we were in Seoul). It's not exactly an <a href="http://www.thenation.com/article/158991/arab-spring">Arab Spring</a> here, but this is a significant event for Singapore. It remains to be seen how things will change. But it is clear that many Singaporeans were very upset with a pronouncement Minister Mentor Lee made before the election, essentially threatening voters in a certain district with repercussions if they were to vote against his People's Action Party. (He said they would have "five years to live and repent" their decision. Not very statesman-like.)<br />For a non-official view of his departure and career, try <a href="http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/05/20/singaporeans-pay-tribute-to-lee-kuan-yew/">this "Online Community of Daft Singaporean Noises"</a>. The official responses are very easy to find.<br />The man and the city-state are hard to separate. He was one of the most enduring and profoundly important leaders of the last 50 years. The change here is worth noting, both officially and unofficially.<br />Toronto's <span style="font-style:italic;">Globe and Mail</span> puts this in a healthy perspective--summing up the change (<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/asia-pacific/singapores-minister-mentor-steps-down-but-not-out/article2030582/">"Singapore's Minister Mentor Steps Down but Not Out"</a>) and crediting a Singaporean novelist with starting a healthy change here (in 1994)--see "<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/asia-pacific/the-little-article-that-rocked-singapore/article2030575/">The Little Article the Rocked Singapore"</a>.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-43900731602676781302011-05-19T17:18:00.016+08:002011-05-20T10:21:57.115+08:00Thursday, May 19, 2011 (Bangkok and Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcRn0-T27BSMRXd67LmV_DamEZsHZXlnExnhkLJo27frmehjHwn8G3oxRP3e_LQ3b6Bj_t9HhQNgQeHdZUhByhEyXi_9MHEvjTEv2YE0fL4W0EGn58YkeaKwFDWwwYSSCgWVIMRKRXDK1/s1600/0519TomsInternationalCollection.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcRn0-T27BSMRXd67LmV_DamEZsHZXlnExnhkLJo27frmehjHwn8G3oxRP3e_LQ3b6Bj_t9HhQNgQeHdZUhByhEyXi_9MHEvjTEv2YE0fL4W0EGn58YkeaKwFDWwwYSSCgWVIMRKRXDK1/s400/0519TomsInternationalCollection.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608354566806704930" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">SO FAR, SO GOOD FOR APPAREL FROM TOM'S: </span>A centerpiece of yesterday's circuitous and tortuous trip to the Grand Palace was the tuk-tuk-fueled 10,000 baht ($320.00 US) pit stop at Tom's International Collection in Bangkok. <span style="font-style:italic;">(I found the picture above while dredging the Web, and I'm pretty sure that was the store my little tuk-tuk took me to.) </span> As mentioned yesterday, the company did, in fact, deliver the SIX SHIRTS and TWO PANTS to the hotel by 7 p.m. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3JfUyAZngxIA-CP_W0K95rH8VydgdB7hp9HS-yXETaODVbmpGN09cWabYYau7qmS4TsEKrjzCuklarxHj_EDTSNVn4YiOeRRW0JlLZa2Rtxsx1keEnlnbOBhv8S4VTaisCCzKVtW-kVv/s1600/0519TomsInAction.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3JfUyAZngxIA-CP_W0K95rH8VydgdB7hp9HS-yXETaODVbmpGN09cWabYYau7qmS4TsEKrjzCuklarxHj_EDTSNVn4YiOeRRW0JlLZa2Rtxsx1keEnlnbOBhv8S4VTaisCCzKVtW-kVv/s200/0519TomsInAction.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608354723148892626" /></a>Today, I decided to take them for a test drive on Singapore Air (Bangkok to Singapore). The results are good. In fact, good things happened even before we got on the plane. For one thing, I swear that I overheard someone in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suvarnabhumi_Airport">Bangkok airport</a> point to me and whisper to her friend, <blockquote>"He shops at Tom's."</blockquote> When I turned, they pretended not to be looking at me. The ensemble also survived the flight. The clothing was NOT affected by the altitude changes. I spilled NO RICE on the shirt. The photo at right <span style="font-style:italic;">(taken by Sandy)</span> gives a decent indicator of how good you can look after shopping at Tom's (<span style="font-style:italic;">de Bangkok</span>). <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvvTDtXqe-GQxNbAL9Y00f6h4pJvlcd6KAJk78YVf07YXntCW7WSSw3S1qFAEqhACYrmNsjmC6rdYsZcKL_Vd1c5up8SEeDHGguWtVl2MpEdCP3yGLpB_NTXqitM2_FxWWx7gj4KE_M6U/s1600/0519pocket.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 169px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvvTDtXqe-GQxNbAL9Y00f6h4pJvlcd6KAJk78YVf07YXntCW7WSSw3S1qFAEqhACYrmNsjmC6rdYsZcKL_Vd1c5up8SEeDHGguWtVl2MpEdCP3yGLpB_NTXqitM2_FxWWx7gj4KE_M6U/s200/0519pocket.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608355241689868274" /></a>I consider this a great triumph. Bangkok is a GREAT PLACE!<br />The close-up of the pocket<span style="font-style:italic;"> (right)</span> shows that the tailors made some effort to LINE UP THE STRIPES where the pocket lies over the shirt. Good job! All in all, I'm satisfied with the clothing. I might have lucked out. I did do some Google searches on Tom's (<span style="font-style:italic;">de Bangkok</span>) and some irate Australians had a lot to say. But they bought SUITS. I played it safe with shirts and pants.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQZMXfuInSmIZf6wu54r1e4DtirP48i66W46dDKHy0vS8H8ejAAMqbMK4Jhwe3E8FmRm04jDY8xOyPpTelfPqjSUiYVrRxQsaPjsDoggLz1MBzFzqbV-zMg0ydN9H_LfTTG9Do5E47ggz/s1600/0519hedge.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQZMXfuInSmIZf6wu54r1e4DtirP48i66W46dDKHy0vS8H8ejAAMqbMK4Jhwe3E8FmRm04jDY8xOyPpTelfPqjSUiYVrRxQsaPjsDoggLz1MBzFzqbV-zMg0ydN9H_LfTTG9Do5E47ggz/s320/0519hedge.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608362547355602466" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">SPEAKING OF CLOTHING.....:</span> Today we got an email from Terry Kerr of <a href="http://www.henleyandsloane.com/">Henley and Sloane</a> (boyfriend of Katie and purveyor of fine men's clothing and accessories). He noticed, from a close reading of the Economist article <a href="http://www.economist.com/node/18681778">Power and Pinatas</a> that a major hedge-fund investor was photographed wearing one of the cuff links Terry sells exclusively (online, at shows and in Nantucket). Tom's (<span style="font-style:italic;">de Bangkok</span>) doesn't carry this stuff. Some of Terry's designs are based on SINGAPORE coins.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">HOME AGAIN: </span>It was very good to get back to Singapore--home. When we got into the cab at Changi Airport, the driver... <blockquote>DID NOT ask "How much will you pay me to take you there?" <br />DID NOT insist that he take us by a clothing store so he could get a gas coupon. <br />DID NOT have to keep his head on a swivel to watch for motorbikes buzzing at him from all directions.<br />DID NOT take one look at me and think to himself, "Here's a sucker."</blockquote> For that last one, I attribute my new shirt from Tom's (<span style="font-style:italic;">de Bangkok</span>).Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-42006580602281824422011-05-18T16:42:00.029+08:002011-05-19T16:57:54.228+08:00Wednesday, May 18, 2011 (Bangkok, Thailand)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQ_HuNOUY0ivkZZR78EzJsMhy1zvX3ije1JefyzjC8id0X7abBYv4KS-jyaMT-d2wgPW4McHLabq2n-hkH9uCoFWlbe2iq1CjjByIaqxozByeZ_vMZVsfMz0Lf7O-x3dMT743b5g1Ov9g/s1600/0518Palace.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQ_HuNOUY0ivkZZR78EzJsMhy1zvX3ije1JefyzjC8id0X7abBYv4KS-jyaMT-d2wgPW4McHLabq2n-hkH9uCoFWlbe2iq1CjjByIaqxozByeZ_vMZVsfMz0Lf7O-x3dMT743b5g1Ov9g/s400/0518Palace.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608006906385217266" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">HE JUST WANTED TO GET A RIDE TO THE GRAND PALACE, <br />or <br />HOW THE TRAVELER ...<blockquote>YIELDED TO THE LURES OF SCAMMERS, <br />AVOIDED A QUESTIONABLE RIDE ON THE RIVER, <br />RISKED HIS LIFE ON A TUK-TUK,<br />BOUGHT SOME NEW THREADS, <br />SQUANDERED MONEY ON EARRINGS,<br />SWITCHED TUK-TUKS IN MID-STREAM, <br />SURVIVED A TUK-TUK/MOTORCYCLE COLLISION, <br />FLED THE SCENE OF THAT ACCIDENT, <br />LEARNED TO SAY "NO" AND ...</blockquote>ARRIVED AT THE GRAND PALACE--SLIGHTLY RATTLED:</span> </span>If ther's one place to see in Bangkok, someone told me, get to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Palace">Grand Palace</a> <span style="font-style:italic;">(pictured above)</span>. OK, I thought, I'll go to the palace first then go to the <a href="http://www.jimthompsonhouse.com/">Jim Thompson House</a>. I plotted my course: Walk 10 or 15 minutes to the Sala Daeng Sky Train station, take the train toward the Wongwian Yai terminus, get off at the Saphin Taksin station, catch a river taxi at Tha Sathon or Tha Oriental; get off at Tha Tien or Tha Chang and walk over to Wat Phra Kaew (Emerald Buddha) and Grand Palace. Really. How hard could that be for someone who has been living in Southeast Asia since early February?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Getting off on the wrong foot:</span> Someone suggested I take a taxi on the first leg of this trip instead of walking to the Sky Train station. That's when the trouble began.<br />For one thing, the taxi driver took me to the WRONG STATION (Si Lom), which was on an entirely different train line. That cost 100 baht (about $3.50 US). He left me quickly. I stared for a while--with dim wits--at a sign while squeezing the life out of my street map. As if on cue, a gentleman stepped forward when he noticed my haplessness. He said--in quite good English--he had a better idea than taking the Sky Train to the river from the wrong station. As he squiggled excitedly in red ink on my wrinkled map, he also MIGHT have said the Grand Palace isn't all that great, anyway, so don't worry about getting there right away. Some mysterious orchestration had begun. The SYNDICATE had moved in. I was about to be played, like a concertina--whatever that is.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthTpFtkFOCWR-dt7aIrR_hXV-J2iomfP9jIYnReiatGormpQsttI2oWoEG3XmQTiWzxx7tPI7QtY2vJrnNIWknSTAHe5YUh0NjV9lwOtAjhZl_M5Osq5NtPM_wCEpiiGfZIfP8pGvQ2p4/s1600/0518tuktukpalace.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthTpFtkFOCWR-dt7aIrR_hXV-J2iomfP9jIYnReiatGormpQsttI2oWoEG3XmQTiWzxx7tPI7QtY2vJrnNIWknSTAHe5YUh0NjV9lwOtAjhZl_M5Osq5NtPM_wCEpiiGfZIfP8pGvQ2p4/s320/0518tuktukpalace.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607998240085197618" /></a> My new pal said the best way to get to the river taxi would be by a tuk-tuk, waving his hand toward one of Bangkok's distinctive three-wheeled "taxis" <span style="font-style:italic;">(see public-domain photo at right of tuk-tuk whizzing past the palace, where I wanted to go).</span> He crossed the street with me and introduced me to the driver. I had heard of these vehicles, vaguely, and I think I rode one once at an amusement park in Ohio.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Crash Test Dummy Climbs Into the Back Seat:</span> I stared at the car and counted the safety features--on one hand, one finger, actually. I got in. I mean, how hard could it be to catch a river taxi and zip up to the Grand Palace?<br />The driver's name was Lob. His English--while vastly superior to my Thai--was absolutely, utterly, incredibly horrible. He did laugh a lot. Squealed in delight, really. He took me to the river, all right. But it was to a wharf that had NO river taxis. Instead it had a boat that could take me to some canal network. The Wharf Master tried to talk me into getting onto a boat that could take me to some tourist attractions with names I could not pronounce somewhere along some canal near the river. I thought of Burma. I said I simply wanted to get to the Grand Palace and really wanted to catch a water taxi there. The man at that wharf gave up on this particular hustle and told me the nearest river-taxi stop was a bit up the river. He pointed to a wharf with a blue roof only about 150 yards up river. I started backtracking so I could walk to it, limping slightly thanks to the reawakened plantar fasciitis.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Caveat Emptor:</span> Lob, who thought he had done his job and delivered me on a silver platter to some emporium on some canal, was clearly startled when he spotted me out of the corner of his tuk-tuk.<br />He saluted me--"Yo! Mr. Frank!"--and said he could take me to the Grand Palace himself for 40 baht. There was just one catch. (Those of you who have been to Bangkok know what it was, of course.) He had to make a "stop for gas"--maybe two, he told me. Fine, I thought, although the gas tank couldn't possibly be big enough for two fillings. But I don't want to walk. I thought I would just sit in the back of the tuk-tuk for however long it took and inhale what's left of his exhaust fumes. <div>It turns out he wasn't entirely honest about the "stopping for gas" part of it. Or, rather, I'd say he was <span style="font-style:italic;">lawyerly honest </span>about it. It turns out he really wanted to bring me to a men's clothing store--Tom's International Collection. (I had not heard of this place.) If he steered me there, I learned, he would receive a VOUCHER for free Esso gas. So, yes, he was technically "stopping for gas."<br />By then I knew I was either in a slasher flick, in a scene from Bourne Identity VIII or in some international commercial swirl that was out of my control. I decided I was just going to have to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie_back_and_think_of_England">close my eyes, lie back and think of England,</a> as they say.<br />On my merry way to the Grand Palace, of course.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWVi5r7JH_3foQA5V5Y-P914M8YrajeEUzucBV4wrT4qoShID_aX3np68AI3T2RjAKGsUE-Sf5gETFvi5hgooU9QDRLK2PwsNCAKEfhLQ80YMLQyFND94lVCCuDMW6xoItE2b5SfeTKcY/s1600/0518AlexTailor.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWVi5r7JH_3foQA5V5Y-P914M8YrajeEUzucBV4wrT4qoShID_aX3np68AI3T2RjAKGsUE-Sf5gETFvi5hgooU9QDRLK2PwsNCAKEfhLQ80YMLQyFND94lVCCuDMW6xoItE2b5SfeTKcY/s320/0518AlexTailor.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608006125517752386" /></a>A few illegal lane crossings later, I found myself strolling into the aforementioned Tom's International Collection. Just like the tuk-tuk, I was fuming. But I remembered to simply think of England. So I played nice. There were bolts of cloth there. They must make <i>something</i>. I decided I would buy something. Thanks to some help from a smooth-as-silk salesman/tailor named Alex <span style="font-style:italic;">(right)</span> I walked, nay, <i>strutted</i> out of there poorer by 10,000 bahts (about $360 US) and clutching the promise that six tailored shirts and two tailored pants would be delivered to my hotel by 7 that night. Sure they will. And they'll be delivered by elephant..... Granted, I still wasn't at the palace, but at least I could dress for a palace visit if I ever had one. </div><div><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Without a guide; without a clue: </span>Next, Lob, who was beginning to really feel it, whisked me to a jewelry store. There, in a walking coma, I plunked down a crisp 100 baht note (about $36) for jade earrings for a neice who has never to my knowledge ever said anything about liking Jade. My driver picked me up when I emerged. As he tuk-tukked his way into snarling traffic I found myself tapping out the rhythms of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_McCoy">Van McCoy's</a> great <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZcY5vxLbpA">"The Hustle"</a> the the cadence of the tuk-tuk. I was certainly being played. I kept thinking of England.<br />Then things got worse.<br />As we chuttered through Bangkok, and speaking loudly over the tapping of the cylinder(s), announced loudly that he had to get home to <span style="font-style:italic;">"FEED MY BABY"</span>--whatever that means. I nodded dumbly and yelled, "That's OK, so long as your baby is in the Grand Palace." He did not get my little joke. That was OK because I really wasn't joking.<br />He pulled over and waved to a fellow conspirator, er, fellow tuk-tuk driver. He explained the situation. Lob waved me good-bye, took NO MONEY from me and assured me that his friend would drive me to the Grand Palace for the same 40 bahts that Lob has been promised.<br />Again, I just closed my eyes and thought of England.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8hK09QTJRCf5zNvbUmHYxmQt2i5swXgPpf2fSLogULk8f8d2r-dgIg0m_VAR2W8y9t9mL3947D-UQLokxdeVKbXUY0_ZA_mzvpcYKH4982Fkn6IQYIkPGinzfnZH2ptCFxH-einqPqeP/s1600/0518tuktukinside.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 310px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8hK09QTJRCf5zNvbUmHYxmQt2i5swXgPpf2fSLogULk8f8d2r-dgIg0m_VAR2W8y9t9mL3947D-UQLokxdeVKbXUY0_ZA_mzvpcYKH4982Fkn6IQYIkPGinzfnZH2ptCFxH-einqPqeP/s320/0518tuktukinside.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608004703175701458" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Can Somebody Help Me Find a Word that Rhymes with Tuk-Tuk?</span> I snapped one picture from the back of the tuk-tuk, and have included it at right. As you can see there's an air bag. Oh, no. I'm WRONG. There's NO AIR BAG. It's just plenty of AIR with NO BAG at all.<br />My new driver, whom I will call A.J. for an obvious reason, took about fourteen turns (probably at the same three or four intersections for all I knew) and I was feeling confident. "How far to the palace?" I asked cheerily (thinking how friggin' big can this city be?). He muttered. My English wasn't working.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The accident: </span>A.J. stopped at a T-intersection. Then he edged boldly into traffic in the tuk-tuk's classic staggered bursts of speed. He looked in one direction, did NOT look the other way, and forged ahead. I saw it. He didn't. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0icNTrkqPTEursUHWe5trwNxXqlHUy-YA05X3kwdhyphenhyphen8y0VYGC798I46SLudg0i9ggb2_Tu7-0VRsR1rKw-fPPTEb7FoRIjy0K0AkMqXkoOidTcgqmU9Y8SPv1UEKJfeFJvOY_F3BfUWzh/s1600/0518tukcycleaccident.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0icNTrkqPTEursUHWe5trwNxXqlHUy-YA05X3kwdhyphenhyphen8y0VYGC798I46SLudg0i9ggb2_Tu7-0VRsR1rKw-fPPTEb7FoRIjy0K0AkMqXkoOidTcgqmU9Y8SPv1UEKJfeFJvOY_F3BfUWzh/s320/0518tukcycleaccident.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608004555848371154" /></a>I yelled "Look out" in totally useless English. He rammed right into the back of a motorcycle, which had stopped suddenly (IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION). <span style="font-style:italic;">(The aftermath of the collision is shown at right.)</span><br />There I was, sitting in the back of a very thin-skinned tuk-tuk in the middle of a busy intersection soemwhere in the bowels of Bangkok, surrounded by random pieces of a motorcycle fender, with the smell of gasoline drifting my way. I thought, again, of England.<br />I just wanted to get a ride to the Grand Palace. Is this too much to ask? Evidently.<br />I waited for the motorcyclist to haul off and utterly box A.J. in his ear. Didn't happen. The motorcyclist was still picking up pieces when A.J. did a hurried bow, with palms dutifully pressed together at chest level, and scrambled to his tuk-tuk, waving to me to get in. I don't think EITHER driver wanted to talk with ANY police officer about ANYTHING. The tuk-tuk had a pretty good dent, but it could move. He eventually brought me to the east wall of the palace grounds. He had the utter gall to ask me if I wanted him to wait so he could drive me back to the hotel. THAT's when i STOPPED THINKING OF ENGLAND and stiffened by back, snapped my head up, and said, bravely, "No."<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZF8tnNHMWWCIQfepegQfyylqMvl0Ld4V0-B5v99JSFUjnEQx94xpTHZX2vIG866Q-Jpbvudhlza2iFXUTzBxLyGXDG1au0esHHtbwZJ9HAZ2Z8qNCfPh35raKf1BfuTtClcUYJUWrPBZ/s1600/0518green+tea.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZF8tnNHMWWCIQfepegQfyylqMvl0Ld4V0-B5v99JSFUjnEQx94xpTHZX2vIG866Q-Jpbvudhlza2iFXUTzBxLyGXDG1au0esHHtbwZJ9HAZ2Z8qNCfPh35raKf1BfuTtClcUYJUWrPBZ/s200/0518green+tea.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608241541731061922" /></a>I did tour the palace <span style="font-style:italic;">(see below)</span>. Then, I grabbed a metered cab for the ride back to the hotel (after actually getting OUT of the cab when another driver wanted to charge me 400 bahts for the trip). I didn't pass Go. I didn't go to the Jim Thompson House.<br />When I got safely back to the hotel, I enjoyed a cup of green tea <span style="font-style:italic;">(right)</span> and then went up to the room and assumed the fetal position.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJj4b-pPFQf8A1HnYPR4u96LruGak9EbmCiDSwk8W-VUkdvLPxvGU5HJAP0Rur7wCD44RXZGcUhqSJm_-IjZveorkDASe2BDsZmVfbzRM3AWIlbXg8xevgFrOK9fDxGX_lIqRdIuXDQJV/s1600/0518guards.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 342px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJj4b-pPFQf8A1HnYPR4u96LruGak9EbmCiDSwk8W-VUkdvLPxvGU5HJAP0Rur7wCD44RXZGcUhqSJm_-IjZveorkDASe2BDsZmVfbzRM3AWIlbXg8xevgFrOK9fDxGX_lIqRdIuXDQJV/s400/0518guards.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608038451140334418" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEMnJvQTDN9WNyeBDU0qNADtVqPzeamqimHU_RG8E8wF-j6cGp-5kAhkJIBwvD5AMqBBTt_T5Z8RukoQ33g7NKivoXJdhAbevBP739cdKLv6P3VIJ3OviuZaT9V2OM4C9FbeR6qYRB2S6/s1600/0518monk.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEMnJvQTDN9WNyeBDU0qNADtVqPzeamqimHU_RG8E8wF-j6cGp-5kAhkJIBwvD5AMqBBTt_T5Z8RukoQ33g7NKivoXJdhAbevBP739cdKLv6P3VIJ3OviuZaT9V2OM4C9FbeR6qYRB2S6/s320/0518monk.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608034909888830482" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">AT THE GRAND PALACE (FINALLY):</span> As mentioned, I did make it to the Grand Palace and the contiguous temple. The temple <a href="http://thailandforvisitors.com/central/bangkok/ratanakosin/prakeo/green/index.html">(The Temple of the Emerald Buddha)</a> is really the great attraction, not so much the palace, which has very limited access. At least I got a chance to see yet another changing of the guard<span style="font-style:italic;"> (above)</span>.<br />The temple area has plenty of sights, even ones that a Buddhist monk might want to record on film<span style="font-style:italic;"> (right)</span>. The temple is also known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Phra_Kaew">Wat Phra Kaew</a>. The complex features eye-catching buildings relating to both the ruling family and Buddhism. The centerpiece is the so-called "Emerald Buddha", which is really made of jade. it is north of the royal residence and is one of the holiest sites in Thailand. The Buddha sits on a gilded Thai-style throne. It was discovered in 1434 in a stupa in Chiang Rai. That statue is what the monk in my photograph is focusing on. And the complex has a small replica of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat">Angkor Wat</a>, for those who can't get over to Cambodia.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89f1KM_F3RdJhu9acOAeVXpZEpoRlcJCE8cQiY0g9QCSlvzFvGoZTzFRqN00npvEp0kdv0_Z_9QyLWrcfgWnsSO_3e0ENlVu3Rz9P5s3TGQX7obJBIjhQ0HAC9SXUSY2m7zd_YsMAGq2m/s1600/0518PalaceArtist.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89f1KM_F3RdJhu9acOAeVXpZEpoRlcJCE8cQiY0g9QCSlvzFvGoZTzFRqN00npvEp0kdv0_Z_9QyLWrcfgWnsSO_3e0ENlVu3Rz9P5s3TGQX7obJBIjhQ0HAC9SXUSY2m7zd_YsMAGq2m/s200/0518PalaceArtist.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608045982104997986" /></a>I enjoyed coming across an artist who was working in the galleries of the Royal Monastery <span style="font-style:italic;">(right).</span> The artwork on the wall presents scenes from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramakien">Ramakien</a>, the national epic of Thailand.<br />Back to the palace.... One building, the <a href="http://www.palaces.thai.net/gp/bo.htm">Borom Phiman Mansion</a>, was built in 1903 by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chulalongkorn">King Rama V</a> for the heir apparent (No. VI). It clearly reflects the European influence on the king. So does the larger building of the palace area, which is the actual Grand Palace.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEePbERg44YuTteexgSYE6SdGiYait_UMIvX9BnWDb9U9D9aPiBPNOl70_Az6r8yqZnQtj3llE4BM4B4UEu6zWqeb0D6UnPCKHiTNfRPE-SbwUlUK5fhrXCuwetMieUGKNUfoKfBwgPkHI/s1600/0518KingSiam.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 149px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEePbERg44YuTteexgSYE6SdGiYait_UMIvX9BnWDb9U9D9aPiBPNOl70_Az6r8yqZnQtj3llE4BM4B4UEu6zWqeb0D6UnPCKHiTNfRPE-SbwUlUK5fhrXCuwetMieUGKNUfoKfBwgPkHI/s200/0518KingSiam.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608055145310389938" /></a> It's shown at the top of today's entry and features a distinctive Thai-style roofline, atop a very European body. King Rama V <span style="font-style:italic;">(right)</span> visited Europe for the first time in 1897, the first Siamese king to do so. He's the one about whom my great aunt wrote an intriguing (but unexplained) item in a diary she kept as a 17-year-old in 1904. She was in Paris at the time, and her efforts to buy a hat had been thwarted because the Duchess of Marlborough had swept in and bought it before her. She wrote that the incident reminded her of "Lucy [her sister], the King of Siam and the studs in Geneva."<br />That's all I know. Think those studs might still be in the palace somewhere?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQrgDWX4IsmfXJhlyWr6Gv74mztwFXjgKs18589s03p-1jqF-3nctzLqO_GAapteEI1_T9d9_wczCcu7Gl1zrF9W1cAIMBJw4QEIvHmW3oF5tOZHvjI80FIM8SMSTzhePxxRFXTq9MF4q/s1600/0518toms.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQrgDWX4IsmfXJhlyWr6Gv74mztwFXjgKs18589s03p-1jqF-3nctzLqO_GAapteEI1_T9d9_wczCcu7Gl1zrF9W1cAIMBJw4QEIvHmW3oF5tOZHvjI80FIM8SMSTzhePxxRFXTq9MF4q/s200/0518toms.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608047790097172370" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">THE TAILOR COMES THROUGH:</span> Just want to let you know that Tom's International Collection did as they promised. The shirts and pants were delivered to the hotel by 7 p.m. Sandy and I have looked at them. Some stitching may be a bit too obvious and I don't dare try any of them on just at this moment, but the clothing got here as promised. For that I am relieved. Maybe the tuk-tuk adventure was worth the hassle after all.<br /><br /><br /></div>Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-5977584271682611682011-05-18T01:08:00.013+08:002011-05-18T11:02:14.199+08:00Tuesday, May 17, 2011 (Seoul, DMZ, South Korea)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-9aE1AIG7Dok7vERgmQ7XyUcsbkwiX3kMMbZCeUhSjufsdHis2Fc5nRXweL9DvW6RHon1CjAZkK5oNtXevg8ArSOClFNJU3Qv0kVovMrEoX5e4WSr_2iDoJZbE6Dgorlt3omOUymFVSl/s1600/0517DMZPhoto.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-9aE1AIG7Dok7vERgmQ7XyUcsbkwiX3kMMbZCeUhSjufsdHis2Fc5nRXweL9DvW6RHon1CjAZkK5oNtXevg8ArSOClFNJU3Qv0kVovMrEoX5e4WSr_2iDoJZbE6Dgorlt3omOUymFVSl/s400/0517DMZPhoto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607733580755627938" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgaYRUzKcrqyWf0Ffjaegn8tHwY6jd_VImhcB_tSRPeeEVcwgEIubRvjC0FB-gYoTS9M1chOA7HqLZyAF3Moe_2IwdQ5gGMDaPKF18NZ-4i1vsfQJkSX42Jq68aT8dS8drTM0l0GhA5AT/s1600/0517DMZphotoCLOSE.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgaYRUzKcrqyWf0Ffjaegn8tHwY6jd_VImhcB_tSRPeeEVcwgEIubRvjC0FB-gYoTS9M1chOA7HqLZyAF3Moe_2IwdQ5gGMDaPKF18NZ-4i1vsfQJkSX42Jq68aT8dS8drTM0l0GhA5AT/s200/0517DMZphotoCLOSE.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607733380149373506" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">AT THE DMZ--WHAT PART OF "NO" DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?</span> Took a tour north from Seoul to the DMZ. We stopped at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imjingak">Imjingak</a>. Then we went to an eerily empty (but totally modernized) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorasan_Station">train station</a>. It was built in expectation of eventual in-and-out traffic between the Koreas.<br />One stop was at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dora_Observatory">Dora observation deck</a>. Our tour guide mentioned, oh, maybe, eight thousand times that we should take photographs of North Korea from behind a designated BRIGHT YELLOW LINE. (Taking a photo from any other place might give someone a view of the disposition of South Korean military personnel and equipment--which is probably already exposed by something like Google Earth.) <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjob03sV8VolskNBwHj3Ji8Z_jyk15O8yJV4w7yladI9V-R-HTrCmhmhexrQ5b5HejJilE3kkk87mnl-ysqD6gFkXyTeXUq2azkA4nDH9_IoyyFv53YmGF90mWfMJlRbtXXr9L1JSqJ4_aA/s1600/0517DMZPhotoREALLY+close.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 151px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjob03sV8VolskNBwHj3Ji8Z_jyk15O8yJV4w7yladI9V-R-HTrCmhmhexrQ5b5HejJilE3kkk87mnl-ysqD6gFkXyTeXUq2azkA4nDH9_IoyyFv53YmGF90mWfMJlRbtXXr9L1JSqJ4_aA/s200/0517DMZPhotoREALLY+close.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607733271716332818" /></a>We were told that the ROK military were especially diligent about the cameras and can take the camera away in three languages--English, Chinese and Japanese. (Actually, they will return the camera after deleting the photo.) Anyway, rules are rules. No problem. I took my panoramic shot<span style="font-style:italic;"> (above).</span> Upon further review, low and behold, I caught a tourist in the VERY ACT of photographing some of ROK's military emplacements. To help you, the reader, I have circled the man in THREE versions of the photo <span style="font-style:italic;">(above and at right)</span>. VERY shortly after the photo was taken, a guard did, in fact, grab the camera and set things right with the man.<br />From this spot, you can see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kijŏng-dong">Kijong-dong</a>, which certainly looks like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potemkin_village">Potemkin village</a> that the South Koreans say it is.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiql43SysPWPrPfW8CsmKhyphenhyphen0fNKTMlmST6KE8N7hZ2nbVuf5nOwO38n3Gi8rJdc9sTHDss6uDYpP4lADZCqnBwGyQ_A9JuNiWmVxJSfy6JlWrxISB8by1w-oEFpqw2TpeUH4RbY7qAa7dEt/s1600/0517tunnelMap.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiql43SysPWPrPfW8CsmKhyphenhyphen0fNKTMlmST6KE8N7hZ2nbVuf5nOwO38n3Gi8rJdc9sTHDss6uDYpP4lADZCqnBwGyQ_A9JuNiWmVxJSfy6JlWrxISB8by1w-oEFpqw2TpeUH4RbY7qAa7dEt/s400/0517tunnelMap.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607876942433126482" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">TUNNEL VISION: </span>We also went to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Tunnel_of_Aggression">Third infiltration tunnel</a>, which is a pretty daunting place. Hard-hatted visitors trek down a steep-sloped 358-meter walkway to intersect with one of the tunnels that North Korea evidently tried to build to bust deep into South Korean territory. Then, visitors walk about 250 meters to a barrier. That horizontal walk requires some crouching for anyone taller than 5 feet 6 inches or so.<br />We weren't allowed to take pictures in the tunnel, and I noticed NOBODY doing it. What I did notice was a LOT of elderly tourists (mostly from China) making this grueling trek underground. Very impressive in their dogged determination to do this. <br />The map above shows the arrangement. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeswMkBFcfrT9EyRf_3l-HbLMEnqCJCD2HO8EgMnf_NnMlZG16g8fOazWyo-6wtCP5E2f0v_kHLhqLqr__Ebw-jY5sVGn0BydYCapXqCcUsXrdAC9kXar9IcadSzjRd4SKMvaGbTPT-P1/s1600/0517DMZChocolate.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 156px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeswMkBFcfrT9EyRf_3l-HbLMEnqCJCD2HO8EgMnf_NnMlZG16g8fOazWyo-6wtCP5E2f0v_kHLhqLqr__Ebw-jY5sVGn0BydYCapXqCcUsXrdAC9kXar9IcadSzjRd4SKMvaGbTPT-P1/s200/0517DMZChocolate.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607877173405054546" /></a>I also included (at right) a poster touting a special DMZ chocolate. I didn't find it, but it offers a good illustration of the way South Korea has parlayed a COMMUNIST incursion into a robust CAPITALIST enterprise. This is one of the busiest tourist destinations in South Korea. Might be the busiest.<br />The tunnel was discovered in 1978. Number crunchers say that about 10,000 soldiers (small ones, anyway) could move through the tunnel in about one hour.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">WINGING IT WITH BIBIMBAP: </span>We caught an evening flight to Bangkok from Incheon Airport. On Korean Air, we had one last taste of Korea. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibimbap">Bibimbap</a> was on the menu, with a special how-to-assemble instructions for those of us unfamiliar with the signature Korean dish. I didn't take a picture (still feeling the effects of the prohibitions on photography from the DMZ), but here's a video from Korean Air that celebrates this dish, which tastes just fine at 34,000 feet:<br /><br /><iframe width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XmHNxW9W8n8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-66948603049758454002011-05-17T06:09:00.014+08:002011-05-18T11:11:51.070+08:00Monday, May 16, 2011 (Seoul, South Korea)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TF13V4X9TGiTO75rKt0cEMlpcEin3cqzY-acEvj-JUK7FxfhJdp5Z7YDPLMYcjbEZzuYpIQNOBEDIhSrS75I3uSdOS8a99PdSwYa6_MpNk97Yf6iBUl3R9yvXFn2BCODg_avmsnGCgIP/s1600/0516brush.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TF13V4X9TGiTO75rKt0cEMlpcEin3cqzY-acEvj-JUK7FxfhJdp5Z7YDPLMYcjbEZzuYpIQNOBEDIhSrS75I3uSdOS8a99PdSwYa6_MpNk97Yf6iBUl3R9yvXFn2BCODg_avmsnGCgIP/s400/0516brush.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607443316567925522" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhU_JIZ_gOHfPmxVNsPehWLCywxJGl-gGPxpjN4SgtXJGugTzMLLQM1I0bAhGKN3PBse2EftPFKyN6r6OmSLf0r0jLpz9x-EOs_4ul6WbcqH6QL8zORCRRZCXZGQ6kXq0zVxhe41rZG48/s1600/0516chefworking.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 152px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhU_JIZ_gOHfPmxVNsPehWLCywxJGl-gGPxpjN4SgtXJGugTzMLLQM1I0bAhGKN3PBse2EftPFKyN6r6OmSLf0r0jLpz9x-EOs_4ul6WbcqH6QL8zORCRRZCXZGQ6kXq0zVxhe41rZG48/s200/0516chefworking.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607443501309522082" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">FEET ON THE GROUND:</span> Spent a lot of time walking through Seoul as part of a tour.<br />This intriguing calligraphy-brush statue (above) marks one entrance to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insadong"> Insadong,</a> a neighborhood in the Jongno-gu district of the city. There are lots of shops and we strolled the length of it. I expected store owners and workers to try and lure passersby inside, making it a gantlet of sorts. But that didn't happen. We paused to watch a couple of entertaining chefs whip up some <a href="http://www.goneseoulsearching.com/2011/04/seoul-food-girl-making-kkul-tarae-in.html">kkul tarae</a>. The chefs take a very hard concoction and stretch it into thousands of strands. I dropped 7,000 won on a box of "Cocoa Linings" (about $7). If we eat this with tea, it's better if it is "cold and frozen" (I assume they meant to put an "or" in there instead of "and").<br />The chefs worked in a singsong manner.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHCyhga3pxYvRoZg3AMwVmef3Y2tbuN0oS5TBmLDGfde32hmFoDK8a733Ta9OTN9kYs8lMYvDQ5DYv5HmKtLG1gos1dwY3GSp75LvIlImZ73qcSHBbPuIgqwCusEfn6ldDiKSBJErdS5A/s1600/0516guardchange.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHCyhga3pxYvRoZg3AMwVmef3Y2tbuN0oS5TBmLDGfde32hmFoDK8a733Ta9OTN9kYs8lMYvDQ5DYv5HmKtLG1gos1dwY3GSp75LvIlImZ73qcSHBbPuIgqwCusEfn6ldDiKSBJErdS5A/s400/0516guardchange.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607603947698856194" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HE5bi9BaPhrUS8ErlTRNgnlQDY6ZE1Iq8VIBsE1ZjeHyUAd6rrQhftwnDZwILSRpFRVzpV5KOSV8PwFYTNGGGETHQo4DcKea0eEoNbRaaRhhd3ZgWkSscrGSnlVabp9UuHWqeuZAkH6Q/s1600/0516guardleft.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HE5bi9BaPhrUS8ErlTRNgnlQDY6ZE1Iq8VIBsE1ZjeHyUAd6rrQhftwnDZwILSRpFRVzpV5KOSV8PwFYTNGGGETHQo4DcKea0eEoNbRaaRhhd3ZgWkSscrGSnlVabp9UuHWqeuZAkH6Q/s320/0516guardleft.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607603776835789842" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">THE GUARDS, THEY ARE A'CHANGIN':</span> Early in the tour (at 10 a.m., actually), we zipped over to Gyeongbokgung Palace to catch the changing of the guard, which revives the glory days of the Joseon period. These guards stood watch over the gates of the city and palace. Responding to the sounds of a large drum. The guards nowadays plant themselves at the Gwanghwamun Gate. The one shown at left is, I think, a Gapso Regular Guard. Of course, I'm not talking about the police officer who seems to be affecting sort of a slouch. We also went to the National Folk Museum, drove quickly by the presidential residence (called the Blue House), and walked through the vast Namdaemun Market.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEZ_KrbD5vqGtquYlvPUTfxJamrxbrYXsYGXHsiDW8u-uCEB6Q2rKxjDDAHGu6ragGcpEan6yzCNESgr5YTpzvPfm0O4qXTuoUD1PhCxYp2O0JprgfHf_wq0ziOBsWvRjemukgqOiLSGe/s1600/0517jeternumber.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEZ_KrbD5vqGtquYlvPUTfxJamrxbrYXsYGXHsiDW8u-uCEB6Q2rKxjDDAHGu6ragGcpEan6yzCNESgr5YTpzvPfm0O4qXTuoUD1PhCxYp2O0JprgfHf_wq0ziOBsWvRjemukgqOiLSGe/s400/0517jeternumber.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607601054830802690" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyzpU223jZ2OrjO5zrRsaF0e3u9cLpG25b9QoJMxUipH9m4R17Y7TAz4ewBICEvp7qAysLnkdlz1tCE3Kg9wc5hyphenhyphenNuW5K5eVV3pLUJblavMwIRCpyK5m0_EXHkico_6vRDoJESh3N5q9b/s1600/0515howard.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 168px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyzpU223jZ2OrjO5zrRsaF0e3u9cLpG25b9QoJMxUipH9m4R17Y7TAz4ewBICEvp7qAysLnkdlz1tCE3Kg9wc5hyphenhyphenNuW5K5eVV3pLUJblavMwIRCpyK5m0_EXHkico_6vRDoJESh3N5q9b/s200/0515howard.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607602612247414978" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">DOES RYAN HOWARD KNOW HE HAS A FAN CLUB IN SEOUL?</span> The Gyeonghoe-ru Pavilion is one of the places used for relaxation on the palace grounds. There, school kids swarmed us, seeming to pay special attention to the dozens of carp, who sensed food would soon be coming their way. This group wore florescent shirt coverings with the number "6" boldly printed on the back. Any connection to the Philadelphia Phillies All-Star first baseman?Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-80263049719224822252011-05-15T18:54:00.009+08:002011-05-16T06:12:37.821+08:00Sunday, May 15, 2011 (Seoul, Korea)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQN0uZrj4x8iffPy0gB9a5iLBt4z5HPJonej6LWdDLHVo2sVhs4eX2cAfeVeyxXgoteXXl1I4mAMvl8v7YwwZQLyo5bwfBaYAnGnxYwl5dJmY8mxyp0lYwXwO4P64LOROAUTnhS_n-HrRC/s1600/0515WarMemBrothers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQN0uZrj4x8iffPy0gB9a5iLBt4z5HPJonej6LWdDLHVo2sVhs4eX2cAfeVeyxXgoteXXl1I4mAMvl8v7YwwZQLyo5bwfBaYAnGnxYwl5dJmY8mxyp0lYwXwO4P64LOROAUTnhS_n-HrRC/s400/0515WarMemBrothers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606902832996220578" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">PERPETUAL REMEMBRANCE: </span>I don't know if many tourists get there, but Sandy and I were very happy to have gotten over to <a href="http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=268131">The War Memorial of Korea</a>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSXgT4VI3TMuh8-xtSl1J-QN4TafX6JyEhFB8VZA3VqZgpciYVTv50a7QrRwLXd-c5IkRqymmK4k83DXrvBw8pLdM3iHhok8-PaAO8sZII4lobT8GyuLYjIu8ANvY4tIpCy2yA2b9EgeJ/s1600/0515prayer.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSXgT4VI3TMuh8-xtSl1J-QN4TafX6JyEhFB8VZA3VqZgpciYVTv50a7QrRwLXd-c5IkRqymmK4k83DXrvBw8pLdM3iHhok8-PaAO8sZII4lobT8GyuLYjIu8ANvY4tIpCy2yA2b9EgeJ/s200/0515prayer.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606904419272772226" /></a> Our appreciation of the exhibits in the museum itself was hindered by our profound lack of knowledge of Korean language and history, although we honestly liked exhibits such as the intriguing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle_ship">Turtle Ship</a>. But our appreciation for the significance of the memorial was keen, especially regarding the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War">Korean War</a>. The setting offers plenty of peace and quiet for prayer <span style="font-style:italic;">(right).</span> Much-bigger-than-life statuary dominates the foreground of the museum. We liked The Brothers <span style="font-style:italic;">(above)</span>. It's a poignant symbol of the Korean War. The description posted near the installation puts it this way: "The upper part of the statue depicts a scene where a family's older brother, a ROK officer, and his younger brother, a North Korean soldier, meet in a battlefield and express reconciliation, love, and forgiveness." The fact that the ROK soldier outranks and is older than the soldier from the North is probably unimportant. It's still a moving image. What hugs remain in the future?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwSITxy7RaZVqmXAeYrUnQJD-s9FwF2iPUKjidKUiWHhzotGO1PTqxE_CyJqmcw36UIi2qQDrkR5kZwj-B39Ug0RYkRAp937rXTqtaWDp_mtZY4cvcIQu9akGrvzw3sO13rRXvIR2CJa6/s1600/0515NamesWax.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwSITxy7RaZVqmXAeYrUnQJD-s9FwF2iPUKjidKUiWHhzotGO1PTqxE_CyJqmcw36UIi2qQDrkR5kZwj-B39Ug0RYkRAp937rXTqtaWDp_mtZY4cvcIQu9akGrvzw3sO13rRXvIR2CJa6/s400/0515NamesWax.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606894941857663986" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">REMEMBERED, AND TREASURED: </span>A large part of the memorial was devoted to the many thousands who died in the Korean War, fighting for the ROK or on behalf of the United Nations (meaning, for the most part, the United States). As we walked by the plaques, we came across the panels that included names of American dead. Workers were applying beeswax to the surface of the plaques to help protect the names from the elements <span style="font-style:italic;">(above).</span> One of the workers told me they do it every four years.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiSsEppjcjtc5vTIYeElGlTStL47-CvNm36dKfLJIiiWSZvRDD1xNOqs7SPn2mg0_S-JjJp2BGYQZ4GyQWskIW_vazk2F0kVp4matw_VClKLmc7wAnGPTTWmaHcBABnqgfflAY00lKrB8/s1600/0515PBRichardson.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiSsEppjcjtc5vTIYeElGlTStL47-CvNm36dKfLJIiiWSZvRDD1xNOqs7SPn2mg0_S-JjJp2BGYQZ4GyQWskIW_vazk2F0kVp4matw_VClKLmc7wAnGPTTWmaHcBABnqgfflAY00lKrB8/s320/0515PBRichardson.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606896488753586754" /></a> When we came to the Connecticut listings we spotted the entry for Lt. Peter Bowen Richardson of Woodstock, a relative <span style="font-style:italic;">(right)</span>. It's a tough thing to look at. I had met his dad and know his sister. He was the nephew of Dorothy Richardson Lincoln, whose work with World War One blind soldiers has garnered my attention. While it was sobering to gaze on the name, it was some comfort to know that officials at the memorial are doing what they can to preserve the memory of each soldier and present them in a moving setting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2dLltEz5sXUNwWXjDCRHTlZ8j6GDIF5KzYZMSUCtYuMpBV1x-gsMKmHPXbPeGQE75oVzHvxWd_k8wyj0iwHMyPsw621pR9rro7KHREg64RIi-V8RKly-10_BR-6jP-ghcsachDeRAScX/s1600/0516ffheats.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2dLltEz5sXUNwWXjDCRHTlZ8j6GDIF5KzYZMSUCtYuMpBV1x-gsMKmHPXbPeGQE75oVzHvxWd_k8wyj0iwHMyPsw621pR9rro7KHREg64RIi-V8RKly-10_BR-6jP-ghcsachDeRAScX/s200/0516ffheats.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606898682390105026" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">STILL WORKING THE CHOPSTICKS: </span>Sandy snuck this photo while we had lunch today at the Grand Hyatt. The meal was a delightful Hainanese chicken, with a trio of sauces for mixing. I think they were chilli, mustard and soy. We hadn't used chopsticks for a while, but, like riding a bicycle, it all came back quickly. it was a welcome meal after an overnight flight from Singapore [during which I watched part of <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Zimmer">Anthony Zimmer</a></span>, the movie that inspired <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tourist_(2010_film)">The Tourist</a></span>. Zimmer, while less flashy, less visual, less star-studded--and less costly--seemed preferable.] I don't look so good in this photo. Bear in mind that this was taken BEFORE my haircut and facial.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-51479673155825132352011-05-14T08:42:00.009+08:002011-05-14T17:45:13.269+08:00Saturday, May 14, 2011 (Singapore)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xB4K3e-Km5HoVpH0LUaYFmrDHx3k-_NwWIeitak1yidT9admZ8ZwyE98DUBYUNFE59_lRxuWASfBzDJmloutFlPSIVwv_U1_Ilj6S3wMPf3uPIQARLtawDdCWufhbYdfq0-Y1KBlsN0r/s1600/0514SailsLighter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xB4K3e-Km5HoVpH0LUaYFmrDHx3k-_NwWIeitak1yidT9admZ8ZwyE98DUBYUNFE59_lRxuWASfBzDJmloutFlPSIVwv_U1_Ilj6S3wMPf3uPIQARLtawDdCWufhbYdfq0-Y1KBlsN0r/s400/0514SailsLighter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606505555748507282" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SAIL HO! </span>Sandy and I grabbed a late lunch on the rooftop restaurant <a href="http://www.fullertonbayhotel.com/dining-en.html">(The Lantern) </a>of the Fullerton Bay Hotel this afternoon, killing time before an 11:55 p.m. flight to Seoul. We were intrigued by the sight of some small sailboats skittering around on Marina Bay. It added a welcome touch to the area. We have noticed that the docks seem to vastly outnumber the boats in the bay and adjoining waters. We liked the recreational feel to this. <br />It turns out that it's part of <a href="http://www.boat-asia.com/home/home.asp">Boat Asia 2011</a>. The sailboats are <a href="http://www.laserperformance.com/laser-bahia/home">Laser Bahias</a>. Unfolding before our eyes was Singapore's FIRST EVER city sailing match race. Even though the setting offered neither characteristic, we each had a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_'N'_Stormy">DARK 'N' STORMY</a>. We have no idea who won. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz4fzGVhkQPmuH2_ccT2B_ant42pX2LYYFP4vGTw0qgDE_KZtSScnMxoCETJq-9Z7tHVypb1NQpMwRIimxTe1wewxrOsDowEnJryottOFPajOEyNqwwYGYg3U_S8QR_oE3466MzNc8DMlM/s1600/0514lotusDistant.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz4fzGVhkQPmuH2_ccT2B_ant42pX2LYYFP4vGTw0qgDE_KZtSScnMxoCETJq-9Z7tHVypb1NQpMwRIimxTe1wewxrOsDowEnJryottOFPajOEyNqwwYGYg3U_S8QR_oE3466MzNc8DMlM/s400/0514lotusDistant.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606493023884648978" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGV_uEJ4mfXvaSmPP1Dx87b76SapKp96Pn_H0PTOySv0l3bn7Tg5_YORkRtgoH4FlO4Fwb_vrETKBe5EpZA_9H-2Y12zNDXFErja4jJ4hFVy50mQGlXWl98JmGeIfYmvJdIuNma_GiB5u/s1600/0514cleaninglotusclose.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGV_uEJ4mfXvaSmPP1Dx87b76SapKp96Pn_H0PTOySv0l3bn7Tg5_YORkRtgoH4FlO4Fwb_vrETKBe5EpZA_9H-2Y12zNDXFErja4jJ4hFVy50mQGlXWl98JmGeIfYmvJdIuNma_GiB5u/s320/0514cleaninglotusclose.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606493528383373842" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">ARE THEY CLEANING IT OR PAINTING IT?</span> While gazing at the sailboats on Marina Bay, noticed some work being done on the roof/wall of the lotus-shaped <a href="http://www.marinabaysands.com/Singapore-Entertainment/Activities/Art-Science-Museum/About/">ArtScience Museum</a> across the bay (above and right). It's hard to tell whether it needed a paint job (unlikely) or a good cleaning (more likely). Who knows? Maybe this was another kind of competition, to complement the sailing going on far below. In any case, it's neck-and-neck between the two workers on the right.<br />Assuming that they were, in fact, cleaning not painting, their timing could be really good--or not. There's a lot more stuff in the air these days, thanks to the winds that are bringing haze (and particulates) from <a href="http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0513-riau_fires.html">stubborn peatland fires in Sumatra</a>. Whatever they're doing--I really think it's cleaning--the museum needed something. <br />It was a hot day for this--29 degrees C, feeling like 34 degrees (which converts to 84 and 93 respectively). I wonder if they wish they were sailing.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-52036659376519932102011-05-14T08:29:00.015+08:002011-05-14T12:41:28.391+08:00Friday, May 13, 2011 (Sydney, Australia)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfuvIO8BF7vCq9B6B49qzIeTE7Pu57RUP1CFQhROABEfL-9Knrl-3_57wXQK51EiWuySwG4cZFBLcu1YsIj-IZ-7Cl6lBa0euHy0LOKYG7oRgrG0Av3ASRYfiTDz2Ng_y7BR-g_6BaLRLX/s1600/0512sincitysign.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfuvIO8BF7vCq9B6B49qzIeTE7Pu57RUP1CFQhROABEfL-9Knrl-3_57wXQK51EiWuySwG4cZFBLcu1YsIj-IZ-7Cl6lBa0euHy0LOKYG7oRgrG0Av3ASRYfiTDz2Ng_y7BR-g_6BaLRLX/s400/0512sincitysign.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606414012894209378" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">IT'S WORTH JAYWALKING TO:</span> I was so excited about seeing the <a href="http://www.hht.net.au/sincity">Sin City </a>exhibit that I made two or three illegal street crossings to get to the <a href="http://www.hht.net.au/museums/justice_and_police_museum">Justice and Police Museum</a>. (I almost got smeared by a big white bus emblazoned with the words "Spirit of Australia".) The exhibit, which unblushingly deals with Sydney's 20th century infatuation with organized crime might be a sign that Sydney is a "self-actualized" place. It's comfortable in its own sin, I mean skin.<br />Lots of the sin is linked to corrupt police and politicians. And lots flows from liquor, and the prohibition thereof. One gets a good appreciation for the background of the time-honored <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_o'clock_swill">"six o'clock swill."</a><br />One of the great quotes that is featured on one of the walls came from the well-swilled lips of the crime boss <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenny_McPherson">Leonard McPherson</a>: <blockquote>"I'm the toughest man in f***king Sydney. I can kill anyone I f***king well want to, but I can't get my f***king dinner on time!"</blockquote> The display notes he said this to his FIRST wife. I'm amazed there might have been a SECOND one.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHvtMpF1hDV-waHcz38nvnHhKRixhCNy0Xyafjad9MzWvNFkZ3iJ4Nn4zd0GxZTbHyaXOojNalr4-HMEGOjrI5Ke-w-i-aehyTnvddxFWsIviKt02jW_OUIzcyMlhMRD-p2DtA8rcmOMg/s1600/0513sincityweapons.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHvtMpF1hDV-waHcz38nvnHhKRixhCNy0Xyafjad9MzWvNFkZ3iJ4Nn4zd0GxZTbHyaXOojNalr4-HMEGOjrI5Ke-w-i-aehyTnvddxFWsIviKt02jW_OUIzcyMlhMRD-p2DtA8rcmOMg/s200/0513sincityweapons.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606412318887187042" /></a>. I found it outstanding. One exhibit included weapons taken from miscreants, including a wide range of bludgeons and stilettos pulled from walking sticks. Another daunting weapon: the handy mace (right). It's not the squirt-in-the-face kind of mace, either. The exhibits also included a look at the fabled <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushranger">bushrangers</a>, a collection of some sour dour looking mug shots from the 1800s, information about some famous crimes (e.g., <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_Thorne_kidnapping">Graeme Thorne kidnapping</a>), and a glimpse at some CSI-type forensic techniques.<br />A 19th-century court room is on display. Such a room heard about 120 cases a day in the later 1800s. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGuyidNYINnd9PLbkxZ_N-7Gnw2wlFjhQ9z0znuKsmggy09PXse-NG-cqAFT_3RCXi3ZVBeOXkTgteLPju4hCHynHIJmghPEJv7axdoyogIVNH9ENg5p0bxC7RJ28H132aFgIymddh_Bfk/s1600/0512Dock.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGuyidNYINnd9PLbkxZ_N-7Gnw2wlFjhQ9z0znuKsmggy09PXse-NG-cqAFT_3RCXi3ZVBeOXkTgteLPju4hCHynHIJmghPEJv7axdoyogIVNH9ENg5p0bxC7RJ28H132aFgIymddh_Bfk/s320/0512Dock.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606427018361891890" /></a>The prisoner's dock is preserved <span style="font-style:italic;">(right)</span>, looking like something that would fit in well at the great <a href="http://www.taronga.org.au/">Taronga Zoo</a> across the harbor . A journalist from the Sydney Mail (14 April 1889) had this to say about the dock: "Iron bars surround the prisoners, who are seated on forms, and it is almost impossible for one to regard its occupants as anything but the most abandoned of criminals...in the Water Police Court, the occupant of the cage is very heavily handicapped, and the spectator is invariably astonished when acquittal is granted..."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijrzjiPyZ9YIRGHL91EpIAQWaalNwmryH5aG-HSRbWoBhXhnDmUPbQcSlKeXZWn4K79P7zJ0jRGlRyjd8ZTwiKBMlxzCkh_9TZv5htWI4uy44wNLcT0x7iVWg3zWDcVQQKKTbmZRzENi1R/s1600/0513goldleaf.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijrzjiPyZ9YIRGHL91EpIAQWaalNwmryH5aG-HSRbWoBhXhnDmUPbQcSlKeXZWn4K79P7zJ0jRGlRyjd8ZTwiKBMlxzCkh_9TZv5htWI4uy44wNLcT0x7iVWg3zWDcVQQKKTbmZRzENi1R/s200/0513goldleaf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606413656047476882" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">TOTALLY BOARED:</span> We had dinner with most of he Cambridge staffers on Thursday night at a restaurant in the fabulous <a href="http://www.strandarcade.com.au/About-Strand">Strand Arcade</a>. The restaurant was <a href="http://www.pendolino.com.au/">Pendolino</a>. Having had donkey in China, I absolutely had to have the ragu with WILD BOAR. The beast--the European variety anyway--has been an invasive nuisance in the United States. The memorable <a href="http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/hogzilla.asp">"Hogzilla"</a> came to mind, briefly. It sure was tasty. I chased the wild boar with a dessert item that was topped by a GOLD LEAF. That also tasted good.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-41847572506893136402011-05-12T05:44:00.002+08:002011-05-14T06:53:58.422+08:00Thursday, May 12, 2011 (Sydney, Australia)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOwnVrn6u7gp2mm1ckfBeYL4eKypAKhlplQec8Vo_bmPcvZB3nrHGRWSgFXcRHT6MmWJg2t4Bw01CuW-qj1dLK68KAnK0wAHYyEM5FmujvBi37OYhdijuqTlE7dA9v6w-o9uR1CMiZuxw/s1600/0512InsideOut.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOwnVrn6u7gp2mm1ckfBeYL4eKypAKhlplQec8Vo_bmPcvZB3nrHGRWSgFXcRHT6MmWJg2t4Bw01CuW-qj1dLK68KAnK0wAHYyEM5FmujvBi37OYhdijuqTlE7dA9v6w-o9uR1CMiZuxw/s200/0512InsideOut.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605617653772132450" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">GETTING BOWLED OVER?</span> Fueled by her own growing knowledge of Australian sports (thanks to a class at the U. of Melbourne), Eileen Turpin gave Sandy and me a copy of <span style="font-style:italic;">Inside Out: Writings on Cricket Culture</span> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideon_Haigh">Gideon Haigh</a> of Melbourne. It's better than trying to sit down and read the rules. He made me pause--I knew then that he had me in his flipper-grip-- when I got to a small sequence on page 14. Here it is: <blockquote>Cricket takes time. Games evolve. Light fluctuates. The ball ages. The players tire. </blockquote>This sequence made me stop and take note, for a reason other than the fact that he nearly set a world's record for using only 13 words (19 syllables) to make five sentences. I suddenly liked cricket, in a scales-dropping-from-the-eyes kind of way. One sentence probably did it: <span style="font-style:italic;">"The ball ages."</span> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiL-jmJ5sjgIj4wYAs7qhTeSQu4nU1U87PGzmiP_Kl6Sk6wrVqA2e917QtaERM19UAK_yWPfn6yEeQdDNUBaMVL4anWaayo0lTa-e8FzmfJnTppzHhQk-xbXrz_qVlaUQP9qdYAk7Z-uE/s1600/0512cricketball.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiL-jmJ5sjgIj4wYAs7qhTeSQu4nU1U87PGzmiP_Kl6Sk6wrVqA2e917QtaERM19UAK_yWPfn6yEeQdDNUBaMVL4anWaayo0lTa-e8FzmfJnTppzHhQk-xbXrz_qVlaUQP9qdYAk7Z-uE/s200/0512cricketball.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605662162072456402" /></a>I had no idea that they allow balls to deteriorate during a cricket match. [See this, from Wikipedia: "During cricket matches, the quality of the ball changes to a point where it is no longer usable, and during this decline its properties alter and thus influence the match."] In contrast, baseball has scrubbed itself clean from the "aging ball". A mere scuff on a baseball disqualifies it from competition.<br />Still, a tough go awaits if I want to watch a game. There's no denying what will likely happen when Sandy and I do so... <blockquote>Cricket takes time. Minds wander. Heads droop. Blackberries buzz. Eyelids flutter.</blockquote> [NOTE: If you are counting, that's 11 words (17 syllables) for five sentences. Still not a record, though.]<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVkgz_XsGP61doIivkEmOjl-PWX2rOysqxVEYB8n53bIFe0bPzVasraOU55ceGO0bUb8h_ZJywHR9f5g3sSh4HdAzCuou6Paj6IRF5zKIZEsWxzMsoCZFb7OTcs-b1vanI1p9W57slyWh/s1600/0512zinger.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVkgz_XsGP61doIivkEmOjl-PWX2rOysqxVEYB8n53bIFe0bPzVasraOU55ceGO0bUb8h_ZJywHR9f5g3sSh4HdAzCuou6Paj6IRF5zKIZEsWxzMsoCZFb7OTcs-b1vanI1p9W57slyWh/s200/0512zinger.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605609455826588050" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY:</span> Yes, a lot of coffee gets consumed here. So does another pick-me-up, which I have enjoyed. This is a Ginger Zinger juice drink <span style="font-style:italic;">(right)</span>. There are plenty of variations. This includes orange juice and carrots, plus the requisite ginger. That's a bircher meusli in the background. I slid the sausages, bacon and eggs aside for a more healthy look.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZlI-GnrRASJsS9wQ6jF3NPWW4yhGzS_GJDuDxzEtz0MBDNyNcxG1V8MqSKwnk53OE54gOSqMUYPCYMkxRSYnwpYOT2vjYHBQnL8MuaXAur89eJnuyDzhLBGba6JC_IL5FiGwMrXs7kt8/s1600/0512situation.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 122px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZlI-GnrRASJsS9wQ6jF3NPWW4yhGzS_GJDuDxzEtz0MBDNyNcxG1V8MqSKwnk53OE54gOSqMUYPCYMkxRSYnwpYOT2vjYHBQnL8MuaXAur89eJnuyDzhLBGba6JC_IL5FiGwMrXs7kt8/s400/0512situation.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605613906608866354" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmV7muPygS4sIiV8gJ4-hr_FrmKBq7RcJRVZTITPa0hcG8sAcj4U8goJrMG4SK9j_U_Ni8LvFxL0QRdTp5hh_Lz7nqKHvJfUfzceU5r3D0Np1LsA1bp6bnf7PjVtSH0OLLgqVbLRwCLGfi/s1600/0512warroomdoctored.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmV7muPygS4sIiV8gJ4-hr_FrmKBq7RcJRVZTITPa0hcG8sAcj4U8goJrMG4SK9j_U_Ni8LvFxL0QRdTp5hh_Lz7nqKHvJfUfzceU5r3D0Np1LsA1bp6bnf7PjVtSH0OLLgqVbLRwCLGfi/s200/0512warroomdoctored.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605615422511677186" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN:</span> Evidently, when you want to control an image, it's not always as easy as simply sliding the sausages, bacon and eggs out of the picture. The Hasidic newspaper in Brooklyn called <span style="font-style:italic;">Der Zeitung</span> had a tougher task, and today's <span style="font-style:italic;">Sydney Morning Herald</span> took them to task <span style="font-style:italic;">(right) </span>for the way it <span style="font-weight:bold;">man</span>handled the official "situation room" photograph related to the killing of Osama Bin Laden. In keeping with its policy to NOT publish photographs of women, the paper simply removed Hillary Clinton and counter-terrorism expert Audrey Tomason from the photograph <span style="font-style:italic;">(see above)</span>. The paper allowed Clinton's laptop to remain in the room, however. This was <a href="http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2011/05/hasidic-paper-removes-hillary-clinton-from-osama-picture-567.html#more">originally reported by failedmessiah.com</a>. After criticism surfaced, the paper printed an <a href="http://www.nrads.com/statement.html">apology/explanation/excuse</a> (which triggered the report in today's paper). Here's an excerpt: <blockquote>Our photo editor realizing the significance of this historic moment, published the picture, but in his haste, did not read the "fine print" that accompanied the picture, forbidding any changes and published a picture omitting the female participants in the room.</blockquote> Sure, the photo editor (man or woman?) was working in great "haste". But he/she had enough time to take two important people out of the picture. The apology names Clinton; it would have been a nice gesture if the newspaper's apology had actually NAMED the other woman. So, fine, you don't want to print pictures of women. But don't change reality, for goodness sake. <br />The Sydney paper says <span style="font-style:italic;">Der Zeitung's</span> "coverage of the women's final at Wimbledon must look very surreal." Furthermore, the paper "must live in fear of a first woman walking on the moon."Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-57714632870337928682011-05-11T06:48:00.016+08:002011-05-11T20:29:36.383+08:00Wednesday, May 11, 2011 (Melbourne, Sydney, Australia)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLamqG_xoQ62ywsdV0SPA_I0ywBS4EJZC3U3cLvk30_KjIspxqP3j0FR5TVEIR2EpRKZA-6h-ETCvWy4V4AWMJwYoI9wCe0_z0ZsHbBR850tRovcmkBGarH9MRoi_cmHic4U2NLaAZDsq/s1600/0511atomiccoffee.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLamqG_xoQ62ywsdV0SPA_I0ywBS4EJZC3U3cLvk30_KjIspxqP3j0FR5TVEIR2EpRKZA-6h-ETCvWy4V4AWMJwYoI9wCe0_z0ZsHbBR850tRovcmkBGarH9MRoi_cmHic4U2NLaAZDsq/s400/0511atomiccoffee.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605227837012261474" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">WHERE HAVE YOU GONE JOE DIMAGGIO?</span> Coffee-drinking used to be fairly straight-forward (as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUB6LBsveH0">pitched by Joltin' Joe</a>). There's a lot of coffee drinking going on around here, and it's not that easy to order it. The Aussies (who seem to be putting tea in the rear view mirror) have taken this to a level with which I am not familiar. Here are some terms: <blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Short black:</span> a shot of expresso in an expresso cup.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Long black:</span> shot of espresso mixed with half a cup of hot water. In other countries, this might be called an "Americano." This is the closest thing to a regular cup of coffee, U.S.-style. For me, a "long black with milk on the side" basically does the trick.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Macchiato:</span> a shot of expresso with a drop of froth.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Flat white:</span> a shot or two of expresso with steamed milk and no froth in a regular cup.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Cafe latte:</span> shot or two of expresso with steamed milk and a touch of foam. (A piccolo latte is a smaller version.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Mocha coffee:</span> a latte mised with cocoa powder.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Cappuccino:</span> a shot or two of expresso, steamed milk and lots of froth.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Iced coffee:</span> a shot or two of expresso mixed with cold milk, ice cream and topped with whipped cream and cocoa powder.</blockquote><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfaa8S6jTo8KU5rbzYuvWsHttnnlO8345gZYSyH_-Dz7fsqrfzlSVVcb-Ujya2CthbY1zHJdAM7bnbOM9HD5MZ2KDCOfC5v_HyhQF2NRLmPiAR16vW1k7ZKI4Kn07iTjoLqcfBS1zhJ2D/s1600/0511machinegun.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfaa8S6jTo8KU5rbzYuvWsHttnnlO8345gZYSyH_-Dz7fsqrfzlSVVcb-Ujya2CthbY1zHJdAM7bnbOM9HD5MZ2KDCOfC5v_HyhQF2NRLmPiAR16vW1k7ZKI4Kn07iTjoLqcfBS1zhJ2D/s400/0511machinegun.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605425531527970562" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JuX3duGI75-P7wQNFRILajDIygG8cY19lRxsDgMbNSaC3WVOvtGXhGwN3d4JajM6BS8YdeAoOJrtqA7Gb7vqnBeJl0N4n7H8ubS2Qv6WDgCTKpli-zqqE5oaTPc8QPv1xElEVpvdo9C1/s1600/0511tut.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 168px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JuX3duGI75-P7wQNFRILajDIygG8cY19lRxsDgMbNSaC3WVOvtGXhGwN3d4JajM6BS8YdeAoOJrtqA7Gb7vqnBeJl0N4n7H8ubS2Qv6WDgCTKpli-zqqE5oaTPc8QPv1xElEVpvdo9C1/s200/0511tut.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605424062259836770" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">OH, THE THINGS WE MISSED IN MELBOURNE: </span>We blew in and out of Melbourne really fast. Here's what we did NOT do. We didn't get tickets to see <a href="http://www.drzhivago.com.au/show.html">Dr. Zhivago, the Musical</a>. I would like to see how they handled the image of the Russian soldier frozen to his Maxim machine gun in the movie <span style="font-style:italic;">(above)</span>. Also, despite heavy promotions in the hotel, we did NOT see what will be a spectacular <a href="http://kingtutmelbourne.com.au/">King Tut, the exhibition</a>. I did take a photo of various athletic arenas, including the Rod Laver stadium and tennis complex, site of the Australian Open <span style="font-style:italic;">(below)</span>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivWUvQ_Rh70t4X0ig9u94ZQB1iwPYDsh2g_VjoSeLPimRg1hQnu9Qxd-AuSvOumHMb83Ek16QoTvlqQAPNJJU0PA_91Ub4agbu8BQZlJdFINr22wtYmlu1VqQ-OlfHqMdBggLlXW5o_ww/s1600/0511tenniscenter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivWUvQ_Rh70t4X0ig9u94ZQB1iwPYDsh2g_VjoSeLPimRg1hQnu9Qxd-AuSvOumHMb83Ek16QoTvlqQAPNJJU0PA_91Ub4agbu8BQZlJdFINr22wtYmlu1VqQ-OlfHqMdBggLlXW5o_ww/s400/0511tenniscenter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605433406561177042" /></a>Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-42018919709396751622011-05-09T12:16:00.016+08:002011-05-11T06:46:47.821+08:00Monday and Tuesday, May 9-10, 2011 (Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Australia)<span style="font-weight:bold;">SYDNEY--CATCHING UP WITH HOMETOWN NEWS FROM SINGAPORE:</span> Today's papers in Sydney have a few small items about Singapore's Saturday elections, which were viewed as historic by some and ho-hum-more-of-the-same by others. The ruling People's Action Party won 81 of 87 contested seats in parliaments. That sounds, of course, like a huge margin. However the six seats won by the left-of-center Workers' Party sets a RECORD for the opposition in the nearly five decades of Singapore's existence as an independent city-state.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSC-LltfNWxVgLQBjJNRn4GjAcpL-gUD065zVVlEsxfgthqQess3a633akNzbkqaiDNPyOYstwdt-JoGsh8QBKTQ3v0RUjOGuHcb_pPvQUhBj8kWeXVPv28lH85cTqkFNvBGCAZwT6V0G/s1600/0502PAPChart.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSC-LltfNWxVgLQBjJNRn4GjAcpL-gUD065zVVlEsxfgthqQess3a633akNzbkqaiDNPyOYstwdt-JoGsh8QBKTQ3v0RUjOGuHcb_pPvQUhBj8kWeXVPv28lH85cTqkFNvBGCAZwT6V0G/s320/0502PAPChart.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604568212809073586" /></a>Significantly, George Yeo, the country's high-profile foreign minister, lost his seat when his party lost the Aljunied race, despite the posters such as the one at right. His defeat has <a href="http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110509-0000497/ASEAN-leaders-saddened-by-George-Yeos-defeat-at-election">saddened many ASEAN leaders</a>. He was, I think, the first Singaporean minister to begin blogging. He has long hosted a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/georgeyeopage">Facebook page</a>. This marks the first time the ruling government has lost a so-called Group Representative Constituency.<br />Despite holding such a wide margin in parliament, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the party would begin doing some "soul-searching" to find out what went wrong.<br />The Workers' Party sees this as a real breakthrough. The share of the vote won by the PAP fell to about 60 percent. It was at 67 percent in 2006 and 75 percent in 2001. Looks like a trend.<br />The Aljunied results will be interesting to track because Lee Kuan Yew, the prime minister's father and the man who set up the current political order, had <a href="http://leewatch.info/2011/04/30/mm-lee-cautions-aljunied-voters-of-consequences-of-voting-in-opposition/">warned of "consequences" </a>if voters in Aljunied supported the opposition. They did. Now, we'll see what comes of the not-so-veiled threat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLggPE_N8hl7aAYk3rhbScFwRe_PsVzZIZMows5radOKfQ5NL9jo7wbXZvaZ5e9qVSYHBZBOvt72OB89X2F9KFkyZfRuLTtM308LW7_mGH_8KjuqlLNi1W8QJp2z08-9ZDwlNc6v3-AVe/s1600/0510BrisbaneBikes.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLggPE_N8hl7aAYk3rhbScFwRe_PsVzZIZMows5radOKfQ5NL9jo7wbXZvaZ5e9qVSYHBZBOvt72OB89X2F9KFkyZfRuLTtM308LW7_mGH_8KjuqlLNi1W8QJp2z08-9ZDwlNc6v3-AVe/s400/0510BrisbaneBikes.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604919273244248914" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">BRISBANE--BICYCLES HAVE A FUTURE:</span> Brisbane has loaded up on rent-a-bicycles through a <a href="http://www.citycycle.com.au/">citycycle</a> program <span style="font-style:italic;">(above).</span> It looks like the program is similar to the one <a href="http://articles.boston.com/2011-04-21/news/29460074_1_bike-bicycles-kiosks">Boston plans to launch in July</a>, which was presented in the news with Paris and Washington, D.C., as templates. (Brisbane was not mentioned.) On a beautiful weekday morning (Tuesday), I spotted lots of bicycles neatly lined up at rental stations. Some slots were empty indicating people were using them. I didn't happen to see anyone wheeling around the streets, though.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XWPu0mJWMzJ6103zuTIscBwQNQqn6etV_RGTKU5AqYw18xs94TK9dnkDRppb_xmIquA4pxhD4ej4ItvlObU86ls59IAvGUaZBx2tXdElpadIhpIlv2SH0tfH8cKK78nOdFhGX7VRw1qz/s1600/0510SendBike.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XWPu0mJWMzJ6103zuTIscBwQNQqn6etV_RGTKU5AqYw18xs94TK9dnkDRppb_xmIquA4pxhD4ej4ItvlObU86ls59IAvGUaZBx2tXdElpadIhpIlv2SH0tfH8cKK78nOdFhGX7VRw1qz/s320/0510SendBike.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604922942894999394" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">BRISBANE--BICYCLES HAVE A PAST:</span> I ran into one bicycle at the Museum of Brisbane. It was a major part of the exhibition <span style="font-style:italic;">Send: From Telegraph to Text</span> at the museum. The exhibit, confined to one room at the museum, marks the 150th anniversary of Queensland's first telegraph message, which sputtered its way from Brisbane to Ipswich in 1861. The bicycle, of course, was used by the young boys who delivered telegrams by wheels.<br />The breakthrough of the telegraph, and its similarity to modern-day text messaging, is clearly articulated and made for some interesting reading. The OMG impulse (to save time and money in communicating) goes way back. It prompted me to download a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Victorian-Internet-Remarkable-Nineteenth-line/dp/0425171698"><span style="font-style:italic;">The Victorian Internet</span></a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aIpQPfGw2WAgAopmTV7O8VqY0uvGvpWSilf8TeNHO-1nI87CyVYpi3uFhqIIA7g1Mw1aW_-dSXykRg2ICGt5WpYUpBcGDXJ561G2Zxei36WsO1dY_ZnDDtTFCQy1aagYu-CLiBf1iZWj/s1600/0511zucchini.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aIpQPfGw2WAgAopmTV7O8VqY0uvGvpWSilf8TeNHO-1nI87CyVYpi3uFhqIIA7g1Mw1aW_-dSXykRg2ICGt5WpYUpBcGDXJ561G2Zxei36WsO1dY_ZnDDtTFCQy1aagYu-CLiBf1iZWj/s320/0511zucchini.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605221295611914226" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblsezocfN7KEnUO03o5g_4Loeg8HWfa2BQZZXqPOpRBi7IlVxu6Cw9qqgAagQSYtuByb1o0ZNM3v4nx7WyQZ4JRTaXvS68RT5gyRfvEqC0IiUPXFLTp-jlUKG-HK4NTpbM52TzOiR3Xk1/s1600/0511SAUEileen.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblsezocfN7KEnUO03o5g_4Loeg8HWfa2BQZZXqPOpRBi7IlVxu6Cw9qqgAagQSYtuByb1o0ZNM3v4nx7WyQZ4JRTaXvS68RT5gyRfvEqC0IiUPXFLTp-jlUKG-HK4NTpbM52TzOiR3Xk1/s200/0511SAUEileen.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605219945437855826" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">MELBOURNE--A GREAT DINNER: </span>Right across the street from Parliament, we ducked into the <a href="http://www.theeuropean.com.au/index.html">European</a> for dinner (on Tuesday night). By "we" I mean Sandy, Eileen Turpin (from the Winchester neighborhood), Eugene Snyman (from Cambridge's Sydney office) and me. <span style="font-style:italic;">(That's Eileen and Sandy at right.) </span><br />I thought that my zucchini flowers caponata were worthy of photographing <span style="font-style:italic;">(above). </span>Actually, the whole meal was worth capturing in photos, but I didn't. Too busy eating.Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636715258335849355.post-58106181506838364652011-05-08T08:43:00.009+08:002011-05-09T07:35:32.769+08:00Sunday, May 8, 2011 (Wellington, N.Z.)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuZTq_BTi0Jv3le4eobytOQqM9b_ipSBjq-cxCxufcto1c1_nzIVcnMTPUISXdEpX0vFa-sqyxWUndrpEYRNea3rWLY5wvwjw72UCs37-eXI00FyklTAhXKCzrdrfM0ZW99BGjoGOdtNZ/s1600/0508maritime1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuZTq_BTi0Jv3le4eobytOQqM9b_ipSBjq-cxCxufcto1c1_nzIVcnMTPUISXdEpX0vFa-sqyxWUndrpEYRNea3rWLY5wvwjw72UCs37-eXI00FyklTAhXKCzrdrfM0ZW99BGjoGOdtNZ/s400/0508maritime1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604481669189287618" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_7Ce1u_lsPrrVdBZAgwTsOj5nIgzTQXFG8tJedY7NjCJsmUrXSTMb7Uf0KON6pjIVkQaA1pBE-rjCriYHu-qtlnlXAJwuM7Kaphfj_-Joj9bjrU6ilneG4xYLxwqljAX5kfx3u4RK-Fs/s1600/0508maritimehobbit.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_7Ce1u_lsPrrVdBZAgwTsOj5nIgzTQXFG8tJedY7NjCJsmUrXSTMb7Uf0KON6pjIVkQaA1pBE-rjCriYHu-qtlnlXAJwuM7Kaphfj_-Joj9bjrU6ilneG4xYLxwqljAX5kfx3u4RK-Fs/s320/0508maritimehobbit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604481470941812834" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">SEE IT BY THE SEASIDE:</span> At the last minute, we visited the <a href="http://www.museumofwellington.co.nz/museum-of-wellington-city-and-sea/">Museum of Wellington City and Sea</a> late in the morning. We found it incredibly rewarding. A main focus was on the city's maritime history (which runs as deep as the harbor). One exhibit followed the 1900s year-by-year with a news highlight and mini-exhibit for each year <span style="font-style:italic;">(above).</span> Even for a non-resident, it was fascinating, with a blend of humor and drama. It includes (under 1997) a prosthetic foot used by Pippin (aka <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peregrin_Took">Peregrin Took</a>) in <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_film_trilogy">The Lord of the Rings</a></span> and an elven wine glass also used in the trilogy <span style="font-style:italic;">(shown)</span>.<br />Particularly memorable will be the exhibit on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahine_disaster">Wahine disaster</a> in 1968.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNQw4MyGOIk2FOxZ0Mw2_K0X3wh-Z_4u6nkjBMMhdBlgrId0Ff_pC0JTt4JYh18gNb_ZNYw8hPw2mogjZFOKamQXAZO70r9u4w-5Y7jB7eslNyyMOpHGHKSc4UEx3b51Xx_MTvlyCBlIh/s1600/0506verb.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNQw4MyGOIk2FOxZ0Mw2_K0X3wh-Z_4u6nkjBMMhdBlgrId0Ff_pC0JTt4JYh18gNb_ZNYw8hPw2mogjZFOKamQXAZO70r9u4w-5Y7jB7eslNyyMOpHGHKSc4UEx3b51Xx_MTvlyCBlIh/s400/0506verb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604489567892388882" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">TO DO, OR NOT TO DO, THAT IS THE QUESTION:</span> After crossing the city's art-adorned <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_to_Sea_Bridge">City-to-Sea pedestrian bridge</a>--there's a <a href="http://www.panoramicearth.com/2355/Wellington/City_to_Sea_Bridge">360-degree panorama on the web</a>--we came face to face with a marker that is one of several erected along the Wellington waterfront as part of the <a href="http://www.wellingtonwaterfront.co.nz/experience/play/attractions/wellington_writers_walk/index.htm">Wellington Writers Walk</a>. The installations call attention to the city<a href="http://www.fishhead.co.nz/articles/the-literary-city.aspx">'s infatuation with literature</a>.<br />The one Sandy noticed, and we photographed <span style="font-style:italic;">(above),</span> has the following inscription, without attribution: <blockquote>"It's true you can't live here by chance, you have to do and be, not simply watch or even describe. This is the city of action, the world headquarters of the verb--"</blockquote> Interesting. "The world headquarters of the verb." That's a much better reputation than, say, "The city where verbs go to die." (Any suggestions for that one?)<br />I know one verb that the city adores: <a href="http://www.downtownbackpackers.co.nz/blog/three-cups-of-coffee/">TO CAFFEINATE</a>. <br />[NOTE: In places other than the granite stone, the "world headquarters of the verb" quote is attributed to poet <a href="http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/Writers/Profiles/Edmond,%20Lauris">Lauris Edmond</a>.]Frank Herronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01569543189239310338noreply@blogger.com0