BT3

We have fallen into a routine this week. The 2 children go to school in the morning and Mary Jo and I go off on an excursion during the day. We come back after lunch for our nap and usually eat at the apartment in the evening, perhaps going out for a coffee afterwards.

One day our excursion took us to the Botanical Garden and back, a 40 minute walk each way plus a walk through the BG. (This is the second time we have been there. Several days ago we went with Lisa and the kids.) We walked 4-5 miles and, with the heat and humidity, were rather tired afterwards. On Tuesday we took a guided walking tour through Chinatown, about 3 hours. One of the women on the tour is from Kansas, retired from Boeing in Wichita. She comes to Singapore every two years or so for a holiday. She finds it a safe, convenient and interesting environment which is all true. We had lunch together after the tour. She is also a hiker, has done more than half of the AT in increments, with a friend. They hike separately but end up together at the end of the day. Thursday we took a Singapore Walking Tours walk that featured the days of the spice traders in the early 1800s. We finished with a lunch at a Malaysian Restaurant, eating some rather obscure foods. While in Singapore we have had some great food: soba noodles, noodles made fresh at a restaurant with an theatrical show of pulling the dough to create the noodle strands, some fantastic sushi, green tea ice cream, etc.

We have gone to a Lunar New Year program at Louise and Nora's school. Various dances and songs given by the various classes, including Nora's kindergarten and Louise's second grade class. Not dis-similar to events we have been to in the US. Next week the kids start a several week New Year vacation.

There are lots of preparation for the new year under way. Lots of fantastic and (to a Western sensibility) ridiculous decorations involving rabbits. It is suggested that, to deal with Singapore's low birth rate, the coming Year of the Rabbit will be useful. Then, many babies conceived in the Year of the Rabbit will be born in the following Year of the Dragon, providing a strong vigorous, dragon-like baby.

One of the pictures shows Nora at the school Lunar New Year program.