MAY 29, 2008

Randy and I didn't have all that much planned for the weekend but that seems like the time when we have the most excitement. Our friends, Margaret and Tom, had just moved into a new apartment in Pudong. We hadn't seen it yet and I was needing a hair trim, so I called Margaret to ask if they'd like to meet us at the salon in Pudong on Saturday afternoon. They did and Tom took Randy back to the new apartment while Margaret kept me company at the salon.

I've been growing out my hair which is a trial for me. Those of you who know me, know that I am a "short hair" girl (until this past December, Randy had run the trimmers over my head for me once a month or so). But since I have more time for fussing with it, I decided to grow out my hair while I am not gainfully employed. As such, I've been going to a fellow in Pudong at Margaret's recommendation who actually is not only a great stylist and cheap (70 rmb, or $10 US dollars), but also speaks pretty good English. When getting a haircut in China, one almost always gets a pretty nice head and neck massage along with the shampoo process. Takes a bit longer but is definitely worth it!

After the trim (a concave bob, as Margaret calls it .... or "make the back of her head look like the ass end of a wombat" as Ali calls it .... those Aussies DO know how to turn a phrase nicely, don't they?), Margaret and I walked a few blocks to their new apartment. The new apartment is beautiful but they are still in the process of getting settled ... lots of boxes yet to be unpacked and not a lot hung on the walls yet. We enjoyed some beer and wine while the repair man came to fix the leak from the shower into the master bath, and the service folks with the satellite dish came to install that on the front patio. As is usual in China, only one thing was accomplished and not very well at that. The "repair" in the bathroom was a lousy job that will more than likely need to re-done and soon. The satellite dish could not be installed as a signal could not be received due to it being blocked by a building. More than likely, they will simply hook into someone else's signal above them in the building, but as is almost always the case in this part of the world, nothing is simple.

The four of us soon removed ourselves to Blue Frog for some great food (terrific burgers) and a pretty decent view of the river traffic and the Bund on the opposite side about a block away. It was dark when we arrived, and the lights in Shanghai are finally shining brightly again (at least on the weekends). It's been since the bad snowstorm in February that the city lights have been restricted but it was lovely to see the sparkling cityscape across the Huang Pu and the barges, cruisers, freighters, and junks motoring up and down the river with all their lights shining!!

Our friends, Rich and Magali, in Suzhou had invited us to their place to view the Olympic Torch Relay which was to pass very near their apartment compound on Sunday. We'd arranged a driver with a decent van for the trip Sunday morning at 8:00 leaving ourselves plenty of time to arrive (one and a half hours to Suzhou) for the viewing of the torch run which was advertised to pass by the area between 11:00 and noon. The torch had actually spent the last three days being run through Shanghai but we never found ourselves in any proximity to it during that time.

We took off Sunday morning on time after having hit the ATM for cash and the bakery for some breakfast rolls and bottled water. Our driver was a good choice, knew a few words of English, and the van was clean and comfortable. Rich called us shortly after our departure to say that most of the streets surrounding their compound were blocked off and it was already very crowded as busloads of people were pouring into the area. He was doubting our ability to get anywhere near enough to make our way into their area. We decided we'd persevere. If nothing else, we'd have a nice lunch with Rich and Magali after the crowd dissipated.

The drive was leisurely for the most part, and we actually didn't see much of a crowd until we approached the block on which their compound sits. We asked our driver to turn left to go there but this was impossible as the streets were all blocked. Finally, we simply asked him to let us off at the next corner and we jumped out realizing we only had to walk about a block into the compound. We arranged to meet our driver back at this same spot at 4:00 in the afternoon and started to pick our way through the mob.

It was certainly quite the festive atmosphere!! Buses full of students wearing uniforms were being unloaded all along the street. There were armed and helmeted guards posted everywhere to ensure a peaceful gathering, but many excited folks were making sure that WASN'T the case. Everyone was yelling and screaming (but happily), waving Chinese flags, wearing buttons and stickers proclaiming their national pride and sporting the five Olympic rings. As we approached the street to Rich and Magali's apartment, we realized that it was also being blocked to pedestrian traffic as well ... bummer!! I said to Randy that if we acted like this was OUR apartment complex, maybe we could fake our way in. So Randy said in his best Mandarin, "Wei jia!" ("Going home!"). Yep, that did the trick. They waved us in without so much as a second glance. Sometimes it helps to NOT look Asian. It was obviously an expat compound so we appeared as though we belonged there.

We walked through the gates of the compound, again, as though we belonged there, wished the guards "Good morning," and found ourselves at Rich and Magali's door at around 9:30. Magali was still eating breakfast, so Rich, Randy and I decided to go scope out the festivities in the street.

As we approached the relay route, we were immediately handed Samsung flags to wave. Samsung is a major sponsor of the Olympics and had employed people to pass out these flags. There were street vendors everywhere selling T-shirts, buttons, stickers .... everything imprinted with Chinese flags, Olympic logos, or slogans written in Chinese on them. It was hard to not get swept up in the gaiety and excitement of the festivities. People were yelling "Chongguo ... Jai you!! Beijing ... Jai you!!" ("China ... let's go!! Beijing ... let's go!!"). The crowd was already 3-4 deep along the relay route. Rich found some friends who were prepared with their Mexican flag (they were of Mexican heritage ... same as Magali), and we wrangled ourselves spots near the barricade with them. The Chinese are not ones to be shy about getting themselves where they want to be, and there was a LOT of pushing, shoving, and elbowing going on for the best vantage point on the route. But everyone was happy and remaining friendly in spite of the heat and crowded conditions.

Suddenly, a loud cry arose, and we noticed a bus moving slowing through the street with people carrying unlit torches inside it. This was the bus dropping off the runners along the route. I guess I assumed that the lit torch simply gets passed along to the next runner, but no, they actually light each other's torches as the runners meet. It wasn't more than a few minutes later when a female American expat came trotting along with the lit torch and met a male American expat to light his torch. We were lucky enough to have the torch exchange happen right in front of us. The yelling and screaming rose to a deafening crescendo!! It wasn't even 10:00 yet.

We walked back to Rich and Magali's apartment after the torch passed lamenting the fact that Magali had missed all the excitement, but as we reached the apartment, she informed us that she could see it all very clearly from their balcony. We speculated why the relay had passed through almost two hours earlier than announced, and all agreed that it was more than likely a plan to foil would-be rabble rousers and protesters as well as a good crowd control scheme. Too bad for the folks showing up later who would have missed it all though.

We all agreed that none of us had had our daily allotment of caffeine, and that a walk to Starbucks was in order. So we headed out in search of our requisite jolt for the day. We mingled with the locals, perused the street vendors for T-shirts and other Olympic paraphernalia. At one point, there was a Chinese reporter who was VERY keen to have laowei recorded for posterity (and probably the evening newscast). He interviewed Rich and got a few comments from him about the Olympics, and then turned his attention to me and Randy who had each purchased a T-shirt. He was pleased to learn that we had a few Mandarin phrases in our arsenal, so Randy and I let loose a few "jai you's" for the camera while holding up our newly purchased Olympic apparel. Between earthquake interviews and Olympic related events, I'll be a celebrity yet!!

We continued through the throngs and the trampled foliage in the street beds (unfortunately) until we made our way into Starbucks for much needed iced coffees. The day had started out rather grey, but the temp was climbing and the humidity right along with it. We sipped our coffees and planned the rest of our day.

Magali and I decided that we needed to do some shopping (primarily for sandals) and coerced the guys into accompanying us to a discount outlet not far from there. Of course, they wanted nothing more than a nice tavern with a pool table. We compromised .... one shopping mall, and then we'd go our separate ways for separate pursuits.

So Magali showed me a great afternoon of shopping (she knows her way around a shoe store!!), and the guys ended up at Blue Marlin, a terrific German restaurant/tavern where the beer is cold and the pool tables busy. After a relatively successful shopping trip, we met the boys there where the highlight of my day (other than the torch relay, of course) was an amazing plate of bratwurst, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes .... DIVINE!!!

Randy found our driver just where we'd left him at the appointed time, we said our good-byes to Rich and Magali with promises to get together again soon. We made our way back to Shanghai exhausted but happy to have experienced yet another terrific adventure.

MAY 20, 2008

Laundry is my life!! Seems like I spend a substantial chunk of time daily sorting, hanging, folding, putting away .... laundry! I know I've probably whined about this previously but with the small washing machine capacity (think less than half what you'd call a "normal" load) in the washer, and an ineffectual dryer (the ayi sets it on 3 hours to dry 5 or 6 rags she's run in the washing machine after she's finished cleaning ..... I know, I know, ... at least I HAVE an ayi to do that cleaning for me!). To be fair, the ayi will do laundry if I have a basketful when she's here on Wednesdays, but as I've had her doing some ironing lately, I'm trying to have the laundry done up so that she can take the time for the ironing instead. As much as I hate the seemingly endless laundry duty, I hate the ironing more. The choices I have to make!!

Of course, the laundry duty gets more laborious as the weather heats up (which it has done lately). Once it starts getting into the 80's and the humidity comes up, we're changing our clothes more often so ..... OK, on to more serious matters.

The aftermath of last week's earthquake has continued into this week with much news to report. But before I forget, I want to thank all of you that called or emailed Randy and me to express your concern for our safety and well being. One forgets how many people there are in our lives that care about us and pray for us daily until something like this happens. We were somewhat overwhelmed by the outpouring of expressions of concern we received from everyone! Thank you, thank you, and thank you! We are truly blessed to have your support!

I want to take a moment to say a special thank you to my father who upon realizing that I was just a little more than frightened by the whole experience, volunteered to get on the next plane to come to Shanghai and take care of me until we return to the states later in June for a vacation. I was so touched! I swallowed a lump in my throat to say that in spite of his best intentions, if the universe deigns to discontinue my existence on this planet by way of an earthquake, then there probably isn't much he could do to prevent it. He replied, "I know. But I can always hold your hand until it does." Now that's love, folks! Daddy, no one has EVER made me feel safer than you have. I love you more than I can express!! For all that you've done, for all that you do, and for all that you will do .... thank you!!

Not that Mom doesn't do anything, because she certainly does. And it's just as important. She listens to all my belly aching and whining with MUCH patience, empathy, and understanding, as does Norma, my mother-in-law (although our correspondence is accomplished via email but it's no less helpful to my well being). Thanks to my Moms as well!!!

Of course, all the news (both international and local) has been about the earthquake. The quake itself was 7.9 on the Richter scale with numerous aftershocks, some even going higher than 6 on the Richter scale. The good news is that none of those aftershocks has been experienced by any of us in Shanghai. The bad news it that it's reeked havoc with rescuers and victims alike. Simple access to some of the harder hit villages has been all but impossible and supplies of food and water were dropped via planes and helicopters to some of the hardest hit areas until trucks and equipment could pass over the roads which were currently blocked by tremendous landslides. This quake was so large, the area in which it was felt was the size of the United States! That's equivalent to an earthquake hitting St. Louis, MO, and it being felt by everyone in the USA!!! Yes, California gets a lot of earthquakes, but they are normally only felt in California.

There have been numerous reports of the rescue of people trapped and buried in the rubble of fallen buildings for days .... seemingly miraculous! But there are just as many heartbreaking sagas of the loss of entire generations of school children in some towns as all the children were in schools that collapsed. And to add insult to injury, many of the children who DID survive have found themselves orphaned due to the loss of both parents. At this writing, the death toll of Sichuan Province stands at over 34,000, and is expected to hit 50,000 before everyone is recovered.

Some of the stories are major gut wrenchers. Melissa Block of NPR submitted a report to CNN that had me in tears. She spent the day at a village with a mother and father who were desperately trying to get someone to assist them in finding their 2 year old son and his grandparents who were somewhere in a fallen building. Seems the town did not suffer much destruction and in fact, the only building to fall completely was the building where the grandparents lived, and where they were babysitting their grandson while the parents worked. Finally, a large piece of earth moving equipment was sent into the village. The parents used their bare hands to clear the road and assist in any way to get the equipment to the fallen building that trapped their loved ones. As the rescuers worked to clear the rubble, the parents purchased food, water, face masks, gloves, and other supplies in order to assure that the workers would continue in their efforts. At last, the child and his grandparents were found, all in each other's arms .... dead. The mother kept insisting that she was sure they were not dead, and beseeched the rescuers to keep trying to resuscitate them. She couldn't accept the fact that her family was gone. At that point, Melissa's voice broke .... it was almost too much for even a seasoned reporter to witness let alone tell to the world.

There are so many sad stories. Children who were indeed rescued but it cost them an arm or one or both legs. One such teenage girl was a promising ballerina. Another claimed that the only reason she hung on to life was because she wanted to live to care for her parents, only to find out that that her parents did not survive. In one town, rescue efforts had to be discontinued due to the imminent collapse of a damaged dam. There have been many aftershocks and landslides, and over 200 rescue workers have been killed as a result of them. It seems to never stop. In fact, today there is a strong aftershock warning (I'm not sure how they knows this kind of thing but it sure is upsetting to simply wait for another big one!) for the affected area.

China seems to have outdone themselves in terms of the rescue effort though. It was serendipitous that the Olympics is to be held in Beijing this summer because the Chinese military had been beefed up just for that event. As such, the extra forces were on hand to deploy to the affected areas, and this has made a huge difference in terms of the relief efforts. A campaign was launched immediately to generate donations for the relief efforts and it was announced on TV last night that almost 9 billion yuan has been raised so far .... yes, I said BILLION!! In less than a week!! Pretty amazing!!

Yesterday, marked one week since the natural disaster hit China. It was announced that there would be three days of national mourning for the victims of the earthquake. Radio transmissions have been ceased, international TV stations are blocked (we still have CNN and BBC which are broadcast from within the country), and the event was marked with a 3 minute tribute at precisely 2:28 PM yesterday, the exact time the earth started to move last week.

I'd heard that the tribute was to take place nationally but had gotten busy and wasn't paying attention at the precise moment. I had been on the computer doing some emailing and that never ending laundry was finally hung. I'd started cleaning up the kitchen which was still a mess from a BBQ we'd hosted the previous evening. All the windows in the apartment were open as the weather has been in the 70's and 80's, sunny with a nice breeze. I suddenly realized that the sounds of horns honking had grown to abnormal proportions, so I stepped out on the kitchen patio to see what was going on. At that moment, the warning sirens in the city all started blaring ominously (those same sirens wailed immediately after the earthquake was experienced in Shanghai so it really sent shivers up my spine!). I noticed that the workers in front of the businesses across from our compound were all out on the sidewalk standing in straight lines. No cars, bikes, scooters, buses, or trucks were moving .... all drivers were stopped either standing at attention or inside their vehicles blowing their horns. Our compound security people all stood at attention in our courtyard and the gate did not go up or down for 3 minutes. The construction workers that seem to work nonstop on the new building across the road since we have lived here all relinquished their hammers and welders, and stood in a line on the top of the building in their blue jumpsuits holding their bright yellow hardhats in their hands. I noticed many people in our compound standing on their balconies in a silent tribute to the victims of the earthquake. Directly across the courtyard from our building, a family consisting of mother, father, and son stood gazing toward the southwest, the direction from which the quake had come. The son fidgeted a bit, and the father gently put his hand on the boy's shoulder. I could almost read his mind .... if people can wait for 3 days under rubble to be rescued, WE can stand still for 3 minutes to honor them!

It was good that I had my kitchen towel with me because I suddenly realized I needed to wipe the tears from my face. One cannot live in a country for over a year and not start to realize a kindred spirit with them. I thought about September 11 and how devastating it was for the USA. This was 10 times worse!! And so maddening that nothing could be done to prepare for it, no one could be blamed, so senseless. I think CNN put it best when it described the sounds of the horns and the sirens as "the wail of grief heard around the world!" Yep, pretty much says it all. No, I am not Chinese but I stood with them for three minutes just to say I care. It was one of the most moving and poignant moments of my life.

At the end of three minutes time the sirens stopped, drivers ceased blowing horns, traffic started moving again, workers went back to work, the security guards opened our gates, and children played in our playground again. Life was returning to the normal drone of day to day activity ... but I am forever changed.

MAY 14, 2008

I probably had my biggest (and scariest) adventure to date on Monday. And it lasted all of a minute or so although the memory will live with me for the rest of my life.

I had a fairly normal Monday. My Tai Chi lesson commenced promptly at 8:00 and lasted for two hours. It was a nice day .... sunny and upper 70's with a light breeze. I returned from my lesson and started sorting laundry and doing general picking up around the apartment. Once the washing machine was churning suds, I started on some dirty dishes left in the sink from the previous night. We'd had Alan over for a Mother's Day BBQ of salmon, shrimp, and chicken, corn on the cob, baby potatoes, asparagus, and chocolate mousse for dessert (making the best of the fact that none of us would see our mothers or our children). I'd been lazy and left the mess to the next day.

I finished cleaning up the kitchen and thought about checking email when I remembered that Randy had my computer at the office. It had been infected with a virus (or possibly multiple viruses) and was going back to the plant for Sean's second attempt to remedy the situation. The washing machine was done so I hung up the laundry to dry on the rack that is currently installed in the guest room.

After a lunch of leftover salmon and asparagus, I decided to leaf through a National Geographic that we'd picked up in Singapore. The entire publication was devoted to China. I'd glanced briefly at the photos, but decided I'd actually put on my reading glasses and read the articles instead of simply looking at the pictures. The patio doors were open and there was a lovely breeze ruffling the sheer drapes. It was about 2:30 in the afternoon.

I suddenly had the slightest sensation of gentle movement, sort of like being in a boat that was being gently rocked. I looked up and frowned, and the notion that maybe somebody upstairs was moving furniture or something flitted through my mind. The sensation didn't stop though, but steadily increased in intensity at which point I stood up (or rather staggered up). My head seemed a little dizzy and I felt as though I was experiencing motion sickness and weak knees. About that same moment, I noticed both chandeliers in the living room and dining room were swaying forcefully back and forth. The chandeliers have glass bead drops hanging from them (VERY Chinese), and the glass beads were clinking together as though a roomful of people were toasting each other with crystal stemware. The floor felt as though somebody was trying to roll it out from under me and then roll it back the other way. A terrifying thought struck me ..... EARTHQUAKE!!

A few seconds of confusion passed and I grabbed my cellphone and called Randy all the while walking somewhat drunkenly toward the patio door to look outside. "I think we're having an earthquake!!" I yelled into the phone. Randy, in his usual detached manner, made some mundane reply expressing general disbelief. "No, REALLY!!" I insisted. The entire building is swaying back and forth!!" I made my way through the kitchen hanging onto the kitchen counter with one hand, and looked out into the courtyard of our compound. I couldn't see anything happening just then but the building continued it's gentle sway.

As I passed back through the kitchen and into the dining area where the chandelier was still swinging, I noticed the door to the office slowly opening and closing. The framed photos, pictures, and the Chinese scrolls hanging on our walls were also moving back and forth. It was just the most helpless feeling knowing there wasn't a blessed thing I could do but hang on tight and pray!! I told Randy that I thought I should vacate the building and hung up. A few more moments passed and finally the motion stopped except for continued swaying of the chandeliers and the beating of my heart which had quickened to the pace of terror.

I'd had the TV on which is normal for me .... something just to break the silence and cover the near constant din of horn honking from the city streets. Just then, CNN broke in to say that an earthquake had just been experienced in China! My first thought was, "You're NOT just a-whistling Dixie!!!" I called Randy back to say that it was being reported on CNN and that I was most definitely leaving the building wondering aloud if I should use the elevator or not, and pondering aftershocks.

I immediately called my friend, Suely, to see if she was at home. By now, the courtyard was filling with residents from our compound who had no doubt felt exactly what I had experienced. Most had their cellphones to their ear and were chatting anxiously. Suely detected immediately that I was upset about something. She and her family live on the ground floor of a different building. She told me that she was home and I should come over immediately.

I noticed on my way over to Suely's that a light had fallen from a pole near the shallow end of the pool into the children's wading pond. Interestingly, she hadn't felt a thing. Apparently only people who were on higher level floors could feel the motion in Shanghai (we live on the 24th floor). Of course, my mind was swimming with questions like would it be better to be on the ground floor, or high up in a building somewhere (would I rather be crushed or fall from 24 stories aloft) ... my brain still wasn't functioning properly, operating more in panic-mode, I'd say. Lots of folks were staying outside, but our compound is completely surrounded by tall buildings so if one of them came tumbling down, I couldn't really say the danger was any less out there!

Suely listened to me relate my experience while she made us a cup of tea and we settled onto the sofa to watch CNN. Reports were coming in from Shanghai, Beijing, and Chengdu, and it took quite a while to determine the epicenter of what was to become a devastating earthquake for China. It turned out the epicenter was very near Chengdu where the plains meet the mountains in Central Southwestern China.

I called my oldest son, David, who works third shift for a TV station in Grand Rapids, MI as a cameraman and editor for the early morning newscasts. I knew he'd have heard about the quake and would probably worry about us. He was relieved to hear from me and very happy I was OK. Then he asked me if the news team could interview me during the 5:00 AM news. I was still a bit shaken, but said, "OK, I guess so." I talked to an anchorman named Brett who asked me if I'd call in for the 5:00 and 6:00 AM newscasts (which would be 5 and 6 in the afternoon for us here in China). So I did. Told them what a rocking and rolling afternoon I'd just had. By then, some of the reports were coming out of the more devastated areas, and there were stories of schools completely destroyed and students still trapped under the rubble.

Of course, that was just the tip of the iceberg, and as the last couple of days have passed, the news from Central China is worse and worse. I know my experiencing was harrowing, but I cannot imagine what the folks nearer that area must have felt. As for me, I have had a hard time sleeping the last couple of nights, and I still have moments when I think I feel the building moving. Just my imagination I guess, but I guess I'm a bit shell shocked. But there is evidence of the building having shifted permanently. The door to the guest bedroom will not remain open ... eventually swings shut every time I open it. It never did that before so there has apparently been some settling.

In chatting with some of my friends who live in other parts of Shanghai, I thought it was weird that most folks didn't feel anything (again, they all live in the lower floors of their buildings). Randy mentioned that the workers in the plant did notice the ductwork and pipes hanging from the ceiling swayed back and forth although he didn't notice any movement himself. Even Tom, the husband of my friend, Margaret, who works high up on a shipping crane, didn't feel anything. But it was explained to me that it all depends upon how the building is juxtaposed to the waves of the earthquake. If the building is somewhat parallel to the waves, then not a lot of motion is felt. But if the building is facing the waves, there is much more movement with the rolling of the quake (sort of like the difference between a boat taking a wave from the side or taking it from the front ... the side wave produces much more rocking motion). Our building is long (actually 3 buildings conjoined), tall, and somewhat narrow facing due southwest which is the direction from whence the quake came facing straight into the waves. Of course, the higher in the building, the stronger the sensation. Also, I have been told that the swaying of the building is good because if it didn't sway, it would indeed break and crumble. Sounds good, I suppose. It's just that I hadn't had floor surfing on my agenda for Monday and wasn't at all prepared!!

As I write this blog entry, the news out of Central China is just awful!! The death count currently stands at around 12,000, and is sure to rise. There are villages that still have received no assistance due to the devastated roads, but the helicopter views have shown almost total destruction in those areas. There are six schools that are in complete ruin and many people still trapped in the rubble, parents waiting for what is sure to be the most horrible news a parent can hear. It brings my heart to my throat to think about what these folks are experiencing. Many businesses here are asking their employees to donate to the rescue effort.

Well, in my lifetime, I've now survived a tornado, a typhoon, and an earthquake. I told my brother that God must have something big planned for me (I'm praying that it isn't another weather or geological event). And I'd worried I wouldn't have anything interesting to blog this week ..... silly me!!

By the by, my computer seems to be cured, and I am technologically back in business.

MAY 6, 2008

Happy Cinco de Mayo to all my Mexican friends ..... and to those who are NOT Mexican but will utilize any excuse to drink tequila!!

We boarded the plane Thursday morning eager to commence our adventure in Singapore. We'd heard horror stories about China Eastern Airline and had therefore braced ourselves for a less than wonderful flying experience. But I am pleased to report that, at least in terms of service, China Eastern has Northwest Airlines beaten soundly!! The flight attendants (men and women) were smiling, polite, and expert. In spite of the fact that they were Chinese, they all spoke excellent English. The food was good. And unlike Northwest where once the food and beverages are served, the attendants are completely out of sight until time for serving the next meal, the Chinese attendants were a continual presence, up and down the aisles, chatting with the passengers, playing with the kids, constantly checking to see if any need could be met. We were more than impressed! Could have something to do with the fact that last year, China Eastern was purchased by Air France. Whatever the reason, they're definitely doing something right!

The 5 hour flight to Singapore was timely and relatively uneventful except for some major turbulence just prior to landing. The Singapore Changi Airport is brand new, huge, and very beautiful although their immigration system could be a bit speedier. As the airport walls are mostly glass, they have done a superior job of bringing the outdoors inside and making it almost appear that it is indeed an outdoor airport what with very high glass ceilings, tropical plants and palm trees everywhere. As we were soon to learn, all of Singapore is very lush, green, and full of wonderful flowers and plant life.

We knew the moment our taxi pulled away from the airport that we were NOT in China any longer! First, the driver spoke English! The comfortable vehicle was a larger Toyota called a Crown. It was clean, inside and out, had a beautiful leather interior, was quiet and had a lovely, smooth ride. There was no impulsive lane changing (due to the possibility that the other lane MIGHT be moving a minuscule bit faster) or speeding up to the speed of light only to slam on the brakes because the radar speed detector is just ahead ... OK, sorry, just venting a bit there. But the biggest difference was that not only was our taxi driver NOT blowing his horn like crazy, neither was any other driver!! The streets were clean, quiet, and orderly. Drivers waited patiently for lights to change, used their turn signals, and yielded to other vehicles and pedestrians making for a most pleasant and civilized drive to our hotel. Already, I was in heaven. You can't imagine the tension felt each time we travel in a vehicle in China (I know ... you'd think we be used to it by now). So to no longer have that sensation of constantly trying to calm the nerves during transport was SO relaxing!!

We had booked a room at the Shangri-La Rasa on Sentosa Island, a small barrier island just south of Singapore. The Shangri-La Rasa is a very nice resort which does an excellent job of utilizing the lush, tropical landscape into it's design. There were flowers and trees everywhere including inside the open air lobbies and restaurants. The sounds of water bubbling sweetly from fountains and ponds added to the "island" atmosphere. We could hear kids squealing happily from one end of the free-form pool area where several water slides wound themselves among the rocks and trees until they emptied into kid's wading pond. On all sides of the pool area, tourists lounged among the palm trees and were slathered with sunblock against the heat of the equatorial sun. A handful of adults enjoyed the jacuzzi jets of the spa areas that jutted out of either side of the "adult" end of the pool. Wild peacocks and peahens strolled here and there, and occasionally made that distinctive eerie screech just to make sure everyone knew they were there. The shade of the pool bar beckoned from across the expanse of water and suddenly a fruity, tropical drink (preferably with a parasol in it) sounded really refreshing! We found our room, checked the view from our room patio, and headed for the pool bar.

Sentosa Island forms the northern edge of a shipping lane into Singapore, and as such, our view from anywhere on the island included dozens of huge freighters, numerous tugboats, the rare cruise liner, and the occasional Asian style junk heading out to either fish or service the freighters moored in the harbor areas. Signs along the beach warned of not swimming in the waters due to the clean up of an oil slick, but as we had such a lovely pool area at our disposal, we hardly missed the opportunity to swim in the China Sea. It was interesting to watch the ships moving slowly through the water into port and trying to guess what each might be carrying. Some freighters were piled high with containers and sat very low in the water under the weight of their burdens. Others were obviously empty riding so high that the tips of their propellers stuck out of the water. Here and there, ferries zoomed quickly back and forth between the island and mainland prompting thoughts of Mackinaw Island and the Shepler Ferries there.

After a few minutes of sticker shock at the pool bar (drinks were anywhere from $15 to $20 each ... one US dollar equals approximately $1.35 Singapore), we comforted ourselves in the fact that it was happy hour and the drinks for the moment were 2 for 1. Also, they were VERY strong (well, they should be for that price!) so we settled in for a couple and started inquiring about our options for dinner. It wasn't long before the smell from the Thursday night BBQ (a weekly special at the Shangri-La Rasa) became an enormous enticement. A huge grill was set up very near an outdoor buffet area, and we hardly bothered to sit down before we were piling our plates high with shrimp, mussels, salmon, white fish, beef, pork, chicken, and lamb hot off the grill along with salads, potatoes, cob corn, and numerous other sides to complement the grilled meats. YUM!! The seafood was fantastic as all the seafood in Singapore is caught locally and is of course served very fresh! Just inside the restaurant (we were eating on the patio), was another large buffet of sushi, fresh fruits, and desserts. I was wishing I had another stomach so that I could just keep eating!!

The next morning dawned just a touch gloomily, and as I was showering a gusty squall blew over the island causing us to worry about what to do with ourselves in case of inclement weather. We needn't have worried though. Twenty minutes later, it was over and the sun dried up the last of the mist that had settled over the area. We'd noted the previous evening that the island boasted a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf which is almost as good as a Starbucks, so we set off on foot to see if we could discover it. Along the way, we scoped out the area for interests. There were several restaurants, bars, cafes, and beachy gift shops along a very nice brick walk that was lined with gorgeous tropical plants, trees, and flowers. An attraction caught our attention where, for a small fee, a person could try their hand at the flying trapeze in the safety of a harness over a net. And right behind it was an open air Italian restaurant called Trapizza (is that too cute or what?). We'd noticed this place the night before as we watched pizzas being tossed by hand and smiled when we saw several low tables set up just outside the kitchen where children were given scraps of dough to either press into shapes or toss themselves.

The island has a series of trams, and here and there, tram stops were available for a free ride to just about anywhere on the island. Numerous restrooms with showers, lockers, and changing areas were available every half mile or so for beach goers to utilize. It was definitely a popular spot for not only tourists, but locals as well who had packed their families and a few picnic baskets for a day at the beach.

We found the coffee place, got our caffeine fix, and continued to check out the territory. Our room included a mini-bar so we hit a 7-Eleven for some beer and snacks at prices a bit more reasonable than the resort's. The shoreline, a comfortable lounge chair, and trashy novels called to us back at the resort, but we also knew that we wouldn't want to do that forever, and figured some exploring was in order just in case we got bored. We noted a place where some kind of seaside show (the star was some kind of tropical fish called Oscar) called Sounds of the Sea took place that included fireworks, fountains, lasers, music, and fire shooting high into the air (we could see it pretty well from our 9th story room in the hotel). There was a "ski lift" type ride that took folks up the hill where a luge ride could be taken back down to the beach, or for the less adventurous, the lift could be taken back down again. Something called a Merlion (a giant cement statue of a combination of lion and mermaid ... OK, maybe it's called a mer-man) could be seen in the distance. Well, at least we could see the lion's head anyway. There was a dolphin show which is famed to be the only show in the world where you can see pink dolphins, and for a cost, one could swim and pet the dolphins at certain times of the day.

More nightclubs, ice cream shops, gift shops, and cafes peppered the beach, and each area seemed to have it's own theme depending upon the area in which it was located on the beach. There was another one of those "Indiana Jones" swinging bridges (although this one was MUCH superior to the ones we experienced at Lake of 1000 Islands) which could be crossed to a small out island that marked the most southern spot in all of Asia.

After a nice walk, we made our way back to the resort, changed into our swim suits, and opted for lounge chairs in a peaceful area just behind the resort along the water's edge. It was shadier there, and also quite a bit quieter away from the noise and activity of the pool, but not so far away that a quick trip to the pool bar couldn't be made easily. We had just gotten nicely settled with our books under a large beach umbrella when Randy redirected my attention from my novel to the rocky edge of the beach just a few feet away from our lounge chairs. A 5 foot monitor lizard had just crawled out of the bushes and was lumbering across the lawn directly in front of us!! We just stared with our mouths hanging open .... and of course, we hadn't brought down the camera from our room .... shazbot!! Having no idea if these beasts were dangerous or not, we just held our breath and watched him. He appeared to be on a mission down the beach, and while he certainly took note of our presence, seemed to have no interest in us whatsoever (we were probably a bit more than he wanted for lunch). Well, it was incredible to see this guy! Of course, he created quite a stir down the beach where several other guests were less content to simply watch than we were. One lady jumped up, grabbed her hat, and was quickly away to the relative safety of the pool. Further down the beach, a portly man grabbed his cell phone, crouched down behind his lounge chair and stuck out his mobile for a few photos while Mr. Lizard strolled casually down the beach. He stopped momentarily for a bite of something he found among the rocks, and even investigated under the rocks for a few minutes. Randy ran upstairs to get the camera, and I tried to follow the beast so that I could keep an eye on him until the camera was on hand (keeping what I felt was a safe distance). But eventually, he was out of reach of both camera and man further on down the shoreline. We did later in the weekend see another with his tail cut off, but he was not as handsome or large as the previous reptile we'd encountered.

After another stop at the pool bar for happy hour, we opted for a Japanese sushi place for dinner where we ordered something called a Bento Yu, an assortment of cooked and uncooked seafood delicacies prepared Japanese style, and then we topped that off with an ice cream cone made from New Zealand ice cream .... not as good as Haagen Daz. That evening, we decided upon the ski lift ride minus the luge ride where we enjoyed a spectacular night view of the island, the Singapore skyline in the distance, and the delicate smell of citrus blossoms on the night air.

The next morning, we walked again down the island and decided to take in the Pink Dolphin Show. The beach was lined with white PVC chairs under big white awnings to protect the audience from the heat of the sun. The dolphins are indeed mostly pink with a few patches of grey here and there on their bodies. It was a very enjoyable show with lots of audience participation. The dolphins are well trained and provided a delightful show with the usual leaping, twisting and turning, even playing basketball. We'd missed the dolphin swim earlier in the morning but still really enjoyed seeing the dolphins and their performance. The tickets we purchased also included something called Underwater World, but we felt that our animal encounters (now to include lizards, dolphins and wild peacocks) had been more than plentiful, and again, the lounge chairs on the beach beckoned.

Another somewhat lazy afternoon ensued relaxing in the warm, island breezes, and observing the comings and goings of various seafaring crafts on the water. We cooled ourselves with fruity margaritas at the pool bar, and watched kids splash, and adults fry in the sun while thinking about our options for dinner. In the distance, a few clouds piled themselves up for the threat of an afternoon thunderstorm, but other than a rumble or two, it never materialized.

It seemed seafood was the food of choice since it was plentiful and fresh. We walked to a place called Coastes where it was Salsa night (musically speaking). The beach was covered with very simple wooden tables (some with umbrellas) and stools. Crude oil lanterns made out of baby food jars adorned the tables and created a nice ambiance as the sun set in the west. We ordered salads and seafood pizza which we enjoyed while watching a few of the locals gyrating to the Latin beat. It was announced that very shortly there would be free salsa dancing lessons, and it didn't take Randy long to get me out of there for fear I'd drag him out on the dance floor. He hadn't quite had enough Mai Tai's for that.

We decided to get our packing out of the way in the evening so that we could enjoy as much of the morning as possible. We had to check out by noon the next day and our flight was at 4:00. In the morning, we donned our swimsuits right away, and headed out for a beach walk which included the aforementioned Indiana Jones bridge and the pagodas where we climbed the 5 or 6 flights of stairs to check out the views. Randy took lots of photos of the flowers and trees which continued to amaze us. We came back to the resort to spend the last hour or so we had at the pool alternately swimming, sitting in the jacuzzi, or laying in the shade of a big palm tree watching the staff stock the bar and get ready for the day's guests.

After having checked out and donated our novels to the small library in the lobby, we left our luggage in the care of the concierge and made our way back down the beach to Trapizza to try their version of seafood pizza. I think I now prefer shrimp on my pizza to pepperoni .... heaven!!! And it was so nice to finally have a decent pizza with some good sauce on it. Here in Shanghai, it tends to taste like a dab of tomato soup instead of pizza sauce.

It would have been easy to justify a few more days, but our weekend had come to a close and we jumped in the taxi for Changi Airport and the seemingly interminable flight back to Shanghai (What IS it about the return flights??? It always seems to take much longer to get home than it does to arrive at the original destination.). We walked out of the airport in Pudong to the usual din of honking horns and a queue of VW taxis which appeared to be on their last legs. Our taxi driver seemed to understand our request (he smiled anyway), and we were off into the haze of the Shanghai evening .... yep, it was good to be home!!