Christmas in Singapore

Christmas in Singapore is a HUGE deal...the decorations have been up since the beginning of November! And everyone decorates...the streets are covered in lights and fake holiday candy...apparently this year's theme is Candy Christmas or something like that! Check out the pics!

Yes, that one pictures really is some sort of "kid" in a donut...only in Asia! Sorry the Christmas tree picture is sideways, tried to change it but it's just not working for me today! Anyway, I hope that everyone who reads this is having a very Merry Christmas! Lots of love to everyone!!

Bamboo Scaffolding???

So this week I'm in Jakarta and I was amazed when I saw some construction going on and what unique resources were being used. Yes, bamboo scaffolding...what the hell? I'm pretty sure that I'd be nervous getting up on regular steel scaffolding, but scaffolding made out of BAMBOO??? Who thought this was a good idea? Anyone?! I'm waiting to see some guy fall to his death because the bamboo gives way or the nail holding the two pieces together falls out. Only in Asia would people think this is a good idea! It's like the drink in a bag...yep, people drink beverages out of bags here. And while it's odd looking...it's actually very useful when you're riding your motorcycle around and you want a drink. You can hook the rubberband holding the top of the bag closed to your handles and then sip from your straw at a traffic light. Ingenius...like a cup holder for motorcycles but no cup needed! I do apologize for no pics, but I forgot my camera on this trip to Jakarta...I promise to take some pics soon and update the blog! I hope everyone is doing well! 

Update

To all those out there reading my blog...my apologies for the delay between blog postings. Things here in Singapore are rolling along. Work has been busy and most of my free times seems to be spent at work! So I really don't have any free time! Crazy, I know. Last week we had the Marine Ball here at the Singapore Embassy. It was a great time! My whole office went and it turns out we all clean up pretty well! I went with Adrian, here's a pic of him and me at the ball!

Check out my hair...took about an hour to get it this way! It was kind of big, but lots of fun to have a glam look! 

I got to go to Batam for the first time this past week...it is part of Indonesia. It's about a 45 minute ferry ride from Singapore. There are parts of it that are touristy, but not in the way that most Americans think of touristy! It definitely has a long way to go to be a vacation spot...but there is lots of building going on and Batam is trying hard to become a tourist destination for Singaporeans. From what I understand there are some great golf courses on Batam, but none in the area I was in! However, I did get to hear some fabulous (ok, really bad) karaoke at the hawker stand we had dinner at one night! Ahh...the crazy stuff you see in Asia! 

I promise to try and blog more! And take more pictures so everyone can see my new home! Hopefully my next blog will be pics of my apartment so everyone can see where I'm living! The Shug and I love you all! Sending hugs!

My First Visitor!

Miss Renee became my first visitor here in Singapore! It was so great to have her here...this was the first time in over a year that we've seen each other! Not only did we catch up on old times, but we also did a lot of the touristy things here in Singapore that I had not done yet! 

Here is Renee and her Singapore Sling! She took a picture of me having mine...so when I get some copies I'll post them!

One night we went down and had dinner on the River at Clark Quay, isn't the city background beautiful? Everything gets lit up at night on the water!

This picture is for Mom...we toured the botanical gardens and went into the orchid garden...I have lots of flower pictures for her! But I figured the blog really just needed one!

This is CHIJMES (Covenant of the Holy Infant of Jesus) it is a cluster of restaurants and bars around the courtyard and chapel of an old girls' convent school. You can rent out the old chapel for functions such as wedding receptions.

And of course we had to spend a day going to the Merlion Park to see the symbol of Singapore! the Merlion! He's pretty cool! Renee said she thought he would be little and was surprised at his size! 

I will post more pictures when I get them! Please note I left off most of the drinking pictures...they might be added later, but fear not, Renee and I did our fair share of drinking! Oh,  and on a different but happy note...I will be moving into my permanent apartment on Friday! Yay!! So the vonage will be up by then...please feel free to call and catch up! Hugs to everyone!

Bangkok

So much of my adventure in Bangkok was in the "red light" district...where I made a friend. See the cute baby elephant below! For under a dollar you can buy some snacks and feed her!

Jen, the only other woman at the meeting, and I both made friends with the elephant. 

As a matter of fact, one of the ASACs from NY also befriended the elephant!

And here is my other friend...you know how I love bacon!!!

All and all it was an interesting trip to Bangkok! I drank a lot, shopped a lot and had a great time. Even had one of the dancers/prostitutes tell me I had a "good heart." Not quite sure how to take that...needless to say I was not what she was looking for that evening! Which was just fine by me!!! In the end I survived Bangkok and had a much better time than my previous trip two years ago! 

Oh, and on a side note...my sister has requested that those who read my blog please comment because she feels she's the only one who comments! ;)

Chili Cookoff

For Marine Night last week the Embassy hosted a Chili Cookoff. So Val and I decided to make chili and show everyone that DEA can do more than just drink. I mean, we do that very well...but we have other talents too!  So here Val and I are with our pot of chili...and that would be Josh (one of the Marines) in the background.

We Won! Ok, so maybe we didn't get first place...or second...or third for that matter. But we did get 6th and with it a bottle of champagne. So really, we made out better than we thought we would...we won free booze!! Oh, and a nice leather wine case...Sweet! 

Tiger Brewery Tour

On Friday night I went with a group from the Embassy on a tour of the Tiger Brewing Company. Obviously I couldn't resist an opportunity to have my picture taken with the tiger!!

Here I am enjoying my Tiger beer! We had three hours of free flowing beer as part of our tour...excellent! We got to taste some other beers too, like Guinness and Anchor. 

Check out this sweet glass...if you come visit me you might see it again... I love anything with a tiger on it!!