Singapore

Last March, I watched my first LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) tournament. Well, okay, I only watched the last hole, but it was the first time I became interested in the LPGA. On that hole, Paula Creamer made an incredible putt to win the HSBC championship in Singapore. I was sold…and Hannah Grace was, too. Fast forward to the Fall of 2014. Hannah Grace joined the girls varsity golf team at Seneca High School. She had fun playing the sport and enjoyed the friendships she made just as much! Last Fall, her fellow teammates were fortunate enough to attend a charity event at Cross Creek Country Club where she was able to meet LPGA golfers Austin Ernst and Lexi Thompson. As Hannah Grace’s love for golf grew, and the anticicpation of our move to Manila increased, we promised her (okay, we bribed her) with a trip to Singapore to watch the tournament where Paula Creamer would be defending her title. Two weekends ago, we fulfilled that promise/bribe. Here are some of the highlights from that trip.

So, as you can see, the Manila airport is pretty technologically advanced.

 

From the charging station at the Manila airport to this sign at the Singapore airport. Yikes!

I just thought this was funny: "Dr. Charles Rutland"

We arrived at the tournament on Saturday morning. I believe the high temperature that day was 90 degrees. Hannah Grace, though, insisted on wearing this long sleeved shirt to support Austin Ernst. Austin is the  golpher she met in the Fall at the Cross Creek Charity Event. Austin is also a graduate of Seneca High.

Waiting for Austin to exit the green. The support is a little different for the LPGA as compared to the men's. There weren't many crowds to fight.

A thumbs up from Hannah Grace after getting Austin's attention with her Seneca shirt.

After about an hour, Ellis was ready to climb the trees.

The pink panther

 

Hannah Grace and Austin

 

 

Tony's "selfie" with Morgan Pressel...and an Ellis photo bomb.

 

When Paula Creamer (defending champion of the tournament) exited the green on her last hole, she gave out one signed ball. Hannah Grace could not have been more excited to be the recipient!

After the golf tournament, we headed out to explore Singapore. The luge ride was our first adventure.

 

The ride up to the luge.

 

Somehow I let them talk me into the zipline. The beach below is where we landed. Crazy high!

 

Tony making his way down the zipline.

 

 

Next up...the super heroes cable car.

 

 

Singapore was very clean AND expensive. Chewing gum is against the law (that was a hard one for me) and almost every cab we rode in was a Mercedes.

On our second day in Singapore we spent time at Gardens by the Bay. Absolutely beautiful! Because Chinese New Year had just passed, the Flower Dome was decorated accordingly. Apparently they change the theme of the Dome every few months.

These tree-like structures are in the middle of the Gardens.  I did not realize it at the time, but these "trees" absorb and hold rain water for irrigation. They also absorb solar energy. (Thanks, Janelle, for that tidbit of info!) Although, I did not see it, these trees light up at night putting on what is said to be a spectacular light show.

 

 

 

 

The Marina Bay Sands Hotel is located just off the gardens.

We ventured to the top of the hotel to take in the view.

 

While Singapore is very beautiful, sometimes the beauty is interrupted by the ships and shipyards. Notice all the cargo ships in the background?

The Singapore Sling is a famous drink concocted at the Raffles hotel. Outrageously expensive, but good!

We finished the night off with a trip to the Singapore Night Safari. You couldn't use a flash, so it was pointless to take pictures on the actual safari.

 

 

 

I was glad to have the distraction of Singapore to keep my mind off not being with my family at the Big South Tournament. The best wake-up call? Having Tony nudge me on the arm and saying, “Coastal’s dancing!” While I hate missing the hoopla and jumping up and down with my family, I will take it! Go Coastal Carolina!

For my friends that are not familiar with basketball (crazies!), it is tradition to cut down the nets after winning the championship.

 

 

My beautiful Mom, brother, sister, and my precious nephew!

 

 

I have come a long way, baby!

I really like it here. I know! I am just as shocked as you are at that statement! Because of the poverty, I don’t know if I will ever say, “I love it”, but it is a pretty cool place to be at the moment. Before we moved here, Tony was trying to convince me that I would love it by saying, “You will have a gardener, a cook, a maid!” My response was always, “Then what the heck will I do?!” Well, I don’t have a gardener and a cook, but I do have a driver and a maid. What will I do? Whatever I want!

Before I sound TOO spoiled, we aren’t allowed to drive over here, so a driver is necessary. How awesome, though! Cesar (our driver) takes the kids to school each morning. Wherever I need to go, he drops me at the front door. No need to worry about parking! Want a couple of glasses of wine at dinner? Sure, Cesar is driving!  Hannah Grace forgot her gym clothes the other day, so Cesar took them to school to her while I had my toes done.  He is incredibly awesome, too! He is completely safe (always has those hands at ten and two) and seems to adore the children. Bonus! One more plug for my driver: When I first had to go the store by myself, I guess Cesar could tell I was terrified. Instead of dropping me off, he parked the car and took me around the store. He is the best!

What else do I love here?

*Saturday markets full of fresh fruit/veggies and homemade bread

*Blue skies and warm weather almost every day. Okay, I know I arrived during the best time of year, but I will take it while it lasts!

*The sweetest maid to do all of the things that I hate (and she does it with a smile on her face)! Most of the time, I don’t even realize she is here. One of her first days here, I almost wet my pants when I turned the corner and she was standing right there. Oh, I am still getting used to shutting the door when I am getting dressed.

*FRIENDS. Friends that I swore I wouldn’t meet. I wanted to be a recluse because it was so hard to leave my Australia peeps.  Man, I would have missed out on so much, though!

 So,just like when I used to sing along to my Annie record, “I think I’m gonna like it here!”

Cesar takes me shopping

Nothing like catching up with a friend from the states (that we met in Australia)!

Saturday Market

Here are those friends I swore I wouldn't meet!

Wednesday quiz night...my favorite night of the week!

Who wants to do all this ironing, anyway?!

Playing some hoops after school

Driving Miss Daisy

 

A beautiful time of year!

 

 

Chinatown

 

 

One thing is for sure, there isn’t much down time here in the Philippines. I am not sure if my calendar has ever been so full! Don’t get me wrong, it is all fun stuff! My thought, though, of moving here and working on my photo albums or reading book after book have been thrown out the window. My latest adventure? CHINATOWN!

A get together was planned by one of the ladies in a group that I have joined here in the village. This particular tour came in sections: 1. A Food Wok tour (a sampling of food in various restaurants in Chinatown) 2. Chinese Cemetery tour or 3. Both

After reading Joanna’s blurb on Facebook, I will just be completely honest and tell you I had no intentions of joining the Food Wok tour. Let me take that honesty to another level and just mention that I had been bit by the Filipino tummy (like Mexico’s Montezuma's revenge).  No way, Jose, was I going on any food excursion! All it took was my friend, Jane, tapping the seat saying, “Sit down, honey, let’s talk. You will love it. Come along.”  No, I won’t love it, but okay. I never was really good with peer pressure, so I signed up for both tours. On the morning of the tour, I told my helper I was heading out on a Chinese food tour and then to the cemetery. She giggled and asked, “Why ma’am?” My response, “Honestly, Marites, I don’t know.” And off I went…with about 25 of my newest friends.

The Big Binondo Food Wok

The group gathers at the Ramada Inn in Chinatown.

It was the week of Chinese New Year, so the area was quite decorated.

 

Our first stop lead us down this alleyway. I wasn't so sure I wanted to turn.

 

Dish one: Freshly wrapped spring roll with carrots, cabbage, peanuts, tofu, shrimp stock, seaweed, pork. (Also known as Lumpia.) Not bad.

 

The second restaurant was located in the market area.

It was in this market area that I became aware that I may need to work on my facial expressions. In a normal situation, my "relaxed face" isn't all smiles. When I can FEEL myself frowning and my eyebrows raised, I know my look isn't pleasant!

Okay, but who would smile at this?! I don't even think they were on ice!

 

Our tour guide is giving us the history on the restaurant. It was opened in 1968 by a 60 year old woman!

Dish two: A tofu dish that is deep fried and sits on sweetened soy sauce. The guide said, "Put a slice on your plate with a little bit of black sauce, little bit of chili sauce and watch it explode in your mouth." I was just hoping it wouldn't explode OUT of my mouth!

At this restaurant, we also had egg noodles (with satay sauce, beef and local spinach) and meat pie (with chives, veggies, pork, tofu). I didn't catch the Chinese names for any of these dishes. Not my favorite

 

Stop three: A dumplings (jiaozi) restaurant. It serves food that is influenced by the Northern region of China.

Everything is made in house. They even grind their own meat.

 

Speaking of meat...this was sitting in a chair that we walked right by to go up the stairs to be seated. And let the gagging begin! Notice the legs of the person sitting at the very next table!

Food Prep

 

When we sat at the table, I was CERTAIN bugs were all over this jar! Actually, they were chili flakes in their house made chili oil (that was probably prepared by that guy chopping the meat).

This time of year, the dumplings are made to look like a gold coin. Yummy

Chinese pancake: yummy

Our tour guide wouldn't tell us what this was until we tried it. Not this chic. I waited it out. He joked and mentioned Chicken feet. Not cool. I may have liked it had I not seen the bowl of chicken downstairs.

The view going downstairs.

The reason I joined this portion of the tour was because of Jane (in black). Her lovely parents were in town visiting (sitting just to the left). This was near the end of the tour, my belly was still okay and I actually was enjoying myself. Thanks Jane!

I didn't catch the name of this dish. Our funny tour guide joked again and mentioned Balut. If you don't know what it is, look it up.

Yeah, no.

Probably my favorite dish! It was a cold soup with mango and tapioca. YUMMY!

 

Chinese Cemetery Walk

I was not sure what to expect from the Chinese Cemetery tour. It did not disappoint! Imagine walking through a neighborhood, only there are no live bodies living in the houses. I was fascinated by the history and the set up!

 

The first mausoleum that we came upon. Or at least the first one in my pictures.

Apparently this mausoleum comes with a guard dog.

 

The outside of one mausoleum....

...and the inside.

 

Touring the "neighborhood".

 

Sometimes loved ones move away...and they don't leave anyone behind. Seriously.

If you strain your eyes, behind the gate of this mausoleum you will see the portrait of a man and his TWO wives.

Here is another man that also had two wives. The red sign shows that one of the wives is still living.

Four portraits=husband with three wives.

Some of the structures were pretty amazing!

This one caught my eye because in lieu of flowers, this man has cans of food.