Author Archives: buskbob

Rain

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Rain…we’re sitting under a tin-roof hawker stand, eating Thai food with a good friend and a visitor of hers from Russia. It had been one of those sultry days, the air thick with that virulent Malaysian humidity that causes your shirt to dampen and cling to your skin. The whirling fans above do little but make noise. And then a subtle change….the air begins to move. Gently at first, you feel it on the hairs of your arms. Little by little it intensifies and with it come the clouds, out of nowhere, clouds that darken the sky. Then thunder, atomic bomb sounding thunder. The kind that makes you want to run for your bed and pull the covers over your head. The skies alight with flashes of lightening, like hundreds of Paparazzi strobes going off at once. You can smell the static. And slowly the rain begins….drop at a time on the tin roof, pat, pat, pat. The rhythm increases and soon you cannot hear the person sitting next to you. You look outside and there is only grey, heaven and earth are joined. Rain so thick and heavy it is like a cloak covering our building You hope somewhere an ark is being built. And then the process reverses…the thunder rolls away. The rain returns to a pitter-patter, the wind dies down, and sunshine returns. Your arms once again glisten with perspiration. Conversation resumes, life goes on.

Rain in Malaysia is like no where else. Frightening and magnificent, life giving and awe inspiring. We shall never forget the Malaysian rain.

Rain from our deck.

Marine Corps Ball

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We received an invite to the Marine Corps Ball. We had to say “Yes”. Tickets were a hot item…the entire ball sold out in less than 24 hours. For both of us it meant an opportunity to be surrounded by a slice of America. The ball is a birthday celebration for the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps contingency at the Embassy go all out to make this a memorable event. When you enter the ballroom the first thing you see is the fallen comrades table. An empty chair and a single lone table draped in black that signifies all the fallen comrades who were not able to be with us tonight. On the table was a single lighted candle to remind us of the flame of eternal life…that the memory of the fallen comrades will be with us forever. A Purple Heart Medal is displayed to commemorate the shedding of blood and the ebb of life in battle. The “dog tags” are blank, as they could bear the name of any Marine in attendance. The dinner setting was inverted, they break bread with us in spirit only. Quite moving.

The Guest of Honor was the US Ambassador to Malaysia, Joseph Y. Yun. He gave a moving speech and choked up when he spoke of the sacrifice his wife’s uncle gave at the battle of Guam. This distinguished man and seasoned speaker and diplomat was brought to tears just by sharing the memories of what his uncle endured, the lasting scars and the feeling of pride for service rendered. The Guest Speaker was Lieutenant General John A Toolan Jr., Commander of the Marine Forces in the Pacific. He reminded us of the brotherhood of the Marines, the sacrifices given, the readiness to serve on a moment’s notice. These speeches along with the playing of the Marine Corps Hymn and the fight song of the US Navy put the entire crowd in a patriotic mood.

Some of the Embassy Marines
US Ambassador to Malaysia, Joseph Y. Yun and Lieutenant General John Toolan

Following the speeches was the traditional cutting of the cake…the 239th birthday cake. Such symbolism. A sword is used to cut the cake as a reminder that the Marines are a band of warriors, committed to carrying the sword, so that our nation may live in peace. The first piece of cake is presented to the Guest of Honor. The second piece is presented to the oldest Marine present, signifying the honor and respect accorded to experience and seniority. The eldest Marine then passes a piece of cake to the youngest Marine present, just as for 239 years the experienced Marines have nurtured and led young Marines. (Don’t tell, but ahead of time I saw the Marines slice four pieces of cake with a kitchen knife, and then fit them back into the sheet of cake. Seems cutting a cake with a sword is not that simple so by making the cuts ahead of time they just need to use the sword to pick up the pieces….shhhhh)

Slicing the cake

Next came dinner. For a catered affair, it was exceptional. Started with appetizers, followed by a creamy pumpkin soup, a sorbet, beef/chicken/or fish, and desert. Beer, water, wine or soft drinks available to drink.

The rest of the night consisted of dancing, drinking, more dancing and more drinking. Heidi and I actually left early as we were just so tired. A fun night, a chance to get all fancy-smansy, and a time to remember our country. God Bless America !!! Semper Fi !!!

International Festival I wrote about International Festival last year, an annual event we have here at our school. It is a gargantuan undertaking. Over 50 food booths…each country selling their national food. Bouncy castles, haunted house, face painting, henna tattooing, and crafts for the kids, entertainment, a parade of flags and lots and lots of vendors all intent on making your pocketbook thinner. Heidi and I served time in the USA booth hawking hamburgers, hotdogs and cheeseburgers. Heidi found some amazing jewelry, and I found another painting. Lovely day.

Parting shot: The Petronas Twin Towers lit up with blue lights in honor of diabetes. Lovely sight to see.

Petronas Towers in diabetic blue

Kota Kinabalu

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I love saying Kota Kinabalu. Just rolls off your tongue. Kota Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu.

We are here for the EARCOS Leadership Conference. Over 1200 school leaders from all over Eastern and South Eastern Asia have converged on Kota Kinabalu on the island of Borneo. Borneo is the world’s third largest island and is home to three different countries…little Brunei and Malaysia to the north, and Indonesia to the south. Kota Kinabalu is the second largest city in Malaysia, Borneo, home to almost 500,000 people. We stayed at this beautiful 5-star resort, Magellan Sutera Resort. Almost 500 suites, all with balconies, soaking tubs, and king-size beds. Our room overlooked the pool and the South China Sea. Each night we made our way down to the bar, grabbed a table overlooking the water, and just watched the sun set. If there were Olympics for sunsets, Borneo would receive a gold medal. Each night the brilliant amber orb sunk lower and lower toward the horizon. As it lowered, the sky was painted magnificent hues of fiery red and crimson, maroom, tangerine, pink, indigo and purple. All this surrounded by swathes of bright blue and navy. Thunder clouds way out at sea were set on fire. And when the last bit of sun dipped below the horizon, all the colors deepened. Spectacular!!!

Our school flew almost 25 people to the Leadership Conference including several of our board members. As an admin team, we targeted several sessions that we all attended…allowing for rich conversations afterwards. The rest of the sessions we self-selected. The key note speaker for the first day was Larry Rosenstock, founder of High Tech High in San Diego. The sessions we attended were some of the very best ever….great educators sharing best practice. Our heads were happily bursting with new knowledge!!!

One evening we went downtown Kota Kinabalu to eat at a Chinese seafood place. You have to picture this…the entire back of the restaurant is filled with aquariums; large tanks with live fish and shellfish. You wander from tank to tank and let the waiter know what you want….scallops, tiger prawns, lobster, grouper, snapper, crab, etc. You also select the greens you want stir fried…baby bok choy, mushrooms, bamboo sprouts. You order drinks at your table and in a bit the formerly live food is brought to your table all cooked and seasoned. You certainly know it was fresh!!!

On the last day of the conference we skipped out of the very last session and instead drove to one of the orangutan rehabilitation centers. Orangutans only live on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. About 22,000 are left on Borneo and 6000 on Sumatra. Their habitat continues to shrink as mankind creeps further and further into the dense jungles. The center we visited had three rescued juvenile orangutans. They look almost human and have hilarious personalities. Twice a day the rangers have a feeding. If you are lucky the orangutans show up….we were lucky. They put on quite a show swinging from branches, playful fighting with each other, teasing the rangers… until they disappeared high in the upper canopy, swinging from tree to tree. They say their habitat will be gone in 20 years…then what?

We hope to return to Kota Kinabalu and Borneo. There is Mt. Kinabalu (13,000+ ft) to climb, orangutans to visit, some of the very best diving in the world to explore, a new Hard Rock Cafe to get a pin…so many things to see and do. It was nice to get away from the haze of KL and have some clear blue skies and fresh air.

Parting shot

Had to share the eagle ray I saw last time. A fellow diver snapped this picture.

Sun, Sand, and a Book

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I know it might seem that all we do is go to one holiday after another. We really do work, it’s just when we do get a break we like to get out of town and see more of this world. Kuala Lumpur happens to be a real travel hub with easy connections to all parts of SE Asia.

It’s our Fall Break….wanted to find a place where we could just kick back, soak up some sun, and wile away the day with a book and a cold drink. Off to the Indonesian Island of Lombok and the tiny island of Gili Meno. Time to relax!!!!

We had never heard of Lombok before arriving in Malaysia, but it is a gem of an island in Indonesia just east of Bali. A bit larger in size than Rhode Island, quite mountainous (Mt. Rinjana soars up to 12,224 feet), and home to close to 4 million people. Lombok is what Bali was 30 years ago. Most of it is still untouched, or at least just lightly bruised. Unlike Bali, there are no 8 million visitors touching down each year, no bumper to bumper traffic clogging the streets, drunk party-goers, and nightclubs complete with bubble shows. But you can see the wheels of change chugging forward. We’re glad we got a glimpse of it before all the tourists and developers have their way with it.

The airport was recently moved from close to the coast to a spot far inland. While right now there are only 4 gates, you taxi up the same runway you take off, and no Starbuck yet to hold you over while waiting for your plane, things have been build with expansion in mind. The landscape around the airport was dry and parched due to a recent drought. The further north you go, the greener it gets.

We drove through Mataram, the island’s capital and largest city (about 500,000). Mataram is a sprawling city without a single high rise. Streets were congested here, narrow and full of activity. You see as many horse drawn carts as you see motorbikes. Once through Mataram we passed through villages as we headed north. Tired workers lounged on covered platforms that line the road and act as umbrellas to protect them from the blaze of the noon time sun. From shelves on every roadside house fruit, moped fuel, nuts, and drinks are sold to anyone willing to stop. Along the way we passed rice paddy fields where women stood in conical hats, casually tending the rice while their babies ran naked through puddles. Occasionally you’d see tarps covered with rice or fish set out to dry in the sun.

We continued north west to Senggigi, the closest thing Lombok has to a holiday resort. Lombok is predominately Muslim (over 80%), and unlike the Hindu culture on Bali they frown upon bikinis and happy hours. It is tolerated in cities like Senggigi and at the coastal resorts but modesty is the expectation when rubbing elbows with the locals. Each morning (sometimes starting as early as 4:30 am)and several times during the day, loud speakers at the mosques broadcast the daily prayer. We heard a tale of a hotel owner who suggested at a village meeting that they turn down the volume just a skosh during the morning prayer. He was immediately arrested, he received death threats and his villas were looted. A word to the wise….get to know the culture!!!

Lombok is known for their weavings and we stopped at a village to see it in action. Women sit on the ground all day weaving on these looms that are created to provide back support. Designs are mostly geometric and brightly colored. Homes in the village were pretty much small shacks made of woven mats. Animals were kept is small pens attached to the homes. Little kids wandered freely around. We found out schools are prevalent but as you go up in grades there is a cost to attend, thus many cannot attend beyond the primary grades. Many villages do not even have a school. So very different from home.

We spent our first three days at a lovely resort by the name of Jeeva Klui (means “The Soul of Klui) Our room overlooked the Bali Sea (Indian Ocean to the south) and we were treated to amazing sunsets each night. The food was terrific….a mixture of Western fair and local favorites. Lombok means “chile” in Indonesian Bahasa so you can expect to find some fiery dishes. The spa at Jeeva Klui was up on the hill with the rooms open to the ocean below. The thing we loved the most was sitting right above the ocean while we ate dinner, nursed our happy hour drinks, or sipped on morning coffee.

After three days of doing absolutely nothing, we headed to Gili Meno. The drive north was spectacular as the roller coaster road hugged the coast providing spectacular views to the Gili’s and Bali in the distance. A twenty minute boat ride brought us to Gili Meno, one of three small islands off the coast of Lombok, Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan. Gili literally means “small island” in the local Sasak language. Gili Air was the first island to become popular with tourists. Today is is rather quiet and caters to families and divers. Gili Trawangan (Gili T) is the largest of the three and is known as the “Party Isle”. Years ago it got a bad, but deserved rap, as a place for the young to come and party the night away. Lots of drugs and drinking, and everything else that goes along with those two. Illegal use of ethanol in drinks led to a number of deaths but slowly the island is cleaning up. We were still able to hear loud music each night echoing across the narrow strait separating Gili T from Gili Meno. Gili Meno is the smallest and least populated and known as the “Honeymoon Isle” There are no cars, no motorcycles, no motorized vehicles of any kind. People get around by walking, biking, or using these cute little carts (called Cidomo) drawn by these hard-core, tough ponies. Everything must be brought to the island by boat. We saw men carrying hundred pound bags of cement from one boat. Another brought in water jugs and took out the empties. Mainly it is the women who unload the boats, balancing prodigious weights on their heads while the men sit in the boats smoking cigarettes.

We stayed at a wonderful boutique hotel, MahaMaya (Ultimate Paradise). The rooms were built around two small pools (one for families and one for adults complete with a swim up bar) The hotel is right on the beach and meals served at tables only feet from the water. The restaurant was wonderful….breakfast was complimentary, lunch specials were heavenly and the dinner Greek salad was truly special. The only down side was no hot water in the rooms….you get used to it and after lounging in the hot sun the cool water actually feels pretty good. Many places only have salt water showers so we considered ourselves lucky.

A small sandy path (wide enough for the Cidomos) circles the island and Heidi and I walked it in a little over an hour. Along the way you pass little bars, restaurants, and an assortment of places to stay…little grass huts and tents to beautiful resorts like MahaMaya. The east side of the island is more built up than our side with the main dock and medical clinic. Inland is where the locals live. There is also a large salt water lake in the interior. They still evaporate water in tarped pens to obtain salt. Tied up along the beach are colorful Jekung fishing boats with bamboo outriggers. Divers and snorkelers coo over the coral and fish they discovered. At night we listened to the croaks of the tokay geckos, marveled at the Milky Way above and waited patiently for the electricity to go back on after one of the many momentary blackouts that occur during the night.

Divers come from all over the world to the Gili’s for the crystal clear water and the abundance of fish and coral. I made two dives during our stay. On one I was treated to this cheeky juvenile eagle ray. These rays usually swim in groups and are rather timid….not this little guy. He seemed to love the interaction with humans and swam over and around us for what seemed forever. Cute little face, he would wrinkle up his nose as he looked at us. Also did my first wreck dive. Amazing coral and sponges everywhere. Saw my first lion fish and went as deep as 23 meters…amazing!!!

Heidi and I returned with a coppery tan, fully charged batteries, and quite content to have finished two books each!

Next up…Kota Kintabalu.

Parting shot:

CFC…look familiar? Perhaps this is Crunchy Fried Chicken? You see this all the time…similar logos but not the same!!!!

Anniversary in Penang

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Nine wonderful years I have had the honor of being married to Heidi. I constantly thank my lucky stars that we met. Lucky indeed I was to find such a lovely, beautiful, intelligent, adventuresome, talented, caring woman. Lucky indeed!!!!

We celebrated anniversary number nine in Georgetown on the Malaysian Island of Penang.
Georgetown was named a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008 for the unique cultural and architectual diversity unequal anywhere else in Asia. We found it similar to Malacca but more diverse, larger and friendlier, and with more things to see and do.

We stayed at this amazing little hotel, Seven Terraces. Only two years old, the owners refurbished seven terrace homes into eighteen exquisite rooms. Each one is filled with antique chinese furniture and true character. Bathrooms are massive with a rain shower about ten feet overhead. Besides the bathroom, the main floor also houses a generous living room with a gold inlaid day bed, comfy couch chairs and several other antique pieces. The bedroom was upstairs in a loft complete with an antique Chinese canopy bed.

All the rooms were on the second floor of the hotel. The ground floor was home to the reception area, a restaurant (simply amazing), the breakfast dining room, a bar, antique shop, and pool area. Ewan, the manager from South Africa, went out of his way to make our stay memorable, so attentive and helpful. Seven Terraces turned out to be one of the nicest places we have ever stayed.

Web Site for Seven Terraces

Art Walk

Georgetown is known for its interactive art and mural art. You wander around the old section of town and find these amazing works of art sometimes hidden down alleys or on little side streets. The ones we loved the most were the 3-D art….the motorcycle, the bicycle, the swings and basketball hoops. At some of the works crowds had formed and we had to wait our turn to photograph the spot. The trishaw drivers actually have an “art route” they take people on. We had a fun time exploring and discovering. The constant rain never dampened our enthusiasm.

Georgetown used to be a British trading post and settlement. It is named after Britain’s King George III. Throughout the town you can still see the remnants of the glory days of the British Empire….the stately manors, the floor and wall tiles, the street names. Over the years Georgetown became a melting pot for many, many different cultures and you again see the influences throughout the town. We walked all over the old section of town…through little India where Heidi found a great looking Deepavali dress and over toward Armenia Street. We found quaint little shops, temples and mosques, shrines, and wonderful little cafes and restaurants. Stopped for lunch at this corner Indian restaurant and had the best dal and garlic naan in the world. Ate at China House for dinner and again for coffee, dessert and live entertainment. Took a taxi out to the Hard Rock Hotel to use their spa. Heidi and I had an Anniversary Massage in this little thatched room right off the water. Throughout the treatment you heard the waves lapping on the shore, the wind in the trees and raindrops falling on the roof…..hard to beat that.

We LOVED Penang and Seven Terraces…a memorable time. We shall long remember Anniversary Number Nine.

PARTING SHOT

Sign outside a clothing shop….
I’ve heard of Mens Wear. I’ve heard of Ladies Wear. But Pets Wear?

Animal Notes:

Recently I heard a what sounded like a large animal in the crawlspace above the dropped ceiling in my office. My assistant principal yelled at me to get out of my office. Civet Cat she said…nasty little critters. Seems a few years ago a civet cat crashed though a dropped ceiling in one of the classrooms and landed right on the teacher’s head…the kids certainly had a story tell that night. Just last week one was crawling above the ceiling in a family home…of course it crashed through the ceiling, landed right on their middle school aged son’s bed. Son looked at Civet, Civet looked at boy, boy screamed, civet hissed, both ran opposite directions. These critters are cat like but look more like a mongoose. They live in the jungle but seem to like little crawl spaces. And boy do they stink!!!! Took us days and days to rid the office of the stench. You may have heard of Civet Cat Coffee (Kope Luwak), the most expensive coffee in the world. The cats eat the coffee beans, they pass through its digestive system and are pooped out. Locals collect the poop and sell it to coffee brokers. Seems the civets’ digestive systems give kopi luwak a uniquely rich aroma and smooth, rounded flavor that is demanded around the world. Unfortunately, to make the collection easier, the cats are now kept in appalling conditions in cages and fed coffee beans. So, say NO to Civet Cat Coffee !!!

To date at my school we have had a civet cat, an 8 foot python, monkeys, a 4 foot iguana, a rat (big), a monitor lizard and a black snake of unknown variety (slithered away before we could catch it)

Who said recess duty was boring!!!

HONG KONG

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Hong Kong is one of those cities you feel you know before you get here. How many movies or TV scenes have been filmed in Hong Kong? You’ve seen the iconic pictures of Victoria Harbour filled with ferries and junks and the porcupine-quilled skyline bristling with skyscrapers. Dick Clark’s New Year’s show always picked up the Hong Kong firework’s show. What was Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan without Hong Kong? Want a tailored suit, go to Hong Kong. It is a world-class city, a cultural, financial and retail centre, a trading hub, a great destination and a place we hope to get to know. First some facts about Hong Kong (you know how much I love trivia) There are over 7 million people living in Hong Kong There are more skyscrapers (building over 14 stories tall) than any other city (more than double New York) Hong Kong means Fragrant Harbour Hong Kong has more Rolls Royces per person than any other city in the world. It is one of the most densely populated areas in the world (over 6700 people per square kilometre) The term, “Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun” originated in Hong Kong. It has the highest average I.Q. at 107. Is composed of over 200 islands. There seems like there is a 7-11 or Circle K on every corner. We flew into the beautiful Hong Kong airport. On your way to customs you pass by a group of officials holding those automatic thermometers…the ones that roll across your forehead and get your temperature. They randomly take temperatures and anyone showing a fever must then go through a health screening. We were not checked (a good thing since Heidi was nursing a nasty little cold). It was late so we grabbed a bite to eat at the airport McDonald’s…not the healthiest choice but quite filling. By the time we got to our hotel we were beat and hit the sack. Up early, grabbed breakfast and out to see as much as possible in one day. The only concern is Heidi’s cold…getting worse. A fun part of any new city is learning the public transportation system. A subway station is right next door to the hotel (located in Kowloon) We hopped on the purple line, transferred at North Point to the Blue line and made it to the Central Area on Hong Kong island. The trains here are amazing. They have a 99.9% on-time rate. The trains and stations are clean and well lit. They are built to carry people, each train is over 100 meters long. And they are fast and inexpensive!!! Our first destination was Victoria Peak via the Peak Tram. Somehow I lost my map but we noticed little signs at every corner pointing the ways to points of interest. We followed the signs to The Peak Tram, across busy streets, onto a shaded walking path, past an old Episcopal Cathedral, and up the hill. On the way we smelled a familiar scent. To our right, behind some enormous wooden doors was an Abercrombie and Fitch. They all smell alike…that over-the-top cologne smell. Inside they even had men with their shirts off showing off their six packs (or 8 packs,or however many they had) Pretty funny!! Finally made it to the Peak Tram and took our place in the queue. Ever since 1888, this tram has been taking residents and visitors to the top of Victoria Peak, the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island. Of course the tram has been modernised since the coal burning boilers of the early cars and now carry 120 passengers at a time 396 meters at 4 to 27% gradient up the mountain. At the top is a large observation deck but to get there you must traverse multiple floors of shops and restaurants. If you make it through without stopping to buy you should receive an award….for us the reward was the jaw dropping views of city and harbour and in the opposite direction toward the New Territories. The pollution haze somewhat concealed the view but it was still amazing.

Next up, we walked down Queens Road to one of the stranger attractions in Hong Kong, the Mid Level Escalators. These escalators are the longest systems of escalators in the world. They are outdoors and you hop on and up you go, over streets, past shops, churches, cafes, bars…up and up and up. You can hop off at any time and then hop back on…quite the experience for sure. They carry about 60,000 people a day. Part of the ride takes you by the up and coming Soho area…lots of bars and cafes. We hopped off here and took a seat in a little cafe to enjoy people watching while sipping a couple mojitos. Now one thing about the Mid Level Escalators…you ride up, but you walk down, unless you wait for the evening and then they reverse the direction.

Next stop a little walk to the Star Ferry Terminal and a ride across to Kowloon. The Star Ferries began plying the waters in 1888, the same year the tram opened. Nowadays there is a fleet of 12 ferries operating two routes carrying over 70,000 passengers each day. It costs about $2.00 USD one way to ride the ferry. On the Kowloon side we walked along the waterfront promenade at Tsim Sha Tsui. Strolling along the harbor you are treated to breathtaking views of the skyscrapers of Hong Kong Island, with the mountains at their back. Quite inspiring. We also walked along the Avenue of the Stars, honouring the celebrities of the Hong Kong film industry. We saw the star and hand prints of Jackie Chan and Jet Li, plus the star and a full-size statue for Bruce Lee. Most of the others we did not recognise.

Our walk back to the train we passed by the huge Apple store…it was filled to overflowing with people trying to be the very first to own an i-phone 6…the line extended forever. Heidi and I are quite happy with our older versions….we’ll definitely wait for the lines to subside. Whenever we got out of the conference, we headed to another part of town. Made it to the Flower Market. Several streets just jam-packed with flower stores…every variety you can think of from simple carnations and daisies to exotics like protea and anthuriums. Some shops sold only vases…all shapes and sizes…others water fountains. Some specialized in Bonsai, others bamboo, others orchids. Quite the sight. We had fun guessing the reason bundles of flowers were being bought….that lady is having a big dinner, that guy needs flowers to say “I’m sorry”, that one just likes flowers in her home, those say, “I love you”.

We also went to the Bird Market. A little side alley that if filled with birds for sale…every size and shape…and cages and bird food. Now when we say bird food, we don’t mean bags of grain. We mean bags of live grasshoppers and bags squirming with meal worms. We had never seen anything like this…truly amazing. Song birds are kept in bamboo cages in many homes in China. It is very common to see Chinese with cloth-covered cages in parks taking their birds for “walks.” Bird singing contests are often held on Sunday mornings, with the winners being the birds that can sing the highest number of different songs in 15 minutes.

Several blocks from the Bird Market, we went to the Goldfish Market. When you enter this street you feel you have entered an aquarium…shop after shop of aquarium shops. Fish are displayed on the sidewalk in plastic bags. Some shops specialize in aquarium extras like gravel and water plants. Fish play an important role in feng shui design. Many a home in Hong Kong will have a simple bowl of water with a goldfish swimming around.

Our last evening we did a truly touristy thing (as if the other things weren’t??) We took a ride around the harbor in an old Chinese junk. For an hour and a half we sat on cushioned benches and enjoyed the sights of Hong Kong. It was a nice way to end our stay…sitting side by side watching the skyscrapers of Hong Kong be “set on fire” by the rays of the setting sun.

Parting shot… One of the Hong Kong stars we noticed

Li Tit

No, not a porn star…actually a male actor from the 30’s and 40’s.

Just a Bit of Food

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We get so busy at work that sometimes, well to be perfectly honest, almost all the time, we select to eat out rather than cook. Just tuckered out after a long, long day. The good thing is there are so many great spots to eat in KL.

We had hankering for some good pizza. Now Heidi, having been raised in East Wenatchee, uses Abby’s as the gold standard, so we had a challenge finding something that would satisfy her. Close to where Heidi gets her hair done we found this little place called Mikey’s New York Pizza. Seems Mikey came to KL from New Jersey. Started working in advertising, tried his hand a writing a children’s book and then decided to open a restaurant….thus Mikey’s NY Pizza was born. There are about 12 tables, some indoors, some out. Pictures of New York City adorn the walls. You order at the counter and take a street name plate back to your table. Nine varieties of pizza are offered…traditional NY, Meatball, Hawaiian, The Tony Soprano (full of meat, argh, argh) BBQ Chicken, Buffalo Chicken, Mama’s wild mushroom pizza (with Shiitake, oyster and portobello mushrooms, The 911 Pizza (spiciest in Asia) and Pizza Bianco (goat cheeses). Also on the menu are some amazing Waffle Fries…like the Manhatten (Waffle Fries covered with thinly sliced steak, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese and cool ranch dressing….OMG) And they carry only one type of beer, Budweiser!!!! We’ve been three times….if we go any more we’re going to have to loosen the belts!!!!

Last week we went to our new favorite area, Changkat Bukit Bintang and tried Pinchos Spanish Tapas Bar. Ordered a delicious bottle of Spanish Wine and ordered three tapas, plus several baskets of fresh Italian bread and a bottle of water!!!! The tapas were just amazing….our favorite were these cut-up potatoes in a blue cheese sauce. The meatballs were served in this tastebud popping red sauce…we used a basket of bread just mopping up every last drop. Great atmosphere, we sat, ate, drank and just enjoyed each other’s company for several hours…then we got another foot massage.

This next week we are off to Hong Kong. Going to a workshop on Inclusion. We will get one full day to roam the streets of this world class city and then again each evening after classes are complete. Hopefully will get some nice pictures and a few stories to write about.

Parting shots:

Best way to carry newspapers.
At our local McDonalds….DURIAN CRUNCH McFLURRY….you don’t see that everyday !!!

Singapore Just for Fun

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Three day weekend due to Merdeka Day (Malaysia Independence Day) and decided to zip down to Singapore just to relax and get away. We have never gone just for fun, seems there is always a conference to attend.

First order of business was to attend the beer brewing competition. One of our teachers is quite the brewmeister and he entered several selections. We got to try some amazing beers and watched our friend earn second place!!! Whoo Hoo!!!

Next day we walked,and walked and walked…. best way to see a city. Headed to an area called Kampung Glam. During the day you walk through quaint streets where carpet shops and fabric stores co-exist with boutique hotels, art galleries, and Arabic Literature bookstores. At night the district comes alive with music, shisha smoking, outdoor eating….a lively spot. Many streets have colorful murals on the walls and there is this amazing Mosque – Masjid Sultan. It was first built in 1824 for the first sultan of Singapore. The current building (in pictures) was completed in 1928 and can accommodate up to 5000 worshippers at once. Quite a sight.

Decided to become really touristy and went to the Gardens by the Bay. Right off the bay is this city garden. You can wander around the grounds and just gaze at the plants, the city skyline, the harbor…lots of walkers, runners, bikers and kite flyers. Also on the grounds are these two ginormous green houses. One is chock-block full of flowers and plants from around the world…baobob trees, orchids, cactus, roses, hibiscus, a real visual sight. We were rather surprised when we entered…thought it would be hot but instead the entire area is cool, almost cold. You wander through different growing zones watching out for all the shutterbugs trying to capture their favorite flower image. The other greenhouse is tall, tall enough to hold an indoor waterfall…you take an elevator to the top and then meander down catwalks extending out over the void. Not a good spot for anyone afraid of heights. Magnificent plants and sculptures everywhere. One could spend hours and hours here.

Waterfall at Gardens by the Bay

Next we walked over the the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and took the elevator to the 56th floor observation deck for a 360 degree view of the city. Breathtaking !!!!

Met up with the Chisholm’s for dinner at Clarke Quay…one of our favorite spots. Grant even got to see some belly dancing!!! What a great day exploring this wonderful city.

Belly Dancing at Clarke Quay

Interesting Signage

And this post we have a sign from the men’s changing room at the spa across the street from where we live in Kuala Lumpur. Never saw one of these signs in Bangkok !!!

Love the One You’re With….

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When you make the decision to work overseas, you better love the one you’re with.
For Heidi and I this was the easy part of being away from home…we love each other, we’re best friends. We actually like being with each other, sharing adventures, talking shop, and laughing at the funny situations and experiences we discover daily. We’re comfortable when the other goes off on their own…Heidi today is meeting with friends to shop at a new craft store (combination of Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Craft Warehouse) and then to get their nails done) I’m teaching a swimming stroke clinic. We are the first to tell each other of our frustrations, our fears, our hurts, and joys. We cannot imagine what it would be like otherwise. We are together everyday at school, we drive there and back in the same car. We go to the same parties and functions, the same inservice trainings. We shop and cook as a team, argue over where we should go out to eat, and sit on our porch sipping wine in the evening as the lights of Kuala Lumpur begin to sparkle. You better love the one you’re with for you are with them all the time.

During the week we work like dogs so on the weekend we try to discover a new part of town or try a new restaurant. We no longer are intimidated by KL traffic so into the Waja we go driving “defensively aggressive”. If we get lost, who cares….we just try orient by finding the Petronas Towers and wander until we find our way.

Yesterday we had a party to go to in the early afternoon. Got our fill of snacks, wine, I (not Heidi) had a couple puffs on the Shesha Pipe, a water pipe with apple tobacco, and off we went on one of our date nights. Earlier we posted about Jalan Alor…that wildly crazy street with hawker stand overload. Well, one street over is a much more subdued avenue with all these amazing restaurants and spa’s. We started at 6:00 with a most amazing foot massage at Tropical Spa. It is sooooo hard not to fall asleep while these strong and knowing hands massage your feet. You decide the amount of pressure. Heidi and I are wimps and always ask for medium. Funny story….seems there are pressure points all over your feet that connect somehow with other parts of your body. Well, some friends of ours took their daughters to this same spa, both of them elementary age. Part way through the massage, one of the masseuses said to our friend, “This one here is a silent terrorist”. Not understanding, she asked him to explain. He said, “Watch”. He touched a spot on her foot and she immediately farted. He did it again and once again, poof !!! After they all had a great, hearty laugh, the masseuse promised to stay away from that spot. Luckily for Heidi and I, the only spots found were ones of relaxation.

Following the massage, we went next door to Sao Nam…this amazing Vietnamese restaurant. We had reservations so we were seated outside, right under a cooling fan. We looked at the wine list and saw a bottle of BOGLE Petite Syrah…the same BOGLE we used to find at Safeway back home. We ordered it immediately. For dinner we started with vegetarian spring rolls, followed by a mangosteen-prawn salad and a plate of deep fried chicken rolls. For the main course we shared a Vietnamese Pancake…heavenly delicious.

Here is the recipe:

Vietnamese Pancake
banh xeo
How this dish become known as ‘Banh Xeo’ is simple. ‘Banh’ is ‘cake’ in Vietnamese, and ‘Xeo’ is the sizzling sound made when the rice batter is poured into the hot pan.

Ingredients

100g rice flour
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
300ml coconut milk
300g prawns, cooked and peeled
200g chicken breast, cooked and shredded
200g beansprouts, cleaned
Oil for greasing
5g lettuce leaves
2-3 sprigs basil
2-3 sprigs mint

Combine the rice flour, turmeric and coconut milk in a mixing bowl. Stir to mix well.

Grease a pan and place over a medium flame. Pour in one scoop of the rice flour mixture. Swirl until a circle of batter is formed.

Add prawn, chicken and beansprouts on one side of the pancake. Cook over a low flame until the batter becomes golden brown and crispy. Flip the other half over to form a half-circle pancake. Serve with lettuce, basil and mint, and Fish Dipping Sauce.

A great wine to pair would be P. ANHENSER WEISSER Burgunder. Off dry wine is made from the family of Riesling grape variety. Fruity, with a hint of sweetness on the finish.

To finish off the meal, we ordered fried bananas with rum….at our table they added the rum and lit it on fire. Orgasmically good !!!!! After two and a half hours we finally asked for the bill and wandered hand in hand down the street toward home. Nice evening.

Last year we had THE FRUIT OF THE WEEK. Well, we have gone through most of the fruit so this year we are hoping to post, SIGNAGE – STRANGE, UNUSUAL, FUNNY

For those lovers of the show, PARENTHOOD, here is our first sign:

Welcome to FUNKY TOWN

Yes, Heidi and I could have checked into Funky Town but, remember, we wandered hand in hand down the street toward home. (and funky town!!!)

“Running” into Year Two

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Back in KL for year two. Arrived a week before Heidi as I need to be here for our new teacher orientation. Jet-lag is always a side-effect of traveling so far….your body doesn’t seem to want to adjust to the new time zone, it rebels against you flipping day and night. I had heard that exercise can help curtail the effects of Jet Lag…so the day I landed I went off on a bit of a run. Same thing the next day and presto, body seemed to say, “Okay, enough with this running, I’ll adjust if you will just stand still !!!!”

I’m preparing to run two half marathons this year…the Kuala Lumpur Marathon (half) in October and this truly amazing half at Ankor Wat in Cambodia. You run by these amazing temples and the proceeds from the race goes to land-mine victims. These senseless devices are still killing and maiming people to this day.

Preparing for these runs is a challenge in the Malaysian tropical heat.

Pros of running in Malaysia
1. Lots of places to run, varied terrain. Sites to the downtown area, the sun coming up and just touching the tips of the towers. Running by new neighborhoods.
2. The smells…nothing like running under a line of Frangipani Trees….the blossoms fill the air with this amazing fragrance. The air after a rain….good smell no matter where you are.
3. Surprisingly quite a number of runners and a large selection of races/runs throughout the year…even organized clubs.
4. Of course, the health benefits

Cons of running in Malaysia
1. The heat and humidity. Really can zap your energy. You need to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and I need to be sure to take my rest days to recover. I choose to run early in the morning when it is a bit cooler (4:00 or 5:00…gets you up and going for the day!!!)
2. The smells….nothing like running by a lake that smells of sewer.
3. Finding shoes….had to bring several pairs of size 13 shoes from the USA….just cannot find the right size here in KL
4. You have to watch where you step…lots of holes into gutters, you have to keep your eyes on the ground. On the roads you have to remember that cars have the right of way in this country…don’t expect them to stop or to get out of your way. Use caution.

Heidi and I are starting year two. There are so many pros to working overseas…the travel, the food, the people, the culture, the work and compensation….but if any of you are contemplating doing something similar, think long and hard about what you are leaving behind. It is HARD, HARD, HARD to be away from family and friends, so incredibly hard. Facebook, Skype, FaceTime, phone calls, e-mails….they are all nice and so much better than what we had years ago, but not the same as being there. There are tradeoffs in everything we do, but this is by far the most difficult aspect of being overseas. HARD !!!!

I just had an amazing dinner with our “NEWBIES”(what we affectionally call our new faculty) at Dun Tai Fung, a very famous Chinese noodle and dumpling spot. This is my first class of teachers that I was responsible in hiring. I’m so proud of the way they have come in and embraced this new environment. They are fearless…they all already have places to live and cars to drive…and they are zipping all over the city without a GPS. Quite a few have already tried Durian!!!! Yes, fearless would be a descriptor I would use to describe this group…and NICE. We pride ourselves in hiring “nice” people. They love life, love teaching and kids, they love learning, and they love to have fun. I see great things for this group !!!!

Well, this year we hope to travel to Cambodia, to Hong Kong, Indonesia (Lombok and the Gilly Islands), possibly Vietnam….and of course we will write about our experiences. Thanks for joining us last year and as we head into our second year. Nice to have you along for the run !!!