This is what is left of my hair....it is all still there, just very much thinned out and blowdried straight. My friend Sharizal seems to approve....he is one of the front desk personnel at the apartments and a friend to boot, and is sporting a new hairstyle of his own!

These are the gardens in front of Singapore's President's palace, the Istana, open to the public on Sunday honoring Singapore's 40th anniversary of Independence. Locals, tourists, and expats alike enjoyed taking a peek into the otherwise sacred ground! 

A shot of Singaporeans and tourists alike enjoying the palace grouns open to the public. Did I mention I live about 2 blocks from here? 

On special occasions, Singapore's President's palace, the Istana, is open to the public. The occasion this weekend is Singapore's 40th anniversary of independence from Malaysia, from August 9, 1965. The country is feverishly preparing to celebrate, complete with fireworks for practically a week leading up to the big night. The fervor is really contagious, and the country seems so sincerely proud of their independence...it does not have a braggardly or in your face affair, even though every facet of local life in the last week has been tinted with National Day pride. For a mere dollar to get into the grounds, four dollars for bottled water in the baking sun, and two more to walk through a loop in the palace, it was a pretty darn interesting way to spend an afternoon. Inside the palace were displays of the gifts other countries have given to Singapore over its 40 years of Independence. The US gave a Frederick Remington, which I find a little odd for some reason. Interestingly, most of the gifts from the industrialized first world nations were kitsch you find in tourist shops everywhere, just dipped in silver or gold. There was a gold Eiffel Tower, a Silver boat from Bahrain, and a Gold palm tree from Quwait. Each was relatively small, about the size of small bookcase decoration. Interestingly, it was the gifts from poorer countries that were the most elaborate and sizable - like the giant beaten silver ornate bowl from Myanmar, or the twin vases from Vietnam that were as tall as I am, an intricate (again) silver village from Indonesia, or the blended Hindu/Buddhist sculpture from Nepal. This building used to be the governor's palace when Singapore was a British colony. Interestingly, the life-sized statue of Queen Elizabeth that had been in the foyer during British years is now out in the garden in a gazebo setting. It is still pretty, but looks literally like they have put her out to pasture! She is showing some signs of aging and staining....it is probably an unintentional metaphor, but pretty interesting none the less.  

This photo may be a bit dark...but it was taken at night! har har....one of those goofy joke type days. Anyway, just at the edge of Chinatown are a few streets of thankfully authentic shopfronts that have not been mowed down in a modernization effort. Most of their lower floors have been converted to restaurants, spas, or creative business like design and marketing spots. It holds promise for better photos, but I will need to revisit on an off Sunday...otherwise my daylight hours are spent at work! 

I finally made a purchase that rates slightly higher than "souvenir". I fell for a chinese chest with drawers conveniently sized to hold cd's and dvd's. It is in the apartment now, and I have always had a world map on the wall...so it's not the best setting, but will be when I get have a real place to call home one day. The bell decor are temple bells, and the bowl came from Norway. The orchids are from the garden in the apartment's courtyard, and unfortunately, they're just stuck in a thermos whose lid no longer seals.  

Looking through a ship is a pretty weird expereince, especially when you're both essentially standing at ground level....these holes are for the azimuth thrusters.  

How many times can you say you walked under a tanker? Once, if you're me. The vessel's currently in drydock, so I took the once in a lifetime opportunity to walk under the ship. I had to stoop, because I am a little taller than the blocks she's resting on. 

Today I did a safety round with my new Tamil friends, Chandramoorthi and Aziz. They are teaching me some Tamil phrases, and so far, no one has freaked out when I have used them, so I think I am legitimately saying hello, thank you, you're welcome, etc.....

I know I said I wouldn't post work-related things here, but this was just too weird for words. On the vessel today, a small clump of bees showed up on board. They grew all day, and were just hanging around some piping....not flying around or buzzing, but hanging there in a cluster. The most odd thing about this is there is so much work going on in the area around where the bees set up shop...lots of noise, wind, vibration....maybe they think the vessel is a giant queen bee?? 

This is ALL BACKWARDS!!

Ok, I know that when photos are posted one at a time as this program and associated photo editor force you to do should not be that hard. Problem is I start posting in a chronological order, according to the trip...first New Zealand, then Thailand. This is how I go through remembering the details and locations of the images. It takes a bit of time.

In order for me to do that so that it makes chronological sense to the reader, I would have to jot it all down, and post it in reverse, because the latest post always appears at top. But, as much as I like you all, I just can't be bothered to do that....I am tired, sunburnt, a little sleep deprived, and I just don't feel like resorting everything I have posted. So, if you'll bear with me, this series of posts is all backward. If you start with the New Zealand, 2005 posting, about half way down the page, and work up, you'll get the order as I plugged it in. It is certainly not necessary.

In the meantime, I will look to find if there is a way to reverse the posting for more chronological continuity, or maybe even think about how I post things in the future. Enjoy~!

This is leaving Phi Phi. 

Arriving on Phi Phi. 

Arriving on Koh Phi Phi for a few days' R&R. 

Tall shot of Phi Phi's harbor.