Did I mention that the skipper was crazy enough to let me pilot the yacht through one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, full of tankers, kayakers, and low-flying planes near the coastal international airport? His first mate Prakeesh was nearby in case anything went seriously wrong. This was the second most fun I had on the trip. 

Shot of the mast of Four Friends. See how the Singapore flag is drooping? This is why we didn't do as much sailing as we did motoring along.

Shot of the bow of Four Friends, with lots of yachts moored in the background. 

Sunset from our anchorage at Frog Island. We moored here for a bit, did some swimming and kayaking, and had a delicious meal by candlelight.  

My friends Anita and Frode were back in town last weekend after their trip to the Phillipines. We went to dinner at my favorite local banana leaf spot along with Dan, another American based in Norway. Usually the servers bring silverware to the westerners, but they were a little slow and we were a lot hungry, so we dug in Indian style. Yummy! 

4 am swim with new friends. Frode and Anita could make friends with complete strangers with greater ease than....I don't know what! So while finishing off drinks at the Dubliner pub, we made new friends with Angie and Simon. Angie is here through year end, as I am, on a work assignment. Simon, her boyfriend, decided to quit his job at her same firm to come with her, and he is quite enjoying being a househusband. The most striking thing about Simon is that he seems like a hip, young version of Austin Powers, comlete with his really happy sounding London accent. Thank goodness the pool is open 24 hours! 

Me, Frode, and Anita at an Indian Restaurant whose name I forget. Could have been because of the 3 bottles of wine. You know when you order wine from and extensive (and not inexpensive) wine list, as a woman, you kind of expect that the waiter will uncork it, pour a taste, and allow the person who chose the wine taste it. Not in this case. The waiter brandished the first bottle with a pretty artistic spin and flourish, and then we were surprised. Instead of uncorking it, he UNSCREWED the top, poured a taste out, and offered it to Frode! 

Me and Frode at the Dubliner with my Princess Lea hair buns... 

Me, Frode, and Anita at the Dubliner pub. The theme to Star Wars had just played, so Anita had my hair twisted up in princess lea rolls. 

This weekend, my friends Anita and Frode are visiting from Norway en route to 3 weeks in the Phillipines. This was in Holland Village where we had, according to Frode, "One of the Top 10 Meals of My Life!" 

Daytime view along Ang Sieng Hill Road. 

Peeking Pagoda. 

Chinatown neon specials. Think the one on the right with the airplane is for a travel agency? 

View of Pagoda Street above the MRT subway station, Chinatown. 

Cherry windows!