Susan's family visits Singapore

My family came to visit Singapore for Christmas - Mom, Dad, Bob, Julie. It was great to show them around the city I've been living in for over a year. We did the Night Safari, walked along Boat Quay and Clarke Quay, went to Chinatown, we all went in for reflexology (though not everyone enjoyed it), went to a hawker center on East Coast, drove down Orchard road...all the typical Singapore touring. We also relaxed with a couple home-cooked meals including Christmas dinner with the Spences. Click on the photo for more.



On Christmas day we took a 2 hour flight to Bali for 5 days. We arrived to some torrential rains which lasted through the following day. It had been a pretty bad storm - with so much debris, logs, branches, coconuts, trash washed up on the beach. But we did took advantage of our time there and toured around the island. The weather eventually cleared up. The highlight of the trip was a bike tour from the top of a volcano (on the outside!) through rice paddy fields and little villages. It was so nice to see the part of Bali that wasn't built up and so congested. Click on the photo for more.



We came back to Singapore in time for a New Year's celebration at my boss's home, and then up at 4am for the flight back to the States. It was so great having them here!

I've been tagged

I've think I've been "tagged" by Kim F (still not sure if I'm Susan "M", as I still naturally consider myself to be Susan "C")... Anyway, being tagged by another blogger means that I need to post 7 interesting things about myself on our blog. I'll cheat a little bit and include interesting things about Mike too.

1.) I have a life goal of staying above my age in the number of countries visited. So far I'm at 43 (with S Korea and Maldives coming up in the next month I'll be at 45), so I have a few years to rest up if I like.

2.) Mike and I once had a contest that started the very first semester of college: whoever got the highest GPA by graduation would get treated to a Boundary Waters trip by the other. We compared GPAs every semester with Mike ahead at first, then Susan pulling ahead 1st semester senior year. It finally ended in a complete tie! - down to the 5th decimal place. It was a bit anticlimactic, but we did hold true to our Boundary Waters trips - for 14 years so far.

3.) Mike and I were 7th grade cooking partners. It is there I realized his artistic talents - he preferred to DRAW the food instead of cook it. He has definitely change over the years - he has assumed the cooking responsibilities and is always on the lookout for good recipes - esp good marinades.

4.) I once met Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf. A Pakistani Cargill colleague invited several of his co-workers to his wedding in Pakistan. My colleague's was a general in the army and General Musharraf was at the wedding. We all met him and had our photo with him. This was in 2000 before his name became recognized worldwide.

5.) Mike holds a St Olaf track and field record for the one and only time he has done a pentathalon. He has decided to train for a triathalon in Indonesia this coming May. Knowing Mike, he'll probably win that too.

6.) I have a really bad memory - my family reminds of this all the time. Other people in my life can remember exact dates of snowstorms from 20 year ago, who they went to movies with 5 years ago, and every ingredient in a recipe they made 2 years ago. I have a hard time remembering what I ate for dinner last night.

7.) Mike's very first job was at Dairy Queen (if you don't count his paper route). Every time we hit a Dairy Queen he reminds me how much that Peanut Buster Parfait cost 20+ years ago. He also claims to have sold the very first Blizzard in Minnesota.

Now, my other blogger friends, you are now tagged! Rob S, Joshua, Carrie M.

Sport & Zoe come to Singapore

Their journey began on November 7 when they were rudely woken from naps, placed into travel cages and sent to the airport. After lenghty layovers in New York and Amsterdam, they arrived at the Singpaore airport, were inspected and transported to the quarantine site. There they endured 30 days together in a closet-sized room (cell number 32) with little to do but daydream of better days chasing birds. After a month they were released and brought home, a little worse for the wear. Upon arrival, they inspected nearly every square foot of the condo (including the balcony ledge) and found it to be suitable. Sport and Zoe are now happily situated in their new den. You might notice in the photos some changes in appearance from beginning to end of their month in captivity... Click on the photo for more.

Party Time

Mike arrived just in time to partake in Cargill's annual holiday Dine & Dance, with a Musical Masquerade theme this year. The highlight no doubt was Christina's heart-wrenching rendition of "Hopelessly Devoted to You". Video available upon request. Click photo to see more...