Sunday, June 14, 2009

Singapore

We left Bali with Lilly for a stop in singapore before she headed home to NYC.

Thanks here to Nimesh, Asha, and Amol. Also thanks to Yash, Mamata, and Parag kaka. These guys put us up and took care of us while in Singapore. We couldnt have had a niceer time.

Singapore is fascinating. A Big Brother city with amazing, amazing food and food markets. Hawker stalls abound and singapores reputation as having the best street food in the world is well deserved.

Singapore is very very safe. There are cameras everywhere and people obey the rules. But let me share something that totally weirded me out. We are standing at 4 way intersection. There are a couple cars waiting but no cars going through the green light. Traffic is light where we were but there are some other pedestrians waiting to go. The lights change, but they have a noticeable delay. No one moves. Not one person or car. No one even eases off the break, the motorcycle waiting to turn doesnt even shift into first gear. Ever one is stopped and the sun is ounding down in the 97 degree weather.

Eventually the walk sign flicks on and we go across the street. That was the most polite and ordered intersection ive ever been in. Ever. It was weird. Really weird.

I eventually discovered that people do occasionally jaywalk. But I rarely saw people walk when the sign said not to, even with no cars. And I never saw a car bend the traffic laws. Not even a cab. Not even once. Weird.

Bali

So we've been here for a while. And it is awesome.

This place deserves a number of posts, and I will write at least two. But let me say that it is awesome. It is everything people say, both good and bad. It really is super touristy, and filled with aussies. It really is shockingly beautiful, and amazingly cheap. The ocean is warm, the beaches are pretty, except when they are dirty. Some beaches are incredibly secluded and completely empty, some are packed with people. Some have huge waves and some are completely flat, with the smallest ripple to indicate that the tide is going in or out.

Inland is also amazing. Ubud is fantastic and I am looking forward to going to the volcano and looking in.

A note here: thank you to Lilly lavner for coming to visit. We had an excellent time when she was here. Her fantastic camera was great to play with, even if she did have an australian dude come up to her and say "picture picture" over and over again like she didnt speak english.

Monday, June 8, 2009

catching up

So it has been a very long time since I have posted. And I apologize.

Over the next few days I will begin to post more regularly just to catch people up with what has been going on and t share a couple of anecdotes about Bali and Singapore.

But right now I have to go catch some waves.