Sunday, March 21, 2010
Jane and Pepere's Morning Out
Hi Everyone,
Pepere arrived in Singapore on Wednesday after being delayed for 24 hours in Boston. It was a long flight, but he enjoyed his business class seat on Cathay Pacific, and did really well adjusting to the time change. On Friday morning, Pepere and I went to a place called Kenko's to the 'fish spa' where fish from Turkey ate the dead skin off of our feet. It was a bit different from my first experience with the fish, because at this store we spent 10 minutes with the 'small fish', 10 with the 'medium fish', and then 10 scary minutes with the 'big fish' (they were not that big, but when you were about to stick your feet into a tank full of them, they seemed like giants). The small fish really loved my feet, but the medium and big ones just loved Pepere. You could hardly see any flesh in the medium fish tank! Afterwards, we went to a little out of the way cafe and got delicious milkshakes - plain vanilla for Pepere (no surprise there) and chocolate peanut butter for Jane. They were delicious. We then went to another mall to buy Pepere some flip-flops for when he went to the pool. Yes Grammy - he tried them on and was even able to walk in them! I was very impressed. Anyway, here are some pictures from our day. Mom, Pepere and Evan are now in Jakarta. All I know is that Evan's team won their first game, Pepere got a massage, and Mom is going shopping. So I think they are all happy. Leah and I have been taking it easy. In the next few days we will be going out and exploring Singapore. I'll try to post a few pictures from whatever we do.
Miss you all!
xoxo
Jane
Monday, February 8, 2010
"Gong Xi Fa Cai!"
"A Wish for Prosperity!" The Lunar New Year of the tiger will be welcomed with love on Valentine's Day, February 14. It is a highly celebrated occasion here in Singapore. Serious Spring cleaning is done at home. Business', grocery stores, malls and schools will be closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Families will gather for their reunion dinners. Auspicious foods will be served. Fish represents prosperity, noodles for long life, mushrooms with their good wishes, meat and fish balls signify completeness, yam pudding symbolizes the counting of blessings in the year ahead. Alona came back from the wet market today with mandarins from the vendors who told her "give to your m'am." Their shape and color imply good luck.
Just like food must be served in abundance, so are the decorations. Pussy willows, potted kumquats, red lanterns, red paper cut-outs and red clothing. Red, as you may know, representing luck. There will be parades, fireworks, music and lion dances.
My favorite is the yu sheng get together, observed as Everybody's Birthday. It is the tossing and eating yu sheng (raw fish salad) with sweet sauce and condiments while shouting "Loi hei" ("raise up wealth"). Chopsticks are used, and the higher the toss the more abundance is hoped for. It is a bit messy, and it is delicious. Fortunately, I will get to participate in a salad toss with Jed at Wellington when he comes the end of the month. The yu sheng is observed on the seventh day, and can continue until the 15th day. Last year our book group was adventurous enough to toss this salad, maybe we will do it again this year too.
This is our last CNY in Asia. I have a huge container of pussy willows (a childhood favorite of mine), pineapple tarts in my cabinet, mandarins on my table and a red shirt ready to be worn on Sunday. I will, however, avoid the crowds and noise and heat of Chinatown. Been there, done that.
CNY is truly about taking time off from work to visit with relatives and extended family while eating delicious food. I miss you all, and look forward to spending time with my family this summer, and CNY's celebrated in the States.
XO~
Lauren
Families will gather for their reunion dinners. Auspicious foods will be served. Fish represents prosperity, noodles for long life, mushrooms with their good wishes, meat and fish balls signify completeness, yam pudding symbolizes the counting of blessings in the year ahead. Alona came back from the wet market today with mandarins from the vendors who told her "give to your m'am." Their shape and color imply good luck.
Just like food must be served in abundance, so are the decorations. Pussy willows, potted kumquats, red lanterns, red paper cut-outs and red clothing. Red, as you may know, representing luck. There will be parades, fireworks, music and lion dances.
My favorite is the yu sheng get together, observed as Everybody's Birthday. It is the tossing and eating yu sheng (raw fish salad) with sweet sauce and condiments while shouting "Loi hei" ("raise up wealth"). Chopsticks are used, and the higher the toss the more abundance is hoped for. It is a bit messy, and it is delicious. Fortunately, I will get to participate in a salad toss with Jed at Wellington when he comes the end of the month. The yu sheng is observed on the seventh day, and can continue until the 15th day. Last year our book group was adventurous enough to toss this salad, maybe we will do it again this year too.
This is our last CNY in Asia. I have a huge container of pussy willows (a childhood favorite of mine), pineapple tarts in my cabinet, mandarins on my table and a red shirt ready to be worn on Sunday. I will, however, avoid the crowds and noise and heat of Chinatown. Been there, done that.
CNY is truly about taking time off from work to visit with relatives and extended family while eating delicious food. I miss you all, and look forward to spending time with my family this summer, and CNY's celebrated in the States.
XO~
Lauren
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Cambodia College Student
Hey everyone,
I've been keeping in touch with the college student, Seky, Claire and I got a scholarship for. She has recently gone to a temple in Cambodia called Ta Prom temple for a school trip. She sent me some photos and I thought you guys might want to see them. She is the one in the orange shirt and red bag!
Missing you all,
Leah
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Thaipusam
Thaipusam is a religious festival celebrated by Tamil speaking Hindus. During the festival, devotees gather to make an offering of milk to Lord Murukan. They fulfill their vow by carrying a kavadi along a 4 km journey. A kavadi can be a simple milk pot or an intricate metal structure pierced into the body. Skewers often pierce the tongue and cheeks. The devotees have prepared their bodies and minds for the previous 40 days by fasting, abstaining from sex, prayers and meditations. Many appear to be in a trance.
Jane and I, and Alona, woke very early (yes, there was a whole lot of sputtering; no, not from Alona) last Saturday morning to join the Americans Woman's Association for this exciting tour led by a local guide. Fortunately, one drink stall was open at the Newton Hawker Centre so we could enjoy our local ginger tea for me, and a milo for Jane. A van took us to a temple in Little India where the devotees were being pierced. Although there was no blood, we turned our heads away often. We followed along the procession for awhile then boarded our van to the temple where the offering was made and the kavadi removed. It was very loud and crowded. Lots of chanting, music, eating and celebrating.
The first thing we did when we returned home was wash our feet. We could not enter the temples with foot wear on, and we didn't want to miss any of that body piercing. Leah had an early morning softball game and Evan was at ESPN, so they missed out. Jane still wasn't happy to be out of the house so early on a weekend, but she will admit this was a religious and cultural event unlike any other.
Love to all~
Lauren
Jane and I, and Alona, woke very early (yes, there was a whole lot of sputtering; no, not from Alona) last Saturday morning to join the Americans Woman's Association for this exciting tour led by a local guide. Fortunately, one drink stall was open at the Newton Hawker Centre so we could enjoy our local ginger tea for me, and a milo for Jane. A van took us to a temple in Little India where the devotees were being pierced. Although there was no blood, we turned our heads away often. We followed along the procession for awhile then boarded our van to the temple where the offering was made and the kavadi removed. It was very loud and crowded. Lots of chanting, music, eating and celebrating.
The first thing we did when we returned home was wash our feet. We could not enter the temples with foot wear on, and we didn't want to miss any of that body piercing. Leah had an early morning softball game and Evan was at ESPN, so they missed out. Jane still wasn't happy to be out of the house so early on a weekend, but she will admit this was a religious and cultural event unlike any other.
Love to all~
Lauren
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