Singapore - a post in pictures

I'll explain each picture - I have way too many! But my Singapore trip was amazing and I am so thankful I got the opportunity to go there and meet Ci and her family. I really didn't want to leave... :-(

the only thing separating me from these tigers in the Singapore zoo was a deep pit which they supposedly aren't able to cross...Thankfully they were only interested in sitting and staring at all the tourists

Ci and I had a lot of fun watching these monkeys

this baby monkey was being pulled around by his tail by his mommy. That's parenting for you!

really neat spider

penguins! Nathan, eat your heart out ;-D

this orangutan is staring right at me...

the rhinos were snorting, pawing, and acting generally unhappy with each other

the flowers are called "Dancing Ladies"

"Oooh, look, Polly! The lady's taking our picture!"

peek-a-boo!

no one can see me! 

Ci and I feeding a wallaby

tourist photo... :-O

this picture in an elevator made my day so much better :-D

outside China Town

China town was a neat place to visit

the styles and designs of these bags is indigenous to my sister's province - Guangxi

outside a Hindu temple - every religion and race is represented in Singapore and it was pretty neat traveling around and seeing different Hindu and Buddhist temples along with shrines and mosques, churches and synagogues. Singapore is a true melting pot!

Obama and Michel Jackson - all the way in Singapore!

outside a Mosque on Arab street

it was weird eating out at almost every meal - but very delicious too!

this sign made my day

dragon flowers

the lovely and wonderful Ci!

this was my first time trying Korean food - it was delicious! Not as spicy as I hoped, but still delicious

this is pretty much what Ci and I looked like the whole week - and I came home with  900 pictures... 

inside a singapore mall - the architecture in Singapore was really interesting

this building was affectionately nicknamed "The Durian"

Singapore

I'm here in Singapore - tomorrow is my last full day. :( its been a blast and I have a ton of pictures but it will e at least another week before I'm able to download them and post them. Here are a quick highlights:

I almost wasn't allowed into Singapore because I forgot to write down my friends number and address. Thankfully he finally let me write down my own phone number in case they need I contact me. Lesson learned!!!

We went to the Singapore zoo and night safari and I took a million pictures of the animals - especially of the mama monkey who kept seizing her baby's tail and dragging him around after her. It was quite hilarious. :-)

Today we went and explored China town, little India, and Arab street. During the experience, I tried durian flavored ice cream (and was shocked that I actually liked it!) and got a beautiful henna tattoo.

All in all I've had a ton of fun and though it hasn't been relaxing, it's been rejuvenating so that I'll be nice and ready to jump back into the birth world when I return from Davao next Tuesday. :-)

The American Cemetery

Ever since I got here, Jeri has been telling me about the American Cemetery in Makati. Then, when my parents classmate visited me, he asked if there was anywhere I wanted to go while in Manila. I told him I wanted to visit the cemetery and he and his family took me the next day. It was a sobering experience that left me proud to be an American and wanting to make sure America stays worthy of all these thousands, possibly millions, of deaths.

At the end of World War II, the Americans buried the soldiers who died in the Asian theater of WWII at this cemetery. There are thousands of crosses in every direction. It is incredibly endless and sobering. However, there were thousands more who were missing. Filipinos helped the Americans recover the Philippines from the Japanese so listed along with the names of American MIA are the names of missing Filipino scouts.

Seeing the amount of names and crosses was very sad and sobering. It's a beautiful place.

Afterward, Lloyd and his family took me to the Filipino equivalent of Arlington, where Lloyd's father is buried. His father fought in WWII alongside the Americans. His mother is now 86 and was 11 when the Japanese invaded the Philippines. I got the chance to talk to her last night and she still remembers the Japanese coming in and raiding their village. She said she even learned a few words in Japanese. However, she didn't see any American soldiers during the war.

After the cemetery, the Casis family took me to visit their church, Christian Bible Baptist Church. He's a deacon there. I got the chance to meet a whole bunch of people, mostly wives of the pastor and elders. However, I also got to meet an OB/GYN who attends their church and who caught Sarah and David, the Casis children. When she heard I was becoming a midwife, she froze ever so slightly then smiled and asked me what hospital I was working in...yah...LOL...no. It was an interesting conversation and I could tell she was not overly enthusiastic that I was working in a birth center and was becoming a midwife. LOL. Oh well. ;-D

Then we went to a Vietnamese restaurant  I'd never eating Vietnamese food but it didn't seem too different than Filipino food. It was delicious. :-D

Here are the pictures I took at the cemetery:

American cemetery

ok, this isn't from the cemetery. This is Ryle being a goofball :-D

another Ryle picture

the American cemetery memorial

Sarah, Lloyd's oldest daughter

it was interesting seeing a missing American from North Carolina listed right alongside all the Filipino scouts

The Casis family

it's been a few months since I've seen an American flag flying like this...

it was weird - and a little disconcerting - seeing someone with my dad's name listed on the wall...

David, Lloyd's son

the white crosses were endless

Me, Mariel, Sarah, and David

map showing the US air involvement.

this is Lloyd next to is father's cross at the Filipino cemetery

the Filipino cemetery

monument at the Filipino cemetery