Here and There Blog

Bintang - brewed in Indonesia, refreshing, light, and way better than many other local beers I've tried. Below the stage set up for music and shadow puppet theater. We were too late for the show. Artist's shops, shadow puppets, wood carving.

July 28, 2010 at 1:08 pm was a good day to start a business. Our business did not start that day but the family came in to make sure that when we do open, sales and business will go great. Part of this was to pass out good luck packets to the employees and the placing of the oranges near the cash registers. Food is also key. All the food meant something. Some cakes were for luck in money, others were to increase your knowledge. I was bummed as I ate the money cake but didn't realize that the other cake was for knowledge. Obviously my knowledge of this ceremony was lacking! It was a feast.  I'm sure that with this much family support, the business will be successful. The team is assured of good fortune!  I'm fortunate to have such a great team!

It was an easy 90 minute flight from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta.  It was a hard 2 hours, 30 minutes to exit the airport. Jakarta has a Visa upon arrival program. You get off the plane and stand in a line. Yesterday that line was 47 minutes. People around me said it was the worst they had ever seen the line but others said this was normal. After that, you get to stand in line for another 60 minutes to get stamped in. That was one jostling, queue cutting, stressed out mob. One immigration agent would process 4 people to another's one, and the lines would jump and shift. Once inside baggage claim it was time to hunt for where your luggage had been placed since it had been sitting around for a good 90 minutes waiting for you to show up. Then, a 20 minute line to get out and have your bags screened.  When you're this late, of course the hotel pickup is behind schedule and there's the scramble to find a car. 3 hours after arrival I was finally in my room with a deceptively nice n...

The Sunway development area - hotel with grand entrance. Elephants anyone? Guess this hotel wants real life situations. This gazelle is about to be a meal!

I left Singapore really early in the morning so breakfast had to wait for Malaysia. Went local with Minced Chicken, Rice and Fried Egg..  It was tasty, not too spicy and I almost cleared the plate! As we drove to our destination, the most eye-catching sight was this water tower with sculpture faucet. Just in case you weren't sure that this was a water tower. Worked all day. No work pictures. Returned to hotel and here it is:

Kingfisher Birds are local to Singapore but seem to be a rare sighting. This one was hanging out on a gazebo at Big Splash and was watching the human's and their evening action. Sightings are so rare that people thought I was taking a picture of a fake bird until he moved and looked at us. Does it ever move? This bird was able to hold itself very still until the people attraction was too boring and he moved on for better action!

I got out last night and went to seafood dinner at Big Splash, on the edge of the Sea.  Sunset was slowing glowing upon us and the ocean was at a turquoise best. People were jogging, biking, strolling and enjoying the respite from the rain.  It was nearly perfect!

I'm at the Singapore Marriott on Floor 11. This is the view from the room - the intersection of Orchard and Scott Roads. As always with Singapore, the buildings have multiplied since my last trip.  Below - continued high rise building going on. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It's loud. All night. I guess I'll sleep when I get to Malaysia.

Normally it's great when a flight ends early but not so good when it's before the airport gets going for the day. I left LA around midnight on Thursday and arrived in Hong Kong to rain and the early morning darkness of Saturday. No one is around this early.  I'm already through transit security screening before my flight was supposed to arrive. CX 717. That's me. 4 hours to pass the time without falling asleep. At least the sun was starting to show up. Best of all, an empty lounge waiting where I can find a corner seat and kick back until the next flight.

It's gonna be a long one. Worked like crazy last 2 weeks and off to Asia. First up Singapore via a long flight with connection. I'm not a fan of midnight flights but they sure are full. The coming week is all work. Guess photos will be limited to window shots.

Each year Shawn celebrates his birthday with a big bash that includes several other July b-day guys. This year we went to the Ragin Cajan Cafe in Hermosa Beach.  Above, one of the group table and below - Cheers! Our gang - Vince, Karl, Vanessa, and me. Next stop - some cowboy bar. Down goes the Irish Car Bomb!

Work or go out?  The question was moot since it took 2.5 hours to get back from LA and start printing. Turns out that it is harder to get a Visa for Pakistan these days. This time I had to meet with the Consular for a brief interview. "What is your company?"  "Oh." As he flips through my passport "you sure travel a lot. I've always wanted to go to Cairo and Lebanon, what are they like?" Overall a nice chat and it turns out that his assistant attends meetings in Carlsbad once in a while.  Last year I was done in two hours. Today, 1.5 for the review and return at 4 pm for pick-up. Huh. I guess return at 4 really meant be here at 3:30 and wait because we close at 4. Traffic on the 405 meant I was there at 4:13 and slightly panicked when I saw the shutters drawn on the windows. Luckily the assistant was still at work and he got the lady (she had ignored my frantic knocking and calling her) to retrieve my passport from the chair (I could see it)...

Unconfirmed 5.7 or so that sent my office chair rolling and I got a Disney ride at home!  A week of house guests from out of state and no earthquake to share. They leave and away we go!  I could hear the wind chimes catching the breeze when there was no wind. Let the aftershocks begin!

Before you can get to the surf, you've got to make it down the cliffs. For the coordinated, it's a balancing act. For the uncoordinated - a butt scramble.  We did get to watch the dolphins before we headed down but they were elusive and I missed the photo op. Below, Kenny and Brian.  After making it down the cliffs, the intrepid surf team of Maggie, Kenny, and Brian are ready to take the plunge!  Above, I'll wade but no surf for me today!  Below, Jean and Russ waiting to to see the crew paddle off.    And away they go!  Maggie is the first one to catch a wave!