3/12-13 Singapore, Singapore

Singapore! Ah, one of our favorite cities! This is the fourth time we've been to Singapore and we truly love this city. It is by far the cleanest city we have ever been to. Yes, they have many laws that you won't find in other countries and yes, they do enforce them. Among them are:

• Singing in public - this carries a penalty of more than three months in jail (I guess they've heard me sing! 😂)
• Connecting to another individual’s Wi-Fi (also called hacking) - The penalty is a fine of $10,000. It also carries jail time of three years in some cases.
• Walking naked in your house - This carries a hefty fine of $1,000. It may also lead to charges of pornography.
• Selling Gum - The penalty for this offense is $100,000 and two years in prison.
• Public Spitting - Breaking this law means paying a penalty of $1,000.
• Consuming alcohol or partying between 10:30 pm and 7 am. This carries fines of up to $2,000.

Those are just a few. There are many more. That said, it is a very clean city and the people are extremely happy. In fact, it is the only country we have been to where, when complimented on their city, they actually state, "You can thank our government!". In most countries, people do not like their government (no matter what it may be); people in Singapore love their government. And they are just the happiest people.

One of the other things we love about Singapore is its public transportation. The MRT (Mass Rail Transit) is so easy to maneuver and will literally take you anywhere in the city that you would want to go. And quickly! The locals are very courteous and helpful - if they even think you are having difficulty, someone shows up asking if they can help you! And the young people literally pop right up if there is nowhere to sit so that us old folks can sit - even if we don't need to, they insist. It is just so refreshing.

This time in Singapore, Sheryl was determined to get a Singapore Sling at Raffles Long Bar! Every other time, there has been an obstacle - one time we were sick, one time they were closed for remodeling, etc. THIS was the time! And it happened! You can drink a Singapore Sling anywhere, but to have one at Raffles Long Bar, the home of the Singapore Sling, is just a MUST when in Singapore! We've now checked that one off the bucket list!

The MRT Map, color coded and easy to read

Raffles Hotel

Raffles Long Bar

Raffles Long Bar

The Iconic Singapore Sling

Rodney, the beer drinker...

Sheryl enjoying the Iconic Singapore Sling! (and peanuts...)

3/10 Koh Samui (Nathon), Thailand

Today's tour was a trip to Chaweng Beach. And a beautiful beach it was. Given that we no longer lay in the sun, or swim in the ocean, we did the beach "our way" and enjoyed appetizers and cocktails from the local restaurant. Beautiful view, great food, and a relaxing, enjoyable time!

Sunrise over Thailand

Chaweng Beach

Floatie vendor at the beach

Rodney enjoying the beach

Sheryl enjoying the beach

3/5-8 Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam

What a wonderful time in Saigon! We were there for three nights, so had time to do a couple tours. The first day included a tour of the city, a stop at the Jade Emperor Pagoda, a Buddhist temple built in 1909 in honor of the supreme Taoist god (the Jade Emperor or King of Heaven, Ngoc Hoang), and a stop at the beautiful Central Post Office, notable for its perfect combination of neo-classical European architecture and Asian decorations.

The second day was our favorite! We took an incredibly fun pedal cab tour. To put it into perspective, the traffic in Saigon is horrendous! With a population of 9.3 million people in an area of 809 square miles, most people drive motorbikes. Approximately 7.3 million of them! Add to that the .8 million cars and you are literally taking your life into your hands when you pop into a pedal cab. Needless to say, it was an adventure - and a ton of fun! Even though the traffic lights appeared to be just a "suggestion" the pedal cab drivers were awesome, and people, for the most part, did yield to them. After the exciting pedal cab tour, we went to the local (huge!) Ben Thanh Market and then had a yummy, authentic, Vietnamese lunch at Hoa Tuc. Truly a wonderful day and a very exciting experience!

Buddha at Jade Emperor Pagoda

Jade Emperor Pagoda

Statue at Jade Emperor Pagoda

Central Post Office

One of the many features inside the Central Post Office

Rodney on Pedal Cab Tour

Sheryl on Pedal Cab Tour

Lunch menu at Hoa Tuc

Rodney at Hoa Tuc

3/2 Java (Semarang), Indonesia

Today's tour included a drive to the beautiful Gereja Blenduk, the oldest church in Central Java. Built in 1742, it is one of two domed churches in Indonesia with an octagonal floor plan. Now Gereja Blenduk is one of the landmarks of Old Semarang and is designated as a Natural Cultural Heritage site.

Our next stop was "Rainbow Village" (Kampung Pelangi), a former slum area of about 200 homes where the locals decided to paint their village in bright hues to attract more tourists and brighten their world. The colorful painting has brought new life and joy to the village.

Our final stop was Sam Poo Kong Temple, a unique Chinese Muslim temple shared by Buddhists and Muslims. The impressive temple was built for the Muslim Admiral Chen Ho of the Ming Dynasty, who led Chinese fleets throughout Asia and Java during the 15th century. It is the oldest temple in Semarang.

Gereja Blenduk Dome

Gereja Blenduk stained glass window

Gereja Blenduk pipe organ

Rainbow Village

Rainbow Village

Rainbow Village

Rodney at Sam Poo Kong Temple

Sam Poo Kong Temple

Statue of Admiral Cheng Ho at Sam Poo Kong Temple 

Sheryl at Sam Poo Kong Temple