another adventure

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Yesterday was another for the ages.  Started great too.  Met Isaac and Laura at the apartment construction site next to my building to watch the “articulated front-end woader” move around a lot of “dut.” .  And no I did not know why they were putting the dirt where they did.  General non-committal answers do not meet the required level of specificity.   So sometimes I have to go with “I do not know” -- which is often received by Isaac as a cop-out answer and does not stop the questions.   Isaac can watch equipment with the best of sidewalk supervisors- and will question you a about it as well.

As if that were not enough, on the other side of the building a crew was preparing to lay a fresh layer on asphalt over the drive between a just finished building and the remaining one I have been monitoring most closely.  The lawn in behind Laura is what was landscaped while I was gone to Malaysia. 

There was quite a crowd of interested on lookers.

Lots and lots of questions.  Goodness but lots of questions.  Some of the paving equipment is just “equipment they need” – "I do not know" would not cut it either.

And a lot to look at.

we also get looked at

coming home from school

I spent a portion of the day out with the motorcycle going to a noodle shop and doing some banking -- and returned to allow Matt and Laura to go out for the evening.  That meant a little playtime.

First we built a fort with couch cushions blankets and a turned over chair.   Great place to crawl into, 

And peek out.

Later after supper of pizza, we had “butter–side-down” peanut butter cookies for desert.  The butter side  up or down is of course because we read The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss just the day before and had a grand time practicing butter side down. (note the peanut butter on the cookie)  (Lydia likes to close her eyes for photos-- she just does, and normally she tilts her head to one side)

The girls then took pictures of them selves, -

They go through a lot of flashes and space 

And pose for one last shot.

The kids went to bed on time, after reading an article in a children's encyclopedia about trucks and trains, (Isaac to bed) and then two chapters from Davy Crockett.  I then had time to do a little web surfing and listen to some student in a nearby apartment practice clarinet by playing Auld Lang Syne   or  “Should old times be forgot” over and over again.  They will be ready for New Year's Eve. 

 ----And no I have not yet figured out how I am going to handle the Alamo -- I will have to read ahead and decide.  The book is good though and Julianna especially follows every adventure.  I read it to Laura and Stephen and I can not recall how they handled it.  I do know that Stephen really got upset with the ending of the Fess Parker Disney movie Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier.

Du Fu's Cottage

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DuFu / twoFu – and that distinction is important.  (DuFu is a very famous and oft quoted poet.)   And the Fu is like food without the “d”.   Tip of the day - Du is pronounced two / or 2.  With that information, I got there-  Anyway, yesterday I went into town to go by a university to inquire about being a teacher, shopping for coffee, and see a historic site.  Quite an adventure if you are not  doing hang gliding off the coast of Peru or something – this counts as one for me anyway.-- I rode five different buses and one  for hire motorcycle.  Two of those buses were those incredibly crowed ones you see photos of.  Yes they are crowded and goodness but being a very small person must be difficult on one of those -- (I am large by the way for your frame of reference).  Also did a heck of a lot of walking as I initially went to the wrong campus of the university)

I have digressed.  Now I can say "ZaiNar" with the best of them (that means where) but if you miss the what you are looking for, you just did not get anything but blank stares.  I was saying DuFu, like the Do in Dofus the cat of family yore.  I may as well been asking for the Empire State Building or the cows barn for all I know.  It is not pronounced Do it is pronounced "2".  And you can get there.

 Any rate above was me in front of China’s most influential poet’s home place (replica of course as he was about 700AD.—think Shakespeare as an equivalent) .

It was very nicely done and did not have the repairs from the destruction of antiquities that happened during the Cultural Revolution as most of the discoveries at this site occurred since 2001.  

  

Lots of paths, buildings housing various artifacts related to the famed post – I read a few of his poems and rather liked them.

Leaving 2fu’s place, I went to buy coffee.  It is here, just in limited quantities and not generally available - (as Laura says everything is possible, few things are easy) – anyway on the way I encountered another of those monstrous intersections Chinese traffic engineers are so fond of.  This is the tail end of the left turning cars. – note the number of left turn lanes.

And here is a view of the that intersection's through traffic should you chose to take the underpass route – and I would recommend it--(the intersection is in the background as I am on a pedestrian overpass) --there is also a fondness for long red stop lights here too-which makes me feel quite at home as Raleigh has a fondness for long red lights.  We do not have the really good idea on through traffic.

 And on the way back I stopped by one of the numerous named “Peoples Parks” as I heard lots of loud singing and saw throngs of people and realized that it was my kind of place. 

From what I could tell, this was a singing contest of some sort as one group would sing a song with loud speaker music accompaniment – be ushered off stage right as a new group appeared from stage left.  Right behind the partition in the background was another contest, so you had competing loudspeaker music and competing singers into microphones.  A hoot it was.   and crowed too

Got Here

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Well it should be obvious I got here.  Laura and the kids met me at the airport after an easy flight, but they and I had a long wait at the airport for luggage and then customs.  Our full airbus arrived just as did one from Bangkok and my goodness but my traveling companions were not light travelers.  I have never seen such luggage carousels.  However given our propensity to bring a ton or so of luggage here also I should not complain.

The grandkids gave me a wonderful reception and were eager to play with me.  I had several rousing games of Go Fish followed by Uno – (the fish game involves Isaac who really likes blue and his request is nearly always “do you have a bwue?”  He also loves to say "Go Fish".  --The card game "Uno" is now played with real rules and yes the dreaded “take four” card is in play.  And Julianna and Lydia are great to play with too- sometimes we get our 6’s and 9’s mixed, but other than that we are good to go.

The book, Airport , by Richard Scary was a great read and we had a good time talking about where we sat on different airplanes and such.  Lydia  kept reminding us to “read” as on occasion I would get over involved in the  discussion and miss the information about Wiggle worm (or whomever) actions at the airport.

K L

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This is the street in Kuala Lumpur outside my hotel and a happening place it is too.  Lots of food stalls where some good dining was had.  Lets start with satay at one stand, move on to pork noodle soup at another followed up with a banana pancake with ice cream at yet another.  Repeat tomorrow with clay pot chicken rice as the main dish.

This is me prepared to tour the Grand National Mosque.  Apparently heretics wearing shorts are not so readily accepted, and so I got to wear the women's garb -- which was given to all women not in full regalia.  Other shorts wearing Chinese men got to wear this too.  It is hot and uncomfortable (so now you know) and I opened it much as you would an overcoat -- the simile is intended - and was promptly re-wrpaed by a nice lady explaining the need for cover.

Here is the next door Islamic Art museum.  There was a recording of some famous Egyptian reading the Quran playing in the background - showed the Arabic and English if you wished to follow along.  He was reading in a singing fashion.

Next stop on the tour was the City Central Park and St. Mary's Cathedral was right at the bus stop.  As I was getting off the bus, I heard church bells, walked over to the Cathedral and heard singing - "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" -- sounded nice too -- and then a priest came out followed by a casket.  Being a little quick on the uptake I figured the Cathedral was not open at that moment for tourists, so I backed up a bit.  Whoever was recently deceased had a lot of Indian friends -- and if I am guessing right, the family was Indian too.

Also on the City square was this government office building.  Yes sir re bob, this is what a government office building ought to look like, something with a little class and style.  Nothing like that rather shabby looking 401 Oberlin I worked in so many years.  (Patt has reported that the City Planning Commission approved a plan to tear down that building and put up new stuff on the site.  About time too.)

speaking of office buildings, here I am, sans robe, under one of the two Petronas Towers.

At one time the worlds tallest building, now only number three I think. behind one in Taipei and the tall one being built in Abu Dhabi.

this street is accessible from the back entrance to my hotel.  As I said this place has a lot happening.

In keeping with diversity day, I went to this Hindu Temple just a block or two away after the tour.  Now keep in mind that I am in China town, and this is some famous Indian Hindu temple.  This place does diversity very very well.  Any rate, they are not burying anyone today, but did have full chanting, and playing of very Indian sounding -duh - temple music instruments.  

The musicians - and one of the chanters or priests.

tomorrow is travel day . and looking forward to it.

restaurant Review #15- actually two reviews

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This is a two in one review—and both names of these restaurants are made up, as I can not remember them despite my best efforts.  Charles or Linda do know though so you can ask them if ever on Penang Island and looking for one of these.

The first I’ll call on the sea-side or Paramount because I think that is the name of the hotel next to it .  Looking from our table out to the water way between the island and the mainland. – beach just beyond our table, and you can see we did have a good table.

The food was great too.  I forget what all we had but I think the crispy noodles were my favorite from this place.  The satay was also very very good.

 Now this one I am calling Open daily Thai (you will figure that out next pic) – It is on top of a mountain looking out over the Indian Ocean or Andaman Sea depending on the level of detail of your globe/map or whatever.  The chicken Linda and I are with is exactly that – a large plaster chicken –

 And the chicken was far from the only somewhat really special art on display.  Check out the ants with Charles, -- there were all sorts of animals and other really special efforts at decoration.

 I particularly liked this large clock.  Yes the numbers are made using blue painted tires.  The view of this was from one of the many dining areas- which were really overlooks.  There were lots of “recycled” tires used in planters, as walkway borders and such.  You really have to be there to appreciate it all. And I did not document nearly all the cheap, and some not so cheap, plaster, plastic, tin, rubber, and other works of are present.   I think Dad would have really liked it.  and my nieces who are such students of art.

 The meal was great.  Especially the deep  fried whole fish – covered in  a sweet sauce.  Also had a very good Thai omelet.   – a night time trip would be a treat assuming half the lights and light strings work at this place.  This photo does not do justice to the view of the ocean and rice fields below --- it was smokey overcast due to the burning of the fields and crop lands in Indonesia.

Getting there was up – then down this really steep drive.  In the distance – again not very clearly showing up in the picture are rice fields and the beach in the distance.  This is a very undeveloped portion of the island.

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Last day here and one last post - with lots of pictures from the hike on the hills of Penang.   A normal hike is about 7-8,000 steps on Charles's step counter - today was almost 17,000.  So you can see we went a long way.  These photos though are a composite.  

though the trails are noted for their steepness and effort required to climb, there are some wonderful  stretches of smooth even walks 

 and some breakthrough the jungle beautiful sight lines.

 As mentioned before there are rest stations named number 5, 84, 3, 45 and so one-- a rhyme or reason for the numbering system escapes my guide.

 My guide however is great with identifying geographical sites, like pointing out said city in the distance and making up things he is seeing, like --"next to that temple we drove past yesterday"  and I say "sure"

 I think this is station 3

 and a view of the race track - which is also just a house or two behind Linda and Charles's house.

 in numerous places, some kind and thoughtful sole has added ropes to assist in ascent or descent - and keep me form busting it.

 M'Chowi is talked about and marveled over -- this guy is a regular and knew both Charles and M'Chowi

 This guy getting slightly sweet, weak tea is about whooped

 the view of where we go

 getting a rest

 and being made over.  One of these guys asked about Emily, an oft occurrence.  Charles allowed as to here attendance at "university"

I am off this afternoon for a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur, then back to the big One.

It has been a wonderful time with wonderful hosts - but you all knew that.