Singapore: First Two Days

So, I'm in Singapore right now for a vacation and VISA renewal. I didn't take many pictures so far, since I hadn't looked up the local photography laws, so this will be mostly text.

The flight was nice. Mostly watched movies the whole time. "Her" (emotionally touching, philosophically bankrupt), "Captain America: Winter Soldier" (absurd but entertaining), and "Rob the Mob" (Didn't finish, no redeeming quality).

Arrived at airport, no trouble getting money, buying train ticket, walking to the room I'm renting. Really warm and humid, I sweat a lot. Now with videos!

Crazy Weekend in Korea: Coda

So, we've finally gotten out of Japan. Now all we need to do is get back.

The view from our hotel room. Seoul is on the horizon.

It's Saturday afternoon. I've just checked my e-mail and found that, although things are as good as could be expected at work, there's trouble with our flights.

Namely, we might not have flights.

Crazy Weekend in Korea: Saturday

So, we get up early Saturday, and set off once more for the train station. Anna has been (with good justification) giving me a hard time about getting on the wrong train yesterday. She has checked and double-checked the station info, and written everything down. We're prepared this time!

We stop by the Starbucks in the station and have some breakfast, feeling like champions for planning ahead with enough time left over to stop and eat. We ended up sitting next to a group of three young women, who were entirely too pleased with our daughters.

The middle one doesn't seem pleased that I'm photographing them.
Sorry Japanese Girls!

We arrive at the platform and are immediately confused again. But this time, instead of jumping on whatever train is closest at the time, we wait for a few minutes. Anna figures out which train to catch, and I ask a platform attendant who gets us in the right place to catch said train. We get on, and everything seems to be going well.

Nagoya Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens

So much excitement! Teddy can't handle it.

Today, I took my children to the zoo. The "Nagoya Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens" in fact.

It is a great place to take your children. There is lots to see and do. We took the subway all the way there. There is a "Food Trek" right outside the main entrance to the zoo, which is where we stopped and picked up some rolls, chips, and drinks for lunch at the zoo. Then we cross the street and buy our tickets. You don't have to buy tickets for anyone under junior high, so I just paid for my ticket and my 3 kids were free.

Friendly Lunch

This past Sunday we were invited out to lunch by Hara-san, the very friendly president of Ryoki Tool Company.