The end of touring

Dear Readers,

I ended all my tours last week as everyone goes on vacation for the summer. Unfortunately the summer is all I have left. One month and 25 days left before I return to the farm. Before Tammy left for her home in Arizona and her daughter's wedding, we went back to Raffles Hotel (oldest hotel in Singapore) where the Singapore Sling was invented. We ate at the buffett lunch there and wandered around for the afternoon. I will miss hanging around with her.

The next day I went on the Waterloo Street tour. We began at the oldest Catholic Church in Singapore, built by the French. The Church of the Good Shepherd is being renovated because it now sits on top of the new subway. The government has to reimburse the church for the damages blasting has caused. This church is named after a French missionary who led the church in the early 1800's. He went on to Korea where he was beheaded saying that a good shepherd must die for his flock. They renamed the church after his death and Pope Paul made him a saint. The Catholics were large in Singapore in the early years. They operated schools, monasteries, and nunneries all within the one black they owned. Now the schools have moved out to the outskirts of the main city and there is one nunnery still operating. Every once and awhile I see a nun on the MRT.

From there we walked on to a Jewish Synagogue. This sect was orginally from Iraq-they were Arabic traders and merchants who came to Singapore early. They had strict security and they have to know you are coming and have your passport number ahead of time. They are afraid of Muslim attacks. Singapore's history is full of Jewish heros. The first president was Jewish. They got very rich and have their hands in everything still. I had never been in a synagogue before-it looked like a church to me. The torah is kept behind a curtain and there is special chair of velvet for circumcision. Ouch! They have a building next door with a Jewish restaurant and a kosher store. We wandered through the store where in the old days, the rabbi use to butcher chickens every week. I was surprised to see Coke and Coke Zero there as a Kosher drink. Remember the Jews have so many laws. They can't eat or drink anything that has been prepared in the same room as dairy products. So Coke has made the cut. They also have a ritual bath for women who must bathe after their period. So many rules to remember!

Now for something totally different. We preceeded up the road to a Hindu Temple. What surprised me were the people praying there-all Asians (not Indians). The Priest was from India, however, with two red marks on his head. Our guide explained that every day he had to wash the temple and dress every god in a mini sari. The gods get new clothes every day and once a year the mini saris are auctioned off to raise money for the temple.

Next door was the new large Chinese temple that was so crowded we could hardly get inside.

In front of it were all the flower sellers selling lotus flowers for the goddess of mercy. Now it is very difficult to separate the Chinese beliefs from Buddhism and Hinduism. I am not sure they even care. They just roll everything into one. They get their fortunes told at the temple, get their lucky numbers, and then roll sticks that give them yes and no answers to their quesind interesting was the no smoking sign posted everywhere, Everyone was choking on the smoke from the incense sticks they were burning.

A few days later I caught the black and white tour where I got to see the restored British government houses that the present government allowed to remain as tribute to their history.

The houses were built and used by government officials, officers, civil servants, etc and then by the Japanese when they invaded. They were beautiful homes with gardens, cobras, and maids. Only the very rich live in them now as land and houses are expensive. The black refers to the black tar they paint around all the windows and door for termite control. Wood lasts only two years here before it's knawed away

So much for historical trips to learn more facts. I finished painting my last canvas and gave my left over paints to Steve's friend's daughter. Now I working on my last quilt, watching my last videos, eating my last time at some of my favorite restaurants. We have one more trip planned to China. The terracotta soldiers are here so I will see them at the local museum but would like to stand on the Great Wall for real. See you there!