March 3, 2008

Ok, so it's really March 4th here, but I've already received flack for not posting anything for yesterday. It was really uneventful for myself, but Jim may have some things that he would like to post. When I got up yesterday I was really sore from all of the exercise from the weekend and I decided to get myself in "domesticated" mode. Jim started his new job this morning so he left around 8 am, I think he got some breakfast first and then hailed a taxi to take him to work, what happened to him you'll have to wait until he posts to find out. I refused service from the maid because really I am organised enough not to have a maid everyday. I always get online first thing in the morning because it is an ideal time to get in touch with everyone back home because it's morning here and nighttime there. Skype is really a wonderful thing especially if you have usage of a webcam. All of the calls are clear, probably clearer than we lived in the States and the best part is that if I call a Skype customer then all calls are free. I have called landline phones and the cost is very inexpensive, about $0.02 p/minute. I talked to my friend Jayson in Chicago for 1/2 hour and it was only $0.60. If I still lived at home I would probably switch all my home phone service to Skype because for only $3 p/month you can make all your domestic calls. Hopefully after that explanation, more people will be convinced to sign up and call me.

So after "reaching out and touching someone" (remember that used to be the slogan for the phone company) I decided that I needed to do some laundry and go grocery shopping for more supplies. The other night I decided to fry chicken for dinner only to discover that even though the hotel supplies kitchen supplies, it doesn't give you things like seasoning, flour, sugar etc. Nothing like pan sauteed chicken with no salt or pepper...YUM!! Let's just say not one of my best dishes. I could get groceries delivered, but on the list you have to indicate quantity and weight and really I'm not familiar with grams vs pounds, so it's just easier for me to go to the store and eyeball it. Eventually I'll know exactly what I'm buying. Because of the size of the appliances here everthing is sold smaller and you have to shop every couple of days because the refridgerator doesn't hold much. Jim had mentioned that maybe there was another grocery store in the opposite direction of where we're staying so I ventured that way. I think I walked about 1/2 mile before I decided that if I did find the store there was no way I was going to haul groceries back that far so I turned around and went back to Hock Choon market. I did find another mall, there seems to be no shortage of them here, and there was a drug store inside where I bought shampoo and soap and out of curiosity I asked the pharmacist about my medications. All of my prescriptions in the States are available over the counter here at very reasonable prices. There are some that you need a prescription for most everything else you don't. Back at Hock Choon I got what I needed, interesting was that when you buy your produce you have to pay for it in the produce department and if it's pork you're looking for there is a special place in the butcher that you have to buy it from. They call it halal, something like kosher, I'm assuming because Muslims don't eat pork and the majority of the population is Muslim they keep the pork separate and only non-Muslims can handle it or even ring it up for you at the register.

On my way back I experienced something familiar. Apparently no matter where you live, construction workers will "cat call" if you're a woman walking by yourself. I was surprised at first and then it dawned on my that any other time I've been out it was with Jim and with his size I can't imagine anyone would be so bold. I got back to the hotel a hot mess so I took a shower and yes, there was hot water. I did some laundry, Jim got home from work about 7 pm and we had dinner and crashed out for the night. Jim will probably add to March 3rd when he gets a chance but for now...peace!