Not ON Sea Level, but AT Sea Level .... in Singapore !!

Even though we are not on the boat, we rationalize that are still AT SEA LEVEL, so we have decided to "blog" about our current adventure as it is the easiest way to let people know where we are at and what we are up to.

So ... having left Vancouver in the "wee hours" of Thursday (Jan 16, 2014) morning, we arrived in Singapore after a very LOOOOOONG flight via Hong Kong.  The flight was uneventful other than we started out not getting seats together ... (who knew passengers are to check in 48 hours ahead of their flight instead of the usual 24 hours !?!?!)  However, after some negotiation prior to take off, we managed to sit together, and at 1:30am, as we taxied down the runway for take off, I promptly fell asleep (thanks to my new favorite friend MELATONIN !!)  Cameron was not so lucky and slept sporadically for the next 14 hours  :-(

We arrived in Singapore on Friday afternoon, grabbed a taxi to Ken and Dina's and after hugs & hellos and a quick shower, we hopped on the MRT (mass rapid transit system, very much like our Canada Line) and headed off to Little India to witness Thaipusam - a ceremony where "devotees bearing Kavadis (shrines pierced to the body) commence their walk from Sri Perumal Temple, through Little India and finally ending their journey of penance at Sri Thendayuthapani Temple" ...( as quoted from our guide book) .

Thaipusam is an "interesting" tradition ... a little outside my comfort zone ......  The body piercings made me a little squeamish but I loved watching entire families joining in on the ceremonial walk, all dressed in their beautifully colorful, "best clothes".

 

OUCH !!  That's gotta hurt .....

 

Below is a Kavadis .... a large, colorful headdress that is literally pinned to a man's body.

 

How adorable is this family ???  Look at those gorgeous colors !!! 

 

(I think we are in for an interesting, and very different, vacation - as always with the Charpentiers.)

 ... Back on the MRT,  to Ken and Dina's apartment where Ken met us after work, and along their good friend, Jim, we enjoyed a delicious steak dinner on their deck, overlooking the harbor.  With full tummies, a little wine (and a melatonin pill) we headed off for our best sleep in DAYS !!