January 19, 2014

January 19, 2014 - Singapore

After cappuchinos and breakfast on the deck, we headed off to MacRitchie Nature Trails for a stroll on the boardwalk around the reservoir... and to check out the macaques !!

 

 

 

 

Then off to a BUSY Chinatown for dim sum with friends of Dina’s.  The food was fabulous ... special dishes included Xiao Long Bau ( little dumpling-like pockets filled with meat and soup)... very tricky to eat but YUMMY.   It is a specialty of the restaurant, but I need to find it again, when I get home !!

 

 

We enjoyed the ceremonial New Years Salute – Yu Sheng .... a “salad” piled high with all sorts of symbolic foods .... gold crispy wontons for prosperity, salmon for health, oil to help the new year slide in and honey for a blessed life.  Then everyone sticks their chopsticks into the salad and lifts if up and tosses it (or drops it ) back onto the plate, trying not to spill it (thereby not wasting all the good wishes).  Very fun ... very tasty .... very messy !!!

 

 

 

We wove our way through Chinatown to the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and museum.   On the top floor is the world’s largest cloisonné Vairocana Buddha Prayer Wheel and a beautiful roof-top garden.

 

 

 

 

 

The guys dropped Dina and I off at Singapore’s Botanic Garden for a beautiful walk up to the National Orchid Garden where we got to see the largest display of orchids in the world , including special orchids made in honor of various dignitaries .... Lady Diana, Jean Chretien, Queen Elizabeth, Wills and Kate etc.

 

 

Lady Di's orchid is a beautiful pure white "froth" of blooms .....

 

 

William and Kate's orchid is this lively spotted flower. 

It was not blooming, so I took a photo of its picture.

 

 

 

Dina and I

 

We met Cam, Ken and Jim back at the park for an outdoor concert in the park with the Singapore Symphonic Orchestra .... a beautiful evening with great people watching.  

 

Then back to K&D for bbq’d lamb and MUCH singing  and crazy carry-on  !!   :-0

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Up at 7am and enjoyed cappuccinos on the deck overlooking one of the busiest harbors in the world.  Bacon and eggs and showers and we were off by 9:30am .... We have a busy day planned !!

We did a driving tour of the city get an overall sense of things.   First impressions are that it is clean, busy and “well-groomed” in that all the beautifully planted public spaces (and there are MANY) are meticulously manicured and very lush.  The buildings in the downtown core are magnificent ...  creative, interesting designs, shapes and materials.    Singaporeans take great pride in their city –and it shows.

 

 

First stop was Mount Faber – a beautiful, short hike to the top a hill overlooking the city ... just to get our bearings.  It was very windy, thankfully, as that made the temps very pleasant .... crazy wind though. There is a beautiful statue of a lion atop the mountain.  Singapore’s symbol is the lion... singa meaning lion and pura meaning city... city of lions.

 

On to Keppel Island for a walk around the marina and another perspective on the city skyline.  This beautiful residential complex is called Reflections .... and its not my camera lens that is skewing the buildings !!  Cool eh ??  (Oh !!  And that's Cam's next boat, in the foreground ... hahaha )

 

Next ...  the Malay Heritage Center, where Dina volunteers as a docent.  It is a beautiful old building that used to the sultan’s residence.

 

 

Then we were off to enjoy mirtabak at ZamZam’s, a local favorite...  Mirtabak is DELICIOUS and very fun to watch being made.  It’s a dough that is stretched very thin, plop on top, a raw egg , spread the egg around by hand, add  fried onions, chicken (or lamb or deer or sardine or veggies), fold it up, put it on a fryer, plop another egg on top, swished around by hand and fried crispy.  YUM !! ... Washed down with fresh limeade made from steeped fresh limes that are the size of large olives.  GREAT lunch !!

BTW ... Cam is SO far outside his comfort zone right now ... its funny to watch. 

BUT ... he's being a real trooper and is trying EVERYTHING.

 

 

Into the downtown core and off to the MBS (Marina Bay Sands- hotel and convention center)... this is one of my FAVORITE buildings in the city ... waaaaaaay cool.  The boys headed off for a beer while Dina and I checked out an art show, then we met and went up to the lounge at the top of the MBS for a magnificent view of the city and  very expensive drinks !!!  The spectacular viewing made it worthwhile !!!

 

Gardens by the Bay was next, and the Supertree Grove .... Large tree-shaped structures with beautiful plants growing up and thru the structure.  It looks like something out of Avatar !!  Gorgeous park.  (The photo below shows the MBS in the background beyond the "trees" !!)

 

 

 

We watched a ceremonial Lion Dance then headed to the Newton Circus Hawkers stand for dinner, which is like a big “food fair” with all sorts of eating options .... Cheap and cheerful and delicious .... Served with refreshing,  freeeeezing cold beer !!

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 !!

 

 

July 31, 2013 - Eleanor's birthday and heading HOME....

July 31, 2013 – Eleanor’s birthday …. And heading home

A birthday breakfast of coffee and eggs benedict on the back deck in the sunshine ….

 

 

After a few tests of damnautopilot, all seems to be functioning just fine, I’m happy to report.  All the tweeks and adjustments seemed to have worked !!

Traffic in and around Vancouver's harbor was BUSY … especially in light of the fact that tonite is FIREWORKS NITE!!  Lots of crazy boaters out there ….

... AND lots of freighters in the harbor.   We followed this baby in, under the Lions Gate bridge, with two more on our tail.

So .... here we are.... back in  Coal Harbor & just one slip away from where we left on this GRAND ADVENTURE, 5 weeks ago. 

We’ve been asked many times ... what was our favorite part.  It’s difficult to pick ONE … every place had its own beauty , uniqueness & challenges – especially for us, as relatively "new" boaters. 

We anchored probably 3/4 of the time, which we enjoyed – and got quite proficient at.  Being at anchor provided a relaxing solitude.  But it was also nice to have the provisioning and interest of the various marinas interspersed with all that quietness.

Although we enjoyed both the inside route and the west side of the island,  the  west side  provided more weather-related challenges and was certainly more RUGGED.  I loved the contrast between the the quiet calmness of the little bays & sounds, and the rugged, wave-crashing shorelines .  The west coast of the island is beyond STUNNING....

We were very happy to be home to see family, and we look forward to catching up with friends, all of  whom we missed very much ..... but neither of us were the least bit anxious to get off the boat.  Sea Level II  is "a very comfortable ride" , and a sturdy, trustworthy, dependable vessel.

We LOVED our adventure, the places we experienced, and the people we met ….. and we’re looking forward to our next adventure..... whatever that will be.

July 30 - BIG WHEEL KEEPS ON TURNING ......

July 30-31, 2013 - … off to Tugboat

An early start out of Bedwell Harbor to time our passage through Gabriola Pass & the marine layer had not yet burned off ….

Damnautopilot (which has taken on a personality of its own … that of an obstinate child) seemed to be behaving itself ….  Fingers crossed …..

Spoke too soon, as we are now heading towards the rocky shore.

Damn ….

I guess we are back to “ripping the f’king thing out “ ….

Damn ….


As we worked our way up Trincomali Channel, the sun came out and its a GLORIOUS 23’ outside.

Eyes are peeled for any whale sightings … we are running out of days to see them!

And our obstinate child ??

A couple of tweeks to damnautopilot, and all seems to be running well – at both fast and slow speeds.  CAM + MANUAL = a good thing

Meanwhile, Anne enjoys her book & the sunshine on the back deck ….

 

Beautiful shorelines en route to Silva Bay ….

 

 

We arrive to a welcoming committee at Tugboat’s docks ….

“The last night before the last day” included a walking tour of Tugboat Island (the RVYC outstation in Silva Bay @ Gabriola Island) …..

 

 

Tugboat’s magnolia trees and rocky beaches ….

Looking through the trees to Silva Bay …..

Daisy, however,  prefers to stay & rest on her “lawn” ….

 

 

 

The tender was launched and we wove our way through all the sailboats anchored in the bay, over to the marina and a gallery on the shore of Gabriola Island … had a little wander around, then headed back to Sea Level for a little R&R in the sunshine, on the back deck. 

Our final evening included burgers for dinner, many bottles of wine and lots of laughs …. "crazy party games" included taking our blood pressure ... how's that for sad ?!?!   Holly noted our readings and I will spare you the details .... thankfully ..... but rest assured, we are all fine and will live to see another day !!

Luckily for Eleanor, because July 31st is her 78th birthday !!! 

We carried on until the sun went down .....

 

 

July 28-30, 2013 - Roche Harbor & Poet's Cove

July 28 - 29, 2013 – Roche Harbor

Roche was bustling, and quaint, as always. The town’s gardens, pots and hanging baskets were absolutely exquisite …

 

 

 

We wandered through the little market and the beautiful arbor- covered garden ….

 Dappled shade on moms and daughters ....

 

 

Pig War Martini’s were in order …. Complete with little plastic pigs.  These are name after the Pig War in 1859 that took place between the Americans and the British that both inhabited the island at one time.  The war got started because someone shot the other’s pig …. seriously ....

Boys will find ANYTHING to fight over, won’t they ??

The result ?? 

No human casualties … lots of bacon  …. And THESE beauties ….. (the drinks, not the ladies) …

 

 

 

… a few more pigs for Cam Cleveland’s collection !!

 

 

 

Holly and Su did a little kayaking and paddle-boarding in the bay …..

 

 

 

 

FABULOUS steaks from Holly and Su’s favorite butcher (Market Meats on W4th) were on the docket for  dinner …..  (and we can vouch for their lemon marinated chicken too.  It is “to die for” …. )

 

 

 

COLORS is Roche Harbor's flag lowering ceremony & is not to be missed … and our first timers even got an honorable mention at the end of the ceremony. 

 

And of course, no one does COLORS like Mother Nature …. a beautiful sunset ….

 

The next morning, we head back into Canada and Poet’s Cove.  The autopilot has been reset and is not behaving.  Cam’s solution, at this point, is to “rip the f’king thing out and replace it”.

So much for THAT birthday idea ….

July 29-30, 2013 – Poet’s Cove

 

 

 

Poet’s Cove was not as busy as we’ve seen it in previous visits.  We cleared customs at the dock in the harbor (no problems & not the same SILLY rules we had going into the US ….)  …  then headed to our slip, where we were met by the local welcoming committee …..

 

 

 

 

Daisy got LOTS of runs on the beach and she LOVED that ….

 

 

 

Another spectacular sunset ….. and another stunning view from our “back door” …..