Rise up singing

School buses are out in force again here in the People’s Republic, so I guess summer’s over.

To mark the transition, let’s have Sam Cooke singing “Summertime”, from Porgy & Bess.

 

 

 

Birthday celebration

So, this happened.

While checking in to the Conrad Centennial Hotel, the fellow at reception asked if it was my first time in Singapore.

Yes.

What brought me there?

Otters.

…

(Actually, he and his colleague were impressed that I knew about the otter gangs.)

Also, I booked time off several months ago because Wednesday’s my birthday, so I thought I might as well spend it in Singapore instead of the District They Call Columbia.

Well, fine. He handed me some documents about the deal I was getting (breakfast included, $100 USD credit, plus more stuff and $30 USD credit), and then reached over and handed me this card:

“How did you guys do that?”

(Look, it was 0800 and I’d spent the previous 24 hours getting there while getting no sleep.)

He gestured to his colleague, who’d pulled out the card and personalized it.

Well, on the Thursday I was sitting at the hotel bar, drinking champagne, when I realized that it was gone 1900 and the hotel cake shop closed at 2000. So I told the bartender I was just going to pop over to the cake shop, and I’d be right back.

He said, “I’ll do that for you.” And he did.

And that’s how I came to be celebrating my birthday with an absolutely scrummy cake in my hotel room in Singapore.

Seriously, people—that hotel was the absolute bomb. Everyone there took amazing care of me.

 

 

 

All their glory

Did I already share these pix with you? I found myself taking so many photos of flowers while I was in Singapore, because they were so beautiful. I mostly have no earthly notion of what they are. Doesn't matter; they may spin not, neither may they toil. But Solomon never imagined such raiment.

What do you think?

 

 

Flora exotica

Okay, some more pix from Singapore. These are from the National Orchid Centre in the Botanical Gardens.

I’m not generally a huge fan of orchids—they’re fine, but seem to me a little stand-offish. However, seeing this exuberant explosion of them really is impressive.

See what I mean?

 

 

Gratitude Monday: relief from the heat

I know I’ve had air conditioning as my subject for Gratitude Monday before, but it strikes me as something that can be called out multiple times. (As is central heating in the winter.)

I was reminded of this in spades while in Singapore recently—Singaporeans have mastered the art and science of climate control to the point that you feel the AC as you go down the escalator into the MRT stations. It’s a much-needed relief, at least for me.

I got to thinking about it while there—because it’s interesting to me that the Euros and the Brits do not appear to have twigged to the possibilities of AC, and consequently tend to bake every summer, especially since we’re seeing the consequences of climate warming.

You can talk about the advances of Western Civilization all you want, but if your elderly and vulnerable are stuck in unheated/unairconditioned residences, and the rest go from hot offices to hot homes in hot public transportation, I think you need to recalibrate your chauvinism.

Meanwhile, I’m grateful for having central air—and the ability to pay the electric bill—all summer long.