This post is brought to you by the letters V and L

I was writing to my friend Kristen the other day when it occurred to me how similar my everyday life as a travel PT in Baltimore City is to what I am doing now. My daily routine at home went as follows: Eat, sleep, meet new people in strange smelly homes, and treat. My everyday life on the road is as follows: Eat, sleep, meet new people in strange smelly hostels, and travel. So the only real difference is treat vs. travel and if you break that down even further, only the letters V and L in the word 'travel' aren't found in the word 'treat.' So essentially, everything I am doing now is just like being at home except for 2 letters of the alphabet. Could have saved myself alot of money had I thought of this sooner, but no turning back now.

I have spent the last few days in Singapore, where the capital of Singapore is Singapore and the national language is English. Makes perfect sense to me.  I have done a ton of walking and eating. I have visited areas such as Kampong Glam, Little India, and Chinatown that celebrate the Malaysian, Indian, and Chinese cultures that comprise today's Singapore. Those areas have cluttered streets with vendors of food, textiles, and souvenirs. You really get the feel that you are in those countries and almost stepping back in time. Conversely, you have the very cosmopolitan areas around the harbor and Orchard street where the clothing and accessories sold are those worn by movie stars on the red carpets. I felt guilty just walking near those places in my backpacker clothing. After deciding not to spend 3000 dollars on a watch, I decided to do some eating and lots of it. Have dined on chili crab, chicken feet, BBQ stingray, chicken wings, claypot frog, yam ice cream and lots of tasty drinks. Will indulge in a Singapore sling today before taking off to Malaysia. I will also be attending the Singapore St Patrick's day Parade which happens to coincide with World Down Syndrome Day. I really hope some of our special friends are dressed up in their finest Irish clothing and enjoying the festivities. I know when I think about St Patrick's Day, I immediately think to myself, "What is going on in Singapore today?" I may be the only person of Irish descent in attendance, but I will enjoy my discounted $10 Guinness with everyone in attendance.

Queenstown by air

Chicken feet. You eat them for the skin.

Marina Bay by day with the Merlion (half mermaid- half lion) that is all over Singapore

A fellow diner asked me if I was an artist upon seeing this plate of food.

Vanishing pool atop Marina Bay

Kampong Glam

Little India

Yam ice cream...delicious

Chili crab

Poor little guy...

didn't stand a chance. Although to be fair, that was the fullest I have ever been after eating just 1 crab.

Singapore flyer

Singapore at night

So that Merlion that is all white in the photo under the chicken feet, becomes a canvas for a technicolor light display at night.

Chinatown