2005.01.18 09:23
On the bus to Melaka...the suspicious package. Every bus we took had one. These guys would wait outside the bus station and as the bus left the station there'd be some money and package exchanges with some quick words.



2005.01.18 11:38
Caution! Our cab drive told us it stood for "All women are sexy"



2005.01.18 11:45
A scrumptious Indian meal served on a banana leaf at Selvam



2005.01.18 11:45
Yum!!!



2005.01.18 13:07
We check out a variety of Malaysian homes in the Taman Mini Malaysia center in Ayer Keroh. You want me to take my shoes off!!!



2005.01.18 13:14
Michele contemplates taking a souvenir home



2005.01.18 13:19
Our favorite of the Malay homes



2005.01.18 13:20
Michele looking demure with her umbrella



2005.01.18 13:26
Some asian inspired toys



2005.01.18 13:35
We try to take a picture using the timer. Oops, too late, it was really hard to walk on the floor of this place.



2005.01.18 13:36
Much better.



2005.01.18 13:36
Check out the floor, it's made of halved bamboo rods nailed into the floor. The nails aren't quite all still flush with the bamboo.



2005.01.18 13:37
We never want to live in this style house. Ouch!



2005.01.18 13:38
Oops, ouch, forgot the map!



2005.01.18 14:14
On the local bus back to town.



2005.01.18 15:32
On the bridge to Kampung Morten, a village with traditional Malay style homes



2005.01.18 15:33
In the village



2005.01.18 15:34
We trespass through this gorgeous yard



2005.01.18 15:35
Everyone has a little mini house in front



2005.01.18 15:38
The kid and his extra-large bike



2005.01.18 15:41
Literally a minivan



2005.01.18 15:44
The owner of this house must love birds



2005.01.18 19:35
Enjoying Malaysian satay at Capitol Satay



2005.01.18 19:36
An inferno of soup with peanuts, chili powder, spices, sugar, other unidentified items they put in our pot



2005.01.19 08:22
The morning meat market



2005.01.19 08:22
Boy did this look yummy. Everyone was very serious about getting their share



2005.01.19 08:37
One of the nice streets in Melaka



2005.01.19 09:00
Pretty temple



2005.01.19 10:14
Love the houses



2005.01.19 10:17
Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lok, the street where the wealthy Baba (Straits-born Chinese) used to live



2005.01.19 10:18
The Chee Mansion, a private home



2005.01.19 10:19
Checking out a nice hotel in the area



2005.01.19 10:19
Nancy hanging out in the inner courtyard



2005.01.19 10:25
Really nice architecture



2005.01.19 10:26
The inside of a cool antique shop



2005.01.19 10:28
The backyard



2005.01.19 10:58
Having nonya popiah, a spring roll nonya style



2005.01.19 11:18
Melaka's town square and the Stadthuys building, the town hall and governor's residence, built in the 1600s by the Dutch



2005.01.19 11:36
The Dutch Fort of St. John



2005.01.19 11:39
This was built in the 1700s, one of the older buildings that we saw on our trip



2005.01.19 11:44
Nice picture



2005.01.19 11:47
A sultan's old residence



2005.01.19 11:51
Beautiful wood carvings inside



2005.01.19 12:00
I can't see!



2005.01.19 12:02
More of the fort



2005.01.19 12:10
We go for a nice bike ride back to our hotel



2005.01.19 12:10
It was gaily decorated



2005.01.19 12:11
The poor old guy had to pedal pretty hard. We also needed a push up one hill



2005.01.19 12:13
Beautiful Melaka



2005.01.19 12:13
More of the streets of Melaka



2005.01.19 12:20
The night before we had great soymilk with our satay meal, and guess what! We found the soy milk maker! Oh my gosh...yummy!



2005.01.19 12:23
They also had bean curd 'flower' a dessert of soft bean curd with sugar syrup



2005.01.19 12:24
The Malaysian version of a drive thru food establishment



2005.01.19 12:41
Some wonderful produce for sale



2005.01.19 21:35
We all arrive in Singapore. Our hotel room at the Strand Hotel, an interesting place frequented by transvestites



2005.01.19 21:55
Scarfing up some snacks at Kopithian, the 24 hour food court across the way



2005.01.20 00:00
Sitting outside enjoying the warm weather



2005.01.20 00:04
The camera has sepia mode!



2005.01.20 09:14
Breakfast of soy milk and roti which we washed down with chicken and rice at the place next door



2005.01.20 13:27
The Chinese New Year's decorations



2005.01.20 13:31
Chinatown in Singapore...hmm...a country that has upwards of 80% Chinese, weird



2005.01.20 13:32
These coconuts had the best coconut juice/water that we've ever had, so sweet!



2005.01.20 13:32
"I don't like your expression on this picture so much, Michele"



2005.01.20 13:32
Ah, much better!



2005.01.20 13:51
The preserved meat store



2005.01.20 14:01
Have a quick snack before the wedding rehearsal. Michele has some 'tang yuan.' Nancy has noodles with spicy homemade noodles with pork



2005.01.20 15:35
The Raffles Hotel in Singapore



2005.01.20 15:36
The very grand entryway



2005.01.20 15:37
Enjoying the lobby furniture



2005.01.20 15:39
The grand staircase



2005.01.20 15:39
Ah ha! there's black and white too!



2005.01.20 15:44
Stopping for a quick photo on the way to the rehearsal



2005.01.20 16:14



2005.01.20 16:15



2005.01.20 16:16



2005.01.20 16:17
Esther and her dad



2005.01.20 16:21
Esther all a flurry of activity



2005.01.20 16:22



2005.01.20 16:28



2005.01.20 16:31
Michele and Min Mei looking on



2005.01.20 16:48
Practicing the solemnization ceremony



2005.01.20 16:50



2005.01.20 17:00
Aren't they cute?



2005.01.20 21:16
We document our US$55 load of laundry



2005.01.21 08:37
We must start one of these fruit stands in the US. There were over a dozen varieties of precut fruit. So delicious and healthy!



2005.01.21 12:08
The CA fitness center, oh yeah, upstairs from the Dairy Queen



2005.01.21 12:08
Trying very hard to find a nail salon



2005.01.21 12:09
Orchard Road in Singapore. So many shoppers!



2005.01.21 12:38
Here they off ice-cream in the green and pink sandwich bread slices



2005.01.21 12:56
Ah...we find a nail salon and Diana gets her first manicure/pedicure



2005.01.21 13:09
Diana's cold little toes



2005.01.21 13:27
We all enjoy a little mani/pedi action



2005.01.21 13:41
Notice the previous picture, the lights were on...the nail salon lost power twice so we were just sitting around in the dark



2005.01.21 13:45
Michele's hands get a little TLC



2005.01.21 14:51
Look at our beautifully painted toes



2005.01.21 17:36
Enjoying our last meal at the Newton food center with Alex as a bachelor



2005.01.21 17:36
Drinking beer with the guys



2005.01.21 17:37
That was some great food!



2005.01.21 18:43
Alex has a cell phone!



2005.01.21 18:49
Who's hair is longer?