A Weekend in West Palm

Peruvian Dock on Palm Beach



Chris spent a weekend in Palm Beach with his mom - the first time back in the USA in nine months.  Here are a few pictures... Palm Beach is a place where it's hard to go 15 minutes without a Rolls chugging by.  One of those places where everyone dresses like Thurston Howell III from Gilligan's Island.  and take a look at the private yachts on the left.  There was a good old fashioned Farmers Market in West Palm Beach on Saturday - fewer farmers I suppose and more botique hobbiest selling gourmet dog brownies (for example). At least that means plenty of dogs!   Here, my mom is checking out an orchid stand.  Each strand is about $20 US where in Tekka Market they go for about $1.50 USD.



An organic vegtable hawker - the only farmer to be found at the Farmer's Market





And, it wouldn't be a Farmer's Market without a classic Corvette show!



At the beach...

So, uh, where's the ball????

Lucy and I took our usual Sunday walk down to Starbuck's this morning... yeah, we've posted this before, but today it was a bit different. It was really hot - that's not different, but I decided to walk Lucy down by the beach.  In the past,   we've avoided this beach, because the water isn't that clean, and Lucy tends to swallow water when she's going after the ball.  So I tried it without the ball. Seemed to work.  Indeed, she hardly went in!  She just looked confused....

What the.....?

Some answers....

Hey,  Folks!


Thought I'd answer some questions that came up as a result of the last posting.


A question came up about the "Dog Hash" - this is a wonderful way for a dog owner in Singapore to get out for some fun and exercise with their pooch.  It is held the first Saturday of every month, and more information can be found about it on their website (click on "Dog Hash" above).  Lucy had a BLAST in February, and again, last weekend.  I must say, the dog was amazing, as the course was very challenging - but then, I AM biased....




Drivers license - to rent a car here, one needs only a drivers license that is in the English language.  I think the requirement may change after one has lived here a while, as in years, but I'm not sure about that.  We just showed the rental company our US license, and that did the trick.


Regarding pet movers - the company we used to transport Lucy Blue from the US to Singapore, www.petrelocation.com, moved Lucy from quarantine to our condo - part of the deal.  But there are many local pet movers here, if you don't have that kind of arrangement.  Let me know if you'd like the phone number of a guy with a nice van - he even takes us to the beach!

Weekend on Wheels!

Marina Bay Park opposite business district

Lucy - in the position!

Tekka Market with the fish guys 

Last weekend we rented a car, and since it was a holiday weekend, we had it from Thursday evening through Monday evening.  It was all about Lucy, of course.  We attended our second Dog Hash, and it was so much easier with our own wheels, not having to wait for a driver, etc.  At the same time, we really took advantage of our mobility - drove to Tekka Market and loaded up with Easter dinner goodies (roasted a red snapper in banana leaves), visited Marina Bay Park (I think that's what it's called), Sentosa (beach), Botanic Gardens, and discovered a great dog-friendly cafe Sunday morning, a bit beyond walking distance.  


The car we rented was, well, odd.  I had asked for a fast-back, and this is what we got:  a Daihatsu Materia, tricked out to look like a pimp milk truck, in a pale gray/lavender with running lights on the doors - can't believe this company would actually rent out a car looking like this!  I guess we looked the type!  But it had alot of room in the back for The Princess, and substantial headroom in the front for Chris. Chris drove most of the time, but I drove enough to consider it mastering a huge challenge.  We discovered that driving with right-hand drive wasn't as much of a thing as driving in Singapore traffic.   I've driven in big cities before, where one must adopt a defensive stance, but this was a whole other ball game.  We're thinking that renting a car the first weekend of every month may be the ticket - much less than renting a car for the entire month, and we don't really need it, anyway..... and we'll have a car for the monthly Dog Hash!   

Tekka Market in the veggie section

At Loysel's Toy Cafe

Wall art at Loysel's

Botanic Gardens

A note from Lucy

Hi, Guys!   Lucy here, just checkin' in.  Nothing new to report - still here in Singapore, as I can't really go anywhere like the humans can...  So, hanging out with my buddy, Ralph.  His humans are in Mumbai this week, so he's staying with us for the week.  Kind of fun, I guess, but he seems to pee everywhere I do.....  We went to Starbuck's two times this week, and will probably go on Saturday too, when Chris gets home from Beijing.  Today, Ralph and I had our paws cleaned in the shower, because there was tar in Katong Park due to the road construction - wasn't so bad, and we got cookies for being good.  Um.... guess that's it for now!

Blue River Ski

Toby

Back in Singapore, I was thinking of the wonderful ski I experienced with friends a week ago Sunday in Blue River, CO.  8 humans and 3 labs (1 lab was missing), we went on a cross-country ski near Hoosier Pass (about 15 minutes from our home).  The conditions were terrible (ice and crud) - I looked like a wounded animal most of the time, careening down the trail, face-planting here and there.... but the day was gorgeous, and the scenery was stunning as usual.  Then this past Sunday, I was on the beach!  Sometimes, I can't quite get my head around that.....

Who's the Alpha in this Picture?

After twenty minutes out in the park in equatorial Singapore, this is what we get:  "Im too hot, I'm too tired, I'm too hungry, I'm too done, I'm too whatever!"  Then, the human steps forward, Lucy plants her feet defiantly, the leash extends and tightens, and each mammal holds their ground.  OK, this mostly happens in the mid day sun or at 10 pm when everyone wants to sleep, but...  Who Wins most of the time?   .........  (at Katong Park)