I just left Beijing, the first stop in an Asia Pacific tour of training I am delivering for my coworkers. This was my first time in the greater China region and my expectations were low. I had only 72 hours in the city and knew that work would dominate my time. Also, and I cannot explain why, but I was unenthusiastic about visiting any part of the Chinese mainland. But this trip was a professional joy and a personal delight. I am already counting the ways I can use my one year multi-entry visa for China.
How Loyal Are Singaporeans?
At an unpredictable frequency a small newspaper is slipped under the front door of my Singaporean residence. This paper, titled “Today”, covers a variety of news items on Singapore that I mostly ignore. But the front page of the edition laying on my floor after my return from Australia caught my attention: “How loyal are Singaporeans?”
Spain Pictures
I wrote a mostly true but highly dramatized account of my run in Pamplona a couple weeks back. Besides that, this is my first update from our Spanish holiday that ended last week. I have an hour of video footage that I am cobbling together to make a few interesting clips but it could take me a very long time to produce anything interesting. In the mean time, here are a couple of stills highlighting some of our adventures.
The Contagion of Terror
Today Will and I ran with the bulls at San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain. The experience was uniquely terrifying. The bulls are over half a ton and they race through the streets like a bobsled with swords. Yesterday the bulls completed the half mile run in just over two minutes. At that pace few men can outrun a bull.
I have known only through movies the way terror explodes through a close crowd like a shockwave. But today I saw it first hand. When these monsters approached you could see it in everyone’s faces, you could hear it in the pitch of their voices, and you can watch the nervous energy shake off of their limbs. The first sight of the bulls as they rip through the mass of humanity inspired awe and fear. People scratched and clawed at cracks in the wall at a last-ditch effort to pull themselves out of the street. But with thousands of men doing the same, there was no where to go.
Barcelona At a Glance
I arrived in Barcelona from Singapore this morning around 9:00 AM local time. The flight seemed quite long, my seat being in coach, but I was able to medicate myself to a light sleep for most of the flight. We stopped over in Milan for an hour and then finished the final hop into the far east of Spain. Tiffany had chosen a simple, elegant, and clean hotel right in the heart of Barcelona only a couple blocks off La Rambla. The hotel’s web page showed the hotel’s proximity to the subway so I thought I would give public transit a try.
Many times in my life I have heard that Barcelona’s pickpockets are as numerous and aggressive as anywhere in the world. Armed with this warning, I was expecting at least one encounter on this trip. But I did not expect it so soon! I hoped to get to my hotel first to harden myself against thieves by shifting credit cards, money, passports and the like to the right places. I did not complete the 30 minute transit to my hotel without being selected as a target.
The Sum of My Possessions
I have been living off of the contents of three suitcases in early May. The rest of my life’s possessions are coming over from the US this week. They are to be delivered to my new place on Monday. But since I seem to living comfortably now, I am really beginning to question what the heck I need all that crap for?
Betting the Ponies
I have learned more about Singapore from its taxi drivers than the rest of the islands inhabitants. This morning I struck up a conversation on gambling in Singapore on the ride to work. The driver’s experiences confirmed a long time suspicion of mine.
Singapore Taxis
I recently discovered the amazing Singapore taxi system. I have visited no place in the world whose taxis were as efficient, clean, fast, and cheap as this.
Protected: Thunderstorm
First 24 Hours in Singapore
It has been a little over 24 hours since I touched down at Singapore Changi airport. My flight arrived a couple hours late thanks to a cabin pressure failure that sent us back to Tokyo shortly after taking off. But I am now safe in my new temporary home and fighting the jetlag as I get ready for my first day of work.