July started with Independent Day but it was not celebrated in the grand scale we do for National Day. Most Americans are happy to have BBQs in their backyards. Last year, the city could not even cough out money for its annual July 4th fireworks and some businesses had to come to the rescue. I am not a big fan of NDPs but I could not envisage a day when Singapore has to forego a NDP for lack of funds.
So far it had turned out to be one chilly summer. We were jubilant on the few days the thermometer made it to 20C. What on earth had happened to summer? We grumbled but still headed outdoors because summer, like childhood is fleeting and too soon fall and winter would be upon us.
Smith Tower
With our Groupon coupon for Smith Tower fast expiring, it was time to play tourists. Downtown parking is always a hassle so we eagerly grabbed the first street parking right in front of the Tower. Built in 1914 by LS Smith, the firearms and typewriter magnate, it was the oldest skyscraper in the city. We took a slow walk back in time, admiring everything, from the mail box, onyx walls, staircases, elevators to the Chinese room on the 35thfloor. The Chinese room with its elaborately carved ceiling and furniture was a gift from the last empress, Cixi of the Chin dynasty to Mr and Mrs Smith. Of the few pieces of furniture left, the wishing chair is the most popular. A girl could sit on it and have her wish to be married to
Temple Door on display
her dream man granted within a year. We however spent most of our time on the wraparound observation deck outside, studying the city spread below us and the enjoying the mountains, Puget Sound and Lake Washington in the distance. It was also a good vantage point to say a blessing prayer for the city. The iconic Space Needle which we visited with LC and Cindy also has great views. It is stylishly modern whereas Smith Tower is charmingly old fashioned. Down on the streets we learned that parking lots on the same street are not charged the same rate. Our ‘choice’ lot right on the footstep of the Tower, at $5/hour was the highest. Capitalism works: pay more and walk less or vice versa. Maybe HDB and URA will wise up to this soon.
Wishing chair
Carved Ceiling
Our next destination was the Rose Garden. When the roses in our yard started blooming, that was the cue to go. Last year we went too late but this time we caught the roses in full bloom. Such a feast for the eyes, and their fragrance, a treat for the nose! We would have lingered longer to smell the roses but the evening was unexpectedly cold. I still think of a sunny day as a hot day but like the many times I had been fooled, this was another cold sunny day.
Rose Garden
For summer vacation, our small group joined another group for a weekend getaway to Leavenworth which is about 3 hours away. It was a good bonding activity that also allowed us to get acquainted with people we did not know. Thanks to Cheryl, I ventured for the first time into an Antique Mall. Three mega floors full of, depending on one’s opinion, ‘treasures’ or ‘trash’. It was fascinating but I still preferred window shopping at a real mall. We swooned over expensive but unique Christmas ornaments, angel sculptures and porcelain dolls. They were more like ‘treasures’ but with great constraint, refrain from collecting anything old or new. Well, except for food and and memories. At the Applet and Colet Factory, YK not only happily sampled all the candies but collected a personal stash to enjoy at leisure. At night we watch a lively musical, ‘Seven brides for seven brothers’ at an outdoor theatre. This was far superior to watching a roadside opera or getai during the Hungry Ghost Festival.
Leavenworth
Group bonding
Outdoor theatre
The chilly night air, the mountains and the alpine forest combined to make it an enchanting experience. We hope to return another time to watch “ The Sound of Music” live. Imagine the songs ringing on these mountain slopes – what a perfect stage and setting. Driving back to Seattle, we stopped to buy cherries and apricots from the orchards on the way. The candies and fruits are good and gone but the good memories are for keeps.
Doll House
