Sunday

Last night after I talked to you, I talked to Sharon, and then Mom & Dad. While I was on with Mom & Dad Christina raised me on chat, but by the time I got off the phone with them she was gone again.

 

Then before I left, the laobanniang came out with a little 2 mo old monkey (in a diaper) nestled in her hand. At first I thought it was a Taiwan style dog.

 

She and her son said we should come back to Malaysia and to some beach called Tamoun? started with a T anyway, she said it was better than Lankawi for snorkeling....

 

Now my room is getting infested with flying ant-like bugs that swarm after a rain--it poured early this morning. I realized the light by the door was on, so I turned it off, hopefully decreasing the gathering swarm. I also killed two bloody mosquitoes this morning. I don't know what to do about them! I checked the convenience store for poison and they only had coils to burn or aerosol spray. Every time the bugs land on the wall under my single light, I get up and kill them. Hopefully in this way the overall population is decreasing....

 

After it stopped raining this morning, I got up and rode. The Internet cafe folks suggested i ride to the light house and blue lagoon. Blue lagoon wasn't much--it's main feature seemed to be that it's where the locals gather! But after walking that beach I got on the bike, rode down the beach the opposite way, [break to kill bugs,] exited the beach onto some roads and saw signs for the lighthouse. It turns out there is an isthmus (sp?) followed by a rather steep mountain rising out of the sea. There is a road (closed to vehicles) up to the lighthouse (steep, I walked part way due to my less than adequate wheels) and the whole area is a wildlife sanctuary. Lots of birds, big trees, beautiful shade, and some monkeys I heard, saw the motions, but didn't quite see the monkeys. Very nice.

 

Coming down I checked out another direction and discovered the very end of the stretch of beach we're on, so I rode back on the beach. This required some hauling the bike over rocks, but it made me feel manly :-) So I ended up on the beach in front of the camp! About a 2.5 hour adventure including eating a tangerine on the steps of the lighthouse.

 

I got back when it was almost time to start the 10:30 worship, rinsed off the bike, headed to the shower and discovered the folks across the bathroom--just here for the weekend--had locked me out! So I went down to the meeting room, borrowed a key to someone else's room--Doug, my first night roommate--and came back to get ready to haul my stuff to his room for a shower. Then I thought I might as well just get there sooner and not shower. So I put on cleaner clothes and let it go, getting there during the first hymn (I think!).

 

After the worship, Doug invited me to join he and his friends for some lunch out. The intended spot was closed, as was the alternative mexican place. [Why won't the latest swarming mosquito just land on the wall under the light like the ants]. So we ate at an outdoor, beach dui mian string of zi ji fan places. The food was interesting and the spicy sauce hot! I can't say it was worth it, but it was interesting company anyway--with a couple newly arrived here with a 16 mo old. Then afterward they asked if I could go with them shopping. When we didn't find anything remarkable in Port Dickson, we headed to the next town down a toll road, where we found a very unremarkable spot to look around. About the most I can say is it was time with people. I did buy some fried bananas and a vanilla coke. They were about the same price. Actually Doug bought the bananas.

 

After i got back, it was already about 4, so I went swimming and took a mango down to the beach, where I swam with David--from Beijing, works for company I consulted with in Qing Dao I think. He's from inner mongolia and this is the first place he has ever swum in the ocean. The mango was delicious, too.

 

Since my bathroom door was no longer locked, I was actually able to shower and then went to dinner--back to the fish, beef, rice, cabbage, and kong xin cai. It's actually pretty good, though.

 

Now off to the internet cafe before coming back to the mosquitoes.

 

Bye bye, Steve

 

PS If I at least had a mosquito racquet!

 

Dr. Steve and Laura Spinella, Sarah, Joey, Robby
Da Yi Street, Lane 29, #18, 2F-1, Taichung 40454, TAIWAN
011.886.4.2236.6145, of 4.2236.1901, fx 4.2236.2109, cell 9.2894.0514
USA: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920, 719.528.1702, cell 719.640.1261
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60189, 800.343.3144
<www.team.org.tw/spinella>, <www.team.org.tw/ccg> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TEAMspinella/>
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu>, <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>