Last day in Singapore...

After Gino's two presentations at the Science Center in Singapore on Tuesday, we met with a friend of his for a late dinner. Like Gino, Lin is also a person with a fascinating combination of right-brain/left-brain energy. Currently, she works independently as a graphic digital artist, musician and published poet as well as being thoroughly familiar with the techie-language that Gino is able to bandy about with cavalier ease. Since we were all high-energy people, the three of us created a great evening together.
The weather in Singapore has been fair and clear. Being only a few degrees north of the equator, it's normally pretty warm here...even late in the evening. The exchange rate is about one US dollar = 1.57 Singapore dollars. This is one city that works pretty well. They have their own currency and have created an infrastructure on this island nation that supports their sophisticated lifestyle.
Gino is flying back to Hong Kong tomorrow. Initially, I thought that I'd be going on to Bali but, after checking out the cost of the flight, I decided, instead, to spend a week in Manila before heading over to Hong Kong around the 8th to hook up with Gino again. This time, I'll be able to meet his wife and three kids. During that first week in June, Gino has to attend a conference in Bejing, and then, in mid-June, he's heading over to the States.
I had briefly considered going down to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to see if I could be of some assistance with their current challenges (earthquake & volcano). However, I eventually decided that there was really little help that I could offer them other than contributing to the relief effort in a financial way. I had spent several days in Yogyakarta back in 1988 and I remember it well. Quick Note: If you have some way to contribute $$$ to the many agencies working with the tens of thousands who have lost everything over there, I strongly encourage you to do. It wouldn't be out of pity. It's just the compassionate thing to do because true compassion can only occur between equals. More later...