Shayna’s Visit

Shayna is coming for a visit!!

EXCITEMENT!!!!

Can you hear it in my voice?

She can only stay for a week....that is the bummer part....but the fact that she can actually come is fantastic!  I anxiously awaited her arrival.

We first had to get a bed for her....

We went to a local store and could not just order a bed....we had to order the whole set....which was ok since it was a reasonable price....however, it was going to be a queen.....which would have been a tight squeeze and after we settled on which one we wanted the clerk told us it would be 3-4 weeks before they could get it to us!!!  NOT GOOD!

We finally ended up at Ikea and bought a twin bed to match a dresser we already had.  If you have ever shopped at Ikea you know that everything is a la carte!!  So after a couple of trips back upstairs we finally got all the correct product numbers to insure we had the headboard, the rails, the feet....all the components for a good night sleep.  We, also, bought a mattress and comforter there.  You should have seen us loading all that into a little Kia Sportage...but where there is a will there is a way!

I gathered things from around the house...pictures, candles, lamps, tissues, etc to make it more homey.  Plus I gathered items that someone may have forgotten...deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush and items that one might want and not have....journal, pen, gum, mints, candy nibbles....anything to make my little one glad she had come....besides being able to see our face.

The day has finally arrived and we are headed to the airport.  We waited about an hour and you know how mamas are.....after that long a wait....all kinds of things were popping into my head.....what if she missed the connecting flight in Dubai.....what if she can’t get through customs.....what if the signs are not good enough for her to understand and she is wandering around the airport trying to figure out what to do.....what if....what if....what if...

we watched group after group come through the door and meet their friends and family....where was Shayna?....I was making all kind of people her that I saw through the glass doors coming down the hallway.....but, alas! No Shayna....I will have to say I was getting worried...until.....there she is!!!!

Shayna is here!!!

Fun things we did while she was here:
We went to Batu Caves

This picture is really out of focus but I wanted you
to see that the place was packed with  people
giving offerings

Up these over 200 steps again!

That is my bottle of water in which he is
partaking.  He jumped at me to take it
from me...so when he stalked me to
jump again, I just threw it down so
he could have it.
Took him while to get the lid
off...he tried biting a hole in the
bottom before he actually got
the lid off.  SCARY!!

I don’t know why they paint their heads...I really need
to google that.

Then off to KLCC for lunch passing the mosque on the way:

Spigot where the ritual feet washing is performed

I was a little nervous taking a picture of
him involved in his foot washing before
he could enter the mosque

Petronas Towers and the KLCC Mall for lunch:

Petronas Twin Towers

There is a glass walkway that connects the two buildings.

Inside views of the malls of the
twin towers

Menara Tower

Little India:

This shrine was in the garage where we parked

Sweets delivery van

Little India was not as it once was.  The vendors had been told they needed to leave this area as they were beginning road construction.  We asked around as to where they might have moved to and no one could tell us.  This area used to be lined up for blocks with vendors under tents.

The sign points to Petaling Street - China Town...off we go!

Buddhist Temple right down from the opening into
China Town shopping area - Petaling Street.
It was closed when we got there.

Real Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Just a couple of blocks down the street is Central Market.  This is where Malaysian items are sold in one marketplace.
The Central Market building now sits on the land that was originally a wet market  which began in 1888.  In 1936 a building was built to house the wet market and have vendors in one location.  In the 1970’s it underwent a renovation and opened as a center for the sale of Malaysian Arts and Handicrafts

One of our first stops was the Cutie Fish Spa.  This is a way to get your feet exfoliated.  The tank is full of tiny fish that nibble on the dead skin areas of your feet and ankles.  A weird sensation for sure.  It is interesting when someone new sticks their feet in and you see a massive exodus of the fish from the person they were nibbling on to the new person’s feet. 

Yes....you have to pay to use the toilet here. You pay your
$.50RM ($3RM equals $1US appox).  You go through
the turnstile, collect your toilet paper and hopefully
get a real toilet and not a squatty potty....as there
are both!

Game Night with the students tonight to celebrate Shayna’s visit instead of our normal Bible Study time

Ellen (China), Akash (Pakistan), Jenny (Korea),
Shayna (USA),  Joyce (Botswana) and
Michael (Ghana)

Bianca and Angel (Botswana)

Ellen (China)

Jenny (Korea), Ellen (China) and
Radiance (East Malaysia)

Dennis is taking guitar lessons but what
he was doing here is just strumming.  He
thinks he looks cool with a guitar!

Lunch at Taylor University at one of their Culinary School Restaurants
Taylor at Lakeside, one of the schools we minister to, has a great culinary dept as part of their Hospitality and Hotel Management Program.  When the students are involved in the culinary aspect of the program they cook and serve at the 4 restaurants on the schools campus:  Tarragon, Thyme, Tangerine and Truffles.
We have been invited by students to eat at Tarragon.  Each time we have had one of our student’s (Jenny from Korea) boyfriend (Max, from Korea) as our server.  They get really nervous and have to serve us as if we were eating in a fine dining establishment.  This week we had a delicious meal prepared by the students.

Our menu for this meal:

Split Pea Soup

Chicken Breast with Black Pepper Gravy

Roasted Veggies

Pineapple Flambe 

I am telling you these meals are delicious!  

Jenny, who invited us, and Shayna

Opening a bottle of wine for us...not really,
filled with water but they have to practice!

Max cooking our pineapple flambe
table side....with instructor watching.
Enough to make one nervous!

We took a trip to Melaka and Port Dickson but because of a camera malfunction.....really my fault....not understanding what the camera was asking me, I reformatted my mag card in my computer and it erased all the pictures I took during our day trip!  I had some beautiful sunset pictures of Port Dickson too....What a bummer!!!  Shayna was a little more than upset with me...can’t blame her either!

TECHNOLOGY!!!!!!!

Found out Shayna did have a picture of the sunset on her camera.  This is not even the prettiest of the sunset we witnessed.  Guess that is another reason to make another trip to Port Dickson!

Sunday after church we went to eat Sushi with Jenny, Kelly and Kelly’s brother, Don.

You can order off the menu through the computer screen
at the table or you can pick up what you want as it comes
by on the conveyor belt
See the computer screen at the top?

The prices were reasonable.
Green plates $1.50RM
Pink Plates  $3.00RM
Red Plates $5.00RM
Remember the rate is:  $3RM to $1US 

Sunday Night we went to Lookout Point and viewed the whole Klang Valley from the top of the mountain.  It was lovely as was the food we had at one of the restaurants.

Monday Shayna and I went back to Central Market and China Town by train by ourselves.  This is the first time I have been the one to be in charge....buying the tickets....figuring out how to change trains at Sentral Station...where to get off...asking clerk for the tickets myself.......An experience in itself.  We got off on the wrong stop.....went one past where we wanted to get off.  Bought more tickets and got off on the right one.

We changed trains at KL Sentral and should have gone
one stop to Pasar Seni but we got off on Masjid Jamek.
My fault!

Then coming back....it was horrible.  Everyone was trying to get home from work.  I thought it would be better if we got on the women’s only coach on the train...thought it would be less crowded....MISTAKE...BIG MISTAKE!!!

Packed....for 2 trains we couldn’t even get close to the door....people packed in like sardines....Did I mention I am a little claustrophobic?  Couldn’t do it.

After the second train left without us....we decided we should try a regular car...that was much better....not as crowded and we got on this train first try!  What an experience!  One I don’t want to encounter again! One good thing is that we got what we went after! AND we were able to make it to China Town from Central Market and back without getting lost!  YEAH for small victories!!!

Monday night we went to a night market...supposedly one of the biggest....it was in SS2...we live in SS14.  Dennis is good with directions, so thankfully, he was in charge and we made it fine.

Candy

We ended the night with one of my favorite things:
Bubble Tea
The Black round things in the bottom are actually
little jelly balls that you get with each sip of drink.
YUMMO!

We, also took Shayna to the Mall closest to us:  

Sunway Pyramid Mall: a themed shopping and entertainment mall.

It is Egyptian inspired with a Pyramid and a “lion” standing guard at the mall entrance.

It is the biggest mall I have ever seen.

 There are over 800 retail shops, a 48 lane bowling alley, an indoor skating rink, archery and 10 theater complex. 

(had a picture of the mall from the internet but when I posted the blog, the picture was blank...sorry!)

The time had come for Shayna to go home.  I didn’t want to see her go as we didn’t get to do all we wanted to do.  But that just means she needs to come visit again!

Shayna.....Malaysia misses you!

The students miss you!

and your Dad and I miss you!

Come see us again!

...till next time....

(and hopefully will be sooner than my last blog!)

Sorry for being so delinquent!