24 October 2018 Bishan

IMG 7010 Breakfast of steamed and fried dumplings again served in our private dinner room IMG 7011 Black sesame dessert (not too sweet) IMG 7012 Austin settling in one of the public spaces to do some more grading IMG 0839 Still life
IMG 0840 All around us, light pours in through open doors and windows. Here into a library of books we can't read IMG 0842 Meanwhile, a little girl guest (not visible) mesmerized by Barie Dreamhouse in the performance hall IMG 0843 fowl (in this case ducks) feed in and live on the river IMG 0845 On our way out to discover more of Bishan
IMG 7019 Old agronomists inspecting and guessing about the destiny of soy plants after harvest IMG 7020 a basket of white kittens IMG 7016 looking a little peaked IMG 7021 Mama cat and standard Chinese dog
IMG 7022 Walking the lanes of the village IMG 0847 Bishan is known for its big old merchant houses IMG 0848 Roof tiles are so interesting IMG 7026 interior courtyard of a house yet to be renovated
IMG 7027 Conferring with chestnut shellers set up outside their homes IMG 0849 the staff of life: eggplant! IMG 7032 cat and dog IMG 7033 shifting around
IMG 7030 Trying to get comfy IMG 4148 Narrow lanes between the houses IMG 4150 Bri above the river IMG 0850 New lattice work
IMG 0851 Stainless steel work IMG 7035 What used to be a local products store IMG 7037 is still attractive IMG 0852 but has been taken over by a Japanese design company
IMG 0854 Simple and symmetrical IMG 7038 Syncopation along the street IMG 7039 Taking in the interiors under a watchful eye IMG 7040 What's in here?
IMG 0855 The world-reknown Librarie Avant Garde bookstore IMG 7042 Where four years ago, Nikki and Austin hung out under the watchful gaze of luminaries like Beckett IMG 0856 lovely renovation IMG 0859 courtyard beneath opening
IMG 0858 hand rendering IMG 0857 Dylan in crush-proof bag IMG 7043 IMG 0860 utilities and staircase to upper level
IMG 7045 where Nikki spent quite a while four years ago writing the Marguerite Perey feature article IMG 7046 another great public reading/relaxing space IMG 7047 with lots of air and a view of the mountains IMG 7048 lovely book cover
IMG 7051 left and right IMG 7055 maybe the most important photo of the trip, vin de winery (zoom in to see the description) "with a long after taste" - I'll bet! IMG 7057 the shop surrounding Vin de Winery IMG 7058 full of dried food stuffs you can't identify
IMG 0861 these we know IMG 0862 Taking a breather by the village (Feng Shui?) pond IMG 0864 The tower installed entirely for reasons of Feng Shui IMG 7060 Smoking butcher at our next stop: lunch made to order
IMG 0866 Austin and Nikki picking out the ingredients for lunch from a refrigerated case IMG 0867 A lot of garlic is one of the ingredients, of course IMG 7061 the place has kittens!! IMG 0868 and not to eat, but to play with
IMG 7065 so much more active than the other ones IMG 7067 looking for trouble IMG 7068 adorable IMG 7071 maybe I just jump up
IMG 7073 Another delicious meal begins with pickled vegetables! IMG 7075 and some mix of bamboo and mushrooms IMG 7076 Fried spring rolls IMG 0869 Some people just can't pull themselves away from the kittens
IMG 0870 IMG 7080 Time for a break IMG 7082 Feng shui tower up close IMG 7083 Chestnuts graded by quality
IMG 7085 The graders in action IMG 0873 The in-town annex of the Pig's Inn IMG 0874 a lovely old merchant's house redone as guest house IMG 7087 interior courtyard
IMG 0875 Sisters in the yard IMG 0877 Persimmons (or kaki as some call them) IMG 0879 Prolific IMG 0880 Bri enjoys a ripe one
IMG 0881 Exit gate IMG 0878 An entrance to somewhere else IMG 7088 Stream through town IMG 7092 Back at the Pig's Inn, trying to keep up with documentation of our experiences
IMG 7094 Nikki thinking about what to write next IMG 7095 but enjoying herself IMG 7096 Afternoon bike ride, first up river IMG 7097 Late afternoon light over the Bishan area rice paddies
IMG 7098 Along the lanes IMG 4147 Out where the mulberries are being replaced by rice IMG 7101 Seen another way IMG 7102 Lots of cement-paved lanes make for good bike riding
IMG 7109 Back at the Pig's Inn, Nikki testing out one of the meditation rooms IMG 7110 Not too much meditation going on IMG 7111 Reading, maybe snoozing IMG 7113 Doubles event
IMG 7114 Then, before you know it, it'stime for another lovely dinner in our private dinning room IMG 7117 All delicious