September 17, 2025

Dumpling making class in a Shanghai home! Meet Bonnie & her Mom.

(L to R) Spanish visitor Monica, teacher / host Bonnie, Bosco, Me, Gary and Christy. Photo at end of class when we are about to eat the bounty of our 3 hours of lessons in dumpling making. This is inside Bonnie's 2 room apartment in typical high-rise city building, units are a mix of residential and small business. Aisle kitchen, good size bathroom with tub and washing machine. This is her living room/ work / demo everything room and other side of glass partition is her bedroom - which is 1/2 full of stuff she is storing of her sisters - who lives on lower floor and owns this unit too. Wanted to take class for cultural insight and seeing how people live behind the walls we see from street. Dumplings are delicious so it was a win win - especially since I asked before booking if her place was air conditioned! Great activity to escape heat of day. Have you caught onto that theme lately in my post? It's really HOT here in daytime!

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We went back to Hotel stuffed and had a little rest, then met up with the group and all went to Shanghai Acrobatic Circus to see the Sunday Night ERA Show. It was fantastic!! Unbelievable skill and precision!

KUCHING, MALAYSIA - BORNEO ISLAND

By Pat Patrick • May 22, 2026
BORNEO ISLAND is a fascinating place, that I had honestly only heard of from the reality tv show Survivor. I'm still learning so much, but I had no idea it is the largest island in Asia and 3rd largest island in the World! It is a mini continent, with 3 different Countries sharing the island's land mass ( Indonesia 73%, Malaysia 26% and Brunei 1% ). We are only going to 2 ports in Malaysia now, one in each of the states of Sarawak and Sabah . Below is a video that highlights and explains thing well.

PORT OF SINGAPORE

By Pat Patrick • May 21, 2026
The Port of Singapore is massive and thus deserving of it's own post!

SINGAPORE - CLOUD FOREST

By Pat Patrick • May 20, 2026
Right next to the Flower Dome in Gardens by the Bay is the Cloud Forest Dome .They sell the entry tickets as a joint package. The Cloud Forest currently has a special exhibit, Jurassic World The Experience incorporated into the forest.