To be true to his heritage, Barry recently embarked on an adventure mixing European and Asian traditions: Jam and Durians. Since he tells the entertaining story of durian jam making best, please check it out. 
Barry gives his creation one thumb up (it would be two except he has to keep the stuff sealed in a container then double bagged, then frozen so that I don't have to move out.)
First, a serious subject: Canadian Pork. Obviously, it's better because of the Rockies and Niagara Falls. Our mountain waterfall pigs are also grown on carefully prescribed diet (sic) so they're bursting with bad marketing! The second serious topic is our near death by a plague of giant (GIANT!) face-sucking locusts. Luckily Barry saved us with his now honed badminton racket technique.
The confusing karaoke multi-bar of the week is Dynasty. Four levels of sketchy bars AND a rear podium!
The game of the week is Wii Sports Resort, which helps one express one's inner feelings. Will has man-rage:
Barry has man-glee.
Catherine has robotic precision and a secret history of bowling fame.
And I have bad coordination and an apparent excess of skin.
Before getting back to our regular Asian adventures, let's explore Blenheim, Ontario. Here, you can see real Dukes of Hazzard cars (above) or travel through the history of the automobile, where important trends, like the bullet bumper, are on display:
Did you know that in the good old days it was darker and you needed more headlights and that horns were, indeed, horns?
In the past, cars expressed themselves with ornamental yet dangerous hood ornaments like the flying tire lady, the space bus, or the flexi-bird.
Oh dear, I seem to have a flat in my smooth mint & white tire!
Ok, you've waited long enough, we're back to Asia. Do you think the modern Dukes would drive, perhaps a Ssangyong Actyon?
Since 60% of this blog's visits are from outside of North America, I thought I'd point out some sights which will appear common to the other 40% of you. Like, for example, a quaint barn used as a subtle expression of Canadian patriotism. Brings a tear to the expat's eye, no?
But then the expat will remember things like this. What could it be?
It is a shed to store salt, which is spread on the roads to melt some of the ice, so that drivers don't die, but instead suffer stained boots, shoes, coats, cars, etc. Then there are the weirder things, like Blenheim, Ontario's biggest claim to fame. Yes, that's cherry pit spitting. A finable offense in Singapore, Joe would have to pay $20.
This is a sign for a restaurant (read chip stand) off the highway.
And this is something I found among the dead/dormant winter garden plants.
More winter in Canada here.
As expected, my holidays started with a tropical cycling elf with lights, beside the Christmas bamboo. But then we went to Canada, where it was much colder, and I had much nicer hair.
Barry ate this many cookies to celebrate the season.
The angels and space creatures sang,
And the family rejoiced with traditional champagne and fondue.
Soon, it was time to start planning my eating for 2010.
In Canada, we celebrate Boxing Day, which is where, after having received presents, you buy yourself even more things. I used the opportunity to buy pants and underwear, so as to avoid buying XL sizes in Singapore.
The next phase of our holiday involved visiting the little people.
And borrowing their books to catch up on our reading.
Then we caught up on our eating. Tex Mex is an important culinary movement not yet available in Singapore.
Finally, upon our return to Singapore, we donned receding hairline hats to welcome the new year!