Accept no substitutes

Despite being climate challenged in the winter department, Singapore tries its hardest to make it look like Christmas around here. Orchard Road is probably consuming, on a nightly basis, the electricity needed to fuel a large metropolitan area with all its lights. Clerks everywhere are wearing Santa hats. Every major shopping mall is hosting someone dressed like a large cartoon character. I saw a Christmas tree on a bus a few weeks ago. Not just someone taking one home - it was all decorated and taking up space.

And every night at the Tanglin mall (read: high priced expat mall) they have an "avalanche" and a "snowstorm." Being the devoted Minnesotans that we are, our bodies gravitated toward it like homing pigeons. Turns out (and we knew this but couldn't really picture it) they just pump out a bunch of soap suds at eager, rain gear clad children who romp around in it until they are soaked.

All except our children. Ethan took one look at it and proclaimed, "Well, I don't want to get all wet!" Megan just kept whining about the bubbles in her shoes. We hung around for awhile and tried to get them interested, but it wouldn't take. When you've seen the real thing, there's just no substitute. For the first time in Singapore, I walked away from something thinking, "These poor deprived Singaporean children." For those of you who have the real stuff, spend a little extra time in it today for us, ok?