We left the US to head back to KL on January 8th, after 8 weeks of spending time with our family & closest friends. I have to admit... being back in the US, after living in Asia for 10 months, was just as much of a culture shock as moving to KL!
Ryan and I both kept saying how shocked we were.. just by the smallest things we used to take for granted living in Dallas. Just the ease of life in general - here are a few examples:
1) going through a drive thru when you're hungry or thirsty
2) using your credit card for EVERYTHING ($1 bill = not a problem!)
3) the ease & convenience of the postal system (nobody mails anything in SEA..it just disappears)
4) how much you can accomplish in one afternoon; we ran errands and got everything done in a few hours.. that wouldn't taken days (or weeks if you can't find the product) in KL
5) how nice & considerate people are to each other
6) the cleanliness of everything - restaurants, playgrounds, professional offices, etc..
7) not being nickled & dimed for everything - in Asia we're expected to pay for napkins at restaurants, refills on all drinks, parking fees everywhere you go, even going to the restroom at some buildings!
The list goes on... it was hard to think about going back to Asia after you get "spoiled" for a few weeks in the US.
But then we started thinking about the things we missed - our friends, our amazing condo and spending breezy nights by the pool, being only a 1 hr flight from gorgeous beaches, Madison definitely missed her school and her friends, we ALL missed our lovely maid Josie! Leaving the family was hard, especially my sister and her new baby girl Novella, but we hope to have some more/new visitors in 2013, and showing them all the GOOD things Asia has to offer!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Friday, December 14, 2012
Safety in Malaysia
(I drafted this while I was in the US during the holidays. It answers to a lot of questions I was asked by family/friends while I was home. Although it's a little outdated now that we're in Australia, it's still an interesting read. So here ya go!)
A lot of people ask me, "is it safe there?", and there's no just easy "yes" or "no" answer that sums that question up. It's a little more complicated than that.. as I imagine it is anywhere you live depending on the area of the city.
Safety was a major question for me as well when we first arrived.. mainly due to adapting to a new, unfamiliar, and very different environment and culture. Just the shock of reading the papers, and watching the news (which is heavily censored by the gov't to make Malaysia appear to be paradise, so I quit watching the "fake" news), was enough to make anyone, especially a mother, a little leary.
We stayed at the Westin KL a few weeks while deciding which area of town to live in. This area is called Bukit Bintang, the city center, and main area for tourists to visit/stay. Bukit Bintang is a sensory experience in and of itself - there is the "strip" of really high end designer stores and car dealerships, located in the Pavillion Mall (this was across the street from where our hotel was). It is busy day & night, always crowded with people from all over the world, a ton of motorbikes, and seems to never sleep. We had an enclosed balcony that overlooked this strip, and I would just sit out there at night and watch the people/cars, and try to explain it to my family, haha. Some nights there was fireworks by the Petronas Towers too, which was beautiful to watch from our room.
During the day when Ryan was a work, Madison & I would venture out to explore the city. We started small and close to the hotel - the Pavillion Mall, which has some street-facing stores, and an enormous core. Everyday we'd discover a new area, a new restaurant, etc.. Ryan had been in KL 3 weeks already, so he had been coached a little by his co-workers on how to protect your belongings, where to go/where not to, warned about the motorbike thieves, etc.. So I wore my cross-body purse, positioned away from the street (b/c motorists are known to drive by & snatch it off your arm), and I kept a tight hand on Madison at all times. I didn't really feel unsafe walking around by myself in Bukit Bintang though.
One very memorable day was when I visited the KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Center) splashpark. It is located in these enormous gardens behind KLCC, which is comprised of the Petronas Towers, the Maxis Tower (where Ryan works), the KLCC mall (largest mall I've ever been in.. really nice), and a mulitude of many other highrises and residential buildings. The park has a huge playground, a large pond with shooting water features running through it, a running trail, and at the center.. a splashpark. Since we were still adjusting the to heat we were always so hot and sweaty after walking around the city, so the splashpark was a great idea. It's a zero edge pool, with platform "stepping stones" that lead to a wide gentle waterfall that the kids can play under.
I changed Madison into her swimsuit on a park bench 10 feet from the pool entry then let her run towards the pool herself while I secured our things. However, she only got 5 feet away from me before a group of teenage girls scooped her up and started taking pictures with her. One girl would take a picture then pass her off to her friend who would also take a picture. I was speechless, and so was Madison. She just looked at me like "umm.. not sure what to do here" and I probably gave her back the same look for a second. I walked over and took her out of their arms and politely asked them to not pick her up again. They said ok, and giggled, then said a bunch of stuff in Mandarin, then walked over to a bench where they sat down and continued to take pictures of her from afar. The poor child didn't even get to the water before she was snatched up and used as a prop! That really made me nervous. I understand they were just fascinated with her (blonde, blue eyes..), and I'm sure it was innocent enough, but it made me wonder where those pictures would end up, and more importantly.. worried me that they were able to grab her so fast when I turned my back for 10 seconds! It was a good first encounter with this behaviour, and opened my eyes to the realization we were the minority here.. we're going to stand out whereever we go, and I can never take that for granted.
We went house-hunting the next day, and the taxi driver started telling us terrible stories about children being abducted. He was telling us this as a warning after seeing our daughter, and although I understood he was trying to be helpful, it still sent me over the edge. Tears just started rolling down my face and Ryan told the man to stop talking. (from then forward Ryan hired us a driver he knew to take us around town!). I am not niave - I understand SEA is affected by human trafficing, but it's a different feeling when you now live there rather than hearing about it from the safe bubble of the US. This changed everything for me, and two things happened: 1) I instantly turned from an easy-going parent into a momma bear. No longer polite - if someone tries to take a picture of my daughter I sternly tell them to stop; if someone tried to touch her or pick her up the same applies. 2) I think I found the reason I was meant to go to KL. I started looking up websites for orphanages, anti-trafficing organizations, and family resource groups, so I could get involved in some way.
I manage the marketing and online public relations for IBU, which is the largest family resource group in Malaysia, and I also volunteer at a girls orphanage that our church supports (Home of Peace). I really love it, and it puts so many things in perspective for me. The lives these little girls have lived already.. at just 6, 7 or 8 years old, is amazing, mostly unthinkable.. but they now have a future ahead of them at Home of Peace. I take Madison to the orphanage with me on most days.. she plays with the girls and tells them Bible stories, and we do crafts together or play soccer. I don't talk too much about why we are doing it, I just tell her these girls don't have parents and need extra love... she seems to get it. She has turned into such a caring child - whenever she gets something new she wants to share it with the girls. People drop off donations by the carload to our house, and Madison helps me sort it and she designates certain toys to specific girls she knows would like it. No matter where we live, this will be a part of our life moving forward.
We chose to live in an area called Mont Kiara. It's about 5 miles from KLCC, has beautiful views of the Petronas Towers, the Palace, and surrounding areas, from our lanai. I feel extremely safe here. I have many friends in our condo, and in this area. It's largely expat, and we like that we are always meeting someone from another country everywhere we go. Across the street from our condo is a shopping/dining area, so we walk over to dinner most weekends. I walk Madison to school every morning, which is about a 20 minute walk through Mont Kiara.
It has taken some time to warm up to KL from my initiation with the taxi driver in Bukit Bintang, but I'm definitely more street-wise than I ever was before! I do alot of things with my friends, like go to the farmers market, playdates, shopping, errand-running. This is new for me b/c I'm pretty independent, but I've learned it's the way of life here.. plus it's nice to be surrounded by such a great group of friends all the time!
A lot of people ask me, "is it safe there?", and there's no just easy "yes" or "no" answer that sums that question up. It's a little more complicated than that.. as I imagine it is anywhere you live depending on the area of the city.
Safety was a major question for me as well when we first arrived.. mainly due to adapting to a new, unfamiliar, and very different environment and culture. Just the shock of reading the papers, and watching the news (which is heavily censored by the gov't to make Malaysia appear to be paradise, so I quit watching the "fake" news), was enough to make anyone, especially a mother, a little leary.
We stayed at the Westin KL a few weeks while deciding which area of town to live in. This area is called Bukit Bintang, the city center, and main area for tourists to visit/stay. Bukit Bintang is a sensory experience in and of itself - there is the "strip" of really high end designer stores and car dealerships, located in the Pavillion Mall (this was across the street from where our hotel was). It is busy day & night, always crowded with people from all over the world, a ton of motorbikes, and seems to never sleep. We had an enclosed balcony that overlooked this strip, and I would just sit out there at night and watch the people/cars, and try to explain it to my family, haha. Some nights there was fireworks by the Petronas Towers too, which was beautiful to watch from our room.
During the day when Ryan was a work, Madison & I would venture out to explore the city. We started small and close to the hotel - the Pavillion Mall, which has some street-facing stores, and an enormous core. Everyday we'd discover a new area, a new restaurant, etc.. Ryan had been in KL 3 weeks already, so he had been coached a little by his co-workers on how to protect your belongings, where to go/where not to, warned about the motorbike thieves, etc.. So I wore my cross-body purse, positioned away from the street (b/c motorists are known to drive by & snatch it off your arm), and I kept a tight hand on Madison at all times. I didn't really feel unsafe walking around by myself in Bukit Bintang though.
 |
| Pavillion Mall, KL Tower in background, traffic! |
 |
| view of street / Pavillion mall from our balcony at Westin |
 |
| view of Petronas Towers from hotel |
One very memorable day was when I visited the KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Center) splashpark. It is located in these enormous gardens behind KLCC, which is comprised of the Petronas Towers, the Maxis Tower (where Ryan works), the KLCC mall (largest mall I've ever been in.. really nice), and a mulitude of many other highrises and residential buildings. The park has a huge playground, a large pond with shooting water features running through it, a running trail, and at the center.. a splashpark. Since we were still adjusting the to heat we were always so hot and sweaty after walking around the city, so the splashpark was a great idea. It's a zero edge pool, with platform "stepping stones" that lead to a wide gentle waterfall that the kids can play under.
I changed Madison into her swimsuit on a park bench 10 feet from the pool entry then let her run towards the pool herself while I secured our things. However, she only got 5 feet away from me before a group of teenage girls scooped her up and started taking pictures with her. One girl would take a picture then pass her off to her friend who would also take a picture. I was speechless, and so was Madison. She just looked at me like "umm.. not sure what to do here" and I probably gave her back the same look for a second. I walked over and took her out of their arms and politely asked them to not pick her up again. They said ok, and giggled, then said a bunch of stuff in Mandarin, then walked over to a bench where they sat down and continued to take pictures of her from afar. The poor child didn't even get to the water before she was snatched up and used as a prop! That really made me nervous. I understand they were just fascinated with her (blonde, blue eyes..), and I'm sure it was innocent enough, but it made me wonder where those pictures would end up, and more importantly.. worried me that they were able to grab her so fast when I turned my back for 10 seconds! It was a good first encounter with this behaviour, and opened my eyes to the realization we were the minority here.. we're going to stand out whereever we go, and I can never take that for granted.
 |
| at the KLCC Splashpark |
 |
| day 3 in KL - we're so hot! Time for a dip! |
We went house-hunting the next day, and the taxi driver started telling us terrible stories about children being abducted. He was telling us this as a warning after seeing our daughter, and although I understood he was trying to be helpful, it still sent me over the edge. Tears just started rolling down my face and Ryan told the man to stop talking. (from then forward Ryan hired us a driver he knew to take us around town!). I am not niave - I understand SEA is affected by human trafficing, but it's a different feeling when you now live there rather than hearing about it from the safe bubble of the US. This changed everything for me, and two things happened: 1) I instantly turned from an easy-going parent into a momma bear. No longer polite - if someone tries to take a picture of my daughter I sternly tell them to stop; if someone tried to touch her or pick her up the same applies. 2) I think I found the reason I was meant to go to KL. I started looking up websites for orphanages, anti-trafficing organizations, and family resource groups, so I could get involved in some way.
I manage the marketing and online public relations for IBU, which is the largest family resource group in Malaysia, and I also volunteer at a girls orphanage that our church supports (Home of Peace). I really love it, and it puts so many things in perspective for me. The lives these little girls have lived already.. at just 6, 7 or 8 years old, is amazing, mostly unthinkable.. but they now have a future ahead of them at Home of Peace. I take Madison to the orphanage with me on most days.. she plays with the girls and tells them Bible stories, and we do crafts together or play soccer. I don't talk too much about why we are doing it, I just tell her these girls don't have parents and need extra love... she seems to get it. She has turned into such a caring child - whenever she gets something new she wants to share it with the girls. People drop off donations by the carload to our house, and Madison helps me sort it and she designates certain toys to specific girls she knows would like it. No matter where we live, this will be a part of our life moving forward.
 |
| "hope of peace" orphanage |
 |
| our condo grounds |
 |
| pool & spa view from our condo |
 |
| Madison checking out her new playground |
It has taken some time to warm up to KL from my initiation with the taxi driver in Bukit Bintang, but I'm definitely more street-wise than I ever was before! I do alot of things with my friends, like go to the farmers market, playdates, shopping, errand-running. This is new for me b/c I'm pretty independent, but I've learned it's the way of life here.. plus it's nice to be surrounded by such a great group of friends all the time!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Heading Home for the Holidays!
Madison & I are headed home to the US for the holidays, leaving the first week of Nov, and Ryan is joining us in December. This will be my first trip back since moving to SEA, and my first time traveling back to the US alone with a toddler. We are taking a red-eye flight from KL to Toyko, which is about 8 hours, then we have a 5 hour layover in Tokyo (kill me now), then we get on our direct flight to Dallas which takes another 14 hours.
I think I've figured out a way to lesson the jetlag in the US with this plan: keep her up as long as possible on the red-eye to Tokyo (b/c it's 10am in the US), then seek out the play area in Tokyo airport for a hour or so, then have breakfast in the AA lounge, shower, change Mads into p.j's, then board our flight to Dallas.. and sleep as long as possible so when we land at 8am we'll be refreshed. Well, that's the plan...I'll let you know :)
I am more than prepared for this journey. If you remember my trip to KL, then you would understand my concern doing it again, alone. You name it, I have it packed in her bag. Games, coloring books, playdough, ipad, stickers, snacks, p.j.'s, two of her "friends" (stuffed animals), etc.. It sounds like a ton of stuff but it's actually all travel sizes so it all fits perfectly in her rolling backpack. Madison loves that backpack and I have to say it was a great idea.. she packs it herself (w/a little help from mommy) which makes her very proud to have her "own" bag, and she pulls it herself through the airport, which makes people laugh & tell her how cute she is (which also makes her very proud of herself).
We land in Dallas at 8:00a on election day, which is ironic considering all the work I had to do to get our absentee ballots. It took two online requests, an email to the state capitol, and a call to the embassy. It's a bit concerning it took that many tries to just get our ballots, and appearantly it's not just a problem with us, as a few other of our American friends had trouble getting theirs as well. So if all else fails I can actually go to the polling center when I land and vote. After observing politics in a foreign country I am even more grateful for my right to vote. The day we land I also have a hair appointment at my favorite salon, which I'm really looking forward to! Malaysians are not quite sure what to do with my think blonde hair, so a cut & color is really passed due :) So I'm really pushing the envelope on the first day in Dallas, not knowing how we'll respond to jetlag, but it's best to stay up as long as possible the first day and go to bed on time so that's my plan.
Our schedule for the first week is a bit chaotic:
Mads & I will be in Dallas from Tuesday through Friday, then we're flying up to Tulsa for our cousin Stephen's wedding over the weekend, then back to Dallas Sunday night, then flying to KY on Tuesday night. It's going to be a crazy week, and I'm not sure how Madison (or I) will handle jetlag, but I think the trick is to just keep busy during the day and early bedtimes. We are staying with our friends, the Hecklers, in Dallas, and Madison is so excited about having sleepovers every night with the girls (we'll see if that actually happens, ha). Carie & I are going to a Mavericks game Wednesday night, which I'm super pumped about as I've missed American sports so badly.. ok I'll admit I want to indulge in all the basketball snacks as well. popcorn, nachos, beer, hot dogs.. yum..I will welcome the tummy ache the next day for my one night of sins.
I'm hoping for some snow in KY while we're there. I white Christmas would be so nice! I hope we can find all of our winter clothes easily at my parent's house, where all of our things are being held while we're in Malaysia. Thank God my mom was there to help me pack up the Dallas house earlier this year b/c she had enough foresight to pack our winter gear seperate from everything else, so when we came home for the holidays it would already be in our closets at her house. Really good plan! I did get a little lecture from Ryan about shopping in Dallas.. he knows how much I love fall/winter, and it's so hard to not buy a cute pair of boots or sweater to get in the holiday "mood", but he's right... we'll only be home a few weeks so it's not worth it. However, all of Madison's stuff from last year is too small, so she's the exception (I thought to myself, haha). I'll get my retail therapy shopping for her instead.
The Heckler girls are so excited to have Madison "living" with them for a while (so cute!). We've skyped a few times to talk about the "countdown" and get them excited, and to plan some fun things while we're there. They're most excited about having sleepovers (ie: Madison sleep in Madeline's room), but we've planned a few fun outings as well. The zoo, mani/pedi's, the arboretum, ice cream outings, tea party, etc.. I'm excited to have this time to let Madison see her friends and just enjoy being back in Texas. I hope it doesn't go by too fast!
I think I've figured out a way to lesson the jetlag in the US with this plan: keep her up as long as possible on the red-eye to Tokyo (b/c it's 10am in the US), then seek out the play area in Tokyo airport for a hour or so, then have breakfast in the AA lounge, shower, change Mads into p.j's, then board our flight to Dallas.. and sleep as long as possible so when we land at 8am we'll be refreshed. Well, that's the plan...I'll let you know :)
I am more than prepared for this journey. If you remember my trip to KL, then you would understand my concern doing it again, alone. You name it, I have it packed in her bag. Games, coloring books, playdough, ipad, stickers, snacks, p.j.'s, two of her "friends" (stuffed animals), etc.. It sounds like a ton of stuff but it's actually all travel sizes so it all fits perfectly in her rolling backpack. Madison loves that backpack and I have to say it was a great idea.. she packs it herself (w/a little help from mommy) which makes her very proud to have her "own" bag, and she pulls it herself through the airport, which makes people laugh & tell her how cute she is (which also makes her very proud of herself).
We land in Dallas at 8:00a on election day, which is ironic considering all the work I had to do to get our absentee ballots. It took two online requests, an email to the state capitol, and a call to the embassy. It's a bit concerning it took that many tries to just get our ballots, and appearantly it's not just a problem with us, as a few other of our American friends had trouble getting theirs as well. So if all else fails I can actually go to the polling center when I land and vote. After observing politics in a foreign country I am even more grateful for my right to vote. The day we land I also have a hair appointment at my favorite salon, which I'm really looking forward to! Malaysians are not quite sure what to do with my think blonde hair, so a cut & color is really passed due :) So I'm really pushing the envelope on the first day in Dallas, not knowing how we'll respond to jetlag, but it's best to stay up as long as possible the first day and go to bed on time so that's my plan.
Our schedule for the first week is a bit chaotic:
Mads & I will be in Dallas from Tuesday through Friday, then we're flying up to Tulsa for our cousin Stephen's wedding over the weekend, then back to Dallas Sunday night, then flying to KY on Tuesday night. It's going to be a crazy week, and I'm not sure how Madison (or I) will handle jetlag, but I think the trick is to just keep busy during the day and early bedtimes. We are staying with our friends, the Hecklers, in Dallas, and Madison is so excited about having sleepovers every night with the girls (we'll see if that actually happens, ha). Carie & I are going to a Mavericks game Wednesday night, which I'm super pumped about as I've missed American sports so badly.. ok I'll admit I want to indulge in all the basketball snacks as well. popcorn, nachos, beer, hot dogs.. yum..I will welcome the tummy ache the next day for my one night of sins.
I'm hoping for some snow in KY while we're there. I white Christmas would be so nice! I hope we can find all of our winter clothes easily at my parent's house, where all of our things are being held while we're in Malaysia. Thank God my mom was there to help me pack up the Dallas house earlier this year b/c she had enough foresight to pack our winter gear seperate from everything else, so when we came home for the holidays it would already be in our closets at her house. Really good plan! I did get a little lecture from Ryan about shopping in Dallas.. he knows how much I love fall/winter, and it's so hard to not buy a cute pair of boots or sweater to get in the holiday "mood", but he's right... we'll only be home a few weeks so it's not worth it. However, all of Madison's stuff from last year is too small, so she's the exception (I thought to myself, haha). I'll get my retail therapy shopping for her instead.
The Heckler girls are so excited to have Madison "living" with them for a while (so cute!). We've skyped a few times to talk about the "countdown" and get them excited, and to plan some fun things while we're there. They're most excited about having sleepovers (ie: Madison sleep in Madeline's room), but we've planned a few fun outings as well. The zoo, mani/pedi's, the arboretum, ice cream outings, tea party, etc.. I'm excited to have this time to let Madison see her friends and just enjoy being back in Texas. I hope it doesn't go by too fast!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
I'm an AUNT! Welcome to the world Novella!
My sister Mandy, and her husband Jacob, just welcomed the most beautiful baby girl to the world!
Introducing Novella Winter Glassner ~ born on October 25, 2012.
I got the text messages and emails in the middle of my night from my family .. I think it was around 3am actually :) I woke up to a flashing phone, and was so excited to "meet" my gorgeous little niece. I'll be home (to KY) in just 3 short weeks, and I hope she doesn't grow up too much before I get to hold her. We've started doing Facetime with her already so she "knows" our voice.. it's so hard to see her and not get to cuddle with her right away. Can't wait!!!
Introducing Novella Winter Glassner ~ born on October 25, 2012.
I got the text messages and emails in the middle of my night from my family .. I think it was around 3am actually :) I woke up to a flashing phone, and was so excited to "meet" my gorgeous little niece. I'll be home (to KY) in just 3 short weeks, and I hope she doesn't grow up too much before I get to hold her. We've started doing Facetime with her already so she "knows" our voice.. it's so hard to see her and not get to cuddle with her right away. Can't wait!!!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Halloween
We're gearing up for Halloween, and I have to say this is the most last-minute planning I've ever done for the holiday. If you know me well you'd know this is absolutely my favorite holiday. I love the fantasy of it all - costumes, decorating, change in weather, party planning, and of course it's also my birthday so I'm sure that's another reason I grew up loving this time of year!
It is truly an experience being in Malaysia for Halloween though! They didn't have candy, decor, costumes, etc.. in the stores until 2 weeks ago (IF that!), and it's a really small assortment to say the least. I was starting to get really nervous b/c I'm used to it hitting the shelves around the end of August in the US - tells you how big the US idealizes the holiday I guess. Pumpkins here cost about RM179, which is around $60, for a very small one.. and that's IF you can find one! So we will not be buying a pumpkin this year... plus they rot as soon as you buy them due to the tropical weather. It's okay though b/c Mads & I will be home the first week of November and the pumpkin village at the Dallas Arboretum is still on display until the 21st, so I'm going to take her to see it and take pictures.
Madison wants to be Jake, from "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" for Halloween. (it's a cartoon on the disney channel for all non-parents reading this). I looked for weeks for a pirate costume but couldn't find one and finally a friend told me she had one from last year that her child wore once and I could borrow - perfect! It's great too b/c she gave me 3 different hats and Madison has been wearing them around the house to see which one she likes best.
Since we live in a condo, we have a private elevator to our floor that only works with our keycard, so you can't go trick-or-treating door to door here. Some neighbors have arranged trick-or-treating poolside, which is a cool idea because the grounds here are huge and we have two enormous pools. There's a landed community (which just means a community of bungalow houses) across the street from us and one of my friends is throwing a party on Saturday so we're going over there to trick or treat and bbq - should be fun!
Ryan actually came home from Vietnam last night (Wed) this week, which is def a treat as he usually comes home on Friday nights. But as I type, he's still at the office, and it's midnight.. so not sure it matters that we're in the same city..ha! We have Halloween events planned for Saturday morning (I'm hosting a Halloween party for kids with ibu), Saturday afternoon/evening (cookout), and Sunday - Halloween festivities at an outdoor mall (kind of like a West Village-type area).. so I think we're going to have a very fun weekend full of Halloween festivities!
Pics coming soon...
It is truly an experience being in Malaysia for Halloween though! They didn't have candy, decor, costumes, etc.. in the stores until 2 weeks ago (IF that!), and it's a really small assortment to say the least. I was starting to get really nervous b/c I'm used to it hitting the shelves around the end of August in the US - tells you how big the US idealizes the holiday I guess. Pumpkins here cost about RM179, which is around $60, for a very small one.. and that's IF you can find one! So we will not be buying a pumpkin this year... plus they rot as soon as you buy them due to the tropical weather. It's okay though b/c Mads & I will be home the first week of November and the pumpkin village at the Dallas Arboretum is still on display until the 21st, so I'm going to take her to see it and take pictures.
Madison wants to be Jake, from "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" for Halloween. (it's a cartoon on the disney channel for all non-parents reading this). I looked for weeks for a pirate costume but couldn't find one and finally a friend told me she had one from last year that her child wore once and I could borrow - perfect! It's great too b/c she gave me 3 different hats and Madison has been wearing them around the house to see which one she likes best.
Since we live in a condo, we have a private elevator to our floor that only works with our keycard, so you can't go trick-or-treating door to door here. Some neighbors have arranged trick-or-treating poolside, which is a cool idea because the grounds here are huge and we have two enormous pools. There's a landed community (which just means a community of bungalow houses) across the street from us and one of my friends is throwing a party on Saturday so we're going over there to trick or treat and bbq - should be fun!
Ryan actually came home from Vietnam last night (Wed) this week, which is def a treat as he usually comes home on Friday nights. But as I type, he's still at the office, and it's midnight.. so not sure it matters that we're in the same city..ha! We have Halloween events planned for Saturday morning (I'm hosting a Halloween party for kids with ibu), Saturday afternoon/evening (cookout), and Sunday - Halloween festivities at an outdoor mall (kind of like a West Village-type area).. so I think we're going to have a very fun weekend full of Halloween festivities!
Pics coming soon...
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Parents Visit: Bali
I prepared them for the worst flight they could ever imagine (dirty plane, terrible service, a "barn" of an airport, etc..) as this is exactly how my first experience was flying on the discount airline here. But of course we had a seamless checkin at the airport, good service, and a really nice clean plane that was practically empty so dad even had a whole row to himself to sleep on. That figures! But I'm glad it was a good experience for their sake and fingers crossed my first experience was just a bad day.
Landed in Bali and greeted with the most amazing weather - cool and windy! I had no idea it would be nicer than KL, and packed accordingly.. so now I'm mentally going through everything in my suitcase hoping there's warm enough attire for Madison for evenings. Ah well, if not, we'll go shopping :)
THE HOTEL
We stayed in Nusa Dua, at the Laguna Resort & Spa. We arrived at night and were greeted with cool towels & fruity ice teas - so far so good! The next morning we met for breakfast.. a true Asian-style buffet breakfast, with anything you can possibly think of, and so tasty. I think my parents were a bit overwhelmed by all the choices and just had fun exploring all the new, and unique items. Madison was busting at the seems to get to the beach, so made a beeline for the beach and settled in to enjoy the most amazing clear water, and warm sun, for the next few days. However, Ryan was restless by hour 3, so I got to work on organizing "adventures" into our days as well.
 |
| mom & tiff getting massages by the beach |
THE BEACH @ NUSA DUA
The views are just undescribeable. Calm, clear water, white sandy beach, cool breeze all day... we swam, took naps, went for jogs, laid in the cabanas and listened to the band playing at the bar - it was paradise. I loved all the lanterns they hang from the trees along the beach. At night during the beach bbq dinner (pic below), they shine lights on the beach/water from the trees and you can see about 30 feet out into the sea! I've never seen that before - it was really peaceful and so beautiful. People were lounging in the beach chairs with a bottle of wine at 11pm, and even swimming, and everything just glowed. And for once we could join them b/c we had babysitters! :)
BALI BEACHES
The next day we took a trip over to the southwest side of Bali, to an area called Blue Point Beach in Ulu Watu, where supposedly all the surfers goes to catch the biggest waves and the best views are. It only took about 20 minutes by car, and it was a beautiful winding drive through a few towns then ultimately up to what felt like the top of a mountain, then when you turn the corner - WOW - the most amazing view from atop the cliffs!
 |
| hiking down the steep descent to the beach |
 |
| almost there... just around the corner lies paradise! |
 |
| ahhh - mazing! |
 |
| view from my perch under the overhanging cliff |
 |
| Mom's view of us from above |
 |
| Dad at Blue Point Beach. It actually starts to get deep here but you can't tell b/c it's so clear |
 |
| Dad braving the current! |
 |
| this is what we found on the other side of another cave! |
 |
bon appetite!   |
One night we went into town and visited this restaurant called Bumbu Bali, owned & managed by a local chef, and it was fantastic. It's hard to describe the restaurant b/c it was so unique - you walk through an impressive entryway off the street, but once inside the only thing covered is just the open kitchen, but the rest of the place has big trees growing through it and a pond/waterfall with big frogs that croak during dinner - which Madison loved! The waitresses just followed her around all night and showed her how to poke the frogs with a stick to make them jump and she got so excited. The food was so good my parents wanted to go back every night.
 |
| the lady in checkered apron steaming rice in a basket; kitchen in background |
 |
| dad enjoying the best "bbq" short ribs ever - look at that spread! |
 |
| Madison poking at the frogs / Waitresses playing with her |
 |
| fresh ingredients and an open kitchen greet guests at the front door |
Other activities we did - glass bottom boat, snorkeling, dinner on the beach in Jimbaran (a neighboring town, known for its sunsets - see family pics below), kite flying on the beach, ocean-front massages, and a little shopping. I loved Bali and can't wait to go back and explore more areas.
| how to ride a motorbike with a surfboard? attach this "hook" |
 |
| view from bridge above.. if you drive by too fast you'd miss it! |
SNORKELING / GLASS BOTTOM BOAT
SUNSET DINNER ON JIMBARAN BEACH
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)