Today was our 1st full day at Club Med and we were excited!

The very first thing we had to do at the resort, was to get our kids used to the child care services provided by Club Med.

Club Med Petit Club is a Full Day childcare service for kids between 2 to 4 years old, and a really essential service for families that want to maximize their holidays.

Parents need to make sure that the children have to take all necessary injections before they are allowed to enter the centre, and they have more than enough workers to take care of the kids. In fact, Club Med is so multi-national that they have special workers who can speak languages such as French, Mandarin and Japanese.

We dropped off the kids during “Water and Beach play” period, and the excitement of the event, did help erase some of their fears.

However, my youngest girl did cry when it was time to separate, and she took some time to adjust to the new environment. All part of growing pains!

Nicole who is 5 years old went to Mini Club Med instead. Located on the other side of the resort, this centre is meant for the older kids.

What’s great about these facilities in general, is that they are packed with activities. In Mini Club Med, Nicole went for tennis lessons, had beach play, and could even be sent for circus training (we woke up too late for that!) . Here, she can spend time doing somersaults and fly on the trapeze. In fact, Club Med Bali is one of the few Club Meds that has a “Circus” curriculum for children and for the adults.

To tell you the truth, the kids and myself have not tried it out yet…looks a bit scary to me!

After dropping the kids off,  Mummy and Daddy headed to the swimming pool for some aqua aerobics!

The GOs are really the life of the party at the resort. At every activity they are the ones who make things happen, and here they were leading a mass dance at the pool, after the aqua aerobics. They even had golf at the pool, where men and children “chipped” a tennis ball into a life buoy.

With the kids off our hands, we were also able to have some “couple” time together and we went snorkelling in the ocean. It was really cool, as we saw many colourful fishes, and they really swam very close to us! Bali is really a very nice island!

We went back to look for the kids in the late afternoon, and they were having a children’s soccer tournament. Nathan’s age group was too young to play, but they still managed to have a kick around…they even had mini goal posts for them

Check out the full article at Maybe Baby’s Blog…or just click on the link.

Situated on the part of the island called Nusa Dua, the Club Med experience provides an extensive list of services and activities in one single package. The best thing about Club Med is that the resort is ALL- INCLUSIVE!

With Buffet Meals all day, sports activities such as Archery, Tennis Golf, Windsurfing and even the circus– this is the place to be…Hey! even the Beer is Free Flow.

Check out the full article and pictures at the Maybe Baby Blog!

In a few hours time, we will be flying off to Bali and staying in the really ‘happening’ resort called Club Med!

Thanks to the folks from Maybe Baby and I Love Children, the whole family will be staying at Club Med Bali for 4 Days and 3 Nights! It’s going to be exciting, as we have heard so much about the Resort and how it even has child minding facilities for the kids!

Sounds cool right! So stay tuned, as I will be Blogging “Live” from the resort, to give you a review about Club Med from a family perspective!

Watch out for my next post!

Wow! When I saw the email invite, I was curious! A blockbuster exhibition? Treasury of the WORLD?

When I read on, I realised this is no ordinary collection! It has been shown in the British Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Louvre in Paris… and now for the first time in Asia—in Singapore!

I’m no historian, but when I read about what would be shown at this collection, I really wanted to see the artefacts up close!

So along with Nicole, we went for this exclusive sneak peek! Ooohh it was a night of Indian Culture! We had a short introduction to the Mughal Empire – one of the wealthiest dynasties ever in the world.

Some interesting facts:

- the Mughal rulers lived lavishly. Everything they owned was jewelled with precious stones. Check out the dagger…

It’s adorned with rubies, diamonds, emeralds, ivory and agate! And that round ball-looking thing? That’s a mouthpiece for a smoking pipe. It’s just good ol’ rubies that they used!

- the Mughals loved life and lived it to the fullest! They smoked pipes, and collected art pieces.

- the Mughals were passionate people. The famous Taj Mahal was built by a Mughal emperor, out of his love for his beloved queen. One of the rulers who had a harem of 5,000!

After the presentation, we were treated to an Indian dance performance, and were even taught basic dance steps! (See how shy Nicole was!

Nicole had a blast as she bravely offered her leg to the Henna artist. We had to convince her one leg is enough! She wanted her hands and legs and face drawn!

Artist at work:

Near completion:

Check out Nathan—our little Mughal prince! (much thanks to ACM for the turban)

I can’t wait for the exhibition when it runs from 12 February-27 June! The whole family would be going down to see how the Mughals lived, try their clothes, taste their food, and have a hand at some jewellery designing. I know Mummy is definitely going to check out those precious stones!

FREE TICKETS TO THE MUSUEM

AND… I have 5 pairs of tickets to give away to my readers!

To qualify, simply leave a comment on this post by completing this sentence (less than 50 words):

“I have a bit of the Mughals in me because … …”

Please send in your entries by 5 Feb 2010, 2300hrs .

Winners will be announced on 7 Feb 2010.

Valentine’s Day Contest

Well, that’s not all! The museum is having a Valentine’s Day contest for visitors in February.

In celebration of the Mughals’ passion, ACM is giving one lucky visitor a chance to win a prize of a venue sponsorship of ACM’s River Terrace and River Room. The location is ideal for a wedding, anniversary party, or any special occasion! Look at the pictures!

To win, simply fill in a contest form stating your favourite artefact and why. You can drop in your form into a box at the end of the exhibition. More information is available at the museum. The contest closes on 28 Feb 2010.

So quickly send in your entries to win those tickets!

Below are additional details about the exhibition:

Date: 12 February to 27 June 2010

Venue: Asian Civilisations Museum, 1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555

Website: www.acm.org.sg

Admission charges: $8 (adults) / $4 (concession); Family packages at $20 for up to 5 pax. Free admission for children aged 6 and below and seniors aged 60 and above.

Opening hours: Mon 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Tues to Sun 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. (to 9 p.m. on Fri)

Tips for Parents:

On the 27 & 28 March, ACM is organizing a weekend festival for the Treasury of the World.

It’s going to be carnival time as you get to try out the Mughals’ favourite past-time of archery, and get to watch live performances of song & dance!

Cool Yah!!! See you at the ACM!

When talking about the Ibis brand, we are naturally not making references to a backpacker hostel, but this review is about a hotel in the 3 stars and above category.

The hotel does not have a very grand entrance and it has a real budget feel from the ground floor. Frankly, the lobby looks like one of those “Hotel 81” budget hotels.

However, do persevere to your rooms, as the hotel is well worth it!  All guests will  need to proceed to the 19th floor reception to be checked in.

Costing about S$130/night, the rooms are not huge, but definitely bigger than the hotel rooms in Europe. Rooms are also clean and well maintained.

The Best thing about this hotel is the LOCATION!

Located in the heart of the Myeongdong shopping district, it is a stone’s throw from the nearby shops and restaurants. Looking out of  windows of the hotel, I can see shops like Louis Vuitton and Chanel.

This is the picture of the high end Lotte Mall, just across the street.

And, the Metro or Subway is just 100m away! This makes travelling SUPER CONVENIENT!  

In order to keep operating costs low, the hotel does not offer room service. Instead, every floor is equipped with a water dispenser for hot and cold water, and vending machines that sells essential toiletries.

This may be a bit irritating at times, as when I wanted a extra pillow, I had to take a lift up to the reception desk and take the pillow myself. This task is definitely more troublesome in winter, as I had to make myself presentable, as I wanted to avoid walking around in my pyjamas.

However, you will definitely save money, as you can’t order anything from the kitchen late at night!

For the Internet Savvy traveller, you will be glad to know that the hotel offers FREE INTERNET ACCESS.

What we liked about the room is also that the toilets are well-equipped with those high end Japanese Toilet Seats.

These seats come equipped with the usual devices to “wash your butt”, but the best thing about this equipment is the warm toilet seat! This is especially important when you are experiencing a very cold winter.

As we were there in the midst of Korea’s coldest winter for the last 70 years, this little frill seem to go a long way!

The hotel is also along the route of a shuttle service that takes you to the Airport. Costing 9000won, the trip takes about 1.5 hours, as it circles around the hotels in the Myeong-dong area, before heading off for the airport.

Overall, we enjoyed our 2 night stay in Hotel Ibis, and we will definitely come back again when we are in Seoul.

Hotel Address:

59-5 Myeong-dong 1Ga Jung-gu – 100021 - SEOUL – KOREA.

Tel : (+82)2/63618888 Fax : (+82)2/63618050

A top tourist question that people will ask: Is the tower worth visiting?

Well, if are a tourist in Singapore: Should you look for the Merlion and take pictures around the vicinity?

If your answer is YES…

Then, you will put the Seoul Tower into the category of “Things that you should do”, when you are in Korea.

One of the Plus points about visiting the tower, is that you will get breathtaking views of the city.

IMHO, the city is even more beautiful in winter, as the snow capped trees and houses, are a real sight for a Singaporean like myself.

The tower stands at 236m and it is shorter than other more renowned towers like the Eiffel Tower. Tickets are not too expensive – Costing about 7000won for an adult ticket. At today’s conversion, this will be only be about Sing 8 Dollars.

A real negative point about the tower is the climb up to the base of the tower.

The buses are not allowed up to the base and it was a really steep climb up to the base of the tower. With the wind blowing into our faces, many of us were really shivering in the cold, as we made our way up the hill.  Despite the cold, we still saw joggers running up the hill in just jogging shorts!

Seoul Tower is really worth the while!

But if shopping is your cup of tea, Dongdaemun market might be much more interesting to you!

The malls in Dongdaemun open from 10.30 a.m. to 5 a.m., so this place practically doesn’t sleep if you go shopping at night.

The best thing about the clothes there is that the designs are really modern and very Japanese. Unfortunately, I did not buy much this time round, as they were mostly selling thick winter wear.

Dongdaemun was even more exciting this time round, as I went to the Toys and Stationary wholesale market.

We took the Metro to Dongdaemun Station, and we proceeded to exit 4.

Walking down about 25m, we turned right and we were greeted by many toy stores.

This is the harvest from our day out at the market. We got all these toys from $8-$15 each.

This arsenal of toys was essential for our trip back home, as Nicole was calling everyday and asking what we got for her.

We only managed to get her to stop calling, when she found out that we bought her Princess Shoes and something from Cinderella

This is Nicole in her little outfit!!!

We were persuaded to visit this market by two of our friends—Jane & Celeste. I was quite convinced to go UNTIL I went to google it. Oh my! The description for this place!

Tourist Trap, Your English name in Chinese calligraphy, Linen tablecloth, Chinese embroidery…

It sure didn’t look like an attractive place. And it didn’t help that when I checked a few travel blogs, and NO ONE mentioned Stanley Market!

But Jane & Celeste were very convincing. They claim it is super worth it. You will leave with BAGS of shopping for the kids. One of their colleagues bought enough clothes for her daughter from birth to 5 yrs old! WAH!!! Now, how can I resist that??

So on that rainy Sunday, we took Express Bus 260 from Exchange Square. It was a 20 min ride, towards the coast. The bus ride was comfortable and pleasant. Not a problem at all even with a drowsy Nathan and hyper Nicole.

When we arrived, it was a sight to behold. Lots of little shops clustered together , and our eyes zoomed in on the first shop that sold kids clothes. We walked briskly towards it. And woah! Next to it, was a shop selling Thomas the Train bags! And Hello Kitty! And Dora!

Then further down, another shop with Guess blouses, Juicy Couture tops. And round the corner… it was an endless row of little shops selling jeans, tees, jackets, socks, shoes, hats, dresses, bags, bibs… the list goes on. We didn’t know where to start!

Tips for Parents:

This is a haven for CHEAP CHILDREN’s CLOTHING! So, if u have children, you will have to go…and really buy for your children

And everything costs S$5-S$20! What a steal! The clothes were probably a season behind, but who cares! They look great and they were cheap!

It was so good we went separate ways. Daddy with Nathan, mummy with Nicole. Then we met, and we exchanged partners. It was truly a exciting shopping experience for all of us!

This is DEFINITELY a must-go for all Parents visiting Hong Kong!

So the trip to Disneyland was something that I was looking forward to!

If you are wondering whether Hong Kong is child friendly – let me reiterate again that it is NOT!

However, Disneyland is the most child friendly place on this island.

First of all, going to Disneyland is actually quite easy, as it is accessible via their subway (MTR).

In fact, you will know immediately that u are on the right train, as this is a special Disney Train!

Its handrails and windows are decorated Disney Style, and the whole cabin is also decorated according to the Disney theme.

If u ask me…they  start psyching you up for a magical experience, right from the start.

Arriving at the station, we were welcomed by the Disney Fountain and many Kodak moments.

I was going crazy with my camera…Unfortunately not everyone on my crew was ready to be a model at this particular moment…:)

Tickets to the Park are priced at $350 HK dollar (Approx Sing $70) for an adult and $250 HK dollar (Sing $50) for children aged 3 to 12.

It is definitely a bit pricey, but things are never cheap when u go on a holiday!

As we entered the park , we were brought into Main Street USA and the iconic Disneyland Castle.

Hong Kong Disneyland is the smallest of all of Disney’s theme parks and it has only 3 “Lands” for us to visit (A normal park has 5).

We headed off to “Adventureland” first, where we were going to travel to the Amazon Jungle, to discover the perils of living in a primitive jungle.

As we entered “Adventureland”, one of the Amazing things that we saw was a “cleaner”. In fact, we thought that he was just doing his job and clearing the rubbish.

When we took a closer look, we realized that the “Cleaner” was actually an “Artist”.

This is his finished work!

Wow! Isn’t that Amazing! If u give me a broom and a bucket of water, I will give u “Abstract Art”….We clapped for the ‘cleaner’ when he finished drawing…and he smiled! I think we made his day!

Next up was the “Jungle River Cruise”

Basically, the boat brought us along the Amazon jungle, and we encountered mechanical elephants, monkeys, hippos and flesh-eating piranas.

However, the children found one part of the ride really scary, and that when when the boat got “trapped”  in the river and we faced volcano fire and a man-made waterfall! In fact, the children from every part of the boat started crying!

Don’t worry…it is not that scary!

How was the ride?

It was nothing to shout about! Just something that u must do, when you go on vacation! Nicole did not like it due to the excitement of the fire and the waterfall…Don’t think she wants to go for another round!

The best part about every “land” is that they have a show. “Adventure land” was featuring “The Lion King”.

Based on the movie and the musical, we were in for a treat!

The cast that was singing and dancing were as good as the one found in the musical, and we enjoyed listening to the songs and the dance presented to us!

My Verdict of Adventure land

Watching the performance “The Lion King” is a MUST! It is a shortened presentation of the musical and u will thoroughly enjoy the music and the songs. It is good enough to entertain children and adults!