Fun in the City- Bangkok Staycation

We decided to head into the city for a few days for a last minute vacation before school started back up.  We live about an hour outside of the city and it just isn't always the easiest to make it there.  We have had an ongoing list of things we have wanted to do in the city and decided to make a few days out of it.  Every time we spend time in the city, we say we need to do it more often.  I hope we actually follow through this year because there are so many great places to check out.

I found another amazing condo through Airbnb.  I am having some great success with this site.  The condo I found had 2 full bathrooms and one with a tub, two bedrooms, full kitchen, washer and dryer, and an amazing view of the river.  Ben and the boys kept making fun of me because I could not stop watching the boats on the river.  I was captivated by then.  I must have lived on a boat in another life.

The first night in the city we headed to Chamchuri Square to try out the Dialogue in the Dark exhibit. I was told about this exhibit and knew that this was something that I wanted the boys to experience. The exhibit is located on the 4th floor of the Chamchuri Square in NSM Science Square.  The science museum is free, but there is an admission for Dialogue in the Dark .  This is recommended for children ages 10 and up, but they will do a short little 2 minute test to see if children younger than 10 can handle it.  My 5 year old was worried that it was a haunted house and my 8 year old wasn't quite sure about it either, so we stayed behind and hung out in the science museum while Ben and Greyson experienced what it is like to be blind.  They had to navigate through a "city" for an hour and a half. They had to buy food, make change, and even get a tuk tuk!  Ben and Greyson said it was an amazing experience and highly recommend it.  I hope I am able to get back to try it at some point.

This picture of the King is made out of Legos. 

After the science museum, we headed to Asiatique for dinner and shopping.  The boys had to stop for gelato.  SO Yummy!.  We didn't stay long and thankfully left when we did because it started pouring. We made it back in time to our condo to watch fireworks at Asiatique from our balcony!

Day two in the city was spent by relaxing at the pool during the day.  I was too cold to get in the water.  I have become a complete baby about water since living in Thailand.  It was 85 degrees out and I had goosebumps.  I am going to freeze to death when we come back to the States!

That afternoon we headed to Impact Arena for the main event of our Staycation.  We were getting ready to see Cirque du Soleil's Quidam.  Almost everything we did on our trip would not allow cameras, so I actually do not have many pictures from this vacation.  I actually had to turn in my brand new camera before I could even enter the arena.  Thankfully, I got it back after the show.  I was a little nervous though.  I cannot say enough about Quidam.  If you ever have a chance to see Cirque show, do it!  You will not be disappointed.    I loved the message behind this show too.  It was about a little girl whose parent's were always too busy for her due to job, stress, and technology.  The boys even picked up on this theme. It kept the boy's attention the entire time.  It was so good and I am so glad I have finally been to a Cirque performance.

For day 3, I had plans to make it to a couple Thai museums, but we only made it to one and I cannot say enough about this one either.  We visited the Dusit Palace or the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall. This building looks nothing like other buildings in Bangkok.  It was designed by Italian architects and the building itself is a work of art.  The Throne hall houses pieces of artwork that have been made for the King and Queen for important celebrations, birthdays, & anniversaries.

I wasn't sure what the boys would think of this, but they loved it.  When you arrive, you are given a little recorder that tells information on every piece that is in the hall.  Britton loved typing in the number and listening all about the artwork.  I cannot even come close to describe the craftsmanship of the art that is in this building.  Most of the pieces are mind boggling.   Hundreds of artists worked for years on most of the pieces.  This museum was so well done and all of the guides were very kind. You need to have on respectful dress when entering this building.  Pants and short-sleeved shirts for men and children and women need to have on a skirt.  I was in pants and they made me buy a sarong before going in to the building.  You also have to leave all of your possessions behind in a locker.

Hanging out at a bookstore after lunch at the mall.

That night we finally, after years of wanting to go, made it to Siam Niramit.  It is a Thai performance about the history of Thailand.  It  discusses the different regions of Thailand.  I was actually glad that we did not see this performance earlier in our stay in Thailand.  I really understood most of what was going on and we have visited all of the regions that were in the play, so we had a point of reference for the story.  This was also very well done.  The lighting, costumes, and sets were all stunning.  This was another one of the places that we could not take pictures at.  And don't think you can sneak a picture. They have people watching with lasers and will shine them at you if you even start to take a photo with your phone!

Our last morning in the city was spent at Neilson Hays Library for story hour.  The boys listened to the amazing story teller read two stories about pirates.  Then they put together a pirate craft.  It is always a good time and I really wish we lived closer to the library to be able to do this more often.

That was our little staycation in Bangkok.  It was a lot of fun and I am already looking forward to planning another weekend in the city to discover a few more of the hidden gems that we have missed over the past few years.

Family Friendly Vacation in Pattaya

After a 4 month hiatus, I am back in the blogging world and so ready to share some of the exciting things that have happened over the past 4 months.

Just last week, Ben and I set up a holiday in Pattaya.  Now, if any of you know the city of Pattaya you may be surprised that I would ever want to visit this city with 3 boys.  Believe me, I was feeling uneasy and cautious about the whole thing.

Our first experience with Pattaya was our first year in Bangkok.  We had only been in Thailand for 2 1/2 months and the city of Bangkok started flooding.  It was difficult to get food and water because shipments could not make it into the city.  Our landlord was kind enough to get us out of the city and dropped of us in Pattaya.  I had no idea what to expect, but for this self- professed "prude", this city was a major shock to the system.  I was thankful my kids were young enough at the time and were not able to read any of the signs and advertisements or really be aware what was going on around them.

Four years later, my boys can read and would probably be aware of how people are dressed and I wasn't sure this would be a great place to take the kids, but I am so glad we did!

Here is how we had a very family friendly vacation in Pattaya:

I found an amazing condo through Airbnb.  I have been having great luck with airbnb lately.  With the boys getting older, it is getting harder and harder for us to find a hotel that will fit all of us.  We booked the Atlantis Condo Resort for $30, yes $30 a night!! Check out the photos on the website because my photo just do not do it justice.  This place was so child friendly.  It had a huge pool that ran all the way through the resort.  There was a large water playground and also a water slide for the boys to play on.  At the one end of the pool, there was a huge pirate ship with water canons.  The grounds were just beautiful and it really did feel like we were at a very high end resort.

The restaurant at the hotel was wonderful.   I had some of the best green curry I have ever had.  The boys loved the club sandwiches and french fries.  Greyson complemented the chef and he ended up giving us 10% off our next visit!  Thanks Grey! We went back the next night because it was just so good.  Check out Souk if you visit this condo.  You will not be disappointed and you do not have to venture out into the city to get a delicious and reasonably priced dinner.

We spent two of our days relaxing at the condo, but one of our days we decided to head to the island of Koh Larn.  I did not have high expectations for this island because it is so close to Pattaya and the water is brown and the sand is filthy in Pattaya.  Boy, was I in for a surprise!  We headed to the Bali Hai  Pier and took a 45 minute ferry ride to the Naban Port .  The ferry is 30 baht a person and Britton was free.  Once we made it to the island we grabbed a Songthaew (basically the back of a pick up truck) and headed to Tien Beach.

This beach had white sand and crystal clear water.  It wasn't too crowed and the speed boats stayed to one side of the beach.  The day we went the Thai government was not allowing you to put up umbrellas or beach chairs so there was not any shade, but you can usually get those on the island. There are a few places to eat lunch too.  We spent about 5 hours at the beach and had a wonderful time. I think this may have been one of the cleanest beaches we have been to in Thailand and we have been to quite a few different beaches.

This was a great getaway trip and we are already planning on heading back on a long weekend.

Our grand total for 3 nights, food (we brought our own food for breakfast and lunch), ferry rides, a driver to and from Pattaya was $260!!

I cannot wait to go back.

Thailand's BatCat Museum

We heard about this great new museum that would be absolutely perfect for my super hero loving boys.  It's called the BatCat Museum and it is the largest toy museum in Thailand.  It's  jammed packed with over 50,000 superhero and cartoon themed toys.  It's not a very large museum, but it is packed from floor to ceiling and there is a ton to look at.  It was fun seeing toys that I had completely forgotten about from my childhood.

Britton enjoying old Batman shows

The main collection of memorabilia is related to Batman, but you will also find Star Wars, Disney characters, Smurfs and so much more.  I was really amazed that this collection was put together by one man. There are also full sized statues around the museum that were a favorite for my boys.

We only spent about an hour there, but it was nice to see a different type of museum. It was a great morning out.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 am-6 pm.   The cost is around 250 Baht for adults, 150 Baht for children.  Discount if you have a work permit or a Thai resident.  The museum is located on the outskirts of the city, so make sure you visit during the day to avoid traffic jams.

A Bag a Day While Mom is Away

This past summer I went on a much needed trip to visit a friend that lives in Germany.  I have never traveled without Ben and the boys and I was feeling a whole range of emotions.  I was feeling guilty that I was getting to visit Europe, when I knew Ben and the boys would love to go too.  I was feeling very nervous as this was my first trip by myself...ever!  I was worried about leaving the boys for 12 days. The longest I had ever been away from them was for 3 days and I have not spent much time away from our youngest son.  I knew Ben would be completely fine taking care of them, but he does not have all three of them on his own that often.  I was starting to feel like I should cancel my trip, especially after just getting home from our time in Malaysia and dealing with Britton's accident.  Let me just say...I am so glad I went.  It was just what I needed!

I decided, always being a homeschooler, that while I was gone it would be a great time for the boys to learn a little about the places I was going to be visiting. Of course, they needed reminders of their mom everyday, right?  Don't want them to forget about me!  So, I planned out a theme for each day I was going to be away and had it all  packed for them to open while I was gone.  This was what I came up with.

Somehow my picture of day 3 disappeared, but I had a package with water balloons for the boys to have a balloon fight.

I am so glad I did this.  Ben told me it was the first thing the boys wanted to do each morning while I was away.  It didn't take me that much time to put together and it was a great way for me to stay connected with the boys while I was traveling.

I would love to hear what you have done for your kids to make it easier on them (and you) while you are apart.

Top 10 ( mostly free) Things to do In Kuala Lumpur with Kids

We ended up staying 6 days longer in Malaysia than we had planned. (Read why HERE), so we found many great thing to do in Kuala Lumpur with the kids.  Here are our top 10 favorite things to do.

1. Petrosains

When checking out other blogs and asking for suggestions on what to do in Kuala Lumpur, everyone suggests Petrosains, the hands ob science center.  The center is focused on the science of petroleum industry. It does focus on other areas of science too, but the main focus is everyday use of petroleum. The science center is located in KLCC Suria shopping center (the mall by the Petronas Towers.)  The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday 9:30- 5:30.  It costs RM 15.00 for adults, RM 10.00 for youth 13-17 years, RM 5.00 for children 3-12 years, and 2 & under is FREE.  

My boys loved walking around on the model of the oil rig.  They were so excited because they had just found out that their aunt was going to be working on an oil rig in the United States and they were getting to see what it would really be like living on a rig.  We had a great time at the museum and spent a few hours there.  One tip: Eat before you go to the museum.  There is a small snack bar, but it is way at the end of the museum.

2. KLCC Suria

This is the mall that is connected to the Petronas Towers.  I think we made a visit to this mall every single day that we were in KL.  There is a lot to do there.  We ate dinner at Chilis one night and had a window seat.  We were able to watch the light & fountain show from the window.  The boys loved this!  Make sure to ask for a window seat if you are at Chilis at dusk!

We checked out a movie while we were there.  The movies are MUCH cheaper than in the States.

We went to the Petronas Art Gallery, free art museum, that is located on the floor of the mall.

We stopped at Kinokuniya Book store a couple times and sat around and read.  I really miss good book stores and this one was amazing.

We ate at the great food court a few times.

Really, this mall has tons of things to do at it.  I usually hate malls, but I really liked this one.

3. Central Market

The Central Market has been open for over 100 years.  It is also called The Centre for Malaysian Culture, Heritage, Arts & Crafts.  This is the best place to shop for souvenirs to take home.  This market is great because it is indoors and air conditioned, so if it is too hot or raining, this is a great place to go for a bit.  There are places to eat and tons of great shops to look at.  Make sure to find a great batik to take home.  We found batik place mats that we loved.  My boys liked dressing up at the Chinatown shop!

4. National Mosque

We have been to Wats, Temples, Synagogues, and Churches, but we have never been to a Mosque. One thing that is great about living in another country (or even in a big city in the States) is being able to do our own world religion courses with the boys.  I was a little nervous about visiting, as I always am when I visit a new place of worship, because I did not want to do anything to offend anyone.  Some religions you are not supposed to touch the opposite sex or you need to remove your shoes or wear certain clothing and I wasn't sure what to expect.

 As soon as we made our way to the line to go into the mosque my nerves were calmed.  Everyone was so kind and helpful.  Women do need to be covered and will be given a robe with a headscarf. Men should be dressed in pants and children can get away with a little more.  My boys had shorts and t-shirts on.  We learned a lot about the Muslim religion from the guides that were there and met some wonderful people.  Our trip to the mosque was a highlight of our trip.  My boys loved it.  Greyson could not get over how beautiful the mosque was.

Just remember to be respectful.  You are a guest.  This is not just a site to see in the city, but also a place of worship.  We watched a few very large tour groups try to pose in the praying position to get a picture.  It was rude and made me uncomfortable to watch.  Make sure to check out the website for visiting hours. The mosque is closed during prayer times.

5. Planetarium

We stopped at the National Planetarium or called the Planetarium Negara for an afternoon visit.  The place it not really all that big.  We probably spent about 1 1/2 hours there.  We learned about life on the International Space Station.  They had a model of it and the boys were able to see how the astronauts sleep and even use the toilet. (Of course, a favorite of the boys and made lots of giggles.) They tried on gloves and tried to preform tasks like the astronauts have to do.  They had a model of a space shuttle that you could sit in.  It was very informative.  They also have a few shows during the day in the planetarium.  We watched one The Voyager Show.   The movie was geared more for middle school students and up, but my boys all enjoyed it.  The cost for the Planetarium is free but if you want to view the movie it is 12.00 RM ($3.70) for adults and 8.00 RM ($2.50) for children 2-12.

6. Botanical Gardens

The Botanical Gardens are located on the same grounds as the Planetarium and also very close to the National Mosque.  The gardens are huge. You can hop on a tram to get to and from each section if you cannot walk the whole thing.  We only explored a small section of the gardens.  The gardens are very well cared for.  They do have a small enclosure with animals in it.  They have a deer sanctuary and  houses for some rodent type animals.  We walked over to the massive Brazil Nut Tree and had a little picnic under the tree.  We only spent about an hour there, mostly because we were melting from the heat, but it was a lovely place to visit.

7. Chinatown

Our first attempt to visit Chinatown left me a little confused.  There were no stalls set up, just huge tables and a stage.  I just couldn't figure out where all the stalls and vendors were.  It turned out that Chinatown had been closed for the night due to a huge reunion!  I figured we must have visited the only night of the year when it was closed.  I didn't think we would have time to make it back, but we were able to sneak a quick visit in later in the week.  This is a great place to buy shoes, clothes, purses, watches, etc., but not souvenirs or art work. Go back to the Central Market if you want those. It was a fun place to see, and we left before it go too busy.

8. Playground 

The first night we were in Kuala Lumpur we headed over to see the Petronas Towers.  This was what the boys had been most looking forward to seeing.  Right outside of the towers is a massive playground.  It honestly went on forever.  The boys kept finding new sections to play at.  There is also a free splash pad/fountain to play in.  We decided against the water since Britton had a cut and injection marks on his arms.  I wasn't sure how clean the water was, but it looked like great fun. We went around sunset, which was a great time because it was much cooler out.  The park is not shaded, so it gets very hot during the day.  The boys loved playing at the playground.  We miss going to playgrounds in Thailand.

9. Fountains

Once it gets dark, head back over to KLCC Suria to watch the light/fountain show.  We had a lot of fun watching the fountains.  They were beautiful!

10. Gallery

I love getting a little history of a country when we are on a trip and a great place to learn about Kuala Lumpur is the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery.  The first part of the building goes over this history of the city. This building is also home to ARCH, which is a model making company.  You can watch the builders make the wooden models and also see the largest model of the entire city of Kuala Lumpur. They also have a beautiful gift shop.  The gallery is free.

We had an amazing week in Kuala Lumpur.  We saw way more than we had planned and had to scrap a few ideas due to Britton being injured.  Hoping next time we visit we will make it to the Batu Caves and the Firefly tours.  We all loved this city and hope to go back again!