Day Out-n-About!

A long while back we had decided that - for energy and money saved - we would stay in town for Spring Break. Then, when it arrived, we could not have been more ready for the time off. It seemed that everyone - young and old - was "running on fumes". A vacation was perfect. So, when you're in town and you've got a week what do you do?

Daddy had a place in mind (for almost a year). It was close to school (just 1.7 km according to the maps) and quite pristine, shallow and clear. So when it came time for a day off he didn't hesitate much to get everyone to jump on board and head out to the stream down the road. We took Tara with us, and were joined by our friends Ian and his daughters Kira and Bethanie. Once there, of course, it didn't take long for Amalia to put aside any apprehension that other girls might have had, and dive right into the water. From there on it was "look at this" and "look at that" and searching for fish, and watching dragonflies and a host of other little beings. By the end of our two hour stay we nibbled on some snacks and decided to venture further into the outskirts of KL.

Some 20 km away, and up the mountains flanking the eastern side of the Klang valley, we found our way to a place called "Pinto Cafe". But, as with many other places of similar fare it was closed on a Monday. So, what to do after such a long drive?  Keep looking for a way to fill our hungry bellies. One thing led to another and the roads got windier as we kept going up, right to the end. Finally, overlooking the valley below we found a small boutique hotel where we were able to find some food and, perhaps more importantly, a couple cute little cats to play with. There, in the open space, the girls (and friends) ran around chasing cats and then congregated to fill their tummies. 

We didn't get home until almost 4 pm. It was a long day outdoors and we were pooped by happy. Perhaps Pinto Cafe will have to be kept on "the list" for a later time. A good start to a good break. :-)

Uncle 'Eko Antics

Things are pretty busy around here anyway, but when uncle 'Eko comes into town they get even busier. There's a bit of the "show him new places", and the "we want him to feel special" and then the "it's great to have him around" and also the "we have things to do so he'll come with us" too. Put it all together and poor Aleko, fresh off the plane and not well-adjusted to seven time zone differences, was doing a bit of running here and there. The girls were thrilled to have him around and it was with tears that they said goodbye. He didn't see them, though. They came as we got into the car to go out to dinner, when the girls realized that there is no third person in the back seat with them.

The weekend began, practically off the plane, with a team dinner in honor of daddy's basketball team. It was enjoyed thoroughly and Amalia, in particular, was a big success sitting on laps and clapping games.  Both girls were treated, as is not customary, as the stars of the team. 'Eko did the best he could to hang in there with the loud crowd and focused on the dumplings and spinach in soy sauce. Pretty yummy stuff. 

From there on it was a number of outings to places as diverse as Shangi-la's brunch buffet or the local hawker stalls down the street. The Thai food at the stalls in the final night, it seemed, was the winner in the food department, though the outing for some good old fashioned European bear earlier didn't dampen the spirits one bit. 

This was a bit of a different trip. Uncle 'Eko seemed to be more involved, not quite as 'running around' as he often is. So we enjoyed his presence to the fullest, from storytelling to playing with the girls. The biggest adjustment for him, apart from dealing with younger crowds, was the heat. He seemed to also enjoy the work environment when he visited daddy on campus for a short while. But now, he's off to bigger and better things, starting a new just in a few weeks. Thank you for the visit, 'Eko. We love you!