Travelogue: Koh Phi Phi

Some years ago, I brought Dumpling to Krabi for a surprise trip. Then she was still in K2 and I wanted to bring her away to do something different before formal school starts. We both have fond memories of the trip with us spending time in the pool, doing island hopping and snorkelling in the open sea, walks on the beach etc.

It has always been my wish to try and bring her to Krabi and Koh Phi Phi again. Interestingly, that’s rarely a choice destination amongst my friends with children. In fact, many ask why that choice and what do we and can do there. 

With that, I thought to share a bit on what we did in Koh Phi Phi as my first ever vacation post (I usually am very lazy to take notes and photos conscientiously when on vacay!)

:: Getting to Koh Phi Phi

If you have not been there before, here’s some background on PP. Koh Phi Phi is a standalone island where you will need to take a ferry to get there. If you are travelling out of SG, I guess the easiest way is to either take a flight to Phuket and then change to a ferry or to head to Krabi then change to a ferry.

I have always preferred Krabi to Phuket as it is less crowded and I prefer the small streets at Ao Nang.

Here’s a ferry schedule from Krabi:

Source

:: Getting to hotel

You can either arrange for a hotel transfer via your hotel in Krabi or you can do it online. Here’s a link to where I got my hotel transfer from (about 150THB cheaper than the hotel quote). I have stayed in Krabi Ao Nang thrice – Golden Beach Resort (this is located like at a corner, on one end of the shopping area), La Playa (not entirely new but not as old as Golden Beach but the breakfast selection was good) as well as GLOW, our latest choice there (great if you have young children as there’s a children’s room and a lap pool and the hotel is really nice and rooms are nicely decked out).

:: Koh Phi Phi

Koh Phi Phi is somewhat a tad like Sentosa where it is standalone but with many stalls and shops, which reminds me of the pasar malam (night markets) here in Singapore. During my recent visit, there’s even a McDonald’s now but sorry, no Starbucks yet. :p

There are many choices for hotels and resorts, and the only advice that I can give is to choose one which is nearest to the places you wish to visit, for e.g. the diving centre.

 :: Activities

Once you are in Koh Phi Phi, I guess many would think of snorkelling and island hopping. But if your child is minimally 10 YO, here’s 2 recommendations which you can consider.

• Cooking at Pum Cooking School! 

Not many know but Koh Phi Phi boasts of a cooking school where you can learn how to cook some of your favourite Thai dishes. For that morning, Dumpling chose 3 dishes and I chose another 3 (be prepared to spend 3 hours there including the eating time!) 

If your child has never done cooking before and you are worried about things such as an open flame, fret not as Pum Cooking School uses induction stoves. 

Upon entering, R2 who is a chef there, conducted the class in English for us. A simple note book plus condiments tray, etc., were all prepared in advance. 

To be honest, I expected R2 to delve right into the cooking class but what was interesting was that he took the time to explain to us and got us to sample the various condiments and sauces used commonly in Thai cooking. 

Did you know that the fish sauce used in their cooking is made from sardines, which is different from Chinese fish sauce and even those used in Vietnamese cuisine? We also learnt about the types of chili used and when to use them in the various Thai dishes. 

 After getting "suited" up, we are good to go!

If you are worried about the cleanliness / hygiene level, you can rest assured that Pum Cooking School runs like a well-oiled engine where the ingredients are also prepared in individual portions, placed neatly on plates at your designated cooking stations.

One of Dumpling's dishes was Phad Thai. You can tell how passionate R2 is in sharing and imparting his knowledge. He was also very encouraging towards Dumpling. Before we started cooking, R2 shared that he really likes it when young children show an interest in cooking and also told me to try and be "hands-off" so that she can attempt it on her own.

Tada! 

Dumpling also chose to cook Gluay Buat Chee (bananas in coconut milk) for her dessert. Though she was unwell on that day and as the cooking class progressed, her energy level plummeted, she still wanted to try her hand to learn to make this dish. 

And in case you are wondering if it is all child labour, here's 2 of mine ~ Thai Beef Salad and Sweet & Sour Chicken.  

  

• Sea sport! 

Choices are a plenty when it comes to sea sports / activities. Besides island hopping, you can also consider snorkelling. Many dive centres run these eco snorkelling tours; we originally signed up for one but we cancelled it as there was a sudden surge of jelly fish that few evenings. 

If your child is 10 and above, you can also consider "Discover SCUBA". Dumpling completed only half of the course (with Blue View Divers ~ this was the same place that I went to when I got my open water licence years back!)  as unfortunately she was sick so we will need to return back in a few months time.

Here's sharing some photos!

Caroline, one of the owners of Blue View Divers, with Dumpling at a pool session right outside the centre. Pool session with a gorgeous view! 

The pool session goes through basic drills (clearing of mask, retrieval of your regulator, etc), hand signs and safety checks etc., before going into the open sea for the actual dives.

Dumpling was a real trooper as she told us to go ahead with our own dives while she waited for us at the dive centre. Here's some photos of the various fish we spotted:

Moray Eel

African Clowns (feisty these ones are!)

Koh Phi Phi being a standalone island has its own convenience stores and pharmacies peppered throughout it. As Dumpling started having fever shortly after, we were quite relieved that we were able to get paracaetamol, electrolyte sachets (she threw up) and lozenges (ya, she had the full works) etc., all on the island, though they were easily selling for twice the amount as compared to main land Krabi itself. There is also a medic centre if you need to see a doctor (so guys, please purchase your travel insurance!) 

Importantly, while their tap water is ok for general brushing and washing up, they are not suitable for drinking hence your resort / hotel will typically provide you with a regular sized bottle for each person staying there, which is hardly enough. So you will need to purchase them from the mini marts / convenience stalls. 

Food wise, choices are aplenty. From pizzas to thai food to seafood places which overlook the beaches (great for evening sunsets!) 

to simple food stands selling pancakes and sandwiches / burgers 

The pricing is pretty affordable. Most of these restaurants also offer free WiFi too! We will be back at Koh Phi Phi in a few months time and will update our travelogue! 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Review: Cat in the Hat by SRT (戴高帽子的猫)

Dumpling has always looked forward to watching Chinese theatrical productions and was especially thrilled when we made plans to catch Cat in the Hat 戴高帽子的猫 by Singapore Repertory Theatre (especially right around our CA period! :p). 

Perhaps one of the world's most famous children’s authors, Dr. Seuss was certainly a well-liked character in our household when Dumpling was younger. His whimsical rhythmic stories provided us with such precious moments during our homeschooling years.

:: The story

“The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house all that cold, cold, wet day.”

The play was true to the story where the opening scene depicts the first page of the story with the 2 main characters staring out of their window on that cold, cold wet day. The props were also done up in the trademark Dr. Seuss's blue with the actors’ costumes riding on the "watercolour and ink illustration" style which is synonymous with the author.

When I first brought Dumpling and my niece to watch this play, I was worried that the play would be too simple for her since she is in Primary 4 after all. However, while the play is simple (where there’s far lesser lines than SRT’s other Chinese productions), it was, by no means, less enjoyable. What it “lacks” in dialogues, it makes up in physical comedy. 

The production was also able to draw on the children’s imagination with the simple stage sets, fuelled by the outrageous antics of the Cat in the Hat. Of course, no Cat in the Hat story will be complete without Thing 1 and Thing 2 ->; 小家伙

For parents who are looking for a gentle way to ease your children into Chinese exposure, this play is perfect for you. I heard young children laughing at the naughty antics Thing 1 and 2 did. 

Good phrases and vocabulary such as  急吼着，目瞪口呆，仔细看，垂头丧气 were used in the play too and of course, I did not waste the tiger mom learning moment to empahsize on those words to the kiddo. :p 

It was my niece’s (Primary 3) first foray into watching a Mandarin production and she really liked it. I heard her laughing out loud and saw her leaning forward, looking really engaged. At one point she also wondered out loud how Cat in the Hat could balance the gazillion things which he stacked.

With the September holidays just around the corner, this will be a great time to bring your children to sample this entertaining production! 

Here's more details:

Event Date

Thu, 9 Aug - Sat, 8 Sep 2018

Weekdays: 10am
Weekend & Public Holidays
Sat, 4 Aug and 11 Aug: 11am & 2pm

Venue

KC Arts Centre - Home of SRT

To book for your tickets, please click here.

Disclaimer: We were invited by Singapore Repertory Theatre to watch the play so that we can give our opinions about it. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours. Images are courtesy of Singapore Repertory Theatre. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts (both on the kiddo and my furkid), food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), outdoor fun, useful reviews, early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

REVIEW: Little Red Hood 小红帽

Little Red Riding Hood is certainly a familiar tale in many households being as well known as it is. But watching it in Mandarin and with some modern twists to the story? That’s certainly something of a different experience which the kiddo and I had a chance to preview, 2 weekends back!  

:: The story

The play starts with Little Red’s family running a cake business – 甜心蛋糕屋. Business was thriving and the family, happy. Little Red’s father would deliver cakes to “Grandma” from time to time until one day, Little Red’s father did not return after leaving one such afternoon and this is where the adventure unfolds…

Little Red was well played as the actress exuded the same sense curiosity and the bubbly personality I’d imagine the storybook character to have. Along the way, she met Wolf (好狼, who pretended to be kind) and later, Woodcutter. Like the story, Little Red unwittingly gave away Grandma’s address to the cunning wolf. However, unlike the original story, the woodcutter is a bit “Dory-like” (as Dumpling puts it) because he seems to have short term memory loss hence he brings along a HUGE journal which he documents people he met and experiences he had along the way as a reference point.

The play had many funny and interactive moments which had the audiences shouting away. The wolf, though sly, did not appear scary but instead, I found myself laughing at his antics (and his smooth dance moves I must add ~ just look at the photo below!)

The story becomes interesting as we see an unlikely hero in Woodcutter when he and Red pair up to save the day… So what happened to Grandma and who, exactly was the wolf?

:: What we like about the play

Compared with Nightingale, this Mandarin play I feel; is a lot more suitable for younger children. Perhaps it is because it is such a popular fairy that it is easily understood even with younger children. As the entire play is in Mandarin, it is a good way for children to grasp and be exposed to the language in a fun and interactive manner. The songs were quite catchy and the famous lines were also translated "smoothly" to Mandarin which had the children in the rows in front of me, repeating them. 

Idioms and "strong" vocabulary were used during the play (一落千丈、吃盐多过吃米), which I feel, for the older children such as Dumpling who is in Primary 3 this year would gave them a more in-depth perspective on how these 成语/好词好句 can be used in her descriptions and compositions. 

I got Dumpling to add on her thoughts in Chinese for this review too:

“我觉得这部戏剧很有趣也很好笑。老狼这个角色扮演得很真实。这个故事教了我们应该听父母的话，不应该和陌生人谈天也不要太容易相信他们。”

Keen to catch the play and introduce Mandarin to your children in a fun way? Here's the event details:

Event Date

Thu, 20 Jul - Fri, 1 Sep 2017

Weekdays: 10am
Weekend & Public Holiday: 11am & 2pm
 

Venue

KC Arts Centre - Home of SRT

You can purchase tickets here

Disclaimer: We were invited to watch the play by Singapore Repertory Theatre so that we can give our opinions on it. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Giveaway: Singapore Repertory Theatre's Little Red Riding Hood 《小红帽》

After successfully staging it in English, SRT’s The Little Company now presents Red Riding Hood in Mandarin. Dumpling and I caught the English production some years ago and we loved the songs.

Red Riding Hood is an uplifting story about a brave girl named Red who must journey through the forest to reunite her family and save Mother’s bakery from closing down.

Like the original story, Big Bad Wolf spotted Red midway… Will she reach Grandma’s house in time? Or will the charming Big Bad Wolf distract her from her quest? Join Red on her adventure into the woods, where no one is what they seem!

Having watched all of SRT's previous Chinese productions, I’d expect this to be filled with humour, packed with original music and exposing children to a good vocabulary bank! This is a fantastic show to be enjoyed by children and adults of all ages and I am pleased to share that I have a family set of 4 tickets to give away!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

: Terms and Conditions

1.                   These tickets will be to the 29 July, 11.00am show. 

2.                   The winner is to collect the tickets at the box office, minimally                           30mins before showtime.

3.                   Tickets are not exchangeable for cash or for other dates.

4.                   Please remember to leave a comment below on "Which fairy                           tale would you like to watch in Mandarin and why?"

5.                   The giveaway is not endorsed, associated with administrated                           by Facebook.                  
6.                   As the play takes place in Singapore, this giveaway is opened                         only to Singapore Residents. GOOD LUCK! 

Can't wait for the giveaway results? You can purchase tickets here

And here's a trailer to share:

:: Venue

KC Arts Centre - Home of SRT

Disclaimer: The giveaway is kindly sponsored by Singapore Repertory Theatre. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Review: Poultry Tales by i Theatre

Dumpling and I took a much needed break from the SA revisions and caught Poultry Tales by I Theatre. To commemorate the year of Rooster, this play features the 3 famous feathered friends from well-known classics that I Theatre has put up before: Little Red Hen, The Goose that laid Golden Eggs and Chicken-Licken. 

More interestingly, the play weaves in how it is like, in a theatre with “behind the scenes” as part of the story. The story (stories?!?) comes to life with these 4 actors – Isabella Chiam, Elizabeth Toh, Daphne Ong and Darren Guo. Isabella played the role of a stage manager with Elizabeth and Darren as interns who tries to learn what goes on backstage. 

Stage terms like “Legs”, “Fly Bar”, “Cyclorama” and how the backstage crew support the plays were explained to the interns (and “in turn”, us the audience). Along the way, the interns convinced Isabelle and Daphne to act out the famous tales…

The usage of props like masks was elaborated through the story of Chicken-Licken. Though there were only 4 actors, they took 6 roles in total, where the actors slip into the various roles comfortably with just by using different accent and masks. :) Audience who have watched Chicken Licken previously will find the "re-enacted" scene familiar; the scene also had the younger audience giggling merrily when Chicken Licken shook his tail. :D

In the story of The Goose that Laid Golden Eggs, the lesson on "greed" was well explained. For parents who worry that it may be a tad "dark", you will be happy to know that the goose demise was acted out with some "physical comedy" where ribbons were used to depict the "insides" of the goose.

With just a change of props, the popular Little Red Hen came to "live". The theme song from the play was performed by the cast "little red hen, little red heeeen, little red hen, little red hen" and as we have the CD at home, Dumpling and I joined in the singing and sang along to it too. Of course the importance of friendship and keeping promises were highlighted in this story. Isabella played the role of Little Red Hen well as she was both engaging and likeable, making her very popular with the young audiences.

Comparatively, this story is also the most interactive as the various characters sought out advice and comments from the audience.

For me, I personally also like that the Little Red Hen did not share the bread with the rest of her friends. To me, I feel that she's justified in not wanting to share as the friends did not help in any way, despite having many opportunities to do so. I like that the story respected her choice. :p

With the end of this play, it also sadly marks the end of I Theatre's 2017 season as there has been a cut in funding for a few organisations. I am a tad wistful thinking about this as Dumpling basically grew up on I Theatre's play which includes Rainbow Fish (showcasing the beautiful black light theatre) to The Ant and the Grasshopper where it gave me a chance to talk to her about the value of hard work. 

In an poignant way, this play also serves to remind us that when we support the local arts scene, we do not just support the actors we see on stage but also the cost of the production of props, rental of venue and the hiring of backstage crew, etc; of which any theatrical production could not have happen without these unsung heroes, as clearly depicted by this play. 

Poultry Tales is a clever, informative and engaging play, weaving in 3 stories yet serves to educate us on what goes on backstage. It is suitable for preschoolers and even for Primary school children. Dumpling enjoyed the songs and appreciated the backstage scenes. Poultry Tales into its last week of performances. Do catch these last few performances before we bid them farewell for the rest of the year!

:: Event Date

Sat, 29 Apr - Sun, 14 May 2017

10.30am & 2pm

:: TICKET PRICES (Not including SISTIC Fees):                                                      

	Standard Ticket
Adult/Child	$32.00
Family Package (4 Persons)	$121.60
Big Family Package (5 Persons)	$144.00
Corporate Groups (min 20 persons)	25.60

:: Venue

Drama Centre Theatre

Disclaimer: We were invited to watch the play I Theatre so that we can give our opinions of it.We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Giveaway! ITheatre's Poultry Tales!

Comes end of April, it will be a farmyard tale of the best (poultry) kind!

A brand new and interactive musical performance incorporating three famous feathered friends – the stars of three classic tales:

~ The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs, and her greedy owner;

~ The Little Red Hen, with bread to bake, but lazy friends;

~ and Chicken-Licken - with that scary acorn!

This talkative trio of feathered friends will sing, dance, show and tell you their tales and give you a peek into the world of Theatre Stage from the inside out.  

The wild and wacky characters and well-known folk tales are presented in fun ways that help us to understand both the themes and morals, but along the way also reveal valuable secrets of how a Musical is made!

The play will explore key themes of: 

• Cooperation,
• Rewards for hard work,
• Knowing who to trust,
• Disbelieving rumours,
• The Dangers of Avarice
• The dangers of judging others
• How a theatre play is staged and the roles of backstage crew

I am pleased to share that I have 2 x family set of tickets to give away!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

:: Terms and Conditions

1.                   These tickets will be to the 30 April 10.30am show. 

2.                   Winner is to collect the tickets directly from I Theatre office @ 27 Kerbau Road by 27 April (no onsite collection is allowed) during office hours.

3.                   Tickets are not exchangeable for cash or for other dates.

4.                   Please remember to leave a comment below on "Which Poultry character you like best and why?"

5.                  The giveaway is not endorsed, associated with administrated by Facebook.                  
6.          As the play takes place in Singapore, this giveaway is opened only to Singapore Residents. GOOD LUCK! 

Can't wait for the giveaway results? You can purchase tickets here!

:: Event Date

Sat, 29 Apr - Sun, 14 May 2017

10.30am & 2pm

:: TICKET PRICES (Not including SISTIC Fees):                                                     

	Standard Ticket
Adult/Child	$32.00
Family Package (4 Persons)	$121.60
Big Family Package (5 Persons)	$144.00
Corporate Groups (min 20 persons)	25.60

:: Venue

Drama Centre Theatre

Disclaimer: The giveaway is kindly sponsored by I Theatre. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Review: Singapore Repertory Theatre's Peter Rabbit

Being a bookworm, the kiddo grew up with lots of wonderful classic titles. It is from these wonderful tales that she was carried away to different places on different adventures. Beatrix Potter's  Peter Rabbit was one of the stories that she grew up with where she progressed on to read the rest of the stories in the series on her own.

Perhaps it is because of Peter's cheekiness or that rabbits are just plain cute, the kiddo was very taken with this story from young (our late bunny was named Flopsy!) and was really excited to catch this play in action, presented by Singapore Repertory Theatre.

:: The plot
Peter Rabbit is the only boy in the family to a pair of sisters. Being the only boy (and to the sisters' chagrin) he hardly helped out with the chores at home and the sisters were forever picking up after him.

One afternoon, after their mother left home, the siblings got into an argument and in a fit of anger, Peter decided that he would be better looking for another home.

Or so he thought...

Straight from the "get-go", Peter's adventure seems to have had a bumpy start when he bumped into his cousin Benjamin rabbit. They were both caught stealing from Mr McGregor's garden. (At this juncture, I must say that Mr McGregor had the most outrageous "mask" ever which had the kiddo laughing hysterically when he entered onto the stage).

Peter managed to have a narrow escape and wondered off into the woods where he bumped into his first friends - Squirrels. The Squirrels were friendly and all but he soon learnt that they are too different especially with his near "mis-adventure" with the forest Owl!

So off Peter Rabbit went, hippity hop where the Mice family who sews for a living.  Unfortunately Peter lacks the sewing skills and (without revealing too much) met a furry roadblock, ending his stay with the Mice family earlier than expected.

The third animal he met was the Hedgehog, who was also my favorite. The actress totally "rock" the persona and her song performance was impressive. The kiddo and I were both clapping and cheering her on! (Just check out the photo below! LOL)

More than that (and with her rock star image aside), she was quite the voice of conscience who dished out motherly advice to Peter who came to realise that there's no place quite like home, and reflected upon his relationship with his sisters.

A lively and fun play which brings across the message of the importance of family (and forgiveness too!) suitable for even preschoolers. Though Dumpling is in Primary 3 now, I too found myself, riding on this opportunity, whispering to her that all of us do make mistakes and that as a family, we will always love her despite any bad decisions. Because, that's what families are for. 

:: Event Dates

Friday, 24th Feb to Fri, 14 April

Weekends & Public Holidays: 11am and 2pm 

Weekdays: 10am 

Click here to book your tickets! 

:: Venue

KC Arts Centre - Home of SRT

Disclaimer: We were invited by Singapore Repertory Theatre to watch the play and share our opinions and thoughts about it. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!