Half-Term Break: The Ice Rink at Natural History Museum

Assalamualaikum

When the girls saw the ice rink and other kids skating at Natural History museum, they got excited and completely forgot about going to Hyde Park. They instantly begged me to go for skating..Oh not again..and it was impossible girls! Kesian..but they did not have any skating experience..so it's a big no. But after they watched a few kids and adults fell off onto the ice they stopped begging me. Hehe..

The day was beautiful! It was pretty bright and sunny hence the place was crowded since it was school holiday. Due to the warm weather, the ice quickly melted and the rink was quite slippery so it's quite challenging for the skaters. Nonetheless, the number of skaters increased towards the evening and the place was happening!

For the tickets if i'm not mistaken, it was GBP8 for each child and GBP13 for each adult and can be bought at the ticket counter nearby. The price is still considered cheap at the moment because usually the price will go up during Christmas and Chrismas school holiday like in previous year. 

We just enjoyed watching other people skating. The girls still had fun though they did not have a chance to skate. Happy aje, dan seronok tengok the staffs skating while showing some ballerina skills. Had a good time indeed. Good girls, mummy love you two! ;)

Later, i'd treated them both a ride on a marry-go-around for being sporting. They both were thrilled! Hehe. Luckily, Zafri felt asleep! Sebab dia tak cukup tinggi, ketidak sure mengamuk nak naik jugak ikut Along and Angah huhu. 

Actually, children who are below the specifiied height could still go on a marry go around but must be accompanied by their parents. But in my case, nobody can keep an eye on our belongings if i had to joined in..tak pelah Zafri maybe next time plak..;))

Anyway the girls had fun riding on a marry-go-around. They moved so fast! It was hard to take their picture without being blurred. Haha. Anyway, I'd enjoyed taking their pictures and others. The picture below was my favourite! i just simply loved the clear blue sky and the magnificent building of Natural History museum. I miss both already..:'( (now the weather is already cold, dull and gloomy. Sejuk, brrr..!!)

We stayed there until Zafri awaked and Babah finished his work. Babah and Zafri also enjoyed the crowds. After having some chips and juice, we took bus to go to Bayswater to eat and pray at Malaysian Hall canteen. Afterwards we managed strolling at Kensington Gardens and played at Princess Diana Memorial Park until it closed.

Phewww, all have done in a day! It's so tiring but always satisfying..we really enjoyed ourselves..the most important thing that my kids were happy. Alhamdulillah. :)

Half-Term Break: V & A Museum

Assalamualaikum

Finally, we minus Babah managed to visit Victoria & Albert museum during half-term break last week. Babah did not joined us as he got to finish his experiment at the lab..poor Babah. Hopefully, Babah will finish it soon. Amin...!

Like other museums such as Natural History and British Science museum, V & A museum's admission is also free. Best, kan! So we did not want to miss visiting it.

At the entrance, we were given a pamphlete about children current activity held in the museum. There were quite number of activities that were interesting to join in.

First we decided to watch a children theatre as we have never experienced it before. It was only 25 minutes performance but it was more than enough. Kids cepat boring, kan? Almost at the end ramai dah main naik turun tangga theatre hall tu including my kids :D but the theatre was not bad at all. The performer pandai attract the kids' attention and made them participated as well ;)

After the theatre, we thought to have a lunch at a cafe inside the museum but we'd found the lunch hall on the way down to the cafe! So apalagi, buka bekallah weols. Jimat..hihihi. Mummy sempat solat zuhur lagi kt situ..alhamdulillah.

After lunchie, we visited the art and jewellery gallery but it's not too long. Zafri dah boring, ngantuk and start merengek tak nak duduk dalam stroller. Uncontrollable for me..so i decided to make a move and that's end of our museum tour that day.

In conclusion, V & A museum is the least attractive museum for kids. The art painting was too high for kids to see and the bare-naked scultures were too much for them. Zahin said the place was haunting, tu diaa. Dia dah la memang penakut macam mummy haha..so tak sesuai!

For adults, there are many to be seen and digested in this museum. Kene amik masa juga. Too bad i did not have a chance to see the royal bridal wedding dress and Islamic section. Huhu maybe next time with Babah plak or when the kids get older..in shaa Allah kalau ada rezeki dan panjang umur. Amin..! :))

Next, we planned to go to Hyde Park but we skipped it as soon as we saw the ice rink at Natural History Museum's compound. Wee! The girls squealed in delight and begged me to go there hihi.

Ok Will share about it in the next post..in shaa Allah.

Petticoat Lane Market vs Old Spitalfields Market

Assalamualaikum

London have numerous Sunday markets. But all this while we never go such crowded place especially on weekend. Our kids safety is always be our priority. :)

But since they are much older now so we guess we're ready to take them there. So we took train from Seven Kings station and it took us 20 minutes before stopped at Liverpool Street station. From LSS, we walked 5 minutes to Petticoat Lane. Just follow the signage and in shaa Allah you will find the market. :) 

It's true that you can get a lot cheaper London souvenirs and merchandise at this market than the ones at Bayswater..

BUT don't expect the market is to be good-looking though it's in the heart of this metropolitan city. Honestly, i felt a bit frustrated and not really safe to be here.  

Many goods are sold there be it authentic or not hence you have to look very carefully especially the leather goods. ;) But good news there are many brand new and branded shoes and clothes at a very cheap price! (of coz rejected from factory) Rambang juga mata ni, last-last beli fridge magnet and London shirts for kids only..1 pound each.! hihi

ni budak yg tak sabar2 nak pakai baju baru..:)

very very cheap London souvenirs 

Other than that please beware of mashbooh (doubtful) halal food shop and stall at the market..omputih yg jual! Huhu. Hubby also went into one halal shop at this lane but he didnt see any halal cetificate inside the shop..tengok-tengok kedai org Turkish, hm kebanyakan diorang ni memang tak boleh dipercayai..so kene check dulu..

the end of the market at Petticoat Lane..

Babah tengok map cari jalan ke Old Spitalfields market plak :)

leka check souvenir masing2..

ummi antang nampak bunga terus suro Iris posing :D Tq iris..u're so sporting :)

Then we made a move to go to Old Sptalfields market hoping there is a reliable halal food shop there..Luckily, the market was near to each other, near to Liverpool Street station so again we just walked there..

 i prefer this market better that the other because the place much cleaner and many things to be seen and to be as a background for our pics as well..hihihi :D

Finally, we were glad to see the food court but unfortunately still cannot find the reliable halal food shop there. Huhu dissapointed again..ada jumpa kedai Kota Satay, but no halal display..:( it's Indonesian and Thailand's..

There were so many international cuisine and patisserie stalls as well but we just skipped them. Not only there're a bit pricey but we can see they were sold by non-Muslims..so tade masa plak nak check tanya whether they're vegetarian or not..sebab ramai sgt orang.

so creative

vintage frames 

vintage car ;)

So we just roaming around the market. Oh yea, it's indoor market..there are many vintage goods are sold at this market..If you are the fan of vintage, this market is totally in for you..;)

nice shop uh, but we just skipped it..my hubby kan pemboikott tegar...no Mc D, no starbucks anymore..

Then we just went back to LSS and luckily we found KFC halal in front of the station..so we went inside and bought a set of family bucket. After doing a lot of walking, it's really good to have hot fried chickens and fries uh..nyum2! Hihi. Then we went home after Asar prayer in one of the baby changing room at the station. (Yup, no faithroom to be seen there. huhu..)

That's all. Wassalam

Stonehenge

First time we went to Stonehenge was in Feb 2007, hubby was doing his master study at Coventry University at that time. But unfortunately the entrance was already closed as we arrived late that day. we forgot that the closing time was early during Winter. Huhu. Since then, we never had a chance to go there again and i kept wishing so that one day we could have the chance.

So last Summer, my cousin came visiting us for a week after had a training at Munich. She was too busy to plan so she just passed it to me. And i was happy to make the tentative for her and I thought that would be our last chance to visit Stonehenge so without further thinking i quickly put it in the tentative! Haha..

On the tentative day and date itself, the weather was extremely bright, dry and sunny. We were glad of the nice weather and really excited to go there. So we quickly packed food to have a picnic there and off we went heading to Wiltshire, about two hours and half driving from our house in East London.

As expected whenever it's sunny, any popular site and place of attractions in all over the UK should be crowded. Indeed, Stonehenge was flooded with people around the world and it caused a slow-moving on the road but still bearable since its still early in the morning. ;)

Alhamdulillah, we arrived there around 11am. There was an ample parking space nearby. After parking the car, we dashed and joined the queue to buy the admission tickets at the ticket tills. It was not taking long until we got our tickets that came along with decent booklet and audio aid about Stonehenge for each person. 

(For more info about the ticket price and more details kindly visit here.)

Luckily, we managed to go to the toilet near the parking lot first because there were none to be seen once you have passed the entrance barrier at the ticket counters. :D BUT unfortunately, we totally forgot to bring the packed food and beverages in the car! Oh my gucci..though there was a shop on the way to the world famous prehistoric monument but apparently it was only a souvenir shop! Huhu..

I was not worried of us the adults, but the kids! They can be cranky without food and drinks. huhu i prayed hard they won't make a scene and thankfully they didn't, phewww. But Iris was bad mood knowing we left our food in the car but luckily without the scene. Poor my lil girl, hungry..:( Zafri was also bad mood and refused to sit in the stroller but it's because the heat and crowds not the food..so hubby and me had to take turns to carry him. 

Fortunately, Zahin was happy and enjoy the place until forgot to eat and drink once she got the audio aid. It  did kept her busy for a while and i truly regretted for not taking the audio aid for her and Iris at the first time and place..huu me being an underestimate of their ability..instead they could make out the explanation better than me about Stonehenge from the operator's who have a heavy british accent..huhu shame on me..haha..even Iris had asked me to open the stones for her because she said the stones were blue-ish colour at the inside. hihihi..and she heard it right when i read the booklet. ;)

Absolutely happy and thankful to Allah the Almighty for the beautiful weather that day, alhamdulillah! :) Not much of camera setting need to be adjusted as there was enough lighting. ;) Only the place was crowded, so it was difficult to take a family photo while people keep passing in front of us..hihi. But luckily the crowds were sporting when they finally noticed us and our tripod so they waited until we done..:P we were shy to the max to pose while they watched at us..made us all stiffed n schema!! haha..

There was obviously none other activities can be done at the site besides watching and taking photos with the stones..hihi. Wish they don't put the barrier like years before then we can go nearer to the stones and touched them..:P Anyhow, Zafri was once passed the barrier and wanted to escape toward the stones but hubby was really fast to catch  him. Phewww..and since then he was tightly monitored n guarded by us or in the stroller..hihi..

How i wished i didn't forget to bring along the food and drinks. So jealous seeing other people having a good time picnic at the site. Some of them even sleeping okkk..(sorry no pic, afraid to take without a permision..:P) maybe they wanted to spend long time there until sunset..i dunno but clearly not for us..cant wait that long especially when it's summer where Maghrib was around 9pm..huhu cant imagine how my kids could stand it even for another hour without food, drinks and other entertainment there..(the lunch was already due..:D)

We enjoyed taking photos here and there at the site..but had to find less crowd spot to do the private photoshoot. ;D Looking at others who made a jump photo, i took the chance to do the same too!  i was not too shy to jump if no one watching. :P  but cannot do the high-jump one lar...berat! hahahaha...but hubby who took my jump-photo said it was graceful...yer la tu...hihi but thank you, Sayang! Love you..;D

Only towards the end, the kids seemed to be laid-back. Iris also smiling when i took her photo on Babah's shoulder. Good girl! Zahin nowadays very hard to take her pictures, so we took her in candid! :D While Zafri was also relax but still refused to smile..hihi...we let him out of stroller so he can play with the grass for a while..and hubby quickly took photo of him showing the dried grass. Love the shot! :)

My cousin, Along Ya was happy too, she said the place was awesome! hihi Glad that she enjoyed it and we couldn't believed we were there! hihi. Then, she was being our family photographer at the side, i loveee the pic so much though Iris n Zafri didn't look at the cammie ;D! so credit to Alg Ya..;) And I was being her photographer too, i took quite number of pictures of her but using her own camera..hopefully she likes the outcomes. hihi.

check it out ;)

At this point, our tummy had already been growling for along time..:D we were extremely hungry and thirsty! huhu...can't wait to eat my nasi berlauk already..hihi...When we arrived at the exit (back at the entrance area), we were surprised to see more crowds in a very long queue..Phewww, luckily we came early! hihi..and luckily we already bought the souvenirs (fridge magnets only ;D) earlier ..seriously didn't think could wait in such a queue. :D 

And cannot wait any longer to eat and drink!!! hahaha...panasss, so thirsty okkk..on the way to carpark, the kids wanted ice-creams and cookies so we stop-by at the stall for a while to buy for them..kesian derg, too hungry and too thirsty. So they had their yummy starter on the way to the car before eating proper meals.

moral of the story, don't ever forget to bring your food and drinks! Huhu..

Anyway, so relieved to get to the car and without any delay took out the food basket. There were picnic tables provided but we prefer to sit on the grass near the car..and at the same time, the kids got to running around the huge field. While my cousin and i were happily eating and just sitting and chit-chatting..Hubby took the Eins to see the sheep not far, but they did not dare to go near though..:P On the other hand, Zafri was clinging to me all the time..enjoying all the food and drinks with ummi and amiya (he refers to my cousin ;D). 

Finally, i was glad that all of us had a great time at Stonehenge! i guess that would be the first and the last visit..but glad it was awesome and for the nice weather so couldn't ask for more..alhamdulillah!

So long, Stonehenge. :):)