Spain Part 2

Had to upload the pics from our Spain trip slowly cause the resolutions are way to high and my home Internet speed is way too slow! Not too sure how picasa could speed up the process either.. anyway here are more pics of us enjoying ourselves in Spain.

Just a little bit of history on this famous historic architecture which we've visited...

Sagrada Familia or the Sacred Family is a privately funded catholic church. The proceeds that tourist spends or donates would go into the building of this structure which is taking eons to complete. This was the last work of the renowned catalan artist - Antonio Gaudi (1852 - 1926), who died without seeing the completion of this masterpiece. According to records, the church first began construction in 1988 and it still remain in complete to date. There is still a 3rd dimension which has yet to begin construction. Spanish guides mentioned that the aim of the government is to complete this structure by 2026 to commemorate Gaudi's 100th year death anniversary. By then perhaps we should revisit Barcelona again to see Sagrada in it's full form!

Pics below would give you a glimpse of how difficult it is to build this. The architecture is a combination of both art and science. Take for instance the roof structure. The idiosyncratic intertwinning beams which stretches out like trees with branches that supports the dreamlike roof top is not just aesthetically appealing but functional as well. The branch like roof forms a web concentric pattern that allows amplification of music. Amazing isn't it? Even the materials to be used for the beams and stain glass windows were specially chosen. No wonder it took so long to build =) But the final site is definitely worth the wait.

Anyway more of the interior. We took the spiral stairway leading to the top of the cathedral. Fortunately for us they have constructed the lift by the time we visited so we paid a small token to travel up and make our way down by foot. The scaredy cat me was so afraid of height. To be honest it's not just the height but it feels a little claustrophobic and bits of the stairway were so narrow or without railing that you have to thread real carefully... but this is erm at the tail end of the tower ..pretty close to walking from the fifth storey down. We took forever up in the tower as I had to take loads of scenic photos. The view was simply too magnificent and mesmerising.

BB's not working

I am sooo getting an iphone! This bb of mine is not working properly! Tried so many means and ways to type in a post but it just doesnt work! Cant be the firewall issue since I cant even use it when connected to home network. Think it's a editing thing .. which is too techy for me to resolve. Anyway, my company is organising a iphone purchase roadshow at highly discounted price. Will get a iphone4 so Chris and I could skype and Nat could see her daddy via video calls.

Pics from our spain trip

Destination : Barcelona - Part 1

Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

 





Most comfy and artistic seat which I've come across. It literally sinks and take the shape of your butt when sat on.





 

Spainish Village





Barcelona Fiesta









nat at school

Natalie had been super good today! She was participative and interested in the learning delivered by her teachers. She helped lao shi keep the toys as she sang "hei yo hei yo keep your toys!"My little girl has grown and is ready to take on larger responsibilities.

Teacher Eliza brought out a tank of insects and she was not afraid of the crickets at all! Waited in anticipation as the tank of crickets get passed around and she even offered to help Teacher eliza hold the tank! What a brave little girl! Some little ones squealed and squirmed as the teacher handed them the tank. It was fabulous to watch Natalie make the initiation and this was definitely a major milestone as she overcome the fears and cries to start enjoying and participating in the course. Of course pre-preparation of the topics beforehand does play some part in calming the nerves as well.

Attached are pics of her enjoying her snacks (I believe it's her fav part of the day as she savoured her food slowly and insisted on finishing every single piece! )

Trip Pics

Wanted to upload these photos whilst touring but didnt get a chance to as hubby's pc couldnt read the SD card.. Anyway enjoy..

We are back!

We've been away from Natalie for slightly more than 2 weeks. Been travelling around Spain and Paris.. missed our daughter so so so much! However we both know that she is definitely in good hands! My little girl has been well taken care of by her Granny and YiYi who helps ferry her to and from classes over the weekends. She has grown so tall and matured so much over the past weeks! I felt like I've missed a huge chunk of her development. Yiyi who plays with her over the weekend sends pics of her via email and I was so shocked to see the resemblance of myself in her! She is starting to look so much like me.. Ok may be a bit like her daddy too. =) She gave each of us long hugs when we reached home and showed us all the new toys and gadgets which she had received whilst we were away. The flowering plant with planting tools seems to top the list (purchased by popo). She is also now so skilled with legos, she could arrange, stack and return the pieces back to the storage box. It's so amazing how she self taught the skill of packing her legos without assistance from the adults. At this time it's just legos, but I am sure we could somehow cajole her into returning the rest of her toys into the designated places in time to come.

Missed her weekend lesson. Was told by granny that as usual, she hated removing her socks and kicked up a big fuss for having got to do it else she would not be allowed in class. She wanted to keep her toy animals when the teachers asked all to return them.... Anyway, last week she was taught one of her favourite animals - Frog.

FYI She has a medium sized out-door pond setup just outside grandparents' place where she keeps frogs and tiny gold fishes. She visits them every morning and each time she would say/ Hi to the frogs in the her babyish voice pointing to her "frog frog frog!". So saying frog is not an issue for her. She amazed and aced through the class with her proclamations of 'FROG'. Granny mentioned that she said frog for every paper frog she paste on her drawing block! Eliza, the only teacher whom she has allowed to hug her... was amazed with her speech ability given that she is the youngest in class =).

See how much actions I've missed that day !

Conversations with grandma

Sy:" Hi, how are things back home?
Popo:" ok,natalie has been watching some tv, and DVDs but She is ok.
Sy:"can I talk to her?"
Popo:" better not you will only upset her... She looked at your photo today and started to tear. Such a sensitive child, she really misses her mummy. Looking at her makes me feel like crying too.

Popo:" ...stop calling so often. You've left her with me so go enjoy yourself!
-----dial tone------

Sy:" How was school? Did she enjoy her time with her friends? "
popo:" Ya, she did. Seems like it's more for the parents though.... She didn't want to remove her socks. Struggled So hard and cried and cried with her might!looking for mummy. But she got over it... "

Sy:"...what is natalie doing? Can I talk to her?"
popo:"she is fine.having her dinner now better don't talk... She cried for no reason today. We went to the garden with junior this morning, she saw am woman with a baby and started crying. I had to bring her to a neighbour's place before she felt better again. Think it's better if you don't talk to her today else after the call she'll start crying again.

Barcelona- La Toja

We've been anticipating this trip since Sharon's resignation. It gets more and more difficult as we head closer to the departure date. Sharon kept saying how much she'll miss Nat and even wants to to bring some of her belongings along and kept asking if it's possible to bring baby along. I really would like to bring Nat as well but this would mean inconveniencing Liang Hwee and wife. Since we are the only ones who would need to take diaper breaks, feed and cook for Natalie at meal times.. and what's more how is she going to adapt to the time difference at such a young age.

Anyway final decision is not to bring Nat and she will be well looked after by her care givers : Popo, Gong Gong, Sunarti and Rach. We've prepared so many flash cards to keep her little brians occupied and with school starting on Sat, Rach has kindly agreed to help us ferry little Nat to and from school. Heard from my mother in -law that she cried so hard the first day as she didnt wish to remove her socks. Guess she has associated socks removal with injections and that created a huge impact! She squelled and kicked the last we met Veronica ( her PD). Fortunately mummy was there to pacify .. mummy always has a way around Nat. So with Mummy gone I guess she must be feeling really petrified and upset. But she'll learn... it's a phase that she has to overcome with tears and sweat or whatever it takes.. I am sure popo managed to make her happy again after the episode. =) Glad that they are around to keep a good eye on her so we could enjoy and not worry about what's happening back home!

Zoo trip!

Managed to get hold of a free zoo pass for the weekends!! Haven't had time to upload the pics till now.. enjoy..







Bubbles

pics of natalie playing at the void deck and first encounter w bubbles.

daddy has been away

Daddy has been away for more than 2weeks and we miss him so much. Especially when we are constantly reminded of the mishap and incompetence of the philippines police it makes the family worry about his safety as he visits one city after another. The manilla police obviously didn't train their soldierS well. With the ex-police officer holding foreigers hostage seeking foreign media coverage, thinking it's a great platform to voice his grievances? No wonder their highly trained squad team under the instruction of a silly commanding officer couldn't even strategise or let alone use the basic theories of negotiation, which I guess many of the CSI or Criminal minds fans out there would definitely do a much better joB at understanding criminal mentality. Anyway I've digressed..


The initial nights were the most difficult. Nat calls out for her papa before she sleeps. Every slight sound related to door opening, car honking or reversing she would jump out of bed and ru towards the room door inSisting on physically checking if papa is home. When we ask her where is papa she point up as though sayng that he took off on a plane. Pains us really to see how stressed she could be over her papa's trip and amazes me of how much info she could absorb at this stage!