Exploring Jakarta: Taman Safari

Our family's first safari experience and it was in Indonesia! Our favorite part of the world - Southeast Asia! Of course, we are biased!

The trip to Taman Safari, albeit challenging with kids, is so delightfully educational and sweet. What an adventure is was to see all the animals so free and happy. So unlike the animals in Doha Zoo (well, at least before, now that Doha Zoo is undergoing rehabilitation - we will see!)

But then this was a safari, not a zoo, duh! The good thing was that we went with our hosts' car all throughout the safari - pretty cool just driving through the safari. There were lions, elephants, giraffes, lama, camels, zebras, rhinoceros, monkeys, gorillas, anteaters and all other animals the kids would love to see (if I have missed out anything at all!)

We intend to see more safaris in the future and Taman Safari is a great kick start for this type of family adventure!

More about Taman Safari in the link.

i was really very tempted to talk about "interdependence" during the safari ride hahaha

taken really close to the car window - yikes, Mr. Deer!

gotta love all the animals coming at us! the shout and the scream of the kids - priceless! 

hello there, Mr. Zebra - the donkey with the black and white stripes! 

Our Little Mr. Elephant was too overwhelmed with elephants - he insisted on getting out of the car the moment the safari ride started - we saw elephants first! 

and oh look - elephants!

uuugghh - this is too close for comfort! 

okay not so amused here as we are so used to camels! hahaha

all set with her tiny carrots!

hello there again Mr. Deer!

here you go Mr, Lama! What pretty eyelashes you have!

don't stick your head inside pleaseeeeee!

bamboos - I can't believe they are so amused with this - their mother grew up with bamboos everywhere! 

the cheeky monkey all set with his bananas to feed the animals - if only he was not that scared - haha!

Thanks be to God for great friends and great adventures with family!


Keep exploring!
  

Exploring Turkey: Hasan Boguldu

It's almost perfect to have picnic in most of the places in Turkey. We went to Hasan Boguldu this time of the year and the weather was blissful for a picnic. We definitely had a great time outside exploring nature! 

And there's more to Hasan Boguldu than a nature park and picnic area. There's a legend behind the place and the name. And we love stories! Chatting to kids about the name of the place and the story that happened way back makes it more interesting. Eating outside, our feet enjoying the flowing cold water, cool breeze blowing, trees are humming, clear sky highlighting the perfect scenario! Trees, stream, we were almost one with nature. A good memory to cherish especially when we will burn in extreme heat in the dessert for this summer. Figuratively, of course. 

How lucky we were that as children we were able to play with trees, swim in stream without even an entrance fee! Those were the great times being a kid. 

Anyway, back to Hasan Boguldu's story. Hasan is a very romantic man. Hasn Boguldu literray mean     "Hasan drowned."He fell in love with a woman who lived up in the mountain. Back then, they discriminate locals living from the lowland. People from the mountain thinks that men from that area were not good enough, not strong enough. The woman and the woman's family wanted him to prove himself and his strength by carrying a sack of salt from the lowland to the mountain. He carried it until he reached the waterfalls. He realized that he could not carry the sack anymore s he threw himself to the waterfalls because of shame. His body was found and the waterfalls was given the name "Hasan Boguldu." 

Lesson of the story? Well, apparently it is true - lowland men are not strong enough. Haha! I know there are several versions to this story but that is the one we know for now. 

Well, the water from the area is really fresh to drink! We didn't get a chance to swim but it looked refreshing. We had a nice time enjoying nature in Hasan Boguldu. We are hoping that the kids will remember the memories. We might be coming back in Hasan Boguldu anyways in the near future, who knows. 

Entrance to the picnic area!

There is also a trekking up the mountain!

BBQ station!

The place is a bit "commercialized" too as there are vendors selling stuff which could have easily been forgotten for picnic such as spices, fruits - of course we didn't forget anything as the grandparents are really so organized!

the hanging bridge close to the falls!

the falls!

FIRE! Let's BBQ! 

What an extremely peaceful place! 

A typical picnic table - awesome, right? 

It was a great experience and definitely a summer to remember for the Turknoys! Good times!

Keep exploring!

Exploring Edremit: Altar of Zeus

Another semi-trekking opportunity for us is to visit Altar of Zeus in Edremit, Turkey. How cool it is to visit the altar for Zeus, no other than the King of the Gods during the Polytheist Era! Gotta love that  idea, if not the long walk up under the pine trees. It is approximately 900 meters to reach the altar from where we parked the car.

The altar is a huge rock on the edge of the cliff with a small stair carved to the rock to get to the altar. Right after this stair is a plane rectangular surface. The view is simply breathtaking.  A real splendid landscape!

This is definitely one summer activity for kids in Turkey. A lesson in mythology and geography at the same time! Awesome!

K1 dreading the trek up to the Zeus Altar - 900 meters to go! 

K2 already looking tired while Dad is very happy! 

Leng and Betul and the gorgeous view of Adetepe village (almost visible)

closer view of Adetepe village from the trek leading to Zeus Altar!

we just love the view going up!

View from Zeus Altar! Heavenly 

Kids got tired so they sat on the altar! 

By the cliff of the altar, other side of the view! Still breathtaking!

Keep exploring!

Exploring Istanbul: Princess' Island

We've done a lot of exploring (while shivering at that) of the Princesses' Island during the winter. However, the best season to explore the island is during the summer and we've done that as well. 

We have enjoyed viewing the old Ottoman houses and poising at these fabulous houses. Oh how we wished we could own one someday! Who knows?! Dreamin' in the summer. 

What's so special about exploring in the summer is the trekking fun. Since the other side of the family is Christian (Roman Catholic), the Turk family thinks it is best for us to see churches all over the country. And there is one church on Princess' Island, just one trek away from the beach. And what a magnificent view of Istanbul we had experienced while climbing all the way to the top of the island. Church and the view - great reasons to burn calories trekking. Our little lady sure enjoyed the day in nature! And we will definitely miss this exploring this time of the year! 

The Pinay Auntie and the Turk Auntie 

Picnic Area in the Princess Island! 

All set to climb! 

posing in between trek

barely walking up ;) 

see the gorgeous view - awesome! 

loving the view and posing here and there! 

natural water! awesome! 

refreshed for posing!

and we get to pray - Catholic style in Istanbul island! 

inside the church writing her "WISH"

the view of Istanbul from the Princess Island! 

the other side of Istanbul from other side of the island!

Keep exploring!

For Kids Friday: Butterfly from Egg Carton

Our princess is checking out the trash and saw the egg cartons we plan to recycle. After ten minutes of golden silence from the pre-schooler, she presented her beautiful butterfly made from the egg carton. Awesome!

She was very proud of her recycled fancy butterfly!

Butterfly from egg carton!

Keep exploring!