Xmas day @the city

I was at the office working on Xmas day (is it odd that this year all of my work days fall on all those important holiday; including Eid? hurmm). Anyway, one weird fact hit me to know that here, everything is shut dead today.. so people could stay home and spend their Xmas with their family (how lucky). This includes all of the public transportation ie; buses, trains and tube! So today, the city is suppose to be empty and clear. Knowing that, I went out to snap some memorable pictures of the-quiet-streets around the city - that is streets that I walked to & flo from office to Trafalgar square.

Yes, it is much much quieter... but still there are some people who still enjoy walking by the empty city (maybe they are opportunist like me ;) ). All those shops, big or small are all closed. But as I'm nearing the end of Regent St toward Picadilly Circus, I saw few shops open, Starbucks is serving their hot coffee! With plenty of cold-thirsty people lining up. And at the back is Donut & Bagel - also open for business. They sure know when is the best time to rip-off profits!

To my not-so-surprise-anymore, i even passed by many tourist lining up to go into Ripley's Believe-it-or-not center. Wow.. how come it's open? And then Angus Steak House - full with people dining in. Well i guess it's not as dead as i tot it would be.
I don't celebrate Xmas.. but living ere, i feel that I need to blend in the spirit and see how they actually celebrate it from my own point of view, not from the-typical tv-fairy tales. Am sure bummed that it's not a whity Xmas tho... it could have been soo picture-perfect! ;)

Fun nite @Winter wonderland

Yesterday we brave ourselves to take Myra out for a fun nite out through the winter. But luckily, the weather has been nice for the past few days, not too cold (by not too cold I mean 10 degree celcius jugak! still.. )

They have set up a very nice fun fair (or what they call Winter Wonderland) somewhere around Hyde Park, can't believe that it's a temporary.. looks so strong and permenant-like building (like the kind you'll see in Disneyland). Fairy wheels all over, haunted house, surround musics -almost too magical for a young at heart.. hiks.

There are many fun rides for the kids, one of which includes a super high gelongsor with 6 slopes! (which actually called Giant Toboggan snow slide.. err i think) you can just imagine how hyper a kid could get when skidding down with it! Seb baik.. Myra is still too young to say ''Mommy mommy I wanna ride that!''. I even saw a kid literally rolling over the ground screaming to his dad just so he can play the Snow Ball Bungee Demo (which is a super cool trampoline by the way, if only I could join.. hehe).
There are also German Market set around the park, which sell foods, drinks and many souvenirs mainly for the Christmas season. It's kinda tradition -that is according to Seb.

But my main objective for a winter-nite out is to see the outdoor ice rink, i tot it's gonna look so cool and romantic like that movie in Serendipity- where people skate around the lake or park or something in the middle of New York, but to my dissapointment, it didn't even come close to it. The ice rink set is just like any normal one you'd see in the supermarket (except it's outdoor).. so much for my high imagination.. hurm.. mebbe i hafta look for more.. there are plenty of other places that have ice rink set up for the holiday season.. i just didn't get the chance to go... just yet. Well.. anyway, back to mah story bout our outing..

The actual reason for last nite outing was for Myra play date with Elena; Seb's adorable daughter, she's all smiley and friendly just like Myra. They sure connected well. Like usual, Myra babble some baby chat then gave Elena some kisses; how so cute to see a baby loving another baby. ;)

All in all we sure had our fun nite out with Seb and family.. it is nice to finally go out to enjoy the winter, who knows how long we gonna be ere, might not make it for the next season.. heh..

Even the one thing that annoys me most when going out on weekend nite like any normal family- the disasterous traffic jam, not only on the road.. the park itself were packed with people that I think we had to walk 0.1cm/sec! (well maybe that's a bit exaggerated.. but still!) seems to keep me smiling..

London, you sure did get me this time ;)

Shud I be worried?

Hurm.. if my lil GIRL is showing a massive lasak-ness at her age, is it normal?
She's climbing table, chairs, sofas, be it asal ade angle yang panjatable, she'll there. Even the chokia IKEA side table pun become her rest place..yup.. as shown on picture, that's her.. trying her best to turn herself up in between the small spaces of that side table that I'm talking about... (actually, not sure if it qualify as a side table or a TV bench or something- it came with the so-called ''furnished'' house).
Today, Aizal as a concern daddy tried a new trick to make all the dining chairs un-panjatable by putting it elsewhere or in a difficult angle that climbing is impossible. And guess what she did? She hang onto the table (yes..lika lil monkey!) and scream her lungs out that she can't climb to the top of the table like usual.

Shud i be be worried??!!

Am I allowed to paranoid now?

London for dummies part II

In UK (more specifically in London for me) if you are not dying or bleeding, you better cross your finger and hope to get well on your own. I am again frustrated by the so call excellent NHS services. I was told by many of my friends who live here that if your baby isn't well, they would be given first priority to see a doctor, let it be in GP clinic or in the hospital, irregardless of their sickness- big or small. But to our unfortunate moment, we were told otherwise, TWICE!

Sure, here we have to pay for our own National Insurance monthly by the unwilling cut they made from our salary. So, is it too much to ask if our baby is sick, and we, as a concern parents need to seek for medical treatment or advice even? If it is too much.. then, what are we paying for?

Myra isn't feeling well for the past 3 days. If in Malaysia, we would just walk to a clinic and see a doctor, but here.. they seem to find many many different excuses for not wanting us to come and see the doctor..and don't get me started on the medicine.. lagiiii kemut badak!


Last month, we went to our GP for myra jab, and one of the nurse claim that baby clinic is open on Monday but at the opposite center- no appointment needed. So, fine.. we came back the next week, and the same S*&*%d nurse was there.. he said to come to the previous clinic which we've been to last week in the afternoon, he said the baby clinic is open everyday after 2.30pm- no appointment needed. OK, fine.. we just follow the flow. Sabar sabar..

But this time, again, when Aizal took Myra to see the GP, the same S*$@^& d nurse said the baby clinic is not until Monday! FGyroajhcauyfcuahca%^^@!#!!

Then a friend advice me to take Myra to the nearest hospital, as they have an emergency dept for kids. She said the dept are to entertain any cases, not just a traumatic emergency. Boy, how I regret going there..

The snob nurse not only told us that we aren't s'pose to be there (cos apparently, a sick baby should wait to see the GP whenever the GP is available.. so if we have to wait for a week, we just have to wait for a week). She add, you only bring a kid here if she either can't breathe, bleeding or have a serious fracture; in other word.. if bleh tahan tak mati.. jgn datang hospital!

After an hour or two of waiting with frustration, we then ushered to see the pediatrician , but yup.. as i suspected, the doctor here seem to memorize the same line ''this is viral infection that has been going around to everyone, there's nothing i can provide you to heal, it'll go by itself''

Sabar je aku.. dah berjam-jam jalan gi hospital dalam sejuk.. waited and being told-off, this is what we get in return of our monthly cut for National Insurance. typical..

to Raye or Not to Raye

I think I almost forgot what it feels like to celebrate Hari Raye, let it be Aidilfitri or Aidiladha...
this morning I woke up feeling just as normal.. there's no sound of pots and pans in the kitchen nor screams of children let alone any raye song in the air..
will my Hari Raye will always be as empty? for how long more? hurmm..
To lift out a bit of our hari raye mood.. I baked chocolate cake, cook some lontong and serve it with the serunding (that we managed to smuggle from Malaysia.. but I swear, not worth the risk! there's a sniffing dog waiting for you in Heathrow! so do bare THAT in mind before you decide to bring any food into UK! We were lucky enuff that the dog got distracted with a chinese woman who then got caught with her dried fish! fyuhh).. anyway, back to my raye story..
I even dress Myra's up in her too-big-a-abaya that I bought from Doha just before moving here.. mmm.. maybe next year it'll fit nicely ;)
And before touching all those simple raye dish, i snug into my black hari raye kurung-which is a lovely gift from Ibu.. thanks again bu.. love the design!

There, I have tried my best, but yet.. still.. it isn't enuff.. it's not raye enuff, plus, I am now in my office.. yes... working.. like i always did.
To those who could actually feel the spirit of hari raye, Selamat Aidiladha.. hope you enjoy your day.. best wishes from us in our gloomy raye day in london..