Building Memories in Legoland

This was our first out-of-the-country trip with the three kiddos from my side of the family. Our first stop was Legoland, Malaysia. I actually think this was the highlight of the whole trip to Malaysia.

To get to Legoland we flew Air Asia to Kuala Lumpur. Air Asia is a budget carrier so we checked in through NAIA Terminal 4 and landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2, where all the Air Asia planes arrive and depart. If my understanding is correct it's Malaysia's low cost carrier terminal. We transferred to another plane, still Air Asia, to go to Johor Bahru, where Legoland was.

For two nights, we stayed at Tune Hotel. It was a budget hotel that was pretty decent. It was airconditioned, we were given towels and toiletries, hot and cold powerful shower, decent bed and linen. It was really just for us to rest and sleep for the night.

Tune Hotel: budget-friendly place but a good place to stay

One whole day in Johor was dedicated just for Legoland. We hired a van to take us to Legoland. It was a 10-15 minute ride. Drivers reach 120 kph there even if they have a minimum speed close to our country.

My niece with her E-ticket

My mother got us tickets online and it was cheaper. We didn't need to line up for tickets there. First thought after our Legoland experience, it was really built for children. It was like Lego heaven for them. Rides, playgrounds, food, building lego, it was all for them. Of course, the kids-at-heart like me, enjoyed some of the rides.

The Entrance

We only went around the theme park and chose not to check the water park anymore, because they say you need two days to do both.

From the website: "LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort has seven themed areas of attractions for all ages such as The Beginning, LEGO® Technic, LEGO Kingdoms,Imagination, LEGO City, Land of Adventure and MINILAND. "

I had the chance to try a few rides:

Aquazone Wave Racers. A ride where you will try to(or you may opt not to) avoid being splashed with water. People outside watching may press buttons to blast you with water. How fun is that! I avoided the water mainly because I didn't want my sneakers to get wet.

Me and my hubby trying to avoid the water

My brother trying to blast us with the water

Dragon's Apprentice. A mini-roller coaster. But one or two loops actually gave me butterflies in my stomach. I wanted to try the bigger roller coaster, the Dragon. Unfortunately, when my companions tried the ride, I was in the Baby Care Center.

And the ride I liked the least, the Lost Kingdom, you are in this car that goes through different rooms and you are supposed to shoot things in the room with a lazer gun. Found it boring. I guess, I was too busy taking photos also.

In MINILAND, famous landmarks found in different Asian countries were featured, built using thousands of Lego pieces.They were amazing! Many of the pieces were actually mobile, like boats, planes, cars, trucks, etc. My son loved watching them. 

Bolinao, Pangasinan was the one featured from our country.

The area, though, is quite hot, because you're out in the open under the heat of the sun. Best to view late in the afternoon or before you go home.

This is Bolinao, Pangasinan. Awesome!

KLIA. Another amazing creation!

Intricate details of an airplane in the KLIA

Connected to MINILAND, we also went to this Starwars area. There we watched a short Starwars film. This is a fairly new area in Legoland. Here you can also see the  world of Starwars presented like what can be seen in MINILAND. This one is located indoor and is airconditioned.

We also rode the Legoland Express, the train that takes you around the park. This got us bored after some time. And it was cramped and a little hot.

All aboard!

While on the train, we saw this part of  MINILAND showing Kuala Lumpur: Petronas Twin Towers and KL Tower

My family tried several other things: 

Watched a film in Lego Studio 4D

Dragon: Roller coaster ride for adults. I wish I rode this!

Junior Driving School: my niece and nephew drove Lego cars! It was so fun watching them. At first, the two were scared and seemed like they wanted to go down the cars. After two or three tries, they wanted to do it again and again. They were more confident driving the cars.

This was one of the cars Noah "drove"

My son was left "driving" the stationary Lego cars in the nearby area. And it was so difficult to take him away from the cars, too.

We went and built stuff at BUILD CITY. But my son and I came from the Baby Care Center so we went on a different time while they watched a film in the Lego Studio 4D.

My little boy playing with big Lego

The other kid obviously on a high during his building time

The kids-at-heart having fun, too

Shopping. If you wish to buy Lego from their Big Shop, go and buy already. It is much cheaper in Legoland than it is here in the Philippines. We made the mistake of thinking it would sell at the same price in Kuala Lumpur. We were wrong, it was worth the same as here in our country. Luckily, we found some malls that had them on sale.

Entrance to the Baby Care Center is under the giraffe

One of my favorite places in is the Baby Care Center. This is because I have a little boy who needs to be breastfed and needs to take a nap. The center is a very spacious area, airconditioned, has two restrooms: for adults' use and for changing your child's diaper. The place has about four rocking chairs, a crib, two nursing chairs/areas with curtains and a full length mirror, and a play area with Legos for toddlers. There are a lot of seats, sofas and stools around, so those who are inside won't have to worry about personal space. They also have a pantry, with drinking water, a refrigerator, microwave, and some things that you might need. 

When I used the center, I took advantage of it: breastfed, changed his diaper and clothes, and let him take a long nap. I also had a good amount of rest. The only area for improvement would be to allow the dads to stay inside. They are very conscious about moms who breastfeed, so they do not allow males to stay inside. I thought the place actually had enough space for the dads to be inside but far from the breastfeeding moms. I mean, I needed assistance for some things. A good thing about the center is that the staff assigned there can help you out. When I had to use the restroom, she watched over my napping little boy. Last point about the center, the theme park is not that huge that it would be tiring to go back to the Baby Care Center. Another breastfeeding mom loved the place and couldn't help expressing it to me. I agree!

That little kid sleeping soundly is my son

Breastfeeding area: chairs are so comfortable!

At the end of our adventure was a bonus, a few minutes before leaving, we witnessed a parade of different Lego characters plus the dragon/lion dancers since it was Chinese New Year.

That's my mom and Emmet

Some tips: bring bottled water, snacks, and change of clothes since some of the rides can get you wet. The cool thing was they have a huge dryer nearby these rides. But you have to pay a fee. Wear comfortable and light clothing. Weather can get warm.

The whole experience was surely memorable. I've always been grateful for parents who love traveling and checking out new places, especially those where we can bring our kids. 

I would want to return to Legoland, to the theme park AND the water park. Maybe when my son's a little older and when he's allowed to get on most of the rides.

Thank you, Legoland, Malaysia! This was one journey that was built to last forever!

Travel Lessons from A First-time (and breastfeeding) Mom

I grew up with travel and vacation as part of our family's annual (sometimes more than once) traditions. I am fortunate enough to have parents, especially a mother, who loves to travel. And to this very day, with their grandkids, we continue the tradition. And this time, it was MY first time to travel with my own child. Being a self-declared OC, I was set to prepare well for the travel. We were traveling out of the country for 6 days and 5 nights.

Here are 10 things I did that helped make my first time experience memorable, fun, and manageable: 

1. Start packing at least two days before the trip. I was packing for three persons, my son, husband and myself. I came up with a list, based from what I usually bring, and from what I got from some blogs. This was the first time we were traveling out of the country and first time for my son to ride a plane.

2. Consider the weather. It was quite warm in Malaysia, which was where we went, by the way. I find that it was a good thing, since I only needed to pack light clothing. I had to choose what my son and I would wear, considering the extra clothes needed in case of accidents and unexpected situations.  

Wearing light clothes for the warm weather

3. Research availability and affordability of things. I had to think about bringing disposable diapers or buying from there. Good thing the brand we use, which is Drypers, was available and cheaper in Malaysia. I packed a small pack just in case and then bought a bigger pack from Malaysia. 

My son doesn't like eating spicy food, which was the more easily available there, so we decided to bring bottled/packed food and snacks just in case. Healthy Options provide healthy food that's quite convenient to bring around. A little expensive but saves a lot energy and effort. And my son actually likes to eat them.

I tried looking for yogurt, like the ones here in Manila, and it wasn't easily available. I only found them in big groceries. This is something I feed my toddler that's convenient, affordable, and healthy. I got the Nestle Yogurt Strawberry and Mixed Berries and Acai flavors. The price is pretty much the same. But the one in Malaysia is more user-friendly, it comes with a foldable plastic spoon and a lid. I think the one in Malaysia is creamier also.

As for shopping, my habit was to keep converting. Some people say stop converting and just buy. I say, consider your budget first. And we did buy some stuff, mostly food and lipstick for me, which were really cheaper there.

4. Capture the moments. Okay. This is like cliche. But guess what, sometimes we forget, due to various reasons, the kids start having tantrums, the camera's in the innermost part of the bag, weather's too hot, etc. But when we remember to pose for a photo, we do! There are so many things to capture during these times, from magnificent views, to amazing tourist spots, to what you had for lunch, to your companions priceless reactions. And it will help when you want to reminisce.

5. Agree on responsibilities or tasks with hubby. I would keep the passports and boarding passes. My hubby would carry the baby bag. I would bathe our son, he would dress him. I carry my son mostly, but when he gets too hyper or I feel tired, my hubby gets him from me. I carry him mostly, because I breastfeed him. I sit with the kiddo, he gets our food, or vice versa. And the list goes on.

Hubby carries the little boy and I carry our backpack

6. Speaking of breastfeeding, if you can, breastfeed. I find it very convenient. You do not have to prepare or bring a lot. Although, I had to consider the culture of Malaysia. If there was a nursery/breastfeeding room, I would go and feed there. But I would take advantage of the place. I change my son's diapers and I rest. When I cannot find the nursery room, I use my nursing cover. And at the end of the day, when you're tired from a day of touring, it's convenient to just feed your child immediately in the middle of the night.

7. Using the totseat (it's like a portable chair strap for babies) and Bitybean (a baby carrier), is so helpful. Not all restaurants have high chairs, or you're not really sure how they clean it. So the totseat allows us to seat/strap our son without the hassle of us trying to keep him seated. As for the Bitybean, my forever reliable carrier, it helps me achieve many things, get the baby to sleep, and I do not feel as tired as when I do not use a carrier. (Read about my baby-wearing experiences here.)

Walking to Kuala Lumpur City Center: baby-wearing a sleeping tot 

Noah using the totseat during one of our meals

8. Ask help from companions. I'm blessed with a family who adores my child the way I adore my siblings' children. They volunteer to carry, watch over him, dress him, and play with him when my husband and I cannot, or will not. Haha.

9. Research. Aside from looking for a list of things to pack or breastfeeding stations, I did the itinerary of our trip: places, food that you have to try, churches for Sunday mass, etc. We didn't completely follow it, but at least we had ideas on where to go or what to do. Since we had toddlers/preschoolers with us, I knew I had to look for places that were more or less good for these children. And well, I guess, in more ways, the itinerary helped. But I think because there were too many things to do and places to go, we only did an ocular and maybe should come back to really go and try everything. Haha.

10. Pray. Stay connected with God. Offer the trip. Offer the day. Ask for His blessing. We were blessed to get the chance to go to confession before the anticipated mass. Connecting to God was important, I needed the grace. It kept me more patient (and I fail a lot in this, that's why I needed to pray more) and more flexible. I think it allowed our family to be more accepting and forgiving of the unpleasant things that came with the trip.

Attended anticipated mass at St. John's Cathedral, the confession box was near us allowing us to go to confession

10 simple things. If I have not done my assignment, the journey wouldn't have been as pleasant and unforgettable...

Next stop?

Baguio: My Second Home

No, my ancestors did not come from Baguio. But being brought there every year when I was a little girl probably formed that feeling that Baguio is.

In the later 80s, my grandfather, Daddy Totoy, would bring all of his six children's families to Baguio with him and my grandmother, Mato. Every year around the Independence day weekend, all six families plus the grandparents would travel to the North and go on a vacation. I have to thank Daddy Totoy for giving us that privilege of spending time with our cousins. Daddy would have us stay in a really big two-floor condotel, in Villa Alpino, near Mines View Park. Funny thing is, we usually do the same things every year. We went to Baguio until he was too sick to go up. Daddy had cancer. But even when he was sick, my family would go with him to Baguio. I guess, that's a major reason Baguio always had a place in my heart. We owe it also to Daddy that we, his grandchildren are a lot like brothers and sisters, because of the many times of bonding he provided for us.

Fast forward to the recent years, my family and I would go up to Baguio, but stay in a family friends' place somewhere still near Minesview Park. Until I learned to go to Baguio on my own, with friends.

When we were younger, we would go up to Baguio on a convoy of about six cars. My uncle would provide us with walkie-talkies, my grandmother would give each of us hardboiled eggs for our breakfast on the road. A few stopovers, the most memorable for me is the one in Tarlac, a restaurant where we would have our real breakfast. But I do not remember the name of the place. Haha.

When I went up with friends in the more recent years, we would take the bus from Victory Liner. It was as fun as going up with family.

Now that I have a family of my own, my husband drives through Kennon Road or Marcos Highway to the City of Pines.

There is so much to say about Baguio City. I write about this because of a recent trip last weekend but this time with my fellow brothers and sisters serving the youth of our community.

As I said, I love traveling, I love exploring places and food. Well, not so adventurous about food, but I do like eating as I have mentioned in my earlier posts.

A few places I love going to in Baguio are:

1. Burnham Park
We go there for boating, biking, roller skating/blading (is there such a word?), eating taho (both the regular and strawberry flavor), inihaw na mais, kwek-kwek or fishball.

with my mom near the boating area

biking with my dad watching over me

  

2. Camp John Hay
Back in the days, John Hay had an Ice Cream Parlor, a really cool playground, a mini-golf, and a skating rink. Then as I got older John Hay was more for the new restaurants and shopping and luxury accommodations.

3. The Public Market
Oh wow! The only time I look forward to going to the market. Well, at least, the dry market. When we were younger, cardigans from Baguio was the in thing. All of us cousins would get them, in different colors and patterns. 
And even until now, we would buy fresh strawberries, this peanut butter brand that used to be Enrico's but is now the nameless brand. Thank God we still remember where they are in the market. 
Baguio's famous walis, but they say they are no longer made there. 
And there are the pasalubong: Tantamco and Romana peanut brittle, Rico's lengua de gato, and sometimes the strawberry jam. Sometimes, for pasalubong, I also buy Baguio-made products to give to friends.

4. Mines View Park and Good Shepherd
I put them together because we usually go there for both. Mines View for the view, throwing 25 centavo coins to the locals who might cause tourists a heart attack because they stand balancing on the dangerously inclined mountains of Baguio. Maybe that's the reason many tourists throw coins to them. 

Mines View Park

Mines View is the place for pasalubong also. I remember buying silver jewelry from there. Food trip can also be done there, actually having the same food as Burnham Park.
Good Shepherd: Ube jam, my lola's favorite, strawberry jam, and their strawberry-calamansi drink is a must! Also the view deck is a common photo op place.

5. Food trip!!! My favorite restaurants:

Cafe by the Ruins: a little expensive but really good food and drinks

Pizza Volante: Pizza's are really yummy but so are their pasta and rice meals

O Mai Khan and Cafe Veniz: for sulit monggolian eat-all-you-can (Cafe Veniz has a cheat guide by the way)

Solibao: for your good old lutong bahay that is easy on the pocket

Choco-late de Batirol: need I say more? A warm cup of tsokolate on a cold place = perfect! It is a garden, by the way.

Family time in Choco-late de Batirol

Forest House Bistro and Cafe: I've only gone here once, yet, I never forgot about it. Really good selection of wine. Maybe the good company plus free drinks made it unforgettable.

A new place I tried this weekend, Caffe Picarre. It is owned by a brother from our community. They serve really good pasta and cakes. It is a high end kind of cafe located in SM Baguio. But if you come from Manila, truth is, the prices are actually not expensive. Honestly, I try to avoid going to SM when in Baguio, but Caffe Picarre gives me a reason to go there. Oh yes, and do some grocery shopping. 

Caffe Picarre's Display of Cakes and Pastries

I know there are more, but these are ones that stay with me and I never get tired to go back to these places, each time I go up.


Two years ago, my hubby and I stayed at Microtel by Wyndham Baguio. It is a decent budget-friendly hotel. I heard from a friend that The Manor in Camp John Hay gives great discounts during off-peak season. And I hear that it is one of the excellent places to stay when in Baguio.

If I had a past life, maybe I originated from Baguio. In the years to come, I do hope my kids would love Baguio the way I do. Yes, it is more polluted and traffic is crazy. But I still choose to come home to the City of Pines. I do hope I continue to come up for a visit every year.

More of my journeys to come... do continue to take the ride with me.