The Great Week-end Sleepover

With Doug and Tracy off to Singapore on Friday morning for a wedding, Nancy and I + Kathy Haney, our week-long guest from Salem, OR, hosted Reeve, Gabi and Rania for the week-end. Friday morning was spent at the huge Kuala Lumpur Bird Park where the kids fed parrots, had their pictures taken with them ... and then had a great time hand-feeding greens to ostriches. O yes, we did manage to work-in the "bird show" in the large amphitheater and have lunch at the "Hornbill Restaurant." On Friday afternoon the kids took naps at our place and swam in the pool prior to driving up to Doug & Tracy's where Juvy had hamburgers ready for all six of us. Nancy and Kathy helped with baths and bedtime stories before driving back to GCB Court for the night while Ron slept up at Bukit Antarabangsa as "designated parent/guardian."

After Nancy and Kathy got back up to Doug and Tracy's on Saturday morning, we headed out by car to Batu Caves, a famous Hindu temple-shrine in KL. All three kids amazed us by climbing up all 272 steps unassisted; however, tiredness did set-in on the way down with Grandpa carrying Rania and Gabi begging for a piggy-back ride from Kathy (at left-back of picture). The caves themselves are at the top of the staircase and contain a number of religious statues as well as a bunch of pesky monkeys looking for handouts. The Batu Caves outing was concluded with a stop at McDonalds while the breakfast menu was still being offered. (Each of the kids had a "Happy Meal" and consumed both pancakes without a problem.)

While Gabi and Rania napped at GCB Court with Grandpa on duty, Kathy, Nancy and Reeve took a bus downtown and rode the "Hop-on, Hop-off Bus" all around the city, with memorable stops at the Orchid Garden, the Ferris Wheel, the Islamic Art Museum and the Art & Crafts Center. Reeve ably served as staff photo-grapher, taking the shots here on the blog of orchids and a Koran at the museum. Reeve was anxious to tell his Dad on Sunday evening how all three of them almost missed the bus after the Ferris Wheel continued-on into a 7th "trip around."

Saturday night all three kids slept here at GCB Court and were early-risers Sunday Morning so that we could make it to the 8:30 worship service at St. Andrews' Church. After worship it was lunch at Burger King at KLCC, then naps and another swim prior to driving up to Bukit Antarabangsa for the "great reunion" with Doug and Tracy who had just beat us to their home via taxi from downtown. All in all, Nancy and I were grateful for the fun times with the kids -- and also for Kathy's help in enabling us to maintain an effective one-on-one defense! - rw