Moors and forests

We have spent the last few weeks trying to outsmart the weather here in Estonia. Really tricky - not horrible but not exactly bright and sunny most of the time either. Probably have had just a few really hot days. Last Sunday spent at the beach of Karepa with lots of friends and that was really nice. The beach was very busy although normally there are just a few people but this time everyone was trying to take the chance and make the best of a rare sunny day. I still found the water too cold but the kids swam in the sea and in the river (and nobody got sick). They made new friends and the boys started a mud-war against the girls who were in the minority and had to retreat soon. Beatrice was happy to play with her old friend Leena and to look after her little brother as well. Raoul was also a good babysitter.

Then last week one day we went to see a buffalo-farm here nearby. Had heard that there are some activities going on but as we got there it turned out there is a "family day" on Sundays only. However the boss whom we ran into told us to go to the stables anyway after we had already made the effort to come and have a look around. There we found a lovely girl who showed us around and let hold little chicks and feed the rabbits and touch the goats and turkeys and all sorts of animals she was taking care of. We stayed nearly 2 hours! Will go again on Sunday to see the activities.

Then another day we went to a little seaside village of Ka"smu that has become really pretty but still in the lovely old style of white wooden "captain's houses" with big verandhas overlooking the bay. There is a small maritime museum and just now there was a small stage built on the sea for an outdoor play. A few boats inspired us for a good hour's play of pirates, great big stones for climbing in the small yacht harbour. Then found a cafe with another pirate-ship playground. On the way homeward stopped at a nature information point in the national park and discovered a small museum about woods and forests including an old "cone-drying hut" with working equipment. There is also a beautiful watermill that has been privately restored now. The lady from the centre recommended the beaver walk nearby, so we did that afterwards. Didn't see any beavers but very clearly their "work" in the river.

Today did another nature trip - to a moor this time. I have wanted to bring the kids to a moor with a boardwalk for some time and now I found one not too far away with a nice track that was not too long. It said on the map a bit over 5 km but it felt soooo much longer. Very pretty landscape though - most of the track went on a sand-dune that surrounds part of the moor with light pine forests and soft moss on the ground. Also the boardwalk through the soft moor was exciting. There were resting huts and a tower with a 360 degree view along the way. Found lots of chanterelles and porcinis that gave us a fantastic dinner. Loads of blueberries, some cloudberries, the cranberries are not ripe yet. But mostly I enjoyed the quiet and the beauty of the landscape. Surprisingly all kids did really well. Beatrice was most of the time far ahead with my dad although usually she is the one who wants to go back after the first 200 m. Raoul ran most of the time and only started to moan at the end when the mozzies attacked. Karl was lagging behind a lot but mostly because he was busy with bugs. His basket was not for mushrooms but for creapy crawlies and these were not so easy to catch. With the picknick it probably took us well over 2 hours. Such a great experience! Beatrice made a great comment a few days ago "why is it not like that in Singapore, here in Estonia it's nature, nature, nature all the time. But actually I do like nature". She has started a herbarium and has learned a lot of plants by names. Wants to become a vet!

In Estonia

We have been in Estonia now for 12 days already. The flight was not pleasant - I thought individual screens are standard now even in economy class but not so on Lufthansa. So there was no entertainment for the kids. Imagine then 12 hours ... We got to Frankfurt very early in the morning and as we had a long wait for the connecting flight, went to town. I hadn't thought there was an old town in Frankfurt at all but there is a small one and it was quite a nice walk, a very nice and sunny day. Finished in a Children's Museum about underground life - everything that goes on underground from worms and moles to pipes and trains. 

Got to Tallinn in the evening and the whole airport was already like a mini song festival - lots of people arriving for that from all over the world, many old Estonians from overseas, very busy but somehow an elated atmosphere.

Got to my parents' place about 8 in the evening and it was so light! The light nights of the midsummer are just so amazing. One evening I realized at 11 pm that we were sitting and reading and still didn't have lights on. We haven't been here at this time of the year for such a long time now that it seems truly magical. Kids don't want to go to sleep because it is still light at 9 or 10 and of course it is light and bright already before 4 am again. Somehow this has worked it's magic on jetlag - we didn't have any! The nature is all so light-green as well, still early summer. Outside the house we have a 280 degrees view of light green fields of rye and bright yellow rape-seed. The sky is huge, clouds dramatic. Big yellow full moon at night. The strawberries in the garden have the best crops ever, we are eating kilos every day.

The first day here was quite nice and warm so we decided to take the chance and went to beach. However there it was so windy and the water was probably 16-17 degrees, so Robert was the only one who swam and we didn't last much longer than 1 hour. And next day the weather changed and it was typical nordic summer again - rainy and cool. So we went to the water-spa-centre here and warmed ourselves up in 10 different saunas.

Then on Saturday was the first day of the song festival. We got there in good time and even managed to get seats but the start was delayed such a long time because the parade was late. And by the time the concert started the first drops of rain fell as well. It was still quite magical to see the light go up to the tower and to see the 30000 + singers on the stage. The rain fell on and off and by 10 pm we were too wet, tired and exhausted, so we left and watched the last few bits at home in TV. This was actually artistically the best bit - they sang Verdi and Carmina Burana of Carl Orff. Neeme Jarvi had to shake the water off his notes. A shame the weather!

Robert met an old friend from Gothenburg and we joined their crowd in the hotel where they had been staying an partying so that all beer in the bar was finished. We left about 2 am and the sky was already getting lighter.

Sunday morning we invited us to my sister's place. That was a good chance to see them because they are so busy preparing for Jaanus' exhibition that opens on the coming Thursday. Also Robert's mum hadn't been to their flat which is all but standard. Then on the second day of the song festival the crowds were even bigger. This was a daytime concert with a lot of popular songs that everybody knows and no artistically challenging program. There must have been at least 100 000 people. It was even hard to move around and we had to use all tricks to get some seats on the benches. But the atmosphere was really fantastic. It was my first "laulupidu" after the independence 1991 and it was just so amazing to see all these flags and people joining in the songs. Then the singers at the top of the stage started a wave of hands going up and everybody joined in and we could see it travelling all the way to the back of the slope. And they kept going on and on. Also many songs were repeated. The weather was nice and sunny too. I hope to get the DVD before going back. It really is something so special.

Batam

In spite of the boys holiday camp I have been so busy that have not been good at updating the news here. I used their last week at camp to get an interview done with the Eu Yan Sang people and it was a truly great meeting. Learned a great deal and am trying to put it into some kind of form now. But with the boys being off school and off camp a bit tricky.

Last Friday we went over to Batam to see where Robert is staying. Quite a hassle the getting away from here - a lot of running around in the terminal and many checks and very busy with people. Also on the other end had to get visas for everyone etc. So this way the trip takes considerably longer than just the ferryride of about 1 hour. But we got there. It was dark when we arrived so didn't see much of the island. The resort where he stays is very funny though - Harris. It is by the seaside with own beach but facing the Singapore Straights, so wouldn't want to go into water there. But they have a great big pool and masses of activities. Robert has a junior suite there and they had kindly put in beds for kids. The kids are always so excited to go to a hotel anyway! All the staff are so happy and friendly all the time even though Robert complains that things don't work perfectly. I found the friendly and personal attitude makes up for that any time. The manager is a round happy Greek guy from Cyprus who is always around greeting people, answering phones, shaking hands, joining in karaoke and line dance. On the BBQ night the boys had their first go at karaoke with "twinkle twinkle".

Saturday morning Robert went to work and we explored the resort. Soon Beatrice discovered the kid's club "nanny" and was not to get away. They played outside, indoors, went fishing. There were two other kids from Singapore in the club for most of the day and all played really well together. And "nanny" Rofi is a real Mary Poppins - she really joins in the games and is not superwising the kids. So I didn't almost know what to do with my day! Got a lot of work done on my article, went to the gym and foot reflexology (ouch!!!). There is also a nice roof top spa that I will plan in for next time! In the afternoon we all went fishing with the kids club - just to a pond outside and funnily they all caught lots. Karl thought he won as he was the first one to catch a fish but later Raoul took one after the other. He thinks he caught at least 10. Beatrice got 6. We released the fish afterwards. (And when they went fishing the next day almost nobody caught anything at all - the fish knew already!)

The resort was very busy on the weekend - lots of local groups for daytime activities (a great attraction among others is a long "flying fox" that starts from the roof of the hotel and goes over the pool!) and a few big church groups for their gatherings. That ended in very loud and extremely bad karaoke style singing until late night under our window. Couldn't understand much apart from a few halleluja's from time to time but otherwise sounded like some really bad chinese pop. Well, I was so tired of my busy day that it didn't really matter.

On Sunday met Robert's big boss at breakfast, he was very nice and friendly to us, talked about his 4 kids and let Robert have a day off. Not that it mattered much because the kids just wanted to go to kids club anyway. With bribes and threats we managed to drag them away for a little swim and lunch in between play. Beatrice had been keen to go bowling - there is an alley at the resort - so we went but after 5 rounds she had had enough and ran back to play. Karl followed soon. Which left Raoul, Robert and me bowling for all 5 of us. Raoul carried the heavy balls bravely and was happy with his strokes no matter if he hit. Well at least great stamina. But we are all rubbish at bowling and really only went because Beatrice wanted it!

None of us got sick or had any problems at all. So I guess Robert must have been really unlucky with his Batam belly and that gave him very hard time for the first couple of weeks. Hopefully better now.

So we didn't manage to do any sightseeing at all. Next time I'll know and just send the kids to club and go shopping on my own. On the way back to ferry could see a bit of the surroundings. It is really still a developing country in spite of it's proximity to Singapore. Many many wooden huts on roadsides, just like some remote corners of Bali. Roads full of holes, buildings broken or unfinished. It will take ages to catch up even with Malaysia. But people seem to be very laid back and happy.

We will not have to move which is really good news. I would hate to do it again so soon. So now just looking forward to going to Europe in 20 days time!

Meanwhile the boys have started a holiday camp at a preschool near us. At first they were not really sure if they liked it and told me they wanted to go to their own school instead. But as their school is closed and doesn't have a camp there is no choice. By now they have started to enjoy it actually. They have been doing lots of nice things - going to museum, theatre, big new indoor play, butterfly farm, baked gingerbread and pizzas etc. The teachers there were surprized after their first day that the boys could speak Mandarin. Next week will be Mandarin camp so we shall see how that goes. But I am really excited about them learning it. Hopefully they will get a good strong base by the time we leave Singapore.

I have my mornings off and can continue Yoga classes and other stuff I need to get done. Last week we had some interesting encounters here. There was a group of Estonian entrepreneurs visiting Singapore for what they call "innovation seminar" which is organized by a management magazine in Estonia. I know some of the organizers and got involved with the project a bit. Helped to arrange a meeting with the oldest and biggest traditional chinese medicine company in Singapore and could attend that meeting as well. It was very interesting to learn about the company but even more to taste some of their herbs that were integrated into a special lunch. They had created a special menu together with Conrad hotel's chefs and used many traditional chinese herbs. Each course had two dishes using the same ingredients - one a western version, the other a chinese version. Very exciting and interesting tastes and textures. Some I knew and use regularly but some were completely new for me. So my shopping list will be more adventerous from now on. Also great was to talk to the people in the group. I find it always very inspiring to meet somebody who has achieved something due to own smart ideas and creativity. My circle here is mostly limited to other mums and  there is not much brainfood in this interaction with a few exceptions. Hopefully I can keep up the momentum and take up some writing again.

Day after that we joined the group at dinner at Samy's curry which is a Singapore institution - at the otherwise posh Dempsey Hill, very simple and basic but great food. Later Sonny invited some of the group to his house and there were very interesting discussions, especially as among the guests was an Indian sikh from the University's School of public policy and he provoked quite a discussion about cultures and values, democracy etc. Must have been such an eye opener for the Estonians that our values of individual freedom and democracy are not that important here.

Robert has been working in Batam now for over a week and it is a different world, still very much a developing country and the working culture is very different from Singapore. In addition to that fighting with the Indonesian microflora that is new for his system. Not easy.

Change is no change

It was quite a rollercoaster week, the last one. As we are getting towards June we were planning our move away from Singapore and have already cancelled schools, apartment etc. On Thursday went to boys school for parent teacher conferences and said all the emotional goodbyes. Everybody was really sad as the boys have made so great friends at school and have really thrived there. Especially Raoul has found a lot of confidence and seems to gel really well with his teacher. In fact the way she describes Raoul makes me feel that he is a completely different child there and she has found a way into him that I have yet to discover. Karl is a bit naughtier in class although academically brighter and faster. He got a lot of praize from their Mandarin teacher - always hand up and wants to particpate and quick at picking up the language as well. Raoul in Mandarin class is more like the one I know at home - stubborn and only does what he wants to.

They even got farewell presents and all. And I thought I really don't want to take them away from this school.

Then Friday afternoon Robert had a meeting about a job here and on Saturday signed the contract. Which means we will be staying for a little while longer. Hopefully the market will have improved by the end of this project. Anyway, we are discussing all sorts of practical matters now like trying to lower the rent here or move to another flat as the prices have come down so much in the last year. That also means, that Robert will be with us in Estonia for only a week this time yet again. 

He is working in Indonesia in fact, but on the island of Batam which is just a 40 min ferry ride away. He'll commute weekly and some weekends we might go over and stay with him like a mini holiday - he stays at a resort with pools and kids club and all. So all set for a while, hopefully the landlord will be generous enough and we can save the hassle of moving!

Rawa pics for those of you who can't open picasa

The real paradise island

We just got back from Rawa Island in Malaysia and that must be pretty close to a paradise island - very small, just one resort, absolutely pristine white sand, turqoise sea, corals right by the beach and amazing underwater world to top it up. It is on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia and only a few hours drive from Singapore plus a 20 min boat trip. What drags the trip a bit is crossing from Singapore to Malaysia - tight controls on both sides of the causeway, people have to get out of buses and carry all luggage through airport style security controls etc. All that takes at least 30 minutes. The rest is really smooth. We had a minivan pick us up at home at 5.30 am so that we would be on time for the 9 o'clock boat. There are only two trips daily so you really don't want to miss it! And this way we had a whole long day on the beach already on Friday. There is a water slide on the jetty which proved very popular with the kids. Quite a ride especially at high tide. There were also so many colorful fish right at the jetty and around the slide that the kids didn't have to swim out to snorkel at all. We did a few trips though to see some special things. The coral started so close to the beach, especially at low tide so that didn't have to swim out at all. The coral and fish life was quite different from Bali. There were many sea anemones in Rawa and of course clown fish in them so that was a pretty sight and we went to look for Nemo a few times. Once at low tide I was so close that two clown fish swam strait into my hands and I could have easily caught them. Karl and me saw a blue spotted ray on Friday. And I saw it again yesterday at the same spot digging away in the sand. Then together with Robert we chased a cuttlefish for quite a while. That was a sight - it kept changing color according to the sea floor - really light when above sand and much darker and patterned above coral. When it stopped Robert dived down and touched it and it gave him a very angry look. It swam very close to where the kids were playing but while Robert went to get Karl to come and have a look I lost sight of it and couldn't find it again. There were lots of beautiful parrot fish very close to the jetty and then some funny little stripy ones that swam very close and started a fish spa business nibbling away on us. Until a big white one wanted to join the feast. We didn't like that!

The rooms were pretty basic so we spent most of the time in the sea, in hammocks, reading, kids playing with their new friends and the rabbits. A very laid back and pleasant feel all in all as there were lots of families with young kids, mostly expats and many scandinavians among them. Beatrice made friends with some danish and swedish girls and we didn't see much of her except from far away or at mealtimes. The boys made some friends as well and ended up being brothers in crime with another set of brothers as they managed to break a rubber boat that they had "borrowed". The owner was not too pleased. Raoul had an extra boating experience - he and Robert went on a kayak around the island. He was also excited to see how they were trying to dig a stranded yacht out from the sand. 

On the second day all the kids got so brave that they started to jump down from the jetty - several meters into the water. I would not have dared.

Food was simple but fresh and tasty. Luckily no desserts on the buffet!