Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Back to (ir)regular programming

To quote Dora the Explorer, (who's quoted a lot in our household these days): 'Yay! We made it!'

Yes folks, the holidays were a super hit. The beach holiday was just the right sort of lazy, our time there evenly divided between beach, pool, siestas, drinks, and meals. 

Oh and some spectacular sunsets that had us all awestruck, but particularly fascinated Moppet. So much so that she actually, of her own accord, struck up a conversation with a random woman sitting on a deck chair next to hers, watching the sunset.

Moppet: Do you see the sunset?
Random Woman: Indeed I do. It's beautiful isn't it?
Moppet: (seriously, with an emphatic little nod) Yes. 

This was a holiday in which father and daughter bonded like never before. With me often stuck feeding Munch, and no nanny to call on, Moppet had to let her father help her with stuff, and he had no choice but to figure out how to do it. 

Bath times, bed times, and general keep-her-out-of-trouble activities, he took it all on with wonderful enthusiasm. There were  even a couple of days when I would wake up lateish in the morning and find her pottied, brushed, and breakfasted, wearing, upon her own request, a pair of strange pony tails that the husband had tied for her. They were strange but cute and he was so endearingly proud of his effort, asking me some 10 times during the day, 'How do you like her pony tails?' Well, I like. Very much.

As for Munch, he was his usual happy-go-lucky self. As long as he got his meals on time, he was quite content to doze in his stroller, or watch the world with interest. Having decided I wasn't about to spend my holiday in pokey little feeding rooms, I would just throw a dupatta over myself wherever we were and tank him up - by the pool, in a bar, in a deli, airport lounge, cafe, anywhere would do. Worked fine all round.

He also got lots of attention from assorted bikini-clad babes, prompting his father to remark enviously that that was already more female attention than he himself had got from babes in his entire lifetime. 

For her part, Moppet was the protective big sister to the hilt, dissolving into angry tears at the airport where a girl jokingly declared that she wanted to take Munch home with her. Whether that was out of genuine affection for Munch, or on the general principle of he's mine, don't touch, I don't know. But that first incident did make her a lot warier when other strangers approached him later on in the holiday.

Post a little break back home, we all then went north to the hills for a very different kind of holiday. This was much more tiring since we wanted to do some sightseeing as well, but it was great in its own way. We made a trip to the zoo, which houses the only pair of Giant Pandas in Southeast Asia. We got there at a great time and saw them at their playful best. Moppet was so excited she couldn't keep her voice down, despite the glares of a burly security guard brandishing a huge sign that said 'Quiet Please'.

The rest of the zoo was great too. We got to feed baby elephants and giraffes, and Moppet almost rode on a little pony but decided at the last minute that she was too scared. The zoo is built in a naturally hilly jungle and is very beautiful, with orchids everywhere (Northern Thailand is where some of the best orchids in the world are grown) but it was tough on our knees with a baby stroller and toddler who was very quickly too tired to walk. When, in front of a magnificent white tiger, she threw a fit wanting to see a cow of all things, we knew it was time to head back to the hotel.

The husband and I indulged in some street shopping - Chiang Mai is a centre for great wooden handicrafts, and artists who bring their own designs, art and other handmade items to the famous Walking Street Sunday Bazaar. Moppet spent most of her time perched precariously on the footrest of Munch's stroller, making faces at him and generally keeping him and herself occupied.

We also managed a quick trip to the beautiful hill-tribe village, set in the mountains among lush green terraced paddy fields. The Padong are a Burmese tribe where the women wear rings around their necks to elongate them, starting from as young as 3-4 years of age. It is controversial, this village, and I must admit to feeling awkward and intrusive, walking through their village as they went about their lives. Then we met Manan, a friendly Padong lady, sitting by her house and strumming her guitar (!) who chatted with us, told us about their customs, and cuddled Munch. I'm won't go into the politics of it here, but most residents of the village are refugees from Burma, and this is their livelihood. The women weave and sell authentic shawls along with other touristy items, and Manan at least, appeared to be under no illusions about living in this fishbowl.

Anyway, it was fascinating and sad at the same time. I leave you with a picture of two little girls who will probably lead unimaginably different lives, right now just being two little girls.

15 comments:

Mama - Mia said...

sounds like a totally perfect holiday!!

kudos to the family for having done so well and had so much fun!!

we defi need more pictures tho! esp of the ponytails! :)

cheers!

abha

Mona said...

what a lovely recount of the holiday. loved the father-daughter bonding bit the best!
and ofcourse, the pics.

Compulsive Dreamer said...

Welcome back! You were missed!
Sounds like you had a great trip... and had loads of fun despite having a toddler and an infant in tow. Lovely pics!

Parul said...

Sounds like a great holiday! You sound relaxed, not exhausted at all and that's very inspiring and heartening :D

Anonymous said...

Loved this post. Made my day. You brought a little bit of culture and warmth into my getting-to-be-winter-soon workday in NJ:-) Thanks much! And may I say Munch has bloomed. Big handsome boy to match his very pretty sister.

And orchids....ooh la la. I dream of growing them someday. My mother did, in her garden in Goa, for many many years.

DotThoughts said...

what a great post. here i am at work, its lunch time, and I was suddenly trasported to the beach and hills. Could not ask for a better Tuesday afternnon treat!

Rohini said...

That sounds like fun. And the ponytails don't look half bad... ;-)

Preethi said...

lovely post.. looks like a wonderful holiday!! Welcome back

Aneela Z said...

Aww isnt Thailand the best when you want to holiday with kiddies? My sis swears on it to this day... she was soo mad when I had to leave.
I was thrilled to know that the pandas are still there!!

Parul said...

Yo! Your post is up on my blog now.

Lavs said...

BF in public with a dupatta over you?? Goddess-I bow to Thee. I have not figured out how to BF L'Buddha in my arms...If I attempt Bf in public, it would just turn out to be free show for all!!I am glad you enjoyed your holiday!

Maggie said...

Thanks folks, yes it was fun.

Abha, Ro - the pony tails she's wearing in these pictures are her regular ones that I tie for her. Her father made these funny ones low on the back of her head, looked like little rocket launchers :-) Don't have suitable pics of those, didn't want to make him self-conscious by making a big deal of them!

Lavs: Ah, wait till your second comes along. I was like that with Moppet - never fed her in public. Also, I guess people still do stare a bit in India. Here, no one gave me a second glance. There were far more interesting boobs on display among the bikini gang anyway! :-)

Shibu said...

Dora usually says, Yay!!! We DID it!!!

You see, we too have a Dora fan in our nest :-)

Maggie said...

Shibu: Right you are!

(Although she does also say stuff like 'We made it through the jungle / to the cave etc.)

bird's eye view said...

sounds like a great holiday. and how wonderful that moppet and her dad got to bond - the ponytail story was so heartwarming