Ocean Park and Our February Activities, Continued

We continue with more catch-up pictures and anecdotes of our adventures in February.  

I got tired during my last post and didn't finish posting my pictures from Chinese New Year.   Our building brought in a really pretty peach blossom tree for the holidays.

I bought this bouquet from a good flower stall in Central, deliberately picking a very vibrant red, in honor of the new year. It really gave me such an uplift in spirits.  Those tulips from Holland were so luscious.  And that glorious amaryllis bloomed for days and days.  

 This girl knows all her letters in both upper case and lower case and all the sounds each letter makes.  She is sounding words out now and also recognizing Chinese characters.  

So. much. personality.

 

We found out that Lola was accepted into Singapore International School for their preparatory year 1 program, which is the equivalent of Hong Kong's K2.  The school was closed for tours but we took a drive there one day just to check out the outside.  The school has a website showing the school's interior through videos and pictures and Lola is already chattering excitedly about the classrooms and dance studio and basketball court.  After much deliberation, we've accepted the offer and Lola will start half days there in September pending what we hear back from other schools.  It's a good fully bilingual school with nice facilities about a 10 minute drive from our apartment, and it has the added bonus of being a through train school so that we don't need to reapply for primary or middle school.  Depending on how Zooming and activities go, we may also keep Lola in KCS half day for the morning.

She was also accepted into Independent Schools Foundation (ISF) for their year 1 nursery school program, but I don't think we are going to accept that offer given how Lola is already learning how to read and write in her current K1 class at KCS.  We just went for her assessment for ISF year 2.  Because of her birthday falling within the range they would allow for either year, we decided to try even though it meant we had to pay for two different assessments for the same year...and the school would not waive or give a discount.  We have paid many assessment fees, hefty non-refundable deposits and extension fees at various schools just to maintain or keep our options open.  And Lola just turned 3.  This city is ridiculous. 

Ocean Park opened back up last week and I lost no time in taking Lola and the boys on a Friday (I took a day off from work) and then went back with Lola and friends on Saturday.  I am totally biased, but how cute are these guys?!  Their skin is a treasure in how silky soft it is, and they smell so good.  And their big eyes, and swoopy cowlicky hair (all courtesy of Michael), and rounded soft bellies... argh, gets me every time.

Our go-to at Ocean Park is to beeline for the Sea Carousel. They have amazing animals and it's best to head there first before the lines get long.  Lola really likes the seahorse but that's for people over a certain height and she's not tall enough yet.  Usually we opt for the dual seaters that are specially designed for a kid in front and an adult in back (the whales and the dolphins).

We took the whiskers express train up the mountain (Ocean Park is split into two levels given the sheer verticality and breathtaking views), watched the dolphin and sea animals show (which Lola insisted we walk out on because she complained it was too loud), and then came back down via the cable car that affords stunning views over the cliffs and waters of the south side of Hong Kong island.

We banged on some drums and xylophones, took a ferris wheel hot air balloon ride, rode Toto the Loco (the little pink train - Siti with Teo, and me with Al and Lola) and checked out their special exhibit, Candy Land, where the boys had a blast climbing and crawling all around.

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we went on Saturday, we went to see the penguins, the sea lion, the seals, the otters and the arctic foxes. It was again a stunning day and we managed to get two sea carousel spins out of it.  Great times!