Cousins visiting Shanghai!

Spring is time for visitors; the cousins came over to visit so time for a big sleep-over party! Marysia, Sophie and Isabel arrived on a Sunday which was great for an all family welcome at the airport. Nina and Stasiu had to go to school during the week, but after school was for play of course. Fortunately we had a long weekend too. We all fitted in the car so off we went on a little road trip to Moganshan (bamboo forests) and after that towards Huangshan where we stayed in two picturesque old Chinese villages that are both on the UNESCO Heritage list, Hongcun and Xidi. Wonderful forest walks, kids had a great time discovering their new surroundings, sample new Chinese cuisine/tea and of course, with 4 little blond kids - the inevitable photo shoots with Chinese people everywhere we stopped for more than half a minute. Nina and Stasiu really enjoyed having their cousins around for an extended time and they in turn got to sample Shanghai life.

YCIS Sports Day 2015

YCIS Sportsday Regency Park campus 2015: Nina and Stasiu were both on the Green team called Tribal Tigers this year. And they had their cousins over to support them. Relay running, soccer, basketball, tug of war; an exciting and sweaty event with temperatures hitting 30 Celsius that day. Both came home tired but very happy - Tribal Tigers had won the cup this year!

Stasiu 6!!

Our little boy got bigger again: Stasiu turned 6 on April 8. An early morning rise, all excited about his presents and the treats he was going to hand out in class. It was extra special because we had ciocia and Francois visiting to join in the birthday fun and help try out his new skates. And of course the long awaited birthday party with his carefully chosen friends at Amazon Jungle playground.

Chilling The Whitsundays

The fresh air, warm weather, motion of the sea. All reasons to relax and chill for Nina and Stasiu. Out in the cockpit, down in their berth. With iPad or just taking a little nap: they made the most of it and surely came home to China well-rested!

Snorkeling The Whitsundays

All snorkeling gear aboard, we had to explore the underwater world of the Whitsundays, which are part of the Great Barrier Reef. Directly from the back of Y-Knot into the water it was already like a big aquarium. Or from the beach, reached by dinghy, into more shallow water was great for watching more coral and smaller fish. The kids had to get used to all the equipment, but after seeing all the amazing creatures underwater, they were ready to go again and again. Feeding fish from the dinghy was another favorite. Manta Ray Bay, Luncheon Bay and Blue Pearl Bay were highlights!

Sailing The Whitsundays

A Christmas present to family: fresh air in Australia for Chinese New Year aka sailing The Whitsundays! After a long trip comprising 3 flights, we arrived in Airlie Beach where our boat, Y-Knot, was ready and waiting for us. Clear skies, nice wind, balmy air: all the ingredients for a great sailing adventure. After a good night's sleep on the boat in the marina, we took off the next morning to our place for the night, Cid Harbor where we could practise our anchoring skills immediately. The next 7 days we spend exploring different bays and islands of the wonderful Whitsundays. We had sun and rain, but it was never cold. There was lots for wind, which was limiting our itinerary a bit, but still got to hoist the sails a couple of times for some calmer boating compared to just motoring.  The kids turned into little sailors once gain and enjoyed feeding fish and snorkeling as novelties. It was great to be out and on the water again!

Cats & kids

Bo and Li have been with us for almost half a year now. While Li can be a lap cat, Bo is a bit more independent. From kittens they have grown into cats and great companions for Nina and Stasiu. Always ready to play, sit on their lap or ask for food. And after food: sleep!

Christmas & New Year in The Netherlands 2014

Christmas and New Year with family: we decided to go to The Netherlands for the holidays. Anita went ahead with the kids and the Chinese christmas tree. Staszek flew in on Christmas Eve. It was great to celebrate this time with family: joint dinners at a long table, walks in the forest, sleepovers with the cousins, a lot of playtime, museum visits, fireworks. Nina and Stasiu even got on ice skates for the first time!  It was nice to see how well the kids got along immediately with their cousins and were delighted to see their grand parents. Two weeks well spent!