PEN.DCA.MEL

Puffing Billy

noreply@blogger.com (Alvin Liau) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:10:00 +0000

Finally! Having driven by on numerous occasions and promising the kids a trip, we finally headed out for a ride on the Puffing Billy.

Puffing Billy, a major tourist attraction here in Melbourne, runs between Belgrave and Gembrook. The tracks wind through forests, luscious fern gullies, and farmlands in the Dandenongs, just east of Melbourne. This line was opened on 18 December 1900 operating just over 29 km between Upper Ferntree Gully and Gembrook until 1953. In 1953, a landslide between Selby and Menzies Creek blocked the track and, because of mounting operating losses, the line was closed the following year.

In late 1954, the local paper worked with the Victorian Railways to organize one last running of the trains before the track was to be torn up. On 11 December 1954, 30,000 people came to say farewell to the trains. The popularity of this special became the catalyst to Puffing Billy's survival.

Continued interest in operating the line eventually led to the formation of the Puffing Billy Preservation Society. The majority of the staff are volunteers, and they are all incredibly friendly.

Fire, cool...

We're off

During the trip, the train passes over this lovely wooden bridge, now classified by the National Trust of Victoria. It carries the train over Monbulk Creek and the main Gembrook Road. It is around 91 meters long and 13 meters high.

Approaching the Trestle Bridge

Whilst winding through the forest, the atmosphere on the train is positively 'stoked'. Everyone is buzzing and enjoying the trip, many of them sitting on the sides of the carriages, hanging their legs and arms out.

Winding through the forest

Tall Ash!

A depression in the early 1890s brought a halt to the rapid expansion of railways in Victoria. In its place, 2 feet 6 inch narrow gauge lines were promoted as a way to link remote communities, particularly in hilly country, without the expense of the 5 ft 3 in broad gauge railways. Railways officials opposed them, citing the inconvenience and expense of a break-of-gauge, but a parliamentary committee eventually recommended that four experimental lines be built. None of the lines constructed ever made a profit and the gradual decline in patronage due to the increasing use of cars brought the inevitable reduction in services and hastened the end of the narrow gauge railway.

More rolling stock

Water Stop

From Belgrave, there are a few destinations you can head to. We find that going up to Lakeside (Emerald State Park) and back is just right, for us, and the kids.

Lakeside is a great place to alight from the train for a picnic and a peaceful stroll around Emerald Lake Park. We had been here a couple times via car, but this was the first time by train. Trains usually pause here for the crew to fill the water tanks and this offers train fans a great chance to see the action up close.

Lakeside Choo-Choo

Puffing Billy offer many different packages, check their site for details. What looks interesting for us is the Day Out With Thomas (you're never too old to meet Sir Topham Hatt!), and the Great Train Race where you can race Puffing Billy over some varying (read: hilly) terrain.

Ciao!

Star Wars - Scienceworks

noreply@blogger.com (Alvin Liau) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0000

In a galaxy far far away...

Well, actually it's just over the West Gate Bridge - the Scienceworks museum is hosting an exhibition showcasing more than 80 costumes, interactive displays, models, and props from all six Star Wars films.

Preep too peeep

The exhibition features authentic costumes and props from the entire Star Wars series, such as Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder – used in Episode IV A New Hope.

Cut through M1 traffic hassles easily

The hero's journey has been a staple of tales throughout the generations (trying to recall my Joseph Campbell Humanities 101 here). Perhaps that's why the Star Wars saga has had such a long life. It's incredible to think that back in 1977, we were bundled into a theater like Rex or Cathay by our parents to watch A New Hope, and now in 2009, our two kids cannot get enough of Star Wars.

He's bigger in real life

The props were quite attractive in their intricate details. Running your eye over the Millennium Falcon, you could just image Han Solo and Chewie providing covering fire for Luke's final attack run on the first Death Star, or serving as Princess Leia's escape during the Battle of Hoth.

Kessel Run here we come!

We currently have four lightsabers, and this display had the kids riveted. We literally had to drag them away. It would have been great to have a short documentary playing that showed how they made the lightsaber fight scenes in the movies.

You can't just have one

There were countless display figures distributed around the exhibit. A friend told us that during the school holidays, they actually had actors dressed up in Star Wars costumes walking around, no doubt thrilling the kids to bits.

Feels like someone's watching me

Hosting a few hands on exhibits was certainly one positive thing. Kids of all ages had fun learning about how robot vision worked, experimenting with magnetic levitation, or learning the basics of robotics by putting together a miniature R2D2.

Hands on fun

Luke Skywalker spent his early years living on a moisture farm on Tatooine. Moisture farms harvest water vapor from the atmosphere, and used to grow crops in underground hydroponic labs.

Future for Victoria?

The kids very much enjoyed the animatronic C-3P0 display. This educational display helped explain the different roles robots currently play and the challenge scientists face trying to give them human traits such as mobility, perception, and cognition.

The Star Wars exhibit runs till the 3rd of November, 2009. Queues are incredibly horrendous, so we've been told, during the school holidays or weekends. We visited on a Friday and the crowds were not bad. The kids have already been asking when we'll be back! It's definitely worth a few more visits.

There's no denying the interest kids (and adults) have in Star Wars. You can download educational kits in preparation for your visit from the Sciencework's website. Click here for their operating hours and directions.

Melbourne - The Windy City

noreply@blogger.com (Alvin Liau) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 06:25:00 +0000

Chicago may be known as the Windy City, but I think Melbourne has got it beat. The wind does get to you an a damp winter morning, but during the summer, there's nothing more fun than flying a kite. As they say, when given lemons, it's time for some lemonade.

So there we were on another stunning (please rain!) Melbourne afternoon. Warm, low humidity, and a stiff breeze blowing. I pulled the kite out of the shed, put it together, and the boys and I ran over to the field.

Ready for the launch

It took just a light launch from the three boys, and that big delta was pulling at the line. It was climbing faster that I could let the line out. Like a big V8, it was ready and willing, climbing up higher and higher. I could have run all of my line out, but the thought of having to reel it all back in put a stop to that. In the warm breeze, looking at the kite fly, I was instantly transported back in time to my high school in Penang, where we often try to fly our cheap rice-paper kites or catch a fish with the spark-plug lures!

The boys all had a turn and had a blast. A couple weeks earlier, we were flying our smaller delta, and the wind actually snapped one of the frames! It's still on my to-do to get a replacement dowel fitted out.

Hang on tight fellas

We've bought all of our kites from an aptly named store in Boulder, Colorado - Into The Wind. They're located in the Pearl St tourist trap - I mean shopping area, where you can walk around an incredible number of unique shops (ever wonder if wearing a fleece vest is a prerequisite to entering the Pearl St area?) They do have a website. I have to look for a kite store here in Melbourne, as I'm thinking about getting a stunt kite.

So there we were, just some nylon and fiber glass, without a care in the world, flying our kite. Can't you almost imagine Mr Banks out there somewhere, singing out "Let's go fly a kite"?

Send it Soaring!

Sand Sculpting Australia - Frankston Waterfront

noreply@blogger.com (Alvin Liau) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Kids seem to have an incredible predilection for dinosaurs. One of the favorite destinations in Melbourne is the Melbourne Museum - care to guess why? They seem to also have an avid interest in playing with sand. Andrew would spend hours in the little sandpit we had on our deck back in Germantown.

So it was delightfully serendipitous that the yearly Frankston Sand Sculpting Exhibition for 2009 featured Dinosaurs!

Dinostory Entrance

Unlike the castles we build at the beach, the amazing sculptures here are built from brickie sand. Large squares of sand are compacted and built up and they are incredibly solid. The sculptors than work with the rough shapes to create these amazing results.

Unbelievable

The display runs from boxing day till Anzac Day (26 April 2009). We were there a couple months ago - I've been slow in getting this report out.

I'm hungry

The kids were thoroughly entertained with the dinosaurs. They also have workshops where the kids can learn a few tricks for their next trip to the beach. We can't wait for the next years show! The display is at the Frankston Waterfront where you can easily spend an hour or so after looking at the dinosaurs, just walking up and down enjoying the day.

Whatcha Looking at?

See's Candies Peanut Brittle YUM!

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:53:00 +0000

I was just a couple months away from total annihilation!

I'm not much of a sweets person, I usually pass on dessert. However, I just love peanut brittle. We had never heard of See's till my sister-in-law brought some in from the west coast.

My friends, run, don't walk to your nearest See's outlet and buy heaps. This peanut brittle is incredible. Incredibly crunchy yet melts in your mouth soft, lovely sweet peanuts...

See's never opened up an outlet near us in MD. I guess it was good for me in a way. I would have likely gained 450lbs, lost all my teeth to decay, and spiraled into a diabetic coma.

Heaven in a box

Please send me a box, alas we're See's-less in Melbourne.

1000 Steps (MEL)

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 03:10:00 +0000

Welcome Gate

The 1000 Steps (Kokoda Track Memorial Walk) is a walk through dense cool temperature rainforest that's not to be missed. It was created to memorialize the original Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea which is most famous as the location of the World War II battle between Japanese and Australian forces in 1942.

Historical Overview

As if by design, the hike starts up on a gently rising trail allowing you time to get your hiking legs in gear.

Gentle warmup

Out of nowhere, you are then faced with the steps. They can be a little slippery when wet.

Here come the steps

When the say 1000 steps, they mean it (800+ I lose count after a while). There are a few benches to rest along the way, so keep going!

Are we there yet?

The numerous plaques along the way prove educational, and allow you to sneak in a breather whilst pretending to read cross-eyed and doubled-over.

Informational plaques

The 1000 steps is a great place to bird watch. Listening to the calls and trying to spot the birds help me forget my lungs are about to burst. The Superb Lyrebird is the most famous bird in the area - it figures that the one time I've managed to spot one just metres off the steps, is the one time that the batteries in the camera were flat. I apologize for the picture quality below, the camera needs a better photographer...

Great birdwatching

The giant playground at the start of the trail is a great place to let the kids run off a little more steam.

Giant playground

Currently closed for work, it should re-open sometime in August 2008. Visit Parks Victoria's page for more information. The park is very popular, even on weekdays be prepared to drive up to a full car park. After the walk, it's a short drive up to Olinda to reward yourself with some tea and scones.

K-mart Toy Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Suphin Teh) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:07:00 +0000

If you don't know about the K-mart toy sale, starting 03/07, which planet are you from? K-mart open its doors at 12:01am to all those crazy, bargain-hunting moms. As for me, I was not that insane to line up at 12:00am just to save a few dollars. However, I did drive to K-mart first thing in the morning with my 2 boys to pick up a few items. My son was looking at the online catalog the day before to pick out his toys, mainly Lego and Lego and more Lego.

When I arrived at the store, there was quite a few people with shopping carts. Phew...it wasn't as bad as I expected. We walked through the aisles lined with toys up to the ceiling. I was careful not to bump into any displays...it would have been an ugly sight with the boxes of toys falling on us. Of course Andrew wanted something exorbitant in price but we managed to do some compromising and came to an agreement as to which Lego to purchase. The boys were really good about what to buy considering the temptation of toys galore on the floor.

Just an hour in the store, I was ready to head home. The store was crowding up. There were moms with carts full of toys to the brim. Wherever we turned a corner, we came up to more moms, carts, and kids. I didn't know everything was free in the store! :) It was funny to hear a child exclaimed to his mom "Mom this is ONLY $80" and the Mom replied "Do you have $80?"

Big W is also having its Toy Sale this week. Target will be starting their toy sale soon. I must say I'm impressed with Melbourne's toy sale because one can really get some good bargains. This is my first time experiencing a big toy sale in Melbourne and it won't be my last!

To check out K-mart's online catalog, go to Kmart's website.

Glen Waverley - Darling Steam Shuttle

noreply@blogger.com (Suphin Teh) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 06:24:00 +0000

On typical windy Wintry Sunday morning, the Liau family experienced a rare treat of train ride at the Glen Waverley train station operated by Steamrail Victoria, Inc. Barely 5 minutes after arriving at the platform, we spied the steam engine chugging down the train line. At the sight of the black engine, children and adults alike cheered and clapped with anticipation. Andrew was intrigued by the thick black smoke escaping from the chimney and the abundant of coal. As the steam engine comes to a halt, it was neat to see the old engine on one side of the tracks and the modern commuter train on the other.

K190 pulling into Glen Waverley

Alvin stormed through the doors of one of the coaches, hoping he was quick enough to get a booth to ourselves. We had underestimated the number of people who came to the ride. Most of the coaches were full, primarily with wide-eyed children, their parents and train enthusiasts. Lady Luck was on our side as we managed to secure one. Andrew immediately stuck his head out the window. "This is so cool," exclaimed Andrew.

Enjoying the view

However, Alex was intimidated by the black steam engine and stayed close to Alvin. As the train moved out of the station, Andrew's excitement was further heightened. He stuck his head even further out of the window and waved at the spectators. Alex remained close to his Daddy.

Steam and Electric side by side

Throughout the ride, we kept the windows open so that we can feel the cool breeze on our faces and smell the black soot! Andrew was insistent on keeping his head out the window for the whole ride. The ride to Darling was about 20 minutes. At Darling, the train switched tracks, picked up passengers and turned back towards Glen Waverley. On the way back, Alex could at least stand near the window and look out cautiously. Andrew proudly gave our tickets to the conductor when he stopped by. We will definitely ride this train again when they operate it next year.

Passengers waiting at Darling Station

Steamrail is a not-for-profit group dedicated to the restoration and operation of historic locomotives and rolling stock. They run numerous exciting tours guaranteed to excite railfans of all ages. Destinations include Geelong, Seymour, Maldon and Bacchus Marsh. Trip information and further details are available at Steamrail's website.

We're back!

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 19:31:00 +0000

It's been one heck of a three months! Moving, job hunting, school hunting, house hunting, etc. We haven't gone away, and we promise to get back online right away with more reports on places to go.

King of Fruits (PEN)

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 03:40:00 +0000

"To eat durians is a new sensation worth a voyage to the east to experience", declared Victorian naturalist Alfred Wallace. I heartily agree.

Native to the southeast asian region, the durian is pretty much the only fruit to have rabid fans. Folks may like apples, or they may like grapes, some may like strawberries, and some may like oranges, but only the King of Fruits, the durian, can have throngs of fans who absolutely love it.

Nectar of the gods

The word durian, is derived from the malay word for thorn - duri. The durian is covered in a thorny husk, reminiscent of a medieval mace. Once opened, the edible custard-like flesh within emits its distinctively strong odor. This is the moment where true fans start to salivate, and the others evacuate.

Durians sold today are mainly cultivars (clones). These cultivars were usually grown from prized seeds but are now usually grafted onto rootstocks. Cultivars are also have names like ang heh, or the famous D24. D24 is usually the yardstick other cultivars are measured against.

Surviving only in climates that do not go below 22C, durian trees thrive on the island of Penang. It may sound like I'm being biased (and I'm not), the best durians in the world, are from Penang - Balik Pulau to be specific.

You can't have just one

During the durian season, the wonderful aroma blankets Balik Pulau like a diaphanous layer of silk, its allure too tempting to ignore. We once had the fortune of being invited to a tasting there - it was phenomenal. Durian after durian was opened and served. These were reserved durians, the creme de la creme, never to be sold on the open market, only kept for special events and the well connected. I had never eaten so many amazing durians in my life. There were reds, whites, orange, bitter, sweet, bitter & sweet, citrus-like - a pandora's box of flavors blowing open the range of your taste palette. At this tasting, the D24 cultivar was pushed to the side, imagine - the yardstick was playing second fiddle for the afternoon. If you're ever invited to a tasting in Balik Pulau, two words - show up.

Best tree to plant in your backyard

What's the best way to find a good durian? Forget rattling the durian, or inspecting the stem. The key to a good durian is to network. Call your folks, your friends, or friends of friends. They may know someone who owns a plantation, or have built up a trusting relationship with a seller. Just ask, it's worth it.

Taste of Bethesda (DCA)

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 05:37:00 +0000

What's better than live music and good food? Having them both outdoors of course!

The 18th annual Taste of Bethesda is set for October 6, 2007. At least 50 different restaurants will be there cooking up a culinary storm. Four stages will also be set up to provide for live music entertainment.

The list of restaurants reads like a who's who of Bethesda cuisine. I have a feeling I'm going to be really full that day. I was going to type out a list of my favorites, but then I realized my keyboard is not drool-proof...

Traffic tends to be quite bad on 'taste' day. I suggest either riding the Metro (red line to Bethesda station), or avoiding the main routes in like Wisconsin Ave or Old Georgetown Rd.

As the Iron Chef host would say, Allez Cuisine!

Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries (DCA)

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:25:00 +0000

I'll be honest, I got hungry just thinking about this post.

Started in Arlington, Virginia, Five Guys is now a growing chain along the east coast of the United States. The beef patties are hand formed and cooked to order. Cheese and bacon are extra and you have a list of toppings to chose from. The fries that are cooked in peanut oil are incredibly good.

Menu from their website

I usually have my burger simply with cheese, lettuce, and fried onions. Your burger and fries will be served in a brown paper bag, which is usually stuffed full with fries. You might want to just go with the regular order of fries, unless you're really starved. I have not tried the kosher dogs but have been told they are just as good.

I would write some more but I gotta go get me a burger and some fries!

Germantown Hour (DCA)

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 09:35:00 +0000

Got a spare hour?

Germantown Station

Unlike Union Station in Washington, DC, small train stations are a great way to spend some time with your kids trainspotting.

Right on time!

If you time it right, a mere thirty minutes at the Germantown MARC train station offers the chance to feel a CSX rumble through, catch a glimpse of Amtrak's Capitol Limited flying by, and then experience the powerful presence of MARC's GP40s as they pull into the station to pick up or let off passengers.

WV bound

After that, it's time to head on over to Tony and Linda's Country Cone Cafe to enjoy some ice cream on their patio.

National Capital Trolley Museum (DCA)

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:00:00 +0000

Like the little engine that could, the National Capital Trolley Museum is a survivor that you just want to root for. The NCTM has lost a number of its streetcars through fires and an accident. More recently, there were rumors that the controversial ICC would lead to the demise of the NCTM. Fortunately, with its future move to new facilities, the NCTM will not only survive but be better than even before.

National Capital Trolley Museum

I've spent many an afternoon with my kids here, enjoying the scale model, peeping into the maintenance barn, and of course enjoying the ride on the 1.5 mile track in one of their many streetcars. The NCTM usually has a different streetcar out depending on the day.

HTM 1329 from The Hague

Run entirely by volunteers, the NCTM is a true diamond in the rough and well worth the visit. Check out their website for more information.

Sugarloaf Reservoir (MEL)

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 02:47:00 +0000

Bushwalking, trekking, hiking, whichever term you use, it is certainly a great way to see nature's beauty. Located in the Christmas Hills, Sugarloaf Reservoir Park offers great hiking terrain, great scenery, and abundant wildlife.

Sugarloaf Reservoir

The calming effect of water is very soothing, it is tempting to just sit there to contemplate and enjoy. However, you hear the beckon of the track and you march on.

We need more rain

Having spent a lot of time hiking through more densely forested areas (green tunnel effect), we look forward to hikes in open spaces. The 18km track around the reservoir offers both, lovely strolls through the woods, then popping out to wide open meadows.

Wide open meadows

The Sugarloaf Reservoir track is not that hilly, with only a few steep but short sections offering vistas that reward your efforts.

Great views

Almost there...

We spotted quite a number of eastern grey kangaroos, enjoying their lazy morning in the sun. We also came across this fella, couldn't quite make out what it was - till we were told it was an echidna. It was interesting to learn that echidnas are monotremes - mammals that lay eggs.

Echidna

According to their website, the park is open every day of the year. Access is possible from Simpson Road (Melway 273 A2).

Melbourne Museum

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:22:00 +0000

The biggest museum in the southern hemisphere, the Melbourne Museum is located in the Carlton Gardens. A lovely stroll through the gardens is a great way to start the morning.

Carlton Gardens

Melbourne Museum

The museum has a striking and contemporary look with lots of glass and steel. It certainly sets a different tone from the more formal look of its neighbor, the Royal Exhibition Hall.

Glass and Steel

Royal Exhibition hall

A favorite among our kids are displays of dinosaurs. The Melbourne Museum does not disappoint here.

Run away!

Can you pass the Grey Poupon?

We find the museum very kid friendly, and there are many interactive displays. There are also heaps of animal, insect, and other creepy crawly displays that will certainly keep their attention.

First time I've seen the queue to the men's loo this long

Mom, look out, it's a giant insect!

The redback spider packs a heck of a venom, and is often found in populated areas (immortalized by Slim Newton's Redback on the Toilet Seat). The female also tends to eat the male up after mating. Hmm...

I'm glad they're behind glass

Though born and bred in New Zealand, Phar Lap is Australia's most beloved race horse. Everyone walking pass the display did so in a reverent manner. A true chestnut lightning.

Ready for another win at the Melbourne Cup

The early trams moved by gripping a moving cable that was under the road. It took some skill for the drivers to grip and release the cable at the right spots using a clutch mechanism so that the tram would head down the correct set of tracks.

2-hour zone 1 please...

The Melbourne Museum has a lovely forest display that is just refreshing to walk through. The Lorax would be pleased.

Lovely and refreshing

Surrounding the museum are several quiet gardens, perfect for some quiet time reflecting, or just catching your breath.

Quiet gardens

For more information, check out their website. The museum also has an IMAX theater which has a variety of shows. Our kids say they can't wait for Transformers to start screening there.

Billy Goat Trail (DCA)

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:24:00 +0000

A trail description that promises “extremely difficult and dangerous terrain” is a clarion call that I cannot refuse. Section A of the Billy Goat Trail is located on Bear Island in Maryland’s Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.

Billy Goat Trail (source wikipedia)

Unlike most popular hiking trails, Billy Goat Trail Section A offers up lots of scrambles around or over boulders, plenty of rocky terrain, a short but steep scramble up a cliff face, and heaps of breathtaking views of the Potomac River. My favorite times of the year for hiking here are in the winter when the views are unparalleled, and in the fall when the colors are on full show.

Short Climb Up (source wikipedia)

A popular option is to hike the trail in one direction, and return via the towpath. You can link up with Sections B and C of the Billy Goat Trail for a longer hike. A good place to park is in the parking area opposite Old Angler’s Inn on MacArthur Blvd. Show up early, as this parking area tends to fill up quickly. Download this map from the National Park Service for more information.

WashingtonDC hiking

Day Out With Thomas

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 08:05:00 +0000

Have you ever seen a few hundred kids with eyes wide opened, jaws dropped, and speechless? Neither have we, till we brought our two sons to a Day Out With Thomas event.

He's a really useful engine

When we arrived at the Strasburg Rail Road in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, we thought we were early. We were wrong. It looked like we had stumbled onto a minivan convention. A man flagged us to the back of the parking lot. They had to open a new lot! Andrew was so excited he could barely get a word out. Alex was barely 2 months old. As we ambled towards the station, I was stunned to see so many children at this gathering. We felt like Gulliver at Lilliput. Everyone was talking about Thomas and craning their necks to look at the tracks, hoping to catch a glimpse of Thomas. We were in the presence of a Thomas cult! As we walked further to the front of the station, lo and behold there was Thomas the Tank Engine with his coaches! Andrew’s eye lit up, just regular coaches, not Annie and Clarabel he corrected us. We hurried to the front where kids were having their pictures taken with Thomas. Of course, Andrew was thrilled to be this close to Thomas. When it was his turn to be with Thomas, Andrew couldn’t stop staring at him. Thomas stared back at him with his big eyes and his cheeky grin.

Thomas and his coaches

After picture taking, we got ready to purchase tickets to ride with Thomas. Andrew was disappointed that there was no Annie and Clarabel. That’s fine though, he will be sitting in coaches pulled by Thomas! Even we adults were excited to be in the coach. The ride took us from the Strasburg station to the next station (which was about 15 minutes ride one way) and back. During the ride, you get to glimpse the Amish countryside. Alex didn’t even utter a sound during the ride. His eyes were soaking up the many new things to see. Everyone was enjoying the ride.

Alas, many good things must come to an end. It was time to go home. Before heading home, we had to visit the Thomas souvenir shop. They had more Thomas stuff then you could shake your wallet at. Andrew got a couple of Thomas things. He was grinning from ear to ear. What a trip! “Thanks mom and dad, this was totally awesome!”

Canadian National No89 at Strasburg

The Strasburg Rail Road is a tourist railroad that operates pretty much throughout the year. Across the street is the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, which houses an impressive collection of locomotives and rail cars. Lancaster County is an easy day trip away from Washington DC. Throughout the year, Thomas shows up at many different spots around the country, you’re not limited to just Strasburg.

WashingtonDC Thomas Strasburg

DC Ducks

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 09:14:00 +0000

Guided tours are a great way to see a city and to learn about it. One of the most unusual ways to see a bit of DC is to take the DC Ducks tour. The DC Duck is an amphibious vehicle that tours some of the streets in DC, and then desends into the Potomac River for a different view of the city.

The Duck is an fully refurbished World War II personnel carrier known as the DUKW. The DUKW's can now be found in several cities and countries operating as tour vehicles. DC Ducks has several in their fleet, each with cute names like Sitting Duck, or Capitol Duck.

From Union Station, the Ducks head to the mall past famous monuments and several Smithsonian Museums. The Duck then heads for Gravelly Point where it heads onto the Potomac River. At this point, you are directly beneath the flight path of planes about to land at National Airport. It's a great view!

The witty captains entertain the guests with anecdotes, historical facts and corny but funny jokes! Ducks depart hourly from Union Station for their 90 minute tour.

Click on these pictures from the DC Ducks webpage to get you to their site. They don't take reservations, so either book online, or show up early at Union Station.

WashingtonDC

Upcoming Melbourne Events

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 07:38:00 +0000

Melbourne City Romp

This looks like fun for the entire family. You romp from checkpoint to checkpoint solving puzzles and challenges, and picking up fun goodies. There are 50 checkpoints in total, and you try to hit has many as possible within a 4 hour period. Lots of fun to be had, prizes to be won, and all proceeds go to the Burnet Institute. Romp for a good cause on 14 October, 2007.

Thomas and Friends Live

Your kids crazy about Thomas too? This might be the highlight of their year! This new musical will be playing at the Vodaphone Arena on 25-27 of September, 2007. For more info click here.

Melbourne

Penang Hill Railway

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 00:04:00 +0000

The journey is the destination, goes a famous saying. Penang Hill is a wonderful hill resort destination on the island of Penang. A number of actual peaks around 2500 feet in elevation make up the hill resort that provides for a refreshing change from the heat of the island. Although lovely in of itself, I enjoy the journey of getting up there. You can hike up one of the many trails, like the famous Moongate Trail. Or you could take the funicular railway up which our kids find terribly exciting.

Passing a car

Opened in 1923, the Penang Hill Railway takes visitors to Penang Hill from Ayer Itam. The journey takes about 30 minutes, and railway has two sections. You take the car from the bottom station to the mid-point station (very visible from many parts of Penang), and then change cars to get to the top. Cars on both sections run on a single 1 meter gauge track, with passing loops in the middle. There are intermediate stations along the way, where passengers may get off or get on from.

As you head up the hill, you are treated to a first class view of the dense jungle. With the omnipresent ring of crickets, you try to spot various birds through the bamboo and ferns, and the odd monkey or two. As you get higher, it feels like someone has fortunately turned the a/c on, ahh, how refreshing.

You're going the wrong way!

Each section has two cars connected by a cable. The incline of the track in parts gets as steep as 51%. Each car has a luggage cart where you can dump anything big you happen to be toting. You can purchase round trip or one way tickets from the office at the bottom, or the top. Note that the cars tend to get very full (one size fits all!) especially during the weekends and school holidays. You can take the RapidPenang U204 bus to the bottom station.

Penang Hill Railway (source wikipedia)

Penang funicular

Firefly (PEN)

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 07:35:00 +0000

Psst! Work stressing you out? Need a short break? Hurry over to the Firefly airline webpage and book yourself a ticket out of Penang for a few days. Firefly is a new low cost airline (a full subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines) based out of Penang International Airport. It has six destinations (check out the route map from Firefly’s website below) and currently has a fleet size of two Fokker 50s (9M-MGI and 9M-MGK). Plans to expand the fleet have been set in motion with the order of ten ATR 72-500s.

Firefly route map

Firefly 9M-MGI awaiting passengers

Flight fares are tantalizingly low. We flew to Langkawi recently for RM9.99 each way. After taxes, the tickets were a little less than RM50 each way. Check in is painless, due to the low number of passengers on a F50. Infants under two can fly with an adult for a fee. Strollers and car seats have to be stowed in the aircraft as lugguge.

Firefly counters at PEN

As with most LCCs, you have to pay for food and drinks onboard the flight. The cabin crew may or may not get a commission from their sales (like some other LCCs), but I’m not sure how much sales they drum up on the short flights. They could do with a better uniform though. There are talks about extending the sevice to KL, Johor Baru, and Kota Kinabalu (some Air Asia competition?). We enjoyed our flight and found the cabin and ground crew friendly and efficient and hope that Penang will remain the hub.

Interior shot

Pratt & Whitney PW125B

Washington DC

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 06:23:00 +0000

If you are in Washington DC, you have to visit the Smithsonians. The wonderful thing about these museums is that they're free! What makes the area even more interesting is that the Capitol and Washington Monument flank the buildings on either end of the Mall. These are truly world famous structures, shown in movies and pictures everywhere.

The best time to make a visit to Washington DC is Springtime, around April when the Cherry Blossoms are blooming. What a sight to behold, especially around the Tidal Basin. Our favorite museums on the Mall (the long stretch of open space where the museums are situated) are the Air and Space Museum, the newly opened American Indian Museum, the Art Museums, Museum of Natural History, Museum of American History, and the Hirschhorn Garden. There are 19 museums altogether. For younger kids, I would recommend the Air and Space Museum and Museum of American History. You can always get more information from the Smithsonian Castle.

Smithsonian Castle

National Museum of the American Indian

Within walking distance of the Mall are the Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Roosevelt Memorial (which I highly recommend), World War II Memorial, Vietnam Memorial and Jefferson Memorial. These memorials represent a lot of history and are highly worth the visit. A crowd favorite is the Albert Einstein statue outside the National Academy of Sciences building. Unlike virtually all other sculptures and statues, you are encouraged to climb onto Albert and spend some time with him. Take things easy, don't rush, after all time is relative...

Washington Monument and Cherry Blossoms

Lincoln Memorial

The most enjoyable tour we have taken around DC is with the "DC Ducks". DC Ducks uses amphibious vehicles that provides for a truly enjoyable jaunt around DC, on land, and in the water. They operate out of Union Station, tickets can be purchased at their desk there. We'll be writing about them soon.

Besides the museums and memorial, you can also make a stop at the Washington Zoo. Once again, it's free. The main attraction at the Zoo are the pandas. Currently there are three pandas, Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and their cub, Tai Shan (well, he's no longer a cub, but a hefty 153 pounds).

Yummy breakfast!

If you stay in the suburbs of Washington DC, you can easily take the train "the Metro" into the city. The city itself is well serviced by the Metro. Additionally, when you are in DC, you can walk everywhere! That's how convenient and friendly the layout of all the attractions are. Of course once you are in the city, you have to try all the many different ethnic restaurants, from Mexican to Thai food. The variety and quality of food in DC is truly astounding.

This was a quick and short tour of DC, we will be writing many more in depth stories on things to do and places to eat in DC soon.

Useful links:
DC Ducks
National Zoo
Smithsonian
DC Metro
Places to eat in DC
-Mrs PEN.DCA.MEL

Jells Park (MEL)

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:20:00 +0000

No more excuses! Due to circumstances, I had not touched my bike in more than six months. With temperatures predicted to rise up to 25C however, it was time to ride. The first time back on a bike after an extended break is always difficult. Your mind still remembers the speeds at which you were riding but try as you might, your legs just refuse to push those pedals around any faster. The second time back on a bike however, is just pure pain. Your ‘sitting bones’ are so sore from the previous days ride that every bump instantaneously results in mind numbing jolts of shooting pain. You even begin to wonder why you had upgraded to a light weight saddle (read: ‘no padding’) just to shave off a few more grams. All those thoughts and discomfort soon float away as your pick up speed and the breeze starts rushing by again.

Located in the Dandenong Creek Valley, Jells Park is a popular 127 hectare park that draws close to 1 million visitors a year. Its diverse vegetation includes melaleucas, gums, and stringybark. Jells Park is also a haven for birds and attracts over 150 species. Some migrate south from as far as Japan (during their colder months). My personal favorite is the wide-open spaces, perfect for our kids to run, and run, and run (and sleep soundly at night). The lovely open areas are perfect for picnics too. There are also three different playgrounds for kids. Several paved trails snake around the park, perfect for walking, rollerblading, or cycling.

Wide open spaces

Anytime is a good time for tea at Madeline's

Cycling on a multi-use paved trail can sometimes be tricky, as we tend to move a lot quicker than pedestrians. I usually end up just pedaling along slowly, making eye contact, and a friendly “Hello!” On this occasion, as I rounded a blind corner and got ready to greet to friendly older ladies, I hit a bump on the trail which then sent a blinding jolt of pain up through my head resulting in flashes of light and stars. Unfortunately, my vocal chords had begun to utter the word “Hello there!”, and instead I yelled out “Ngggarrrrrrkkkk!!!!” Add to that, my nose was running like a busted faucet (oh how nice spring pollen can be), they literally jumped 20 feet back in fright.

Magnolia in bloom

The park has several designated BBQ areas all set up and ready for you to throw some steaks or sausages on. Note that Jells Park doesn’t have trash facilities, you have to carry everything you brought in, back out. If you drive by car, you can get to the main parking area off Waverley Road (Melway 71 J5). There are multiple other entrances if you are walking or cycling in. For more information, check our their website. Located in Wheelers Hill, Jells Park is right smack in the middle of civilization, so getting food after your walk shouldn’t be a problem.

Windy day

I’ve gotta go now, there’s this big group of people gathering up there, something about looking for a loony on two wheels…

Source for punishment and pleasure

Penang Butterfly Farm

noreply@blogger.com (pen.dca.mel) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:12:00 +0000

One thing that comes close to Penang’s famous hawkers food is the Butterfly Farm in Batu Feringghi, Teluk Bahang. Since its inception in 1986, it has become one of Penang favorite attraction. My husband and I took our 2 boys on the usual tropical sunny day, not expecting much of this trip. To our amazement and surprise, a dozen or more free flying butterflies greeted us along with lots of lush colorful flora and fauna in an enclosed area!

As we walked further on the path, more butterflies swamped past us. Imagine the boys delight to have these beautiful Papillions flapping right beside them. They were everywhere – flying high and low. You can even touch those fragile, gorgeous creatures. Even one decided to take a break on my boy’s head. All of us enjoyed observing each butterfly closely when they rested on the many nectar flowers and plants placed along the path. At this close range, I couldn’t help but admire the lovely designs and colors of each different species.

According to their website, the Penang Butterfly farm is the first tropical butterfly farm ever set up in the tropical world, with an average flying population of 4000 Malaysian butterflies of 120 different species, including the rare Indian Leafl (Kallima paralekta) and the endangered Yellow Bird wing (Troides helena). The farm also plays a role in research center to develop breeding methods.

Not only butterflies inhabit this enclosed area, we also encountered deadly Scorpions and a mean looking giant lizard. What makes the Butterfly Farm even more appealing was the large pool filled with humongous Koi fishes and the peaceful sound of falling waters. The verdict: we will definitely make a trip back to the Penang Butterfly Farm again.

To get there, make a left at the Teluk Bahang roundabout (if you are driving from town) and you will find it on your left after a short distance.

-Mrs PEN.DCA.MEL