Lael's 5th Birthday: Circus Party with Mr. Julien

This Saturday we had a wild and crazy circus party at our house for my 5th birthday.  My entire class came with their siblings and parents and Mr. Julien, performer extraordinaire from Social Circus led the party in a series of tricks using circus props.  We ordered pizzas from Parami and mama and papa provided chipotle chicken and fish tacos for the adults.  Mr. Myo's (driver) sister came over early in the morning and made some amazing spring rolls and Vietnamese pork wraps made with Morning Glory leaves from our garden. Then we finished it off with some gourmet cupcakes from Sydney's Home Baked Goods.

Mr. Julien setting up.  We lucked out...it was raining 15 minutes prior to this.

Concentration is key when you are spinning plates.

Hey mama, look 4 plates!

Giant bubbles.

Attempt at the Guinness Book of World Records largest hoola-hoop-a-thon under 10 years old with Spidermand present in Yangon, Myanmar.  I think we nailed it.

Pools and pools and pagodas.

This is the Wednesday and Sunday pool crew at the American club.  We also meet on Friday afternoons at the Australian club where you guessed it, we  swim.  The cool thing about Friday is that there are kids from all over the diplomatic community and the pool is really big, plus they have one of the best playgrounds in the city.

Last weekend we attended a rooftop birthday party for our friend Oskar (his dad's name is Henrik like our cousin).  It had a nice view of Shwedagon Pagoda in the backround.  I am so shwe (golden)!

Date Day for Mama & Papa

Mama and Papa spent a nice Saturday visiting the Myanmar National Museum in Yangon without Lael and I complaining about how boring all this old junk is and can we go for ice cream or when are we going to leave.

King Anawrahta Minsaw, the founder of the Pagan Empire circa 1044-1077.  Also considered to be the founder of modern.  Anawrahta unified the entire Irrawaddy valley for the first time in history, and placed peripheral regions such as the Shan States and Arakan (Northern Rakhine). 

Afterwards, they decided to treat themselves to a yucky lunch at the Governor's Residence Hotel.  Glad we missed this one as they have no playground, no grilled cheese on the menu or milkshakes!  Instead they ordered banana leave salad with chicken satay, green mango salad with seared scallops, Shan State potato salad and fish with grilled vegetables.

Now this one I probably could have chocked down; at least the vanilla ice cream and passion fruit sauce.  The orange infused chocolate gnash with cocoa powder...probably that too.

That is Charlie the peacock. He likes to eat pastries (croissants and onion bread) out of the bakery window.  Not bad digs living at the Governor's Residence 5 Star Hotel!

Their garden table would look a lot better if their was a playground in distance.

  

The Process of Learning and the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights....its for ALL

Big week here in Myanmar! First day of school was Monday and we met a ton of new people.  Lael has settled nicely into her classroom and Eamonn, well he already has his posse of dudes. This posse has a standing play date of a particular Ambassador's house, which also provided us a valuable lesson on the dignity that all humans deserve.  The child of this house treatment of his nanny and the rest of the staff is pretty deplorable and well Eamonn got an earful in the car on the ride home, but I think he got the picture and we will not be having the same issue!  On to more positive things:

First Day of School

Lael's Class

Un Detachement du Yangon

Now that the kids are in school, Tina has the freedom to explore the city a little.  Below is a beautiful colonial building that I believe was the old headquarters of the British East India Company at the bottom of Pansodan Street and Strand, the heart of British "Rangoon"

Olde Colonial Gem

The next two photos are from Tina's trip to Hledan Market, where locals shop for everything!

Eels for lunch anyone.  I love that she is getting a massage too.

Rice Stall at Hledan Market: 1500 kyat = $1.10