A visit to Shanghai Zoo, China to see pandas

When we were planning our trip to Shanghai this summer we knew that one thing we really wanted to see was giant pandas. We discovered that in Shanghai there are two options to see them - Shanghai Zoo and the Shanghai Wild Animal Park which both have giant pandas as well as a range of other animals. In the end we settled on Shanghai Zoo because we were more interested in some of the other animals that they have there - in particular the monkeys as we really enjoy seeing monkeys and other primates!

We travelled to Shanghai Zoo by taxi from our hotel in central Shanghai, as we found that booking taxis in Shanghai using the Didi app (which is very similar to Uber) was really easy and the rides were very reasonably priced. But if you prefer to use public transport then the Metro Line 10 stops at Shanghai Zoo Station which is right outside. We used Alipay to buy our tickets on the gate.

We arrived at the zoo as soon as it opened, around 8am, which meant that as well as avoiding the summer crowds we could also make the most of the very slightly cooler temperatures. Because the pandas were the main attraction for us we headed straight to their enclosure which was a really good move. There were only a couple of other people there, and the two pandas were out and about. 

We were able to see both pandas really close up and moving around in their outdoor enclosures, and we stayed for quite a while watching them.

Another draw for us was the penguins which were near the entrance, so we made our way back through the zoo stopping at various exhibits along the way. The zoo is very large and we found it quite difficult to navigate - and be prepared for a lot of walking! It's a good idea to take a photo of one of the maps to help you find your way around. There are a few places to buy snacks or water, and also some vending machines.

We found the penguins, and also enjoyed seeing the golden snub nosed monkeys, the lions and tigers, and the elephants.

The zoo was clean and tidy, and not at all crowded when we visited on a weekday in mid July. It was very hot which meant that we didn't feel up to spending the whole day there, but we comfortably saw everything that we wanted to in a couple of hours. Something to note about the toilets - almost all of the toilets were squat toilets which as Western visitors we aren't used to. If you need or prefer a pedestal toilet then look for the disabled toilet, we found one in every toilet block.

There is a lovely Swan Lake which features other water birds as well as swans, and overall the zoo was really open and pleasant to walk around, with plenty of green and scenic areas.

I found the design of the zoo a little old-fashioned and quite charming. Many of the enclosures had gorgeous hand painted signs showing the animals inside, inside which I loved. 

Almost all of the signage around the enclosures was entirely in Chinese, so if you don't speak Chinese you will need to make sure that you have a translation app on your phone - I like to use the Google Translate app. You can't use Google products easily in China, but I made sure to download the Chinese dictionary ahead of time and it worked really well. 

One thing that I had read before we visited the zoo was that the living conditions for the animals aren't perhaps quite as high as you might be used to seeing in other zoos around the world, and there is possibly some truth in that. We found that we saw every single animal, and often when you visit a zoo there are some animals that you never see because they are out of sight. 

So although the animal enclosures were a good size and clean, I think they are built so that they don't have many areas where the animals can hide out of view. Although this makes for a great visitor experience, it may not be so good for the animals. Otherwise though the enclosures were clean, and the animals appeared healthy.

You can find more information about the zoo on the Shanghai Zoo official website (the website can be translated to English!)

Our first family escape room

At the weekend we treated Harry to an escape room for his birthday treat. This was the first time that we had tried such a thing as a family, although my husband and I had both separately completed an escape room before. A few years ago my parents and I did Time Lock: Mission Berlin in Worthing. We were terrible at it! I don't know if the room was particularly difficult or if we just weren't very good, but we were constantly asking for help, and even then we only just made it out in time!

The escape room that we did at the weekend was another of the three in Worthing, which are all run by the same company. Smugglers Ruin is inspired by local history, as you attempt to retrieve a precious barrel of gin from the town hall. Once booked, all of these escape rooms are exclusive to your group, which was a big plus point for me.

I was a little apprehensive as to how we would get on. Harry can get overwhelmed quite quickly, especially when there is a time pressure, and Mia can get frustrated if she doesn't understand something. I was worried that I'd be spending the whole time trying to keep everyone happy, rather than actually solving puzzles! But in the end I needn't have worried, as we did brilliantly. We solved the room in just 43 minutes, and we didn't need a single hint!

Obviously no spoilers, but we were helped massively by the fact that Harry has a particular knack for a certain type of puzzle that I think would have taken the rest of us much longer to solve. We all worked really well as a team finding all the things that we needed for the puzzles, and we all chipped in with our own ideas which helped us to solve them together. We had an enormous amount of fun, and were talking about it for days afterwards. 

I would love to do a few more escape rooms but unfortunately it's not a cheap hobby. I can understand  why it's expensive - only a few people can take part at a time, it takes a long time to run the room and to set it up each time, and once someone has done a room they won't be coming back even with a different group of people. It was worth it but was definitely a treat rather than something that we'll be able to do regularly, even though we all loved it! There are plenty of others to try locally, so I'm hoping that we will be able to do another one together soon.

Have you ever tried an escape room?

Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park, Islamorada, Florida

I've shared a couple of posts recently about places that we visited on our recent stay in the Florida Keys, and today I wanted to write about Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park in Islamorada, a perfect place to stop and stretch your legs as you drive through the keys.

The park is really easy to find - it's on your right as you drive down the Overseas Highway and it's well signposted. There's a large car park, and on the day we visited there were only a couple of other visitors. Do check the opening times as it's currently only open Thursday-Monday. It costs just $2.50 per person to visit, there are toilets, a water fountain, a museum, and several short self-guided trails. There are also some guided tours available, check the website for details. 

We spent about an hour and a half here. We would have spent a little longer, but it started to rain quite heavily so we headed for the museum! We had plenty of time to walk all the trails at a leisurely pace and to spend time in the museum afterwards. There are picnic benches dotted all around, so it's a great place to stop for a packed lunch.

We started with the Hammock Trail which takes you through a tropical hardwood hammock. There are all sorts of interesting trees and plants to see, as well as various wildlife, like these huge spiders that greeted us at several corners!

 

You can borrow a guide book to take around with you if you are looking for detailed information, or else there are plenty of informational signs to explain the things that you are seeing. The trails were well marked and pretty easy to follow, the area covered by the park isn't that large so you are unlikely to get very lost.

As you walk along the paths you notice that they are lined with small rocks filled with fossils. This area was used as a quarry which was still active into the 1960s. The trains running through the Keys were used to transport the fossil covered stone back to the mainland. There are remnants of the quarrying equipment remaining across the site, and plenty of information to help you understand the quarrying process.

A couple of trails take you through the old quarry itself where you can see the vast walls of rocks, marked with lines from the drilling equipment. It's fascinating to wander past these rock faces which are covered in beautiful fossils. You can see stand among the fossil corals and realise that once all this was underwater.

After a quick rush through the downpour to the Visitor Center we spent some time in the museum. It's a mixture of the geological history about fossils found in the park, and the industrial history of the area including the quarry and the railway. Although small it's really well done with plenty of information.

If you are driving down through the keys then Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park is a great place to stop for a break, and also a really good introduction to the history of the area.

If you are looking for other activities to do in the Florida Keys then you may also be interested in these posts:

The Old Seven Mile Bridge at Marathon Key

The Turtle Hospital at Marathon Key

The Turtle Hospital, Marathon Key, Florida

Recently I wrote about our trip to the Florida Keys, and our attempts to spot sea turtles from the Old Seven Mile Bridge. Unfortunately our efforts were unsuccessful, but luckily as an alternative we were also able to visit the wonderful Turtle Hospital just down the road!

We visited on the final day of our holiday before driving to Miami for our flight that evening. It's recommended to book tickets in advance, but there seemed to be plenty of availability. We booked the evening before, and lots of people were accommodated without booking. You must visit as part of a guided tour, which lasts around 90 minutes. 

Our visit began with a short presentation in the education centre. We were shown pictures of the different species of marine turtle, and learned to identify them. We were also told about the problems that the turtles face in the ocean, both locally and worldwide, and all about the work of the Turtle Hospital in treatment and rehabilitation. It was really interesting! 

Then we were able to watch a turtle having an operation, which was fascinating to see. Many turtles rescued suffer from FP (fibropapillomatosis), benign tumours that can cause problems with vision, feeding and movement. It can either be the reason for the initial rescue or discovered when they are admitted for something else, like a boat injury. It seems to be caused by toxins ingested by eating weeds in the sea and is very common. These tumours can be removed gradually using laser surgery leaving just a small scar, and that is what they are doing in the photograph below.

In total at the centre we saw forty-three turtles. The turtles which are being treated before release are kept in large tanks. This one has a flipper missing after an injury, but is still able to be released.

There are however some turtles which need to remain at the centre. For example there was a turtle at  that is blind, and many of the turtles suffer from a condition called 'bubble butt'. This is caused when the turtle suffers an injury which traps gases inside the shell and causes it to float. Weights can be attached to help the turtle to swim, but as the turtle grows it's not a practical long term solution for a released turtle. So there is a large outdoor tank at the hospital which houses these turtles and is filled with sea water (and smaller fish that have made their way in through the pipes!)

At the end of the tour you have the opportunity to feed these turtles which was a lot of fun.

I was interested to learn that any turtles that you see in captivity, for example in an aquarium, are all turtles that can't be released back into the wild for whatever reason. The places hosting the turtle are usually proud, and happy to share more information. For example I looked up OD who now lives at Shark Reef Aquarium in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, who was rescued by the turtle hospital, and Miko at the Frost Museum in Miami that we saw in the museum the previous week.

As you can probably tell I learned a huge amount from our visit to the Turtle Hospital, and we were all really glad that we made the effort to visit. There was such a lot to see and it was so interesting. I would definitely recommend a visit if you are in the area!

The Old Seven Mile Bridge, Marathon Key, Florida

We recently spent a few days in Marathon, part of the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys are the string of small islands which stretch from the south eastern tip of mainland Florida to Key West. It takes about two hours to drive from Miami to Marathon Key, which is located in the Middle Keys. We stayed at the Isla Bella Beach Resort which is a fantastic resort in a beautiful location, and is situated just opposite the entrance to the Seven Mile Bridge.

The Seven Mile Bridge connects Knight's Key, part of Marathon, to Little Duck Key. There are two bridges here, the modern road bridge and an older bridge. The older bridge was originally a railway bridge and was then converted to a road bridge before the new bridge was completed in 1982.

Although most of the older bridge is still standing, it has fallen into disrepair and only the 2 mile section which connects Marathon to Pigeon Key has been restored. Reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, it can be used to access Pigeon Key and is also a lovely walk with great views and the opportunity to look for sea life in the water below.

There is a good sized car park at the entrance to the bridge. There were always spaces when we visited (late October) and I would imagine that turnover is pretty quick as many people just hop out for a quick look. There are also some informational boards so that you can find out more about the history of the bridge.

The walk across the bridge to Pigeon Key is 2 miles, however entrance to Pigeon Key is only possible with paid admission (see details here - Pigeon Key. Paid admission to Pigeon Key also includes transport across the bridge via tram. If you just want to walk across the bridge like we did (or run, or cycle!) then be warned that it can be a hot walk with no shade (although there may be a breeze), and because it's just a bridge there are no toilets or other facilities along the way or in the car park.

There are distance markers painted along the bridge so you can see how far you have left to go if you are walking to Pigeon Key. Initially we set out to walk the entire distance, but we quickly realised that there was no benefit if you aren't planning to visit it! In fact you only really need to walk a few hundred metres across the bridge to really appreciate it.

If you want to look for sea life in the water below, a good tip that we were given is to stand at the part of the bridge which is over a pillar. You can identify this by looking for where two parts of the outer railing have a smaller gap in them, like in the photo below (there is an inner railing in front of this one):

The water below here was often smoother and so it was easier to see underneath the surface. We were also told that this is where the larger sea creatures lie in wait for the smaller fish. 

We spent quite a lot of time looking for sea life over the bridge! It took several visits, but we saw jellyfish, lots of really large rays just under the surface, some creatures that looked like huge sharks with their fins above the water, and lots of things jumping and splashing before we could see clearly what they were! We also saw lots of birds. People on the bridge at the same time saw turtles, but we kept missing them!

The Seven Mile Bridge is also a lovely place to watch the sunset, either from on the bridge itself or from just to the side. In the photo below you can see the new road bridge in the foreground, and the restored old bridge is the blue one just behind to the right.

If you are visiting the Keys then the Old Seven Mile Bridge is a must stop. It's a great way to break up the long journey from Miami down to Key West, it's easy to find, and if you are staying in Marathon then you have a great opportunity to pop back at different times of the day to see what you can spot!

Visiting Anne Frank's House in Amsterdam

On our recent visit to Amsterdam we had a really interesting and informative visit to the Anne Frank House. You can find out more about Anne Frank here - Who was Anne Frank. A visit to the Anne Frank House gives you the opportunity to visit the actual rooms of the Secret Annex where Anne went into hiding with her family and others, as well as being the home of a large museum and other exhibitions. 

We visited the house probably around twenty years ago, and things have changed a lot during that time! So I thought I'd share some information in case you are planning a visit, something which I would absolutely recommend if you find yourself in Amsterdam.

The most important thing to know about a visit is that you must buy tickets in advance. I'm pretty sure that it would impossible to turn up on the day and be able to visit. Be very careful if you book a local tour that includes a visit to Anne Frank's House - you will almost certainly find that it doesn't include actual entry into the house. 

Tickets are currently released for sale six weeks beforehand on a Tuesday at 10am CEST. They are only available through the official website and must be purchased for a specific time slot. You can find all the information here - Anne Frank House. There are two types of ticket available - Museum Visit and a Museum Visit with a 30 minute introduction in English.

I was very keen to get tickets and knowing that we were visiting in the summer holidays on the same day as several cruise ships were in port I checked out the website for a few weeks before we actually needed to buy the tickets. 

I was interested in Museum Visit only tickets for a visit in the middle of August, and from discussion in our cruise group, tickets with the introduction sold out within minutes. By quarter past many time slots were full, but because each slot is only 15 minutes there were still plenty of tickets available for several hours after opening. By the end of the day most of the daytime slots for that week had gone, but a couple of days later there were still some evening and weekend slots available. 

I noticed that when the ticket slots opened up for the six week ahead mark there were also extra tickets released for dates which were previously fully booked. It's worth checking nearer the time if you miss out, and if you are visiting out of the main summer season and are flexible with your times you may be able to get away with booking a week or two in advance.

The entry time was very strict, and there was a queuing system outside while you waited for your slot to open. The ticket conditions make it very clear that there are no refunds and the purchaser must be with you at time of entry. You can't take bags but there is a free cloakroom, and the ticket price includes an excellent audio guide. The Secret Annex and the older part of the museum are unfortunately not accessible for wheelchairs, pushchairs or people with limited mobility as there are some incredibly steep staircases.

Your visit starts in the house next door, with an excellent introduction to the history of the building, the family and others who went into hiding, their helpers, and how the family managed to remain in hiding for so long. It also covers the fates of everyone involved once they were discovered. I found that it was pitched perfectly both to people who know Anne's story well and to those who are unfamiliar and want to learn more. The audio guide is really well paced and keeps people moving along. There are also lots of videos to watch which are on a loop so you can jump in at any point. 

Then you enter the Secret Annex itself, passing by the bookcase which concealed the entrance still in place. The rooms are unfurnished, but there are photographs in each room showing how they would have looked when occupied. There are also some family possessions on display. In Anne's room you can see the pictures which she glued onto the walls, and there are pencil markings which show Anne and her sister Margot's heights as they grew while in hiding. The rooms are small and would have been crowded when occupied, but at the same time it's astonishing just how much space there was hidden away. You can spend as long as you like looking around. 

After visiting the Secret Annex there are more exhibitions to see. The main draw here is Anne Frank's original diary and some of her other notebooks. There is also a model of the Secret Annex - the photo below shows the bookcase entrance at the bottom and the steep steps leading upwards. This really helps to understand how all the rooms are arranged, as it can be a bit confusing when you are inside. 

I think that Anne Frank's house is one of the must-see attractions if you are visiting Amsterdam. I'd been wanting to share the experience with my children for a long time, and so I'm really glad that we had the opportunity to do so. I hope that this helps if you are planning a visit!

A museum day out in London

Harry loves a museum, so when we were planning a day out for his birthday a London museum trip was the obvious choice. We last did a family London trip in January 2020 before Covid, and we were also keen to visit the British Museum to see the real Parthenon Marbles after our holiday in Athens last year. 

We decided to spend the morning at the British Museum and then head to the Science Museum for the afternoon, another favourite that we've visited many times over the years. We booked free tickets online for both of these museums but it didn't seem too busy, so I think you can probably visit without booking especially if it's first thing or later on in the day.

At the British Museum we started with the Egyptian collections. There's a lot to see! Although currently some exhibits like the Rosetta Stone have been temporarily moved to a paid exhibition. We saw the mummies of course, before heading to the Greek sculptures. The Parthenon Marbles exhibition area is nicely done, but you can't help thinking that the marbles should probably be back in Athens. 

I can see the argument both ways, because if they hadn't been removed to the museum then they probably wouldn't be in such good condition now. But now that there is an excellent new Acropolis museum in the very shadow of the Parthenon, with spaces for the missing marbles, it really does feel as though they should all be displayed there together. 

We stopped for a quick sandwich and then headed to the Science Museum. Mia isn't such a museum fan, so my husband took her to the shops for a break while I made a start with Harry. When we arrived I asked Harry where he wanted to start and he answered 'with the boats!' I couldn't work out what he meant until I realised that he was talking about the play area in the basement of the museum - The Garden - where there is a huge water play table with boats. He spent many happy hours playing there in the past when he was tiny! But sadly I had to break it to him that it's only for ages 6 and under - he was so disappointed!

Luckily there is plenty to see at the Science Museum and so he wasn't sad for long. We started with a new temporary (and free) exhibition - Injecting Hope: The race for a Covid-19 vaccine. It was really good, very approachable with just enough science to make it interesting without being overwhelming. There was also lots of memorabilia to see like home testing kits, signage from vaccine centres, even the penguin T-shirt worn by the first lady to receive the vaccine! I must admit that it did bring back quite a lot of emotions to see the timeline to a vaccine laid out like that and remembering all the anxiety that was around, especially in the early days of the pandemic before the vaccine was developed.

Then we walked back through one of Harry's favourite areas, the Exploring Space area. We are pretty familiar with this area as we've visited it many times over the years, but there are still lots of interesting things to see. I like all the areas about daily life in space and the future of space travel. Then I was starting to get quite tired legs, so I was happy to have a sit down and let Harry wander around the Mathematics gallery before we headed up to Flight. Harry can spend ages here, so I had to speed him up a bit! My favourite exhibit is the cut-through section of a Boeing 747 showing two floors of seating and the cargo hold. It's fascinating, I can stand looking at it for ages!

We did a quick sweep through some of the other galleries but we couldn't possibly see everything and we were all a bit museumed out. It was time to head home, despite Harry's longing glances as we walked past the Natural History Museum. We'll have to save a visit there for another day! 

The Titanic Artefact Museum in Orlando, Florida

On the last day of our recent holiday in Orlando we were looking for something to fill a couple of hours on our way to the airport for our evening flight. We chose the Titanic Artefact Museum which is located on International Drive, about a twenty minute drive from Orlando International Airport. Harry has long had a fascination with the Titanic, and when he was about five he made a brilliant Lego model which he used to play with. It's also a subject that really interests me, I remember watching documentaries from when the shipwreck was discovered and being fascinated by the blurry underwater images.

I'm really glad that we made this choice! We spent just over an hour at the museum, and I have to say that it was excellent. I was so impressed that I felt I had to share our visit here, as I really would recommend it to anyone that is in the area and has a passing interest in the Titanic.

At the beginning of our visit we were each given a different boarding pass for a real passenger, along with some history about them and their reasons for making the trip. Both Mia and I were rich ladies travelling in first class. In fact she was one of the richest passengers on the ship, travelling in a suite with a private promenade deck and two staff. Ram was a first class gentleman and Harry was a Swedish immigrant travelling in third class. We were told that at the end we would find out what had happened to our passengers, and that gave us lots to think about as we went around the museum. Mia sometimes struggles to maintain her interest, but it really engaged her when we found a map of the ship showing her private deck, and a reconstruction of a stateroom similar to the one that her passenger would have occupied.

The reconstructions throughout were in my opinion the best part of the museum. As well as the stateroom there was the famous grand staircase, one of the dining areas and part of the boiler room. Then my favourite part was the Promenade Deck. It was a short section of decking with mirrors at the side to make it appear longer, in an area of the museum with the air conditioning turned down low so that you could feel the chilly air. It was set at night, with clever projections of the sea on the floor on the other side of the rail. I've travelled on cruise ships at night and it felt so realistic and also spooky.

The museum story began with the history and building of the Titanic, then a large part of the museum focused on life on board and the amenities available to passengers, with an interesting look at the differences between the different classes. Then followed information about the sinking and the salvage. There are plenty of genuine artefacts scattered throughout, including a piece of the hull and a small piece of the ship that you can touch. There's even an actual iceberg!

In the memorial room we discovered what had happened to our passengers. The first class ladies had survived but the first class gentleman had not. Sadly, we weren't surprised to find out that Harry's steerage passenger had also perished. The lists of names were organised by their ticket class on the ship, and it was sobering to see how few of the third class passengers had actually survived.

If you do decide to visit the Titanic Artefact Museum do remember to have a look online or in a voucher booklet for current discount coupons as we managed to save quite a bit on our entry.

Two very different visits to Monkey World

Recently I wrote about how Mia had adopted a primate from Monkey World with some of her Christmas money. She chose to adopt Kim, a golden-cheeked gibbon who was born at the park. Since then we have discovered the television series Monkey Life which has been running for years and features all the primates at the park and their back stories. We've been watching an episode or two most days and are now pretty familiar with many of the primates and their stories.

Over half term we spent a week in Torquay, and because our adoption package includes admission to the park for the year we decided to visit on both the way there and the way back.

Unfortunately our first visit was badly timed. It was the day after Storm Eunice, and although the park was open we were warned that the majority of the outdoor enclosures were closed and that there was a lot of debris around the park. The weather forecast was also very bad with lots of rain. If we hadn't already booked our admission and weren't driving right past then we would have cancelled.

With all the animals indoors it was a bit of pot luck as to what you could see. Some of the indoor enclosures are tucked well away and you can't see them from the path, just catch a glimpse through the windows. But luckily the indoor enclosure for Mia's adopted gibbon Kim had a lovely big glass window, and with Kim and her partner Tien indoors it was a great opportunity to see them really close up. There weren't many other people around so we were able to stand at the viewing window for ages watching them swing about and snack.

But to be honest there wasn't a lot else to see in the park on that day, and when the rain started to get heavier we called it a day. Luckily the fact that we knew we would be back the following week made it less of a disappointing visit. The park was closed for the following two days and we learned from social media that they had wanted to close on the day of our visit but felt it was too short notice. But Mia was still really happy after our trip, she loved spotting the celebrity primates that she recognised from the television show and of course she was delighted to see Kim.

Our second visit the next week was much more successful. It was a lovely sunny day and the park was tidied up and fully open for visitors. All the outdoor enclosures were open and there was plenty to see. I think that my favourite primates are the orangutans, they are surprisingly graceful and you can tell that they are intelligent. They have such lovely eyes. 

All the primates have wonderful outdoor enclosures to enjoy, and although it was a chilly day there were plenty of them out and about to watch. We saw Kim and Tien sitting in the branches of their large enclosure and swinging about which was really nice to see, although they were too far away for a decent photograph!

We spent much longer at the park this time and we even discovered a section of the park that we had missed the first time around as we stumbled through the rain! I think that my favourite primate at the park is the golden-cheeked gibbon Peanut, mum to Tien and two other gibbons that have now moved on to their own families. Now she lives in a lovely big enclosure with her partner Pung-Yo. I'm not sure if she's expected to have any more babies, as they do breed the golden-cheeked gibbons, or whether she is now happily enjoying her retirement!

I'd definitely recommend a visit to Monkey World if you have an interest in primates, and especially in the rescue and rehabilitation of primates. Watching the Monkey Life series definitely made me realise what an important place this is, there is a great deal going on behind the scenes that you wouldn't necessarily realise as a visitor. We will definitely be back for another visit or two while we have our adoption tickets (and I wouldn't be at all surprised if we end up renewing the adoption when it finishes!)

Adopting a primate from Monkey World

Mia has always loved monkeys and other primates and for a little while now she has been desperate to adopt her own monkey. We took her to Monkey World in Dorset for her birthday a few years ago and she fell in love with it, and even though it's quite a distance from our house it seemed like the first place to look when it came to primate adoption.

Mia's favourite monkeys are squirrel monkeys but at Monkey World they have so many smaller primates that squirrel monkeys are only available to adopt as a group rather than an individual. So Mia spent a lot of time working through the website to find the primate that she wanted. She quickly narrowed it down to a female golden-cheeked gibbon, but then it became more difficult! Eventually she chose Kim, a female golden-cheeked gibbon born at Monkey World on 31/3/08. Kim has been paired with a male golden-cheeked gibbon, Tien, and they are very close.

A year long child adoption costs £27 which includes annual entrance to the park, a photograph, a certificate and three copies of their magazine. But because if we were taking her to the park we would all have to go and pay for entry anyway we decided to let her chip in £27 towards a family adoption which costs £94 for two adults and two children. 

Hopefully we can manage a few trips over to the park, and Kim will be out and about for her to have a good look at! The magazine that you receive is really good with lots of information about all the different primates and will definitely make our visits there much more interesting. We've also been watching some episodes of the television show Monkey Life which is all about the centre. 

She's so thrilled to have her very own adopted monkey!

A visit to Lindos, Rhodes and the Acropolis

On our recent holiday to Rhodes, Greece, several people told us that we must visit Lindos. So so we made sure to fit in a trip one afternoon, and we are very glad that we did!

Lindos is generally accepted as the best archaeological site on Rhodes. The Lindos Acropolis stands at the top of a large hill, surrounded the maze of streets that forms the town of Lindos covering the slopes below, filled with cobbled streets and attractive whitewashed buildings. We were dropped off by our taxi in the main square, with beautiful views out to sea along with the town and historic buildings.

From the bottom of the hill you need to climb up to reach the Acropolis. It's well signposted, but there are several different routes. Really you just need to keep heading upwards and you can't get lost! The first part of the walk takes you through beautiful little cobbled streets, well shaded from the sun. They are lined with shops selling all sorts of different goods - clothing, tableware, tourist souvenirs like postcards and magnets, honey and olive oil based products, lots of gorgeous things! The prices all seemed very reasonable too and there was no hassling to buy. 

Then the climb continues up the more open side of the hill. It's a bit steep and uneven, but not too difficult to walk up as long as you go carefully. There are donkeys available which will take you to the top of the hill via a longer and more gentle route, which is also an option for pedestrians to use. The Acropolis is situated right at the top, and once you have paid to enter the site there some more climbing over uneven ground and steps, but nothing too strenuous. 

The Acropolis site is big and a bit confusing at first. The site has been built and rebuilt over the centuries by many different civilisations so it's a bit of a jumble of different bits of stonework, but there are plenty of informative boards in English and in Greek to explain what you are looking at and which parts of the structure are original to which era.

You can see the main structures and columns, most of which have been restored over the years. But anything loose that could be taken away, like statues and other artefacts, has been removed. While some is displayed on the island, much of it is now as far away as Denmark (some of the archaeologists were Danish) so instead of statues for example all you can see is the blocks with foot holes where a statue would have once stood - like at the bottom of the photo below:

It's a very impressive site, and the remaining columns and steps give you a good idea of what it has looked like at various points in its history. There are some lovely views from the top across the beautiful blue sea and surrounding countryside.

If you are visiting the island of Rhodes I think that Lindos is definitely one of the must-see sights.

We visited the Acropolis in October 2021. Entrance to the Acropolis was 12 Euros for adults and 6 Euros for children. The whole Acropolis site is outdoors, and we were not asked for proof of Covid-19 vaccination to enter. 

We travelled to Lindos from our hotel just north of Faliraki by taxi. It took about forty-five minutes and cost 52 Euros each way, which was clearly posted at the taxi rank and agreed before we got in. The taxi driver dropped us in the main square where the path begins to the Acropolis, and we easily found a taxi here to take us back to the hotel. There are also frequent and very cheap buses available to travel around the island of Rhodes, however for this longer journey we took a taxi because we found on a shorter journey that the bus was very crowded and it would have been uncomfortable to stand for that long. 

A visit to Rhodes Old Town

On our recent holiday to Rhodes, Greece, we spent a few happy hours wandering around Rhodes Old Town and so I thought that I'd share a few photos!

We reached Rhodes by bus from the stop just outside our hotel near Faliraki. The buses were easy to use and very cheap, but the bus that we took was very crowded with standing room only. If you don't fancy the bus there are plenty of taxis to take you from place to place around Rhodes, with clear pricing structures so you know exactly how much you'll be paying.

If you are planning a visit to Rhodes Old Town there are lots of historical walking routes that you can download, for example this Self-Guided Medieval Town Walking Tour which has plenty of information about all the sights. Alternatively, when you arrive there are plenty of maps around with suggested walking routes, just take a photo of one to follow. 

We followed a simple circular route through the old town which took in the main sights, and then we just wandered off if we saw a street that looked particularly interesting. 

There were plenty of cafes and restaurants, and also lots of tourist shops selling souvenirs. We found that the prices for touristy gifts were very cheap compared to other places that we've visited. For example Harry collects magnets and we would usually pay about 5 Euro, but here they were usually just 1 Euro. So we bought a few bits and pieces here and there, I found some bracelets and Mia's eye was caught by many shops selling her favourite popit fidget toys. 

There are plenty of lovely old buildings to admire. We had to wait our turn to take a photo of the staircase and door below which was a very popular spot! The Street of the Knights was also one of our favourite areas, a narrow cobbled street which is one of the best preserved medieval streets in Europe. 

Kolona Harbour is located in the old town, accessed through a gate in the city walls and with a path that runs beneath them. There are lots of smaller fishing boats moored here and it's a lovely walk along the edge looking back towards the old city. 

There are also a couple of amazing boats selling sea shells and other marine bits and pieces that are all beautifully displayed, you could stand here and gaze for hours!

If you are visiting Rhodes island I'd definitely recommend a visit to the Old Town, it's a great place to explore, shop and spend time.

The National Railway Museum, York

On our recent trip to York we spent a fantastic morning at the National Railway Museum.

The museum is free to visit, but tickets do need to be booked in advance on the website here - National Railway Museum. We had no problem booking tickets a week or so in advance, and I did notice that there were walk in tickets available when we arrived first thing.

We visited in late August 2021 when most covid restrictions had been lifted, although it was still requested to wear a facemask. Restrictions still in place did mean that it wasn't possible to go onboard and explore any of the trains that are on display, so if that's important to you then it's worth checking the current status before you visit. We visited with our two children aged 10 and 12 as well as some younger cousins. 

Your visit starts in the Station Hall and the main attraction here are the royal trains and carriages, it's fascinating to look through the windows and see how they were furnished for different royals. 

We treated the children to a ride on the miniature railway which cost £3 each for a short ride around the track. There are a limited number of tickets which need to be purchased once you arrive at the museum, so make sure you that buy these first if you want to ride! They enjoyed the trip, and there were lots of different things for them to spot along their journey.

One of the star attractions at the museum is Stephenson's original Rocket, not the first steam engine but one of the most significant and a huge part of railway history. Having read about it in many of his books, Harry was thrilled to see it in real life, and kept going back to have another look!

The largest area of the museum is the Great Hall where you can see many, many different trains displayed around an original turntable. There's a Eurostar train, a Japanese bullet train and lots more  remarkable and historical trains. There is plenty of information to tell you all about them, and you can climb up to see them from above. I'm also pretty sure that the collections change every now and then, so there is often something new to see if you are lucky enough to live nearby.

At the side of the Great Hall there's a small model railway which the little ones loved. At any one time there is at least one train running and you can also see into the control box with lots of interesting buttons. There's also the Ambulance Train, which is the one train that you are currently allowed to step inside, and a tunnel where you can walk under a train and see what goes on underneath.

Finally, probably my favourite area at the museum was the Collections Store in the North Shed. It's basically a huge storeroom filled with all sorts of railway history in the form of memorabilia, signs, models, train service tableware, various items of furniture, vending machines - all sorts of fascinating things to browse through! Apparently there's a Platform 9 3/4 sign from Harry Potter in there somewhere, although we didn't find it. We did find this sign though - it's always nice to see something from home when you are far away!

We realised that we weren't going to be home in time for lunch so we had something to eat at the Station Hall Café. There was a good selection of food available, with sandwiches and wraps, as well as picnic boxes for the children, and a large table for us all to eat together. There's a second café in the Great Hall which also looked good (and the staff told us that they had the best cakes!)

We spent about three hours here, and some of us could easily have spent longer! Personally I could have spent ages browsing through the bits and pieces in the North Shed and Harry loved seeing all the different trains up close. If you are visiting York I'd definitely recommend a visit. 

You can find more information here - National Railway Museum