Dolfinarium

Continuing with the attractions I have visited with my family this summer...
Ta-da ! The Dolfinarium !

Two shows you cannot miss: the first is the "Spetter" with dolphins in the Dolphin Domain (DolfijnDo Mijn). Loooove dolphins (and big primates) - but by now you know it already, I guess..

Sorry for the blurred photos... The show is quite good. I give it a 8 (I enjoyed it far more two years ago. It was another story then.). The story of a girl who dreamed of dolphins and fought the nightmare monster - the best part of the show, the guy was really mean and powerful but was kicked off by the super intelligent dolphins, of course.

I said "no" to this blinking-magical thing, my parent said "yes !"and purchased a couple of them for my kids. Oh, well... okay then... Let's watch the Band of Pirates (in the Crazy Sea Lion Theather) the second great show you cannot miss. A pirate and a bank manager and his helper (a very playful and intellingent seal), in a very simple story. Really funny, really surprising.

Appropriate for kids from 0 to 100 years old.  

On the first page of De Telegraaf you can read: PIRATES !! Let's hide the money !

Not to worry: the seal give the pirate a well deserved lesson at the end.

They all look like jelly, huh ?

These animals are incredibly sweet and well trained.

That's it for now. Goodbye !

The Dolfinarium is located in Harderwijk, in the province of Gelderland.

(If you like orkas, seals, sharks and the super intelligent dolphins you cannot miss this attraction. It is not needed to understand Dutch at all in order to have a good time at the Dolfinarium, so no worries if you are a foreigner. Needless to mention: there are a couple of restaurants there and all facilities you could expect - but the fish stalls on the street nearby the entrance are also great ! Lovely fried cod from the North Sea... you cannot forget to give it a go ! )  

Wanna know more ?

www.dolfinarium.nl

Strandboulevard Oost 1

3841 AB Harderwijk

The Netherlands

The Dolfinarium can be reached via the A28 (Amersfoort-Zwolle). From the motorway, please follow the Dolfinarium signs.There are plenty of municipal car parks with paid parking (also for coaches).

If you are coming by train, get off at Harderwijk (NS station), then take the bus (no. 144, 147 or 148) to the Dolfinarium.

From the bus stop it is just a few minutes’ walk along the harbour to reach the Dolfinarium.

The video below is not Dolfinarium related, but I though it is a lovely video to finish this post. I wish I could hypnotise some sharks liek that... while dressed like a ninja of the seas - exactly like the incredible Cristina Zenato does. I have to start rubbing some noses in order to get some practice...

High Tea

It is high tea time at school ! After helping with balloons and decorations with flags, I am curious how everything is going to be. Last year, in order to celebrate the summer arrival the kids performed in a musical. I didn't help because I don't like/cannot sew. This year I have prepared many sandwiches.

 Well, the opening: two grannies were playing popular songs to welcome the guests...

And the parents started to arrive and enjoyed the music while waiting for the kids. Big expectations.

There they come bringing to the long table some extra cookies, sandwiches and cakes, helped by their teachers.

Some waiters were wearing self decorated aprons...

...while the chefs were wearing appropriate self made hats.

The grandparents didn''t have to do a thing, just enjoyed the good weather while having a chat and were pampered by the cutest and helpful waiters.

For the grand finale there was a chocolate fountain. (=lots of little dirty hands giving their family members sweet hugs) 

The Dutch educational system also demands more participation from the parents and family than as usual in other countries - at least that's what I have deduced from bombarding foreign parents with questions my conversations with other foreign parents from America, France and Italy. These same parents also mentioned that the Dutch have a very strong sense of community/doing things together and putting the kids in the center of their lives.

This educational system for the small ones is not boring at all. The lessons are very playful, and demand creative solutions/response from the kids. I have noticed that with all the preparation for the high tea event some kids retained some of the English words they have learned (such as: tea, cake, hat, pie) even days laters. Some retained more difficult/longer words such as biscuits, sandwich (es), cucomber and chef cook. (Hmmm, I bet you think it an easy thing, don't you ? Hey, we are talking about 4 and 5 year old kiddos !)

Spring Vacation and Tea Time !

My little girl has just received from my sister-in-law this Mega Mindy suit - it used to belong to one of my nieces. I think it is great you can reuse something and save your money! Plus, it came just in time: it is spring vacation in the NL and I have two kids to entertain.

My little gir is not so much a TV fan - but she enjoys watching Mega Mindy on the telly sometimes. Who at 4 years old living in the NL or Belgium doesn't ?

When Mega Mindy is not kicking the butts of criminals she is earning a living working as a police agent. She is in love with Toby - who also works with her as a police agent - but he doesn't notice it (how original). **Sight **

"Mega Mindy's Secret" film. Are they going finally to kiss ?

 She can be a melancholic character sometimes and suffers from non corresponded love. I am not so sure she is a positive model for little girls in this aspect, but who is it then? The girls from K3 maybe ? Cause I have never seen/ heard one little bad thing about them. Never.

Photos above and below: Amsterdam RAI during a K3 show I have been into with my daughter and another friend and her kid.

And there they come ! Lots of smoke and lights and singing.

K3 stands for Kristel (black hair), Karen (red) and Kathleen (blond) - a- hem, how original. But Kathleen decided to leave the group in order to pursue a solo career (how cliche') and now Josje is the third girl - the Dutch blond one. The other two are Belgian and during my first years in the NL I couldn't understand them well.

 I found them to be in great physical shape (and two of them are already mothers and far in the thirties). Gorgeous hairs ! I just don't know why in almost every number they wore boots. But then this is a Dutch obsession. Some Dutch girls will wear boots even during the summer or during indoor parties. I have no clue why they do that.

Above as princesses. A lot of impact on the public. I tried to zoom as much as I could.

During a cowboy song. The Dutch adore American culture/things/pop-culture in general.

As angels.

Above you can see how broad the stage was. Lots of laser and special effects. Impressive. The photos do not give you an idea of how magnificent the show was.  

The girls from K3 and the ballet dancers didn't make one little wrong move and smiled all the time. Everything was very professional and beautiful. The song numbers were linked by a story of a crazy German scientist (how original) who was experimenting his new invention: a time machine (of course). Once, the machine went wrong and the K3 girls came out dressed like clowns (my little girl got afraid and hid behind the stools, of course - clowns are scary). I know, I know, everything is so predictable but... hey ! The average public age is from 3 to 6, what did you expect ? Anyway, a K3 show is very, very nice.  But you have to buy the tickets 5 to 6 months in advance. I am serious.  Prices start from 55 euros for the next shows during summer in The Hague (I had paid for the show in Amsterdam 50 euros  - for me and my girl). Amsterdam RAI charges 10 euros for the parking, aaaaargh ! I do not think I will be watching a K3 show again - there are many musicals and shows and ballets for kids of top quality going on in the NL. Maybe a Mega Mindy musical next time ?

Below, a very recent K3 video, exactly the show I watched at Amsterdam RAI. If you cannot watch it properly here in my blog then here's a trick: double click quickly on the video and this will take you to the Youtube page. There are many many more from K3 on Youtube, some old ones with more than half a million views.

Another thing to do during the one week spring vacation is to schedule on your agenda some time with your kids' little friends. Today we had a little girl around. I decided to buy for the young ladies some almond paste pies, stuffed with strawberry jam at the local baker/patisseur. Soooo pretty - it hurts to bite.

And tons of tea have bee drunk this week. My little girl likes to cook with plastic, buttons, paper, paper clips, tooth-picks... lots of fantasy. She says she can prepare ANYTHING  I wish. I just have to write down on a piece of paper and read it for her. It doesn't matter - she will cook it in a minute. And if you say it was delicious... then she will fix you some more. She has a very good kitchen.

Tea anyone ?

(Porcelain set, woodden tray, pastries and cookies I have bought all at the HEMA.)

Aaaah,  I have sipped lots of fake tea this week - and we are still on Wednesday... right ? The saldo so far: 2 broken nails and pain in my back from so much running after the kids and pushing little bikes. I even cancelled the visits to the fitness and Zumba classes this week. Not to worry...  I will survive.

Anyone, any tips about entertaining kids withouth much fuss neither spending much money during a short vacation break ?