move over fireman sam!

I really wish my nephew Tyler could have been here today, but I guess a 23-hour flight is just a bit too far for a weekend visit, eh? You see, at six-years-old, Tyler is the eldest grandchild. He’s been in love with firefighters since I can remember. Well, let me tell you young man, Singapore is the place to be if you are a fan of big, red trucks!

Every Saturday from 9AM-11AM, all of the firehouses in Singapore are open to the public. The oldest and I'm guessing biggest one is The Central Fire Station located on Hill Street. Built in 1908, it's one of the most beautiful firehouses I have ever seen. I never got a very good picture of the front of it, so please open the link I attached and look at the images.

When I say open to the public, I really mean open to the public. Little kids of all shapes, sizes and nationalities were allowed to climb all over the firetrucks, wear the gear and even hold the hoses! Tyler is not the only little kid who loves firetrucks!

Usually, the kids get to climb on these mini-firetrucks called Red Rhinos. They’re real trucks that kind of look like funky sports cars. Hudson thought sitting in it was an absolute hoot. He even tried on the helmet for a split second and was one of the first to volunteer to hold the water gun that’s a part of that truck. He refused to stand next to a firefighter decked out in total gear, including the face mask. Ha! 

The firefighters also demonstrated how to slide down the pole, something Hudson tries to do at every playground we visit. Turns out, Singaporeans slide down poles in a very different way than Americans, kind of holding the pole behind them.

Today, we got a special treat because a big pumper truck came back from a call so the kids got to look at all sorts of equipment up close as the firefighters put it all back.They had to empty the hoses before they stored them and Hudson was the first kid to notice. He got to hold the actual hose and work the nozzle. He was in love!

Maisie? Not so much. She was very excited to go see the firehouse yesterday when I first told her, but she woke up in a bad way today. Her sensory issues were flaring up probably because she’s worn out from school. So the noise from the trucks, the water from the hoses and the commotion in general frayed her every nerve. It was also INCREDIBLY hot in the firehouse yard and that wasn’t helping (I felt so sorry for the guy sporting the uniform for us!) I bought a Gatorade-type soda called “100.” Maisie calls it spicy water. One sip of that and she cheered up, finally agreeing to climb into the big firetruck and stand near the ambulance. That cheer lasted all of about 60 seconds and then she wanted to go. Now you know why I didn’t get a good picture of the front of the building.

That’s a shame because attached to the firehouse is a very cool, interactive museum for kids. Maybe I’ll try to take them to that one day later in the week as it’s open every day, but Monday.

This afternoon, we took the kids to see a local college production of "The Arabian Nights." Gosh - Maisie just ate it up. She's finally old enough to understand they are actors in costumes playing make believe characters. What fun! Hudson just kept asking for water over and over. Sigh. 

The afternoon ended with a swim and on time bedtime. The kids were just plain worn out. If things go well, we'll hit the Mooncake Festival opening ceremonies tomorrow. Fingers crossed they sleep well!