Jolly wonderland

CURIOUS Alice and her kooky friends from Wonderland bring smiles and merry cheer to shoppers at City Centre Bahrain as the mall launches its interactive Winter Tale display in celebration of the festive season.

The Lewis Carroll’s childhood classic of a girl named Alice falling through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world has been brought to life at the shopping destinations Central Galleria for visitors to enjoy throughout the month.

The ground floor has been transformed into a magical maze of rosy wonders decked with a tree covered in cards, image-altering mirrors, giant, colourful flowers, a moving caterpillar perched proudly on an over-sized mushroom and a scene from the famous Mad Hatter tea party. Even the Cheshire Cat is on show, captivating customers with his signature, cheeky grin.

Duaij Khalifa Al Rumaihi, senior mall manager, said: “Every winter we pick a new tale to tell and Alice is one of those classics that everyone loves and has read at some point in their lives. There have been lots of movies and TV series about her story as well.

“We chose Alice for her fun story and for what she stands for. Also, it falls in with Majid Al Futtaim’s vision to create great moments for everyone, every day. The mall will also be offering a festive ambience throughout the holidays, captivating families, children and friends with exciting prizes to win along with themed activities and entertainment. We would like to wish everyone a very happy season and Happy New Year and we hope that they enjoy this showcase as much as they enjoyed the last two Winter Tale editions, The Nutcracker and Cinderella.”

During the launch, children surrounded the stunning stand to admire the animatronic cat and caterpillar as they were treated to sugary sweets and shortbread cookies entitled ‘Eat Me’ that made Alice grow or shrink in the book. Lycée français de Bahrein student, Maeva Maalouf, three, couldn’t take her eyes off the interactive caterpillar which bobbed its head at visitors.

Her mother Nisreen, from Seef, said: “My daughter doesn’t know the story of Alice so I wanted to show her what the
character is all about. She loves it and can’t stop looking at the caterpillar and the flowers. City Centre Bahrain always has something fun for the entire family to enjoy. The mall really cares about its customers and we appreciate the exhibits they create.”

Meanwhile, members of the media walked through Alice’s wondrous world to try their hand at the Tree of Luck. Unlike other trees, the leaves are black and red scratch cards that can be picked for a chance to win instant prizes.

Visitors spending BD30 or more in shopping, dining, or entertainment will also get the chance to win an array of exciting prizes including BD25,000 worth of mall gift cards and other suprises from participating retailers.

Those who spend BD50 will instantly receive an exclusive Kids Art Kit.  The fun doesn’t stop there as Alice and her friends including the Rabbit, the Caterpillar, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts will be roaming the  mall from Wednesday to Friday, regaling visitors with catch phrases such as “Off with their heads” and “Down the rabbit hole”.

The exhibit will be available until January 10, 2017