Christmas Day

Dear Gran
On Christmas day we woke with our bellies still full to a prepared breakfast of cold slices of red meat, rolls and 3 different kinds of cakes.

To work off all this food - and because skiing was less attractive now that the snow covering was deteriorating- we went on a christmas day hike up a national park valley.

Andrew and Paul being pulled down hill by Pete (who is too fast to catch on film).

Julie and I on Christmas day with the Tathra mountain range behind.
To complete the christmas marathon - Alan cooked us all roast chicken in the evening!
love from Brendan

Christmas Eve

Dear Gran,
this is us ready for a traditional Polish christmas dinner at a homely local restaurant which starts at 4pm just after sunset.

Christmas Dinner the tables were laid out with crackers, honey, green grass, pine sprigs and tea candles in hollowed apples. The crackers were thin white crisps decorated with christmas images that you break with someone else and say your wish for the coming year - you then eat it with honey. Strangers in the restaurant visited eachother's tables to wish each other happy christmas (at least that's what I think they were doing!)

These briney Roll-mops were the first course of fish - much to Meg's obvious delight. There were apparently 12 courses in all - one for each disciple - but I lost count, so the following photos are only a sample!

Stephen and the carp-in-jelly dish.

Mushroom soup was next.

Joan and Pauk look enthusiastically at the sauerkraut course.

Alan finds some surprise ravioli treats hidden in his borsch soup.

Which was followed by fresh trout.

Poppyseed gnocchi was served with the trout. Some of the cakes in the finalcourse also featured poppyseed.

Back at the pension Julie and I organised a treasure hunt for the others. The cryptic clues led to a breathtaking high-paced trail of peril and intrigue that put Dan Brown well and truly in his place. Here I think the adventurers are pondering the clue "The lion only roars once a year..."

Peter and Andrew searching the old house high and low for the clues.

Julie looking very pleased with herself whilst the others ponder a clue - it was great to see that each person contributed to getting an answer. The final prize was fireworks which we let off at the local park. Joan, Alan and I watched the midnight mass at back of the local church where hundreds of people, who had all earlier in the evening crammed themselves with many courses of fish, now found themselves crammed together like sardines.
:)
Brendan

Zakopane

Our pension in Zakopane, built in 1902 in the Zakopane style.

Julie skiing at the entrance to one of the Tathra National Park valley trails. Before Christmas the snow was quite new and powdery.

Brendan in national park valley with one of the Tathra Mountains not far behind.

We all went skating at the local rink at night while beautiful snow fell down. The local lads started a snow fight but in-fighting amongst the visiting team meant that we were easy picking. For example, which Collins boy pushed Meg over the edge of the rink into the snow? Clue: he is not in this picture.
:)
Brendan

Krakow

Dear Gran
We are back home now, so we have posted lots of photos of our travels. We spent 3 days in Krakow before Zakopane and another 4 days after - we enjoyed getting lost in the old town's streets and sampled many delicacies from the Christmas Market in the market square.

Julie in the main market square in a rare burst of sunshine (it snowed later that night - which was great fun)

Julie at sunset in front of the Wawel Cathedral which is part of the ancient Krakow castle. The entrance to the castle had an equestrian statue of a mounted Kosciousko.

Brendan at Wawel castle at sunset -not quite visible in the distance is the Kosciousko Mound (not to be confused with the mounted Kosciousko statue or the name of Australia's highest mountain which is pronounced correctly as "Mount Kaozchieeshzkchow") -it is a human made conical hill in tribute to the local hero.
:)
Brendan

Zakopane style

Dear Gran,
Zakopane is wonderful. Brendan was anxious about whether the house he had booked would be up-to-scratch, but it is excellent- it is like being inside a wooden box. Floor-to-ceiling slab panelling, with huge wooden furniture- even wooden lights. It is about 100 years old, and from the outside is all gables and carving.
It snowed the first night we were here, but has been mostly fine since. All of us, except Joan, have been out skiing- Brendan and I cross-country after the first day, Stephen snowboarding, the rest downhilling. Peter has become an absolute expert in the few days that he has had on skis. Of course Meg was one already, but the others have also come along well (the school of hard falls, I believe).
It is lovely to be with Joan and Alan-- they have had many adventures in the History Bus (as the boys call it) and I think they're glad to have a bit of a rest.
Much love to you,
Julie

Dear Peter....

Dear Gran,
I thought I would put your email to Pete here, just in case he's reading this. I will also print it out and take it with me to make sure he gets the message.
Much love,
Julie.

Dear Peter
Thanks for your letter and news of your work experiences. I see your point in signing up for another year's work with your present employer.
Do you intend applying for an extension to your work visa and would that be easy to get.
Here I am having gone to great mental exertion to learn how to communicate by email and how many have you sent, to date I think I might have received one. Is the U.K. backward in providing outlets? Let's see if the New Year can show some improvement.
Hope you have a great time over the holiday and my best wishes for a happy and successful 2005.
Lots of love from your Gran

Pfauen Insel

Dear Gran
Here is Julie and her australian colleagues Maria and Robert on Pfauen Insel (peacock island) in Wannsee near Potsdam. It cost one euro to get to the island by ferry - but Julie wanted to know once we got there - how much does it cost to get back? There are peacocks (mostly in cages) along with cockatoos and rosellas (no budgies). The small island is dotted with mock ruins from the late 18th century to decorate the summer getaway of King Friedrich Wilhelm III. The island has a World Heritage Listing, which makes me think that Kryal Castle on the road to Ballarat should also apply for listing. We also went with Maria and Robert to see The Messiah performed in Potsdam - it was a wonderful performance on a freezing long winters night. love from Brendan

5 December 04 Sachsenhausen

Hi Gran
Julie, myself and two aussie friends visited the Sacshenhausen Concentration camp just north of Berlin last Sunday. It was a dark and chilling day to visit a place that was used by the Nazis and then by the Soviets after WWII . The photo is of the gate to the prison with the memorial erected to political prisoners in the background (the cynical sign says "work makes you free" but in reality the prisoners were told on arrival that the only way out was via the crematorium smokestack) There were very good museum exhibitions inside the original barracks and guard towers that gave an impression of what life and conditions were like. We'll try and send more cheerful subject matter next time!
Love from Brendan

Peter, Andrew and Matt visit

Dear Gran
Here is a picture of Peter, Julie, Andrew, Matt and the Kombi wagon when they visited us on the 8th October.
Strangely enough, you don't see that many VWs like this on the road in Germany.
Brendan

Elected: BARBARA, Annabel

Dear Gran,
Results from the Yarra council elections:
Langridge Ward (DECLARED)
Elected: FARRAR, Jenny
Elected: BARBARA, Annabel
Elected: JOLLY, Stephen
Annabel has finally achieved her dream of being elected! You will be glad to know that she stuck to her principles and didn't use photos of Tullio on her campaign ads (the pram was empty)
But now the election is over and won, here is a nice picture of the three of them:

Much love,
Julie

Snow

Dear Gran,

Here is a photo of the snow that fell last night and this morning. It is taken facing east from our window, looking into the little park behind the flat.



The sun is now shining into my office window, so I guess it won't last long.
Much love,
Julie