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