James writes
Day 58
Today we got lost for morning tea. We took a s-bahn 3 stops ,then we took the tram 3 stops, then the bus 3 stops. For morning tea we went to Paula's bakery and café. It was interesting.
We found the s-bahn to take us home then went to the Viktualienmarkt and had lunch there. It was a busy place with lots of different foods. There was a giant selection of fish and you could buy food to take home or eat there. We found a table and ate lunch, we had sushi and sausages. Once we had finished we went and got icecream. We walked around half the market looking and then cut through two stalls to get back to Dad.
It started to rain on our way home, so we ducked into the Italian restaurant where we ate last time and the waiter remembered my name! The rain cleared so we went to the hotel and picked up our luggage. Then off to the airportready for a 35 hour trip. I like flying on long planes because they have screens in front of you. It is pretty easy to sleep on the plane.
When we got home our luggage hadn't arrived with us. It didn't come until two days later....
Monday, 25 July 2016
Wednesday, 20 July 2016
Biergarten zum Abendessen
Emma writes
Day 57
Today we went to the Deutsches museum. There was so many things to do and see. We saw loads of boats. Fun fun fun. There was an aquarium. There was some goggles and a light you would look through the goggles and see sea animals it was fun. Then we went to a place and they would put on a lightning show it was loud.
It was so hot today we went to a beach beside the river. We swam in our knickers. There were lots of other people there too. Then we went to watch people surfing in the river. It was fun to watch. The first man with an orange beard and a helmet he was funny. He jumped on his board but fell off before he started surfing. It was jump, plop!!
Then we went to the beer garden. Because it was so hot there were tens of thousands of people in the garden, swimming in the river, picnicking and having a drink in the beer garden. I got to help feed a 1 month old baby it was a boy named Julius then we got an Eisblock and Eis. James and I made new friends which was good.
Another Beer Garden!?!?!?
Holly writes:
Day 56
So close yet so far from NZ. Today we woke up and threw open the doors to the terrace. The snow was bright and the trees shielded the houses and cars. It was a very amazing view. Breakfast was included and being very German we ate sausages before reverting back to baked beans and pastries and fruit salad. It was still three hours before we had to leave the hotel so we swam in the pool and would sit in the sauna until we couldn't stand it anymore and then dunk our selves in the freezing water bucket they had for that very purpose.
Finally it was time to leave and we jumped on a train and were whisked back to Munich. We dumped the bag at the hotel and found exactly what Munich was famous for. Another beer garden. This one was located and the Englisher garden. After a beer and some chips we decided to find the artificial wave (only for experts unfortunately). The map signs were no use because we didn't understand German so we set of in the direction of the lake at the end.
On arrival it was pretty clear we were in the wrong place but something we did spot was paddle boats. So we payed for half an hour and jumped in a red one. We all took turns driving (at least me Emma and James did. Mum was quite happy to sit in the back holding the umbrella. There were to big islands in the middle of the lake which we steered around, looking at some of the nest birds had built by piling sticks in the water until it was high and dry. A little nest island of its own. Half an hour went by fast and dinner time was nearing so we caught the bus back to central Munich.
It was Germany but sausages twenty four seven kind of makes you dislike them a tiny bit more. We found a nice looking Italian restaurant and opted for pizza and pasta. Home is only days away. I can't wait!
Auf Wiedersehen zum letzten Mal,
Holly
Day 56
So close yet so far from NZ. Today we woke up and threw open the doors to the terrace. The snow was bright and the trees shielded the houses and cars. It was a very amazing view. Breakfast was included and being very German we ate sausages before reverting back to baked beans and pastries and fruit salad. It was still three hours before we had to leave the hotel so we swam in the pool and would sit in the sauna until we couldn't stand it anymore and then dunk our selves in the freezing water bucket they had for that very purpose.
Finally it was time to leave and we jumped on a train and were whisked back to Munich. We dumped the bag at the hotel and found exactly what Munich was famous for. Another beer garden. This one was located and the Englisher garden. After a beer and some chips we decided to find the artificial wave (only for experts unfortunately). The map signs were no use because we didn't understand German so we set of in the direction of the lake at the end.
On arrival it was pretty clear we were in the wrong place but something we did spot was paddle boats. So we payed for half an hour and jumped in a red one. We all took turns driving (at least me Emma and James did. Mum was quite happy to sit in the back holding the umbrella. There were to big islands in the middle of the lake which we steered around, looking at some of the nest birds had built by piling sticks in the water until it was high and dry. A little nest island of its own. Half an hour went by fast and dinner time was nearing so we caught the bus back to central Munich.
It was Germany but sausages twenty four seven kind of makes you dislike them a tiny bit more. We found a nice looking Italian restaurant and opted for pizza and pasta. Home is only days away. I can't wait!
Auf Wiedersehen zum letzten Mal,
Holly
Tuesday, 19 July 2016
The Zugspitz
Scott writes
Day 55
This blog is a day late as we went to the mountains but left most of our luggage in Munich (including computers).
The day started early. Our accomodation comes with breakfast so we ate up large. Then it was off to find a train into the alps. After a journey of about 1.5 hours we missed our stop. The German railway workers have been so friendly and helpful, except they have no idea exactly where you should go. This time it was the ticket man's fault. Still, after we got off at the next station in the next town, another man helped us and we caugh a bus to Eibsee. From there we got on a cable car that went straight up the mountain to the top. The Zugspitz is the highest mountain in Germany, at 2,962m. It sits on the border with Austria. You can also catch a cable car up from the Austrian side
The top has great views and large viewing platforms. Being Germany, there is more than one place to buy sausages and beer, even at the very peak. So, while in Rome (or should that be Bavaria...) it was sausages and beer for lunch.
We then took a cable car down to the skifield where the children had a great time sledding on the snow. After that it was a train down the mountain to Garmisch-Partenkirchen then a short bus ride to our hotel, The Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl. It was a short walk from town... but worth every step. It was a large old hotel and we weren't expecting much but it turned out to be 5 star. Enormous rooms, huge pool, sauna (which James and Holly loved) and a balcony with a view of the alps, including ski ramps.
The whole valley had ski lifts going up in all directions, with grassed gaps running down the wooded hills - these gaps being ski runs in winter. The temperature is currently in the high 20's in the valley and it is busy but not frantic. It must be very full in winter.
Dinner was a a beer garden in town. Any self respecting place in Bavaria has a number of beer gardens. Great food, great beer and enough noise so that the children aren't a nuisance to other diners.
Another good day.
Day 55
This blog is a day late as we went to the mountains but left most of our luggage in Munich (including computers).
The day started early. Our accomodation comes with breakfast so we ate up large. Then it was off to find a train into the alps. After a journey of about 1.5 hours we missed our stop. The German railway workers have been so friendly and helpful, except they have no idea exactly where you should go. This time it was the ticket man's fault. Still, after we got off at the next station in the next town, another man helped us and we caugh a bus to Eibsee. From there we got on a cable car that went straight up the mountain to the top. The Zugspitz is the highest mountain in Germany, at 2,962m. It sits on the border with Austria. You can also catch a cable car up from the Austrian side
The top has great views and large viewing platforms. Being Germany, there is more than one place to buy sausages and beer, even at the very peak. So, while in Rome (or should that be Bavaria...) it was sausages and beer for lunch.
We then took a cable car down to the skifield where the children had a great time sledding on the snow. After that it was a train down the mountain to Garmisch-Partenkirchen then a short bus ride to our hotel, The Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl. It was a short walk from town... but worth every step. It was a large old hotel and we weren't expecting much but it turned out to be 5 star. Enormous rooms, huge pool, sauna (which James and Holly loved) and a balcony with a view of the alps, including ski ramps.
The whole valley had ski lifts going up in all directions, with grassed gaps running down the wooded hills - these gaps being ski runs in winter. The temperature is currently in the high 20's in the valley and it is busy but not frantic. It must be very full in winter.
Dinner was a a beer garden in town. Any self respecting place in Bavaria has a number of beer gardens. Great food, great beer and enough noise so that the children aren't a nuisance to other diners.
Another good day.
Sunday, 17 July 2016
Beautiful Munich
Theresa writes
Day 54
We start the day with croissants and bacon to celebrate Scott's birthday. Then its off to the airport this morning to fly to Munich. The transport is so easy (and cheap) that we quickly arrive at the airport and we have about two hours to kill. So we find a cafe and play another few games of Monopoly deal.
Munich is beautiful, an old city with cobbled streets and lots of old buildings. We take in the town hall which is intricately carved and has a glockenspiel show a couple of times a day and a couple of churches that surround the central square. It's a warm Sunday afternoon so there are many people out enjoying the weather and lots of buskers to entertain us. We love Munich; around every corner is a square or a street filled with outdoor cafes or pubs.
For dinner we opt for the Hofbrahaus. The place is full of people and its huge. Oompah music playing which the kids love. Pork knuckle, meatloaf and sausages for tea. Yum.
Day 54
We start the day with croissants and bacon to celebrate Scott's birthday. Then its off to the airport this morning to fly to Munich. The transport is so easy (and cheap) that we quickly arrive at the airport and we have about two hours to kill. So we find a cafe and play another few games of Monopoly deal.
Munich is beautiful, an old city with cobbled streets and lots of old buildings. We take in the town hall which is intricately carved and has a glockenspiel show a couple of times a day and a couple of churches that surround the central square. It's a warm Sunday afternoon so there are many people out enjoying the weather and lots of buskers to entertain us. We love Munich; around every corner is a square or a street filled with outdoor cafes or pubs.
For dinner we opt for the Hofbrahaus. The place is full of people and its huge. Oompah music playing which the kids love. Pork knuckle, meatloaf and sausages for tea. Yum.
Saturday, 16 July 2016
T.V Tower
James Blogs
Day 53
Today we had to get up early because Mum booked us to go to the Reichstag Dome at 8:30. The Reichstag is the German Parliament. We got audioguides and went into the Dome. The ramp to the top was 1.3km long. The top had an amazing view but not as good as the view we were about to see.
After we went to the DDR Museum. It was showing you what life was like in East Germany. There was a car simulater and a computer where you typed your name and it prints it out in Russian. There was a movie theatre and a TV showing old TV shows. The East Germans liked sunbathing and swimming in the nude and there were pictures of this too!
Finally we bought tickets for the TV tower. But we had to wait two hours until our ticket was valid. Once we were through security we crammed into a lift. We went up. There was an amazing view. Afterwards we visited a piece of the wall in East Germany where artists had drawn on the wall.
Then we came home and had ribs and vegetables for dinner. We also had cake because it is Dad's birthday tomorrow!
Day 53
Today we had to get up early because Mum booked us to go to the Reichstag Dome at 8:30. The Reichstag is the German Parliament. We got audioguides and went into the Dome. The ramp to the top was 1.3km long. The top had an amazing view but not as good as the view we were about to see.
After we went to the DDR Museum. It was showing you what life was like in East Germany. There was a car simulater and a computer where you typed your name and it prints it out in Russian. There was a movie theatre and a TV showing old TV shows. The East Germans liked sunbathing and swimming in the nude and there were pictures of this too!
Finally we bought tickets for the TV tower. But we had to wait two hours until our ticket was valid. Once we were through security we crammed into a lift. We went up. There was an amazing view. Afterwards we visited a piece of the wall in East Germany where artists had drawn on the wall.
Then we came home and had ribs and vegetables for dinner. We also had cake because it is Dad's birthday tomorrow!
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| Ampleman (East German pedestrian walk signal) |
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| James asleep in an East German Prison |
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| James being interrogated in an East German Prison |
Friday, 15 July 2016
Fun in Potsdam
Emma writes
Day 52
Today we went on a train journey to Potsdam. We went to a palace called Sanssouci (without a care). It was pretty and old. I would love to live there, there were only five bedrooms and my favourite was the red and white stripey one. King Frederick IV was too busy to go on a trip to another country so he had some Roman Ruins built on a hill near his house so he could look at those instead.
Next we went to a biosphere. It was hot and like being on a tropical island. We saw snakes, birds and lizards. My favourite was the butterfly cage, two butterflies landed on Mum's foot but she forgot to take a photo. They must have liked Mum because they fluttered around her face. There was one game called Pump. You pumped and the pressure built up and then a gyser exploded in the lake. It was a lot of fun and I did it three times.
Day 52
Today we went on a train journey to Potsdam. We went to a palace called Sanssouci (without a care). It was pretty and old. I would love to live there, there were only five bedrooms and my favourite was the red and white stripey one. King Frederick IV was too busy to go on a trip to another country so he had some Roman Ruins built on a hill near his house so he could look at those instead.
Next we went to a biosphere. It was hot and like being on a tropical island. We saw snakes, birds and lizards. My favourite was the butterfly cage, two butterflies landed on Mum's foot but she forgot to take a photo. They must have liked Mum because they fluttered around her face. There was one game called Pump. You pumped and the pressure built up and then a gyser exploded in the lake. It was a lot of fun and I did it three times.
Thursday, 14 July 2016
A day trip with death
Holly writes:
Day 51
Before we entered the concentration camp there were maps showing the layout of the camp, personally looked at by Hitler. It was in the shape of a triangle, Tower A (the entrance) was at the middle bottom of a triangle. The barracks where the prisoners lived were fanned out around this so you could see over all of the area. It was so the prisoners felt like they were always being watched. We walked down the street the Jews marched, the Germans patrolled and the allies discovered. Before entering through Tower A we read boards, these explained how the surviving prisoners were saved at the end of the war. It was just for a feeling of consolation for the visitors as they walked through the terror that was this camp.
The slogan on the gate that leads into the camp is 'Work sets you free' which is a lie in so many ways. Straight through the gates was the roll call area. Several times a day the prisoners had to gather here, often for hours in the rain or snow. Many dropped dead on the spot from starvation and cold. Next we went to the barracks where some prisoners used to live. They could only go to the toilet twice a day (mornings and evenings) and occasionally at midday if they were lucky. If you feel over in the mad rush for the toilets there was a possibility you would be trampled to death. The SS guards were known to drown people in the the toilets.
There was also a supplies closet in which they would torment prisoners by locking them in there under instructions to not move a muscle or they would put so many people in there at once that most of the time they suffocated to death. In the barracks it explained that they could only walk around the camp at certain times, on certain paths, at certain speeds
In the second barrack there was a half hour movie just explaining more and linking events in the camp to other events in the war. Some survivors of the camp went to the 'prison inside the prison'. Here individuals were kept in separate sells and tormented harshly. Only one wing of the building is left.
Next we went to station Z. The idea was once you came through Tower A the only way out was station Z. Station Z consists of a gas chamber a shooting room and a execution trench. It was a sick joke for the Nazis. Before you entered station Z a doctor would examine you. They would look at your eyes ear and nose. But all they really cared about was your mouth. The doctors would check for gold teeth fillings which they would collect after you had died. They would put a mark on you and send you in...
When the Nazis realised they were losing the war they dug up thousands of bodies from the excecution trenches and cremated them in an attempt to get rid of the evidence of all the people they had killed. The people left were ordered to all be executed but there was technical difficulties and this command as never carried out. One day the guards could hear bombs and shots going off in Berlin so they hurried the prisoners together. The prisoners were only allowed a thin blanket a spoon and a bowl. They were then sent on what is known as a death march.
They marched for days on end. Those who couldn't keep up were shot. Those who couldn't walk no more collapsed. Those people who could only dream of freedom marched on. Eventually after five days the prisoners were found by the allies and taken care of properly. Later they learned that if they had not been found they would have been put on boats and bombed so the boats sunk and all evidence of the prisoners were gone.
To cheer ourselves up afterwards for dinner we had curry wurst which is a popular streetfood in Berlin (curry powder covered sausages) YUM!!!
Auf Weidershen
Holly
Wednesday, 13 July 2016
A bit of Berlin
Scott writes:
Day 50
It was a very busy day. As usual it started by waking up with Emma's face a good 6 inches from mine, asking if she can go on the i-pad.
We are staying in the area of Mitte, which is pretty handy to most things. It is in the old East German part of Berlin. We first went to visit Checkpoint Charlie and get some photos by the US checkpoint. We spent a long time in the Checkpoint Charlie museum, which was actually set up shortly after the wall was erected in 1961. It has lots of boards in both German and English and explains the history very well, from the end of WWII through to the demolition of the wall in 1989 and beyond. There were numerous escape stories as well as some tragic ones about split families and those in the east being sent to prison for years simply for applying to go to the west. There were some cars with incredibly small hiding places, including one with a fake petrol tank into which a person would crush themselves. At the end was a movie set around the events of 1989 which the children enjoyed.
We headed towards Potsdam Platz stopping at the Topography of Terror. It has a large section of the Berlin wall maintained there and is sitting on the site of the old Gestapo headquarters. It was a series of boards that explained the start of the Nazis from the Weimar republic through to Hitler's rise to power in 1933, the establishment of the Gestapo and the atrocities committed against gypsies, jews, homosexuals, political dissidents, cripples and intellectually disabled people and anyone else they did not like. While we were there the heavens opened and it thundered down for about 30 minutes, including thunder and lightning. The place was open air with a roof, so everyone crowded at the back to avoid the splashes.
Lunch at Potsdam Platz was followed by a walk around the square. We hadn't gone far before we stumbled across the Spy Museum. James thought this sounded pretty good so in we went. It isn't really on any tourist guide so we didn't even know it was there. But it was a great display of the history of spying. Even the children were reading the boards and loving the minature cameras and radios hidden in shoes - very Maxwell Smart. Berlin was the perfect location for a lot of spy activity throughout the cold war. There were also some interactive displays including one where you had to work your way through security lasers without triggering the alarm. Emma was the best. There was a big display on James Bond too, for a bit of light relief.
We dropped back at the apartment to get jumpers (but still enjoying a cool 22 degrees after the extreme heat and humidity of Rome) and headed for the Brandenburg gate. One the way we stopped at the Jewish Memorial, a giant artwork dedictaed to the 6 million Jews who lost their lives in WWII. Apparently it is not the done thing for the children to stand on the works and jump from one to another because the edges are sharp.
We are still getting used to the German manner. In NZ we would call them rude but the German way is just abrupt. We have noticed angry honking on horns when people don't follow the rules in their cars. One cyclist hissed at us because we were sat down on a garden but in the cycle lane (we thought it was the footpath). We were clearly tourists, laden down with bags and children but no niceties here - just hissing or bell ringing. They don't mean to be rude, just efficient using the minimum effort to get their message across... Jimmy didnt miss a beat and hissed back.
The Brandenburg gate was impressive. Holly James and Emma joined in a flashmob dance with a group. We then headed through the park (and a quick look at the small memorial to the gypsies killed by the Nazis) down to a large tower built in honour of the victories that brought about the German state. We climbed the stairs to the top for great views of Berlin. What would a day be in Western Europe be without climbing a few hundred stairs?
A quick beer and icecreams (to hastily undo all the good work from our climb) and we caught a bus to Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe), the largest department store in Europe. Time to lock away the credit card, although I might have purchased a polo shirt or two. We went to the sixth floor which, if you are a foodie, will be your idea of heaven. It is massive, has just about every nice and high end food and drink imaginable, including the most massive array of cheeses and meats, little champagne bars, a seafood area - you can pick your own fish from the tank, and a huge sweet shop.
Amongst all this high end food they also have about 20 mini restaurants, seating 20-30 people selling just one thing, ie a steak bar, the next one is seafood bar, the next chicken and chips and then a salad bar etc. We sampled some ox tongue (which James was keen to try) and some chocolates and then went all German and had sausages and beer for dinner (kids had water). We tried all manner of sausages and just had bites of each together with a side of sauerkraut.
We took the Uban (underground train) back to our apartment. There is a supermarket next door so the children went in there and purchased some sweets.
All in all a busy day, but a very good one. Berlin just seems so easy to be a tourist in and we are enjoying little things like signs that actually lead to the thing you are looking for, relatively uncrowded attractions, and beautiful green open spaces.
Day 50
It was a very busy day. As usual it started by waking up with Emma's face a good 6 inches from mine, asking if she can go on the i-pad.
We are staying in the area of Mitte, which is pretty handy to most things. It is in the old East German part of Berlin. We first went to visit Checkpoint Charlie and get some photos by the US checkpoint. We spent a long time in the Checkpoint Charlie museum, which was actually set up shortly after the wall was erected in 1961. It has lots of boards in both German and English and explains the history very well, from the end of WWII through to the demolition of the wall in 1989 and beyond. There were numerous escape stories as well as some tragic ones about split families and those in the east being sent to prison for years simply for applying to go to the west. There were some cars with incredibly small hiding places, including one with a fake petrol tank into which a person would crush themselves. At the end was a movie set around the events of 1989 which the children enjoyed.
We headed towards Potsdam Platz stopping at the Topography of Terror. It has a large section of the Berlin wall maintained there and is sitting on the site of the old Gestapo headquarters. It was a series of boards that explained the start of the Nazis from the Weimar republic through to Hitler's rise to power in 1933, the establishment of the Gestapo and the atrocities committed against gypsies, jews, homosexuals, political dissidents, cripples and intellectually disabled people and anyone else they did not like. While we were there the heavens opened and it thundered down for about 30 minutes, including thunder and lightning. The place was open air with a roof, so everyone crowded at the back to avoid the splashes.
Lunch at Potsdam Platz was followed by a walk around the square. We hadn't gone far before we stumbled across the Spy Museum. James thought this sounded pretty good so in we went. It isn't really on any tourist guide so we didn't even know it was there. But it was a great display of the history of spying. Even the children were reading the boards and loving the minature cameras and radios hidden in shoes - very Maxwell Smart. Berlin was the perfect location for a lot of spy activity throughout the cold war. There were also some interactive displays including one where you had to work your way through security lasers without triggering the alarm. Emma was the best. There was a big display on James Bond too, for a bit of light relief.
We dropped back at the apartment to get jumpers (but still enjoying a cool 22 degrees after the extreme heat and humidity of Rome) and headed for the Brandenburg gate. One the way we stopped at the Jewish Memorial, a giant artwork dedictaed to the 6 million Jews who lost their lives in WWII. Apparently it is not the done thing for the children to stand on the works and jump from one to another because the edges are sharp.
We are still getting used to the German manner. In NZ we would call them rude but the German way is just abrupt. We have noticed angry honking on horns when people don't follow the rules in their cars. One cyclist hissed at us because we were sat down on a garden but in the cycle lane (we thought it was the footpath). We were clearly tourists, laden down with bags and children but no niceties here - just hissing or bell ringing. They don't mean to be rude, just efficient using the minimum effort to get their message across... Jimmy didnt miss a beat and hissed back.
The Brandenburg gate was impressive. Holly James and Emma joined in a flashmob dance with a group. We then headed through the park (and a quick look at the small memorial to the gypsies killed by the Nazis) down to a large tower built in honour of the victories that brought about the German state. We climbed the stairs to the top for great views of Berlin. What would a day be in Western Europe be without climbing a few hundred stairs?
A quick beer and icecreams (to hastily undo all the good work from our climb) and we caught a bus to Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe), the largest department store in Europe. Time to lock away the credit card, although I might have purchased a polo shirt or two. We went to the sixth floor which, if you are a foodie, will be your idea of heaven. It is massive, has just about every nice and high end food and drink imaginable, including the most massive array of cheeses and meats, little champagne bars, a seafood area - you can pick your own fish from the tank, and a huge sweet shop.
Amongst all this high end food they also have about 20 mini restaurants, seating 20-30 people selling just one thing, ie a steak bar, the next one is seafood bar, the next chicken and chips and then a salad bar etc. We sampled some ox tongue (which James was keen to try) and some chocolates and then went all German and had sausages and beer for dinner (kids had water). We tried all manner of sausages and just had bites of each together with a side of sauerkraut.
We took the Uban (underground train) back to our apartment. There is a supermarket next door so the children went in there and purchased some sweets.
All in all a busy day, but a very good one. Berlin just seems so easy to be a tourist in and we are enjoying little things like signs that actually lead to the thing you are looking for, relatively uncrowded attractions, and beautiful green open spaces.
Tuesday, 12 July 2016
Arrivederci Roma, Guten Tag Berlin
Theresa writes
Day 49
We have loved our time in Italy but we were not sad to leave Rome today. Its very hot here - 36 degrees and full of tourists.
There are some lovely things to see and do here. But a long hot wait to get into the Colisseum and the Sistene Chapel (even with prebooked tickets) and then a crowded shuffle through the site along with a thousand other people means you feel like you are doing the sites rather than really enjoying them. The best times we have had here was when we arrived at things early in the morning such as the ruins or St Peters Dome and got to enjoy them in relative peace..
Other highlights have been going out for dinner in the evenings, enjoying the warm weather and good food. Big cities are great for going out at night as there is always something going on and there is a real buzz about the city. And of course it is still warm enough that you can wander to your favourite gelataria on your way home. We have one at each end of our street and, having decided on our local, we have been there for each of our three nights.
We had a leisurely morning today getting packed and then we headed to the airport. We thought we were going to catch a couple of buses to the airport or a taxi and a train and we weren't sure how long it would take. In the end we grabbed a taxi the whole way there - slightly more expensive but a lot less hassle. So we were at the airport about two hours before we needed to be, but the free tablet station and foozball meant the kids were entertained the whole time.
The flight crew on our Airberlin flight were lovely and (surprisingly given these security concious times) the cockpit door was open when we boarded the plane and the kids were allowed to go in and see it and talk to the pilots. They were really friendly and the kids thoroughly enjoyed the visit.
Oh and the temperature here in Berlin is a much nicer 26 degrees.. Hopefully we will have a bit more enthusiasm for exploring with milder temperatures.
Day 49
We have loved our time in Italy but we were not sad to leave Rome today. Its very hot here - 36 degrees and full of tourists.
There are some lovely things to see and do here. But a long hot wait to get into the Colisseum and the Sistene Chapel (even with prebooked tickets) and then a crowded shuffle through the site along with a thousand other people means you feel like you are doing the sites rather than really enjoying them. The best times we have had here was when we arrived at things early in the morning such as the ruins or St Peters Dome and got to enjoy them in relative peace..
Other highlights have been going out for dinner in the evenings, enjoying the warm weather and good food. Big cities are great for going out at night as there is always something going on and there is a real buzz about the city. And of course it is still warm enough that you can wander to your favourite gelataria on your way home. We have one at each end of our street and, having decided on our local, we have been there for each of our three nights.
We had a leisurely morning today getting packed and then we headed to the airport. We thought we were going to catch a couple of buses to the airport or a taxi and a train and we weren't sure how long it would take. In the end we grabbed a taxi the whole way there - slightly more expensive but a lot less hassle. So we were at the airport about two hours before we needed to be, but the free tablet station and foozball meant the kids were entertained the whole time.
The flight crew on our Airberlin flight were lovely and (surprisingly given these security concious times) the cockpit door was open when we boarded the plane and the kids were allowed to go in and see it and talk to the pilots. They were really friendly and the kids thoroughly enjoyed the visit.
Oh and the temperature here in Berlin is a much nicer 26 degrees.. Hopefully we will have a bit more enthusiasm for exploring with milder temperatures.
Monday, 11 July 2016
Vatican City 😇
James writes
Day 48
Today we went into the Vatican City. We saw a really big church named St Peters. We first climbed a massive dome that was 551(five hundred and fifty one) steps tall. There was a very good view from it.
After leaving the dome of St Peters we walked around the walls of the city to get to the Sistine Chapel. The painting was great but the heat and crowds were annoying.
Once we had finished we went to a cafe. Mum and dad had coffee while we had pastries. Emma had a honey filled croissant and me and Holly had a apple and raisin pastry with sugar.
Last of all we went inside St Peters Basilica. It was big and we saw a man in a wheelchair. He got special pass because of the crowds. A priest saw him and let him in to the main alter area. Then we left and came home for lunch.
Rome is like liveing in an oven. Also we have now been in the 2 smallest countrys in theWORLD!!!!!!! Here is a picture of us with the Vatican guards - the Swiss Guard.
Day 48
Today we went into the Vatican City. We saw a really big church named St Peters. We first climbed a massive dome that was 551(five hundred and fifty one) steps tall. There was a very good view from it.
After leaving the dome of St Peters we walked around the walls of the city to get to the Sistine Chapel. The painting was great but the heat and crowds were annoying.
Once we had finished we went to a cafe. Mum and dad had coffee while we had pastries. Emma had a honey filled croissant and me and Holly had a apple and raisin pastry with sugar.
Last of all we went inside St Peters Basilica. It was big and we saw a man in a wheelchair. He got special pass because of the crowds. A priest saw him and let him in to the main alter area. Then we left and came home for lunch.
Rome is like liveing in an oven. Also we have now been in the 2 smallest countrys in theWORLD!!!!!!! Here is a picture of us with the Vatican guards - the Swiss Guard.
Waiter gets wet
Emma writes:
Day 47
Today we went to visit the Ancient Rome area. We saw the Forum! We saw the Colisseum! We saw the Circus Maximus! I liked stories about the lions. They would put criminals in the middle of the arena and let the lions rip them to bits. People liked watching it.
After that we went to a cafe. Mum and Dad got two coffees. We had delicious pastries, James got a croissant covered in sugar with custard in side. Emma and Holly got chocolate filled croissants. Yum.
After we went to a restaurant and there was a waiter who was funny. They had a watergun. The waiter let us spray him with water. I chased him down the street and then he took the watergun from me and sprayed me all the way back to the restaurant. I ate Marguerita pizza.
😅🤗😂🐸🐧🐠🐟🐡🐬🐳🐢🐋🐊🌹🌹🌮🌯🍜🍲🍣🍱🍛🍙🏞🇮🇹
Day 47
Today we went to visit the Ancient Rome area. We saw the Forum! We saw the Colisseum! We saw the Circus Maximus! I liked stories about the lions. They would put criminals in the middle of the arena and let the lions rip them to bits. People liked watching it.
After that we went to a cafe. Mum and Dad got two coffees. We had delicious pastries, James got a croissant covered in sugar with custard in side. Emma and Holly got chocolate filled croissants. Yum.
After we went to a restaurant and there was a waiter who was funny. They had a watergun. The waiter let us spray him with water. I chased him down the street and then he took the watergun from me and sprayed me all the way back to the restaurant. I ate Marguerita pizza.
😅🤗😂🐸🐧🐠🐟🐡🐬🐳🐢🐋🐊🌹🌹🌮🌯🍜🍲🍣🍱🍛🍙🏞🇮🇹
Saturday, 9 July 2016
Hot sticky Rome
Holly writes:
Day 46
The last day we woke up in Positano was a sad day. They were by faaaaaaaaaar my favourite hosts. We will never forget their lovely treats (YUM!!!), the never ending veg garden (which we also got a taste of) and the view from their very own tiny ruins.
After driving for three hours and getting lost in the middle of Rome's maze of streets we arrived in our tiny apartment. Outside in the courtyard is one of the first clocks ever made that is run by water. There are only two of them left. The other is somewhere else in Rome. The apartment is tourism central and after waiting three hours for Dad to drop off the car at the airport and come home we set out for some site seeing.
First stop, the Pantheon. Unfortunately closed to tourists while a church service was on. Next we walked to a very big fountain called Trevi. It was to give fresh water to the people of the city. There were elaborate statues of a calm horse and a restless horse, abundance and health in human form, an old man and a young man and smack bang in the middle was a statue of ocean 6 metres tall. If you chucked a coin in the fountain and wished to come back to Rome you supposedly would. When Dad was here 20 years ago he did and surprise surprise he's back! We all threw in a coin.
We made our way to the Spanish steps. These were under repair so climbing them was not an option. We drunk from a smaller fountain which had water spouts for filling your drink bottle. James got his whole head wet but I just drunk out of my hands.
Now back home mum is cooking pasta (We are basically Italians now) and then going out for gelato after.
Arriverderci,
Friday, 8 July 2016
We love Positano
Scott writes:
Day 45
A leisurely start to the day. We seem to have a few of those. Theresa booked into an Italian cooking school at the best restaurant in Montepretuso, about 500m from where we are staying and she was booked to start at 3pm, so we had to be sure to back here by about 2.30.
We opted for the beach. Tough choice. While it is a stone beach and the stones get so hot you burn your feet walking 3 metres to the water, the stones are not big and are comfortable enough to lie on. Once again, we were not prepared to pay 8 euro per lounger so the stones it was. But the savings are eaten up by coffee for Scott and Theresa and icecream for Holly, James and Emma. Plus the parking fee. And the park is a long way up the cliffs from the water. Theresa counted 450 steps up from the beach to the car and it is all up narrow alleys with no breeze. With the temperature in the low-mid 30's and high humidity, by the time you get back to the car you need another swim.
Back to the house to feast on savoury buns made by our lovely hosts downstairs, then some time doing washing and lazing around - we needed a rest after a tough morning swimming, lying on the beach and drinking coffee. Theresa went off to her cooking school - which she said was fantastic, so those of you back in Christchurch can expect some pretty good Italian fare next time we see you. After a walk to the local store (which involves saying ciao to just about every person in the village along the way), I took the children to a resturant down the hill a bit for pizza. They made all sorts of bargains to get icecream afterwards - yes, twice in a day.
A few weeks ago I commented that French are crazy, driving their pugeots citroens and renaults around the skinny winding streets of the Dordogne at breakneck speed. Well, here on the Amalfi coast (and in Italy generally) it is different. They are more forgiving than I remember. And while it is easier to fit a camel through the eye of a needle than pass two ways on most of the streets around here, it is done anyway, with a combination of reversing, inching around, ducking into gaps that aren't really there and passing within a coat of paint of the drivers going the other way. On the odd bend they have a person with a baton, stopping you so a bus can come round the bend from the other direction. It is madness.
There are rules I am sure but nobody obeys them. Speed limits? No. Parking on the side of a super skinny winding road with a cliff on one side and a huge drop on the other while still going in both directions and squeezing past? No problem. And for good measure they park underneath a no parking sign whenever they can find one. And yet, there are very few horns or angry words, although some man yelled at me in Italian today for parking half on a fotpath and half on a skinny winding road. I think it must have been the French numberplate that upset him.
Thursday, 7 July 2016
Pompeii
Theresa writes:
Day 44
I remember as a child learning about the eruption of Mt Vesuvius and how all its people were killed by the eruption and preserved in the lava. So I was excited to go and see this site today. We set off early (for us) at 8am and arrived an hour later to queues and to find that they had already run out of English guidebooks. So we grabbed a couple of maps (in Italian) a guidebook (in French) along with a suggested itinerary from the internet (In English). Of course none of them referred to each other and the names were all diffferent but we managed to muddle along.
The site is amazing - its huge in size and it is possible to imagine people living here. We explored bathhouses with plunges pools and hot rooms, mansions and more ordinary houses. There are lots of mosiac floors and painted walls to give you an insight into how they lived. The kids really enjoyed the Thermopolia (ancient snack bars). The counters were still visible today with the holes for the containers of snack foods and the kids had a lot of fun playing shops.
After about three hours we had seen enough (albeit it was still only a small part of the site). Sadly the ampitheatre was closed due to a concert by Pink Floyds guitarist that night so we couldn't go in... After that we grabbed a very cheap lunch from a local breadshop. Our GPS is a little unreliable and she took us into the back streets of Naples so we were shopping where the locals do. The pizza, rolls and drinks cost us half what we have been paying in our tourist hotspots!
Then we went to Mt Vesuvius and climbed up the top to see into the crater. This was a very hot journey - 35 degrees, no shade and climbing up on a stony path. The kids did well to complete this; it was not a pleasant climb up. Of course once we had reached the top the views were great and it was interesting to hear the guide talk about the still active volcano.
The house we are staying in is lovely.We are staying in the hills behind Positano so its not touristy at all. There is a smaller town Montepertuso nearby and I walked up there (about 500m) on the first night to visit the grocery store. I passed by local people out for an evening stroll all saying buonosera or just 'sera (good evening or evening), kids playing soccer and it was nice to see a small slice of Italian life.
But by far the best part of our accomodation is our hosts Guisepina and Angelo. They are spoiling us and the kids terribly, so far we have had fruit and veges each day from his garden, chocolates on arrival and the kids got sweets after breakfast yesterday. Today we arrived home to small cakes - homemade shortbread biscuits five sandwiched with chocolate and five with custard. Yum. Kids have declared this their favourite stop so far....
Day 44
I remember as a child learning about the eruption of Mt Vesuvius and how all its people were killed by the eruption and preserved in the lava. So I was excited to go and see this site today. We set off early (for us) at 8am and arrived an hour later to queues and to find that they had already run out of English guidebooks. So we grabbed a couple of maps (in Italian) a guidebook (in French) along with a suggested itinerary from the internet (In English). Of course none of them referred to each other and the names were all diffferent but we managed to muddle along.
The site is amazing - its huge in size and it is possible to imagine people living here. We explored bathhouses with plunges pools and hot rooms, mansions and more ordinary houses. There are lots of mosiac floors and painted walls to give you an insight into how they lived. The kids really enjoyed the Thermopolia (ancient snack bars). The counters were still visible today with the holes for the containers of snack foods and the kids had a lot of fun playing shops.
After about three hours we had seen enough (albeit it was still only a small part of the site). Sadly the ampitheatre was closed due to a concert by Pink Floyds guitarist that night so we couldn't go in... After that we grabbed a very cheap lunch from a local breadshop. Our GPS is a little unreliable and she took us into the back streets of Naples so we were shopping where the locals do. The pizza, rolls and drinks cost us half what we have been paying in our tourist hotspots!
Then we went to Mt Vesuvius and climbed up the top to see into the crater. This was a very hot journey - 35 degrees, no shade and climbing up on a stony path. The kids did well to complete this; it was not a pleasant climb up. Of course once we had reached the top the views were great and it was interesting to hear the guide talk about the still active volcano.
The house we are staying in is lovely.We are staying in the hills behind Positano so its not touristy at all. There is a smaller town Montepertuso nearby and I walked up there (about 500m) on the first night to visit the grocery store. I passed by local people out for an evening stroll all saying buonosera or just 'sera (good evening or evening), kids playing soccer and it was nice to see a small slice of Italian life.
But by far the best part of our accomodation is our hosts Guisepina and Angelo. They are spoiling us and the kids terribly, so far we have had fruit and veges each day from his garden, chocolates on arrival and the kids got sweets after breakfast yesterday. Today we arrived home to small cakes - homemade shortbread biscuits five sandwiched with chocolate and five with custard. Yum. Kids have declared this their favourite stop so far....
Wednesday, 6 July 2016
beaches AGAIN?????
Day 43
This morning when we woke up we got ready really early. We needed to get to the beach by 9am to get a park otherwise we would have to come back home and catch the bus back down. The roads are very skinny and they are two way. We get caught up by a big car or a big bus and we have to pull over a little.
The water was warm and there were lots of people at the beaches. The water was nice and clear and the beach is stony. There were 5 or 6 cafes at our beach and another 10 or so at the big beach. In front of the bars were hundreds of beach chairs and you have to pay 8 euro to use them
( $12.46 NZ!!)
There is a hole in a cliff and legend has it that Mary was fighting the Devil and she made that hole.
We were at the beach for 5 five,cinque hours. Then we got an ice-cream from a restaurant came home and watched TV.
our beach---------------------------------------------
l
l
l
v
Tuesday, 5 July 2016
Off to Positano
Emma Writes
Day 42
Today we went on a long long drive. It was 6 hours.
We stopped in a town named Cassino where it was hard to find lunch. After looking for ages we found lunch, we had loads of pastas and it was cheap. We had trouble finding the information centre and we drove around town 5 or 6 times looking for it. In the end the Information centre was just a round kiosk that was closed...
In Cassino there was a big abbey. It was special because it was destroyed 4 times , the last time by the Allied soldiers bombing the German army. We also visited the Commonwealth cemetary to see all the NZer's buried there. 460 New Zealanders died in the battle.
Now we are in a Positano. It is by the beach. Our house is in the hills and we can see a little bit of the ocean. Tomorrow we are going to the beach.
Day 42
Today we went on a long long drive. It was 6 hours.
We stopped in a town named Cassino where it was hard to find lunch. After looking for ages we found lunch, we had loads of pastas and it was cheap. We had trouble finding the information centre and we drove around town 5 or 6 times looking for it. In the end the Information centre was just a round kiosk that was closed...
In Cassino there was a big abbey. It was special because it was destroyed 4 times , the last time by the Allied soldiers bombing the German army. We also visited the Commonwealth cemetary to see all the NZer's buried there. 460 New Zealanders died in the battle.
Now we are in a Positano. It is by the beach. Our house is in the hills and we can see a little bit of the ocean. Tomorrow we are going to the beach.
Monday, 4 July 2016
The War Story Of A Hill Top Villiage
Holly writes:
Day 41
Ahh, hill top towns, gotta love them. Yes, everyday it's a new one, yet they are so similiar in architecture, churches and thick old walls. Today's choice was Arezzo. This big town is special because it's church has one of the top renaissance frescoes in Italy. Frescoes are paintings on walls. the paintings were ruined and tell the story of Adam, Eve and Christ.
In the town we sat sat down and ate some delllllllicious Italian pasteries. Dad had a custard horn, mum a coffee cake, James two donuts stuck together filled with custard, Emma a choccy filled biscuit and I had a crispy pastry filled with icing, chocolate chips and sliced alamods. It's a very traditional Italian pastry called cannello. Very yummy.
Next we wandered through the streets looking for a shop with an Italy top for James. After two disapointments the bells rang for 1 o'clock. We found some nice pizza and sat down in a park.
As we were driving home we spotted an arch, and the closer we got we realiased it was a war grave. We stopped and had a look. We realised that it was in fact a Commonwealth war grave, with 27 New Zealanders buried there. Some from Auckland, Dunedin and Hawkes Bay. After driving for a bit more and having some gelato we continued our way home.
Whoosh, our house went flying past. But instead of turning around we continued on the road leading up hill to a town (San Pancrazio) Dad had seen before. He wanted to go there to see the the view of the valley. After a look at the view an elderly man walked over keen to show them the museum. He spoke no English but was insistent they come and look and proceeded to give an interesting story of the village...
The man was only 6 months old and it was nearing the end of the war, Italy had changed sides from the Germans to the Allies. Germany was not very happy. In the area a handful of germans had been killed by the resistance. So they wanted justice. The Germans arrived in his town at 5:30 in the morning. They rounded all the men, woman and children into a field and robbed them of their goods.
Then they took the women and children into the square and massacred the men. They had conserved a section of wall with three bullet holes. The priest was the first man to be killed and the highest bullet hole was mde by the one bullet through his head. The other two holes were some more unfortunate men. After they had killed the men they burned the bodies and destroyed the town. 71 people were killed 53 of them men.
One man only seven years old had a story on the wall of the museum telling of how his younger brother was stabbed with a bayonet. The German then turned around and said to his mother,
"This is what will happen to you if you don't give information" His mother refused. She was then stripped of her clothes and killed. After that terrible day the women had to rebuild their town from scratch because almost all was destroyed. The owner of the place the bodies were killed refused to let the bodies be taken for burial. Many presumed it was done out of fear of the Germans coming back.
After all was explained we thanked him and left. But I think this will be a story we will definately remember.
Day 41
Ahh, hill top towns, gotta love them. Yes, everyday it's a new one, yet they are so similiar in architecture, churches and thick old walls. Today's choice was Arezzo. This big town is special because it's church has one of the top renaissance frescoes in Italy. Frescoes are paintings on walls. the paintings were ruined and tell the story of Adam, Eve and Christ.
In the town we sat sat down and ate some delllllllicious Italian pasteries. Dad had a custard horn, mum a coffee cake, James two donuts stuck together filled with custard, Emma a choccy filled biscuit and I had a crispy pastry filled with icing, chocolate chips and sliced alamods. It's a very traditional Italian pastry called cannello. Very yummy.
Next we wandered through the streets looking for a shop with an Italy top for James. After two disapointments the bells rang for 1 o'clock. We found some nice pizza and sat down in a park.
As we were driving home we spotted an arch, and the closer we got we realiased it was a war grave. We stopped and had a look. We realised that it was in fact a Commonwealth war grave, with 27 New Zealanders buried there. Some from Auckland, Dunedin and Hawkes Bay. After driving for a bit more and having some gelato we continued our way home.
Whoosh, our house went flying past. But instead of turning around we continued on the road leading up hill to a town (San Pancrazio) Dad had seen before. He wanted to go there to see the the view of the valley. After a look at the view an elderly man walked over keen to show them the museum. He spoke no English but was insistent they come and look and proceeded to give an interesting story of the village...
The man was only 6 months old and it was nearing the end of the war, Italy had changed sides from the Germans to the Allies. Germany was not very happy. In the area a handful of germans had been killed by the resistance. So they wanted justice. The Germans arrived in his town at 5:30 in the morning. They rounded all the men, woman and children into a field and robbed them of their goods.
Then they took the women and children into the square and massacred the men. They had conserved a section of wall with three bullet holes. The priest was the first man to be killed and the highest bullet hole was mde by the one bullet through his head. The other two holes were some more unfortunate men. After they had killed the men they burned the bodies and destroyed the town. 71 people were killed 53 of them men.
One man only seven years old had a story on the wall of the museum telling of how his younger brother was stabbed with a bayonet. The German then turned around and said to his mother,
"This is what will happen to you if you don't give information" His mother refused. She was then stripped of her clothes and killed. After that terrible day the women had to rebuild their town from scratch because almost all was destroyed. The owner of the place the bodies were killed refused to let the bodies be taken for burial. Many presumed it was done out of fear of the Germans coming back.
After all was explained we thanked him and left. But I think this will be a story we will definately remember.
Sunday, 3 July 2016
A lazy day in the Tuscan Hills
Scott writes
Day 40
It was very hot overnight, making it hard to sleep. The day started quite slowly, with us leaving the house at about 10.00am. We drove to a walled hilltop town called San Gimignano. As with many of the popular old towns, you have to park outside the town walls and walk in. We had a good look around, but couldn't go into the church (being Sunday there was a service on). We climbed up to the fort and got some great views, went to a wine museum (a little disappointing) and went down to find some lunch. James has been clamouring to have pizza in a restaurant in Italy and he finally got his way. Good food all round washed down with some great local wine.
We headed for home and the afternoon by the pool. With temperatures hitting 34 degrees it is an easy decision. The pool here is great - it is large and warm. We share it with the two other holiday lets on this property, but the kids soon managed to scare off the couples having their romantic Tuscan break and we had the pool to ourselves for most of the afternoon until the owner's brother and his family came for a swim.
The owner hasn't really been around, as his wife had a baby this morning - they use a hospital in Florence, about 100km away. Nona lives onsite and is looking after the daughter, Annalisa. Emma has been very lucky in finding a second place with a girl approximately the same age as her - instant friends.
After such a torrid day it is time to have a beer and sample some more local wines with dinner. While the wines here are great (and cheap), the beers in both France and Italy have not been as exciting. There is not much in the way of local craft or artisan beers. Most of their more interesting stuff comes from Belgium. Still, I am coping.
Day 40
It was very hot overnight, making it hard to sleep. The day started quite slowly, with us leaving the house at about 10.00am. We drove to a walled hilltop town called San Gimignano. As with many of the popular old towns, you have to park outside the town walls and walk in. We had a good look around, but couldn't go into the church (being Sunday there was a service on). We climbed up to the fort and got some great views, went to a wine museum (a little disappointing) and went down to find some lunch. James has been clamouring to have pizza in a restaurant in Italy and he finally got his way. Good food all round washed down with some great local wine.
We headed for home and the afternoon by the pool. With temperatures hitting 34 degrees it is an easy decision. The pool here is great - it is large and warm. We share it with the two other holiday lets on this property, but the kids soon managed to scare off the couples having their romantic Tuscan break and we had the pool to ourselves for most of the afternoon until the owner's brother and his family came for a swim.
The owner hasn't really been around, as his wife had a baby this morning - they use a hospital in Florence, about 100km away. Nona lives onsite and is looking after the daughter, Annalisa. Emma has been very lucky in finding a second place with a girl approximately the same age as her - instant friends.
After such a torrid day it is time to have a beer and sample some more local wines with dinner. While the wines here are great (and cheap), the beers in both France and Italy have not been as exciting. There is not much in the way of local craft or artisan beers. Most of their more interesting stuff comes from Belgium. Still, I am coping.
Saturday, 2 July 2016
Ahhh Tuscany...
Theresa writes
Day 39
Day 39
We have rented a villa in the
Chianti hills and its perfect. The house
is the quintessential Tuscan farmhouse; very old with terracotta tiles, wooden beams
and tiled floors. The pool is
beautiful and warm and we look out over the green hills to farmland and hill
top towns. After three full days of
sightseeing everyone is keen for a relaxing day so we opt to spend the
afternoon in the pool.
For the morning’s excursion we
head to Sienna. A walled city with a
beautiful cathedral and a famed town square.
By chance it is the day of Il Palio – a horserace that takes place twice
a year in the city. So the town square is
a no go – it’s been cordoned off and a temporary racetrack and stadium seating
is installed. The race takes place
tonight at 7:30. If you want to see it
you have to join the thousands in the middle of the racetrack , be there 3
hours before and wait with no toilets available. It doesn’t sound feasible with children so we
opt to watch it live on the Tuscan tourist website instead.
We explore the city by foot
including a walk along the fort walls offering a wonderful view back to the
city and the cathedral. The town is
packed with locals. The race is
contested between the 17 neighbourhoods of Sienna and each has a scarf with
their colours and their symbol. The
girls both want a scarf to join in with the locals, Emma opting for the
caterpillar and the rose (?) and Holly for the unicorn (unicorno?).
Once we have finished exploring we
head to the local supermarket to pick up groceries and it is packed. Due to Il
Palio the supermarket closes at 1:30 and everybody has turned up at the same
time as us to shop… Scott buys antipasto and fresh sausages for tea waiting
about 25 minutes for his turn at the counter whilst I pop around doing much of
the remaining shopping. Its chaos and I
am dreading the checkout queues. But
every lane is open and that is the easiest part of the day.
Back home for lunch followed by
an afternoon in the pool for the children with us relaxing in the sun on the
loungers, taking the occasional dip to cool off. It’s a fabulous way to spend the afternoon.
Friday, 1 July 2016
Leaning tower of "🍕Pizza🍕
James writes
Day 38
Today we had to pack our bags and go to the car because it was moving day. We had a 3 hour car trip to Pisa. Then we had a 2 hour car trip to our house in Tuscany.
From our first angle you could not see the lean but when we got inside the walls it looked like it was about to fall over, so we took some photo of us holding It up. We didn't climb it because it was booked up till 4:15 and Emma was too young to climb it so we got ice creams and left.
When we first arrived at our house in Tuscany it looked big. Inside it smelled like a church because of the giant fireplace. The house is old. You can see the bricks on the roof and there are wooden beams on the ceiling.
The pool is pretty big but not too big. It was really warm so we had a long swim before dinner. Our house is in the hills and from our windows you can see a vineyard and olive trees. They have painted the power pylons green so they are camoflaged and don't ruin the view.
Oh and for dinner tonight we had pizza!
When we first arrived at our house in Tuscany it looked big. Inside it smelled like a church because of the giant fireplace. The house is old. You can see the bricks on the roof and there are wooden beams on the ceiling.
The pool is pretty big but not too big. It was really warm so we had a long swim before dinner. Our house is in the hills and from our windows you can see a vineyard and olive trees. They have painted the power pylons green so they are camoflaged and don't ruin the view.
Oh and for dinner tonight we had pizza!
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