11 - 12th February 2006 Lazy days

We have both been re-charging batteries this year as we had a pretty hectic schedule last year. So far the biggest excitement I have had this year has been at work where we had some guy 'fall' from the 25th floor of the Shell Centre, whilst we were on the 24th floor...and the whale that seemed to have a malfunctioning GPS swimming up the Thames. I am just surprised that it wasn't harpooned by some lost Japanese tourists thinking they could help the national quota.

We have been pottering around making half hearted attempts to find tiles for our downstairs toilet (which is proving to be a mission but is too long and sad a story to recount here) and trying to get back into a gym routine. I have entered 2 half marathons, one in March and one in April so am trying to build up some mileage, whilst Graham tackles the garden and the gym trying to build up muscle!

We had lunch with James, Veronika and the 2 kids (Wypers) yesterday. Veronika's dad was out from Czech so it was nice to see him again. Jacob is running around and quite perky whilst Nicole is still very much in the silkworm baby stage (as Ronald says..the sleep..eat..pooh cycle) but she is a very pretty happy little baby with these huge big blue eyes.

Last night we went to movies to see Underworld 2, about a vampire vs werewolf battle. I'm surprised that I managed to sleep without kicking out at the things that attack you when you dream. As it was a late night movie, all the trailers seemed to be horror movies with bugs and killer slugs and such like. Yugh.

8 January 2006 - The Fate of Robin's old Bike

On the way back we dropped Sheian off at varsity (she is at Canterbury Uni) and it was there that we met up with an old friend.... yes...Robin's old bike!! The one that lay sad and neglected in our garage for so long. Graham was talking about taking it to the dump. Instead Sheian adopted it and it is her main form of transport. Robin, it is much loved and seems quite happy in its new environment...

6 - 8th January 2006 At the Manoir (2)

We caught the train up north to meet up with the Lees. It snowed all the way up so we were looking forward to seeing the Manoir covered in a white blanket but it had melted around that area. We had a very lazy visit, catching up on sleep and some R&R. We seemed to do a lot of eating. We revisited the restaurant we took the Jones Sen to where once again we stuffed our faces with a Croque Monsieur (they don't seem to do the Madame there so we went without the egg) and washed it down with a beer and a cup of coffee whilst been entertained by the local Frenchmen playing the horses.

6 - 7th January 2006 At the Manoir (1)

We joined up with JJ and Marianne to go out to dinner for a big fat red steak. The chef had what looked like an indoor braai on which he grilled the meat. Graham's was a bit underdone for his taste so he got up and slapped it back on the grid. Not sure what the owner thought, bet you wouldn't get away with that in many establishments, the chef would probably come at you with a humungous carving knife. We had our first gallete which is made of puff pastry and can be plain or filled with frangipane, an almond-flavoured paste. They tuck away a little charm inside and once the cake is cut and served, the person who survives choking on the charm, becomes king (or queen) and is given a paper crown. Marianne had the lucky piece that night. (The morning we left, JJ baked another galette for us to have with champagne before setting out, so had a true home baked one!)

5 January 06 - Leering in the Louvre

We had decided to spend the day wandering around the Louvre. Like all tourists the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo had to be seen. However what we discovered was that we liked the building more than anything else inside! I’m not sure if that is a savage admission to make or not, but what an amazing palace it is!

I also think that there is just so much to see that you simply can’t take it all in!! We gazed at the smug Mona Lisa and elbowed our way past the Sony tourists trying to take their pics in front of the one armed concrete babe and ambled around with our mouths open and eyes swirling around in our heads like bromme on a piece of prime dog turd.

We went from hall to hall looking at paintings, sculptures, broken bits of pottery, big pieces of pottery, pink pottery, brown pottery, more pictures, ironworks, waxworks (maybe not), weird people, crown jewels, ornate ceilings, bits of brick and mortar. To Graham’s disgust, all the labels were in French only. The only time you saw evidence that another language existed was when they had signs up telling you not to take pictures and not to touch ;-))

After exhausting ourselves after this great trek, we made our way to the station to catch the train to Karen and David, where the Manoir beckoned.

4 January 06 - Paris on Speed Evening

After that we sped around the city taking in as many sites as we could and trying to catch up on news!!! Whew! We wandered around the Arc de Triomphe, shunted ourselves up the Champs Elysees then along the Seine, up to Notre Dame.... all at 100 m.p.h - then it was suddenly time for the Davies to head towards the station for their train. I happily followed them down the Metro jabbering away, when Graham reminded me that I couldn't go with them! My heart sank with them as the escalator carried them down to the train that would take them away.

Too soon. Too short. Until later then Cuzz-Wuzz. xxxx

4 January 2006 - Paris on Speed afternoon

From Montmartre we ambled off to the Eiffel Tower. We hadn’t been up there before so duly joined the queues for the lifts. Whilst Graham eyed out the cables and mechanics driving the lifts, I warily eyed the ascent we would have to make. It reminded me of the old days at Gencor when a few underground visits were on the cards. Then I was thankful that it was dark so I had no idea of height/ depth! Ignorance and bliss come to mind.. I wasn’t sure about the lifts but Rob said that he was also nervy of lifts and everyone else seemed quite cheerful about entering the metal and plastic boxes, I swallowed hard and stepped in with them.

We went to the 2nd level and had to get out to walk around to the next lift. Graham wisely decided that he was high enough but the rest of us went on. My body parts got all mixed up, I think my heart was in my mouth and and I can't tell you what was happening in other parts, but just believe me that I was pretty scared!

It was bitterly cold as well and although you can't fall off the top accidentally, I was pleased to freeze my south pole off in the queue to get down.

4 January 2006 - Paris on Speed - Morning

We had originally wanted to take a train to Paris so that we could meet up with Lynn and family (my cousin from Australia) but every train leaving Rome was full, including the indirect ones. So we had to fly but the cheapest tickets we could find were via Zurich so at least I finally made my first trip to Switzerland albeit the airport terminal!

We met them at the Gare du nord where they had come in on the Eurostar for the day. It was cold but one of those beautiful crisply sunny days with big blue skies. We walked up to Sacre Coeur. Graham and I were all monumented out by the then so we sat outside and watched the passing show. Our Bangladeshis had been replaced by our cousins from the Dark Continent who were trying to tie raffia bangles on our arms as we walked past, so we watched them harassing and glaring at tourists from our perch whilst the rest of the group wandered around the Basilica.

After that, we went to Montmartre to stare at the artists and wannabe artists and indulge in some coffee and crepes.

2 January 2006 – Inside the Colosseum & the Pantheon

We finally made it into the Colosseum and were amazed to find the floor missing to reveal the series of corridors and lift shafts from which animals were launched into the arena. It was still piddling down so we made our way to the Pantheon which was indoors and in the area renown for its coffees. Once again we were not disappointed with a tourist site. It is such a thrilling place and every place you visit is just as amazing as you would imagine it to be. The best was yet to come. The Bangladeshi umbrella fencing championship took place in front of our café table! One of them must have been feeling slightly aggrieved about something one of his compatriots had done, so he attacked him with an umbrella. It was hilarious and yes we were probably very evil to laugh but you had to have been there.

1 January 2006 – Later that day

The next day we waded around the ruins which were still impressive through the sheets of water and we were thrilled despite the soggy feet and cold dripping noses. Unfortunately the Colosseum was closed on NY Day but we had these intriguing little peeks through the gateways. You feel an eeriness and disquiet about the place and I almost expected to smell wet animal when I poked my nose through the bars to a gate.

That night we landed up in an Argentinian restaurant so we could devour a huge tasty steak. Why is it that Italian expats in SA make the best pizzas and the real thing is so disappointing? Graham also expected more when it came to the coffees and time and time again he shuffled off from a café table feeling let down!

We bypassed the Trevi fountain but there were so many people around it that it was like trying to find a spot to lay your towel on Clifton Beach in summer, so we never managed to throw any coins in, but despite this, we will return one day.

1 January 2006 – The New Year arrives

Close to midnight we made our way to the Piazza del Popolo, which is where we were told was the place to go for such an occasion. Instead of mutilating and executing people there, nowadays they spray you with Spumante and let of crackers that sounded like bombs being dropped by a lost US pilot on his way to Baghdad. When the booms and dooms built up to a crescendo we assumed that it was indeed New Year so we launched into an awful version of Auld Lang Syne and hoped that between the fireworks and the sound of pouring rain battering away at our flimsy brollies, no-one would hear our caterwauling. Huh, no such luck, Graham took a recording of us on his new toy. Why I don’t know, probably for the same reason that tabloid photographers like to take pictures of minor celebrities with their un-airbrushed hail damaged bellies hanging out so that they can frighten audiences with just how awful things can be sometimes J - well at least we got into the spirit of things and seeing that my Italian was restricted to buono sera..come sta..grazi….and avanti, auld lang syne just had to do.31 December 2005 – Raining Romans

We arrived in a grey and wet Rome and were immediately besieged by an army of Bangladeshi umbrella sellers who swarmed over us like annoying mechanical flies trying to offload their wares. It didn’t matter that we each had an umbrella, they seemed to think that we needed to buy some more. I was hoping that some evil wind would whip itself up and carry them off into the distance like some demented Inspector Gadget like Mary Poppinses.

We met up with Jeannie and wandered off to St Peter’s Square which was lit up with soft yellow lights and a garish giant sized Nativity Scene. Papa was giving a mass which was beamed out over massive TV screens whilst the silent sheet clad statues of al the past Popes gazed on from above the pillars standing guardian over the Square. There were no epiphanies to be had that night, so we wandered off in the direction of the Spanish Stairs to find somewhere to eat (and get warm).


We found a restaurant and a friendly Sudanese waiter in whose care we decided to eat our way through the old year.