France

I fell in love with Paris when I was 14. To me it is romantic, full of hot chocolate and chestnuts (we were there in January), and the Boulevard St Michel. School children run around speaking better French than I will ever do. We were staying in a small hotel and I remember rehearsing my French to request hot chocolate in the room, only to find that the room service spoke to me in English. I immediately forgot everything I knew in French and had to have someone else order. I remember seeing the Mona Lisa and watching someone paint it (in those days the Mona Lisa was not behind perspex) and I thought that the copy was better than the original. There were no crowds (did I mention that it was January) and if I had been quick I am sure I could have actually touched it.

I will be back there very soon and have been surfing for information. I have been checking out Christiane Michels blog which is Day in Paris and her website is A Photographer in Paris Christiane has some beautiful photos. She will influence my photographs on this blog. For the children I have found this cool site, Kids in Paris I know I am going to need help everywhere for things for the kids. I have just read Tips for an affordable trip to Paris , again a must read for this upcoming trip.

For travel advice and information try GoFrance . This is where I found Christiane, as well as lots of other cool stuff about France.

We are staying in this Apartment for five nights and we are so excited.

Birthday part III

Pictures of the actual day


Looking

Finding
Finding more














Party time

The Birthday part II

Aunty Tanya and Uncle Richard sent Michaela lots of presents and here they are - Thank you.

April is Birthday Rama

Did I mention how many birthdays we celebrate in April? Well first is my neice Neisha in Adelaide who turned 13 on the 4th, my neice Alex in the Blue Mountains who turned 11 on the 14th, my father who celebrates on the 21st, my daughter who turns 8 on the 25th, and finally my nephew, Damian on the Central Coast, who turns 13 on the 29th of April. Any of my friends or family planning to have children, please please miss out on April, I have no room left on the calendar!!

Well the 25th of April may be ANZAC day for most Aussies and Kiwis, but eight years ago (1998) there was another battle, a little closer to home. It all started at about 6am with some minor skirmishes. By about 10 am the battle had advanced from Monash up the road about 15 minutes to Camp Woden. After entering negotiations, signing forms, and a bit of huffing and puffing, the battle ended at 4.22 with the arrival of peace (or our smallest bundle of joy). The home based troops arrived around 6pm to check out the new peace treaty. Both General J and I were exhausted and stayed on in camp for the night. At 5pm the next day the General and I headed home with our new peace offering.




Here is Michaela.






Micheala at Floriade 2004





Soccer star 2005







2006 Sharing an Icecream Cake with Grandpa (who is born four days after Micheala)

Reverse Garbage

I was asked where reverse garbage was and I don't yet know how to respond to comments, so I will comment via a post.

Reverse Garbage is in Marrickville

8/142 Addison Road
Marrickville NSW 2204

Telephone 02 9569 3132 or
Reverse Garbage

A Good Read

Currently reading "Just enough French". A journey around rural France with great recipes at the end of each chapter. It was was bought at Megalong Bookstore, in Leura. Just finished reading "Neither here nor there" by Bill Bryson about his travels around Europe, also bought at Megalong. J and I love all his books, they are so easy to read and make you laugh. At lunch time I am reading Europe : coach touring and travel journal, a complete guide by Craig Hill - which is good for answering all the questions you might have about coach travel before you go. On the front cover is a picture of the Eiffel Tower and Michaela tells me she is going to climb right to the top. Michaela only wants to go to France as that is where EuroDisney is. Our favourite bookstores include Dymocks and Angus and Robertson . A local favourite is the Electric Shadows in Civic, Canberra which has a wide range of books and videos. It has the art house cinema next door.

My children know nearly all the bookshops in Canberra, when we go to one they dive into the children's section and they can stay there for hours, it is great.

I really like the ones that provide you with a coffee shop in the bookstore, such as the fifth floor at Myer's in George Street Sydney and the Borders store at Westfield Tuggerah, which I visited last weekend.

Despite visiting Electric Shadows and Angus and Robertson bookshops I can report that we did not buy a book or a DVD this weekend!!! Talking of A&R it is now where WH Smith was in the Canberra Centre, can anyone tell me where WH Smith has gone?

Guitar Player

What you lookin at?











How does this work?











Hi Dad











Just a bit of strumming

Trafalgar Tours

Our 12 day tour through Europe is with Trafalgar Tours. We are on the European Splendour tour, which goes on the 29th of May (only 5 weeks away) from Rome to London, through Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and France. We get our tickets and bags around the first of May, and fly out to Singapore on the 21st of May!!!!! I am just a little bit excited. Can we go tomorrow? I am ready, not sure about anyone else or the house or the garden or the dog or the dog sitter!!!

Check out the Trafalgar Tours bulletin board Trafalgar Tours if you want lots of chat about travel and tours, really is the good, bad and the ugly of travel. J contributes to the site on a regular basis and you may find him there if you look for Blue Heeler (though his avitar looks more like Billy Connolly).

Italy Heaven

In case you have not noticed, we are slightly mad about Italy - Hence the name Mondo Viaggiatore (world traveller). As a mad keen student of all things Italian and as I will be there in less than five weeks I thought I would share this site with you, found by J.

TSS and the Princess of Libraria

Started the day with the photo of the tree at the top of this blog, it is in my own garden. I really love autumn. The picture here is from my work! Went to TSS's place last night, late as usual. Beautiful salmon and pea quiches in filo, with salad. Spent the whole night (well not quite) attached to the computer. Ran off to fetch Princess B of Libraria (in the freezing cold) from the Jolimont bus depot, will be sending her a bill later. Princess B brought TSS monochromatic offerings, which she instantly had to photograph for her blog. You will be able to see the latest if you check out The Shopping Sherpa. Having consumed some good red wine followed by some good red bubbles, and all the goss, I returned home and caught up on Thursday night TV needs (Law and Order) and fell into bed to read a bit more of "Just enough French".

Going to camp

Andrew (10) is off to camp tomorrow and he has gone off to the shops to obtain gum boots, his sister Michaela (7) is playing xbox with her friend T.