Holey Moley where did June disappear too?????? Let me try and retrace our steps and see what happened……
The first weekend in June was one of preparations! Paul and I wrote a list and away we went, mowing lawns, cleaning cupboards, moving beds around, cleaning offices etc etc etc.
Mum and Dad arrived safe and sound on the 6th June! It was very exciting waiting at the airport and Keian was in good spirits singing for all the waiting people in terminal 2. After getting them home and showing Dad for the first time our home of the last 3 years, our castle and village we then planned our month. The village was buzzing, the Brazilian team were staying in our 5 star hotel and the village had a festival and decorated the town in Green and yellow (this seemed a little weird to me since the Brazilians were the competition but alas shops were decorated in the colours of both Countries as were the merchandise sold for both Countries), the village was mad! Great fun, and any footage you saw on the Brazilian team was filmed in our village. Dad spent much of the time in the village when we were walking around jumping up in the background of TV cameras with his Australia cap and shirt on! Soooo funny!
I was fortunate to be able to have the month off they were here which was extremely special. We spent the first few days orientating and organizing before heading off to Heidelberg for the day. What a gorgeous village……we mosied around the village, had lunch and afternoon tea, showed Keian the castle and captured some breath-taking views. Great day….oh and we also spotted a special someone on holidays from the NorthPole…..(see the photos).
Then the four of us were able to go to the England and Portugal game! Last minute ticketing changes left us with an extra ticket for Mum so a babysitter was quickly organized on the day to allow her to come. It was soooo exciting being at the game and being amongst the atmosphere that cannot be capture via TV. Although Australia were not playing you could not help but be caught up in the English fans and feelings, they really are mad football fans and never stop cheering whether their team is up or down, after watching the Aussie fans this month we could learn a lesson from the English…..we tend to cheer the loudest when we are winning not losing! English just cheer period!
The following Monday morning Keian, Mum, Dad and I headed off on the train to Berlin! Unbeknownest to us we were on the same train as the Croatian team!!!!!! infact in the very next carriage the boys were located sitting resting, reading, playing computer games. Keian of course needed walking in his pram to go to sleep so I was able (and allowed) to be in the vestibule right outside the glass doors (accompanied by the police and protection officers) of the carriage they were in. I strategically placed myself so they had to speak to me to get passed to the toilet! Ha what a hoot! The security team also helped lift Keian’s pram and the bags off the train in Berlin!
So off we go on our adventures! The hotel was fine and the temperatures were soaring. Once checked in we went for a walk to orientate ourselves, get our tours organized and have something to eat!
The first day after a not so crash hot night for sleeping with a certain someone waking every hour or two with teething “issues”……we went on a 6hr walking tour of Sachsenhausen working camp! This is a working/concentration camp you did not hear much about as the Russians liberated the camp and destroyed much of the evidence but let me tell you it was incredible. It was huge, awful and the stories of the cruelty that went on there knew no boundaries! That day the temperatures soared and this only added to the somber and depressing conditions we witnessed. Incredible to think that human beings could A) think of the cruelty both physical and mental and B) execute it on another human being whose only crime was their nationality – So depressing.
In light of that Keian was an absolute star, we were there for four hours or more after a train ride to get there and back and he was incredible. Sat in his pram or our arms and really was no trouble…..blessed!
We then went back to the hotel for a rest and Keian was able to stretch his legs crawling all over the place in the comfort of air-conditioning. We then headed out for some dinner where again Keian was great eating with us and then playing on the floor beside us during dinner. The day however was very taxing emotionally as those that have been to one of the too many concentration camps know too well. I learnt more history in this 6hr tour than 12yrs of schooling on this particular topic, this is also directly related to having a fantastic tour guide who was passionate, respectful and brilliant at her job.
The next day we were up and adams again on a 4hr walking tour of Berlin again with a great tour guide the half day was interesting and informative for my history banks which were very poor prior to this trip! Keian again took centre stage but this time shared it with a little girl the same age (and size) so they had a great day staring, gooing and gaaring at one another, Keian adores other children and cannot get enough of them….he will no doubt thrive back in Australia with cousins and the many friends around the same age which have joined us over the last years.
Both of these days were finished with two football games which we viewed both in our rooms and in the bar in the hotel….excellent!
Next day we were off again this time by air to Austria. We flew in and made our way to the hotel just in time for the first game of the day. As good fortune would have it there was a great lobby type area (huge) with a big screen and bar, lounges etc for viewing the games. Whilst I checked us in Mum secured the 3 seater lounge with two additional seats with it and coffee table where we were able to watch the game, have a late lunch, have Keian’s veges heated and have him crawl all over us, the lounge, the carpet, his pram and attract almost as much attention from people who wanted to see, talk or play with him as the football match being played! We sat in this spot for a total of 7hrs in the end. We simply tagged each other between the games to settle into our room, unpack, shower, bath Keian and wait for Paul who was flying in after work that day as the next was a public holiday. Both Keian and Paul went troppo on seeing each other which is always gorgeous to watch! After watching both games, eating again we headed up to bed.
Next day we played tag, Paul and I went on a bus tour leaving Keian with Gran and Grumps who took him out in his pram. We saw the main sights of Vienna and then did a tour of the Palace. We then went back to see and have Keian for the afternoon whilst Mum and Dad headed off on their tour. Paul, Keian and I headed off for lunch and the shops but did not find anything of interest (can you believe it!). That night after dinner, Keian went to sleep and Paul and I headed out for a few hours at the Casino. The casino was not a nice one, staff were not friendly and the night was not a lucky night as we did our dough….give me Launceston Casino any day! Still we enjoyed our night out and headed back to Keian and bed!
Next morning was an early morning on to a bus to Bradislavia which is the capital of Slovakia (had never heard of it before now). Keian did not appreciate the early morning (he is so not an early morning baby probably because he stays up half the night!) and made his dissatisfaction well known on this hour bus ride. I imagine the people who had comment how gorgeous he was as we got on the bus soon changed their mind and wished this little fellow with large lungs was not on their particular tour bus. But after much work we managed to get him back to sleep for the end of the bus trip /sigh of relief is an understatement….). We spent most of the day wandering around the city (small as it is) then had lunch before jumping on the catamaran for the journey back to Vienna. Keian much preferred this as it was cool, moving and he could either crawl around, sit in the back watching the wake of the cat or sleep in the pram and he did all of that! The Denube was very wide and flowed fast and was a scenic low stress way to travel. We then walked back to the hotel and assumed our position on the same lounges in the foyer for the football that night!
The next day we went walking again this time to the tallest ferriswheel in the world which had been their for over 100yrs. Dad, Paul and I went on it whilst Keian and Gran played on the grass in the park (Mum and Dad had been on it before). The weather again was fantastic in Vienna hot hot hot! We wandered around the park and then headed back to the hotel to pack up and say goodbye to Mum and Dad as they were staying on an extra few days to go to Budapest.
We arrived home Sunday evening and had a quiet night which was also again preparation. Vibeke, Allan and their two children were in the throes of packing and moving back to Denmark (sob sob!) and moved in with us for 3 nights prior to their departure. Keian thought this was fabulous as Valdamar and Josefine are both under 5yrs and love him. He was entertained, kissed, cuddled and played with constantly throughout these days. In addition Eric flew back in from Australia for the Netherlands v Argentina game so our little hotel was full to the seams. We had great days and nights, lunches and dinners and had some really nice if but a bit quick time with them all. We made birthday cakes (Minnie Mouse) cooked meringues and cookies……The boys all went to the game and the girls watched it on our big screen whilst sipping our cocktails!
Alas it was then time to say goodbye to the four Danes who had been our neighbours and become our close friends over the last 2yrs. We made plans for our trip to Copenhagen in August so the goodbye was tempered somewhat but still very sad for us and for Keian who still today looks for the kids when out in the back yard! Their house is still empty and is a constant reminder of the gap they have left in our lives……
However there was initially not much time to realize all of this as the same day they flew out the Shabels and Lucy flew in, with just enough time to wash and dry the sheets on the beds and set up for Kylie, Kari, Larn (4yrs), Milli (10mths) and Lucy (the nanny). They arrived about lunchtime after delays in their flights, car hire issues and a few wrong turns by their “bitch” in the car…..
They were only here some hours when the boys all jumped in their cars and headed off to Stuttgart to see the Socceroos play. They all reported that it really was a truly magical experience to both be there and to have them win which was not predicted! The girls took up front row pews in front of our big screen after putting children to bed and having dinner. Great game and the atmosphere in our lounge room was charged to match every other lounge room in Australia no doubt!
Next morning we were up and adams to the station where Kylie, Lucy, me and the three children headed to Munich. The boys were suppose to drive from Stuttgart to Munich to meet us off the train….that didn’t happen after Eric and Kari got stuck in a traffic jam for 7hrs…..they left before Paul and were able to warn him and he was able to divert around it but still was not there to meet us on the train by some hours!
Instead Darren and Mark were on the platform to meet us J They had flown in for a bit of a Whoaphuckfest in Munich. Finally all the participants arrived and we began our weekend. Munich was on fire with football matches being played in particular Germany was playing and WON which sent the Germans into an understandable frenzy! The streets were chaotic and the atmosphere electric. We were able to watch the games on a TV in the bar of our hotel. Our hotel was lets say comfortable but unairconditioned! The temps soared and it was like sleeping in a sauna…….sigh!
We would have stayed at our usual hotel but the prices were double the normal price, we found out why when we were there, it was where the German soccer team where staying. Kylie informed me the price would have been worth it for the chance to run into Ballack in the hallways!!!!
The first night half of us headed out for traditional Bavarian food for dinner. It was a good night if but a little too much alcohol consumed. The conversation was steamy and as usual Keian slept in his pram through dinner and then announced at 11pm it was time for heading back to the hotel and bed!
Now none to soon I was back in Munich….if you recall our last trip whilst excellent did not provide for Shopping (devastating)! This time there was no error in time allocation. Saturday morning I was off with Paul and Darren, Schabels and Lucy (Eric and Mark were sleeping off fierce hangovers!). I found the shops which I had window shopped last time and returned back to the hotel victorious with bags!
This night the Schabels (who were still fighting their jet lag) joined us for dinner. Kylie and I donned high heel shoes and Mark was in charge of booking and orientation to the hotel and he achieved this goal…..eventually! In the mean time Kylie and I were cussing at our forming blisters! The meal ended up being great with company and conversation but again a little too much alcohol for the boys! Back to the hotel a night cap and off to bed! This time it was Kari and Paul who did not feel too fresh the next morning and both had to contend with babies the next morning (justice!).
Sunday was started with breakfast followed by a large ice chocolate for all at the ice-cream parlour and then a tram ride to the English gardens to one of the sights of the Octoberfest drinking holes! Again it was hot hot hot (we are having a magic Summer over here) and we spent a lazy afternoon consuming pork knuckles and steins of beers in the Chinese beer garden. The girls did manage an hour of child free time soaking our aching feet in the freezing stream running through the gardens and solving the problems of the world in our conversation – World Peace!!
All too soon we were off again, this time Eric, Paul, Keian and I in the car, the boys on the plane back to London and the Schabels and Lucy remaining in Munich another night! Mum and Dad were at home to greet us and provide us with dinner. Keian was great completing his longest car trip of 4hrs with little fuss.
The next week Paul was off to Geneva for work, Eric flew out to Australia and Mum/Dad and I recouperated doing day trips and having quiet days at home walking to the village for the compulsory cake and coffees each day!
Then it was time for Australia to play again, spirits were soaring as was our confidence! AHHHHHHH we were robbed in the last minutes by a penalty everyone in the world bar the Italiens and the Spanish referee agree should never have been called! Alas Australia bowed out of the world cup sooo prematurely….enough on that depressing topic!
The boys then went to their final game (the quarter final between France and Brazil) and what a game that was! It was very exciting to watch, this time it was just Mum and I at home, the first game which we did not have a house full! Still we made enough noise for all! The boys arrived home and were very pumped up from such a game, Zidane showed what world class football looks like!
Next day we had a quiet day at home and then headed up to the village for a farewell lunch with Mum and Dad. The weather continued to be superb and we were secretly glad it was not us returning to Winter in Australia.
So ended Dad’s 70th Birthday trip with us, Mum and dad left that evening but…..both fortunately and coincidentally we had tickets for the Billy Joel concert in Frankfurt so farewells were kept short and sharp outside the airport! Sigh I so love the arrival hall and hate the departure hall!
Paul and I had a great time at the concert together (albeit in 40C heat as the Messe is not air-conditioned and the temperatures were high )and then returned home late to Keian sleeping with his ever competent babysitter Izabela standing watch!
Soooo that is where June went…..plenty of travels, adventures, visitors, laughter and hot weather! Keian is still looking around the house and at me as if to say “what happened where did all the people go mummy????”
Nevertheless July is shaping up to be equally as busy with many visitors again coming on our doorstep! Fabulous!