Archive for December, 2003

Episode 15

Published on December 27, 2003 0 Comments Tags: , , , . Post made from or about Geleen .

Well, I’m about to leave Holland, so I thought it was about time I send a group email! I’ve also uploaded some more photos! (none that I took, however).

Here in Geleen (just north of Maastricht) Paul and I have been staying with his 2nd cousin (Roelie) and her husband, Harry. They’ve both been fantastic to us, spoiling us with fantastic food and wine (and, of course, fantastic company!).

Harry, as I’ve come to realise, is a movie addict - so, we’ve watched a number of movies since we’ve been here! And… did I mention the food?

Harry is known (or so he tells me) for his famous breakfasts. A typical Harry breakfast consists of meats and cheeses, bread, coffee, juice, a hard boiled egg, and then whatever else he feels like adding at the time. I believe these are usually reserved for Sunday mornings, but we’ve been having them the whole time we’ve been here! Roelie (the reluctant cook - she avoids cooking wherever possible) has also cooked a few meals for us, and (other than eating in restaurants) it’s probably been the best food I’ve had all trip!

For Christmas, we all woke up nice and late, and ended up having a Harry breakfast at 1pm. Then, dinner was a really nice Thai soup, and duck (followed by Paul’s favorite - ice cream!) cooked by Roelie! Unfortunately, I got majorly ripped off, and we didn’t have a white Christmas, but we did get snow a few days before in Metz, so I suppose the weather can be forgiven!

Today, we went for a nice little stroll… into Germany. I don’t think I’ve ever walked across a border before. If you look at the photos, you’ll see a few with signposts - that’s the border! Of course, I had to do the “I’m in Holland, and now I’m in Germany, and now I’m in Holland, and now I’m in Germany” bit.

Tomorrow, we head off to Köln to see Imke (the “strange cookie” from Germany who Paul and I met a year or two ago when she visited Australia). We’ll be spending new years there, before heading back to Paris for a few days, and then coming back to the land down under.

Well, it’s time to pack, and go to bed (it’s nearly 1am), so I’ll leave this “episode” here.

Hope you’re all well, and I’m looking forward to seeing you all when I return!

Update: Added photos

Photos from Metz


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Photos from Geleen


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Merry Christmas!

Published on December 25, 2003 0 Comments Tags: . Post made from or about Geleen .

Just wanted to send a quick message to you all to say….

“Prettige Kerstdagen en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar”!!

Yep, that’s all I wanted to say!

Hope you have a great christmas!

Episode 14 - Merry Christmas

Published on December 23, 2003 0 Comments Tags: , , . Post made from or about Geleen .

Hello!

Just thought I’d send a quick message before I leave Strasbourg to say “Merry Christmas” to all! I don’t know what the Internet arrangements are going to be like over Christmas, so I thought I’d send this a few days early.

Today I head off to Metz for one night, before heading into Holland (Maastricht) for Christmas with Paul’s family. I’ll see what I can do about filling in all the details of what’s been happening sometime soon!

For now, I’ll just leave you with this poem (thanks to Jess for sending me this originally).

‘Twas the night before Christmas and Santa’s a wreck…. How to live in a world that’s politically correct? His workers no longer would answer to “Elves”, “Vertically Challenged” they were calling themselves.

And labour conditions at the North Pole Were alleged by the union to stifle the soul Four reindeers had vanished, without much propriety, Released to the wilds by the Humane Society.

The runners had been removed from the sleigh The ruts were termed dangerous by the E.P.A. And people had started to call the cops When they heard sled noises on their rooftops.

Second hand smoke from his pipe had the workers frightened His fur trimmed red suit was called “Unenlightened”. And as for the gifts, why he’d never had a notion That making a choice could cause such commotion

Nothing of leather, nothing of fur, Which meant nothing for him and nothing for her. Nothing that might be construed to pollute Nothing to aim, nothing to shoot.

Nothing that clamoured or made lots of noise Nothing for just girls, or just for the boys. Nothing that claimed to be gender-specific Nothing that’s warlike or non-pacific.

No candy or sweets…they were bad for the tooth Nothing that seemed to embellish the truth. No baseball, no football…someone could get hurt. Besides, playing sports exposed kids to dirt.

So Santa just stood there, dishevelled, perplexed, He just could not figure out what to do next. He tried to be merry, he tried to be gay, But you’ve got to be careful with that word today.

His sack was quite empty, limp to the ground, Nothing fully acceptable was to be found. Something special was needed, a gift that he might Give to all without angering the left or the right.

So here is that gift, it’s price beyond worth…………. “May you and your loved ones enjoy Peace on Earth”.

Update: Photos from Strasburg


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