Last Stop: Amsterdam

Hi everyone, this is my last post. 

Amsterdam was an amazing last stop. Caz and I got to spend a night together alone with the kids having a sleepover with their mates from Vietnam Max & Rover (thanks Liesbeth & Frank !!). We now remember what it's like to travel without kids - sooo easy !! Would love to try that again some day. We had a great walk around, very quiet dinner and sleep in ! FUN !

The next afternoon the boys arrived and we went on a boat cruise along the canals. This was an awesome way to see the city from the water. The canals are amazing and some of them were full of ice. (see 1st photo).  Great buildings & history again, but quite different from other cities we have seen. 

We flew out of Amsterdam for Singapore on New Years Eve and celebrated 2011 somewhere over India.  We are now back in Melbourne and starting our next adventure moving into our old house in Kew and buying fridge, washing machine, car, etc... 

So the 8 country, 61 day adventure has come to an end after a holiday of a lifetime.  As you have seen in the blog, we have had an absolutely amazing experience with lots of stories to share the next time we catch up. 

Thanks again for following our blog and sharing our holiday. Happy New Year !!! 

Cheers 

Phil

PS. Carolyn has promised to do 1 more post. 

More food !

I love this BBQ

Farewell !!

Another first - Ice Skating & Sledding - in Holland

This week has been really relaxing staying with and visiting friends in Holland. Its been fantastic to see friends in their stunning home towns and we have tried ice skating, sledding, bike riding and trampolining (in the snow !). Of course there have also been lots more snow ball fights, snow wrestling and a few snow facials (Blake will explain later !).

Thanks so much to Cees & Plum for their hospitality in their beautiful house in Bosch en Duin with their gorgeous girls Isabel and Daisy. We absolutely loved our stay in the woods !

I love seeing the way the Dutchies use their bikes so much, even when its zero degrees. Everyone seems to have one and we have even seen some very modern cyclo type bikes which look awesome.  We all feel inspired to do lots of bike riding when we get back to Melbourne next week (and certainly need the exercise).

Gastronomic delights have included Pea Soup, Pancakes (try bacon, cheese and mushrooms) and Deer Croquettes.

It's day 59 of the holiday and we are are all ready to head home now and thaw out again and find some clean clothes !! We are off to see Amsterdam as our final stop before flying home on News Years Eve !

Thanks so much for following our blog. Its been great fun writing it and we have had more than 2,500 hits so far !

cheers
Phil

Laren

Wow - our first white Christmas - in Holland

An amazing experience - snow in the ice bucket, lots of cold champagne and roast turkey.

We are staying with old friends (Cees, Plum Isabell and Daisy) in a small town called Bosch en Duin which is absolutely stunning.

Such a different experience enjoying Christmas in the snow. Going outside to pull another bottle of bubbles out of the snow or make a bonfire !!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of our Blog followers ... enjoy the festivities wherever you are !!

Cheers
Phil

Our house in Holland

No ice required, just snow  !

Christmas eve

Berlin - my thoughts

Berlin

Berlin Xmas market, stunning

We arrived in Berlin yesterday morning and, unfortunately, we are only here for two nights as there is so much to see and explore. Alas time is starting to run out and we have to keep moving. Both Phil and I are amazed at how enormous the city is, obviously so full of history; some quite glorious and some devastatingly sad.  We visited Checkpoint Charlie and the museum this afternoon, and also did a hop on/off tour to get a feel for the city. In a similar way to Vietnam, I am sure the youth are keen to leave the past behind and focus on the future, so the photos I have chosen are about the new, modern, hip and happening Berlin which certainly worth a visit. 

Our Christmas card - "Merry Christmas everyone" Love us xx

Love to all Carolyn xx 

Every boys dream ....tomorrow I will post a photo of myself at a jewellers.

Beautiful buildings everywhere, new and old 

Prague - my thoughts

Prague
Prague, by far the prettiest and most intriguing city we have visited. The whole city looks like little doll's houses. I highly recommend anyone considering a trip to Europe to include it on their destination list.  The people are delightful, friendly and welcoming. We stayed for three nights in the centre of the Old Town, with a gorgeous Christmas market and the Clock Tower at our doorstep, Charles Bridge only a short stroll too.  The Christmas market is a new concept to us and we are loving exploring all the little stalls and tasting the different styles of food.

The weather is simply amazing, we have now experienced -17. I have never felt anything like it and have to admit that I am loving it but getting dressed in so many layers is starting to frustrate me. It takes forever for the family to get dressed to go anywhere, and once you arrive, eg at a restaurant, it takes forever to undress again, five scarves, five beanies, 10 gloves, 5 jackets (all zipped)........ all off, all on, all off, all on.....- so far lost = one scarf, one set of mittens (you naughty kitten)

Merry Christmas
Carolyn

View from Clock Tower

Xmas Market, Prague

Train Vienna - Prague, note the meditation

Old town square, near our apt

Waterwheel, simply stunning

Vienna Tip : Sun does not equal warm !!

We cracked it for a magnificent sunny day in Vienna today but also found out it's actually warmer when its snowing !! I was around -8 for most of the day. 


Anyway it made for some absolutely spectacular scenery around Vienna. We caught the tram to Prater park and went on the Ferris Wheel (circa 1897) and wandered down to the Danube River. Oh yeah, managed to get another sausage too !! 


A great day, just don't take off your gloves (or drop your socks in a puddle like Blake !!).  Off to our fav cafe (Hummel) next to our apartment tonight for dinner. No shortage of Christmas trees for sale in the street. 


Cheers
Phil 

 Another great snag ! 

Old and New, Vienna

Our Cafe

Prater Park, Vienna

Loving the trams. 

It's absolutely freezing in Vienna, Austria !!

But that's not stopping us seeing the city. Thermal underwear on and off we go !!

We have enjoyed eating lots of bratwurst sausages, goulash and schnitzels ! Then there's the cakes, strudel and pancakes ! Too scared to get on the scales by this stage of the trip ! Massive training required in January....

The Christmas markets are fantastic and walking in the snow is a huge novelty after living in Asia !

Off on the trams tomorrow (reminds us of Melb a bit without the snow !). We leave here on Friday and head to Prague on the train.