Latest from a Far from Well Family

The weather after the snowfall was really miserable for the rest of the week. Conditions were icy and very windy making it extremely unpleasant to be outside with all the dust and pollen. By the following Monday conditions were slightly improved with the temperature getting up to 23. When Diane and I fetched the boys from school Travis was not well and had a temperature. Tuesday was really miserable and overcast again and we kept the boys at home as they both had upset stomachs and Travis was also coughing badly. We took them to the Dr. who gave medicine for the stomachs and for Travis whose asthma was bad again. The rest of the day was spent keeping them amused and dosing them up. Wednesday they were home again and Diane and I were kept very busy looking after them – dirty nappy after dirty nappy is not a pleasant task at all. Diane spent ages cutting out and sticking pictures with Travis while I was busy with Josh. Wednesday night Ali was very ill and Hubby took her to the hospital where she was admitted. Medication she had been given shouldn’t have been given and had destroyed her appetite. When admitted she was anorexic and her liver and kidneys were on the point of packing up. Thursday the boys were well enough to go back to school and Diane and I tried to clear all that had been left since Monday. By now Ali couldn’t keep any food down and had been put on a drip. After collecting the boys I fed them and bathed them ready for bed. Josh went down and Travis stayed with Hubby while Diane and I went through to visit Ali who was very ill still. When we got back we were exhausted and were soon in bed. Friday Ali was still not able to keep food down and she was given a sonar scan. The results they gave on Saturday were that she had a bowel infection which they were now treating. The Dr had seen something he was not happy with though and said she would have a scope on the Sunday. After Hubby got back from the hospital we all went to a Fun Day at Malonjeni - a guest farm not too far from us. There was a display by the fire department which Travis thoroughly enjoyed. After having some lunch Josh was not feeling too well with a runny nose so we left for home.

Hubby went back to the hospital while we stayed with the boys. Sunday Josh had a temperature and was very miserable. Hubby went through to be with Ali for her scope. She was kept waiting until early afternoon before being told it would only happen on Monday. Hubby came home and went back later with Travis as Ali was missing the boys. Josh was too sick to go. We had another early night after exhausting ourselves with sick boys. Luckily by Monday Josh was a lot better though he still had a runny nose and both their stomachs were finally back to normal. Thank goodness Travis is past the nappy stage. Monday Hubby went in early to be with Ali before she had her scope. Eventually at three in the afternoon - after no food or drink for the entire time – she was taken through. When she came out Hubby was informed that her appendix had been removed as they had been on the point of bursting and they had taken a sample for a biopsy. Poor Ali! The first thing that happened when she came round was she started vomiting again and she had been so looking forward to having a cheddermelt steak. Diane and I went through to see her that night after putting Josh to bed and leaving Travis with Hubby. The poor girl was still vomiting and unable to eat. She really looked terrible. Diane and I spent time with her before leaving and stopping at Spur for a snack and coffee. We were home just before nine where I was horrified to find Travis still awake. After bathing I took him to bed where he soon fell asleep. On Tuesday Alison was finally diagnosed with Crohns Disease and given a special diet to follow. Diane and I finished statements on Tuesday and Wednesday went in to Alberton where we visited Ali again. She was still on a drip but looking a lot better now that she was eating again. The weather luckily was warming up again. The winter bedding was off and the summer back on. Thursday was Spring Day at the nursery school and we were able to dress the boys up in bright shirts and shorts. Ali came home lunch time and insisted on going shopping to get a present ready for Travis’s birthday. She overdid things and fell quite ill by the time we got home after collecting the boys who were absolutely thrilled to see her. By now I was starting to feel clogged up – little ones don’t know not to cough in your face when you are dealing with them. Ali was not able to pick the boys up so I was still doing most things for them though she did feed Josh. Friday Travis was up very early in anticipation of his birthday and thrilled with his presents. We went through to the school with cake and sweets for his class about nine. Saturday I woke up with my face swollen and a tight chest and spent most of the day coughing. Luckily friends of Ali came to visit and helped her with the boys as I didn’t want to infect them. Saturday night was terrible as every time I moved in bed I had a coughing fit. Sunday I woke up with my face very swollen right down into my neck. I stayed in bed trying to feel better and dosed myself up. Diane was also feeling quite ill with sinus. Hubby helped look after the boys for the day. Sunday night was another night spent trying not to move and bring on a coughing fit. Monday Diane and I took Ali to Alberton with Josh who was having an impression of his feet done to bronze. We stayed with Josh while Hubby took Ali to get her staples out. Once we were finished we stopped at the chemist to get medicine for Diane and I before returning home. The rest of the week was spent dosing up – which didn’t help – and helping Ali with the boys. Both of us were too sick to do anything. I have never had sinus this bad and never for so long. On Thursday Diane and I went to a Bodytalk Practitioner who gave us herbal medication after treating us. It is only today - Sunday - that I am finally starting to feel better. The sharp pain of infection in my head is finally gone and I have At Last stopped coughing so much. Diane is also felling a lot better.
Well that is all from the Poor Sick Family. Now that we are feeling more normal and the weather is so good we can get back to our usual daily lives.

Some Good Times Again

After all the time Diane and I have spent working and seeing to the boys we decided that it was time for some ME TIME so last week Sunday we took ourselves off to Eastgate. After buying our tickets for ‘Jock of the Bushveld` we went to Cafelicious for a light lunch. As we were both still having sinus problems we decided to bombard ourselves with chillies and go for the Arabiatta Pasta starting with cappuccinos. The food was delicious and definitely had a kick with our mouths and sinuses on fire by the time we were finished. We also enjoyed our movie and were pleased we had decided to have our outing. The afternoon was rounded off with wandering around the shops before heading home with readymade Ciabatta rolls for supper.















Ali was off on the Monday so we had a relatively easy going day and Tuesday was Women’s Day which we spent chilling at home. The weather was really good and we spent a lot of time outside enjoying the sun. The rest of the week the weather stayed lovely and by lunchtime I was outside without a jersey sitting under the trees. Diane and I had our lunch outside and chilled with our glass of wine early enjoying the warmth for the remainder of the week. The trees were full of new growth and all was on track for spring.
Saturday Diane and I went into Alberton where we spent time wandering around the shops and doing a big shop. We stopped for a light lunch of baked potato – mine with bacon and Diane’s with mushroom - after which we returned home to spend the afternoon in the garden with the boys. Sunday Hubby’s friend came over for a visit and we sat chilling under the trees enjoying the good weather. After lunch the weather changed for the worse. Clouds blew over and the wind was really cold. Hubby’s friend left about three and we spent the rest of the afternoon reading and watching TV.
Monday it was still overcast but it wasn’t too bad temperature wise but all that changed mid-morning. The clouds got really dark and the wind was gusting through the trees. When thunder started rumbling and lightening flashed we switched the computer off. No sooner had we done that then it started raining and hailing. My bakkie was parked outside so I quickly grabbed an umbrella and ran out to move it under cover. By now the hail was really pelting down and I was worried the bakkie would get damaged. Luckily the hail didn’t last too long and even though the ground had a covering of ice it soon melted with the rain which didn’t stop for about half an hour. It was about an hour after that when we noticed it was snowing. The snow lasted about an hour and everywhere had a covering of snow. Diane and I had a great time running from window to window taking pics of the garden with it’s coat of snow. It really was a winter wonderland outside. Unfortunately it rained again and didn’t stop until all the snow was melted. By late afternoon the weather was freezing with a strong wind howling through the trees. The cold wet ground really brought the temperature down with the maximum for the day being only seven. We had an early supper and sat hugging heaters for the rest of the evening.

Latest Happenings

Well I was rather optimistic is saying at least we have passed the halfway mark for winter - 21st June – as we have had really cold and miserable weather for the last few weeks. Our temperature here on the plot only reached a maximum of seven at the worst of the last cold spell. Sooo Cold!! Not the weather for us sissies who don’t like the cold. The wind has also been howling around the house on most days which makes a lot of dust and pollen in the air as some of the trees are full of yellow blossoms. Bad sinus infections are the order of the day at the moment. We have also had a veld fire sweep through the area and across the top of the plot. The thick choking smoke started our sinus problems and the windy days have aggravated things. I REALLY mean it when I say ‘ Roll on Summer”.
Diane and I have still been keeping busy with her new venture but the bad situation with the strikes for the last few weeks have really affected the way things are going. The Steel and Engineering strike affected the workshop and Hubby and his workers had to be careful not to attract attention while still working. On the Friday of the first week of the strike I phoned Hubby and was horrified when he told me he couldn’t speak as the strikers were outside in the street and he needed to keep an eye on things. The stories from friends in the industry we had heard were shocking to hear as the violence and intimidation was out of hand in some areas. I spent the next hour absolutely terrified as I didn’t hear from Hubby and didn’t know what was happening there and of course imagined the worst as Hubby can be rather short-tempered sometimes. I was too scared to phone in case the strikers and Hubby were talking and a phone call caused tempers to flare. After imagining the worst case scenario I couldn’t wait any longer and phoned Hubby. Imagine my relief to hear that the strikers had moved on as the hammer had been switched off and the workers had hidden, in terror, at the bottom of the workshop so they had obviously thought the workers had joined the strike. The workers stayed hidden for the rest of the morning as the strikers patrolled the area to make sure no one was working. Hubby couldn’t even lock the gate as places that had locked the workers and office staff inside were targeted with violence and intimidation. It was a very scary time and we were all relieved when the strike was over – this was the first time ever that a strike in the industry has affected us. The petroleum industry strike was also a bad time as so many garages ran out of petrol – even the local one in our area had none for a couple of days – but luckily we had filled up before hand and kept topping up while petrol was available. The effect of all this on the economy remains to be seen!
All has not been doom and gloom though as we did have a sister’s get-together for Val’s birthday and had a great time relaxing and catching up over breakfast out at a local restaurant near where Val lives.
The boys are doing well and have settled well into their new school. Josh is now thirteen months old and running around everywhere getting into mischief and Travis is a real chatter-box who comments on everything. His favourite word at the moment is “WHY”. I love them to bits but must say I really do find them exhausting and am really pleased when Ali gets home to take over with them. At least even though it has been so cold they have not needed to go to the DR and are keeping fairly healthy with just runny noses – I cannot go without stocking up on tissues. Travis is forever telling me “
My nose is running”. Lovely time of the year this! As I said “Roll on Summer”.
Well that’s all for now. Hopefully with the onset of warmer weather Diane and I can start hiking again as I really miss walking especially after all the walking we did while on holiday.

Updating our lives

Life has been rather hectic and very cold for the last month. Ali and the boys have moved back to the cottage and clearing it out to move her things in has taken time. Also several times we have had them stay home for the day which makes for a very hectic day keeping them amused and fed. Meal times are also much earlier at night to fall in line with the boys. To start with Ali took the boys to their nursery school near where she works which meant leaving while it was still dark and cold and arriving home when it is already dark – not fair on them. Luckily they have now started at one ten minutes from home and I take them to arrive at eight and fetch them at half four. At that time of the morning it is already sunny and it is also still light when they come home which is much better for them and they won’t get so sick with coughs and runny noses. They can now eat and have time to play before Ali gets home to bath them and prepare them for bed. They have settled down now and sleep properly at night which at least gives Ali a good night of sleep.
In between Diane and I have been busy with office work as is the norm. Statements have gone out and my work is on track – Yippee!!! Diane and I have also been hectic getting organised for her new business venture and luckily for her all seems to be going well. We still have and NEED our daily glass of wine and have had the occasional outing in between. The big problem at the moment is this darn miserable cold weather which makes it SO HARD to get out of bed in the morning. At least we have passed the halfway mark for winter and can look forward to the days getting light earlier. At least the sun shines most days and we can sit under the trees midday to thaw out a bit. The garden is at the stage of dry grass after all the frosts and the dogs and boys traipse bits in all the time which makes for a very untidy looking house. Roll on summer. PLEASE!
All the best. Keep warm.

Back in a Chilly Joburg

As I said it was great to be back in Joburg. Hubby met us at the airport and was thrilled to have us back home. We stopped for a coffee at the airport before heading for home. The day was spent catching up with everything ready for statements and telling Hubby all about our holiday. He was so pleased we were back and just followed me around all day while we chatted – he even sat watching me work. I was most surprised and impressed to see how clean the house was as he loves cooking but is not one for cleaning up. The dogs looked well too and were also over-the-moon to see us back.
Saturday afternoon Ali and the boys came to visit and were here when our suitcase was delivered. Travis was so excited to help unpack and knew immediately which were his presents and hung on to them for the rest of the afternoon.
Sunday we went into Alberton as Hubby needed to get some jerseys and jackets as his current one’s have become rather shabby now. We had a great morning choosing things for him and then went across to Piatto for some lunch. As usual the food was excellent. Hubby and I had fish of the day with chips while Diane had a vegetarian lasagne. We finished off with coffee/tea and did some more shopping before returning home. The rest of the day was spent on the computer doing statements and by late evening all was finished.
The rest of the week was taken up with cleaning, office work and looking after Hubby who had hurt his knee and was unable to drive. Wednesday Diane and I quickly went into Alberton to do shopping and have a spot of lunch at Piatto before I took Hubby to the local Dr who wasn’t too sure what the problem was. He gave Hubby an injection into the knee as well as medication and Hubby has spent the rest of the week resting his knee.
Saturday Hubby and I went across to Roodepoort to look after Travis and Josh as Ali was busy. We spent the morning at Little Falls Nursery where they exhausted themselves playing and running around. It was almost twelve when we left to take them home and by the time we got to Ali they were both fast asleep. After stopping for coffee and to give Ali some knitwear we had bought her, Hubby and I went shopping in Alberton and picked up the holiday photos which had been developed. It was after three when we got home and Hubby and I had a nap as we were rather tired. The evening and Sunday was spent chilling, watching movies and doing computer work.
As I said it is great to be back in Joburg – there sure is “no place like home”- though the chilly weather is not very pleasant at the moment. It really is such an effort to get out of bed in the mornings and there is definitely no chilling under the trees. More a thing of being chilled inside! Even so we really did have a fabulous holiday and enjoyed seeing the different places and sampling the food as well as the history and amazing buildings. Our favourite place was Dresden – so clean and such friendly people. Prague is beautiful and clean but the locals can be rather rude. Paris was filthy and the people were rude but the history of the place was worth seeing. Scotland was great with really friendly people. It was also really great to spend time with Ros and family as well as Auntie Joan. Seeing relations not seen since I was a little one of six and catching up with each other was good too. Travel is Good for the Soul and mind.

Edinburgh Castle Pics

Scotland Pics

Final Week spent in Scotland

Our final evening in Prague was spent with Steph and Jed at the local Pub having a tasty meal and enjoying our time together before leaving for the airport to catch our flight back to Gatwick. We arrived about eleven and spent the rest of the night chatting and having a nap before going through to the departure hall at four in the morning. While waiting for our flight we had croissants and smoothies before wandering through the shops. The flight took off just before nine and we landed not long after ten in the morning. We had our directions from Ros so were able to catch the bus outside and then the train from Inverkeithing to Kirkcaldy. Ros met us as we left the station and took us back to the flat where we had a catch-up time over tea and coffee. After a light lunch Ros took us around the area showing us the shops and sea front. Kirkcaldy is a lovely place and I could see why Mom had enjoyed living there so much. After an early supper of fish and chips we were all in bed by nine.
Friday morning we had a leisurely breakfast together, after which Ros suggested we go to St.Andrews for the day as she had things to do at the bank and funeral parlour and would be a bit busy for a while. After taking some bags into the charity shop Diane and I caught the bus to St.Andrews. Once off the bus we made our way past the golf course and down to the beach where we took some pics and had a short walk. The day was rather overcast and rather windy so we only stayed a short while before looking for somewhere to have lunch. We found ourselves outside the Russel Hotel and liked the look of the special of the day – soup and Panini with tea/coffee – so we went in. It was a quaint old-fashioned pub with really good food. It poured with rain while we were eating but by the time we left it had cleared. We spent the rest of the day wandering around St.Andrews Cathedral and down to the beach again by the harbour before going into the botanical gardens. The gardens were stunning and full of flowers and waterfalls. By the time we had been in there we were rather foot-sore so we made our way back to the bus station for the 5.15 bus. The drive back was all along the sea front and the views were spectacular going through little villages with lovely old churches. We were back about seven and after supper spent the rest of the time chatting and watching TV until about 11 when we went to bed.
Saturday we were up fairly early for breakfast and after doing some cleaning left for a day in Edinburgh. We arrived at Waverley station and right outside were the sightseeing buses so we got ourselves tickets – from a South African guy- and jumped on for our tour. It was very windy and Diane and I were glad we had our Prague beanies with to keep our ears warm. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour going through all the historical parts and especially the Edinburgh Castle which is amazing. After the tour we walked back up to the Castle to take pics and get souvenirs before going back down to Princes Avenue to find somewhere for lunch. While on the tour the guide had recommended a little pub for the good Scottish menu so we decided to go there. It was a lovely place with fabulous food which we all enjoyed immensely. We all had a glass of wine with which we toasted Mom and her happy times in Scotland. After lunch we went shopping for Ros who needed two outfits – for Steph’s graduation and the summer ball. We were very lucky as she found the perfect dresses in the British Home Store. After our successful shopping spree we went back to the mall at the station for a juice before catching the bus to Edinburgh Airport to collect Auntie Joan. Her flight arrived at 8 and we caught a taxi back to Kirkcaldy. After a light supper we spent the evening chatting and watching TV before finally going to bed after 11.
Sunday was another leisurely breakfast before going down to the shops. Ros and Auntie Joan went shopping for lunch while Diane and I went for some souvenir shopping – and a suitcase to carry all the stuff we had been buying. We were back for a chicken and veggie lunch with Terry who Ros had invited over. We had a pleasant time together though Terry’s accent is rather hard to understand. Late afternoon members of the family started arriving ready for the Service on Monday. Early evening Ros, Diane and I went for a walk around the area before having a light supper. We were all in bed by half ten.
Monday morning we were all up getting organised early before family members started arriving. We had a full house by the time the transport arrived to take us to the Service. When the cars left driving so slowly that was when the fact of Mom not being there any longer really hit me and I was devastated. The Service was really beautiful and just what Mom had wanted. Ros was very brave and gave a wonderful memorial speech on behalf of all of us reading the poems Mom had chosen. Afterwards we had a snack tea at a nearby hotel before returning to the flat. By now the weather was very bad with very strong winds blowing. By four everyone had left and we walked Fiona back to her hotel before running in to the shops for some shopping. While in the shop the assistants were saying the bridge had been closed because of the gale. Trees were blown down in a lot of areas and flights were cancelled. The ash cloud from Iceland was also blowing across Scotland. After a light supper we were all in bed by half nine as we were all emotionally exhausted.
Tuesday morning the news was full of the fact of the ash cloud which had closed several airports including Edinburgh. Ros decided to pack up the flat and get the train back to London that afternoon so she wouldn’t miss Steph’s graduation. The morning was a hectic rush of getting sorted and organising the things for storage. Diane and I went down to the library every couple of hours to see if the situation had improved at the airport as Auntie Joan was due to fly back Tuesday evening. Just before twelve we went to the station to get a ticket for Ros to London and book ourselves into the hotel for the night. We made a provisional booking as we weren’t sure about Auntie Joan. All was sorted and Ros was ready just after half one. Diane and I walked down with her to the station to say bye before checking the airport situation again. When we got back to the flat we organised the final packing and left for the hotel before dropping the keys at the council. We booked into the room and went into town. I went to the council while Diane and Auntie Joan went to the Post Office and the library. We met back at the library where they had discovered the flight was cancelled so we quickly went to the station to book the train for London in the morning. We were now able to go back to the hotel and confirm we were all staying and relax after our stressful day. The evening was spent enjoying a good supper in the restaurant before spending the rest of the night watching TV.
Wednesday morning after a leisurely breakfast we packed our bags and left for the station where we caught the train just before ten. Passing the airport we noticed there was no activity whatsoever so were glad to be on the train which was full of stranded passengers. It was a pleasant journey through some very scenic areas. We arrived back in London – Kings Cross- at three and then made our way to Victoria Station and onto Lancing arriving at five where we spent the night.
Thursday was a sunny day and luckily the ash cloud had moved off so we knew our flight home was going to happen. We spent a leisurely morning with Auntie Joan leaving after lunch for Heathrow. By the time we got there it was raining and cold. We checked in and were told our flight had been delayed but not to worry as we would still make our connecting flight to Joburg. While sitting in the departure area we were called to Swiss Air and told to go to Terminal Five where we had been put on the BA flight direct to Joburg leaving at 9.20. We got across to the terminal and after been given the boarding pass for the BA flight went through security again. The flights had been cancelled because of a huge storm over London and we eventually took off just before 11. Luckily the flight was fairly empty and we had four seats for the two of us which made it a bit easier to sleep. We landed in Joburg just before ten and were very happy to be home though our luggage hadn’t been put on the plane and only came through on Saturday.

Paris Pics

Paris Playtime

We were up to have an early breakfast before leaving for Paris. We got on the train to Frankfurt just before 8 and had a quiet trip reading in between watching the scenery. In Frankfurt we only had ten minutes to run over to catch the train for Paris settling in our seats just as the train pulled out. We had lunch on the train from the dining car. I had a meatball with potato salad and Diane had a baked potato. I finished my book during the afternoon – ‘The Shadow of the Wind’ by Carlos Ruiz Zafon – and thoroughly enjoyed it. We arrived at Paris L’Est just before five and made our way out to the street to look for somewhere to book in. It was not a nice area at all so we went back in to the station where we got tickets on the metro for Gallieni – it was where Hubby and I had stayed before at Mr Bed City. This place was full so we booked into The Campanile( new since we were last there) which was a really super place right next to a mall. After booking in we went into the mall where we ate supper at an Asian restaurant. The food was really tasty! After walking around the mall we went back to the hotel to shower and relax in front of the TV for the evening.
Friday morning we were up for an early breakfast before catching the metro to St.Lazarus for our trip to Le Havre. The train only left just before 11 so we wandered around outside the station and sat for a while in a park close by. We arrived in Le Havre just before 1 and wandered around and down to the dock area before looking for somewhere to eat. It was quite sad to see how many places had closed – sign of the effects of recession. Eventually we found a little restaurant that was quite busy so we went in and placed our order. Diane asked for a vegetarian salad and I had chicken and chips with a fruit juice each. When the food arrived we were not impressed – Diane’s salad was smothered in shrimps and my chips were old and greasy. The waitress took the shrimps off but Diane was not able to eat much as the salad dressing was not very nice at all. My chicken was tasty but the chips were a definite no. After our disgusting meal we wandered around some more before making our way back to the station to have a piece of chocolate cake and tea/coffee. The trip there and back was the best part of our day as we found Le Havre disappointing with no catering for tourists. We were back at our room by about 8, getting a call from Ros to say that Mom was not good at all, which made us very worried. We went to the Asian restaurant again as we knew they made good food and then after an early shower relaxed while watching TV.
Saturday morning we were woken about half six with a call from Ros to say Mom had gone about five in the morning. We were very shocked and just couldn’t believe it. After trying to absorb the news we got ready and went for breakfast. We decided to carry on with our plans for sightseeing to take our minds off the sad news and got on the bus for our tour around all the historical spots taking plenty of pics. Once the tour was over we made our way back to the Seine and walked around enjoying the vibe. We found a little pub about a block up from the river and went in. The woman behind the counter was very friendly and able to speak some English. I ordered the meal of the day which was lemon fish and vegetables while Diane had pasta with vegetables. The food was absolutely delicious. We had a glass of Rose to toast Mom and the happy times she had had in Scotland. We enjoyed the food so much we decided to go for dessert as well and ordered ourselves a brownie with tea/coffee. Well that brownie was the best we had ever eaten and we were really pleased we had found the place especially after the awful meal in Le Havre. After that we went souvenir shopping before walking down to have our cruise down the Seine. The cruise finished at half five and we then walked down to the Eiffel Tower to take pics. We decided we were getting rather footsore now so decided to make our way back to Madeleine to find somewhere to eat and get the metro back to the hotel. What a walk – we couldn’t believe how far we had actually walked. In Madeleine we walked around looking at all the eating places before settling on a sidewalk café. We ordered a walnut salad with toasted cheese rounds and tea/cappuccino. Another good choice as the food was very tasty. It was also great sitting watching everything going on around us – all the traffic and people flowing through the square – and enjoying the vibe of the place. By this time both of us had aching feet from all the walking and were glad to get back to the hotel to shower and put our feet up while watching TV. Sunday morning we were up fairly early to go for breakfast before packing to go back to Dresden. We spent some time wandering around the area before leaving the hotel for Paris L’Est. We caught the train, which was packed, at 1 and got into Frankfurt at about five. The train to Dresden was just as packed and people who hadn’t reserved seats were sitting in the passageway at the end of the carriages. It was just gone ten thirty when we arrived in Dresden and we went up to the hostel to get a room for the night. After having a hot chocolate we showered and went to bed. Monday morning after breakfast we left for the station and after some last minute shopping caught the bus back to Prague.
Our time in Prague has been spent relaxing and clearing all washing ready to go on to Scotland. We leave tonight – Wednesday and arrive in Kirkcaldy tomorrow morning to join Ros for the very sad helping to clear up the flat and have the funeral on Monday the 23rd. We still can’t believe it and every now and again when the news hits again waves of sadness hit us. It is a very difficult time and so sad that we were not able to spend time with her as planned. Everything just happened so quickly and was so unexpected when we originally booked our time in Scotland.

more Dresden Pics

Dresden

Our Days in Dresden

We were up early to leave for Dresden with Jed dropping us off at Chodov to go through to the bus station at Florenc. The bus ride took only two hours passing through scenic views along the Elbe between the highways. Once in Dresden, with the help of a very friendly local, we booked in to the A & O Hostel a couple of blocks from the Dresden Station. After putting our bags in the room we went back down to the station to book our Paris trip. With that out the way our time in Dresden started in earnest with us going through the bustling and picturesque shopping centre on the way to the Old Town along the Elbe. We took plenty of pics along the way stopping at a spring market that was in full swing. Just off the main road along the Elbe we found a little section of shops and restaurants where we stopped at Las Tacos for a meal. Diane had fries and garlic bread while I had turkey with garlic cream and our usual coffee/tea. The food was really good and we enjoyed sitting among the bustle around us. We bought some souvenirs and a bag along the way back to the hotel going through more of the Old Town. When we had checked in we had been given complimentary vouchers for a glass of sparkling wine at their Sky Bar and we decided to use them. The view across Dresden was lovely and we enjoyed our time up there so much we ended up having a couple of Pina Coladas each with crisps. It was still light by the time we were finished so we went for a walk before settling down for the night. Unfortunately we had a light right outside our room so we battled to sleep. Tuesday morning we went down for breakfast at nine before walking down to the Elbe to go on a cruise. The cruise lasted an hour and a half which gave plenty of time to take pics as well as have tea/coffee with the local Dresden cake which we both enjoyed. After the cruise we crossed over the Augustus Bridge to the far side wandering around enjoying the gardens, shops, old buildings and the river. It was a hot day and we were very happy to find a tea garden situated under a canopy of trees alongside the Bridge. We sat enjoying the shade having an ice cream cone. The lure of the shade prompted us to buy a local pilsner to share which was light and very refreshing. By then we were ready to make our way back through the shopping centre where we did some more shopping. All the walking had made us hungry and footsore so we stopped at the station at Marche for an early supper. It was a good choice as we both enjoyed the delicious, tasty fare served up. Diane had a mushroom and asparagus pasta while I had a pork and asparagus pasta with freshly squeezed fruit juice – a banana mixture. Next was back to the room where we freshened up before making our way to the Sky Bar for another delicious Pina Colada. By now our feet were really throbbing so we did nothing more than go to the room where we showered before chilling in front of the TV. We slept better so obviously were getting used to the light outside the room or were really tired.
Wednesday morning we had a leisurely breakfast before making our way to the Grober Garten which was just a few blocks away. After wandering around enjoying the lovely gardens we made our way into Dresden Zoo. It was a very hot day again and we stopped for an ice cream before going through the zoo. Before leaving the zoo we chilled with a pilsner each which cooled us off ready for more walking. Outside the zoo exit was the little railway which goes around the gardens and we got on for a trip through the garden which we really enjoyed. We made our way down to the station afterwards ready for some more pasta and fruit juice as our late lunch. After wandering through some shops and buying some cake and pretzels we returned to our room for an early shower. The evening was spent chilling in front of the TV resting our feet and eating our pretzels which were delicious. Before going to sleep I packed ready to leave Thursday morning for Paris.

Prague Pics