Random pics from our Christmas with Meredith, Matthew and Madeleine, Dec 8 - Jan 9, 2015-6.
Photos are not in chronological order
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| Bruges |
Bruges is lovely in a theme park kind of way. Medieval towns often look like film sets to Australian eyes. We had a great time here and our hotel was fab.
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Amsterdam
Amsterdam was a highlight of our trip. Everyone so friendly and helpful and it's simply such a nice place to be
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| Amsterdam |
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| Madeleine on the Amsterdam sign |
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| Amsterdam |
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| Amsterdam |
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| Amsterdam |
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| Bruges |
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| Bruges |
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| Mads with her bestie, Aoife and Aoife's sister, Emily |
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Two Irish/Americans, one Aussie in their dirndls
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| Frankfurt |
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| Frankfurt |
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| Christmas Eve at home of German friends |
We had a traditional raclette dinner at the home of generous friends and I got an amazing Kris Kringle I'm still wondering what to do with.
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| Xmas Day at English friends. Mere's choc ripple wreath |
Christmas Day was another highlight at the home of English/Swedish friends. Probably the best turkey I've ever had. The children couldn't get enough of Mere's chocolate ripple cake. The biscuits were flown in from Australia.
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| NYE. Matt takes precautions |
Germans go crazy on New Year's Eve. It's quite legal to set off fireworks wherever and whenever and the public drinking makes Australians look like amateurs. Public holidays are taken seriously though so the mess wasn't cleaned up for days and days.
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| Darmstadt |
Darmstadt is an artists colony with a Russian Orthodox church slap in the middle. Amazing place.
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| Darmstadt |
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| Darmstadt |
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| Darmstadt |
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| Darmstadt |
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| Darmstadt |
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| Christmas Eve |
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| Funky Frankfurt coffee shop |
There are a few places to get a decent coffee in Frankfurt and Mere knew where to find them
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| Looking teutonic |
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| Jim and Madeleine in Frankfurt |
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| Mads's violin concert |
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| Mads, Lucy and ? violin concert |
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| Another funky Frankfurt spot |
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| Freedom |
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| Frankfurt arty shot 1 |
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| Frankfurt arty shot 2 |
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| Frankfurt arty shot 3 |
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| singing in the dom |
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| Madeleine singing in the dom |
Hearing Madeleine singing in the cathedral was a major reason for our trip so when we were asked to give up the front row seats we'd been guarding for 2 hours to the lord mayor, we said 'no'
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| Madeleine singing in the dom |
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| Madeleine singing in the dom |
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| Frankfurt flea market |
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| Frankfurt flea market |
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| Frankfurt flea market |
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| Frankfurt flea market |
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| Frankfurt flea market |
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Christmas market Frankfurt
Without the snow, the Christmas Markets didn't have the same magic as last time, but we indulged in all the traditional sausages, bachklisch, waffles, beers etc. The mild weather was a huge relief to me |
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Roman wall, Trier
Trier has some wonderful Roman ruins - a colleseum, an amphitheatre and this wall among them |
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| Trier, Germany |
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| Karl Marx House, Trier |
Mark was born and grew up in Trier. "Question everything".
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| Roman gate, Trier |
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| Trier, Germany |
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| Trier, Germany |
