Lake Constance (Bodensee)

There's wonderful bike riding on 270 km of bike trails that stay close and flat with the shore of this alpine lake as is runs through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Here is an early morning view from the south eastern corner of the lake, towards the historic border town of Konstanz (Constance). Last nights snow lasted until the afternoon.

The easter bunny visited us while we slept at the excellent Youth Hostel in Lindau.

Ravensburg Spielpark is great for 4 - 8 year olds. And the young at heart.

Strange place for a library: unattended in a play park on the lake shore.

A musical clown show closed the day at Ravensburg.

Constance town center. Viewed from a tired biker at a cafe table.

Looking the other way from the same cafe table. The very pretty harbour is just out of view to the right.

Skating Video

Here are Lizzy and Katherine in their bunny suits after the show while all the performers mingle. They are clustered in the distance then Lizzy skates over fast to some friends. Santa was there too, giving out candy, so a couple of older skaters took Katherine over to see him. Sorry about the shaky camerawork.

The Wizard of Oz (On Ice)

Lizzy and Katherine were bunny rabbits for this professional production. Auntie Rosie and Dan came for the first performance. It was spectacular.

Video to come once I make it a bit smaller...but here are some pictures from backstage that were posted on the productions's facebook page:

Garmisch-Partenkirchen with Grandma and Grandpa

About 7 hours drive south of Berlin this beautiful town is nestled in a lush alpine valley in the mountains that separate Austria from Germany. Luckily the weather predictions were right and we made it up Zugspitze on the best day for the views.

Old fashioned railway to the steepest part of the ascent.

Many languages being spoken on the train, packed with tourists.

Waiting for the cable car to the summit.

We were alternately pulling faces and smiling but seem to have slipped out of sync.

Grandpa and Daddy summited the peak in optimal conditions while Mommy photographed from the highest Biergarten in Germany, about 200 yards away.

Lizzy's first day at school

About three weeks into school, Lizzy's Einschulung tag was the day that all the Entrance grade students celebrated their transition to Big School. There was a cabaret including a violin concert and performances by all the entrance grade students and some of the older kids. Its also the day that kids get given a huge cardboard cone of treats and surprises. Its a big deal in Germany. 

Lizzy is enjoying school.

Lizzy and her new class mates sit together.

After the ceremony, more singing in the classroom.

Schultuete (brimming with treats, including lots of stationary).

Proud parents on a beautiful sunny day.

St. Martin's day lantern parade

Every November 11th kids aged three to five make decorated lanterns from old cartons, then go on a candlelight procession with singing and some shared pretzels. My phone camera almost captured the indoor "bonfire" before the procession...the rest will remain a secret.

Croatia

We had a wonderful trip to Split, Croatia from June 27 through July 4th. It was an easy direct flight from Berlin on Easyjet. We booked a holiday rental apartment 100m from the beach in a beach town call Podstrana. Auntie Rosie joined us for a long weekend and we all went on a couple of trips together, squeezed into an economy rental car. Below are some highlights:

• Beach and swimming in the clear, Adriatic Sea
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Restaurant Jure, our favourite of many on the long public beach that stretches for miles from Split towards Dubrovnic. From their shaded terrace we could have a cold beer and watch the girls play in the water just a few feet away.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The sun set over bustling Split and its roman city center each night. A few miles south Omis had the only beach with sand instead of pebbles. Both are cool old towns joined by the twisting coast road and peppered with plenty of photo opportunities
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The girls were captivated by a traditional close harmony quartet in a stone square Trogir, under the shadow of a Venetian bell tower.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Half way up the bell tower, sitting on a domed ceiling overlooking the terracotta roofs of Trogir.
  
  
  
  Water shuttle across the bay. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Auntie Rosie sharing the beautiful sun with us
  
  
  
  
• Krka National Park and swimming in the waterfall:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The waterfall pool seemed cold after the calm waters at the beach
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The hydroelectric project at Krka was one of the first in the world.
  
  
  

Hoping to return sooner, rather than later.  What a beautiful place!