Awakino Estate

View from the "Sunset House" we were staying at.
Adrian and my Mum had fun exploring.

We spent a couple of fun days with my friend Esther at Taranaki which is a place we enjoy a lot. Heaps of great horses there- Warmbloods, Welsh Sec A and Cobs and an Angus and Hereford Stud. Around 1500ha of coastal farmland and the most beautiful beach house and the main house with a pool. Paradise for any child. Here a couple of photos. And always great food and wine which is great for Mums also:)

Well, just a few days left.

Duncan is doing a bit better thank god as this was very stressful for us and I am sure he is a lot happier now also!

We had to say good-bye to Fürsteneck, my Dad, Stepmum, Sabine and my Aunt Barbara who came especially from Florence/Italy to see us. And all the friends who stayed at the castle at the time. It was very nice there and Adrian had a great time with his Opa Adrian. He misses him terribly already which is so sad to see. My Stepmum loves Giorgia and I know it was a very heartbreaking good-bye for her:( But we will be back which is something. I tried to explain to Adrian that it is nice making new friends and being able to visit them again which I think helped a bit.

Adrian had another great ride on Pele this morning and my Oma will bring more cake this afternoon. Tomorrow we will visit my great uncle Boki Forster in Munich who is 92 I think and the father of Carl-Peter Forster who is in the press a lot being CEO of GM and Opel. I really like them, they are a very warm and loving family.

Well, and on Tuesday I will do some last minute shopping and then off to the airport as we are flying out at 3.30pm. Wish us luck, I think I won't be able to post before we get home.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog while we were away. Keep an eye on it for Adrian's adventures to come...

More photos

Sorry about the side on- Adrian climbing a frozen waterfall! He enjoyed his time with Opa Adrian a lot.

On our last day, the boys finally managed to get across to the other side of the frozen river Ohe. Lilly the Beardie was happier hanging out with me.

Freezing cold and smoking chimneys at the castle. My Dad just installed a new system, so only a few places still need their own fire place still.

Time for photos

Adrian and my Dad checking out the frozen river.

Adrian loved it there!

My sister Sabine and I.

Obviously her cake- yummy!!

Giorgia's Christening

Happy New Year!

Also worrying lots about Duncan who has been in hospital for a few days now, we tried to have a good night. Adrian did really well walking to and from the restaurant- one trip in the dark and both trips through deep frost. We enjoyed our dinner and once back home had to keep Adrian awake until midnight and the babys asleep at the same time which was challenging but we made it! Just before midnight Adrian and I set off to friends' place for some wicked fireworks displays all around us which lastet around half an hour. So much noisier than at home! Adrian learnt to say "Frohes Neues Jahr" and we headed back home and finally at around 1am Adrian went to sleep. This morning Adrian went for another icy walk with his Opa Adrian and they climbed a 30mtr icey waterfall together which according to my Dad we are lucky they have survived:) Yes, humour is what Adrian must have from his Opa as well as most of his good looks. This afternoon my favourite aunty Barbara from Florence is coming to stay for a few days. She has been very busy sending us parcels every couple of months over the years and has only seen Adrian once at his Christening 5 1/2 years ago. Please think of Duncan for us, we do need him in our lives and he has been such a great influence to Adrian over the last couple of years.

Bavarian Forest

Adrian has settled in very well here enjoying the cold. Down to 10°C below at night and around 0°C during the day makes for fine days with lots of sun and ice everywhere. He is enjoying his morning trips with his Opa picking up rubbish (mainly cigarette buds), checking the fires and making sure everything else seems to be in order around the castle. Just the usual landlord kind of stuff...
We went for another walk down to the river yesterday which is slowly turning into ice. We also went to the very old cemetary to visit my grandparents grave. Here, the graves are decorated a lot nicer than in NZ and ours has even got a Christmas Tree with candles.
This afternoon they went back to the snow having fun. Photos to come:)
My friend Hannah and her baby girl Emma, Adrian's cousin, are coming for a visit for a couple of days which is great! We haven't seen Hannah for 18 months or so and have not met Emma. Tomorrow we will go out for dinner to my Dad's other Restaurant not far from here for a traditional Bavarian Sour Roast and then come back here in time to ring the midnight tower bell for New Years. There are not a lot of big firework displays, but everybody buys their own much like Guy Falks. It will be nice to see the fireworks around us and in the other small villages.
Hope you guys will have a great New Years' celebration and all the best for 2009!!

Giorgia's Christening

Giorgia's Christening was most beautiful and perfect just like her! We had a great day with family and friends. The ceremony was very nice and our lunch great. Instead of dessert at the restaurant, we opted for cake at home. There were 7, which is one thing my family is good at! Baking and eating cake. Giorgia did so very well all day and everybody had a great time! I will load photos next week, as my Dad's computer can't take my memory card.

Yes, we are at my Dad's place now. He lives in his castle in the Bavarian Forest and it is beautiful here. The castle has been purchased by my Great-grandfather and passed down to my father. It was built around 1200 and mainly used as a border patrol. It's more like a fortress and sits on top of a mountain surrounded by 2 rivers at the bottom. The website is: www.schloss-fuersteneck.de He retired here a few years ago with his wife and loves keeping busy. The restaurant has always been leased and he also has got a few apartments here rented to his friends and family. Always nice catching up with friends and famliy here:) And not busy ever and relaxed!
Today we went to the snow and had fun on the sleighs. Again, I will put up photos later. Adrian just loved it and couldn't stop going down faster and more daring each time. It is so funny to see how very similar he looks and is to my Dad. Now he's gone swimming with my sister Sabine.
Ok, that's us for now. Hope you're all keeping well...