Hi everyone, we are living at our friends, Monique and Philippe's house in Freneuse which is a small village on the river Seine about 60 kmw west of Paris. They live in a 3 story house which is joined on one side to the neighbours. They are really fun, Philippe loves music and has a really cool juke box with old records from the 60s which he plays really loud.
They have 2 cats, Vani and Kalinka who were a bit scared of us at first but are better now. We are travelling around having a look at the area and will go to Paris next week for 5 days to see the christmas lights. We will also go to Normandy to have a look because it is very close to here. Monique is from Normandy and she is a really good cook, she makes really yummy food from Normandy.
Liam and I are sleeping in bunks, we have to take turns though on sleeping on the top :(
I will put some photos on later, the internet here is not very good so we have to go to macdonalds all the time to post anything.
Today we are going to a christmas market at a place called Chateaux la Roche Guyon on the other side of the Seine, near Giverny where Monet lived. Last week we to the Palace of Versailles fort he day, we had a picnic and looked through the Palace - it was amazing. I will put pictures of that on soon too.
Will be home soon, will see all my class then.
Sunday, 25 November 2012
Monkey Park
Me and my family went to a monkey park, really called monkey mountain. Endangered animals like these are some times kept in zoos, but these monkeys are kept in a special open air park. This park has a specially constructed monkey fence to keep them in and people out.
We entered the park through a special gate where we were told what we could and could not do, such as patting and touching the monkeys especially the babies and to move slowly. We were also given a hand full of popcorn to feed the monkeys. The monkeys eat right out of your hand.
This park is used to breed monkeys and provide a safe habitat for the monkeys but also educate children and adults about the life of a monkey. It also shows the plight of the these monkeys and why they have to build this special place.
Our entry fee contributes in some way in helping to pay the cost of looking after the monkeys.
While we were there we got to watch the keepers feed all of the monkeys, they ate a mix of fruit and vegetables similar to what they would eat in the wild.
We entered the park through a special gate where we were told what we could and could not do, such as patting and touching the monkeys especially the babies and to move slowly. We were also given a hand full of popcorn to feed the monkeys. The monkeys eat right out of your hand.
This park is used to breed monkeys and provide a safe habitat for the monkeys but also educate children and adults about the life of a monkey. It also shows the plight of the these monkeys and why they have to build this special place.
Our entry fee contributes in some way in helping to pay the cost of looking after the monkeys.
While we were there we got to watch the keepers feed all of the monkeys, they ate a mix of fruit and vegetables similar to what they would eat in the wild.
Friday, 23 November 2012
Lille and Amiens
We went to the city of Lille in North Eastern France. The city is pronounced the same as my nickname Lil. My mum took photos of me in front of Lille signs - really embarrassing!
I was happy that it was a nice city. Some of the cities we have been to are not really that great, I didnt want Lille to be one of those, luckily it was once. The buildings are old and very pretty and they had good christmas lights. the shops were setting up for christmas with decorations in the windows it was really good.
Amiens is another city in North eastern France near the Somme. It was bombed really badly in the first and second world wars and not many of the really old buildings are still there. Some building built after the first world war are quite nice but the newer ones are a bit yucky. There is a lovely cathedral, we went in for a look it was amazing. we had to go in the side entrance because there were beggars on the front steps. I really hate the beggars in France, they are on all the big cities and they are really annoying, most of the time though if you say Non Monsieur or Madame really loud they will go away. Im getting good at it now!
There is a pretty good playground in Amiens we had a play there.
I was happy that it was a nice city. Some of the cities we have been to are not really that great, I didnt want Lille to be one of those, luckily it was once. The buildings are old and very pretty and they had good christmas lights. the shops were setting up for christmas with decorations in the windows it was really good.
Amiens is another city in North eastern France near the Somme. It was bombed really badly in the first and second world wars and not many of the really old buildings are still there. Some building built after the first world war are quite nice but the newer ones are a bit yucky. There is a lovely cathedral, we went in for a look it was amazing. we had to go in the side entrance because there were beggars on the front steps. I really hate the beggars in France, they are on all the big cities and they are really annoying, most of the time though if you say Non Monsieur or Madame really loud they will go away. Im getting good at it now!
There is a pretty good playground in Amiens we had a play there.
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| the playground |
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| the court building in Amiens |
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| the cathedral in Amiens |
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| i really liked this clock in Amiens |
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| an Australian bar in Amiens! |
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| Lille |
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
WWI battlefields in the Somme
We are staying in the Somme in Northern France. The Somme is famous because it was where some of the worst battles of WWI took place. We are staying very near to some of the sites of Australian and Canadian armies fighting.
The Somme is cold and muddy, it is really misty all the time and it feels eerie, even in the day time. There are a lot of open fields between the villages.
On Remembrance Day we went to Pozieres which is a town about 10-15 minutes from where we are staying. There was a ceremony at the French monument and then the Mayor and the people from the town all walked down the road to an Australian memorial and laid flowers there. The Australians fought to save the town from the Germans.
Then we went to Villers-Brettoneux which was also a town the Australians saved on Anzac day 1918. The school in the town was re-built from money raised by Victorian schoolchildren. The School is named Victoria and there is a sign in the playground which says "Don't forget Australia". There is a museum over the school which we went to which was really good.
We also went to a Canadian site where the trenches have been kept. We were able to walk around and through the trenches and see what it would be like in them. It was interesting to see how the soldiers would have lived in them. It was cold and foggy and wet and muddy. I think it would not have been a very nice place to be. There were parts we couldn't go in because there may still be bombs that hadn't been found.
We also visited an English monument to the lost soldiers who have never been found and an Irish monument.
Today we went to Frommelles which is a new Australian site. It was built to honour the 250 soldiers who were found in early 2000s and the government worked to identify as many as possible with the help of their relatives. It was sad. I felt really sad because some of the soldiers were really young, 1 was only 16 when he died. I'm glad I'm living now and not back then. We met some English and Scottish people there, the Scottish man used to be a paratrooper, he gave Liam and I crosses to put on the graves and a special etched emblem of the Red Berets to Liam and me an etched emblem of Pegasus. It was very nice to give us something so special.
The school at Frommelles is called "Cobbers" and has Australian pictures and kangaroos in honour of the Australian soldiers who died defending the town.
The Somme is cold and muddy, it is really misty all the time and it feels eerie, even in the day time. There are a lot of open fields between the villages.
On Remembrance Day we went to Pozieres which is a town about 10-15 minutes from where we are staying. There was a ceremony at the French monument and then the Mayor and the people from the town all walked down the road to an Australian memorial and laid flowers there. The Australians fought to save the town from the Germans.
Then we went to Villers-Brettoneux which was also a town the Australians saved on Anzac day 1918. The school in the town was re-built from money raised by Victorian schoolchildren. The School is named Victoria and there is a sign in the playground which says "Don't forget Australia". There is a museum over the school which we went to which was really good.
We also went to a Canadian site where the trenches have been kept. We were able to walk around and through the trenches and see what it would be like in them. It was interesting to see how the soldiers would have lived in them. It was cold and foggy and wet and muddy. I think it would not have been a very nice place to be. There were parts we couldn't go in because there may still be bombs that hadn't been found.
We also visited an English monument to the lost soldiers who have never been found and an Irish monument.
Today we went to Frommelles which is a new Australian site. It was built to honour the 250 soldiers who were found in early 2000s and the government worked to identify as many as possible with the help of their relatives. It was sad. I felt really sad because some of the soldiers were really young, 1 was only 16 when he died. I'm glad I'm living now and not back then. We met some English and Scottish people there, the Scottish man used to be a paratrooper, he gave Liam and I crosses to put on the graves and a special etched emblem of the Red Berets to Liam and me an etched emblem of Pegasus. It was very nice to give us something so special.
The school at Frommelles is called "Cobbers" and has Australian pictures and kangaroos in honour of the Australian soldiers who died defending the town.
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| the school at Villers-Brettoneux |
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| a plaque at the school explaining how the school was built |
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| Villers-Brettoneux |
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| the preserved trenches |
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| the British monument at Theipval |
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| the Irish memorial |
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| Frommelles |
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| Liam and I laying a poppy at Frommelles |
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| the school at Frommelles there is a kangaroo on top |
Monday, 12 November 2012
Legoland Deutschland (Germany)
On the first of November my family and I went to Legoland for a holiday. We stayed in a Pirate home. Liam and I slept on bunk beds and my mum and dad slept on a queen sized bed. They were ok to sleep on. There were yellow tokens that you gave the people for breakfast. Breakfast was a buffet, I had eggs and bacon in a baguette it was good.
There were a few different types of lego houses, e.g. racing cars, pirates, egyptian, knights and adventurer. There were really good playgrounds at the lego village, there was a pirate ship playground outside our house and a huge main playground around a lake, it was really cool and there were some other Australians there as well. After we had breakfast we got ready for a 10 minute walk to Legoland. It was really nice walking through the forest and seeing lego people statues on the way. when we got there we scanned out tickets and went straight through.
First my brother, mum and dad went on a ride. I thought it was not for me, but then when I had a really good look at it I realised that it was for me so we all went on it together. After we went up a watch tower in a glass lift, first we got on then we found a seat, we sat down and went up and up about 100 feet once at the top we could stand and take photos as it turned around so we could se the whole park. It was enclosed in glass so we were safe. It was good because you got a good view of everything and where you were.
We went to mini land which is scenes from different countries made out of lego. We saw Venice, Berlin, Lucerne in Switzerland, and Munich. And there was an airport, a fire station, police station and train stations. There was an Austrian castle with people dancing at a ball and a stage coach. There was Allianz Arena which is the home of Bayern Munich FC, the arena took over 4,000 hours to build and is based on the original blueprints and architects drawings. There is also a star wars area with lego re creations of every star wars movie.
Mum and I went on a boat ride where I got to drive the boat and mum was my passenger. I drove very well and got all the way back to the end without bumping into anything.
We went lego bowling at the lego village, Liam and I beat mum and dad. Liam won the first round and I won the second one. It was really fun, it was my first time bowling.
We didnt want to leave Legoland. We stayed for 2 nights and had 2 days in the park but we really wanted to stay there it was so much fun.
Did you know??
There were a few different types of lego houses, e.g. racing cars, pirates, egyptian, knights and adventurer. There were really good playgrounds at the lego village, there was a pirate ship playground outside our house and a huge main playground around a lake, it was really cool and there were some other Australians there as well. After we had breakfast we got ready for a 10 minute walk to Legoland. It was really nice walking through the forest and seeing lego people statues on the way. when we got there we scanned out tickets and went straight through.
First my brother, mum and dad went on a ride. I thought it was not for me, but then when I had a really good look at it I realised that it was for me so we all went on it together. After we went up a watch tower in a glass lift, first we got on then we found a seat, we sat down and went up and up about 100 feet once at the top we could stand and take photos as it turned around so we could se the whole park. It was enclosed in glass so we were safe. It was good because you got a good view of everything and where you were.
We went to mini land which is scenes from different countries made out of lego. We saw Venice, Berlin, Lucerne in Switzerland, and Munich. And there was an airport, a fire station, police station and train stations. There was an Austrian castle with people dancing at a ball and a stage coach. There was Allianz Arena which is the home of Bayern Munich FC, the arena took over 4,000 hours to build and is based on the original blueprints and architects drawings. There is also a star wars area with lego re creations of every star wars movie.
Mum and I went on a boat ride where I got to drive the boat and mum was my passenger. I drove very well and got all the way back to the end without bumping into anything.
We went lego bowling at the lego village, Liam and I beat mum and dad. Liam won the first round and I won the second one. It was really fun, it was my first time bowling.
We didnt want to leave Legoland. We stayed for 2 nights and had 2 days in the park but we really wanted to stay there it was so much fun.
Did you know??
- Lego comes from Denmark and started in the city of Billund
- The man who created Lego was Ole Kirk Christiansen
- Lego in Danish means 'play well'
- Originally lego was made from wood not plastic
- Plastic blocks started in 1949
- In 50 years lego say they have made 400 billion blocks
- There are 6 Legolands in the world, the only one in the Southern Hemisphere is in Malaysia
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| our pirate house |
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| a lego giraffe |
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| the main playground at the village |
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| the play ground outside our house |
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| Liam and dad on the flying Ninjago |
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| me int he adventure playground at Legoland |
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| the view from the tower |
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| me logo bowling |
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| lego Allianz Arena |
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| Lego Venice - the Grand Canal and St Marks |
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| the pirate part of lego village |
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| the lego village playground |
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