alfords in dk

February 2010 - still lots of snow...

2010-02-20T06:17:00.000-08:00

Gavin tests the creek ice

Snowman completed

Ocean still frozen...

Very few swimmers...

Saint Marguerite Island

2009-05-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

The ferry that took us across to Saint Marguerite Island.

Treasures

"Look, a sinking ship!"

Cannes

2009-05-29T15:00:00.001-07:00

French Riviera

2009-05-29T14:50:00.001-07:00

We had a fantastic time touring the French Riviera in April '09.

The home of our Sunday Morning Meeting.

Our modern hotel room at Le Mistral in Cannes.

Our favorite breakfast stop.

Madrid, Spain

2009-05-29T14:13:00.000-07:00

We joined Bob on a business trip to Madrid, Spain. The shopping was fantastic.....from the selection to the prices.

Touring the Real Madrid Stadium and sitting in the posh leather field seats.

At La Posada de la Villa, we feasted on the specialty: roasted baby lamb.

Bornholm

2009-05-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

We took a 'Family Trip' with some of our friends from Copenhagen International School Bornholm (An island east of Denmark in the Baltic Sea .) It was a wonderful extended weekend of sand, rocks, glass and friendship.

My friend, Trude.

Preston is happy as a lark because he's holding a bag of chocolates!

The sand on Dueodde beach is superfine and was exported for use in hourglasses.

Hunting for treasure.

2 men, 3 fishing poles and 0 fish!

My dear friends, Mirjam (Dutch)and Trude (Norwegian).

Part of the gang......

....the rest of the gang.

Stein Ove (Norwegian), Jeroen (Dutch) and Bob.

Every road runs into the sea.

We even found monkeys on the island!

The largest prehistoric carved rock found on Bornholm.

A jolly 'ol fellow.

Tour Guide.

Hammerhus - medieval fortress ruins.

Osterlars - the largest of 4 round churches.

Bornholm is well known for their herring smokehouses.

Winter in Copenhagen 2009

2009-03-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

The view from our apartment of the Hellerup coastline.

A tricyle ridin' eskimo.

Trekking out for snowballs and snowmen.

The boys hard at work......

........finished!!

Ice Skating in Kongens Nytorv.

Italy - Toscana October 2008

2008-10-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

We took advantage of the fall school break and spent a week in Italy. We flew from Copenhagen to Florence (Firenze). We stayed at the Borgo de Colleoli.

2008-10-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

San Gimignano - small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometers outside the town.

We used this picture for our 2008 holiday card.

Hard to resist the local delicacies.

2008-10-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

The Tuscan countryside.

A Peninsula of Sweden

2008-08-28T05:33:00.000-07:00

Donovan Peterson, Sorenson, Andi Skalleberg, Helma and Wil.

Swedish Flag.

Bob, Gavin and Preston with Donovan Peterson and Sorenson.

Wil, Helma and Andi Skalleberg.

Bob insisted on eating here for dinner.

Wild roses and rosehips.

Yellow and Red road signs in Sweden.

Holme Gaard in Naestved, Denmark

2008-08-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

Visiting the Holmegaard Glasswork Factory and Museum.

Wil VanDam and Helma VanHek.

Wil blowing a glass bubble.

Helma blowing a BIGGER glass bubble.

Engraving the souvenir glass token.

The Candy Factory

More.... Sightseeing and Visitors

2008-08-11T16:41:00.001-07:00

Kronborg Slot (castle)-built in 1420.

This was the original fortress protecting Denmark. It was also the inspiration for Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'.

Collecting the 98th ladybug.

Carefully, placing the ladybug in the white bag.

A green bike.....with ladybug decals!!

Gavin and Preston with Jasper and Jada Buechi.

Jada and Preston.

The dungeons of Kronberg Slot.

Danish hero-Holger Danske, or Ogier the Dane.

Gavin and Jasper brave it together with a flashlight.

Andi, Jill, Jasper and Jada Buechi.

Louisiana Museum in Humlebaek, Dk.

Mavis and Bernie Livingston.

Harvey Purves with Bob and the boys.

Lena, Annika, Niklas Ivarsson, John and Gordon Chambers and Ann Court near Amalienborg Palace.

Bike taxi.

Lena and Ann in Kongens Nytorv.

Tivoli

Linda and Molly Schulz

Wil Vandam, Peggy Groen and Sylvia Veldkamp.

The Round Tower of Copenhagen was built as an observatory in 1642 by King Christian IV.

The unusual cobbled circular walkway was designed to accommodate a horse and carriage.

Touring Rosenborg Castle where the crown jewels and other royal regalia of Denmark are kept.

City bikes that can be rented with a 20kroner ($4USD) deposit.

Molly Schulz, Wil Vandam, Gavin and Preston.

Albert and Peggy Groen.

Learning to play Rook.

Summer Visit Kick-0ff....Nichol Family

2008-07-31T15:07:00.000-07:00

William, Wm and Leiana Nichol visited us from Calgary, AB. After sightseeing in Copenhagen, we visited Egeskov Castle and Legoland.

We stayed at Tyrstrup Kro.

Egeskov Castle: The raspberries were ripe for pickin'.

Now you see them......

.........And now you don't!!

A pink princess.

William's view from the top of the swinging tree bridge.

Denmark's Legoland. Legos originated in Denmark. Lego is danish for "play well."

Our Friends

2008-07-21T02:09:00.001-07:00

My Brother and I

2008-07-21T02:01:00.001-07:00

Guests

2008-07-20T15:17:00.001-07:00

Create your own visitor map!

Preston

2008-07-20T10:17:00.001-07:00

August 2008

Yummy yogurt.....

Tivoli

Current favorite pastime.

Yeeessss........

I am attached......

......to this chair!

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June 2008

Austria

Watching the horse carriage behind him-Prague

Regensberg, Germany

He spotted these bikes from a mile away!

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May 2008

Watching fireworks with da-yee.

Skipping stones-Fyn, Dk

Look....

The view from our livingroom.

Peek....

....A...

...BOO!

Temper tantrum!
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Karnan Tower - Sweden

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February 2008

My Dutch klompens.

"Messss!"

'One little monkey jumping on the bed...'

My timeout chair.

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December 2007

I just woke up.

Helping Da-yee play Krokono.

Baggage.

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November 2007

Watching the movers move us into the apartment.

My big brother's giraffe costume fits me!!

Peanuts....my favorite mess maker!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- October 2007

Gavin

2008-07-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

July 2008

Robert P. Wadlow, the tallest man in the world at 8ft 11in.

Tivoli

Flying a kite.
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June 2008

Walking gingerly after falling. - Germany

Berlin

Cakes I made for my 2nd grade teachers: Mr. Watkins & Miss Trangia.

"Look, Ma....."

.....NO TEETH!"

Happy with my new drinking horn.

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May 2008

Indoor skiing-Dubai

Fyn, Dk

Skipping stones.

Egeskov, Dk

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March 2008

Sicily

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February 2008

Playing Rook with Pa.

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December 2007

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November 2007

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October 2007

Copenhagen, Dk

Regensberg, Germany

2008-06-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

Our Summer officially began June 19th. We immediately left for our planned driving tour. We visited Regensberg, Germany, Vienna, Austria, Prague, CZ and finally Berlin, Germany. We shopped, met new and old friends, and indulged in the local delicacies.

We took the ferry across from Denmark to Germany.

We stayed at the Park Hotel Maximillan.

A sightseeing bus tour through Regensberg.

Church arches.

Salzstadel Cafe, famous for their sausage plates.

A mock funeral. After the ceremony, the box was opened and a picnic lunch began.

An interesting custom:
Upcoming Brides were walking with their bridesmaids holding shoeboxes. A one euro purchase of a wrapped item went towards the purchase of the Brides wedding shoes.

Austria

2008-06-29T01:05:00.000-07:00

We stayed at the Hotel Rat Haus Wine & Design.

Enjoying breakfast.

Euro Cup Soccer 2008.

Rain soaked with the Newman's and Furrow's.

Kathy Newman, Karla Furrow, Ann, and Kimberly.

Visiting Andy and Ann's with the Newmans and Furrows.

One mode of transportation....

Prague

2008-06-28T06:49:00.000-07:00

Gavin and Kimberly visited Prague in 2002. It was nice to see it again, the main change is it's more expensive.

State Opera House, across from our hotel.

Peter Zurcher and Wim Reavekamp met us for breakfast.

Preston's first horse carriage ride.

"Look!" the horses are following us.

Entertainment on Charles Bridge.

One way to get to the top.....We chose the stroller friendly route.

Jewish temple.

Berlin

2008-06-26T06:25:00.000-07:00

The last city on our driving tour.

THIS WAY.........!

The boys couldn't resist the Bugati Showroom.

Local Fare.

Church hit with a bomb.

Diagram of church pre-bombing.

Sunday Morning Berlin Friends.

Rostock, Germany flea market. Our last shopping stop before the ferry to Denmark!

May 2008

2008-05-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

DENMARK

is a country of islands, mostly connected by bridges. We decided to explore the island of Fyn, which is west of us (Zealand). This is the toll bridge across from Sjaelland, as the Danes spell it. Canola and other spring flowers were in full bloom. We visited the beautiful estate of Egeskov Castle. Egeskov has museums, mazes, tree top bridge, XL slide, and beautiful gardens with hidden hammocks.

Map of Egeskov

Tree top walking bridge.

Bob, in his previous life.

Gavin took this picture of us!

We stayed at the seaside Hesselet Hotel. The boys (Bob, too) enjoyed finding and skipping stones.

DUBAI
The boys and I joined Bob on a business trip. We visited our dear friend, David P., who we last saw in Brunei when Gavin was a year old. Clifford Fedirchuk and Paul Chiu kindly took us to the indoor ski hill shopping center, their batch and to visit David's sister and family. We also met up with fellow Houstonians, Gaith & Glenda Kadir's family and Scotty, Glenda's father.

Relaxing between our visits at our hotel, JW Marriott.

Our mode of transport, when we weren't with Clifford and Paul.

Burj Al Arab-7 star hotel (sailboat) on Jumeirah beach. (We could only afford to take a picture from a distance;)

We feasted on delicious Lebanese food with the Kadirs and Scotty. It was an outdoor restaurant with awesome seating....a low center table surrounded by woven rugs for seats.

We have never seen so many cranes before.....building, construction and traffic everywhere.

Indian buffet with David, Paul and Clifford.

Gavin with Clifford.

David with Gavin and Preston.

David's sister: Hannah, Charles and Jerousha

Hannah prepared a wonderful Indian feast for us.

April 2008

2008-04-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

SWEDEN
We took the Scandlines ferry from Helsingor across to Helsingborg, Sweden. According to Wikipedia, Helsingborg is Sweden's closest point to Denmark. It's about a half hour north of Hellerup (our town) plus 20 minutes on a ferry.

Karnan tower has stood guard for 600 years.

A Copenhagen City Walking Tour organized by Copenhagen International School.

Angela and I having lunch after the walking tour.

Individual care packages from Grandpa and Gamma Rosehill. Just in time for the end of the chilly weather.

Preston Carl goes outside: our apartment March '08

2008-03-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

March 2008

2008-03-22T09:19:00.000-07:00

SICILY

We flew into Catania Airport and drove south to Relais Torre Marabino in Ispica. RTM was an old fortress renovated into an elegant hotel located on an organic farm, Natura Iblea. From Ispica, we drove to Agrigento, Modica, Noto, Pozallo, Ragusa, Siracusa and Taormina.

Playground

Firing slit from our fortress bedroom.

Organic products produced at the farm.

Countryside around the fortress.

5th century BC greek temples

Sicilian fruit

Shopping street in Taormina

Castemola-overlooking Taormina

Teatro Antico Di Taormina

Mt. Etna 10000+ active volcano

The Duomo in Noto

City Hall

Fiat 500cc Classic

Sicilian Pastries

Decorated Marzipan Eggs

Cave church

Wine production line at Torre Marabino Winery.

Oak barriques

Tour of the Valle Delle Acate Winery

Cava d'Ispica with 4000 tombs.

Circus from Rome that came to Modica.

Front row seats.

Free popcorn from the clown.

Overlooking Modica

Sunday in Ragusa with our Sicilian friends.

Touring in our rented Fiat estate wagon.

'The Ear'-guards could hear prisoners at the back of the cave.

Water below Siracusa city walls.

The shadows of our reflections in the water.

Furrows visit Dec 07

2008-01-06T12:20:00.001-08:00

Trelleborgen medieval fortress, Sweden
Opera House in CPH
Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg Palace.
Skating downtown CPH
Fredericksburg castle

Tivoli gardens in Copenhagen

Roskilde viking ship museum

Ystad Sweden

Playing

Lubeck Germany, Dec 2007

2007-12-25T07:54:00.000-08:00

Gavin fishing for lucky ducks
Home of Hansel and Gretel

September 2007

2007-09-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

Houston, TX to Copenhagen, Denmark

Bob changed companies (Shell to Maersk) and we changed countries. It was difficult to leave our home of 5 years and our family and friends. We embarked on our new adventure the last day of September 2007.

Hugo, Karla, Sebastian and Camille Suarez

Tim, Christina and Kyle Mullen

Pat, Vanessa, and Alex Morrisson.

Our last potluck.

Dinner at Chuck, Teresa and Blake Bunger's, Dad & Mom Rosehill, Brendan & Karla Furrow, Murray, Gina, Blake Raetz.

Our Going Away Party.