Zoe’s party

We thought of having some cake and guarana (a great Brazilian soft drink like Almdudler) to celebrate Zoe’s early birthday with the Brazilian family… so her vovozinhos (grandparents) decided to get for this occasion “only” a few hundreds of docinhos (party sweets/pralines/something like that!), savoury party snacks, two waiters and countless balloons…Papa and mamae were laughing at the “small celebration”, but in the end it was great that everything was so well organised and everyone could just enjoy the occasion! As expected the party started at 3pm and the last ones left at 12am…

In the end, there were 40 people at the party, including relatives and family friends. It was so much fun! Zoe was at first a bit suspicious at everyone coming to say hello and trying to hold her, but in the end she seemed to enjoy herself a lot. No crying and just a little checking on them. She was very social but at times just wanted to be with Papa and Mamae. Who said all Japanese look the same?

Unfortunately we didn’t manage to take photos of everyone, so here just a few, including one with the girls from 1990…Wow, mamae is feeling old

And the day after Zoe was enjoying all the “leftover” balloons…

Cambridge to Sao Paulo & Bandeirantes

Here we are on our final stop on this round-the-world tour. We left Cambridge with plenty time to drive to Heathrow where we returned the rental car and checked-in for our flight. All went well, but we found that the security restrictions in the UK are just sooo over-the-top. Travelling with a baby you are allowed to take liquids (ie water) in a quantity of more than 100ml with you in the hand luggage – bascially to make the milk bottles.  In all airports we went though, the officers just open the suitcases and check that it is baby stuff you are taking – except in the UK. At Heathrow Terminal 5 Eneida was requested to “taste” the water for all bottles and eat a spoon of all the baby food glasses we were taking along. It is just so telling that you are regarded as a suspect in the UK, no matter what. Bascially, you have to proof your innocence, instead of them proofing your guilt…

Anyway, we finally got on the way and the flight went alright even though Zoe was a bit restless because of over-tiredness. We landed early in the morning, where we were picked up by 2 friends of ours (Angelica aka Gege and Renato aka Goiti) who woke up in the middle of the night to pick us up at 5.15 in the morning – bless them! Guess what we did the rest of the day?… obviously shopping was on Nene’s jetlagged mind and we spent the rest of the day in different shops. Thankfully the nephew of Gege joined us to the great pleasure of Zoe, who loved her playfriend because she seemed to be missing Marianna and Eva who entertained her in Cambridge.

The next day, Nene’s brother (Raul aka Zinho) picked us up and we went by car to Eneida’s parents hometown (Bandeirantes) ~6 hours west of Sao Paulo. Eneida’s parents as well as her sister (Renata) and partner (Jaimie) were already anxiously waiting for us…  let me correct that… they were waiting for Zoe.

More from here soon…

Gege & Zoe

Zinho & Zoe

…for those who didn’t get it yet…

Toda familia

Dr. Mioshi

Just wanted to let you know all the fantastic news that Eneida (Nene, Mamae) has passed her PhD viva with flying colours. She said that she  enjoyed her “defense” a lot and to discuss with the examiners all her findings. Afterwards we all had some drinks in the garden to celebrate her achievement (see pictures) where many people came we hadn’t seen since our departure from England to Australia. It was therefore a great day and Nene enjoyed herself. You could sense her relief that this is finally done. I am still myself amazed how she managed the last year with us moving countries, jobs, having a baby and for her additionally finishing a PhD. I am so proud of her as I think she is just amazing.

Tomorrow off to Sao Paulo… will this trip ever end?

Eneida & John

Eneida & Samrah

Eneida & “the gang”

Eneida, Jo and Kate

Eneida & Natasha

Eneida, Marina & Blanca

Vienna to Cambridge

Here we are now in Cambridge. We had such a great time in Vienna and were sad to leave.

We had no problem flying only for 2 hours from Vienna to London Heathrow, but we underestimated the dreadful motorway circle around London (M25).  The issue was that we arrived on a Friday afternoon, and the summer school holidays had just started – literally. This means that everyone was on the road and the radio announced a queue of 25miles (~40km) in the direction towards Cambridge. Indredible but true, it took us 4 hours to travel from Heathrow to Cambridge (~120kms) mostly standing and moving very sloooowly in the car.

Then finally, we arrived in Cambridge. We are staying with our friends Natasha, Nikos and their two daughters Marianna and Eva (see pictures below). We are really enjoying our stay with them and we have so much to catch up. Zoe especially loves the time with Marianna and Eva, who keep her busy and entertained all day long. So she has been  falling completely exhausted in her bed in the past two days.

We also had today lunch with Eneida’s cousin Luciana and her husband Jarek and their son Victor (again see pics). It was really great seeing them, as well as Eneida’s “English father” Derek.  We had a delicious lunch at a small countryside pub and the weather held even up with only the occasional shower. Typical English July weather! hahaha

Marianna’s birthday

With Eva

With Natasha

With Nikos

That’s a BIG cow…

Eva & Marianna milking the goats

Zoe wanted to get closer and closer…

Writing with Marianna

Marianna helps Zoe

With Jarek, Victor, Derek and Luba

Luba, Zoe, Victor & mamae

Zoe & Victor

Victor gives a flower to Zoe…

Vienna (and last days in Paris)

Here we are again, this time with an update from Vienna before we travel tomorrow to Cambridge. Our week has been incredible nice and busy. We saw so many friends and had nearly every night people for dinner. Below some selected fotos of the people we met, including some final fotos from Paris, where we met Beatrice & Thomas, as well as Olivier and his family.

Otherwise we gave at the international Alzheimer conference both successful presentations,  although we were both quite upset with the organisation of the conference in that it forbids children at the conference, or even to use the conference facilities (ie toilets). Basically, we were therefore “thrown out” by security because of Zoe and we had in the end to go in turns to the conference center, while the other one was waiting outside or at the apartment with Zoe. We had a heated discussion with the organisation about this but they did not relent… what a pain not being even able to use the baby changing facilities there. So much about the different aspects of discrimination.

Anyway, we had on the other hand such a great time in Vienna. It was really hot here with temperatures reaching each day over 30C. Zoe got therefore her first sunglasses (see below) which made her look like Kim Il Jong. Let’s hope she won’t become a real dictator… hahaha  Zoe also enjoyed all the Laugenbrezeln and -stangen, as well as Wiener Schnitzel she could get into herself.

Next stop is now good, old England from there more soon…

Louis, Papa, Olivier and Zoe

The 5th baboon

With Beatrice

With Oma

Is Papa behind the HUGE glass?

Karin and Papa

With Jakob and Kathi

Eugen drinking coffee

Kekke

Mopo and Patrick

Nina

With Suvarna

Zoe and Matisse

Yummy!

Kim Il Jong’s cousin

Too much light on my blue eyes

Papa and Zoe’s sunnies

Mamae and Zoe’s sunnies

Paris – Vienna via London

We are now in Vienna after our short but very nice time in Paris.  Although, Eneida and I were both surprised how child unfriendly Paris as a city is. There is nearly no pram or wheelchair access to any of the metro stations and the only children changing rooms we found were at Charles de Gaulle airport and the Galleries Lafayette. Incredible and what a difference to “outback” Australia where you can find such facilities everywhere. Still, we had a great time and Zoe enjoyed all the baguette and cheese she could get into herself. She is now so keen on everything we eat that our plates are never safe again, which is great and makes life so much easier. We also really enjoyed the visit of my sister (Sa)Bine, who stayed with us for 2 days in Paris. Especially Zoe loved the visit of her Tante (aunt), because “finally” somebody dedicated two whole days to her… hahaha Below some fotos of the time with Bine.

After packing our suitcases again, we flew then to Vienna via Heathrow (don’t ask about why we had this very strange flight connection/deviation!). Unbelievable but true on the flight from Heathrow to Vienna we met in the same airplane our old friend Survana from Hyderabad in India. She was going to the same conference we are going and we are seeing her all week, which is such a pleasant surprise and just a joy. Finally, we arrived in Vienna where we met Oma (grandma), who picked us up at the airport, went to the flat we are renting here , unpacked our suitcases and took another breath…

Actually, saying this Eneida and I both have the feeling that the travelling this time with Zoe is actually easier than the last time, even though nearly everyone warned us that it would be worse. You always get surprised with children, is all I can say. Zoe is a real angel and seems  to like flying across the globe. Lucky us!

Anyway, now we are in Vienna and saw yesterday already lots of friends at a birthday party. It is such a pleasure to see everyone and Zoe enjoyed, of course, also all the attention, in particular by Hofi (the birthday boy) and his partner Maddalena. Also, Eneida gave her talk already at the conference, which was a real success and she “only” has to do now her PhD viva before the holiday can really begin…

Paris

Some snapshots from our recent adventures…nothing like holidays to give us reason to photograph anything… like true Japanese tourists, Papa says…

We’ve been taking photos of Zoe in front of the main touristy points in Paris. If you saw Amelie Poulin, you’ll know that Zoe is going to be like the little garden dwarf…

Today we had a full museum program: the Louvre and the Orangerie, cushioned by cafe and bistro visits… ah the hard life we have. Tomorrow mamae needs shopping to get rid of this cultural overload!!

Zoe, as always, is the center of attraction at many places we’ve been! She’s now smiling to everyone, which makes even the most serious faces smile back.  She even went with Mamae and Papa to their scientific conference, where many people were impressed by her early start in the field!

Can we go home now?

Notre Dame

Cheeky Monkey (Kleine Hexe)

Spot who’s excited at the Louvre

Give me your hand!

Mamae and Zoe at the Louvre

Zoe and Monet

She doesn’t let us hold both hands…

Sydney to Paris – via Hong Kong

No swine flu  – yet – so rest assured. We saw many people wearing facemasks on the flight, including some of the flight personnel. Too bad what bad breath can do to you… hahaha

Still, the flight from Sydney to Paris was overall better than expected. As always it was looooong (22 hrs) but Zoe was a real angel and did not mind too much the whole experience. She loved in particular the slight turbelences which rocked her easily into sleep. On both flights there were also other children, and on the flight from Hong kong to Paris  Zoe met a French girl called Maya (see pic). They had a great time together and both instantly took over my seat to play and read books together.

Finally, arriving in Paris Zoe had a “bad hair day” (pic) and the whole family was a bit grumpy and just glad to leave the “flying tins” for a while behind us – at least until next week. We arrived then in our rented flat, which Zoe instantly explored and really liked. The next day then Opa and his partner (Moni) arrived with friends of theirs. We had all a great time exploring Paris, including Sacre Coeur and the Galleries Lafayette in glorious sunshine. Yes, my dear Australians, Europe has also its occasional sunshine, although it can’t rival at all with sunny Sydney. Well, and that’s that for today. More soon…

Zoe & Maya

StruwwelZoe (Descabelada como o Papa…)

Exploring the flat in Paris

Zoe: “I am bored!”

Smile altogether now

Opa and Moni join us