Mamae in Kolkata

It’s weird to travel on my own. But it’s been worthwhile, meeting so many interesting people and establishing collaborations!

And what an exciting country! A sensory overload, have been enjoying it a lot.

Went to the Kali temple on the first day, and so much to absorb: a sacred tree; walking barefoot; standing behing 100 people (or more!) for a chance to see Kali; the sacrifice area – goats and buffalos; the kitchens where they cook the sacrificed animals for the poor; offering hibiscus, bangles and sweets to Shiva and Kali; the crowds everywhere.

Today we were taken by Suvarna and Aparna to the Dakshineswar temple. Another WOW experience, much stronger. It is so special to be taken by locals, you can feel the energy. The impressions on the journey were also fantastic, tried to take some pics, hope you’ll enjoy them.

Tonight we’re off to Delhi (giving a talk tomorrow), and then Hyderabad (another 3 talks). More later

First impression at 6.30am

The Kali temple

The Victoria Monument

Road signs and ad

Auto rickshaws

Suvarna and mamae

A kitchen

Fish stall

On the way to the Dakshineswar Temple

Stalls selling offerings

The Dakshineswar temple

After the prayers

The Hooghly river

The Hooghly river II

12 side temples at Dakshineswar

Spot a professor

Havaianas, Beach & Kites

As the title suggests this my random collection of pictures from the last week. Unfortunately, our main photographer (Nene) is still in India and you have therefore the dubious pleasure of my snapshots.

First off the havaianas, which are plastic sandals which we wear all summer… well not for work but… anyway, Zoe has already her own proud pair from Brazil. However, last week she was suddenly very keen on my pair of havaianas and spent a good half-hour to put them on. The results you can see in the photos below. I honestly can say that I didn’t help her and she managed it all by herself. Finally, once both shoes were on the feet (well somehow) she started walking (again somehow) through the apartment proudly showing off to me my havaianas. Thank you darling, that’s lovely…

Second, we have been today to Maroubra beach with two friends of ours from Chile (Karen & Cristian). We don’t go often to this beach, although it is breathtakingly beautiful, because the waves are mostly very high there and it is quite dangerous to swim because of the strong currents. This beach is therefore full of surfers trying to catch these waves, while the swimmers are not very keen to go into the water. Not surprisingly, in the time we where at the beach, we saw three people being pulled out of the water by the lifeguards with their jetskis. That says it all, I would say…

Finally, in a park behind the beach there was a kite festival with different flags and kites flying. Zoe loved these coloured kites flying around, which also sometimes crashed unpredictably to the ground. She also loved the flags standing there. It was quite funny because she was so curious and wanted to touch the flags but on the other hand she was afraid because they were banging quite loudly in the wind. In the end, Papa had to hold the “evil” flag so that Zoe could touch it… and another day was saved.

That’s nearly my size

…and that one fits too

Too busy for a photo

Sand, sand, sand… it’s just everywhere

Karen & Cristian with Zoe

Interesting things…

Those flags flutter so nicely

The best way of watching kites

The kite we were looking at

Who is the boss… say it again!

First Kindergarten photo

All good here. Eneida left for India two days ago and seems to have a great time. Zoe and I are also very good and coping (still?) well without Mamae. The weekend is already fully booked with things to keep us busy and so time will fly until Mamae returns.

One more thing, Zoe had a group photo taken at the Kindergarten which you can see below. So, let’s see if you can spot our little Darling. You also get some impression of her Kindergarten “friends”. Finally, we had to laught that she looks so serious, nearly supiscious at the camera, maybe not sure whether the photographer does this properly. 

Enjoy.

What beauties!

Two infections and a stiff neck

…summarizes this week quite nicely. Basically, we have been all sick-lish. Eneida twisted her neck badly and could not turn her head until she was “knocked back into shape” by an osteopath. She is now feeling much better but the neck is not yet 100% good. Thankfully, it seems only a ligament which got stuck in her neck and there are no slipped discs or similar nasty things. If everything continues like this, she should be fine again this week. Zoe and I were both fighting with infections. I am feeling already much better but poor Zoe has still some fever and is fighting hard with her viral infection. We hope she will be better in the next few days, as she is not happy with being sick.

And that was pretty much the week. Just a comment on the picture below. Zoe loves going swimming and she always wears a Lycra top as it protects from the sun and keeps her warm. Now, she always tells us when she wants to go swimming by bringing this top to us and pointing at the door. She has done that already a few times but now she is trying to put her swimming top on so that we get the message. Last week she finally managed to somehow put this top over her head and walked around proudly with her swimming top half on. So here we go, we have a true Aussie girl who wants to wear her swimtop and bike helmet all the time.

Zoe’s 1st birthday

The day before yesterday (20th August) we celebrated Zoe’s first birthday. We both still can’t believe that she is already one year with us. Incredible! Our lives have changed so much in this time and it seems like yesterday that we brought her home from the hospital. I wonder how many years I will say this sentence!

Zoe has developed so much too from a tiny newborn to a toddler with so many milestones in one year: first eye contact; first smile; first lifting of the head; first lifting of the body; first turning; first sitting; first crawling; first walking and now first words. To think about it just makes us dizzy.

We can’t imagine our life without her anymore. There is nothing to add, except: Happy first Birthday Zoe! We love you so much! Mamae & Papa

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

So long… and thanks for all the sand!

Just had to share quickly this video we took of Zoe on the weekend. We were at Clovelly beach and Zoe could not resist destroying all sandcastles we built… mmm must be her German/Japanese heritage to compulsively invade and destroy everything. hahaha
By the way, Nene says at the end pf the video “She is really a Hornberger!” when Zoe squeezes her hands tightly because of her excitement – not sure what she is talking about

The green peg

Just a little series of shots that we love.  Zoe is crazy about the clothes’ pegs, holds them while crawling, take them to the bath, to the car…

Beach excursions etc

Just some impressions here of our past weeks with no real theme – except maybe the beach locations (Bondi and Coogee), which is one of the advantages of living here. Oh well, at least something here at the end of the world!!

We’ve been enjoying the beaches, especially on the weekends (no matter which season!). It is really fun to chase the seagulls, play with the sand, and eat it… well, that’s probably Zoe’s opinion!

From our perspective, just being able to relax and smell the sea makes a huge difference…

At the beach with Kylie

Is this also water?

Closing in on the seagulls

Promenading with Papa

Nao meu angel!

Happy family 1

Mamae & Zoe

Papa

Happy family 2

Big eyes

Cheeky monkey + bunny

Tofu

Just another short video of Zoe. Now eating the famous tofu, which she really loves!