Paris

PARIS

We got up early and left Munich at 5 am where there was the highest snowfall in 30 years. The train trip to Paris was on a double decker train and we were on the top. I was so sad because we were leaving family and I missed them already.

We had a small apartment on the 6^th floor near the Louvre and the river Siene and there was no lift. Even though it was only the 6^th floor it was a long way because there were bridges and each level was around 3 metres high and the steps were very thin.  Even our apartment was over another three levels. But we had a cool rooftop terrace where we could see all of Paris from.                                                                                  

We arrived on New Years Eve and there were Fireworks, which was a surprise because they said that they would not have fireworks but they did and they were fantastic. There were millions of people out on the streets.

We walked to Tour de Eiffel (Eiffel tower) twice but both times we walked there the line would take around 4 or 5 hours to get in so we did not get to go up to the Eiffel tower and I was very very very sad. But my dad took photos of me in-front of it.

We went on a Boat ride and it was fun because we went under all the bridges and it echoed when a made noises.

We went to Notre Dame and it was so big and nice and it was beautiful. I think it was the biggest church I have ever seen.

We went on a double decker Bus and we had a great view of Paris and my dad took some photos.

                                                                                                                                    

Next day mum was sick so I went for a huge walk with my Dad and we did 32,460 steps and we were so tired. We walked to l'arc de triomphe and we climbed l'arc de triomphe and because it was in the middle of the city, in a huge round-a-bout. The buildings and the buildings next to each other were like mirrors because they looked all the same.

We went to Sacré cœur de Montmarte and there were big mosaic pictures but with tiny pieces and it looked beautiful. It was one of the most beautiful churches I have seen.

That night we walked to Shakespeare and Company and my dad went in and bought 5 books and he is reading one now. My Dad says that it is one of the coolest bookshops in the world.

München

When we left Pertisau on Boxing day it was snowing and when we arrived in München Önkel Thomas, Tante Gisela, Önkel Peter and Tante Hilde were waiting for us and we stayed in Önkel Thomas’ apartment house and we had coffee and cake at 3:00pm and it was yummy. We each got a little chocolate. Then we had to put our gloves and coats and every thing on to walk in the snow. We had dinner at a place where Tante Gisela said that Neuer (the German goalie) had eaten there. I ordered a bauernschmause and no one thought I could eat it all but I did.

During the whole holiday I wanted to go Ice-skating and I finally did in Munich and Onkel Thomas organized it all. My dad and I went on the ice skating rink and my dad was good because he used to go surfing and he had really good balance. I went 4 laps and 3 quarters without falling my mum was in the crowd cheering and I was happy.

Every day it snowed more and more. On the day we left it was the most snow Munich had had more snow than it had had in 30 years at Christmas time.  We all had a snowball fight and it was fun in the snow. I did a wee in the snow and tried to write my name and I got up to B e n j a m. The snow went yellow and it made a hole in the snow.

Tante Gisela organised for her brother Thomas to get an extra sled for my dad and I to ride on it was really fun and once I fell of and I rolled down the hill and another time I fell of and the sled ran away from me. My dad pulled me on the sled for a while and I jumped off and I ran really fast and caught up to my mum and Thomas in the car. We were outside Munich about 45 minutes. We had lunch there with Tante Gisela's brother and on the way back to Munich we got stuck in snow for around 5 or 7 minutes and it was really annoying.

We had fondue one night at Onkel Thomas’ apartment. We had chicken, pork and beef and lots of veggies. It was very nice. After I finished eating I watched a James Bond movie called Diamonds Are For Ever and the Bond that was in it was Sean Connery

Onkel Thomas took us into the city centre by U Bahn and we watched the Glockenspiel at the rathaus and watched the figures dancing. There were so many people there! After that we went to a really big church and lit a candle. We had lunch at the Hofbrauhaus and we had sausages and a really big pretzel.

We spent the last day with Onkel Peter and Tante Hilde. They took us to their little garden and to Omas parents and brothers grave.

Photos from Graz

Photos from Vienna

Pertisau

The train to Jenbach was 5 hours and 33 minutes and I watched 2 movies on the train trip on my iPad, first Indiana Jones temple of doom and then Jurassic Park III and I played a bit on my iPad for 30 minutes and watched a Gorrillaz clip called On Melancholy Hill. The things I could see through the giant window was mountains, farms and little villages.

We are in a little town called Pertisau near Jenbach and we do not have good Internet connection because Pertisau is closed in by the Tirol mountains.

We Skyped family and it was annoying because the Internet kept on dropping out and they all looked fuzzy and square.

There was not much snow when we arrived but the next day there was more snow so we went on a walk and I threw some snowballs at my parents and they laughed. I also made a snow angel and had a real snowball fight against my dad and today we had a drink at the café at around 4:30 and my dad and I walked outside and had a snowball fight and my dad made a really big snow ball and threw it at me and so did I. He also melted a snowball on my back. All we were wearing was a jumper and pants – Mum got very cross with both of us.   

For Christmas dinner we had a seven-course meal and I got really full at the end but it was all very yummy except the fish bit. They had special German music that Opa listens to.

The pool was fun because I was with my parents. It was an indoor pool and one day my dad had a massage and my mum and I went in the pool and swam after that we went on the hammock and I played on my iPad.  

On Christmas morning Santa found me because we left the door a little bit open.

On the day we left the snow was up to my knees.

Graz

We are staying near a building that looks like some sort of monster from star wars.  It is the Kunsthaus Graz (art gallery).

Dad and I visited the Kaiser Ferdinand II mausoleum. We climbed up the stairs to the top of the bell tower. We saw some mountains and in the mausoleum where the king was buried was some gold and pictures. In the church bit there was bronze pole to hold it all up. There were mirrors so you could see from different angles

Near the mausoleum and the cathedral we came across a double-spiraled staircase and I said we should go on the other sides so when we walked down we would walk closer to each other and further away from each other. 

 Near by the staircase we saw a giant Peach Stone that marked the Centre of the city. We went to the burggarten, which is close to the oldest gate of the city. 

We went to the top of the Schlossberg Mountain 2 times, once we walked up and down, once up on the Funicular and down in an elevator. At the top of the mountain we saw the clock tower, bell tower, the hackher lion, the Chinese pavilion and the Turkish well that was 94 metres deep! There was a Christmas market at the top and we ate waffles. We also watched the sun go down.

We went in a fairytale cart in a cave that went into the mountain and there was a person talking in the speaker speaking Deutsche and my dad translated it to me in English.

Murinsel it is a shell structure that sits in the middle of the river Mur. We walked across it a couple of times.