One Year Away

finally - i'll try to wind this up

I've been getting hassled by family members for leaving this go for so long. So I'll start with a quick summary of what I've been doing since I returned home, and then will do a really late post on my second trip through Europe in November last year.

I got home late November and really enjoyed being back home, although the temperature difference was a bit of a shock, as was seeing how dry the land at home was. The second big shock on returning home was being diagnosed with a malignant melanoma. I'd been a little concerned about a mole on my ankle, one that I'd had my whole life but had changed slightly. Dad said he didn't think it was nasty but wanted it to be checked out by a specialist just in case. The specialist I saw also said he didn't think it was too nasty but took a biopsy just to get it checked. Just as well they'd all been extra cautious as yes it was nasty and had to be removed. The opeation was delayed for a week so I could return to Sydney and do some presentations to my rotary club and district, but once that was over I had day surgery and 40 stitches later had a big hole in my ankle and a small hole in my thigh where they had to take skin for the skin graft.

A week after the operation I was allowed to move a little, which was just as well because I had to go to Sydney for a job interview - turning up on crutches and with a massive pressure bandage on the ankle was a good look I'm sure. Then it was back home and back to not being allowed to move around much but I did get the job. I spent christmas still not being allowed to move much - it got boring really quickly, and desperate for my stitches to come out, which they did a few days later. Once the stitches were out it was full steam ahead trying to sort out my stuff for a move back to Sydney to take up the new job as Manager of the Australian Tennis Museum.

So I was back in Sydney early January, still on crutches for the first few weeks and have been here since then. Really busy with work and settling back into life in this wonderful city. Sometimes it feels like I've never been away, but that's a good thing. I'm back playing hockey, the ankle still has a really nice scar on it but that's gradually fading and things are great. My younger sister got married earlier in the year and my older brother got engaged. I also ducked back to Europe for my cousin's wedding in Stockholm and a chance to visit sports museums in London.

Heather and David

Helen and Johan

Okay so now that's the catch up - next post I'll review the trip to Sweden, Germany, Holland and France last year.

sorry for the long delay

Things have been really crazy. I am now back in australia, but i will post photos and information from my final european jaunt when i have a permanent and reasonably fast internet connection. at this stage i only have internet at work and can't really post photos there. so try back in about two weeks and hopefully i'll have something up then.

final spain photos

sorry for the delay, there was another trip to europe there. i'll finish these off then try to get up to date.

firstly, to keep it in order - Cordoba.

general view of Cordoba

the Roman bridge that we really wanted to walk across. Like everything else in Cordoba it was closed.

The Alcazar. It was worth the wait to get in and have a look around. Lovely gardens and the stones glowed in the setting sun.

The Mezquita. Amazing to see the blend of christian and muslim in the one place of worship.

Valencia.

The arts and science complex at Valencia. It is still being completed and is really spread out, but wonderful buildings.

Part of the river park in Valencia and the Ceramics museums which was so heavily decorated on the outside.

Other photos will be up on my yahoo site soon.

The Alhambra

Lots of photos here, i'll try to keep them in some sort of order.

The Nasrid Palace

this is possibly the most famous part of the Alhambra. It is where the Moorish kings had their formal palace and where Ferdinand and Isabelle had their court after taking over Granada.

The courtyard of the myrtles is the first of the 'water courtyards' that you see in the palace. It leads through to the hall of the ambassadors which is just amazing, unfortunately it was also pretty dark, so i didn't get any photos in there.

The courtyard of the lions is probably the most photographed bit of the palace. The lion fountain wasn't working as it should when we were there due to repair works being done on the lions. it is still a pretty amazing courtyard though.

This is the roof in the Hall of the Abencerrages, as with most other rooms the roof is just incredible and so detailed.

The gardens of the Nazrid Palaces were the first main gardens we saw. Once again they were stunning and we took time to just wander and relax. All the gardens are so peaceful.

Charles V palace. This is right next to the Nazrid Palace, and was surveyed just slightly wrong, so it blocks off part of the Nazrid Palace. It is a strange builidng, square but with a circular area in the middle.

Charles V fountain and the Justice Gate. The fountain is just outside the walls of the Alhambra and the Gates is the main one that was used. It is designed for defence, with a gap between the two gates for throwing things onto the people below, but is still wonderful.

Generalife.
This was the holiday retreat for the rulers. The palace here is much more relaxed and there are far more gardens. The palace is more like a series of rooms within the garden, rather than a building with a garden attached. Again water plays a big part with lots of pools and fountains, and perhaps most wonderfully a staircase with water handrails.