The Game

The final game was between RSM (in Rotterdam) and ESADE. The two children with Eve were cheering for RSM, we were trying to create good relations between the two teams;)


Let the games begin!!!! Mark put the first 2 points on the board and we were ahead the rest of the game. Usually by about 4 points, but that didn't stop them from working hard, anyone can come back from a 4 points deficit.


From the side-lines the rest of the team is so into the game. Besides the final two games, the referee was almost determined that ESADE wasn't going to make it through, HEC was playing in the same group, and before they could advance they had to beet ESADE, it didn't happen despite all that the ref called on our team. YEAH!


The Winning Team!!! 27/21 was the final score and everyone played so well, everyone contributed, and everyone CELEBRATED!


The Captain with his biggest fans!!!

Italy with Tricia's Parents

So we will begin our little adventure with Eve waiting patiently at the airport for her lovely Grandparents to come. Unfortunately, they came out a different exit then they were supposed to so they didn't see their little Eve.



OUr first stop was Florence: beautiful, old, and cold. I love the city, but am unlucky enough to go there only during extreme weather conditions. This is Piazza Croce.


We headed off to the Museum next. It was perfect, not so large that you couldn't see everything in a couple of hours. THe rules of the museums are, if you have a baby you don't have to wait in line. Eve saved us a good 2-3 hour wait. This ceiling in in the hallway of the museum and is the "Grotesque" style (or something like that). We actually were not allowed to take pictures, but got a few before they stopped us and told us the rules.





Eve enjoying her freedom as she walks and sings down the large corridors of the museum.


This is the Piazza de Rebublica (or something close to that)


We enjoyed every part of Florence. Great shopping, great food, great buildings.


It was freezing cold the entire time we were there.


View from the top of the Bell Tower. It is 414 steps to the top.

Happy Valentines Day

We have had a wonderful time with Mark now that he is not so busy with school. For Valentines we went to the beach and spent the late afternoon taking pictures of the beautiful scenery and cute Eve.






Eve loves the ocean, but even more, she loves to play with and eat the sand. We spent most of the time trying to keep it out of her mouth.






This final picture is of the sail boat we can only assume won the world race. Our earlier blogs have some of the photos taken before it started.

Andorra

A few days after the new year began we headed off to Andorra, a small beautiful country in between Spain and France. Some good friends of ours live their and played hosts to us, taking us around Andorra La Vella, Encamp, Escaldes, and some of the ski hills. The country really is only one or two valleys in the middle of the mountains and is known for its skiing, spas, and tax-free shopping.
Tricia spent the morning in Caldea, one of the spas, which has multiple mineral baths that are famous for their therapeutic effects. While she was being pampered, the rest of us headed up a mountain to another spa and ski hill, absolutely breathtaking. This is a jewel of a country that most North Americans never really visit.


Eve and Mark on one of the streets in Andorra La Vella (the main city in Andorra)


This is the view outside of the Muir's window (they were the friends we stayed with). How lucky they are to wake up to that every morning.


One of the interesting parts of the area are the many churches that are built with a Lombard Tower which were built in Romanesque times. This is a famous type of tower from England and their are over 40 of these very old churches in Andorra. (All the information I got from the Muirs)


We took a gondola up the ski hill and checked out the breathtaking view; unfortunately, there was no view due to the heavy but beautiful snow fall. It was freezing and we didn't bring any of our winter clothes to Spain. I didn't think I was going to see snow here.

Sagrada Familia

A Roman Catholic Temple, this building was started in 1882 and is still under construction. The building is in Barcelona and we waited until some family came before we went and found that it was amazing and interesting.


The inside is definitely under construction. It is full of scaffolding and plaster moulds. I found that the outside was more beautiful.


The dove is not part of the statue (just is case you were wondering).


The outside of the building is decorated with a variety of nativity scenes: Mary riding the donkey, Mary and Joseph with Jesus at the manger, Mary and Jesus when he is an older baby. We loved the outside.


This is my favorite picture. This is the main window and what I would guess will be the main entrance is just below.

When in Rome, do as the Romans...

On Canadian boxing day (26th of December) it was a holiday in Spain and so nothing was open for us to go shopping as would normally be the case if we were back in Canada. Instead, we headed to the airport to go and spend a few days in Rome.

Tricia was our tour guide and had an excellent schedule of things for us to do and to see. Our first stop was the Vatican museum, the home of the Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel. It took us a good 1.5 hours wating in line outside the wall to the Vatican city but we finally got into the musem. There were many interesting things to see, especially the statues and busts, some of which were from the first and second centuries (100-200 AD). There was one incredible bust of none other than Julius Caesar himself. Mark also really enjoyed the man who had the dozen children playing on him and playing with alligators as well.


Other sites that we visited also included the catacombes, Trevi Fountain, The Colisseum, Ancient Roman ruins, and of course the St. Peter's Basilica-this was incredibly large and the artwork also incredible.





Next we will be showing Mark's mom more sites from Barcelona and then off to Andorra for a few days. Stay tuned...

Merry Christmas from Barcelona..

Mark finished all of his exams in a week that was a marathon of exams, presentations and projects. To celebrate the end of the school term and the beginning of his Christmas hoidays, Mark and Tricia went to see a production of Handel's Messiah which was performed by an excellent choir and orchestra from the Czech Republic. The venue was the Basilicia Santa Maria del Mar, which is one of the oldest cathedrals still in its original existence. The basilica was incredible and built over 1000 years ago. It was in this same basilica that Christopher Columbus brought the first indian slaves back from the new world and there they were baptized christian.

Mark and Tricia also went to a FC Barcelona soccer game to celebrate their 3rd wedding anniversary. Barca lost 0-1 against Real Madrid.


Christmas was excellent! Mark's mom came to spend the holidays with us. We have started to do some of the tourist things around Barcelona but there was also much to prepare for Christmas. We went to a fantastic Christmas party at our church where everyone was supposed to bring a traditional dish from their country. There was Mexican food, Peruvian food, Spanish food, Salvadorean food, and Tricia's Canadian Chicken surprise-which was a big hit. Mark also made his debut as choir director for some special musical numbers.

Christmas eve we had a fondue. Meat/cheese and fruit/chocolate... it was all very delicious. We also went to see a special Christmas musical presentation at the Basilica where Tricia and I had gone to hear Handel's Messiah.

Christmas day we slept in, then opened up a ton of presents. Thank you to everyone for all of the wonderful things, especially all of the comforts of home that we cannot obtain here in Europe. Tricia was especially pleased to increase our DVD collection several fold.

Mark made waffles for breakfast and then we prepared for our Christmas dinner/lunch. We had several of the missionaries from our church over, as well as others who did not have families in town. We had a feast of sweet and savoury crepes. It was not a traditional meal but it was inexpensive and could feed alot of people.

We had a great Christmas and wish all of our friends and family the very best this season and that they may remember the most important things in life!