Bye bye baby

Our time in Berlin has finally come to an end.

It's been such an amazing experience. The city is so full of culture and identity that is both centuries old and so recent. It's easy to feel like you're everyone's best friend and no one at all!

We've been to many interesting galleries in which drugs, nudity, sex and harsh images are pretty common, yet all have been interesting in their own right. Be it the art, content or theme.

On Friday we had BLUE SKIES and yes you guessed it - SUN! It reminded me of home having those clear, fresh winter days. It's amazing that I don't realise how much I miss a good dose of vitamin D until it shines through the skeletal trees.

We've met countless Aussies and even went to 'Melbourne Canteen' - a truly Aussie cafe - on Australia Day where we sang along with a guy who was taking 'Australian Pub Requests' as he called them. Stellar!

Now after the partying, the art, the graffiti, the weird, the wonderful and by golly the falafel, we head to Amsterdam where we will all discover a new city together. Even though we will only be there briefly I am excited to absorb a new city and culture, and to share this experience with the girls.

Each day I get more excited to head 'home' to Groningen and set up my own new life. I can't wait to start playing again, to find the nice coffee shops and set up my own routine!

Love to all at home and over the world.
Lx

The Wall

Nina, Lizzy and Rani at the Berlin Wall.

Such a profound experience being so close and simultaneously so distant from the agonising history.

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes

Berlin.
"Surreal but nice"
Berlin is so large and distant I feel like I could be in almost any city in the world as I take cover from the elements cafe, bar and gallery at a time, it seems though that it's this bizarre feeling that makes it so distinctly Berlin.
It has been so nice to catch up with friends over here. Lizzy, Rani, Nina and I have met up with a crew of people from Perth, which would of course happen when you travel to the other side of the world . . .
We've been exploring the nightlife which exists between the cracks of the harsh exterior. There is graffiti covering large buildings everywhere which runs a fine line between graffiti and street art. The trains are decked out with 'wooden look' linoleum and the streets are busy yet empty at the same time.
The weather has been brutal with average temperatures of -6 Celsius but beautiful waking up to fresh snow each morning and catching snowflakes in our eyelashes as we shuffle down the streets - I finally understand why in all the films people are bundled up and stride across roads without even looking up.
Hostel life is wonderful and horrifying at the same time; there are always interesting people hanging around, up for a chat, game of pool and some fun, yet there are also other people that snore horrendously throughout the night and make the dorm room smelt and stuffy.

We are currently relaxing in the apartment of some friends, eating cheese and cold meat, and drinking red wine whilst listening to Fleetwood Mac and having our teenage European experience.

Today we have cultured ourselves and been to some galleries in Mitte. One of them was one of the most confronting but amazing experiences of my life. It was based on a 'one at a time' concept with a series of white rooms that various artists filled with whatever they liked, and for the most part, not very much at all! It ranged from a single fridge, to dead bodies, to two concert pianists - a truly indescribable variety of sensations.

It's so nice to yet again be surrounded by beautiful loving people that have been to the city before and can show me around, helping me to gradually open up the pages of Berlin.

Lots of cold snowy love to all.
Lx


My beautiful travel companions
Snow covered park in Berlin
First day walking through Berlin
Amazing street art
Winter beauty

Family time

Had such a beautiful time with my family and my first real experience snow in Chesterfield. It was so nice to be with family and the likeness in personality, mannerisms and of course looks made my heart pang for my family at home.

Chelsea

Beautiful light crossing the bridge for birthday celebrations at Aunty Rachie's with my surrogate family.
16th Jan

National Portrait Gallery

The most amazing portrait, I was convinced it was photograph!

My first day of. . .

SNOW!

The most exciting day ever - the first time I've ever seen snow!

This morning I opened the curtains up on the fourth floor of Blake to see the beautiful white dust of snow sitting on top of the plants, roofs and cars. It only sprinkled throughout the rest of the day but was perfect nonetheless.

We decided to 'broaden our horizons' further and made a trip to the National Portrait Gallery which was absolutely beautiful and had such a range of works from the 1400s through to a Marilyn Monroe exhibition.

I am excited for a trip to the Saatchi gallery and Kings Road tomorrow and of course, more snow!

Love to all

Lx

London sights

Beautiful and more beautifuls

London

On my last day in Groningen I visited the conservatorium which was amazing. They have class ratios of 5 students to 1 tutor and I will be having lessons from 2 different teachers a week. I can't wait for the intense tuition and the place is small but fantastic, I am so looking forward to beginning student life!

After having a stopover in Den Haag with our beautiful friends the Crabtrees, who gave me a brief but fantastic tour of Lieden and Den Haag, and were so loving and helpful to me, I headed off on the Eurostar to London Town.

I've been staying with Nina and her family at her grandfather Cook's place in Fulham. Blake Gardens is the most beautiful house. A narrow terrace with 4 stories, Blake is full of old pieces of art, antlers, books, silver and every other thing that belongs in a British house.

Nina and I have had the most surreal experience in London. On our first evening Pandi, Nina and I met up with a friend at an exclusive club in SoHo and had earl grey cocktails and peered into a different world. Last night courtesy, of Nina's uncle, we spent some time at Shoreditch house, continuing to live the highlife! In between, we've shopped, been to Notting Hill, spent time with Nina's beautiful family in London and are now eagerly awaiting tonight's snow!

This week we are going to be educated and go to galleries with brief shopping breaks in between of course.

I am super excited for my first experience of snow and more fun in London before we head off to even colder Berlin!

Love to everyone back home

Lx

Nina and I outside Parliament

Fact:

1. I still have no idea which way to look when crossing the road
2. Thermal pants really do make a big difference
3. Just because it's dark, doesn't mean you should sleep
4. The police/ambulance sirens sound 'mi do mi soh' like an out of tune alberti bass
5. Chocolate coated rice cakes are my new favourite food
6. I feel so blessed to have my friends and family at home sharing my excitement and encouraging me on my adventure!

This is the view from the path outside my accommodation that runs along one of the many canals.
On my side is a row of round, art deco apartments whilst the other side (pictured here) has cobblestone streets with beautiful terraces. When you walk past the terraces at night (5pm!) everyone still has their blinds up so you can see into their houses and get these wonderful little snippets of peoples lives.

Lx

My date with Groningen

After 24 hours of travel, I have arrived safe and sound in Groningen. I left from Schiphol airport at 7am and it wasn't until we were arriving at Gronigen 2 hours later that the landscape turned a dusky blue and things started to light up . . . A little.
Today I have been getting lost (literally) in Gronigen. After 5 minutes of walking I was kicking myself for not wearing thermal pants under my jeans - lesson learnt - however the city, although cold, foggy and drizzly, is beautiful. Black tree branches poke through the grey like dark skeletons, and the canals are home to ships, homes, James Bond and geese (which I am now very afraid of). The streets are a mixture of old and new, with cars and cyclists weaving around everywhere. I simply cannot comprehend the system, or whether anyone will stop for me at the zebra crossing!
Over the next few days I prepare my accommodation, have some administrative appointments and then leave almost as quickly as I have come, for now.
I look forward to settling properly here and finding out where to get a good coffee, buy dinner, get fresh fruit, however for now I am a bumbling tourist using the wifi at 'Coffee Company'

Lx

I stand over tides of ocean

Safely seen off by mum, dad and josh, and flying high in the sky I couldn't help but be reminded of a snippet from a song I sang with Voyces earlier this year.

I stand over tides of ocean, an eager grace at my feet. The rhythm of speed surrounds me, and my heart throbs with its beat.

Lx