Over many years we have made a lot of friends as a result of our exchanges and through our connections with exchange teachers and language assistants. We have had the opportunities to show our guests some of the great parts of South Australia. Many have extended invitations for us to visit them, should we be in their part of the world, so that they can show us something of their regions and ways of life. So here we go, reconnecting with some of our friends.
The years shown at the foot of each blog have been changed because it is the only way I could find to put them in order, earliest to latest
Reconnecting
Sunday, June 26
Wednesday, July 5
Dresden, Germany



Saturday, July 9
Limburg, Germany



The next day we explored more of the Rhine Valley including a boat cruise, visiting villages such as Rudesheim, and viewing some of the many vineyards, castles and forts along the river valley. The river was very busy with local tour boats, large river cruisers as we see so often advertised, and barges carrying all manner of goods. Another great day.

Photos are of the Dom (Cathedral) and old houses, Limburg, us framed with Diana, cemetry plots, view over Rudesheim, and a Rhine Valley castle.
Monday, July 12
Berlin, Germany

During our first evening we did a bit of sightseeing around the local area and beyond. We stopped for dinner in a trendy area (lots of these) and then headed for to a lookout point in a park not too far away. Being fairly well North (Latitude about 52 degrees), the evenings were very long and with very nice weather, time outside was very pleasant.


Most of the wall has been removed, but there are plenty of reminders in the form of displays, and even markers along roads, showing where it was. A lot of the buildings have been restored or replaced, though there is still quite a deal of construction occurring in this central Berlin area.
Although our time here was very short, Berlin made quite an impression on us. We found it to be a very diverse, modern, busy and energetic city, well loved by all those that we spoke to who lived there, and we could see why.
Photos are of our walking tour group near the Berlin Dom, part of the vast Jewish Memorial, Berlin Wall, Brandenburg gates and a street location where we ate.


Tuesday, July 14
New Jersey & New York, America
After an early rise in Berlin, we flew West for some 9 hours, only to arrive 2 hours later (local time) in New Jersey. We were greeted by John (Volunteer teacher, China 2008) and his wife Grace. While we took things pretty easy during the afternoon, in the evening we attended a block party (local street get-together). We did retire quite early though, after all we had been awake some 19 hours.
Next day, into New York we headed. Being a very hot, and somewhat humid, day we took advantage of the cool buildings and moved along the shaded side of streets. With so many tall buildings this wasn’t too difficult. We went to the observation deck of the Empire State building to take in the relatively uninterrupted views around Manhattan and beyond, but visibility was somewhat restricted by the haze caused by the humidity. We took a taxi, you know, one of those off yellow vehicles so familiar to anyone who watches TV, to the site where the Twin Towers once stood. It was great to see such a lot of building activity there.
After this we wandered around Wall Street then onto the Staten Island ferry to take in a fairly close view of the Statue of Liberty, then onto Washington Square and Greenwich Village for a nice cool drink in one of the trendy shops of the area. On the way back to the train we stopped at one of the outside community courts where many locals play their basketball and hand tennis. We spent time talking to one of the really interesting locals. I mean this in a nice sense. I must say, we have been very pleasantly surprised by the politeness, helpfulness and friendliness of the people we have come into contact with here in America.
On Tuesday we took a rest day. Kaye and Grace went to look at the local shops etc while I relaxed, photographing the many birds, squirrels and chipmunks that visit the shaded gardens.
Thursday, July 18
New York and New Jersey Part 2
Next day we headed off to explore some of the state of New Jersey. John and Grace took us west through the pretty countryside, arriving in a small town of New Hope, just across a river into Pennsylvania. With a good range of shops selling local arts to look in, and a nice river front restaurant,(photo with John and Grace) we had plenty to do. From here we headed north, then back home. Despite being the most heavily, or is that most densely, populated state, there were still plenty of scenic open spaces, forests and farmlands to see.
Friday was another opportunity to rest up, but in the evening we headed off to The Bronx for a baseball game; the NY Mets versus the Philadelphia Fillies. The stadium held about 40,000, and with it being more compact than our ovals, the constant noise from the loud audio system giving information, entertainment and encouraging crowd participation, the endless peddlers of sodas, bagels, beers etc up, and down the isles, and finally some fireworks, it was quite an experience. The game itself wasn’t too exciting, and we didn’t catch a foul ball, but what the heck, we enjoyed ourselves. Another late night.
After a good night’s sleep it was time to repack our bags, relaxed around and get ready for our relatively short flight into Ottawa.
Photos of us with John and Grace on New Hope, NY skyline, Central Park, baseball, Kaye in Trump Tower with milkshake and NY bag.
Friday, July 20
Ottawa, Canada
Ottawa is in Ontario, is the capital of Canada, and is situated on a river of the same name, which is the border with the neighbouring province of Quebec. During our time here we walked around the city, visiting such places as Parliament House, the Governor General’s residence and the wonderful Museum of Civilisation. We also drove into the hills in Quebec to get a view from a lookoff (lookout) over the surrounding districts.
You may have heard that Ottawa had a severe thunderstorm pass through while we were there, blowing over the stage at a musical festival. We were a bit away from the main area and didn't notice it too much.
Photos are of our plane, lookoff in Quebec, the Parliamentary Library, Pizza with Bernadine and the owner of the famous and much awarded Pasticceria Gelateria Italian (Pizza/pastries/ gelato/ coffee shop), Parliament House, the Parliament library and a scene in the museum.
Monday, July 24
Toronto, Canada
Our trip to Toronto was on a comfortable, but not so fast, train which arrived right during the rush hour. Because of this it was easiest for us to catch a taxi for the short trip to the flat where we were met by Alex (exchange Teacher, 2008)
Over the last week or so, the eastern half of the North American continent has been having heatwaves, and Toronto was no exception. We were there for the hottest day on record, 38 degrees, but with the humidex value being 48 degrees. (calculated using temperature and humidity). Naturally this dictated our activities, so mostly we did inside things during the day, then out in the evenings.
We toured to the top observation deck, some 446m up, of the CN tower (total height 553m) for a great view over the city, looked through the Royal Ontario Museum, visited the St Lawrence markets (somewhat similar to our own Central Market), and cruised around the city and suburbs. Here we called into the Casa Loma, a hundred year old castle built in more traditional castle style. Of course we had coffees, ice creams and good meals at a variety of places. The shopping malls were also cool places to walk through as we moved from one location to another.
Photos are of the CN Tower and a view from it, the Museum building, our transport, lunch area at the Distillery, (a quaint boutique shopping area), and Alex and Kaye outside the Casa Loma.
Thursday, July 28
St Catharines, Canada

We tasted wines, icecreams, coffees and some of the fresh produce so abundant there at this time of the year. We walked around Niagara on the Lake, one of the prettiest towns that you are ever likely to come across and ate at Canada’s oldest golf course, overlooking Lake Ontario and across the Niagara River to Old Fort Niagara in the USA.
Of course we went to the Niagara Falls, this time using an Adventure pass which allowed us to travel on the Maid of the Mist, go behind the falls, walk down the Niagara Gorge where there are class 6 rapids, but declined the chance to go over the falls in a barrel.
Sunday, August 2
Caledonia, Canada
Wednesday, August 6
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
As you would appreciate, we lived in Edmonton for a year, so our plan was not to set out to see all the sights but more about reconnecting with friends. It has already been a great few days and it has been really exciting just getting about and seeing the things that are so familiar to us.
July had been an unusually wet month so all the gardens and parks are looking very healthy and green. We have, been on quite a few walks, both of us have done circuits at the gym, and I have even been out and about on a bike. It has helped that most of the time it has been sunny, but not too hot and humid.
Jim and Sheila (friends from the gym, 2004) have a very nice house in a picturesque suburb near where we lived, and have kindly been taking us around as we continue to reconnect. Today (Saturday) the gym group had a lunch get-together here so it was a great opportunity for us to see many of the people we were friends with here in 2004.
Last Thursday morning we went to West Edmonton Mall to meet up with Dorothy (Exchange Teacher, 2002) who had driven up from Pincher Creek especially to see us (about 500km). We sat for lunch then coffee etc until well into the afternoon. Tomorrow we are out to lunch with Doris (neighbour 2004), so we are gradually reconnecting.


Pictures are of us with Jim and Sheila outside their house, across the River Valley, and the wave pool inside West Edmonton Mall.
To be continued.....
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