Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th March

Photos of the Oxford-Cambridge boat race

I have had a busy week at work and on Saturday stayed at home preparing for a job interview I have on Monday and read a novel - it was divine. Josh went with friends from work to see the Cambridge/Oxford boat race, however, it was raining! Not so much fun - but he was pleased he had seen it. On Sunday we went to church then had dim sum at a floating restaurant just past where we live. It was a nice realaxing weekend.

Easter Weekend in Krakow, Poland.

Thursday 20th March 2008 Josh had the day off work today so he did the ironing and packing, which was nice for me for a change! After work, we all met up at midday and headed on the train for Gatwick airport. We flew with easy jet to Krakow, Poland, landing at 8pm. There were 12 of us in total: Me, Josh, Lou, Mike, Dave, Louise (Mike's friend), Paula (Mike's friend and Lou's new flatmate), Gerrard, Matt, Andy, Corny and Bronwyn (Dave's friends). After checking in at the hotel we went out and ate (a bit too little) and drank (a little too much) and stayed out till about 3 - 3.30am! The food and drink was really cheap, about £1 for a beer or class of wine! Good Friday This morning Josh and I stayed in bed and had a great sleep in, whilst the others went on a golf cart ride around the city - well worth missing I was told. We had a great lunch of McDonalds, then in the afternoon we went to the Salt Mine Wieliczka, it has been mined for 70 years and has developed into an extensive underground city. We walked 2km underground! It was quite tiring by the end. There were lots of little chambers and chapels with unique salt sculptures. We were dreading walking back up the stairs, but thankfully there was a lift! But for some people the stairs would have been a better option, the 'lift' was a tiny little cage that 6 people squashed into and we went up in total darkness! All the stairs we had to walk down! Some of us on the tour, after we had climbed down the stars. From left to right: Gerrard, Andy, Paula, Me, Mike

Salt build-up on the walls - looks like ice! Underground Chapel in the mines, they even have weddings there! Chapel of St Kinga: Salt lake in the mine - denser than the red sea! The 'Cage' or lift! In the evening we went out for dinner and had a few drinks, before coming home about 11pm, as we all wanted to to get an early night for Auschwitz as we are leaving tomorrow at 9am.

Saturday Today we all hired private coaches and headed out to Auschwitz and Birkenau where a tour guide took us around the camps. Auschwitz started in the 1940's as a concentration camp for polish political prisoners, in 1942 it became the centre for extermination of European Jews. The Nazis killed about 1.5 million people there, mainly Jews, as well as Poles, Gypsies and Russion POW's. We walked through a gas chamber, saw the old barrics, saw where the doctors did medical experiements, mainly steralization! It was quite horrific! Before the people were burnt their hair was removed. We walked into a room, filled with the hair from the dead people, and rooms filled with their shoes and suitcases (with names on)! Quite an experience. We weren't allowed to take photos inside. After a 2 hour tour at Auschwitz we looked around Birkenau - it was the largest Nazi conentration camp. The train tracks in the photo are significant; as people got taken off the train a doctor would spend 2 seconds looking at them before sending them down the 'Road to Heaven' - to the gas chamber or down the other road -to work! By the end of the tour I felt like being sent to the gas chamber, was the better of the two options. Most women and children were sent to the gas chambers and only fit able bodied men over the age of 16 were kept to work. Most people who were sent to work, last only a few months before dying, mainly of malnutrition/starvation!

Slogan above the gate: 'Work Will Set You Free'!

The firing wall Gas chamber and crematoriam that we walked through Memorial at Birkenau

Ruins of the changing blocks that lead into the gas chambers Ruins of the gas chambers Views of Birkenau from the tower Josh is eating his easter egg - all at once! We finished the tour of the concentration camps and arrived home about 3.30pm and had an afternoon nap. In the evening, we headed out for dinner, and had another great time, eating,drinking and talking. Josh and I called it quits at 1am as I was tired, but the others stayed out into the small hours of the morning.

Easter Sunday Today was Easter Sunday so most shops and attractions were closed. We didn't go to church since they were in Polish. This moring only a few of us went touring around some of the sights in Krakow, including the Jewish quarter. In the afternoon we all met up and went on a horse and carriage ride around the streets. This evening was very quiet, some of us went to dinner, whist others returned to bed!

Photo from the Jewish quarter, this was in the movie: Shawshank Redemption.

Only remains of the old Town Hall. The next two photos are of the outside wall of the old town, which contains the main square.

Josh, Bronwyn, Andy

Behind me is the main square In the morning, the walk around the river. Josh enjoyed this sight the best! The horse and carriage rides, we went on two different ones, so everybody could get a ride - as you can see from their faces the guys were very impressed! Dave, Andy, Lou

Easter Monday Today we went for a tour around the castle and had lunch in the town before catching an 8pm flight come, arriving back in Gatwick at 10pm. It was a late night by the time we got home but another excellent trip and once again thanks to Mike for his excellent travel arrangements.

The plane ride home.

Back to front: Gerrard, Lou, Paula, Mike, Louise, Bronwyn Inside the castle courtyard The castle

I will put some more photo's up from other people when I get them! ,

Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th March

We had a quiet weekend, and went to see 'Accidental Husband' at the movies on Friday. On Saturday we had a champagne breakfast, an afternoon nap and finished washing the last of the Desperate Housewives episodes, as the new season starts next week. There was a parade for St Patricks day, but it was raining, so after Josh cooked me breakfast in bed, we went to church and Josh cooked a great beef roast for dinner, which we ate again tonight (monday), I also ate it for lunch today, and we will eat again tomorrow (tuesday). Good thing - it tasted good! My favourite was the butternut squash - so good! A short week at work this week, as we are off to Krakow in Poland on Thursday afternoon.

Granddad's 80th Birthday in Bury St Edmund

This week, I (Sarah) have been sick all week with the flu and off work. But on Friday we headed down the Suffolk on the train to visit with Grandad and Irene and celebrate his 80th Birthday. We only just arrived in time for our 6.30am train and were with them by 8.30 Friday morning, just in time for some great bacon and egg rolls. A surprise birthday cake to begin the celebrations. After the candles were blown out, we enjoyed piece of cake whilst Grandad opened his gifts! The gift from Josh's parents. Grandad also had chocolates from Ben,a Welsh rugby jersey from us and whole lot of other e-mails, cards and vouchers that we made him open and we displayed on the mantle piece. Along with a trip to Switzerland and Scotland to see some of Irene's family whilst he is over here. After lunch we went to a little town called Lavenham, with these beautiful old buildings, and had a beer at 'The Swan', an old RAF pub from the 14th century.

Rickey the black Lab - he looks just like Benson! In the afternoon, we took Rickey for a walk on the farm, there is a big duck pond, that we took him to and of course he went in! When we went for a walk Grandad and Josh stayed and sat in the bird watching hut you can see in the background of the photo and shut the door, hoping that we wouldn't notice they hadn't joined us on the walk!

In the evening we went out for dinner to the local pub - really nice food, most of us enjoyed a steak.

Enjoying the birthday whiskey after dinner - well Josh and Grandad were anyway!

On Saturday, we had a nice relaxing day, we began the day by talking a walk around the abbey gardens and market at Bury St Edmund. Then spent the afternoon watching sport! On Saturday afternoon we watched Wales beat Ireland in the rugby - Granddad's wearing his new jumper in support! We then watched Scotland beat England - which Irene was more than happy about (she's a Scottish supporter). The Men, catching up on the weeekend news on Sunday morning. In the afternoon we had some guests round and a lovely roast lunch that Irene cooked. We headed back on the train about 7pm, having enjoyed a lovely relaxing weekend.