gabriella & jd (and alex! and vincent!)

June 10 was our last Sunday Funday, we had a picnic in St. Germain-en-Laye.  Unfortunately it was gray and cool, but we had a nice time anyway.  Then JD made some macarons.  Mmmm. pictures more pictures

Day 1 Arriving Budapest.  Hot, beautiful day. Walking around Vaci utca shopping district.  Drinks and snacks at Gerbeaud Cafe.  Back to hotel to check in and rest.  Metro to Kati's to visit with her family.  Dinner at Dunacorso, one of Bela's favorite restaurants. small camera large camera Day 2 Another hot, gorgeous day. We walked a bit, down to O utca to see if we could find Grandmother's old apartment.  Then we walked down Andrassy utca before taking the old metro to Hosok Tere with the monuments of all the Hungarian Kings.  We walked a bit into the park to see the statue of "Anonymous".  Then we ate a delicious meal at Robinson restaurant on the lake in the park. It was too hot to go to the zoo, so we went back to the hotel to rest before heading out for drinks and dinner along the Danube. small camera large camera Day 3 Bela's interment ceremony at Budapest Újköztemető, the large cemetery.  Kati planned a lovely ceremony w...

Bela Andrew Banyasz  November 26, 1928 - January 27, 2011 The pictures of Bela's interment ceremony at Budapest Újköztemető, taken by Bela's good friend Lazlo (Laci) Schaffer, a professional photographer.  Bela's ashes are buried with his mother and Aunt Rose, per his wishes. pictures JD's pictures from Bela's interment ceremony

Just a few pictures from our trip to Budapest. We're here mainly to inter the ashes of Gabriella's dad, but we're spending some time to enjoy the city as well. pictures from the first 2 days pictures from second night JD's pictures from Bela's interment (more  from his friend Schaffer )

We finally gave Vincent his birthday tart which he had difficulty pulling apart, but enjoyed eating! pictures some more tart pictures

Vincent enjoyed opening his birthday cards and licking and chewing on them.  He had a good day, including a very nice birthday meal at Cornelius, our favorite French restaurant.  We had the asparagus flan and côte de boeuf, more than enough food for the entire family.  We were so full we didn't get to his pear tart yet! birthday pictures more pictures pictures from the week food, flower, and Paris pictures

We've had a few warm days to enjoy the park.  It was 80 degrees on Saturday, hence Vincent was sporting his cool new top from Z and GG.  Then it turned gray and cool.  Ah, Paris. Vincent likes to crawl around on the grass in the park. Vincent has started to say Alex - he says "Ah - ixe", and Vincent - "ince".  He can also pull himself up to a standing position in the crib.  Watch out!  He had his 1 year check-up and weighs 23 lbs. and is 31" tall - right on target with what Alex and JD were, except that JD weighed slightly more. pictures

We're in Copenhagen for a quick vacation.  What a fabulous city!  The weather has been great too.  Copenhagen is as you would expect - cool architecture, gardens, great food, and very nice people.  We had no idea the oldest amusement park in Europe was a few blocks away from our hotel - supposedly Walt Disney was inspired by Tivoli Gardens.  We've also met up with a friend of JD's, Casper, who has taken us to some great places to eat and a hip new area in the meatpacking district. Day 1 Arriving Tivoli Hotel, Sky Bar, meeting JD's friend Casper, walking through hip new area "the meatpacking district" to dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant Le Le Nha Hang. large camera small camera Day 2 Walking all over Copenhagen - shopping district, Nyhavn (the harbor), waterfront, Amalienborg Palace (the Queen was in residence so the guards were there), bus tour, dinner at Sticks 'n Sushi, top floor of our hotel. large camera small camera Day 3 Tivoli Garden...

Finally the warm has arrived!  We can't complain with high 70's, especially since there is no AC over here (last night was a bit warm). And Vincent loves his food - pastrami (pikel), asparagus (only a few choking incidents), and basically anything you put in front of him. Oh, and then there was some bread baking by JD with his Cordon Bleu knowledge. Yum. We have been spending lots of time in the park, and Vincent loves it (so does Alex).  Vincent's new tricks include standing up (holding onto something of course) and shaking his head "no no no".  And calling for Alex.  Vincent calls him "Ah". my pictures from the zoo lots of park and other stuff

Classe 11, ecole maternelle Jean-Jaures click on picture for large version

Finally, some sun on a Saturday!  We took the Batobus (bus boat) up the Seine to the Jardins des Plantes and went to the zoo with our friends Alex, Rebeccca, Abigail and Toby. pictures

Some nice days in the park, but mostly May has been cool, windy, chilly, and rainy.  Vincent's new tricks include clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, and holding his arms up in the air.  See Alex ride a bike in the park! pictures

Vincent's teeth We've been trying to get a picture of Vincent's teeth and managed to get a few. pictures

Collioure, France We left Carcassonne and headed for Argelès-sur-Mer, via a very winding, scenic route.  We stopped in Perpignan for lunch, a French city in Catalonia.  We checked into our hotel in Argelès-sur-Mer, which in the summer is a thriving beach town à la Ocean City or Rehoboth, except it's on the Mediterranean and at the base of the Pyranees.  For dinner we headed to Collioure, a small harbor town on Mediterranean that everyone said we must see. On Sunday we decided to drive into Spain and JD found this great town to visit, Girona, an hour away.  The minute we entered Spain it was sunny and nice for the first time in weeks!  Girona was fabulous with an old, walled city and narrow streets, where we enjoyed a delicious leisurely meal outside before we dragged ourselves back to France. On Monday it was a drive back to Toulouse for the flight home. To Perpignan, Argelès-sur-Mer, and Collioure, France.      small camera ...

Carcassonne, France We just returned from five days in the Southwest of France, the Languedoc-Roussillon region.  We flew to Toulouse and toured the Airbus factory where they manufacture the A380s.  No cameras allowed inside the tour!  Then we drove to Carcassone, a medieval walled city, where we stayed two nights.  Unfortunately the weather was gray and rainy, but we managed to have a good time and many fabulous meals. Toulouse Airbus factory arriving Carcassonne Carcassonne more pictures - big camera more to come - Perpignan, Argelès-sur-Mer, Collioure Girona, Spain

Some presents and cake! pictures Vincent and Alex We tried to get some shots of Vincent's teeth - there are a few, but also up his nose, sorry. more pictures

Alex's big birthday present this year is a visit to Old Trafford to see a Manchester United game. We're staying with our friends the Drasdos. Alex is enjoying being with the boys, Callum and Tiernan, and hasn't stopped playing football since we got here, which included a kick about on the forecourt under the watchful eyes of Sir Matt. Cal and Tiernan both agree Alex's no-nonsense defending (pictured above) reminds them of former United captain Roy Keane. Pictures from day 1 a few more pictures from JD's Blackberry

Some nice days in the park, a pirate costume for Alex, and more teething for Vincent.  His #3,4,5 and 6 teeth are pushing through, ouch. Random pics plus Saturday in the Park more pictures

Vincent is beginning to crawl, really drag himself, across the floor.  Also, his third tooth is starting to come through, top right.  Oh, and he had his first bath with Alex and enjoyed it, especially chewing on the bath toys. Here are the rest of the pictures from Kathleen & Marek's visit, Passover, and starting to crawl. pictures

It's hard to believe but (a) Passover is here again - our fourth in Paris, and (b) this will be the first year that we are having our very own Seders. Tonight it was just the four of us. With no seder plate we had to get creative, which Alex helped with. Vincent liked the parsley. Tomorrow our friends the Veitchs (Veitch, pronounced like screech) will come over. They have a daughter, Abigail, who is Alex's age and a younger son, Toby. Shame he's a Man city fan. :) Click here for pictures.