February 2007 - Holidays Photos: Malaysia and Thailand

At the end of January we left for a month of holiday to Malaysia to visit Kae's family whom we have not seen for more than a year. We visited Cameron Highlands (photos above) with its tea estates and cooler climate (even after Ghana we found Kuala Lumpur very hot, in Accra at least there was the sea breeze). We also took Etienne to the Aquarium in KLCC and showed him the Twin Towers, swam regularly (Etienne had loads of water fights with cousins), went to cinema on our own (first time in three years), visited friends and family (and got introduced to kids we have not met since they were born and are now running around with Etienne, how time flies!).










We stayed till the beginning of Chinese New Year celebrations, welcoming in the year of the Piggy, very apt as we pigged out on seafood and thai indian malay chinese japanese cuisine etc, on top of special dishes only prepared during the New Year, yum yum! Etienne received his first 'angpows', red packets for children and singles filled with some money as a gift and a symbol/blessing of prosperity to come with the new year. He saw his first lion dance and hid behind us when he heard the red crackers and fireworks being set off.




We also gladly accepted babysitting offers from grandparents aunties cousins, and went on a 'babymoon' just the two of us to Thailand to the island of Phuket for three days two nights to celebrate valentine's (again first time in three years!) Malaysia has equally beautiful sand beaches and coral reefs but it was rainy season here whereas in Phuket it was dry season, so we were able to snorkel with coral fishes, follow stingrays and eels, look out for sharks and sea turtles and enjoy the sun setting into the Andaman Sea. It brought back fond memories of sunsets we dined in front of on the Pool Deck of the Anastasis... So, till the next update, blessings,

kae, julien and étienne and baby-in-tummy!

February 2007 - Holiday Photos: Christmas and New Year

We arrived safely back in Lyon, France from Accra, Ghana on 1st December. Julien went straight back to work the following Monday! We stayed with his parents until our tenant vacated our old flat as planned the Thursday before Christmas. So the month of December was a flurry of doctor's appointments (for the pregnancy and Etienne's obligatory checkups according to the french healthcare system); temporary unpacking and then repacking and moving back to our old flat and unpacking again; sorting through unbelievable piles of paperwork (tax, flat, social securities etc), cleaning, and then getting ready for the arrival of Julien's sister and family from Rouen, north of France for the holidays. The photos above are from Christmas, the ones below from the New Year lunch, with Julien's grandparents and granduncle in their 80s. Of course we enjoyed the food and wine and champagne (although the latter not for Kae yet for another six months urgghh :)!!) Etienne was overwhelmed by people toys and food but in a good way, he enjoyed the company of his cousins throughout and the four of them generated enough noise and mischief together for years of family stories to come.