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At Home, Melbourne, Australia - 3rd November 2013
By: apartmentcat
Hi Mum!
Yesterday a new friend arrived in Australia.
Who can it be?
It's a cute bear called Columbus! He's travelled a long way to be here.
Hello Columbus!
To celebrate the arrival of Columbus, we did some baking. We made the Babka from Host Sister's cooking magazine.
I think the Babka and things like it are found in many cultures. It is filled with dried fruit and a rum syrup is poured over the top. Here I am mixing the flour and the eggs together.
Now the dough is all mixed together and kneaded. Next we need to wait a while so the dough can rise.
Next Host Sister rolled the dough out into a biiiig rectangle. It's so big, maybe we can play football on it!
Then we sprinkled the filling over the dough. There are dried apricots, which had been soaked in schnapps for a few hours to make them plump, and some chocolate. Unfortunately in this picture, to me it looks like tomatoes and bits of meat, perhaps chopped roast beef! Am I making a pizza??!
Host Sister then rolled the whole thing up into a big log. Smile, everyone!
We cut the log up into slices and arranged them in a greased baking tin.
After baking, it doesn't really look like the photo in the magazine, but I'm still going to taste it!
While the Babka was cooking, Host Sister made a syrup from cherry brandy and sugar. We poured it over the top of the babka buns.
It was delicious.
Bye Mum!
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Posted Nov 5, 2013, 12:30 am
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Melbourne, Australia - 8th November 2013
By: apartmentcat
Hi Mum!
Today I went to work with Host Sister. Unfortunately the weather wasn't very nice, but we went to see some sights in the City at lunch time anyway. We went to see the "Top End" of the city.
Right at the top end of Collins Street is the Old Treasury Building. It was built in 1862 during the Gold Rush times. Miners were digging up so much gold, and the Government earning so much tax from them, that they needed somewhere special to keep all the gold. Of course, they didn't call it the "Old Treasury" then, just the "Treasury"! After the treasury was moved to a new building, it became a museum. Part of it is also the Marriage Registry. Every day there are always lots of couples and family having their photos taken on the steps.
Host Sister says this is where she got married!
Here we're looking down Collins Street from the Top End. This is also called the "Paris End" of Collins Street, because of the leafy trees and all the international designer stores here (Armani, Gucci, etc.).
The centre of Melbourne was built on a grid one mile long and half a mile wide. It slopes from the Government buildings at the top of the hill down to Docklands on the bay. The top end of the city is considered to be the most beautiful. All the old buildings from Gold Rush times are here, most of the theatres and many parks.
Watch out for the trams!
Next door is the Treasury Gardens. It's a small park, but it's one of the most beautiful in Melbourne. Next to it there are more government buildings. The leader of Victoria (the Premier) has his offices in the closest one.
It's about to rain, time to go back to work!
Bye for now!
Love, Anton xx
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Posted Nov 14, 2013, 10:24 am
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At Home, Melbourne, Australia - 14th November 2013
By: apartmentcat
Hello!
Today was the birthday of Columbus bear, so we had a party with cake and lollies!
We had a lovely time and the cupcake was really yummy.
Happy Birthday Columbus!
xx
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Posted Nov 19, 2013, 9:50 am
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At Home, Melbourne, Australia - 24th December 2013
By: apartmentcat
Hi Mum!
It's the night before Christmas and we're having a Christmas Eve dinner. But first we're going to open some of the presents!
For dinner we had roasted vegetables and meats, it was yummy.
Then for dessert we had trifle, a Yule log lamington, and some apricots from Host Sister's tree.
Merry Christmas!
Love from Anton
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Posted Dec 26, 2013, 10:15 pm
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Melbourne, Australia - 21st February 2014
By: apartmentcat
Hi Mum!
Today we said goodbye to Sally Seal. She is travelling to a new host in California.
We all gave her a big hug before she climbed into her bag.
Bye Sally!
Love,
Anton
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Posted Feb 26, 2014, 8:32 am
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Melbourne, Australia - 5th March 2014
By: apartmentcat
Hi Mum!
Today we said goodbye to Lotta. She is travelling to Canada.
She had a lovely time here and we wish her well.
Talk to you soon,
Love,
Anton
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Posted Mar 10, 2014, 9:43 am
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