French nuptials

Hi All

I recently returned from France where I attended Delphine and Olivier's wedding. Delphine was a Rotary exchange student who lived with my family in the 90s.

The wedding was in Alsace, a wine growing area that borders Germany along the River Rhine. It is a fantastically beautiful region. Delphine and Olivier's families live in Sundhouse and Baldenheim, and the wedding was basically held in Schoenau.

The wedding was incredible. It was 5 days of eating incredible food and drinking amazing wine.

In France, any marriage will only be recognised if the couple has a civil ceremony. Delphine and Olivier were married by the town mayor, in their civil ceremony, before the bride and groom and all the wedding guests walked to a 14th century church for the religious ceremony.

After the church ceremony, the wedding party joined the mega-wedding party (all the village folk it seemed) for the "aperitif", which the general free for all coffee, nibbles, beer and champagne party for everyone. After that (yes, there was more) we had the reception, which went from 7ish to 6am.

Now that's what I call a wedding.

There were games and speeches and dancing. There was drinking and eating and cheering.

The following day, the wedding guests had the recovery party which included the most delicious coq au rheisling I have ever tasted. I even managed to sample some 1982 Bordeaux Medoc Cabernet, which was sublime.

During the next few days, there were parties, BBQs and dinners. Everyone was the perfect host. Thank you to Odiele, Beatrice, Pappi and Mammi for having me to stay. Many thanks to Jean Luis and Simona (Olivier's parents) for having me stay the first night I arrived. Thank you to Ramond and Arlette (Delphine's parents) for looking after me so well and getting me to the airport on time. A merci massif to Bruno and Evelyn for driving me from gay Paris to Alsace at 3am in the morning. And huge kiss and hug for Delphine and Olivier for inviting me to the wedding and taking me into their family. Last, but not least, thank you to all the family and friends, who treated me like one of their own.

I will slowly continue adding photos below.

Canoedling in Khor Kalba

Hi people

A couple of months ago I went canoeing with Dom and Pam (a couple of Norton Rose ruffians) in Khor Kalba, which is claimed to be the largest/oldest/hippest mangrove system in Arabia. It feeds from the Indian Ocean.

It is home to a very rare/almost extinct/endangered kingfisher.

So, with my cousin-to-kookaburra radar set to high, I paddled through the mangrove in search of the elusive little bugger. Everyone on the paddling expedition, except for me, spotted the avian rogue.

Need I tell you it was hot, damn hot. So hot indeed that I burned my bottom on the canoe seat upon re-entry from a river-bank sojourn. Why do they make black canoe seats and then attach them to canoes used in one of the hottest friggin country on earth?

Work drinks - May

We had works drinks at a partner's digs last month. It was a great party - finishing at 3am. I was not escorted from the premises. Nor was it sunny that night.


ahem


Anne-Marie, Tony, Anne and Steve


Angela, Mike and Rav


Tones


Lunno, Stocko, Tanners and Sammo


Yours truly, Stocko, Lunno, Sammo, Rav, Markos and Ant


Gratuitous kitchen scene


Markos and Lunno


Rav, Stocko and Sammo


Stockers and Tanners


Yasir, Noosa, Leeeece and Ant