Dear Friends:
Winter has arrived in Adelaide. Desparate for the warm sunshine we took off to Europe on June 16th and arrived in Frankfurt
only to find that it was even colder there! It was 12 degrees. What happened to the summer?
We picked up our rentacar in Frankfurt airport and first drove to Stuttgart to Jorg's parents.
We spent one day there and then drove on to Colmar and then to Lautenbach Zelle where the Art Expo was to be held.
It was in the home of artist Roland and Sylvie Issenlor.
Their large garden was decked with all kinds of sculptures and all little sheds and walls were filled with paintings.
Columbian Artist and my good friend, Hector Toro's surrealistic and erotic paintings on display.
Roland Issenlor's marvelous Art Expo.
The opening was on June 19. It was raining from the morning but at 2:00pm it stopped and the sun came out.
The opening of the event was at 3:00 and my dance was at 4:00pm. It did not rain.
I danced to the music of Mito Loeffler, Jazz Manouche, music from that region. It was wonderful. I had fun. (Shakti dancing)
This Art Expo is on till August 23. If you have time, do go. It is definitely worth it. Be sure to call for times.
And Jorg & I had a most brilliant dinner at a lovely little restaurant, Brezla. Delicious!
Then we went to Bonn where we had a lovely 2 days with Helmut and Helga Kraus.
And the we went to Cologne where we climbed the Dome to the top and then stayed with Jorg's old friend, Wilhelm.
After Cologne we headed for Durnstein, Austria. This was my first visit to Austria and I was very excited.
Austria was as pitoresque as can be. Durnstein was as splendid and pretty as can be.
The Danube was flowing and was blue and elegant swans with their little babies were swimming.
Vienna came next but I found it like any other big city, full of Prada, Gucci and Chanel.
I think the little towns are far more interesting.
We went to Poppenhausen and saw Jorg's first glider in the Wasserkuppe Museum there.
We went to Grossglockner Pass and saw the glacier which is slowly receding, most proabably due to global warming.
And there were lots of marmots, cute furry plump creatures looking like a crossbreed between a mole and a squirrel.
It was just before the holiday season so the hotels and roads were still empty.
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| Proud Jorg and his glider |
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| Little marmott poking his head out. |
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Then we went to Switzerland to stay with Bruno and Rita for 2 days and had a lovely time there.
I was able to see Rita's new paintings that she had been working on and we heard about Bruno's work with the Solar Impulse.
Then it was to Biel to see another interesting plane. I had a great flight.
The plane was small and agile and it twirled on its wing like a ballerina. I loved it.
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| The Storch - the only Australian operated plane in Switzerland. |
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Next morning we saw the Taurus, a glider, and then headed back to Stuttgart.
But before that we stopped by at Payerne to see the most exotic airplane of them all, the Solar Impulse,
the worlds first prototype plane run only on solar energy. It was impressive.
Now we are back in Stuttgart and preparing for Avignon. We start next week.
So far everything seems to be running smoothly. The Iranians finally got their visas, after a lot of trouble.
The Russians are coming. 25 of them. The Garage International will be like the United Nations.
Companies from Japan, Italy, India, Russia, Iran, UK, and USA are going to be all there.
I am certain that we have the best programme in the whole festival!
A bientot mes amis.
