Blog, one year on

Dear readers, this blog is now one year old. Thanks for those that have stuck with it and are regular readers and/or corresponders - hopefully our rambling postings interspersed with snapshots of Audrey have brightened the odd day or two.

Over the last year, we've had over 3,000 visitors, which never ceases to amaze me. Ok, it's not exactly e-bay or Amazon but I guess at least it shows we have 'sticky content' other than that found in Audrey's nappies. Here's a chart showing the number of hits the page has had over the last 12 months.

I've also recently found that there are a number of sites offering to give you valuations as to what your website is worth. It works by looking at numerous variables; the number of visitors, content, cash flow, domain name etc etc. As an illustration YouTube was sold recently for $1.65 billion.

I entered my details on a site offering free valuations, and babyhickman@blogspot.com was calculated to have a worth of $43

My site is worth: $43

Oh well, I'll have to find another way to make that million!

Audrey poses as Hannibal

Audrey and her elephant, taken yesterday

5 Second Science

If, after making a cup of tea you're in the mood to see an illustration of aerodynamics, rather than tossing your tea spoon in the sink for someone else to wash up, place the back of the tea spoon in the edge of a running tap.

You'll see that the water deflects from the vertical and runs over the back of the spoon. The spoon pulls towards, and is attracted by, the water flow.

If you then reverse the spoon you'll see that it actually pushes the water away from the vertical. Both demonstrations provides five seconds of wonder while at the same time handily serving to wash your spoon.

The phenomenon is called the Coandă effect, named after a Romanian tea drinker who was the first person to identify it. The application has been used in both planes and air conditioning systems. To learn more click here

* Thanks to Mark for providing a demonstration of this at Patrick's party!

Corpus Christi in Łowicz

Łowicz is a little town about an hours train ride from Warsaw. Despite the town's small size, it has a whopping big cathedral in the town square and is famous for the Corpus Christi procession, that takes place at this time every year. It is apparently the biggest such procession in Poland. It is also significant as the locals dress in traditional costume - with the ladies wearing brightly coloured dresses, and the men donning dazzlingly coloured trousers and flowery hats!

Ignoring the drizzly weather, the three of us caught a train to watch the parade. (It's so much fun lifting a heavily laden pram up 6 precarious steps onto a train!)

We arrived about an hour before things were due to start and so sat and enjoyed a pot of tea (milk for Audrey!) and two pieces of very scrummy cake, in cafe Bordo overlooking the main square.

The square was soon filled with the sound of worship coming from the cathedral which was being blasted out by strategically placed speakers positioned around the town - there was really no escaping it.

When we ventured back outside, the cathedral was full to the rafters. Hundreds of worshippers had gathered by the entrance to the cathedral, no doubt welcoming the fact that they could follow what was going on inside the building via the town's extensive sound system. We took our spot on a curb, and waited for the procession to emerge from the cathedral and walk past us. The air was heavy with the smell of incense.

After a while the procession emerged from the cathedral, and turned right - the opposite way to where we'd positioned ourselves. Fortunately after a circuitous route around the town (they visit 4 Alters) the procession arrived by where we were stood.

It was great to see the brightly coloured costumes, worn by people of all ages from tiny flower girls to wizened old men. People were playing instruments waving banners and carrying yet more public address speakers! The procession passed us at a very leisurely pace before arriving at the main square, where after a bit more singing/playing it dissolved. It was a really excellent sight, and the town, which is probably usually a sleepy back-water, was absolutely filled with people.

We headed back to Warsaw, purchasing a few Gwiozdy (paper cut outs), for which the town is also famous for(!) on our journey back to the station.

me, looking decidedly under-dressed

A Trip to the Cinema!

It was a rainy day in Warsaw today and so me and Audrey went to the cinema (in Ursynow, 4 metro stops from where we live)

It was Audrey's first outing to Multi-baby-kino, a performance especially laid on for babies and their mums (and dads!). It was only a couple of quid (10 PLN) to get in, and was really well organised with little seats for the babies, toys at the front of the theatre and a couple of change tables. There was a wide range of ages there... some tiny babies who were probably only a few weeks old, up to toddlers who spent 90 minutes dashing up (and occasionally falling down) the stairs.

Despite the chaos that was going on around me it was an enjoyable way to spend a wet afternoon. I wish I could say the film was enjoyable. "Over Her Dead Body" was certainly no cinematic masterpiece, though I guess I couldn't have expected a film with car chases in it. Still, Audrey seemed to like it and sat enthralled throughout. Certainly the plot-line would not have been too hard for her to keep up with.

Audrey watches Digeridoo players in Torun

Torun - the 7th State of Australia!

There is some corner of a foreign city, that is forever Australia!

We were lucky enough on Friday and Saturday to be invited to an Australian Festival that was held in the medieval city of Torun (200km/130m west of Warsaw). It was our second trip to the city, which is the celebrated birthplace of Nicolas Copernicus. It's a beautiful old town as it was pretty much undamaged during World War II.

Amy was there in an official capacity and during her busy schedule had to conduct a lecture to a group of trainee teachers, open a photo exhibition and be on the panel of an Australian based quiz!

The people who we met over the two days were both incredibly warm, friendly and welcoming, but what amazed and impressed us was their passionate (and sometimes fanatical) love for all things Antipodean!

We were treated like royalty during our stay, being met at the station, shown to our hotel and then generally escorted round the beautiful city like guests of honour.

The photo exhibition was wonderful, with over 200 photos taken throughout Australia. The opening of the show was really well attended and it was clear how much everyone loved the pictures.

We spent a lot of time during our stay with a lovely guy called Waldemar, who teaches at the University. He showed us the extensive Australian Centre that they have in the University as well as treating us to a delicious lunch on Saturday.

On Saturday afternoon we watched a Polish trio playing digeridoos and other indiginous Australian instruments - Audrey absolutely loved it!

Our only regret was that we didn't have longer there. We were made so welcome - I'm sure at some point when Audrey is older we'll be back!

Robert and Edyta

Audrey, Amy and Waldemar