We are home with a little help from our friends

We've are back in Philly.  A warm welcome awaited us as Joyce met us at the airport and brought some dinner and breakfast goodies so we could crash upon arrival to our place.  The lights were on and a great bowl of fruit awaited us thanks to Anna and David, who had been looking after the plants and the mail.  Jim picked up his steel guitar from Richard's house today and Miguel arrived last night with car and cat so all is now complete. We are still trying to find things since we had only lived in the new place 2 months when we left it for 3 months.  It is almost like starting anew!

We spent the last two days of our journey walking around London.  We thought we would simply be winding down but instead we ended up going to the theater and catching Bob Dylan's art exhibit at Halcyon Galleries.

London is in a festive mode and it was crowded.

We managed to take a long bus ride from Hyde Park which was popular because of the Winter Wonderland Village featuring Christmas markets, food and rides.

Our bus went by Selfridges,

the store featured in the the BBC program about the owner of the store (and which I enjoyed)

The #30 bus took us to Dalston Junction station near the Alcorn theater in north east London.  As we looked for the theater we ran into a beautiful fox walking in the alley off  Ramstead Street.  An amazing sight in the city!

 The play was about the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and I found it well acted and in a beautifully intimate setting.

A trip to the National Galleries (I don't know why the blue rooster, but it was noticeable!)

and the Courtland Institute Galleries was squeezed in between Fish and Chips in Soho and St. James Park, among other places.








Three months was a long time to be away and we are looking forward to walking around without the bags.

I must say I think I will miss communicating with all of you on a weekly basis and hearing from you.  So the challenge on the journey that is about to begin is to figure out a way to keep in touch with all.











Hope you have a festive holiday season and that 2014 bring you joy and peace.  I am specially grateful for a new addition to our family as my nephew Nik and his wife Amy welcomed Isabella Charlotte Focht into this world on December 6.  Born at home in their apartment in Zurich she is already loved by folks in New Zeland, London, Salt Lake City, Maryland, Philadelphia and New York, to mention a few.

STAY IN TOUCH, PLEASE : )