Eh? In February, we went skiing in Ischgl - eventually, after being stuck in Innsbruck for 2 nights, in the grotty Hotel Sailer, hastily pressed into use & staffed by what we later regretted nicknaming the 'ethnic Albanians'. At least, on the 2nd day, Ingham's super-rep, John Clayton, bussed us to the Axamer Lizum (old 1964 Olympic area) for a day's skiing & we then went on to Ischgl in the evening. The avalanches the Austrians had to blast through were formidable, towering over the bus. By this time, we knew our colleagues well, an interesting bunch. One was dying of cancer & this was his last hurrah. Then we were trapped in again but (unfortunately?) this was cleared in time for our return. We stayed in the wacky Hotel Solaria again & the snow, now we were on it, was superb. But it was bitterly cold - down to -22°C on Friday at only 2800m. Ken's previous coldest was -18°C at 3300m above Zermatt. We blame Global Warming. At least, serious ice was lacking. Avis, pursued by an Arctic wind, can now wedel fast down a steepish slope. Avis was later alarmed by what happened in Galtur, the next village but Ken could see at the time that Ischgl was safe from avalanche danger. We did trips into Switzerland to Samnaun by two routes.

Neither of us had visited Norfolk seriously, although Ken saw a Broad in 1947. We saw a few more on this trip, as well as Kings Lynn & the hinterland of the Wash, full of Rubens' views. Norfolk is lovely, although Cromer is a bit of a dump.

...and good republicans could hardly miss out on the celebrations in his home town of Huntingdon (incongruously housing the largest Tory majority in the country - John Major's). Contemporary food, the Sealed Knot, early musicians & some anachronistic dress all made for a jolly day. Roll on the second Republic! The photo shows the Castle Hill.

We went to Manchester for the inaugural Anglo-German Family History Society North meeting to see what they knew & for Ken to present the web site. Then, to Liverpool's Walker Art Gallery to see the William Daniels' in the basement. Alex Kidson, a curator, spent all morning digging out apintings & photo-copying information for the very attractive price of free.
Some of the paintings were a revelation - no wonder they called him the Rembrandt of Liverpool. The Central Library had also dug out references for us & much of this material will eventually appear on our web site.
The degree of pedestrianisation in Manchester & Liverpool puts London to shame,which Ken pointed out in his Mayor interview.