Two-year-old fashion

Green Thomas PJs + Oscar the Grouch socks + red fire truck slippers = Awesome

Krakow during the holidays

Here are a couple Christmas traditions in Krakow: the three kings and "szopki krakowskie". Three Kings Day was January 6th, so we went to see the procession of the three kings that culminated on the square. It was cold and the kings from Asia and Europe were behind schedule, but before we bowed out we did get to see the king from Africa make his way to the square to honor our Lord. (He's the guy in black-face dressed in blue -- that's how you know he's from Africa.)

We also got a chance this week to check out the "szopki", which are on display this month at the city museum on the square. "Szopki" are homemade nativity scenes. This is a big tradition in Krakow. Every year there's a competition and people enter their elaborate and colorful "krakowskie szopki" in the judging contest. In addition to the tradition biblical figures, there are often Krakowian elements to the models, like the Lajkonik, the Mariacki church, and the Wawel dragon, which JR enjoyed finding.

Holiday travels 2012

Krakow's Christmas market

In Vienna

At the Kempinski Hotel in the High Tatras just before Christmas Eve Dinner with friends

This year we decided to travel to Vienna and the High Tatras for Christmastime. We spent two days in Vienna, along with several other Olmsteders, and then spent Christmas Eve and Christmas at a hotel in the Slovakian High Tatras, where a total of seven Olmsted couples and families met up.

In Vienna we visited the Christmas market, the Belvedere Palace, and a cool aquarium called Haus des Meers, installed in flak tower from the Second World War. That's now the third time we've been to Vienna, so we're starting to feel like we "know" the city. Crazy.

In the Tatras we enjoyed meeting up with Olmsted scholars from all over Europe and even Morroco. And Tom got to go skiing on Christmas Day.