Montag, 30. November 2009

Ella Tili - The bravest girl in Hospital

It all started with a cold and cough, then fever, and in the end an emergency entry into the kids hospital in Berne: our strong little girl has caught a pneumonia, and Mama felt awful about having failed to prevent this. Strong as she is, after her first night in hospital, and intravenous antibiotics uptake, she felt stronger already, and shared a cup of mousse au chocolat with Nonna! At this time we did not know if ET also had swine flue, and she was under quarantine - we had to wear masks when visiting, and nobody else but Nonna and Mama were admitted!
For three days ET was linked with her hand to this machine, with numerous tubes linking her, plus at night she had to be given oxygen as well, with yet more tubes around her head! She was so brave, and did never pull out any of them!

After initial suspicion, ET loved the automatic bed, and despite her immobilized hand managed to play and draw a lot!
Here a first "gumpä" session on the bed! I fear we did not enough of this, as after three days ET had to learn to walk again!
Nurse Trudi from Germany, which ET found difficult to understand, is changing her hand fixation. But Trudi and all the other nurses and doctors were really great in their care and attention!


Here a very difficult moment for ET, she was frightened by the pressure measure band on her arm. And probably knew that this was to take another blood sample from her finger.

Proud Mama. Brave girl.
Spotting Spiegel, the building where Mama used to work with the Swiss flag on, and many more things! Great views from level K!
Great Nonna, sharing with Mama the shifts of being with ET. We never let her alone for a single minute.
Great little kindergarten in the hospital. But as we were on the infection illnesses floor, we quickly retired to the room again. We were surrounded by numerous swine flue cases and other potentially transmittable diseases.
At last: ET could take the bandage away from elefant...

...and nurse Trudi from ET! Free hands again!

After three days we could say farewell to the hospital! ET enjoying a final ice cream with a view down on the hospital where she was born! Hopefully this is now the last return, and ET will not get to learn more than 2 professors of the Insel Spital!

Sonntag, 15. November 2009

Ella Tili visiting Gotta Ia and Georgia!!!

What a great welcome by Gotta Ia, Zura and Ika in their old-new home!
Upon Ella Tili's arrival, Gotta Ia had a fantastic pick box ready for the little girl, full of presents! The "catching the butterfly" has since been Ella Tili's most favourite toy, and it makes her so happy that neither Mama nor Papa have the heart to make her stop the music too quickly or too early!

Mama and Papa, see all these great lights in the new flat! Really Ia, you did such a great job, we loved the place!
Happy little girl with Gotta Ia's Swiss music box! Good that Ika managed to repair it a few days later when Swiss Quality did not keep its promise!

Ella Tili loved the piano, and her Mama the bikes in the new flat! Looking forward to set out on bikes again on our next stay!

Of course the first place Mama and Papa had to visit was the Graz bar...

...first for best Georigan coffee in town, but also to see the difference between before (above coffee) and after (below coffee!)! Mama and Papa had no idea about Ella Tili when they decided in Graz bar to give life together a try!

Ella Tili then said enough of nostalgia is enough, lets continue to the doll museum now!

Which she thoroughly enjoyed, until she was told that this Castor on wheels had to stay in the museum, and only a big apple could help against the tears!

What expected us upon our return in the beautiful flat?

Zura's outstanding welcome surprise were inhouse fried shashlik! Defenitely the very best ones we had during our stay in Georgia this time, and how many times during our absence we had been talking about good Georgian shashlik! Great thanks to Zura for this!

The next day Ella Tili on Mama's back checked well that we all followed the right track into the lovely landscape of Birtvisi! At this stage we had yet no idea of what Ia had packed into Ika's heavy rucksack!


This was great! Around a fire amidthst great nature we had a Georgian beer and could have stayed there all night discussing and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere! Thank you both so much, Ia and Ika for your great surprise to us!Ella Tili composing a Georgian train on a Georgian coffee stop on the way to Bakuriani! In the same restaurant, Mama and Papa had her last Georgian meal when travelling down to Akaba!

Great meal with Otar and Omar! Sassiski, and of course the trade mark cake made the little girl very happy!
Otar's swing made Ella Tili very happy, and Omars roses Mama! Thank you both so much for this very warm welcome, and sorry we stayed for so shortly only!


At last, after three attempts of Mama, and two of Papa we managed all the three of us together Tabaskuri pass, and once on the top security gave us a clearing to descent to Akhalkalaki! A verly nice drive into Vardsia, even though bitterly cold on the pass, still bumpy road and many very remote villages where live despite the new government might not has changed to the better yet.

On Swiss marked hiking trails (great project!) we were the next day accompanied by two friendly dogs when climbing up into Zemo Vardsia monastery - definitely this route should go into the next edition of our hiking book! Beautiful landscapes, and beautiful views on the cave monastery from unknown perspectives!

The nun in Zemo Varsia monastery loved Ella Tili, too!

Then another great discovery: the hot springs of Abastumani! Great thanks to Sofia's special advice on how to find this extraordinary treat!

Gumpa into the hot waters of Abastumani spring - Ella Tili could not get enough of it, and our fellow Armenian visitors could not believe she was a girl!

With a huge but friendly dog, Mama and Ella Tili with Ia and Zura's superb car in front of our accomodation, heated directly with the hot waters from the Abastumani spring! Lots of gurgling all night, but very pleasantly warm! And really close to the bath!

Set off into a fantastic hike into Borjomi Kharagauli National Park, starting at the Abastumani ranger post, up to the tourist shelter just below the pass over to Kutaissi, and great views back down on Abastumani!





What we have left behind in the park: the Mama - Ella Tili - Papa bench! What we took with us? An absolutely astonishing view of a pair of wolves just above the tree line, in the lightly snowed in landscape, watching us, we watching them, before elegantly desappearing behind a ridge, to say good bye definitely a few seconds later a bit higher up the ridge! What a huge delight it was to see these maginificient animals in free nature!


Ella Tili inspecting the observatorium in Abastumani!

Maya and Nuksar, with whom we had spent a night in Atzkuri, and whose horse had accompanied us some years ago on this wonderful Amarani trip, were delighted about the Ella Tili rucksack! And we were delighted of Maya's food!

Baking in Tbilisi, Ia and Ika took a day off from work and studies just for us! We highly appreciated their company! Testing Mama and Papa's hiking book of Georgia, we all set out from Tskhneti to the TV tower! Great moments on the water reservoir overlooking all Tbilisi!



Talks between proud Mamas, which had to wait for so many years for some common time again.


Descent to the TV tower! Mama had told Ella Tili to always carry a big stick to fend off sheep dogs!


Great to travel on Gotta Ia's shoulders while descending to the TV tower, and exercising badminton moves!

The final evening on Ia and Zuras plot of land just a little outside of Tbilisi arrived way too quickly:



Gotta Ia, I like the place, Ella Tili says, but there needs to be a really big playground installed within these wall! Great shashlik a little later, prepared by Zura, and some wild dancing sessions in the car, with Ika, while the grown ups sat around the fire to slowly and heavy heartedly say good bye once again! We want to remain updated on how well the trees will grow that we have planted, and so we will keep you updated on the Georgian pomigranate and kaki tree that are now planted in two big pots in our Jura mountainous winter garten!

Ella Tili played badminton with Gotta Ia! Thanks to Ika, who gave a little - heavy - support!

And each day ended with Ika taking care of the little lady Ella Tili. Up the stairs they disappeared with the wooden horse or what ever ET wished to take with her, and then it was dancing, playing and a lot of other wonderful things Ika did for ET we do not know, until late, late at night the two year old agreed to sleep as well, at times long after Mama and Papa had fallen into deep sleep, with so many more memories and impressions of the country they love.

Dear Ia, thanking you so much that returning to the place we both love so much, but at times when we lived there we had not yet any idea about this little sweet monster sitting on my shoulders, became so good. We always knew that you would be the perfect Gotta to Ella Tili, and what Ika and Zura did on top for the three of us, was just great. Always most welcome with us.