Argentan
Sint-Niklaas
Schongau
Lucca
Colmar
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Argentan |
Sint-Niklaas |
Schongau |
Lucca |
Colmar |
PAST EVENTS 2015 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Go to 2016 Events or 2014 Events. See also the list of all Events since 2007, Future Events and the Newsletters. Many images can be enlarged by clicking on them.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Christmas LunchSunday 20 December 2015 - at The Cosener's House, Abbey Close
Approximately fifty members and guests enjoyed the annual Christmas lunch on Sunday 20th December. The lunch took place, as it has for the past few years, at The Cosener's House. The food and service were up to their usual high standard and there was a good choice of starters, mains and desserts. The company and atmosphere were also very good and the buzz of conversation only abated a little when the food for each course was served. The event was organised and hosted by Mars Street, who even arranged a free glass of wine with the meal and to whom we offer our thanks. John Prior Evening Meeting - Italian CookeryWednesday 18 November 2015 - at Preston Road Community Centre
The Italian Cookery evening on November 18th was both entertaining and instructive. Six of our members had attended an Italian Cookery and Language week in Lucca recently and five of them came together to tell us all about it and to demonstrate some of the recipes they had learnt. It sounded like a wonderful week and Brian had arranged to show us pictures of the week on the big screen as a background to the demonstrations. This evening was dedicated to cooking. (We look forward to Italian language on a future occasion!) Dressed in full chef's whites the team got to work. Gloria was our hostess for the evening and conducted the evening with good humour and with no messing or answering back from the class. Stella started with an apple polenta cake as this needed to go in the oven so that we could taste it later. With lots of butter, eggs and honey the polenta cake is gluten free and relatively easy to make and as we discovered later is delicious. Pam from Uffington then introduced us to olive oil tasting. She explained all the things we were looking for - like a fine wine tasting - and then we got to work on two samples with grassy and earthy undertones. Most people preferred the expensive oil brought back from Tuscany although one group went for Aldi's special. Stella then returned to show us how to make fresh pasta. Surprisingly simple - just flour and eggs and no bowl! Susan's speciality was a mushroom and sage sauce to serve with Stella's pasta and she amazed us all by condensing a huge tray of large Portobello mushrooms into a relatively small pan, all with large splashes of olive oil 'à la Nigella'. We then tasted the newly prepared dishes with an excellent Chianti. It was an excellent evening all round and thanks again to the team. Peter Dodd (who has just made his first ever cake - polenta of course) Remembrance CeremonySunday 8 November 2015 - 11am at The Square
This year we invited Guido De Bruyne and Myriam De Meulenaere from Sint-Niklaas to represent our twin towns and join ADTTS in laying wreaths at the War Memorial. Evening Meeting - Roman OxfordshireWednesday 21 October 2015 - at Preston Road Community Centre
Lucca Cookery and Language Course11 - 18 October 2015
This particular week of culinary extravaganza and language exchange began on the Sunday with the meeting of our twinning colleagues in a local bar where Maria Curto (twinning coordinator and course organiser) welcomed us and we became acquainted with the course members and their hosts over wine and nibbles. The participants included five members from Schongau, one from Colmar and six from Abingdon with Stella as co-ordinator for our stay. The COOKERY course took place at a Michelin Guide Restaurant in the historic centre of Lucca called Gli Orti di via Elisa and has been running for ten years. The young chef, Samuele Cosentino with his wonderful team, produce classic Tuscan food especially related to Lucca and the surrounding area. Their famous dishes include house risotto made using farro (spelt), young goat kebabs and roasted cod with chick peas. The location for our four 3-hour lessons was an elegant veranda usually reserved for private dinners and, when we were provided with chefs hats and overalls, we started to go into role and actually felt and acted the part! We worked as a group sharing techniques out between us using fresh local produce and the pro-active approach ensured we were all focussed and full of questions. The more 'advanced chefs' within the group were able to demonstrate their expertise to those like myself who in the past have viewed cooking as a 'chore' rather than a 'delight'!
Each of the three hour lessons involving cooking culminating in a lunch or dinner session with wine. It was fun to sit together on a long table and discuss our work and taste the recipes we had produced. Our final three hour lesson was devoted to TASTING and this was divided into two parts. Firstly, a specialist in olive oil had been invited to teach us how to use our senses to choose an appropriate olive oil according to the food being cooked and how to avoid the pitfalls when purchasing it. This was followed by the restaurant’s sommelier (wine manager), Sergio Calandra, teaching us the same skill but with a selection of red wines and supplying small quantities of food to help us appreciate the importance of the wine complementing the food chosen and the way it had been cooked. The end of the course was celebrated by the distribution of certificates and a photo shoot with our teachers. The LANGUAGE part of the course consisted of two 2-hour lessons involving oral responses and paired working. The first involved a visit to a local café to practise asking for items from a menu and enjoying them! During the second lesson we were surrounded in grandeur in one of the official rooms of the Town Hall – we felt honoured! This lesson included a visit to the local butcher/grocery store which provided an opportunity to learn the types of food available, cuts of meat and talk to the proprietors about their business (more advanced Italian speakers!).
The week also included a walking tour in Florence to take in the Duomo, the Ponte Vechio landmarks and a visit to an historical market in Pistoia dating back to the tenth century. It never ceases to amaze me how Maria produces such an excellent variety of things to do and see and learn about providing such professionalism – her knowledge as a tourist guide knows no limits! The course and week have certainly changed my ideas about Italian cooking and language and it has been FUN! The dynamics of the group ensured that we all 'worked and played' comfortably and supportively and the experience has certainly been enhanced by understanding of what TWINNING can offer to its members. Thank you to all those involved in making this trip possible – new friends abroad, see you soon!! Gloria Tolputt
Evening Meeting - AGMWednesday 16 September 2015 - at Preston Road Community Centre The ADTTS Annual General Meeting took place on Wednesday September 16th on a very wet night in what had been a very wet week. The attendance was down from previous years but it was a very good evening. The officers gave their reports. Stella, our Chairman, emphasised that the activities of ADTTS are for everyone and urged members to get more involved if possible. John, our hard working Secretary, gave a report on the year's activities and Ian, our equally hardworking joint Treasurer with Rosemary, submitted the financial report. The officers and committee for the coming year were then elected. After the business Astrid Nielsen gave us a brief talk about Church Twinning with particular reference to new contacts with Sint-Niklaas. Church Twinning is active and focussed at the moment. We then broke up into groups and discussed our ideas on what we should be doing and how twinning could progress. Reports from each group were submitted and will be considered by your new committee. The refreshments took the form of a quiz. Stella, with Nikki and Gloria had prepared a selection of breads, meats, cheeses and wines from different countries and it was our job to try and identify them. Another opportunity to get to know each other. Peter Dodd At the AGM on 16th September, a number of people left the committee (namely Christine Ewing with Angela Waterhouse, Marianne Milburn having resigned earlier in the year.) We thank them all for their contributions to ADTTS. We have some new members on the committee: Linda Phillips, Michaele Philbin and Gloria Tolputt. See the Contacts page for the full list of officers and committee members. John Smith Garden PartySunday 26 July 2015
The venue of the ADTTS annual garden party had to be changed this year and we accepted the generous invitation of Michael Matthews to hold it at his home in Tatham Road. However a very wet day meant that we had to meet indoors. Nevertheless, nearly fifty members enjoyed a convivial party with the usual splendid buffet provided by the catering subcommittee and entertainment from Ian Miles. Schongau School VisitSaturday 25 July 2015
English Language Course in Abingdon11 - 18 July 2015
Group photograph (click to enlarge) left to right: Jacques Hervieu (Argentan), Jean-Loup Duval (Argentan), Agathe Laiguel (Argentan), Annalisa Gatti (Lucca), Luc Bryssinck (Sint-Niklaas), Laure Desnavres (Lesparre-Médoc), Hektor Colpaert (Sint-Niklaas), Marie Wybrecht (Lesparre-Médoc), Guido de Bruyne (Sint-Niklaas), Christine de Keulelaire (Sint-Niklaas), Myriam Demeulenaere (Sint-Niklaas), Odile & Yves Aubel (Colmar) and Carla Facchini (Lucca).
Jacques Hervieu writes: In July I went to England to take part in an English language course. It was my first stay in this country. We had a good journey by the ferry which transported us from Ouistreham to Portsmouth. I found it very nice that Peter Dodd picked us up at Portsmouth and we already could begin to speak English in the car. On Saturday evening we met at The White Horse pub the host families and the students who took part in the course. On Sunday we met again the students for a tour of Abingdon with John Smith, Peter Dodd and Angela Waterhouse. We could see Abingdon’s Lost Abbey, The Abbey Meadows, The Abbey Buildings and The Guild Hall. After lunch we visited St Helen’s Church and the Alms Houses. We also could have a good view of Abingdon from the roof of County Hall. It was very interesting and we could begin to know each other. On Monday I was excited and anxious because I went for the first time to an English language course. I found the organization of the lessons very clever. Every day we began to speak about ourselves or about the visit of the day before. Then the teacher showed us documents about the visit of the afternoon. We could read a text and we had to understand the information or we could discuss with our partner about the document. Afterwards we had grammar. After 90 minutes we needed to do a break and it was time to drink a cup of coffee and I say thank you to the “nice ladies” who served us every day drink and cakes. Thirty minutes later it was time to meet again our teacher and we worked with another document and did after than active grammar with some exercises. We worked again alone or with our partner. I found the lessons very interesting. Every morning we never knew what we would have to do because the documents had every day another form. I was very happy to understand the three teachers very well and I think I can now better understand when people speak. We revised many important points of the English grammar and it helped us to make progress in the language. Every afternoon we went by bus to different cities or to the countryside. On Monday we went to White Horse Hill after lunch. We walked on a path and after a few minutes we were able to admire the site which is very curious. We asked ourselves how it was possible that people of the Iron Age made that. When we came back to Abingdon we saw the Millenium Circle and the Blowing Stone. On Tuesday we went to Warborough for a light lunch at the cricket pavilion. Then a cricket player explained to us how to play cricket and it was pleasant because we had the opportunity to play. After than we visited Dorchester Abbey and I found it was very beautiful. I like the history of old churches or old villages. The most interesting excursion was the visit of Oxford. This city is a university town which is different from the French universities. We were surprised to learn about the life of the students in this city. This town has 38 Colleges and we had the feeling we were in a history book.
We had a happy ending with a farewell meal. We could again speak about the week, the lessons and the visits. I believe I made progress in English and I found the organization perfect. I recommend to other students to take part in such a language course if they want to improve their English. Thank you to all members of the ADTTS, to our teachers and to my host family. Thanks to Celia and John Smith who took me back to Portsmouth. Abingdon Cyclists to Argentan27 - 31 May 2015 On Wednesday 27th May two people went by car, four by train and six of us by bike to Portsmouth where we met up to get the night ferry to Ouistreham where we were met in the morning of the 28th by Argentan cyclorandonneurs and their two minibuses with trailers. Anyone who felt tired could cadge a lift in a minibus. None of us did but it was nice to put our rucksacks in the trailer. We then cycled to the American cemetery at Omaha Beach via Arromanches, Juno, Gold, Sword and Utah. We travelled by minibus to Argentan where we freshened up with our host families before a slap up bring/share dinner at their sports centre. On Friday we had a full day out to Bagnoles de L’Orne, a spa town south of Argentan. It was a beautiful ride to a beautiful town and again in the evening we had a slap up dinner with speeches and the more competitive among us went ten pin bowling. On Saturday 30th we spent the day cycling to Ouistreham via Falaise where we saw the birthplace of William the Conqueror and I bored everyone with my anti-monarchist thoughts. We also visited Caen and Pegasus Bridge. In Portsmouth the young, thrusting hardcore cyclists decided to race back to Abingdon. I did not like the idea of that so I went with the wimps by train back to Oxford and then Abingdon. As usual it was a fantastic experience and we look forward to having them back here in two years time. Richard Smart Argentan Tennis Club in Abingdon25 - 27 May 2015 On Saturday 25th May nine tennis players from Argentan arrived by minibus in time for lunch at my house where they met their host families. We did a walking tour of Abingdon in the afternoon and then at 6.00 we met up with nine Abingdon players at the club and had a mixed doubles competition. There was also a hotly contested singles match between Lucas Frenehard, Argentan’s number one young player and Ben Evans, one of our young prospects, which Lucas won. We all had dinner with our own guests and had an early night as the French had been up since very early that morning. At 10.00 on Sunday 26th we had another mixed doubles match at the club followed by a walk round Witney lake and a look around Witney. After a couple of hours sampling English beer in the Fleece, we went to Lesley Barter’s house for a slap up dinner. At 10.00 on Monday 27th we had another mixed doubles tournament followed by a visit to Wantage and a look at the statue of Alfred the Great. After lunch we went to the White Horse Hill and the Ridgeway until it was time for the French to set off for their ferry home. A big thank you to everyone who helped to make them feel welcome, particularly the host families. Great fun as usual and next year we are invited to visit them in Argentan. Richard Smart Europe Day DinnerSaturday 9 May 2015 - Limoncello Restaurant, 13 Ock Street, Abingdon About two dozen of us gathered at the Limoncello Restaurant on Ock Street for our annual Europe Day meal. Although we had a fixed-price menu, there was plenty of choice and the meal was well up to the standard of this excellent Italian restaurant. I would probably have chosen the same dishes from the full menu. The restaurant was full and I continue to wonder how Salvatore and his chefs manage to serve so many meals in such a short time when most of us only manage to cater for a dinner party of six or eight at home. It was a most enjoyable evening as evidenced by the high sound levels. Why do we ever think about going anywhere else? John Prior Evening Meeting - Salters Steamers from 1850 to the present dayWednesday 15 April 2015 - Preston Road Community Centre
The business was established in 1858 by John and Stephen Salter building racing boats and, in a few years, became the leading racing boat builder in the country, including the boats for the Oxford - Cambridge races in the 1860s. They then moved the focus of their business to building leisure boats which were both rented and sold and then large craft including Endeavour, a rear paddle wheel steamer used by missionaries in the Congo. They started making the type of passenger pleasure boats that we associate with the company today, sometimes run as day excursions in association with the the GWR. The two world wars brought fresh business for the firm with motor torpedo boats in WW1 and, in WW2, some of their sea going boats were used at Dunkirk and landing craft were built for the Normandy landings. The peak of their business was in the 1970s when they were operating from Oxford down as far as Kingston in stages and, in the 1980s, the firm diversified into property development, forming a separate company for that. Their proudest moment was in 1976 when Oxford University won the boat race in a Salter's built boat. Today Salter's Steamers is still run by the family, now in their sixth generation and has made a major contribution to life and employment in Oxford having weathered competition for labour from William Morris down at Cowley.
John Prior Film ShowThursday 26 March 2015 - Resource and Wellbeing Centre, Audlett Drive, Abingdon OX14 3GD A dozen or so members of ADTTS enjoyed the annual joint meeting with ABCD, the local film society. All enjoyed socialising over cheese and wine before the showing of the chosen film in something of a "nightclub" environment. The featured film was "Life is a long quiet river" (La vie est un long fleuve tranquille - 1988 - subtitled), This was a sharp French comedy of swapped newborns that has become a cult film. The two families were rather different. The Quesnoys were smug and affluent; the Groseilles were definitely from the wrong side of the tracks. The situation offered the director plenty of opportunity for comedy and satire of French society. The result was good entertainment, though some of the finer points of comedy and satire were probably a little lost to a British audience. Certainly it was a refreshing change from Hollywood culture. Brian Read Evening Meeting - New Zealand / Coromandel / ThamesWednesday 18 March 2015 - Preston Road Community Centre Many people have visited and New Zealand and speak highly of its natural beauty but I have not and so I was eager to learn something about that Commonwealth country on the other side of the world but with links of friendship to Abingdon. The evening was structured around a group visit to New Zealand a couple of years ago organised by Stella Carter. She started in the north of North Island but soon reached the small town of Thames at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula. At this point Linda Phililips took over as she had lived in this area for a while. She described the remote rural lifestyle away from the big cities. Stella returned and took us over the ferry to South Island. Soon it was time for John Smith, who has family in Christchurch, to tell us about the earthquake that devastated the centre of the city in February 2011. I learnt that this region has earthquakes many times a week as the country sits right on the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the Australian Plate; there was another one today and there are now nearly 16,000 recorded. John showed us a number of before and after pictures. Stella finished off by taking us to the southern tip of South Island after which we tried a sizzler, which we told was a sausage of dubious quality but the ones that we enjoyed were certainly excellent served in a baguette with a glass of wine to accompany it. A long but very enjoyable evening. John Prior Evening Meeting - Abingdon at WarWednesday 18 February 2015 - Preston Road Community Centre
After retiring, Bob volunteered to help Abingdon Museum with their exhibition to mark the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 and the project grew into a book. Bob wanted to avoid giving yet another history of the war and described what Abingdon was like in 1914, an agricultural market town with a population of just under 7,000 and went on to describe the everyday life of the inhabitants. Many well known Abingdon names were mentioned as well as several amusing and interesting anecdotes. I can recommend his book, 'Abingdon in the Great War', which can be purchased at the museum or any of our local bookshops for £10. Richard Smart Evening Meeting - Members' EveningWednesday 21 January 2015 - Preston Road Community Centre Following last year's successful experiment, we arranged another evening in which members volunteered short contributions to entertain us. Christine Ewing kicked off in fine style by telling us about the controversial life of the famous French singer and songwriter Charles Trenet (1913 - 2001). His most well known hit was "La Mer" and Christine had us all singing along to it. Roger Bush followed up by playing another French song. This was by the singer-songwriter and poet Georges Brassens (1921 - 1981). Roger's choice in this anniversary year was the moving "La Guerre de Quatorze-Dixhuit", for which Roger provided his translation in verse. We were then delighted to welcome to our meeting a young woman Chloe Walker whom the Burgess Trust sponsored on a trip to Lucca. Chloe's big interest is in cinema and her visit centred on last year's Lucca Film Festival. Chloe gave a brilliant and very personal presentation of what was a very rewarding experience of our twin town and splendid hospitality received. Brian Moylan told us about an international motor rally. As a member of the small service team, he followed the cars though many countries the length of South America, recounting a number of interesting incidents in what sounded like the trip of a lifetime. The last item was presented by Richard Smart.
This was karaoke in French!
He was assisted by Mikaele Philbin (vocals) and Linda Phillips ( An enjoyable evening was concluded by serving German-themed refreshments: Glűhwein, Stollen and gemischte Käsegebäck. Brian Read |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Go to 2016 Events or 2014 Events. |
