Feb 6, flew from Basel, Switzerland, at 19.30pm and arrived, 20.55pm in Dresden, Germany. Went to stay with Andreas and Sybille, partners whom I had met when doing an arts residency in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand. It was good to see them, they were very welcoming and their flat is full of art. They had cooked some food, and Andreas had cooked some horse, something I had never tried, I hesitated of course, but I did try some, whilst in Rome and all.

The next day Andreas took me for a walk and took me to Sybille’s gallery, the Sybille Nuett Gallerie. She had exhibited two of my paintings there earlier in the year. Andreas also showed me around the town and explained a bit about Dresden. I really liked the town a lot.

Feb 7, I had arranged a lift back to Hoefgen with Mittfarrgelenheit (carpooling), with a woman called Rosemarie, 3.30pm from Dresden Central Station, all the way to my front door of the arts residency in Grimma, as she was a local!

Feb 3, From Berlin to Dresden, then to Switzerland, flight (Easyjet) 21.25, stayed with Jonas in Basel, from couch-surfing, he was a fantastic host. We went lamp shopping one day at antique shops as he was looking for a new lamp for his flat. His flat was beautiful and you could see his eye for design. Jonas is a young architect. He also took me on a boat ride out one day, and walking around the town. The snow provided a wondrous backdrop to wander around a bit.

The reason I had booked inexpensive flights to Basel is that I had researched that there might be the possibility of prolonging my visa to stay in Germany by crossing over the border. But turns out this wasn’t true, and turns out I got a visa extension to stay anyway. It wasn’t really necessary to go, but as flights were booked and trip arranged, I found myself in Switzerland!

Basel is known for Art Basel, an international art fair staged annually in Basel, Switzerland; also now in Florida; and Hong Kong. Swizerland is very prosperous, buying a cuppa out is not recommended!

Feb 6, I went to museum on last day – Vitra Design Museum, at Weil am Rhein in Germany. I got a design and architecture tour and hit and also a really interesting Rudolf Steiner exhibition. Bussed there and back. It looked amazing in the snow. Later that day I flew from Switzerland back to Germany, so crossed into Germany a few times that day!

Feb 6, Flew out at 19.30pm that night, (Easyjet) 20.55pm arrived in Dresden, Germany again, and stayed with friends. The next day an arranged a lift back to Hoefgen, carpooling with a woman called Rosemarie, leaving at 3.30pm from Dresden Central Station, all the way to my front door of the residency flat, as she was a local.