e.twinning

The flight to Rome

I went back home and I unpacked the present my brother had given me: it was an airplane ticket for Rome. In the box there was also a photo of two twins in fornt of the Colesseum. I have always loved Rome; when I was a child, my father told me the history of Rome. I enjoyed looking at the pictures of this beautiful city in my father's books; I dreamt to visit the Vatican City, the Spanish steps, St. Peter's Cathedral, the Fori Imperiali and many other spectacular things.

I decided to leave the following week. I arrived in Rome on a beautiful spring day; the weather was lovely; it was warm. First of all I went to my hotel in Via Veneto, the famous street of Dolce Vita of the 1960s.

When I arrived the concierge gave me an envelope with a mysterious address: it was the address of the Roseto Comunale. I could not wait any longer, so I took a taxi and I went to Aventino, one of the seven hills of Rome. I wondered why I had been taken the address of a place where the most beautiful roses are grown.

When I got the the place indicated I was called by an old person who said:

" Peter, I know why you are here…" Al of sudden he fell down dead…

We go on

Franco and Nigel needed no more evidence - what they saw was enough. They could return back to Bilovec to ask Peter few more questions. Before they left, Franco stole the mentioned photo secretely and put it into a pocket of his old-fashioned coat.

"Who's this, Peter?" asked Nigel at the doorway

"Have you got a twin?" he went on

Being a bit shocked, Ptere invited Franco and offered him a cup of coffee.

Yes I have a twin brother, but I saw him five years ago, when he was in Prague . When he was a little child he was often ill. While I was reading books and making experiments, he was lying in the bed and eating pills.

Once my mother had to fly to Australia on business and she had to take my poor brother with her. I stayed at home. Their plane fell down and people thought that all the travellers on board had died.

But it wasn't true. My brother survived in the wilderness for few years. After that he became a famous traveller.

It was five years ago whaen I received a card from him - he wanted to visit our capital Prague and me too.

Prague is a wonderful city with many historical sights. We visited Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Wenceslau Square and many others. After the sightseeing tour we went for lunch. We ordered pork, dumplings, cabbage and beer in a local restaurant.

After lunch my brother gave me a little present from his journey and said: "Unpack it at home". I put it in my pocket and forgot about it".

Then we said good-bye. I haven't seen him since that time.

The mistery of the two twins

the mystery of the twins

The mystery of the twins

Franco and Nigel went back to London by plane and from London they took the train to Bilovec. As soon as they arrived there, they went to the scientist's house. Once there they asked Piter if he had ever been to the Island of Apua. He said he hadn't. Nigel and Franco pretended to believe him but they decided to go and visit Pavel, Piter's brother. He lives in the country near Bilovec, near a very beautiful lake which is frozen in winter and where a lot of young people go ice-skating. His house is very big: there are three bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs; downstairs there is a very big kitchen, a dining-room and a living-room. Outside the house there is a big park with a glasshouse.
Nigel and Franco arrived at Pavel's house at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Pavel showed them his house and offered them a cup of tea and some apple pie.
"This apple pie is delicious" said Nigel
"My wife made it, it's and old recipe from her grandma" answered Pavel
"By the way, do you know if your brother Piter has ever been to the Island of Apua?" asked Franco
"I don't think so" answered Pavel very emabarassed.
In the same time Nigel noticed a postacard on a cupboard: it was from the Island of Apua.
Surprisingly near the postcard there was a picture of two twins: one was Piter!!!!!!!!!

Apua Island

While Franco was looking into the map, he decided to call his friend from London again and ask him to go to Apua Island, where they will find the truth about the singing flower.

Franco Paganelli said him that he would wait for him at the railway station and he would buy the tickets for their flight.

At two o´clock Franco got in a train and went to London. It was a long but exciting journey, especially when he went through Tunnel Channel form Calais to Dover. At two o´clock Franco was there and he joined his friend Nigel. They took a taxi from the station to the airport. Then they got on the board of the plane and in about 10 minutes the plane took off. After flying up, the airhostess came and the offered them some food and drink. They could choose various food. Franco ordered chicken, potatoes and beer. Nigel ate only fruit and juice, because he doesn´t like flying and feels often sick.

Next day they arrived and they started finding the truth about the singing flower.

Apua Island is situated in the Pacific Ocean. It looks like a triangle and near its tops there are small islands. On the south and on the north of the island there are small villages Nuku and Nupu with small bamboo houses. When the natives want to go to North of island they have to go over the high moutains. The mountains are situated between the villages and local people usually go there for the flowers, which they give to their gods. The flowers grow in the secret place in the mountains. The secret path leads over the moutains to the top of volcano. Volcano´s name is Apua. The volcano isn´t active. Next to volcano there is a lake. The people from the village go into volcano and cull strange strange flowers.

We arrived in the afternoon and it started to rain. So we went to the village and we spoke with the natives.
„Can we stay here over night?“
„Yes, would you like to talk about some legends?“
„It´s a good idea.“
One legend says that on the island there was an active volcano and ………
Than we fall asleep because we were tired and we hardly heard the beginning of the legend.

In the morning they prepared breakfast for us. It was quite good. We had some fruits and water. After the breakfast we went to search the island. We found river. When it was lunch time we returned into the village. We had lunch and than we went over forest to the mountains. We found a place with flowers from the natives for gods. We went on and we came to the top of the volcano. We looked into the volcano and we saw a lot of „singing flowers“. This flowers were everywhere. We were really shocked. Than we returned to the village with one „singing flower“ and we asked natives.
&ldquoo you know anything about this flower?“
“ We called them LIMPOPO but unfortunately, but we won´t tell you anything else about them.“
“ Who knows about the flowers? And wasn´t here any foreigner in the past?“
„Yes, and he took one flower.“

As Franco heard this he had the only question in his mind: “Is Petr Pírko really a scientist or a thief?“

The mistery goes on

The mystery goes on.....

After reading the letter, the detective went to Elonore's house. When he knocked at the door he had to wait at least 5 minutes. Finally Eleonore's old father opened and let the detective in. His house was small but comfortable.: two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom.
In Eleonore's room there were a lot of bookshelves with several books on animals and nature. He saw that a computer was on and on the screen there was the image of the singing flower. Ferdinand tried to cover the screen with a blanket. And then he sat on his armchair.
Roberto began to ask questions:
"Are you retired?"
"Yes, since 2000"
"What did you do before?"
"I was… I worked at the university"
&quotid you teach?"
"Yes, I taught botanics"
"Are you still working on a project?"
"No, I'm not"
"And your daughter?"
"Well She is an expert of climatology and she is studying some kinds of plants."
"You are very kind. Now I must go, goodbye"
"Bye Bye"
The Detective went away persuaded that there were some mysteries in that house and in that computer so he went back to the scientist's house.
The detective went to his room and phoned his friend Nigel in England. Nigel had a programme to enter people's e.mail boxes. Robert told him the name of Eleonore's father and suggested to use "SINGING FLOWER" as password.
Nigel would call him back as soon as he had got it. He started working on his computer and in a few minutes he entered Ferdinand's E.mail box. He found a strange map. Nigel immediately sent his friend an e.mail with the image of the map. Roberto started to understand how things had gone……..

The detective's Easter

Detective's Easter

The day before Easter I went out with my wife and my children to buy things for Easter Lunch. We went to a big supermarket to buy salami, lamb, eggs, and also chicken because my dear Rumenian friend Alina is coming for lunch. My wife wanted to buy cheese, cake and a delicious cheese-cake. The children wanted to buy chocolate eggs and a "colomba" (a typical Italian sweet with raisin). Easter is a very important festivity . Many people go to church the night o the Holy Saturday for the "Via Crucis" and they wait for midnight when all the bells ring. Many people, instead, go to church on Easter morning.
Children like Easter very much because they have got a week holiday from school.
On Easter Sunday it is a custom to have a big breakfast with salami, boiled eggs and cakes. After lunch, children like to open chocolate eggs to find the surprise inside.
On Easter Monday people usually hav a pic-nic with their families in the country and do barbecue with sausages, meat and bacon.

Quality label

Quality Label

The scientist's easter

Scientist´s Easter

“Oh my fridge is completely empty and I am so hungry,” said the scientist for himself.
“I must go shopping.”

So I put my old white and torn coat off and put a better one on. I comb my hair, clean my glasses, look into a mirror and I can go out.

I enter the shop and I see crowds of people with trolleys full of sweets, chocolate bunnies, eggs, robbons and other unnecssary things. I hate shopping. I take bread, butter, ham, some sausages, a kilo of apples and a box of milk and I run at the cash dask as quick as possible.
“What is happening?”
“I am so busy and I forgot that Easter are here.”

In our country it is an important Christian holiday. Many people go to church.The children like it because they also have a short 2-day holiday.
Easter Monday is a merry day especially for boys. They make pleated willow canes decorated with colorful ribbons.
The boys go from house to house to “whip” the girls and pour them with cold water and parfume. It symbolizes health and fertility during the next year. The girls give to boys colored painted or chocolate eggs and some Easter sweets. It’s a Czech tradition but girls don’t like it very much because of these canes and water.

An anonymous writer

Anonymous writer

One day the detective found a letter in front of his door. It was from an anonymous writer. It was short but very interesting.

The detective identifed young woman the scientist’s son´s girlfriend - Eleonor.
Eleonor is a young, beautiful and witty woman. She is 22. She lives in a block of flats in Ostrava. She doesn´t live there alone. She shares this flat with her poor and ill father, whose name is Ferdinand. She loves him very much.

Eleonor has got dark hair. Her eyes are deep green. Her figure is ideal – she is short and slim but not skinny. She is also very clever and intelligent. She is honest and modest.

Nowdays she is very busy because she studies at local university – nature protection. And when she comes back from school she takes care for her dear dad. Someties she goes with her loved boyfriend – Ian. But mostly Ian visits her. In the evening she doesn´t watch TV or sit at the computer, she prefers reading books about animals, flowers and nature. She is also fond of cooking.

Noone would suspect her of robbery. But, who knows…

My mission in the Czeck Republic

It was ten o'clock at night when I was in the bed two days ago. I was very tired. Suddenly the telephone rang; it was my friend Peter Pirko from The Czeck Repubblic. He was very worried because his singing flower, Teofilka, has disappeared from his lab. He asked me to help him find it. The day after I left by plane. I arrived at the scientist's house at twelve o'clock.
He soon takes me to the lab. It's very dark but I can see something strange on the floor near the window: it's a mobile phone. I notice that the last call was of a certain Elonora. I ask the scientist who is Eleonora and he tells me she is his son's girlfriend. In that moment an SMS arrives: it's Eleonora's. I immediately understand that it's the scientis's son's mobile. Together with Peter I go all around the city to look for Ian and his girlfriend. We find them in a restaurant while eating some dumplings ( by the way, I haven't eaten yet!!!!). I can see that Eleonora has got something in her hands and she's crying. I take my bynocle and I realize that she's keeping TEOFILKA.
We immediately go into the restaurant: as soon they see us they try to escape but we success in stopping them.
I ask Ian:
"Why did you steal the singing flower?"
He didn't want to answer but Elonora, with her face full of tears, says:
" It's my fault. My father is very sick and I know that Teofilka can heal people".
My friend Peter is moved to tears and says:
"Let's go home, I must do something for your father!"
As soon as we arrive, Peter goes to the lab. I wonder what he's going to do. I'm not so sure that Ian and Eleonora told the truth.
Anyway I'll wait to see what Peter intends to do.

What has happened

What has happened?

It was a nice and sunny day in January. The sky was clear and blue. The hills, trees and lawns were white. The snow was everywhere. It was freezing. The temperature was 10°C below zero.

I was watching TV with my friend Leonardo from Italy, who visited me. He is interested in science too. I wanted to show him a singing flower - my wonderful invention.

The singing flower is very interesting and rare plant. When it sings, its song can heal the people. Its eyes are blue. Its height is about 50 cm. It is still smiling, it has got a green stem and green leaves. The petals are colourful. I call it Teofilka.

When we were in my laboratory, the singing flower disappeared. It was usually on the table at the window but suddendy disappeared.
In my house there were two other persons at that moment: a maid, who was cleaning the house and my son Jan who telephoned his girlfriend Marie.
Who is the robber? It´s a very difficult question. I need a good, clever and skilled detective.

The suspiciouses are :
1) the son, because he likes his girlfriend and he wanted to give it her as a persent.
2) the maid, because she doesn´t have any money
3) my friend Leonardo, because he suddenly left my house and returned to Italy
4) the florist, who wanted to sell the singing flower in her shop, which is in our neighbourhood.

the students of Rome

My mission in the Czeck Republic

My mission in the Czeck Republic

He soon takes me to the lab. It's very dark but I can see something strange on the floor near the window: it's a mobile phone. I notice that the last call was of a certain Elonora. I ask the scientist who is Eleonora and he tells me she is his son's girlfriend. In that moment an SMS arrives: it's Eleonora's. I immediately understand that it's the scientis's son's mobile. Together with Peter I go all around the city to look for Ian and his girlfriend. We find them in a restaurant while eating some dumplings ( by the way, I haven't eaten yet!!!!). I can see that Eleonora has got something in her hands and she's crying. I take my bynocle and I realize that she's keeping TEOFILKA.

We immediately go into the restaurant: as soon they see us they try to escape but we success in stopping them.

I ask Ian:

"Why did you steal the singing flower?"

He didn't want to answer but Elonora, with her face full of tears, says:

" It's my fault. My father is very sick and I know that Teofilka can heal people".

My friend Peter is moved to tears and says:

"Let's go home, I must do something for your father!"

As soon as we arrive, Peter goes to the lab. I wonder what he's going to do. I'm not so sure that Ian and Eleonora told the truth.

Anyway I'll wait to see what Peter intends to do.

What has happened?

It was a nice and sunny day in January. The sky was clear and blue. The hills, trees and lawns were white. The snow was everywhere. It was freezing. The temperature was 10Â°C below zero.

I was watching TV with my friend Leonardo from Italy, who visited me. He is interested in science too. I wanted to show him a singing flower - my wonderful invention.

When we were in my laboratory, the singing flower disappeared. It was usually on the table at the window but suddendy disappeared.
In my house there were two other persons at that moment: a maid, who was cleaning the house and my son Jan who telephoned his girlfriend Marie.
Who is the robber? ItÂ´s a very difficult question. I need a good, clever and skilled detective.

The suspiciouses are :
1) the son, because he likes his girlfriend and he wanted to give it her as a persent.
2) the maid, because she doesnÂ´t have any money
3) my friend Leonardo, because he suddenly left my house and returned to Italy
4) the florist, who wanted to sell the singing flower in her shop, which is in our neighbourhood.

The students of Bilovec

Detective's Christmas

THE DETECTIVE'S CHRISTMAS

Today is 8^th December :it is the HOLY VIRGIN DAY. My children are very excited because we are doing the Christmas tree .In italy ,people usually decorate their tree on 8^th December .We are also doing the NATIVITY .We have got big statues of Mary, St.Joseph, Jesus and the kings.My wife always puts the Nativity in the fireplace in our living room with the cow and the donkey: I like it very much.I love Christmas because I can eat many sweets , in particular the typical Italian Panettone with raisins; I like also the Torrone :it is a sweet with almonds , nuts and chocolate. My wife likes cooking biscuits with jam and chocolate. I like her cooking very much but after Christmas I’m going to the gym.

At Christmas Eve and I'm going shopping to buy the last gifts for my friend and my family.

I'm going to stop at St. Peter Cathedral to see the Nativity in the centre of the square near a very tall tree full of beautiful decorations.

I decorated my Christmas treewith: glass colourful balls, candles stars, angels,ribbons and a lot of lights;under it there are many girfts.

My wife is at home preparing dinner. My parents are coming tonight. We will eat spaghetti with tuna-fish, fried fish, fried vegetables (artichokes, courgettes, onions, wine……….sweets and cookies. My children still believe in Santa Claus so they go to bed early waiting………..

In the morning of 25^th everybody is excited because we open our gifts . This year I ask for a journey in the Czeck Republic because I like Prague. Soon after we have breakfast altogether. My children are always excited and they are looking for to playing with their toys. At ten we get ready to go to church at St. Peter's Cathedral which is always full of peoplefrom all over the world. For lunch I go to my grandparents' with my wife and my children. We usually eatsome salami, ham, mozzarella cheese, olives , lasagna, pasta, chicken, lamb, fruit and "all typical Italian sweets : PANDORO, PANETTONE and TORRONE".

In the afternoon I play at bingo and at some card games. I'm not very lucky because I often lose my money.

Tomorrow it's another day at table (I'm getting weight) because it is Santo Stefano's Day; if the weather is fine we can go skiing near Rome or have a walk in the famous Navona Square where my children enjoy looking at the stalls selling sweets and toys.

I love CHRISTMAS

ScientistÂ´s Christmas

Good morning!

It is seven oÂ´clock, 18th December and I am getting up. I am very busy in these days because it is an Advent time.
Before Christmas I must tidy up the whole house (dust the furniture, sweep the floor, hoover the carpets, clean the windows). In December I must buy some presents for my family and for my friends. I also bake sweets and cookies for the Christmas with my son Jan.
A few days before Christmas we decorate a Christmas tree with stars, glass balls, angels and sparkles.

On 24 th December I get up early in the morning because I must kill the carp and fry it. I also prepare a potatoe salad (potatoes, mayonnaise, spices, onions, peas, cucumbers and carrot). Our traditional Christmas dinner pea soup, fried carp and the potatoe salad. We have our dinner usually at 5 oÂ´clock. We donÂ´t eat brakefast, snack or lunch before the dinner to see a gold pig in the evening. After dinner we go to the Christam tree. Under the tree there are presents. And unwrap them. Then we watch fairy-tales on TV or listen and sing carols.

On 25 th and 26 th December we visit our friends and relatives. Some people go to church. Every year my son goes skiing in the mountains or skating on the frozen lake. But I donÂ´t like winter sports. I prefer watching TV in my laboratory and eating sweets and cookies.. The weather is usually very cold. It snows a lot and it is freezy. The temperature is about 15Â°C below zero.

I love Christmas, it is a wonderful season.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

We wish to everybody in Bilovec

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR

Merry Christmas

Our dearest friends

May this Christmas bring to you and to everybody peace, freindship and love. With all our affections

The students and the teachers of Rome

Merry Christmas

Both the pupils and the teachers wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May Christmas bring you all you are wishing for... and more.

Your friends from Bílovec

An Italian Detective Franco Paganelli

My name is Franco Paganelli;

I am 35 years old. I live in Rome with my family. We live in a large flat, near the Colosseum, with a big balcony and a laboratory. I was born in Venice the 7th July 1971. I have got one brother and two sisters; I ammarried with a Czeck girl : her name is Natasha. She works as a secretary for me because I am a detective. We have got two children: a boy, Valentino who is ten years old and a daughter, Cristina who is 8 years old. Valentino is very fond of hard rock while Cristina is a nice and sweet girl and she likes watching her brother and me playing football.

I sometimes wear sunglasses, large jeans, large jackets and an Eton cap to have a different look

I am 1.75m tall and of medium build because I go to the gym three times a week. I am a very shrewd person but I think I am very affectionate. I love animals ; in fact I have got a dog, a cat and four fish. People say that I am an eccentric man: I have got long and violet hair and a small pug nose; I sometimes have a lollipop in my mouth because it helps me to concentrate and to solve my cases. My friends say I am a very good detective because I always succeed in solving difficult cases. I like impossible missions.

A Czech Scientist

Let me introduce myself. My name is Petr PÃrko. My nickname is Pepi. I
am a scinetist. I have invented many different inventions. For example a tree which has got coins instead of leaves; speaking furniture or a pot, which cooks itself. The best one is my singing flower. But somebody has stolen it.

I come from the Czech Republic. I live in a small village near Ostrava with my dog AlÃk. I live with my son. But I donÂ´t see him very often. He is always out with his girlfriend. My wife died.

I live in a house with huge garden full of trees and bushes. It is a very dark and mysterious place. My house is very big and old. On the second floor there is my lab. There are many chemicals, poisons and tools. I do various experiments in my secret laboratory. I love my laboratory more than anything else. I spend there most of my free time and I make here my crazy experiments. I also enjoy flowers and music. My favorite flowers are roses.

I am sixty years old. I am 180 cm tall and I weigh 75 kilos. I was born 60 years ago in Ostrava. My birthday is on 25th March. I am quite slim. I have got short black hair and dark green eyes. I have a long nose. I usually wear a white worn out coat, black trainers and I also wear glasses . I am intelligent and clever. But I am very sad because I am lonely. I donÂ´t have many friends because they do not understand me. People often laught at me and think that I am a mad man.

An Italian Detective

Chiara has drawn an Italian Detective.

Love

our friends from Rome

answer to the girls of Via Merlini

Dear girls

of course yu can. Try to write a portrait of an Italian detective: where and when he was born, his character, his physical appearance and so on.

Bye

Valeria

Let us introduce ourelves - BÃ¬lovec

We are the pupils of the 8th and 9th classes. We are 13-14 years old and we learn English for 4/5 years. We like English very much. And we are looking forward to our project.
We live in the Czech Republic. It is situated in central Europe. The republic is in the European Union. The capital of the Czech Republic is Prague. The seat of our president is Prague Castle. The president’s name is Václav Klaus. Tomáš Garigue Masaryk was the first Czechslovak president. Our school was named after him.
There are a lot of interesting places in the Czech Republic for example Karlštejn, St.Vít Cathedral, Charles’s University. Our national food is dumplings, pork and cabbage. The Czechs like beer. Our national sports are football and ice-hockey.
The Czech Republic consists of three parts - Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia.
Bílovec is a small town. It’s situaded in Moravia near Ostrava. In the centre of Bílovec there are shops, offices, park and church.

Our school is on Ostarvská street. It is about 80 years old. There are about 400 pupils in our school. It has got two buildings . One for older and one for younger pupils. You can find here chemistry lab, computer lab, physics lab, gym, sports grounds, workshops, greenhouse, school kitchen and classrooms.
In Bílovec we can do in our free time a lot of interesting activities. We can do some sports or we can play games in our new sports grounds, gyms, tennis court or in the fitness centre. We can swim in the swiming pool or in the lake. In winter we can ski in the Beskydy or Tošovice. We can skate in Studénka or on the frozen lake. You can go to skatepark, cinema, theatre or museum.