Merry Doinkermas.

Donkey and Oinker learn about Christmas.



At the beginning of December Oinker started to notice everyone counting down with chocolate every day. They saw tinsel, and trees; wrapping paper and cellotape; they saw food and presents and the programming on Television started to get better.

Oinker wondered what was happening so Donkey decided to take Oinker for a closer look.



This is a Christmas Tree, explained Donkey. People decorate these with lights, and baubles and other ornaments. And on top there is always a fairy or a star. By tradition it's always the last thing to be put on the tree.

Oinker wanted a closer look at the fairy so he climbed far up to the sky.



She's very beautiful Oinker shouted back down to Donkey. Her skirt is made of delicate fabrics and she has sparkles and sequence all over her. Do you think she's a magical fairy? Oinker asked Donkey.

Donkey had no response. And told Oinker to come down incase he fell.

When Oinker got back to Donkey he asked why all this was happening?

So Donkey took him to another part of the Christmas decorations.



'This,' Donkey explained, 'is why we celebrate Christmas.'

'because of some plastic people?' Asked Oinker.

'No, no, no,' Said Donkey. 'It's all about who the plastic people represent.'

'Ahhh', said Oinker. 'Represent... hmmm.'

'Okay, okay, I'll explain further. A long time ago in Bethlehem a baby called Jesus was born and he was the son of God. He taught the jews about God and himself. And then he was killed by the Jews so that we could live again in heaven.'

'Oh', replied Oinker. 'So the plastic baby is Christ and the reason for Christmas?'

'Yes, Oinker, yes.'

'So, how do people celebrate Christmas now?' asked Oinker.



Donkey and Oinker walked over to a minature Christmas/Winter village.

'Oinker, not everyone believes in Jesus anymore.'

Oinker gasped. 'Really?' He asked. 'but he seems so important.'

'Well, people now celebrate Christmas as a winter holiday. Like these decorations for example. Christmas is always associated witht he cold and snow, and being wrapped up warm outside or being cosy by a fire inside. Christmas is all about giving, and being nice to each other – something that Christ did when he lived on the earth. So the spirit of Christmas isn't completely lost. It's all about how people feel, and the happiness they get from giving to people and from being with their families.'

'Wow,' exclaimed Oinker, 'I'm really happy when I'm with you donkey, you're my family.'

'Yes, we are family.' replied Donkey.



'So, what kind of things do people give?' asked Oinker.

'Well,' started donkey, 'Back when Jesus was born he recieved three gifts from some wise men. These gifts were Gold, Frankenscence and Myrrh. These three gifts lasted Jesus a very long time and I'm sure they were useful to him in his life.'

'Now, though, people give all sorts of gifts, from clothes and movies, to computers and soap. There really is no end to the gifts that can be given at christmas.'



'Come and help me wrap some gifts, Oinker.'

'Okay,' shouted Oinker excitedly. Can I pull the tape for you?'



'Once the gifts are wrapped we put them under the christmas tree for the people to receive in the morning,' explained Donkey.

'What are those though?' asked Oinker, pointing to the stockings laid near the tree.

'Well, to make Christmas even more magical, there's a man called Santa Claus, who delivers gifts to all the children in the world. He brings them all the gifts they could ever want or rather all the gifts they could need,' said Donkey.

'What a wonderful man,' Oinker retorted, 'can we hang some stockings? Will he come to us?'



'yes,' replied Donkey. And with that they selected their stockings, laid them under the tree and went to sleep to await the excitement of Christmas day.

In the morning they both woke up and found their presents from santa claus and from each other. How excited they were.



After opening presents Donkey explained that it was time for them to help cook dinner.

'DINNER' Shouted Oinker... 'that's my favourite part of the day.'

'I know,' replied Donkey, and wait until you see what's in store.'



'BRUSSEL SPROUTS... MY FAVOURITE,' yelled Oinker, 'I really love this Christmas thing, it's wonderful. What else are we having for dinner?'

'Well,' said donkey, 'we have lots of potatoes, carrots, brocolli, cauliflower, parsnips, beans, asparagus, bread stuffing, baby sausages, meat stuffing and this...'



'What's this?' asked Oinker.

'This is a Turkey,' replied Donkey, 'It's tradition to eat Poultry for Christmas dinner.'

'I'm a vegetarian,' said Oinker.

'I know,' said Donkey, 'and it's a good thing, because some people don't just have Turkey, they have...




...HAM.

'AHHHHHHH, Ham... ' screamed Oinker. 'Not me... no not me.'

'No, not you,' laughed Donkey, 'you're part of the family, and we don't eat family.'

'Phew,' Oinker expressed.

'There's one thing about Christmas that i've still to show you,' said Donkey.'



'During dinner, it's traditional to pull crackers, and inside is a joke, a toy, and a paper hat. You'll love the paper hat.'

'I will,' said Oinker. 'I will like anything more than seeing the ham again,' he continued.

Donkey chuckled, 'Ahhh, Oinker, you really are wonderful, Merry Christmas my friend.'

'Merry Doinkermas,' replied Oinker.

And with that they ate their dinner, watched many christmas movies, watched the new wallace and gromit animation and settled down for a good healthy nap.

Ti Amo Margherita

Donkey and Oinker are off on another amazing adventure.



This time they are taking their backpack. But what does that mean? Where could they be going?



Have you packed the sun cream? Asks Oinker. Donkey tells Oinker that he has, there's no way he's getting sun burnt again.



Donkey and Oinker have to wake up really early to catch two trains and a an aeroplane to get to London Stanstead, but they aren't stopping in London.



They wait for five hours before they catch their next aeroplane.



3 hours later Donkey and Oinker land in Naples, ITALY.

They are very tired so they get a taxi to the train station and travel even further south of Naples.



The next day they explore the town of Sorrento.



They think the Mediterranean Sea is the most beautiful thing they have ever seen.



Oinker asks Donkey how it can be so blue and green and hot all at the same time. Donkey explains that the colour of the sky influences the top layer of the water but the colour is actually given to the sea by the way that water refracts light. The deeper the water the blue-er it will become because blue light is refracted more than red light. And the deeper in the water you go the darker it will become.

Oinker says, 'oh', he pauses for a minute then suggests, 'let's go play in it.'



They had a lot of fun on the sea shore of sorrento.

The next day Donkey and Oinker decide to leave Sorrento and go back towards Naples.



On the way they decided to stop at Pompeii. Donkey and Oinker found the stables. They thought they looked beautiful.



They had a tour guide bring them through the ruins of Pompeii.



They liked to climb into all the holes and get a closer look at what used to be a really large town.



Oinker asked Donkey where all the people were. Donkey brought Oinker to see them.



They left Pompeii and continued on the train to Naples, where they found where they were staying and then headed out to eat some amazing food.



It was the best Pizza they had ever tasted in their entire lives. It was from L'antica Pizzeria Da Michele on Via P. Colletta.



They were both stuffed, so they decided to take a scooter around the rest of Naples to see the lively city.



They found a beautiful castle. Oinker told Donkey that he was going to be the King of the Castle and that Donkey could be his servant. Oinker would wear a crown and have a beautiful Piggy Queen. They would still have amazing adventures together though, Oinker assured Donkey.



On their way to bed they stopped for some Gelato from the best place ever. They choose Blood Orange Flavour, Pistachio Flavour, and the man in the shop suggested Coconut to accompany the other two flavours. Orange was their favourite. Oinker had to stop Donkey from going back inside for more. It tasted incredible. The Gelateria was just beside where they had eaten pizza and they noticed that the queue out of the door for pizza was insane. They really had chosen the best place in town.



The very next day, after a nice long nap, the notorious two continued North and went to Rome.



Their first stop was the colosseum. 'It's colossal,' exclaimed Oinker to Donkey. Donkey agreed.



Because of their size Donkey and Oinker were able to climb and walk on all the parts of the ancient structure that no one else could get to. They enjoyed being sneaky.




They both climbed all over the Colosseum and saw all the amazing things. Oinker asked Donkey if they could play hide and seek.



And so they did.



After they played hide and seek Donkey suggested that they pretend they were old Roman warriors. And they walked through the arches pretending everyone was chanting and calling their names because they were great heroes.



Then they ran into a feral cat. But the cat was nice to them and didn't chase them. Donkey was releaved. Oinkers was really really scared.



Outside the Colosseum Oinker spotted something interesting he asked Donkey why the other donkey was a lot bigger and had different shaped ears. Donkey told him that that was a horse and not a donkey at all.



Donkey and Oinker got back onto the Metro and they were both reading the map and deciding where to go. They both decided to see the Pope.



Donkey and Oinker made it to outside the vatican city.



And they saw some very interesting people dressed in very interesting clothes.



They saw where the pope went to church.



And they saw many beautiful paintings and giant statues.



On their way outside they saw many shops selling many many things.

Donkey found something of great interst. A LARGE Donkey. Donkey told Oinker that he could have been that Donkey, and that he could have been there when Jesus was born. Oinker asked if there were any pigs there when Jesus was born. Donkey told him that he didn't know but that didn't mean there wasn't. Oinker was happy that there could have been a pig there.



It was getting dark so Donkey suggested that they go to the Trevi Fountain before eating dinner because it looks more magnificent at night. When they got there Oinker agreed that it was.

They then ate the most amazing pasta they had ever had, and they met some new friends because it rained so much they had to sit with strangers at another table. They ran back to the metro in the rain and then had a good sleep because they were both exhausted. What a long day.



Donkey and Oinker didn't have a lot of time before they had to go home, so they set off early to see some different things. Oinker wanted to buy some souvenirs, Donkey told him there was no time.



They both made it to the Pantheon and thought it was such a beautiful building. The Vatican was beautiful too, but Donkey said that this was more of an anachronism.



The inside was just as beautiful and Donkey and Oinker even heard some people sing the hymn 'Praise To The Lord The Almighty' in either Italian or German.



They had time for some quick lunch (more pizza, but no where as good as the last one they had) and then had to get the bus to the airport.