Posted Jun 6, 2006, 9:11 pm
FoxForce can mostly be found
Moonbathing,
Dawdling in meadows,
Running into the sea trailing clothes in her wake,
And drinking vast quantities of CAFFEINE.
Hurrah!
Until Autumn at least, she will *not* countenance:
Decaff ('sfor wimps)
Retro club nights
Poor parallel parking
And squirrels who behave badly up trees.
Posted Jun 6, 2006, 9:15 pm
Posted Jun 6, 2006, 9:17 pm
Posted Jun 6, 2006, 9:21 pm
COFFEE!
Posted Jun 7, 2006, 6:37 am
Posted Jun 7, 2006, 6:39 am
I feel like Frodo Baggins leaving The Shire ...
Posted Jun 7, 2006, 7:40 am
There are Several Scary 'Firsts' for me today:
(1) Travelling by train (scared of falling down the gap and being eaten by RufftyTuffty TrainTrack rodents *aarrrggh!*)
(2) Travelling to London (big city, fast cars, *gulp*)
(3) Being passed on to a temporary guardian who will help me to fulfil one of my life missions (will he like me? will we hit it off? *Zoiks!*)
Hope to bring you some news soon about my further adventures.
Until then, Fox Fans, farewell!
Posted Jul 3, 2006, 8:25 pm
We could have caught the train which would have taken a few hours to get to Machu Picchu, the ancient town of the Incas, but my great friend decided that it would be more worthwhile to walk there (!)
Phew, that was hard work! It took four days, through literally breathtaking mountains to get there, but it was worth the effort! Machu Picchu is one of the most amazing places on the planet and I was so glad to get there safe and sound. There were a few hairy moments when I almost got stampeded by a couple of runaway llamas and the nights were bitterly cold, but we got there in the end!
My pictures are at Dead Woman's pass - the highest point on the Inca Trail and also a handful of shots at Machu Picchu itself.
I am back in England now and am ready for my next taste of adventure!
Posted Feb 20, 2007, 7:27 pm
Somewhat less exotic and much closer to home, here I am at Twycross, with a friendly and inquisitive penguin.
I kept half-expecting it to do a tap-dance and thus lead me to its endangered homeland and singing relatives, but, alas, it was not to be.
Hung around for a bit awaiting the promised penguin feeding extravaganza, but that didn't happen either, so I sloped off for some lunch.
Posted Feb 20, 2007, 7:40 pm
The actual real live lions looked a tad discontented with their lot, so it seemed unfair to add insult to injury by taking a quick snap of their sad faces. Here's the local lion lookylikey, he looks quite benevolent really (probably contemplating which unsuspecting tourist he'll pounce on first).
Posted Feb 20, 2007, 7:46 pm
Here he is moseying over for a chinwag - unfortunately my party were on their way home, so we only got a quick chat before we had to say our farewells...
Until next time, FoxFans, goodbye!
had_to_remove_it@hotmail.com
Posted Mar 20, 2007, 9:19 pm
After a short talk, I realised though that he was a fellow toyvoyager no one hadn't told me.
No one answered the door, so me and my new buddy Ramon sneaked to BlueFairys room and found a little fish (or a Tri...ops?) swimming in a bowl on the table and admired it a while and found a paper from the table what said we are going to have some friends joining us shortly.
We got boored pretty fast and found a cellphone and desided to call BlueFairy, and it turned out, that she had to work till 9pm twice a week (includin today) and we could make our selves like home at the meantime, so we got to it.
We ate some fine foreign chocholad took a bath and went to a sauna.
After that we brushed each others teeth and went to bed waiting BlueFairy to arrive.
Here is some pictures from our arriving:
(Neither me or Ramon are so good with computer so we couldnt get the pictures in the right arrange
)
had_to_remove_it@hotmail.com
Posted Mar 24, 2007, 7:51 pm
Underneath there is a picture of our trip with my new friends to the woods, it was really pretty and it was really nice to just relax and enjoy the sunset with my new friends.
had_to_remove_it@hotmail.com
Posted Apr 29, 2007, 8:18 pm
Today we were going to go on a picnic to admire the nature blossoming, thanks to the warm sunny days but at the front yard something really weird happend. It started to snow!
In the picture beneath you can see some flowers blossoming under the snow flakes and one snow flake has gotten in the camera lens too!
had_to_remove_it@hotmail.com
Posted May 14, 2007, 8:18 pm
) to Mood!
Here is some sweet memories of our quick visit to Paris
Posted Jul 16, 2007, 1:44 pm
Here I am! still in France...but this time, in south west of France : in Toulouse (about 824 km from Paris).
Here is the first picture of my arrival to Mood's ToyVoyagers's Hostel. I was welcomed by Alpina (charming white cat from Germany) and Stripy (french fashion student).
If you look on the left, you can also see Romeo's nose (caretaker of the hostel)
Posted Jul 16, 2007, 1:49 pm
Posted Jul 16, 2007, 1:57 pm
They were very excited (while I was a bit tired from my travel from Mikkeli). Imagine when I told them about my trip to Machu Pichu !!!! Stripy even took a globe so that I show them where Peru was situated...
Posted Jul 16, 2007, 2:05 pm
Bertold, our bilingual tour guide, (you can see him between Alpina and I) told us about this Canal : it was built by Pierre-Paul Riquet under the reign of king Louis XIVth, and it is certainly the most incredible man made achievements of those times. It is today classified as a World Heritage site by the UNESCO.
There are many barges that sail on the Canal as you can see behind us.
Posted Jul 16, 2007, 2:15 pm
Posted Jul 16, 2007, 2:18 pm
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Posted Jul 16, 2007, 2:34 pm
Then it was time to leave, Bertold was very proud of this walking, so he was anxious to immortalise this moment in front of a lock gate.
(His poor quality camera took this picture...)
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 3:42 pm
Some chocolates from Vienna *!!! yum-yum, quite tempting !!!! (Alpina admired Sissi's portrait!, she said she wants the same crown... well maybe we can change chocolate for crown ?)
(*thank you Christina !!!!)
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 4:36 pm
Here you can see me in front of the Saint Etienne Cathedral (XI th century)
Then we went to the town center, where is situated the Donjon du Capitole
Built in the XVIth century the Donjon was once the Archives Tower or the Consistory Tower during the time when the Capitouls were responsible for the administration of the city.
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 4:51 pm
Here are some pictures of the town hall
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 4:59 pm
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 5:05 pm
We saw many other old mansions like this, I really loved them ...
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 5:24 pm
On the other side you can see The Hotel Dieu Saint Jacques an ancient hospital built in 1257.
If you look on the left, you can see the ruins of a covered bridge
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 5:32 pm
But also strange creatures !!?
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 5:50 pm
Then, as the weather was no great, we played a game called "Les Milles bornes" (thousand miles)
Look at me, I've got the puncture card in my hand ... I think this will delay Sébastien's trip !!!! (héhéhé!!!)
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 7:58 pm
This is the story of a lovely rash pullet called Lola, who fall in love with ...
... Well ... guess who !
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 8:10 pm
I was very proud to open the travel box !!!!
Then we saw Dottie Grace 's neck coming out of her travelcase. Stripey was completely seduced by the pattern of her "pyjama"... Of course he wasn't there when we made enquiries with Sébastien and Alpina, so he ignored everything about her .. We all laughed of course, Dottie too !!!
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 8:30 pm
(Thank you Sébastien!)
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 8:47 pm
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 9:19 pm
In fact, Bertold (our multi-purpose expert) told me about an old french fabulist named Jean De La Fontaine (XVII century). He wrote many fables with anthropomorphical animals, containing a morals at the end. These fables were written with an educational aim and were addressed to the Dolphin.
Do you know : The Raven and the Fox ??? Of course I had to learn this special one!!! Here it is :
Perch'd on a lofty oak,
Sir Raven held a lunch of cheese;
Sir Fox, who smelt it in the breeze,
Thus to the holder spoke:─
"Ha! how do you do, Sir Raven?
Well, your coat, sir, is a brave one!
So black and glossy, on my word, sir,
With voice to match, you were a bird, sir,
Well fit to be the Phoenix of these days."
Sir Raven, overset with praise,
Must show how musical his croak.
Down fell the luncheon from the oak;
Which snatching up, Sir Fox thus spoke:─
"The flatterer, my good sir,
Aye liveth on his listener;
Which lesson, if you please,
Is doubtless worth the cheese."
A bit too late, Sir Raven swore
The rogue should never cheat him more.
and here is the scene
Posted Jul 23, 2007, 9:29 pm
Personaly, I think I would have prefered some red meat ... maybe another day!?
Posted Jul 24, 2007, 3:04 pm
... and we went !!!
Dottie was a bit scared, she jumped many times... She didn't knew Harry Potter at all, so I told her the whole story before sleeping ...
Posted Jul 24, 2007, 3:18 pm
She blindfolded me and what a surprise when I opened my eyes!!! I was 4000 years back !!!
In fact we were in the Georges Labit Museum. He was a collector from Toulouse who gathered together in his villa the items and artefacts he had purchased on his numerous travels.
I even saw a mummy !!!! (look in my back) I was very impressed!!!
And when I told Dottie Grace about the Toutankhamon malediction, she said she prefered the upstairs collections and climbed back up quickly !!
Then we had a break in a pavement café...
Have you seen the sugar ??? They are real traveler's sugars!
Posted Aug 2, 2007, 6:25 pm
I was in charge of the music !
Posted Aug 3, 2007, 10:43 pm
I travel with my new director Stripey ... Indeed, since my first brillant performance in The Raven and the Fox, we have decided to put on a new play ... so, here I am back in: The Fox and the Mask
The great are like the maskers of the stage;
Their show deceives the simple of the age.
For all that they appear to be they pass,
With only those whose type's the ass.
The fox, more wary, looks beneath the skin,
And looks on every side, and, when he sees
That all their glory is a semblance thin,
He turns, and saves the hinges of his knees,
With such a speech as once, it's said,
He uttered to a hero's head.
A bust, somewhat colossal in its size,
Attracted crowds of wondering eyes.
The fox admired the sculptor's pains:
"Fine head," said he, "but void of brains!"
The same remark to many a lord applies.
As you can see, there was a captive audience, and my new Lafontaine wig was a success !
and look at Stripey (wearing the new giraffe coat he designed while Dottie Grace was here) with the "Brigadier" (the stick used to give the three knocks before the curtain rise)
(He says it makes him look like a patriarch)
And now, here I am in : The Fox, the Flies and the Hedgehog
A fox, old, subtle, vigilant, and sly,
By hunters wounded, fallen in the mud,
Attracted, by the traces of his blood,
That buzzing parasite, the fly.
He blamed the gods, and wondered why
The Fates so cruelly should wish
To feast the fly on such a costly dish.
"What! light on me! make me its food!
Me, me, the nimblest of the wood!
How long has fox-meat been so good?
What serves my tail? Is it a useless weight?
Go, Heaven confound you, greedy reprobate!
And suck your fill from some more vulgar veins!"
A hedgehog, witnessing his pains,
(This fretful personage
Here graces first my page,)
Desired to set him free
From such cupidity.
"My neighbour fox," said he,
My quills these rascals shall empale,
And ease your torments without fail."
"Not for the world, my friend!" the fox replied.
"Pray let them finish their repast.
These flies are full. Should they be set aside,
New hungrier swarms would finish me at last."
Consumers are too common here below,
In court and camp, in church and state, we know.
Old Aristotle's penetration
Remarked our fable's application;
It might more clearly in our nation.
The fuller certain men are fed,
The less the public will be bled.
A star is born!!
Posted Aug 3, 2007, 11:03 pm
Taro told me so much about Japan, that I'm very impatient to walk on the japanese streets for real!!!
Yumi, I'm coming soon !
Posted Aug 3, 2007, 11:12 pm
We played Mikado all together
Of course Stripey moaned because of his too short arms !! (no arms, no mikado I say!)
Posted Aug 19, 2007, 4:41 pm
The weather here is nice, but it is very hot and humid!
I met her toyvoyager Tokio and Warren Bunny came from America.
I found beautiful flowers at her home garden.
Tokio is very friendly and asked me many questions.
We talked a lot.
Warren Bunny, Tokio and I ate a bundh of grape and a piece of watermelon. It was very juicy and delicious.
Posted Aug 24, 2007, 4:09 pm
I found a swimming pool. Why is the swimming pool here?
I was surprised because I saw some people were standing and walking into it!!
I read the reaflet.....Swimming Pool Leandro Erlich
The layer of water covers a thick glass border, while the pool below the glass is empty.
I shaked my hand at people into the pool.
It was very interesting!
Then, I found a big room named Turrell's room.
According to the leaflet...Through the space on the ceiling, the audience could experience the sky in peaceful environment.
As it was sunny, I saw the beautiful sky.Yumi told me the today's sky was most beautiul she has watched from the room.
Posted Aug 24, 2007, 4:23 pm
Yumi told me that the statue was 'A man measures clouds'
Then, I found a big green wall and read the leaflet again...Green Bridge Patric Blanc/ The wall of 13x5m is covered with 70 different kinds of plants collected in the areas neighboring Kanazawa.
Posted Aug 26, 2007, 9:15 am
Hashi means 'bridge' in Japanese.
Posted Aug 26, 2007, 9:33 am
An event/show was held there...lanterns/lamps which were used paper and Kimono clothes made in local area were displayed along the street.
It was very beautiful.
Posted Aug 26, 2007, 9:49 am
I know I am FOX... I'm looking forward to meeting bear toyvoyagers and Aliah.
I hope I arrive at the party place in time.
Posted Aug 29, 2007, 12:59 pm
Posted Sep 9, 2007, 3:49 am
Posted Sep 9, 2007, 5:16 am
Posted Sep 9, 2007, 5:48 am
Posted Sep 9, 2007, 6:19 am
Posted Sep 21, 2007, 4:44 pm
(JamaBana and I was sent to Yumi with the same packeage)
I met Jan who came from Switzerland.
Posted Sep 25, 2007, 3:12 am
Posted Sep 29, 2007, 3:45 am
Takaoka is the 2nd biggest city of Toyama prefecture. Toyama is next to Ishikawa Yumi lives in.
When I was walking, I found a shrine (I forgot the name though...)
Then I went to Yamachosuzi where 42 mud-walled houses are conserved at a 600m street.
The house on the photo is conserved as a histrical significant architecture by nation.
Then I found some statues. Yumi told me that the statues were Doraeomon and other characters. Have you ever watched Doraeomon before? It is a very populaer comic(manga) and cartoon!
Posted Sep 29, 2007, 5:36 pm
Amaharashi means 'rain clears' in Japanese.
Nobody was at the beach...it seemed my private beach!
I wanted to swim there as the weather was sunny and hot!
If we were lucky, we could see about 3000m mountains beyond the sea where is only one in the world!!
Posted Oct 5, 2007, 4:08 pm
Nara has a big park where many deer live.
I could see some deer very close.
They were so cute!
Posted Oct 7, 2007, 2:53 pm
Nara has 9 shrines/temples which are registered as UNESCO world heritage.
We visited three of them!
First, we visited Kofuku-ji temple.
The temple has a pagoda
The pagoda was first built in 730, but it was burned down again and again.
The 6th pagoda is about 50m tall, the sedond tallest in Japan.
Posted Oct 7, 2007, 3:33 pm
The temple has a huge statue of Buddha which was made in 752.
The statue looks powerful and has a dignity.
Posted Oct 10, 2007, 11:13 am
Kasuga Taisha is the biggest shrine in Nara city.
The shrine was founded about 1200 years ago at the time when the capital was moved to Nara.
I was taken the first photo in front of the entrance gate, Nan-mon.
The gate was built in Heian era(794-1185)
At the shrine, I found many lanterns.
The shrine has about 3000 lanterns.
Posted Oct 10, 2007, 12:03 pm
A lot of pink and white cosmos flowers have bloomed.
They were beaufuil.
I found another flower at her home garden.
Posted Dec 14, 2007, 6:02 pm
My travelog hasn't been updated for a while as yumi waited for a message from my owner.
The country where I visit next is GERMANY!!
I was sent to Pandamao today. I can't wait for a new adventure in Germany! It would be nice if I could arrive at her home by Christmas.
Posted Dec 27, 2007, 10:20 pm
Posted Dec 28, 2007, 10:26 pm
Posted Jan 3, 2008, 7:53 pm
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Posted Feb 5, 2008, 8:51 pm
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Posted Feb 10, 2008, 11:38 pm
This is what I read about the cemetery:
It is a little known fact that Munich's oldest green area is 450 years old, that it's in the heart of town and that it's a cemetery - the Alter Südfriedhof. The cemetery is something of a conservation area and bears unique testimony to the city's cultural history. Its romantically overgrown graves, tombs and mausoleums pay homage to distinguished Munich figures - artists, architects, master builders and scientists.
In the plague year 1523 graveyards within the city walls were so overfilled that a new cemetery - the "Äußerer Freithof" - was opened outside the city gate at the Sendlinger Tor. The cemetery wall and all the buildings were later destroyed as a preventative military measure in the Thirty Years War. Well into the 18th century the cemetery was looked on as a poor man's burial ground. In 1844, a new section designed by Gärtner was added and it continued to be Munich's central burial ground up to 1868.
Posted Feb 11, 2008, 12:09 am
Posted Feb 11, 2008, 12:46 am
Some of the graves are inside the back wall of the houses. And windows pop up between the statues on the graves.
Posted Feb 11, 2008, 2:47 pm
Posted Feb 12, 2008, 9:01 pm
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Posted Feb 18, 2008, 7:17 pm
Posted Mar 22, 2008, 3:49 pm
Posted Mar 24, 2008, 11:30 pm
Today it's Easter Monday and Pandamao went to this little town in the Oberpfalz to see her dad and she took me along.
We walked along the street and wondered what was going on in that little park opposite. When we came closer we saw that it was an "Easter fountain". In this part of Bavaria it's the custom to decorate the fountains with Easter eggs. There must be hundreds or thousands of eggs here. They really look beautiful.
Posted Mar 28, 2008, 10:44 pm
I also met some local bears. We had a nice conversation about TVs and traveling the world but the Bavarian bears did not want to join. Seems, that they would miss their Sunday morning beer Stammtisch (regulars' table) at the Hofbräuhaus too much.
Posted Mar 28, 2008, 11:32 pm
Posted Mar 30, 2008, 10:53 pm
Also Pamplemoose is leaving but he is going to Austria.
Posted Apr 3, 2008, 8:52 pm
Petra promissed us to take even more care for us now and to show us around everywhere, but she said, that she will need more time than usually, before she can start to do this.
Tomorrow we will bake some cakes together and we all are looking forward to it. Now we will go to sleep as it is rather late.
Bye, FoxForce
Posted Apr 10, 2008, 12:04 pm
We sat all together watching and helping Petra with preparing the dough.
So here are the photos with me. If you are interested in recipes, I can try to ask Petra to write them here or send them to you.
Petra's daughter took me outside for a little walk
Finally the cakes are ready
The nougat cream cake:
only the words "Happy birthday" have to be put on the cake now.
The Zebra-cake
Somehow we miss the last photo of the Danube waves cake, the one with the cherries.
Posted Apr 27, 2008, 11:44 am
Posted Apr 27, 2008, 12:43 pm
The Buran ( the only space shuttle of the Soviet Buran program)was only on one unmanned spaceflight in 1988. The shuttle program was cancelled in 1993. It was destroyed by a hangar collapse in 2003.
The Buran is the world's first genuine space shuttle to be exhibited to the general public.
Petra wanted to go there to watch the arrival, but the weather was too bad, so we only got the chance to read the newspaper
Posted Apr 27, 2008, 9:10 pm
Petra woke up early and told us to get ready to for a walk. We were very curious and excited of course. First we bought some bread rolls for breakfast (only a few bakeries or open on Sundays) and then we brought Ralf to work (normally he doesn't work on Sundays).
And then we drove in the car for about 15 minutes. We sat in the rucksack and you can believe me, it wasn't the best way to travel.
After we walked a little bit, we found this sign:
It told us the rules, how we had to behave at this place.
Oh, you surely want to know, where we were. There is a small Japanese Garden not far away from Bruchsal in Münzesheim, which Petra was told, that it is really pretty. She never had been there before, but now she wanted to go there together with us.
So now look at the photos and enjoy!
I saw a part of the Berlin Wall:
This building was very interesting, especielly the ceiling, which was made of white and blue bottles.
Posted May 5, 2008, 4:18 pm
Posted May 5, 2008, 4:39 pm
Bruchsal was first named in 976 A.D., but since a few weeks we know, that it must be even older than this. They found something next to a church and realized that this is really old. I had been very curious to get to know more about this, but the weather was so terrible, that we had no chance to go there.
So you only see the most interesting places here. Petra was in a hurry, so the photos aren't that great she says.
Here you see the backsite of the palace and a part of the palace garden. The palace was nearly completely destroyed during the Second World War and rebuilt around 1973.
Posted May 5, 2008, 5:34 pm
3500 - 2600 BC first signs of humans had been found on this place, the "Michelsberg culture".
This view shows a part of Bruchsal, which is at the border between Rhine Valley and Kraichgau. Kari shows the place for me, because I got stuck in the backpack.
The quarry pond belongs to Untergrombach, which you see on this photo. This is the best view to see the Palatine Mountains on the horizon, but today we had no luck.
You see another part of Untergrombach. You see, that it is also to the border of the Kraichgau.
This nice chapel is called Michaelskapelle and it is on top of the Michaelsberg. Petra told me, that there are many couples, that want to marry in this chapel. Don't be too surprised to see Kari on this photo. The one with me was just not nice enough
Here you see so-called "Steinriegel" (field clearance cairn), made by people working on their fields a long long time ago. They threw the big stones from their fields to the border of the neighbour's field, so that in the middle all stones were accumulated. Many animals and flowers love this gaunt places and that's why a few weeks ago, people cleaned the Steinriegel from all the earth, that came between the stone during the many many years and from all the other plants, that love to grow in earth.
Another word I learned is "Magerrasen" (neglected grassland), which is typical for the Michaelsberg. The town you see is Untergrombach.
The Michaelsberg is nature reserve area, I'm sure, you already realized this too. There are beautiful rare flowers and animals.
Posted Jun 9, 2008, 5:46 pm
Posted Jul 12, 2008, 7:41 pm
Suddenly! What's this! There were huge drops falling from the sky. You can see them behind us. Why does Petra let us sit there and doesn't fetch us to go inside of the house? Petra!!!!Petra!!!
Petra asked us, whether we would like to sit at the window in the dining room and watch the rain there.
Posted Jul 12, 2008, 7:43 pm
Posted Jul 26, 2008, 11:24 am
for each whole egg she takes 50g sugar and 50g flour. This time she made a big cake, so she needed 10 eggs and swirled them really long - and we helped her with this, of course. Then we added 500g sugar (yes, that's really a lot of sugar) and one small packet vanilla sugar and again swirled it until everything was foaming. At last we added 500g flour and 1 small packet baking powder, but we didn't swirl this but only folded it in carefully. Then we put it in the baking dish and gave it in the preheated oven (170°C/338°F to 180°C/356°F) for about half an hour.
We had to let it cool down then and Petra told us, that she wanted to the decoration the next day.
Somehow Petra missed to take a photo with me.
But then she needed our help for some handycrafts. She worked on some pages for an album for the headmaster of her school, who left the school. She said, that people, who are older than 63 to 65 years, go on pension. The headmaster will be 64 years old this year and so it was time for him to leave work behind.
This pages we created for those teachers, who take care for their young children at home and who are on parental leave. They thought, that Petra has enough time to do this page for them - crazy girls.
Posted Jul 26, 2008, 11:44 am
For the filling we needed cream, nougat and hazelnut. I have to look, whether I will find the recipe. Petra's headmaster loves to play the saxophone, so she thought it would be a good idea to draw it on the cake.
When we were ready, we had to do some more handicrafts. This time we had to cut out some water lilies for the windows of the school doors.
Posted Jul 26, 2008, 3:03 pm
Here is the front of the album. Sorry, but we can't show the pages, because there are many photos with children.
Posted Feb 14, 2009, 1:20 pm
Today we woke up and didn't believe, what we saw: during the last night we got some snow. Everything looks so beautiful, that Petra decided to take photos with us instead cleaning the bath.
Posted Feb 14, 2009, 1:27 pm
The houses you see on this photo, belong to Obergrombach, a suburb of Bruchsal.
Posted Feb 14, 2009, 1:49 pm
At first we took a view over the roofs of Bruchsal:
The churchs: the tower of the old palace, the church Our Holy Mother (Unsere Liebe Frau, Stadtkirche) and Lutherkirche (from left to right).
A view to the baroque church St. Peter and the house St. Maria, both really close to the house, where we live.
Here you see the building of the houses for older people on the left.
Then we crossed the road and walked into the park to see the Belvedere.
Posted Feb 14, 2009, 6:28 pm
Posted Feb 14, 2009, 8:21 pm
Posted Mar 15, 2009, 2:42 pm
p a r t y
Cassiopeia invited Mousy Mouse, Galo, Surprise Bear, Khetiwe, Mumble and me.
The first guests, who arrived by car, were Mousy Mouse and Galo. I helped Cassiopeia to welcome the guests, because she still wasn't ready to dress herself up - she is a turtle.
Surprise Bear arrived too. He wore a crazy frog face.
Finally Cassiopeia arrived too with her hat on her back, because she had to run - do you know, how fast turtles are able to run, if they have to?
Of course she put her hat on as soon as she arrived there.
Galo saw the sofa and ran there to sit down. He knows, where is the best place
Mousy Mouse, the beauty!
I'm wearing high heels, very high heels
Emmh, you know, this is Surprise Bear - the frog faced.
Cassiopeia had a special seat. They found something round for her, because she just sits perfectly on something like that. She have some kind of problems, if it comes to sitting on a chair or something like that - She's a turtle, you know.
Emmh, why are we sitting so far away from each other?????
Did you see, that there are still some empty chairs? We miss Khetiwe and Mumble. Where are they? Did they forget, that they have to go to a party today?
It's time to dance now! Does anyone want to join?
Something is falling down from the ceiling, but it seems, that Petra's photo only works, when the thing is too high or too low. Hehehe, you should learn to take photos like this.
Do you see that little something on the top?
Hmm, Sabrina and Petra! We want to dance or play now, don't wait too long to take this photo.
Hehehe. Finally the "thing" fell down on Galo.
Let's dance Samba - what else should we dance, if it is carnival.
Uuuups, Mousy Mouse! Be careful! Of course I helped her to stand up again.
Finally, while Cassiopeia and Galo danced too, Khetiwe and Mumble arrived. Better late than never.
At once they started to dance with Surprise Bear.
Lalala lala laaaa lala, lalala lala laaa lala, Samba
Posted Mar 15, 2009, 7:29 pm
At first it was Mumble, who had to spin the bottle.
Galo had to spin the bottle at next.
It's Mousy Mouse.
Cassiopeia had to do a hind feet stand.
We all were very thirsty, so Sabrina mixed us an alcohol free cocktail.
Petra showed us the time and told us to get ready for bed as soon as possible.
Posted Mar 29, 2009, 6:56 pm
We had a lot of fun and then we took a nap on the heater in the livingroom.
Posted Mar 29, 2009, 8:37 pm
I helped to cut the basic soap into pieces.
Then we had to melt it in the microwave.
I tried to help with the Asian letters.
Then Sabrina added some red colour and vanilla perfume.
At last we added blue colour.
Posted Apr 5, 2009, 8:55 pm
1 leek, finely sliced
1 small tin of sweetcorn, drained
1 small tin of pineapple chunks, drained
150g cooked ham, diced
1 small glass of celery salad, drained (hmm, very German, you could replace it with gherkins)
2 apples, cored and diced
200g Gouda, cubed
3 hard boiled eggs, diced or sliced
1 glass of Miracle Whip (can you get this in the UK? It is mayonaisse, I can check the quantity tomorrow for you)
Place the ingredients in a bowl in the order of the above list. Do not stir. Place in fridge overnight.
Stir just before serving.
You can replace the pineapple with mandarine oranges if you prefer.
This makes a bowl for about 8-10 portions.
Posted Apr 6, 2009, 7:48 am
At first he had to tell a lot about Mexico and everyone told him about their lifes as a toyvoyager, but Petra said, that we would have more time to tell stories, but now we would have to get ready with our work.
So he climbed on Cassiopeia's back to have a place with a good view over everything.
At first we added white and then brown dough into the baking dish.
Then we added morello cherries.
While the cake was in the oven, Petra showed us the snowdrops in her backyard.
Because it just didn't rain, she thought, it would be a good idea to go to the church, which is only a few meters from our home. We all were happy to see something else than the house.
We saw the call box next to the church and I thought about calling one of my other toyvoyager friends, but Petra told me, that it will be too expensive to do it.
This is the church St. Peter. It is a baroque church and I think, it is really nice. Maybe we can take a photo, when it is sunny, too.
The Church of St. Peter is an original building of the 18th century and was not destroyed during World War II. The church was designed by the world famous baroque architect builder Balthasar Neumann.
The cementery behind it is a beautiful place for peaceful, contemplative walkds and its numerous memorials also rovide an insight into the history of Bruchsal and its people.
We found a stone about the Baden Revolution. It is a reminder of the citizens of Bruchsal, who were victims of the Baden Revolution. It was erected on the initiative of the Social Democratic Party of Germany and dedicated on 1st November 1900. Here, next to the church you can see the grave of Johann Baptist Bekk, He was Minister of the Interior in Baden during the years of the Revolution and found his final resting place in Bruchsal. (www.bruchsal-erleben.de)
The roofs belong to an old part of Bruchsal. Most old parts were destroyed during World War II. In the far you see a big grey building. It is a private grammar school founded by patres of the Pallotti order.
When you stand in front of the entrance of the church and just turn around, you have this nice view.
After we came home again, we had to get ready with the cake. First we had to make a butter cream and then we had to make a chocolate icing. This time Petra was really unhappy, that the icing didn't look nice.
Posted Apr 17, 2009, 10:07 pm
Posted May 23, 2009, 11:27 am
We all were fascinated by those big locomotives and I hope, you aren't too disappointed, that there will be no explanation about each single one.
Posted May 24, 2009, 11:21 am
Posted May 24, 2009, 11:34 am
I also saw a real Ralf Schumacher Formel 3 race car.
Posted May 24, 2009, 6:37 pm
Posted May 28, 2009, 6:19 pm
On top of the Michaelsberg there is a chapel called Michaelskapelle. Next to the chapel is a restaurant, where you have a nice view over the Rhine valley.
Petra loves to go on the Michaelsberg to show the Rhine valley to her guests and to show them the edge to the Kraichgau. Today she told us, that she wanted to go there, because she wanted to watch the sunset.
The houses you can imagine on the right side belong to Bruchsal. And you see a part of the quarry pond of Untergrombach too. On the horizon you can imagine two small small towers, which belong to the nuclear power reactor of Philippsburg.
Here you see Untergrombach down the hill.
Here we look in direction, where you come to Karlsruhe, which is in the Rhine valley too. You maybe can imagine the edge to the Kraichgau with its small hills.
I love this last view to the chapel in the evening sun.
Posted Jun 4, 2009, 1:19 pm
Just a few minutes after our arrival, Petra stumbled over a roundwood and fell on her two hands. She was happy, that she had time to relax before she had to drive again - but she didn't expect, that she had broken her right thumb and torn a ligament there too.
I listened to different bird songs and tried to find out, which bird it was.
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 5:15 pm
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 5:16 pm
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 5:17 pm
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 5:19 pm
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 5:20 pm
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 5:21 pm
You have a great view to the Rhine valley and Kraichgau.
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 5:22 pm
There are some rules we have to follow.
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 5:23 pm
Koblenz is a city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck (German Corner) and its monument (Emperor William I on horseback) are situated.
It is the third largest city in Rhineland-Palatinate, with a population of c. 106,000 (2006).
Here you see the confluence of Rhine (right side) and Moselle (left side).
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
(German: Festung Ehrenbreitstein) is a fortress on the mountain of the same name on the east bank of the Rhine opposite the town of Koblenz.
It was built as the backbone of the regional fortification system, Festung Koblenz, by Prussia between 1817 and 1832 and guarded the middle Rhine region, an area that had been invaded by French troops repeatedly before. The fortress was never attacked.
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 5:46 pm
We visited Luxembourg City today. The casemates are Unesco World Heritage.
We saw the casemates there, very impressive. The first casemates of Luxembourg had been built in 1644, during spanish rule. They were about 23 kilometers long (since 1867 only 17 km) and reach about 40 meters into the deep. Because of this fortress Luxembourg got the byname "Gilbraltar of the north".
We also visited the cathedral Notre Dame.
Then we went to see the other part of casemates, but this time we didn't go inside.
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 6:11 pm
Then we drove back to Germany. You see the signs over the bridge.
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 6:23 pm
Posted Jun 14, 2009, 6:30 pm
You have a wonderful view over the Moselle valley and Trier.
(Uuups, we forgot to take a photo of me here, sorry.)
Because Petra's camera is rather good, she zoomed in, so I can show you some more Unesco World Heritage places. It was too late to go closer, I'm sorry.
Portra Nigra
Cathedral of Trier
Constantine Basilica
Kaiserthermen
St. Matthias' Abbey
Römerbrücke
Posted Aug 20, 2009, 9:01 pm
Posted Aug 22, 2009, 8:31 pm
Hi Mummy,
it's the last day of olgamaus' visit here in Bruchsal. So we went into town to visit the baroque castle, which she has not seen yet.
The Château of Bruchsal was built in the baroque style of the mid 18th century starting around 1720 and served as the official residence of the bishops of Speyer. Its center was a three-winged building. In World War II the Château was badly damaged as a result of the aerial bombings aimed at Bruchsal and burned out completely. The large central part of the building was reconstructed (well into the 1970s) as a museum.
When olgamaus was taking photos with BellaKitten, Polki, Cutie and Mister_Right I asked her if I could come with her for a while. That was the easiest way to see more of the world. Olgamaus agreed and took me with her. Here is my first photo with the other four ToyVoyagers.
I saw some statues here.
All ToyVoyagers which visited Bruchsal today were sitting on this tree.
We went back to Petra's home than. It was so hot that it was hard to bear. On our way home we walked through another park. Here we saw the old keep of a medieval castle.
We also saw this statue here. Is is a symbol for international understanding.
We hurried home than. We had to pack our things and lunch was waiting for us. In the afternoon we have to drive to the airport. Olgamaus is living in another part of Germany. She came here on Tuesday by plane.
Posted Aug 22, 2009, 8:34 pm
From the roof of the car park we could see the famous Bosch-Parkhaus (Bosch-car park). It spans across the motorway A8.
The car park has space for 4200 vehicles on five stories. The logo is the second largest illuminated sign in the world and the biggest logo in the world after the unlit Hollywood Sign.
We went to the airport than, checked in and went to the visitors terrace. From here we could see some planes landing and starting.
On the visitors platform they have an exibition of old planes and helicopters. We had a look at them.
At 17:15 it was time to go to our gate than. From Duesseldorf we went home by train.
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Aug 22, 2009, 8:46 pm
Katja showed me around the city centre today. When she finished work she showed me the entrance of the shopping street. These giant forceps are a symbol for the tool producing industry which is very important for Remscheid.
In the background you can see the city hall.
The city hall was built in 1905, it was destroyed than nearly completely in World War II and rebuilt later in a more modern style. It's tower is 48 m high.
Here you can see the market place in front of the city hall. The pillar on this place is showing a lion, the heraldic animal of Remscheid.
Katja promised to show me more soon.
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Aug 24, 2009, 1:34 pm
we took a walk today in the neighbour city Solingen. We walked along the River Wupper for about 6 km and than back.
First we went buying some things in a nearby wholefood-shop. We parked the car and had a look across the valley, where our trip will start.
I saw lamas on a meadow, but they did not come closer. Katja has to cuddle every animal in sight
This is River Wupper.
You can find many old houses in the valley, they are called "Bergische Häuser" (Bergisch houses) because this reason is called "Bergisches Land". Those houses are usually timer-framed houses or covered with slate, often with green shutters.
This house (house?!) is completely overgrown with Virginia creeper. It was a factory building once.
This is a really pretty landscape.
This hamlet is called "Unten-Rüden". This seems funny because "Rüde" is the German word for a male dog.
It is a rural area here.
The first acorns!
Behind those flowers River Wupper is flowing. Do you also know impatients in England? They are also called "Touch-me-not".
After a 10-km-walk we finally rested on a thick branch for a while (Oops - River Wupper is flowing underneath our feet).
I must admit that they have beautiful landscapes in Germany. Rural districts means lots of chicken, hopefully unattended ....
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Aug 29, 2009, 6:13 pm
we took a walk today in one of the oldest districts of Remscheid. It is called "Hasten" and is situated in the North of the municipal, leading into a valley. In a nearby park Katja showed us a pillar which is dedicated to the first town twinning of Remscheid and Quimper in France. The pillar is also showing the coat of arms of Remscheid.
We played a bit on a small playground in the park.
Katja told us that we would walk through the municipal park to get to Hasten. Here we are on our way to the municipal park.
From here we had a first look to Hasten, in the valley.
The pink coloured house is an old factory building, you can find many of them between the tenements.
We reached Hasten than, a district surrounded by woodland.
We saw a lot of old houses and really narrow streets here.
We saw a beautiful Patrician villa here, built in 1798. A museum which is showing life, furniture and so on of the last centuries is situated nowadays here, also the German Tool Museum.
The area behind the villa belongs to the Tool Museum.
We decided to walk home than, this time uphill for some time
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Sep 3, 2009, 3:40 pm
can you imagine we did not have any coffee today in the morning? It was horrible - Katja did not know how to get awake.
When she finished work she immediately bought coffee. I was also in need of coffee.
Finally ...
... coffee and wafers with a nougat filling.
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Sep 6, 2009, 10:27 am
we took a walk today with Katja's parents. We went to Hueckeswagen, a small town in the "Oberbergisches Land". A lot of woodland and rural area belongs to the municipal area of Hueckeswagen. We parked the car in the middle of nowhere.
Almost nothing but green around
We continued our walk to Wupper dam. Here you can see the river in the valley.
The touch-me-not is a pretty flower, but it does not smell good.
This is a really pretty place.
We reached the dam than.
The next photo is a zoomed one, showing a nice part of the dam.
We walked for about an hour. Here I saw an elder bush.
Dark clouds were coming.
On the surrounding meadings I saw a lot of cows and horses.
Suddenly it started to rain, but only for a few minutes. Can you imagine what I saw next?
A wonderful rainbow!
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Sep 9, 2009, 9:56 am
Heidelberg is a city in Baden-Württemberg. About 140 000 people live in the city's area. It lies on the river Neckar at the point, where it leaves its narrow, steep valley in the Odenwald to flow into the Rhine valley. The river Neckar joins the river Rhine at Mannheim.
Approximately 1 000 000 years ago the "Heidelberg Man", whose jaw-bone was discovered in 1907, the earliest evidence of human life in Europe, died at nearby Mauer.
Our hosts love to take photos of the castle and the view to the Neckar. Every now and then they go there - just for some photos. They are crazy, but to tell the truth: I love Heidelberg. I lost my heart in Heidelberg - like many others before.
Posted Sep 19, 2009, 4:46 pm
I'm travelling to Nothern Germany with Katja's parents, to a small place called "Carolinensiel".
This small town is situated in the German state of Lower Saxony, close to the coastline.
I'll stay with Katja's parents for about two week. During this time I won't be able to update photos.
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Oct 10, 2009, 11:54 am
as I told you I am on holidays in Lower Saxony. Katja's parents took me with them.
Today we visited a small town called Schillig. It is situated on the west coast of Jade Bay and is about 20 km north of the town of Wilhelmshaven.
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Oct 10, 2009, 11:59 am
today we made a trip to the island Langeoog. We had to go there by ferry.
Here I am at Bensersiel, walting for the ferry. Quite boring, so I joked around to kill time.
Posted Oct 10, 2009, 12:12 pm
I found a playground on the beach and played with a travelling sheep whose owner is Katja's sister.
What is this?
Some salty stuff, I don't know what it's good for.
I rested in the dune for a while.
Time for playing again!
Maybe I can frighten somebody who wants to go the beach. This small boy wasn't scared at all! I'm afraid I got totally out of practice doing this.
On this island usually cars are not allowed. Only the fire department and ambulance service have standard motorised vehicles. Policemen are doing their job with bicyles. Haha! As a tourist you have to use your feet - or you can take a ride with the Langeoog Train. We decided to do this after using our feet for hours.
Bye
FoxForce
FoxForce
Posted Oct 10, 2009, 12:18 pm
today we visited Jever. Jever is the capital of the district of Friesland in Lower Saxony. The most famous thing here is the Jever brewery. Katja's Dad told me that there would also be a castle, but I was sure a brewery is more interesting.
I had a beer, or two, or three, or ...? I'm afraid I don't remember any more ...
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Oct 10, 2009, 12:24 pm
today we made a trip to Wangerooge, one of 32 Frisian Islands in the North Sea.
Like on Langeoog cars are prohibited on the island.
Because Katja's Dad likes lighthouses, we visited the old lighthouse which is not used any more.
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Oct 10, 2009, 12:31 pm
today we made a boat trip from Hooksiel to Wilhelmshaven. The weather was so bad that Katja's Dad did not take many photos, his camera might have drowned otherwise.
Once more I was waiting for the ferry.
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Oct 10, 2009, 12:39 pm
we visited Harlesiel today, a small town at the North Sea. We went to the harbour.
We went into town than. Here I saw some nice decorations.
A rusty anchor, for example.
That was a really nice trip.
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Oct 16, 2009, 9:48 am
although the weather is bad, we took a walk today in the suburbs of Remscheid.
We walked through a small hamlet called "Spelsberg".
What a nice place! They are feeding birds here, that might be a good way for me to get my dinner
(I love tomtits and sparrows for dinner).
It started to rain than, so I prefered to stay in Katja's bag.
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Oct 26, 2009, 8:24 pm
in Katja's lunch break we took a walk in the city centre. The first photo was taken close to my current home.
Here we are above alotment gardens, which are situated in the municipal park. In the background you can see the neighbour city, Wuppertal.
There is even a small forrest in the middle of the city
More pretty old houses ...
We had to return to Katja's workplace than. What a pity, lying in the sun under those trees would have been much better ...
Bye
FoxForce
Posted Nov 6, 2009, 10:12 pm
I haven't heard anything from you for a while, I hope everything is fine with you.
fam-united and olgamaus invited me although and showed me interesting things in Germany. Katja told me now that is a special home for TVs like me. Roo will go there and also Hueso, who arrived here today. He was sent by BlackCat, who hosted him for some time, His Mummy did not ask for him for months, so he also will go to Finland, to the Foster Care Home. I decided to go with the two of them.
We said good-bye to Landroval, Hippoda and Murph and were off.
Bye
FoxForce
FosterCareHome@web.de
Posted Nov 11, 2009, 2:41 pm
It looks nice and snowy here! The others in the photo are also Foster Toys: Roo, Hueso and Alfonz. I'm pretty sure I'll like it here - and with them
FosterCareHome@web.de
Posted Dec 30, 2009, 11:48 am
Later in the evening Santa came for a visit! He brought us some gifts as well. We all got "stamp magnets"!
The rest of the night we ate some more - also and especially candy
My host had got us a box of Finnish chocolate. We didn't leave much for the next day...
Merry Christmas everyone! Iloista joulua!
FosterCareHome@web.de
Posted Dec 31, 2009, 6:49 pm
FosterCareHome@web.de
Posted Apr 2, 2010, 9:18 am
Iloista pääsiäistä!
FosterCareHome@web.de
Posted Jun 13, 2010, 9:03 am
It was a fun trip! Foster Mom promised we'll go see the newer parts of Porvoo too
FosterCareHome@web.de
Posted Oct 30, 2010, 9:48 am
FosterCareHome@web.de
Posted Dec 26, 2010, 7:25 am
FosterCareHome@web.de
Posted Dec 29, 2011, 2:12 pm
And have a great new year - 2012!
FosterCareHome@web.de
Posted Jun 22, 2012, 8:16 am
FosterCareHome@web.de
Posted Nov 3, 2015, 4:04 pm
FosterCareHome@web.de
Posted Dec 15, 2015, 9:02 am
I'm so happy that I have a new home!