Posted Oct 21, 2011, 9:13 pm
I'm really looking forward to visit Germany! I'll be leaving tomorrow.
YAY! Though, I will also miss this place...
Posted Oct 28, 2011, 9:39 am
So here are my first pictures!
Yesterday I arrived Hildesheim in Germany.
Oh its so fantastic. ANd the best:
Today I will meet a other TV from Finnland!
Oh Im so excitedly.
Here are some photos after my large journey to Germany:
Here I eat some sweets from you
On the next Photo you can see Toschka,the cat from my host.
On the last picture I relaxe after the large journey
Hope see you soon!
Yours Kalista
Posted Oct 28, 2011, 8:46 pm
Oh it was so a fantastic Day today!
We went outside and saw the big marketplace in Hildesheim.
Miss you a lot
Kalista
Posted Oct 28, 2011, 8:52 pm
At Galeria Kaufhof I met a other owl and at the Playground a other TV! Oh it was so fantastic. One life mission is completed!
I really look forward to Visit tommorrow The Heide Park Halloween Special. I will drive with coasters!
Love you
Kalista
Posted Oct 30, 2011, 7:52 am
Yesterday was a fantastic day! After breakfast we went to the Heide Park Soltau. This is the biggest theme Park in north Germany! In the Heide Park was a Halloween Special. It was so beatiful! I drove with costers! There were a lot of witches,zombies and monsters so It was a kind of scary. At the end it was very dark so the photos at the end arent so much good.
But this was the best day!
Miss you
Kalista
Posted Nov 1, 2011, 5:26 pm
Today was a day of relaxing!
I´ve only chilled with Toivo
And play Videogames like Xbox Kinect
It was a fun!
Then we go outside in the darkness.It was a bit scary!
My host´s school continue today after holidays.
I´m going to continue my journey next week
Love you after all and miss you....
Kalista
Posted Nov 6, 2011, 5:35 pm
So im fine but my host was ill!
So he culdnt update my travellog and couldnt send me to my next host!
He is sorry!
SO tommorrow I will leave Hildesheim
Love you
Kalista
Posted Nov 10, 2011, 3:17 pm
Posted Nov 10, 2011, 7:40 pm
Posted Nov 11, 2011, 1:13 pm
Posted Nov 12, 2011, 6:06 pm
Now, this is the news today. I visited the Villa Hügel. Today the Villa Hügel with its park is property and domicile of the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung. It was very interesting. Then we visited Essen Werden. I had one foto from me with the cathedral. Second we went to the Baldeneysee. It was a nice place. But I´m thinking it is better to visit the Baldeneysee in summertime. It was so cold! Now, I´m very curious what we will do tomorrow. Greetings from Essen, your Kalista!
Posted Nov 16, 2011, 4:47 pm
Greetings from Essen, your Kalista!!
Posted Nov 20, 2011, 4:06 pm
Posted Nov 24, 2011, 4:33 pm
Posted Nov 24, 2011, 5:02 pm
Posted Nov 24, 2011, 11:05 pm
Posted Nov 26, 2011, 11:23 am
Posted Nov 26, 2011, 10:25 pm
Posted Nov 30, 2011, 7:50 pm
I already arrived in Germany!
Fridoline the mole wrapped me up so securely I had trouble climbing out of the parcel. But she meant well and I had a lot of styrofoam to play with on my journey!
When juls came home from uni she was just preparing supper when the parcel service deliverd me and I got to cook with her.
Also I met Fiete who is already staying here. I am sure we will we close friends
I am looking forward to spent some time here.
More soon!
Kalista xx
Posted Dec 11, 2011, 7:02 pm
Juls apologises for not updating in such a long time, but she caught a cold and we all stayed home and cared for her
However we were not completely idle. Here are some pictures of what I did during the last weeks!
We made cookies. And sooo many of them too! Fiete and I helped produce an army of cookies!
Juls gave them away for Nikolaus day.
Later we visited her friend and I met "Tequila" the yellow canary. It was rather tame and I could sit right next to it
And last but not least:
Today we took a ride on a historic train! It was so slow! We took 2h to get to Asendorf but it was rather nostalgic.
Juls says we usually get snow in Bremen by the 18th (which then melts again till the 22nd) but I am already looking forward to the white blessing and hope for a white Christmas.
How is everything back home? Do you manage without me?
PS: Takumi arrived yesterday. I think we will become friends!
Love
Kalista xxx
Posted Dec 26, 2011, 11:22 am
Finally I have some time to show you my adventures in Bremen. It was so wet the last couple of weeks
Juls expectations to have some snow were disappointed. When we went to the Christmas market it was sogging wet.
Together with Fiete and Takumi we had a lot of fun anyway!
We saw the court of law (that's the one with the lovely tower) and the Townhall and the Cathedral of Bremen. The townhall by the way is world national heritage. I think it is really pretty.
Finally we got to see the famous Townmusicians of Bremen. They are smaller then I imagined.
There will be more news soon!
Love Kalista
xxx
Posted Dec 26, 2011, 11:46 am
Hey Mum! One day till Christmas!!!
We are so excited!
Juls went to buy the Christmas tree a couple of days ago and today we brought it inside.
We got all the decorations from the attic and Fiete and Takumi and I helped her decorate it. It was so beautiful and we had lots of fun toying with the bauble and golden ribbons!
Later that night we helped Santa wrap all Christmas presents.
It was fun. All the time there was Christmas music playing
I Miss you during this festive season mum!
Love
Kalista
Posted Dec 26, 2011, 12:10 pm
There was some more biscuit baking today (Cinnamon stars, gingerbread hearts and chocolate biscuits and colourful icing: yummy!!!) and in the afternoon we got to go to the Christmas teatime where all the family was receiving, giving and unwrapping presents.
It was really comfy.
I hope you have a nice time too mum!
Love
Kalista
Posted Dec 29, 2011, 10:13 pm
yesterday Fiete left to continue his journey. We were sad, but we had lots of fun time with him.
In the afternoon, we had fruit and some relaxed time on the sofa.
Today we went to the harbor. Bremen is one of the Hanse cities and has the river Weser.
We saw some huge containers and the beautiful "Schulschiff Deutschland". The Schulschiff does not leave the harbor anymore. But you can visit it and see below deck or even book it to marry on it. Unfortunately there was no wedding there today and we could not go on it because it started to rain (again). This is one wet city.
Can I please go somewhere sunny next?
The last picture was taken from a balcony. There is a pension home build neatly next to the river and from some of the apartments you have a great view across the river and the ship. (That's how we got a picture with the complete ship in the background!)
Love
Kalista
xxx
Posted Jan 5, 2012, 5:15 pm
In the afternoon we went to the theater. The Theater am Goetheplatz. We saw an opera! And it was in English, too.
"The turn of the screw" adapted by Benjamin Britain in 1954. It is based on the 1898 novel by Henry James. It was really creepy (since it was a ghost story). You can read more about here
Yon can see me in front of the typical red curtain.
And in the evening we had a great party for New Years Eve, with cool decorations and tons of food and it was so much fun! Takumi and I helped decorate the table. And juls bought the incredibly cool pigs made from marzipan. Don't they look funny?
And there was confetti!!
2012 will be full of adventures!
Love
Kalista
Posted Jan 5, 2012, 5:34 pm
Have you heard it on the news? It is storm season... We can hardly sleep at night for the wind makes so much noise... sea level has risen (you can see that on one of the pictures showing the river Weser) and it is raining all day long and there is constant thunderstorm circling over Lower Saxony... bottom line: the weather is rubbish.
We went to take some pictures nonetheless.
You can see me at lunch break with juls (we had this amazing cheese bagel and mini muffins (Yummy!)) in the city.
Later we left for another part of town, via the train station and past the famous "Übersee Museum", one of Bremen's many museums.
At Vegesack harbor we took the following pictures.
See the huge arch? The is actually a whale's jawbone! Impressive right?
Takumi and I tried to create a new version of the Town Musicians: donkey, cat, owl. But we were missing a forth part... so it was really just us sitting on a donkey statue...
Vegesack harbor is a historic harbor, with historic ships that used to sail the river from Bremen to Bremerhaven (and back) or on the smaller side arm: river Lesum. The small ships do not leave it any more. (Particularly not with this weather).
Ahoy!
Kalista
Posted Jan 14, 2012, 4:43 pm
Juls found some pictures from the Vegesack-trip which she forgot to post!
Love
Kalista
Posted Jan 15, 2012, 8:42 pm
Today we took a walk to Schönebeck Manor. It was build in the beginning of the 17th century (no one knows the exact year). It is build in the typical German timber-frame architecture. And a castle set on a lake (the Schönebecker Aue, which empties into the Weser).
It was really nice and we walked around the gardens and lake and grounds. We relaxed on some ancient trees and sat beside the water.
We saw some ducks and an anchor. There are anchors all over Bremen. They represent the maritime heritage and culture of Bremen. Takumi and I had lots of fun!
It was the first sunny day in weeks.
Love
Kalista
Posted Jan 19, 2012, 6:43 pm
This will be my last post from Bremen. Juls will drop me off at the post office, so I can visit Remscheid.
I was here just long enough to see the first glimpse of winter. We played some Quirkel and then I got into the envelope. Takumi will continue his journey,too.
I will miss all the friends I made here but the journey continues and I am looking forward to seeing new places.
Love
xx
Kalista
Posted Jan 26, 2012, 12:52 pm
I arrived in Remscheid today. Remscheid is situated in the German state North Rhine-Westphalia.
I was welcomed by my new host Katja and some ToyVoyagers: Aslan from California, Mini-Woof from Munich in Germany, Krystal from Canada, Muggel Rainbow from Weilburg in Germany and Snakey from Hong Kong.
Katja took me to the attic when we went pegging out washings. I had a look out of the roof light.
In the background there is the city centre with the tower of the city hall and a large water tower.
Let's see if we will go for a walk tomorrow.
Bye
Kalista
Posted Jan 26, 2012, 12:59 pm
Katja showed me the city hall today, her work place is close to it.
The original city hall was nearly destroyed in World War II and was reguilt later in a more modern style. Its tower is 48 m high, visible from many places around.
There is a large place in front of the city hall, the farmers market is taking place here twice a week. There is also a pillar with a lion, the heraldic animal of Remscheid.
We had to buy a few things. While we went through the shopping street Katja showed me this house, it contains a florist shop with also home decoration items as well as an annex behind it with a lovely café.
Bye for now
Kalista
Posted Jan 26, 2012, 1:02 pm
the sun is shining - a rare honor like the other TVs told me. They were having rain here for more than a month.
Can you see the church tower in the left part of the photo? I am living in that area at the moment.
Bye
Kalista
Posted Jan 28, 2012, 4:51 pm
in the afternoon we took a walk with a friend. We left the city centre and walked downhill through an allotment garden area. You can see that the city is surrounded by woodland and rural areas.
They are having lovely houses here. This one is a typical "Bergisches" house, covered with slate, with green shutters.
Bye
Kalista
Posted Jan 29, 2012, 2:58 pm
in the morning we took a walk with Katja and two of her friends. Katja promised me that I would see Muengsten Bridge, Germany's highest railway bridge. We went into the forest where we found a rock with engraved artwork: A puddle oracle! Unfortunately a frozen oracle does not work
There is an outlook pavilion high above the valley of the river Wupper. You have a good overlook across the valley of the river Wupper with Muengsten Bridge.
There are rocks along our path, little waterfalls running down everywhere.
We were nearly under the bridge!
We went downhill than towards the river.
We found more rocks with engraved patterns, a tabletop game this time, nine men's morris.
In the meantime we crossed the river and walked back towards Muengsten Bridge. This side of the river bank is really steep, rocks and steep slopes.
We reached the leisure park underneath the bridge than. The bridge was built in early 20th century, finished in 1906 A.D. It is 107 m high, overspanning the valley of the river Wupper which is marking the border between Remscheid and the neighbour city Solingen. It is about 480 m long. There will be extended repar and restoration works in the coming years.
When the weather is good lots of kids are playing here in the shallow river, Katja told us. After six weeks with heavy rainfall the Wupper is not a shallow river any more.
This was a very interesting trip today.
Bye
Kalista
Posted Feb 3, 2012, 9:15 am
we visited Katja's sister today. She is living in one of the historic districts of Remscheid, in Lennep. It is extremely cold outside, if we had snow, it would be paradise for a snowy owl like me
We took a walk in the late morning, through the suburbs towards a restaurant for lunch.
You can find lots of woodland areas and rural areas in Remscheid.
The A1 motorway is crossing the valley.
All puddles and little creeks in the roadside ditches are frozen.
We reached our lunch destination in an industrial park close to the A1 motorway.
Afterwards we took a walk in the old town of Lennep.
Most of the houses were built after 1746 A.D., when there was the last great fire which destroyed nearly the complete old town. Many houses are under monument protection.
You can find extremely narrow lanes here, no car can pass through.
The founder of the X-rays, Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, was born in Lennep in 1845 A.D. The German Roentgen Museum is situated here, the house of his birth is also still existing.
We went back to Katja's sister than. In the background you can see Katja's former school.
Bye for now
Kalista
Posted Feb 13, 2012, 6:37 pm
we visited Hückeswagen today, a small town in the "Oberbergisches Land", about 18 km apart from Remscheid. We went there to take a friend's daughter to a riding stable. Hückeswagen is embedded in a rural landscape.
We took a walk than around an upstream temporary dam of the large Wupper dam. It is almost completely frozen.
We also went to the the town centre of Hückeswagen, a lovely old town.
They have a castle here, the municipality is situated in it.
When we walked back to the river Wupper we saw this tiny house with the working fireman.
Of course I also said hello to the horses.
Bye
Kalista
Posted Feb 13, 2012, 6:53 pm
today we took a walk in the late afternoon in the city centre. We walked along the "Route of Tools" (Trasse des Werkzeugs), a former railway track, now built to a lane for pedestrians and cyclists. This lane is following the former freight train track from the central station to the district Hasten, many industrial companies were situated along this track, some are still nowadays.
We found a resting area, you can find some seats here (it was too cold to sit longer than 30 seconds on the metal bench).
The lane was sponsored by local companies, mostly tool producing companies - that's why it is called "Route of Tools". Remscheid is famous for its tool producing industry for centuries. You can find large signs with the logos of the sponsoring companies.
This is the former slaughterhouse, the whole complex is under monument protection nowadays.
The closer we came towards Hasten, the more the lane seemed to be a park or a walking path in a forest.
I found those funny wrench patterns, stamped into the tarmac.
We left the Route of Tools and went home through the municipal park.
This monument is dedicated to the dead of several wars which took place before WW I.
Bye
Kalista
Posted Feb 16, 2012, 7:08 pm
today we met friends to take a longer hiking tour to the neighbour town Wuppetal. We planned to visit the Wuppertal Brewhouse. A brewhouse - like all Bavarians I LOVE brewhouses
First we had to walk towards the valley between Remscheid and Wuppertal, it is called "Morsbachtal", like the creek (Morsbach) running through it. It seems that all the water on earth's surface was frozen.
This is the Morsbach (Morsbach creek).
This pond in front of an historic industrial site is also frozen.
This cute little house was restored in the last years, Katja told me.
Than we had to climb from the bottom of the valley towards Wuppertal-Cronenberg. Can you see the city centre of Remscheid on the hill in background? We started our trip there
This is a typical German garden with garden gnomes
From now we walked along the "Sambatrasse", also a former railway track, following a route though the forest from Wuppertal-Cronenberg to the zoo quarter in Wuppertal.
This historic train is placed here.
An incinerator is also situated at the Sambatrasse.
This is an access road to the A46 motorway.
We left the Sambatrasse in the zoo quarter. You can find lots of beautiful mansions here.
In the background you can see the touristc highlight of Wuppertal - the Schwebebahn, a suspension railway. It travels along a route of 13.3 kilometres (8.3 mi), at a height of about 12 metres (39 ft 4 in) above the river Wupper. At some places it is crossing streets, even the motorway A46.
Wuppertal-Barmen ...
Here you can see the city hall of the district Wuppertal-Barmen.
The brewhouse is situated close to the city hall, just behind it.
We were really thirsty, so we ordered large beers immediately.
The brewhouse is a former public swimming bath which was in use from 1882 until it was closed in 1993. The brewhouse was opened in the the rebuilt complex in 1997. You can find photos of the former swimming bath here, you have to click the "Historie"-button in the top row.
Yummy!
We went home than by train.
Bye
Kalista
Posted Feb 25, 2012, 10:16 am
we took a short walk in the city centre today, first we had a look at the city hall. There is a large open space in front of it, the market place. You can find a pillar here with the heraldic animal of Remscheid, a lion.
This is the water tower. The whole inner city is provided with drinking water from this tower. The water is pumped from a dam in a valley of Remscheid to this tower.
This is the central bus station.
Here you can see the company building of the local newspapere, the Remscheider General-Anzeiger.
Bye for now
Kalista
Posted Feb 29, 2012, 4:22 pm
we took a last walk today, along rover Wuppere once more. We started on the Remscheid side, walking steep downhill. In the valley you can see the district Solingen-Unterburg with a historic church and a graveyard.
Unterburg is one of the historic districts, you can find many restaurants here.
We followed river Wupper, along the slope of the valley.
Muengsten Bridge came into sight, later we walked underneath it.
Although the extreme cold is over there are still tose patrtly frozen waterfalls.
The path in the forest was extremely muddy, thankfully I was sitting in Katja's bag most of the time!
Bye
Kalista
Posted Feb 29, 2012, 4:29 pm
Hi Mummy,
today I packed my things, all my souvenirs and hopped into a large envelope.
I am on my way home now.
Good-bye Germany!
Kalista
Posted Nov 7, 2012, 8:21 pm
After a long time at home it's time to move on once again. The world awaits!
Until soon,
Kalista