Remscheid, Germany - 22nd October 2008
By: olgamaus
Hi,
I am Loreena, the bear-shaped bookworm. Like my mentor I love reading thrillers and crime stories with lots of good looking detectives and lots of bad guys. It's time to travel because my Mummy discovered her penchant for novels which are set in medieval times. My favourite movies are "Seven" and "From Hell", not only because I like Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt ....
As a real teddy bear I also love honey, so I would like to bake gingerbread with you. If you don't have a receipe I'd call my Mummy and ask for one.
I also love taking walks in the forrest, there is always so much to see and learn.
I already have an appointment with somebody in England.
Loreena
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Posted Oct 22, 2008, 4:12 pm
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Pontypridd, Wales, UK - 27th October 2008
By: Artwyrd
Phew! It's taken a couple of days, but I've arrived safe and sound. My new host, Angela, has let me out of my travelling sleeping-bag, and I'm resting up a little before I explore her home. I can smell something cooking, and she tells me it's an Indian meal - pilau rice, cabbage, carrot and pea curry, and a quorn curry too, and there'll be naan bread and samosas and onion bhajees too. She has a friend from her heritage railway visiting tonight, and I'm looking forward to meeting them, and watching them work on some kind of leaflet to advertise the railway in the next year.
I'm going to put my paws up for a while now ... and here are some pictures of me...I hope. My host has never done this before and she's a little confused for now, but will learn quickly enough.
Yours, tiredly but curiously, Loreena
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Posted Oct 27, 2008, 6:37 pm Last edited Oct 27, 2008, 6:38 pm by Artwyrd
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Pontypridd, Wales, UK - 28th October 2008
By: Artwyrd
Hello again Mum!
I've had a quiet time here the last couple of days.
I met Angela's pal Alex and watched them work on an advertising leaflet and listened to their silly talk to do with railways and people there. I laughed too! I also enjoyed something called 'tiffin' which is all chocolately and biscuity and delicious. There's a picture of me looking at the pile of tiffin that was dessert for Angela and Alex.
I also met Angela's white cat called Cuffs. He sniffed me very curiously, I'm not sure if I liked that or not, but I wisely have been sleeping with some other toys on a shelf out of Cuffs' way! I'll ask Angela to take a photograph of me with my new pals.
I've also watched Angela doing some art, and you can see me inspecting her work. Don't worry, I was careful not to walk on it, and I don't have any waterproof ink on me!
I have a lot of books to look at here ... I'm hoping there's be some mystery books. There's certainly plenty on early medieval history, church architecture and prehistory! Maybe not novels, but all full of mysteries ...
Here's some pictures. I hope you're keeping well.
Lots of love
Loreena.
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Posted Oct 29, 2008, 9:26 pm Last edited Oct 29, 2008, 9:37 pm by Artwyrd
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Storey Arms, Brecon, Wales, UK - 29th October 2008
By: Artwyrd
It's been a cold day here, and it's now raining again. I woke up to a very bright and sunny morning and there was ice on all the cars. The patterns were very nice indeed.
Angela had to go to a town called Merthyr Tydfil this afternoon. On our way there, I could see some mountains in the distance and they were covered in snow! Angela told me they were called the Brecon Beacons and we could go and see the snow there after her appointment in Merthyr.
I met the person she had an appointment with, and he thought ToyVoyagers was an absolutely brilliant idea! She didn't take a photograph because it isn't something you do where she was.
When the appointment was over, it was cold and starting to rain as we went back to the car. I didn't get to visit Merthyr Tydfil this time as the light fails early and I wanted to see the snowy Welsh Mountains.
We drove past some lakes that Angela told me were water reservoirs. I'd like to go back there on a warmer, drier day before I travel to my next host. As we went further north, the rain started to turn to sleet and then to snow! Angela stopped the car near a place called the Storey Arms, and we looked out at the snow. The Brecon Beacons are not safe to walk in in bad weather ... so we took a quick photo. We couldn't see the mountains for the snow, even though the car was parked on one one.
We're now back in the warm. I'm resting after the excitement of seeing the first snow of this autumn in Wales - and an early snow it is too!
love, Loreena
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Posted Oct 29, 2008, 9:35 pm
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Castell Coch, near Cardiff, Wales, UK - 31st October 2008
By: Artwyrd
Hello Mum!
I had a lovely time today. Angela took me to a fairytale castle called Castell Coch. Castell Coch is Welsh for 'Red Castle'. It was built in the late C19th by William Burgess for the Marquis of Bute. The foundations of the castle date back to the middle ages. The design for the re-build was influenced by the German Castelli and the newly re-built Carcassone in Southern France.
Here's me outside the castle. And there's more pictures of me inside the castle too!
The rooms inside are decorated in an amazing way! All hand painted and moulded - I hope you can spot me in the one of the fireplace in the drawing room!
I'm still amazed at how wonderful this place is. You can see more pictures of it here Castell Coch Virtual Tour.
Angela told me that as a child she used to play in the castle, and has fabulous memories of those times as a child. She still likes to visit it now, but with her sketchbook!
Lots of love Loreena.
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Posted Nov 1, 2008, 9:11 am
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My hosts's school, Caerphilly, Wales, UK - 5th December 2008
By: Artwyrd
I've been to school! Angela is a teacher - she teaches children with special educational needs aged 11 to 16. I went with her to work to see where she goes each day and what she does.
I have some photos of me in her room, and helping some of her pupils (and care-staff) with their work. I really enjoyed meeting them.
They got so excited about me that they want a ToyVoyager of their own. Angela's agreed to get one and send it travelling on their behalf ... I hope to meet their TV before it goes on it's journeys!
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Posted Dec 15, 2008, 9:24 pm Last edited Dec 15, 2008, 9:31 pm by Artwyrd
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Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway, Wales, UK - 14th December 2008
By: Artwyrd
I'm so excited! Today I met Santa Claus!
I went with Angela to 'her' heritage railway - the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway in Blaenavon, Wales. It's entirely run by volunteers - they run the trains, the buffets, maintain and repair the engines/coaches/track, and much, much more. They all seem great fun to be around, and of course, Santa visits them every year during December.
Angela was busy on the train with the people going to see Santa in his grotto. She was making tea and coffee for them, and playing seasonal music on her flute, as well as chatting to people, answering questions, and talking to the volunteers too. She had a very busy day. But she managed to catch Santa so I could say hello to him at the end of the day.
I also met the engine driver, and felt warm for the first time that day as the heat from the steam engine's firebox warmed me up!
I hope to get to visit Santa in his grotto next weekend ... and to see some more of the railway if Angela isn't kept too busy with passengers and staff.
It was an exciting day though, and it was great to hear people laughing and chatting and singing.
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Posted Dec 15, 2008, 9:30 pm
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