Travelog for: Talya

Talya was so excited to arrive at her new home in Kansas. She was greeted by her long, lost cousin Topple who was visiting from Russia!

Talya got to ride a pretend horse in the Where Kids Rule exhibit ("castle room") at Exploration Place! She thought the castle was beautiful.

Talya visited with the pets in the pretend vet clinic at Exploration Place, then investigated the scale model of the town of Nicodemus, KS. She rode in a tractor simulator and learned how they milk cows.

The first thing Talya did in the Explore Kansas room was try the tornado simulator. Boy was it windy, she sure hopes she is never in a tornado! She met a cute little bullfrog in the wildlife section of the room.  Next, she learned about how pollution affects rivers and streams, via an interactive display. Talya learned about Kansas plants and made a leaf rubbing. She was amazed by the giant blocks of salt that were mined in Kansas.

Talya enjoyed the whimsical "American Airloons' sculpture in the air and flight room at Exploration Place. She had a lot of fun trying to build things on the construction table.

The TVs were exited to stop and get their picture taken at Bonnie's Cafe in Gas, Kansas. It was made famous on the cover of the book Passing Gas, by Gary Gladstone. The TVs are sitting on the windowsill; it's hard to see in the full picture, so they asked host mom to take a closer shot! Talya noticed that the temperature was 102 (39c)! Summer in Kansas sure gets hot!

Talya loves things that are red (like her), and thought the cayenne peppers from host mom's garden were absolutely beautiful!

Talya thought the drive through rural Kansas (on the way to Wichita) was pretty! These pics were taken in and around Eureka, KS.

Talya was quite impressed with the world's largest Gas, Kan... and very happy to see that it is red!

Talya took a break on a window ledge. This is the building where the city stores supplies for things like parade floats and old equipment.

Talya thought the eggplant blossoms were a lovely purple color, and she was delighted to find a little eggplant trying hard to grow in the hot, hot sun.  The Armenian cucumbers seem to be doing well in the heat!

S was very delighted to tell Talya all about her comics crash course. Talya thinks S is quite the nice little artist!

Yummy pancakes for breakfast! Talya was as tickled as the kids to see the brightly colored "alien pancakes" that host mom made!

Today was HOT out! 107 (42C). Talya thought she might melt!

Talya was very curious about fossil hunting! She, the other TVs, and the host family loaded up and went to a creek north of town, where they sometimes find fossils embedded in the shale. With the hot, dry weather lately, a lot of shale was exposed. She didn't find any actual fossils, but she did find an earth worm and tons of beautiful scenery!