Travelog for: Gina Giraffe

It is a red-letter day in Russia. This is the Motherland's Defenders Day!
For this reason we chose to visit a competiontion that was the most suitable for the day - a paintball competition!

Not so long ago we've been to a movie theatre. It's called as Aurora.

February 29 is a very special day and people of Novosibirsk have a special party to celebrate it!
The main idea was to think of a thing you always have no time for, write down this thing on a sheet of paper, tale on a helium-balloon's end and send the balloon to the sky together with all og you problems. I think it's nice! I've sent my own balloon to the sky :0)

Hi Mum and everyone at home,

I finally made it to Bruchsal in Germany. It is a busy family, but they told me, that everything will calm down soon, because the summer holiday will start on Thursday, 24th July. So I'm just here in time to go on some short trips. I can't tell you, how curious I am to see everything.
Right now it seems, that Petra only has time for school and school and school. She helped to create an album for her headmaster, who retires this summer.


Oh, Petra had time to do some ironing and she asked us, whether we would like to join her. So we sat there and watched some nice movies. Suddenly it started to rain heavily and Petra got up and looked out of the window. She saw a beautiful rainbow and took some photos, of course.

So this is the last day before Petra's headmaster receives the special album included all classes of the school as well as all other people, who work there.

Here is the front of the album. Sorry, but we can't show the pages, because there are many photos with children.

Petra and her children like to sleep outside of the house on some nights in summer. Tonight it is warm and so we decided to try it - but had to go inside after some hours, because clouds came up.

Petra calls them the falling star nights.

Today Petra, her family and we visited the zoo in Karlsruhe. It wasn't that great, because they built at different places.






Then we went shopping in a big shopping center in Karlsruhe.
Petra told me, that she never had been in a shopping center like this.

At last Petra wanted to go to the Turmberg in Durlach. Ralf had told her the other day, that the view from there is just amazing.

Here we are on the road, still driving


There is a small railway driving up the hill. I'm sorry, but somehow Petra forgot to take a photo with me included.


Here we are standing in front of the tower and reading the sign:
This tower is the rest of a castle, which was built in 11th century by Earl of Hohenberg, enlarged in 12th century and destroyed by Konrad von Lichtenberg, bishop of Straßburg in 1279 A.D. The donjon was built between 1230 A.D. and 1250 A.D.


On the right you see the small hills and on the left the Rhine valley. If you drive through these towns, which you see here, you will arrive in Bruchsal.






In the far you see the Palatinate Mountains


View over Durlach and Karlsruhe

When we were back at home again, we all helped Petra to get this puzzle ball ready









Then it got dark and we asked Petra, whether we were allowed to join her sleeping on the balcony again. We saw many falling stars that night - it's a pity, that we hadn't been able to take photos of them.

Today Petra and her family are invited to visit Petra's aunt and uncle in Mannheim. The weather wasn't that great, so we haven't done any sightseeing.

Here you see a view from the balcony.


You can be sure, that I was a bit in fear to fall down. We were in the fifth floor and it was really high.

Today afternoon we all are watching the Olympic opening ceremony.

Emmh, Petra. Don't you think, it would be much better to help us turn around? It is easier to watch tv, if you sit with your face to it, isn't it???



Okay, that's fine now. Thanks!

Hi, Nicki Bear! Your hat is really nice. Do you think, that it also would fit to someone of us here? Please, please let us try.



I think, Burrimul Memu looks rather nice, although Petra isn't that great in taking great photos.


Froggie is really funny with the hat.


Don't you think, that Galaxy Bear is a bit too tall?


Oh yes, Kari. Two hats, what a great idea!


No, Bokkie. This hat isn't made for you.


What do we think about Bruni Lila? I don't know.


Baby likes the hat. She thinks, that it is a good hiding place.


Don't you think, I look like a clown. Maybe circus Barum will call soon, who knows.


Oh, Nicki Bear recaptured her hat again

We're celebrating birthday today and everyone was allowed to sit in the dining room and eat cakes and drink coffee or milk.

Emmh, Petra told me, that these cakes aren't selfmade.





Later we sat on the oven and listened to everyone talking.


In the evening we enjoyed to sing some karaoke with Petra and her family.

The next day a new guest arrived: Bestik. He travels the European Trail and will stay here for about 4 weeks. We first thought, that he comes from Germany, because his hair looks like the German flag, but he comes from the Czech Republic.

Today is Petra's and Ralf's 20th wedding anniversary. The decided to go on a trip with us. This trip is also my fairwell trip, because then I will travel to my next host.

Here we are:


At first I felt very scared, when I read this about the "Button in ear". I shouted out loud: Oh no! I don't want a button in my ear. Please call my mum, please!!!

But then Petra told us, that nothing would happen to us. We just would walk through this museum.

"Okay, I said. A museum. How exciting"
But later I realized, that it is a really great museum, just like toyvoyagers' paradise. We visited the Steiff-Museum.

At first we listened to the story about Margarete Steiff's life. Then we had to help a girl and a toy to search for 3000 bears, which got lost on the way to the USA.
First we searched in the ocean:



Then we saw ice bears and penguins.
At last we found the bears in a big room:


When we came out of this room, we walked through an exhibition of different Steiff toys. I was allowed to sit next to a Steiff bunny.


Then we walked through another sort of exhibition, where the toys are behind glasses. Petra wasn't that happy about it, because the photos were worse than before and also then the photos weren't really great because of the dark light in the rooms.



At last Petra wrote something into the guest book and also mentioned, that we had been part of the family