Travelog for: Tilda

Today we helped BlackCat make some cards ready for postcrossing. She is a really active member there (her username there is Fabi) and we hope to show you some postcard she is getting soon !

Today we sat around on the desk and watched the whole flat, when BlackCat brought us a big envelope.





First we didn't know why she brought it to us, but then we heard a voice from inside.



And then Thiele came outside. He said Hello to us.





And then he showed us the postcard he was bringing for BlackCat. What a nice card.



So, welcome Thiele. I hope you'll have some great moments here =)!

Today we visited the Zollverein coking plant in Essen. It is one part of the World heritage Zollverein.

I first would like to tell you something about it:

The Zollverein coking plant in the Essen suburb of Stoppenberg was built between 1958 and 1961 as a working link with shaft 12 at the Zollverein Pit next door. The coking plant took huge amounts of coal from the pit, as well as from other collieries in the region, and processed them into coke. Soon the maximum daily production of 5000 tons of coke was insufficient to meet demand. For this reason the plant was extended in the 1970s, when it became one of the largest and most modern coking plants in Europe. The Zollverein coking plant employed 1000 persons and produced amounts of coke well in excess of 7000 tons per day. Because coke ovens should never be allowed to get cold, production continued non-stop around the clock for 365 days a year. During the 1980s and 1990s demand for coke steadily declined as a result of the crisis in the steel industry, and on the 30th June 1993 the Zollverein coking plant was finally closed down.

It was really interested to see how such a coking plant looks like. I will show you the photos now and I will try to tell you, what you can see on the photos and what it was for.


That's the shaft 12 at the Zollverein Pit from behind. We went through a forrest when we made this picture.


That is a hoist. It can be moved on trails. It is so big, you can't believe it until you see it.


You can see a part of the coke oven batteries on this picture and behind it you can see the "Sonnenrad". It is a big wheel where you can see the coking plant from above and you can drive in it with this big wheel. It wasn't opened.
This photo was made in front of the ice skating parkour. It is always in front of the oven batteries in winter. It will be close again on the 11th January. There were a lot people skating.




Again two photos in front of the oven batteries. I am sitting on the coping of the conveyor band.


That's a machine which brought the coal into the oven batteries. It is really big for a little one like me.

I hope you like the pictures and the informations about the coking plant. Maybe we will go there again and show you some other areas of it. But now we have to get warm again.

Greetings,
Tilda

When I looked outside today I was surprised. There was so much snow. I can't go away from the window. It looked so good. Snow, everywhere snow !
BlackCat said that there are around 10cm new snow here. Wow.

Tilda

Today we went with BlackCat into the city centre. She had to go to the doctor and we went with her. As we had not much time she just showed us the church in the city. I really like this little church !

Today we said Goodbye to Margarida and Berkeley. They have to travel on. I really hope, that they will have a good travel!

Today a new envelope arrived here.
We were really snoopy who has arrived there.



Then a little head looked outside of the envelope.



Oh, it is Friendship bear ! Welcome !

Hello !

Today a lot ToyVoyager arrived here. 4 new Voyagers arrived here. Wow. That is a lot, or?

So, we welcomed Germania and Tiger Lilly !



And then Bruni Lila.



And then we said hello to Cassandra.



So much new guests !

Happy welcome !

Today we went to a part of Essen that is called Kray. BlackCat needed to get a package from the post office there so we went there all together. On the way back to a bus stop we saw this wonderful church. It is the St. Barbara church. BlackCats grandparents married in this church. Doesn’t it look nice?


The church tower


The front door of the church


Another view of the tower.

That’s us in front of the pitman statue in Steele. Pitmen were really good for the city Essen, because they had a lot of coal mines here. Now there are only a few ones left and no one is still working, but this statue should remind you of the pitmen that did the work to make Essen to such a big city like it is now.

Today we went with BlackCat when she visited her boyfriend at work. He is working in a company that is in the Margarethenhöhe.
The Margarethenhöhe is a jewel of the city. It is one of the loveliest examples of the German garden city idea. This area of the city is idyllic and was donated in 1906 by Margarethe Krupp on the occasion of her daughter Bertha’s wedding. Maximum two storeys high, comfortably equipped flats for workers and employees were developed following the plans of architect Georg Metzendorf. Even though the area gives a feeling of unity, no house is the same. Various design elements such as bow fronts and hedgerows, arched gables, plaster and natural stone foundations were used to give homes individual appearances. The estate has been under historical preservation since 1987.
It was really nice there but it was still dark, so the photos aren’t so good.



A picture of Margarethe Krupp

This is one shop in the city of Essen. We found it when we were just walking around there. Doesn’t it look nice?

Today we made some cookies for the budgies of BlackCat. She found a recipe online how she can make cookies for her birds herself and wanted to try it. So we went with her in the kitchen and helped her as good as we could.


Looking for the grain feed


Putting an egg to the flour


Mixing it


Putting the grain feed into the mix of eggs and flour


Mixing it again




Making little cookies of it (not perfect, we know)


and now we have to wait 15 minutes…


The cookies are ready =)!


And the birds are happy about it.

Bruni Lila has to go today. So we all said Goodbye and waved. It was a nice time with Bruni and we all hope that the travel will be fast and nice.

Today we all went to the youth centre with BlackCat. She wanted to go into the studio and take us with her.

I was allowed to sing a song.


And listened to it after that.


It was so nice.

Tilda