Travelog for: Mandy Sheep

Today we made a trip to Wiesbaden, the state capital of Hesse.

There are many nice old buildings in the streets and even remains from Roman times.









Wiesbaden used to be an important spa town and the arcades are said to be the longest in the world.
Today they host the theatre and a casino in the spa buildings.







And look at this: trees with knitted scarves! What a funny idea in the cold winter days.

From Wiesbaden it was only a 30minutes trip to Ruedesheim and the  Niederwalddenkmal.

The view over the river Rhein was beautiful. So much water. I think the level is over the normal.





The Germania monument is impressive! It is  about 18m high and has a wight of 75 tons.

It was built 1877 - 1883  to commemorate the foundation of the German Empire after the end of Franco-Prussian War.






Since 2002 it has been part of the UNESCO site Niederwald landscape park.

Mommy,

wishing you a happy new year!

Hello mommy!

I jumped into the envelope today and am on my way to China.
This will probably be a looong journey. I hope I will arrive safely.

CU soon!

Hello, mom! 
I feel very happy and excited, hostmom get a call, take me home. I safe arrived in China. We will send card to my last host, from Xi'an.




Hostmom's piano.


Then we go, first have a look around.


Thsi year February 24th is China's traditional festivals: the Lantern Festival. So, you can see many places have lantern decoration.


Red decoration is traditional Chinese twelve zodiac, the building is the library of Shaanxi province. ( Xi'an city is the capital of Shaanxi Province.)








Then hostmom and grandma took me to the Shaanxi Province Art Museum, wanted to see the "TingaTinga-Tanzania Painting Art Exhibition". Unfortunately, this afternoon the temporary close.








Some girls play skateboard in here.


I ate a snack, it is called: Jianbing (the meaning is: pancake). It's the eastern region of China style, that sauce taste good. 


Now here is 23:17. Love you, mom!

Part 1
We take the metro to go out today, grandma and hostmom took me to a scenic spot.






Xi'an Metro walls:






Public bicycle:


First of all, I saw the ancient city wall. This is China's most complete preservation of the ancient city wall, has 600 years of history.
















I still have a lot of photos, hostmom will continue to write updates. Please wait.
Love you, mom!

Part 2
Hello, mom!
We go to this: The Memorial museum of the eighth route army Xi'an office. About it please see this: Memorial Museum














You can see in that war years, very difficult conditions.
















A secret passage to the underground. At that time, the soldiers and the correspondent hidden here.
















This is met with the foreign guest room:






Bethune used to do surgery in this room.




India Medical team to help China:




This Great German doctors to help the China, we call him: Wenqi Haibote/溫奇 海伯特.


Of course, a famous American doctors have made a Great contribution to China, we call him: Ma Haide






That time, old car:


Finally, we went to a tradition restaurant nearby, which is very famous in xi'an: Fanjia/樊家. This is a family restaurant, founded in 1904. Now, it has taken on a new look, but the taste still is very good.


This is made of rice do, looks like noodles. We called: Mipi/米皮.


This is a representative of the traditional food in Xi'an, we called: Roujiamo/肉夾饃. Each came to Xi'an tourists all will taste it, Xi'an people love it.


This is a traditional red bean soup:


This is made of wheat flour, it looks like the noodles. We called: Mianpi/面皮. This is also the representative of Xi'an traditional food Great!




Love you, mom!!

Hello, mom!!!
This is the underground passage of Xi'an city center, here every day a lot of people, including tourists all over the world.


This is a Muslim snack, you can see some foreign tourists to buy it.


This is a very famous bell tower, built in 1384. About it, please see this and that.



A place nearby.




You can see: Drum Tower, we called: Gulou. Please see: Gulou






Now we went to "Huimin Street". This is a very famous place in Xi'an, it is Muslim living place. So there are a lot of Chinese traditional flok art works shop and characteristics food. We often come here, take the Metro from our house just needs two station. There are famous Mosque, many tourists from different countries will came to this street to visit. And you can see: this



This is the traditional art of Xi'an: Piying. About it, please see: this.
Now, it was sold as a souvenir.








handicrafts and souvenirs.




The traditional Chinese Tiger-hand shoes, hostmom also have this, when she was a child.




This is the girls mirror.








This is a traditional Xi'an: fried walnut with salt and pepper.








This is a traditional Chinese snacks, it usually consists of pea flour, sweet potato flour and mung bean flour handmade. We called: Liangfen/凉粉.


These we called it: Nang/馕, is a type of round unleavened bread, topped with sesame. It is similar to South and Central Asia naan. We love eat it, haha. It is a kind of Muslim food, mainly Xinjiang people make it.






These are sheep hoof, we called: Yangti/羊蹄. A lot of Chinese people love eat it.




This is a most famous soup pao in Xi'an! Many stars will come here to eat.


This is the heritage of the Xi'an, it is an old house. In 1871, there is a person in the ancient national exams, get second. So emperor rewarded him with a large house. This house structure is very complex, very beautiful. This time we did not go in, but later we will again.
This old house have a monument, it's address is in this Street No.144. At night, very beautiful.












We back to the drum tower again.


















Chinese New Year is coming, you can see a lot of decoration in the streets.






Look ahead, you can see the bell tower again, which in Xi'an city center.










This is Xi'an old hotel, very famous. Called: Xi'an bell tower Hotel.


We have a beautiful night.
Love you, mom!!!

Hello, mom!!!
Today we went to that restaurant eat again, and then go to the supermarket to buy things.
Take Metro Line 2. Tthe Metro wall, is the Chinese Tang Dynasty, women play polo.








Arriving at the restaurant.


This is typical of real Chinese cuisine, we called: Gongbao Jiding/宮保雞丁, the means is: Kung Pao chicken.
Very good!




This is the restaurant's signature dishes, if you come late will have not. We called it: Fangxiang Paigu/芳香排骨, the means is: Aromatic ribs. This dish very expensive, but very delicious!


Then we came to the supermarket. Hostmom like to drink Yakult. So we will buy it.




Watermelon and durian, do you like to eat durian? It very sweet!


Corn and other vegetables.




This is typical of northern Chinese Scallion, we called: Cong/蔥.


Ok! We're ready to go home.


Love you, mom!

Hello, mom!!
Today we went to one of the most important Catholic Church in Xi'an, it is the head of Shaanxi province's Catholic Church.

First, we crossed the Xi'an city wall, it is China's largest and most complete city walls. Many foreign tourists have come to visit everyday. About it, please see: City Wall of Xi'an.

You can also see the Xi'an taxi, that green and yellow car.




It built in 1715 by Italy missionary, it is also the Xi'an city "cultural relics protection unit", in China about religious things very complicated. Mainly for political reasons.. But hostmom hope the government can always protect these.
Here can not randomly take pictures, so have not too many photos.












Finally, we went to a restaurant, it is typical of Chinese restaurant. Hostmom often came to this restaurant eat from 8 years ago, dishes with rice is fixed habits of Chinese.








Love you, mom!!

Hello, mom!
Today grandma decided to take us to Taierzhuang ancient town, I am looking forward to it.
Grandma made traditional breakfast: egg pancakes and quail egg. Very good!


Then we take Bus Rapid Transit, we called: BRT, about 1 hours.


It is raining today, very beautiful. This is the gate!
















Very bad, our camera does not have enough power. Hostmom and grandma decided to go back to buy new tickets, the next month we come here to take photos again!
Love you, mom!

Hello, mom!
Today I took my mom went to "Taierzhuang". It belongs to Shandong province, it is not too far. I and my mom take Bus Rapid Transit, we called: BRT, about 1 hours.
About “Taierzhuang”please see: this

There is a very famous scenic spot, called: Taierzhuang ancient town. There is very big! We spent one day in this ancient town, took 600 photos and some videos. I will choose some to you.
In this ancient town, you can see a lot of Chinese traditional ancient Chinese style building. It’s really very big, we walked a long way, very tired.

The gate:












Antique porcelain:












Chinese chess:










This is:”Thean Hou Temple”. It is dedicated to Mazu, it is the goddess. In China, especially in the south, there are a lot of Thean Hou Temple. About Mazu, please see: this




















There is a very famous river, through Taierzhuang. That river called: Jinghang grand canal, also called: Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
You can see it's location, about it please see: this

This is some actors, in the dragon boat, act as Chinese emperors and empress of Qing Dynasty, etc.. You can see their clothing, is typical of the Qing Dynasty court dress.


They act as the Chinese Qing Dynasty "eunuch".




These actor act as the Chinese Qing Dynasty officials, you can see that they have to kneel on the ground, because the Emperor in here.


Dragon boat:




We came to this town gate again, ready to leave here.


We have a nice day! Love you,mom!

Hi Mom! I have arrived to Australia! Not the best time to arrive, as we're currently going through, what Sara says - is a BIG heatwave... lots of big big fires are burning across the state - some of which have covered tens of thousands of hectares (one big one has burned almost 50,000 hectares)... and we're only in October! They said we only get these fires in Summer normally... but as they had a dry Winter, everything is going up and we've been getting a LOT of fire dangers... luckily, not many have died...

The one good thing is, at least the fires aren't too close to where we live - so we're safe... although it is quite windy! Nearly blowing a gale out there right now, at about 28'c as a high... it feels a lot hotter in the sun... and with all of my wool - it makes it quite hot!

I think it's about time for a cold drink, and a relax until the sun goes down and it cools down more... hopefully sleeping will be easy tonight. I hope you're keeping warm Mom, as I know it must be starting to cool down there for the Winter months! I'll update again really soon... hopefully we can take a break and go to the beach on the weekend?! We'll see how it all pans out! Write again soon!