Travelog for: Chance

So, I never ended up leaving home to visit Canada. Instead, I sat in the cupboard just waiting to stretch my legs again. I was so sure my traveling days were over.


But, then one day when Steph wasn't around, I got out. I logged onto ToyVoyagers and had a look to see where I could travel. I came across the Worldwide ToyVoyager Trail and I KNEW this was the perfect opportunity for me to travel and I signed myself up.


Once I found out where I was going (to Japan to visit hanachan, I got my envelope ready and hopped inside, waiting for Steph to come home and seal it up. 


I hope I arrive in Japan very soon. I'd love to travel on this trail!

Hi Steph, 
It's me! Chance the Samurai
Cosplay is fun! 
I also learn making Origami, this Samurai helmet just fits my head.

Matane! (Japanese often says instead of "Sayonara" (Bye))
Chance

Hi Steph, how are you?
I'm going to somewhere with this nice bouquet.
Through the center of the city, we drove to the south.
Wow, the city of Takamatsu is over there! We stand on the hills.
This is the cemetery 
September 23 this year is the Autumnal Equinox Day.
The week with the equinox day in the middle is called "Higan", when Buddhist people visit their family tombs.
On the front of the tomb stone, I found a kamon. Each family has their own one.

kamon (emblem)

Setouchi International Art Festival - Megi Island (Megijima)
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Setouchi International Art Festival - Ogi Island (Ogijima)
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Setouchi International Art Festival - Shodoshima Island
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Hi Steph!
Now I'm getting ready for the next trip.
I chose Hello Kitty and Evangelion stamps for my envelope 
hanachan will take me to the post office tonight.
(The main office opens 24 hours) 
See you soon!
Chance

Hi Mum

Sorry i haven't written in a while, emo_kid has been swamped at work.
But this is me arriving


I was happy to be out of that envelope, i can tell you.
I think i scared everyone when i jumped out screaming "im free, im free"


Then i settled and we shared the cookies.


I got to ride on a bus


And i tried to pick up this Australian 10cent piece, but someone glued it there.


More to come soon

Love Chance

Hello!

Warm greetings from chilly Finland! I arrived here at the FosterCareHome with a boxfull of friends. It has snowed recently. It looks very pretty. We'll go out and play soon!

The people at the FosterCareHome are very nice as are the other FosterToys. Some photos will be added later too 

My "fostermom" went on a daytrip to Tampere, her second favorite town in Finland - and she took me with her! Her main agenda was to do "some" geocaching, which happened to include 25km of walking, a few bussrides, 21 geocaches... I'm so glad I got to hang on her backbag!

"Tampere is the third largest city in Finland and the largest inland centre in the Nordic countries. Currently there are 220,446 inhabitants (31.12.2013) in Tampere, and close to half a million inhabitants in Tampere Region, which comprises Tampere and its neighbouring municipalities.

Tampere is one of the three most rapidly developing regions in Finland. It is a centre of leading-edge technology, research, education, culture, sports and business.

In 2010 and 2012, the City of Tampere came first in an image survey comparing the largest cities in Finland. It was also the most attractive city among Finns who plan on moving. " (www.tampere.fi)

We had a nice weather, although a bit windy by the lakes (Tampere rests between two big lakes). It was a lovely day, seeing some of the sights and the surroundings. The fountains were covered for the winter, thus they look a bit silly now  I especially enjoyed climbing the birches 

This is how little snow they have left in Finland! My host says this is not usually the case in March... I heard tales about 2m high piles and ice 50cm thick 

Today we visited the Urban Workshop in Helsinki to see the 3D-printer in action! They printed a chess piece as an example.

"3D printing is a technology that creates physical objects from digital models. Most 3D printers, such as the one at Urban Workshop, melt plastic cable and build the object in thin layers.

Ultimaker is an open source 3D printer from the Netherlands. It is considered to be one of the best printers in its class. Ultimaker was delivered as a do-it-yourself kit which was built by the Urban Workshop staff.

The material used on our printer is biodegradable and recyclable PLA plastic."

This is Porvoo.  Porvoo is the 2nd oldest city in Finland. It has almost 50 000 inhabitants of which 33% is native Swedish speakers (finnswedes). Porvoo is only 50km east from Helsinki, the capitol of Finland. It takes less than an hour to drive there.

First I went to the local sightseeing tower with my host. The story tells that the sightseeing tower was made by a giant: he heard that they were building a church in Porvoo and got angry (apparently giants don't like churches) and threw a stone all the way from Sipoo (where he lived, a place not too far from Porvoo). He didn't either aim it too well or his arm wasn't in good enough condition as he missed the church.

The stone has been a place to gather for festives a hundred years ago. Kids were told that babies were picked up from under the stone. Around 1880 they made the stairs and it became a sightseeing tower. Nowadays kids are told that a stork brings the babies - which is weird because you very rarely see storks in Finland...

After the views in the tower we walked down for a closer look on the red shorehouses. They are also part of the old town - and the most wellknown attraction in Porvoo. The brochure tells this about them: The shore houses are now red, but they got their colour only in the late 18th century. Red ochre paint was used to paint the shore houses in honour of King Gustav III's arrival from Sweden. All of the houses along his route were painted, in order to make them more beautiful. The red ochre also helped protect the logs from wind and sun damage. Exotic fruits, wines and spices were brought to Porvoo, and the shore houses also served as intermediate storehouses for coffee an tobacco. Today the shore houses are used as private living quarters and storage space.

There's also a view to the Castle Hill where used to be a castle hundreds of years ago. Now nothing more than the moats are left. But it's a good place to play Robin Hood!

And last but not least a view from the river. There you can also have a glimpse of the newer houses (the red ones on the left where the boat is on the right).

In the very last photo you can see the local skiing hill. The locals call it "Porvoo pimple" because it's so small 

I've been sent back home!

Hello, world!

Wow! It's been a while since I've last updated!

I've been back home for about six years now ( ). With the site being down and Steph assuming I had disappeared before I ended up with FosterCareHome, Steph doesn't really want me to go too far from her.

I understand, but I'm itching to travel.

I've spent the last several years retired on a closet shelf. It's been nice, but I want to get out and see the world again!

Steph has agreed that I could go on travels with her. She hasn't been traveling much this year (something about a virus? I don't understand but she says it isn't good), but she wants to take me to fun places. She has a niece that wasn't born yet when I started being a TV 11 years ago (that's a LONG time), so she thinks her niece would love to help out!

Anyway, I'm going to keep dreaming until we come up with a fun place to go!

Until next time,
Chance