Travelog for: Florentine

Today my host received all the photos we ordered in the beginning of the week.
It's about 300 of them - oh my god, what a huge pile.
Now we just have to sort them out and do a bit of scrapbooking....

We just returned from our trip to Gotha.

First we went to castle 'Friedenstein' to visit the research library (a job meeting by my host) and the museum - so I completed a mission! Unfortunately there are not photos inside the museum rooms as it is forbidden to take any.







The castle was built in the 17th century and is a huge site:



Afterwards we took a stroll through the town, a bit of sightseeing, a bit of shopping....

The red building in the background is the town hall of Gotha:



There are some fountains in front of the castle on castle hill:





And finally, before going to the train station, we took a rest in the park of the castle.
The area is called 'Orangerie' as they used to keep their orange trees in the side buildings in former times.



We had a great day out!

We took Aimee with us and if you look into her travellog you will see some other pictures of our trip.

Yes, I made it! I climbed mountain 'Großer Inselsberg' today. Well, not really fromt he bottom, but we walked all the last steep part of it:







The path we walked is very famous. It is called 'Rennsteig' and goes all the way through the Thuringian Forest. For more details have a look here: Rennsteig



The weather was brilliant and we had a good view over the country.





'Großer Inselsberg' is not that high with 916 metres, however the second highest mountain in Thuringia. Here is a profile of the Thuringian Forest:



So, yes -  I completed one more mission!

In the evening we finally managed to watch the film '101 dalamatians'!
I was so happy to see all these doggy friends. The film is so interesting, romantic as well as sad. A great story and I really enjoyed it!
One more mission completed!

It is time so say Good bye.
I will move on to another host today.
In a few minutes we'll be off to the post office.

I will travel to the Netherlands! So far I have only been in Germany so that will be another country for me.
I hope to travel safe and that I will not have to stay in the envelope too long.



Aimee waved Good bye! I hope she will also soon find a nice new host.




Hope to write to you from the Netherlands soon.

See you!

HI!

Today i arrived at my hosts adress in Alkmaar - The Netherlands  It wasn't a very long journey but i'm very happy that i've arrived cause it was very dark at my trip!!!

When i came out of the couvert i met Miss-Flo she's the TV of my host Cyn1987 or her real name is Cynthia.. She is a nice flower-girl but unfortunately she will leave tomorrow... 

But i think my host and me will have a lot of fun in Alkmaar, it seems to be a nice town!! Also finished one of my life missions.. I'm in another country now!! 

For now it's enough.. i'm tired from my journey so i go to sleep now..

Bye for now!!

Hugs, Florentine

Today i had to say goodbye to Miss-Flo. She is going to visit one of Cynthia's friend in The Hague. She can go to Turkey with her as well.. Nice isn't it... 

But i was a little sad, cause i met her yesterday and she's allready leaving now  .. So i gave her a big hug.. and who knows.. maybe we will meet again some day...

Bye Miss-Flo!!!!

Hi there!!!!

Today Cynthia showed me the newest Dutch gossips.. She told me about the Royalty's and showed me also some pictures..

As well in the gossip-magazines in Holland there is a lot about Michael Jackson.

I enjoyed reading it.. But know we have to go cause Cynthia has to go to her work for a photo.. 

Bye!!

Florentine

Just came back from Castricum and i enjoyed riding in a car... Castricum is a nice but small town about 12 km from Cynthia's house.. Her mom was riding with us to make some pictures from me sitting in the car! 

We went there cause Cynthia had to go on a picture for her work.. She is working at a travel agency and i think that is a great job!

Also i was sitting on her workdesk and tried to help.. but i think i dont know everything yet.. Maybe she will teach me more some day...

Hugs,

Florentine

Wow today was such a cool day!!!! Cynthia's mom took me to the city of Alkmaar, cause on friday during summertime there is a cheesemarket.. It's allways very busy with tourist, most of them are from Asia..

Let me tell you more about this Cheese-Market..

It is known that the city of Alkmaar had a weighing house for cheese as early as 1365. The oldest "ordinance on the cheesebearers" dates from june 17th 1593.
Until the First World War, the cheese market was a vital centre for the trade. In 1916, an average of three hundred tons of cheese were sold on every market day. At that time, the market went on until one o'clock at night. Since 1939, Alkmaar has been the only place in the Netherlands to maintain the cheese market tradition in this form. Every year, on 22 Fridays from mid-April to mid-September, the market takes place on the Waagplein.

The Waagplein was enlarged for the last time in 1901. Before then, buildings covered almost the whole square. The enlargement of the square kept pace with the volume of the cheese trade. Turnover now is not even 10% of what it was at the beginning of the 20th century, but the number of tourists has increased enormously. About 100,000 people from all over the world visit the cheese market in Alkmaar every year.

In the 17th century, cheese was traded on Fridays and Saturdays from May to All Saints’ Day. At that time, each group of cheese carriers (veem) had its own weighing house. In the 18th century, there was a cheese market four times a week. The cheese carriers’ guild did not have their own patron saint, or their own altar in church like other professional guilds such as the cobblers, coopers, coppersmiths and tanners. However, the biblical text from 1622 is still the device for the guild of Alkmaar:

"A false balance is abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight"

The cheese carriers’ guild of Alkmaar

The Alkmaar cheese carriers’ guild is responsible for moving and weighing cheese during the cheese market on Fridays. The guild consists of four groups (vemen) of seven men each.
Each veem has its own colour: red, yellow, green or blue. The head of the four vemen is the 'cheese father', the supervisor. As a sign of his office, the cheese father carries a black stick with a silver knob. The cheese carriers wear the traditional costume: a white suit and a straw hat with a ribbon in the colour of their own veem. An experienced carrier is known as a vastman (a regular). Before then, he is known as a noodhulp (temporary assistant). The oldest cheese carrier in a veem is called the tasman (bagman). He can be recognised by the black leather bag he wears. The tasman puts the weights on the balance when the cheese is weighed.
Every two years, a leader is chosen for each veem: the overman. He can be recognised by a little silver escutcheon with a ribbon in the colour of his veem. The board of the guild appoints a provost and a servant. The provost helps the guild board and is known 'executioner' by the cheese carriers. He notes the names of latecomers and collects the appropriate fine. The provost wears a silver cheese barrow on a ribbon in the colour of his veem. The servant does the odd jobs for the guild.
On Fridays, the square is prepared before the cheese carriers’ guild goes into action. The market inspector supervises the removal of the cheese from the trucks as they are positioned on the square in long rows by the zetters. When the bell is rung at ten o'clock, the zetters load the barrows and the cheese carriers carry them to the balance to weigh the cheese. Sworn weighing masters supervise the weighing and complete the weight slips. Meanwhile, on the square, traders and inspectors determine the quality of the cheese on offer. Haggling about the price takes place using the handjeklap system, literally clapping hands with other merchants.

We also visited a shop for wooden shoes, and i could also see how they where made.. So nice to see!!!
Also there was a nice lady who had old traditional clothes and she liked me and posed with me.. We also went to a bakery and also that employee wanted to pose with me.. I think they all like me cause i'm so small and sweet!!

Also in holland you see a lot of Music Caroussels.. I was sitting on it for a while but it maked me crazy that loud noise.. 

After that Cynthia's mom brought me to a cookie shop and i was sitting between the Stroopwafels.. They are filled with caramel, and allmost every Dutch person loves them...

Well it was a nice morning.. and i think this afternoon i will go to a big petshop 

Great!!!

Hugs, Florentine

We went to a petshop and i enjoyed it so much.. Outside the shop i also met a cute doggie.. even it wasn't a dalmatian i thought he was cute!!!

In the shop i saw so many lovely things!! Very much dog-food.. and i jumped in it.. But dont tell anybody ok I also tried to sleep on a huge bed but Cynthia's mom was taking me allready after 2 minutes

But she showed me something what was much more interesting.. huge bones!!!!  They where even more then 3 times larger then me.. Funny huh? 

I also jumped in a giant icecream.. ok ok.. it was fake.. but it was funny to see!!

Now it's allready 8pm.. so i have to go to sleep!!!

Good night!!

Hugs, Florentine...

Hi!!

This evening Cynthia's brother came and bringed his dog Spike to Cynthia's house.. He is going on a trip so Cynthia can host him...

Really Spike is a cute dog, maybe we can give him some black spots.. so he's just looking like me... No just kidding offcourse 

Bye!

Florentine

Today Cynthia's parents where walking with me and Spike to Heiloo.. It's a small village near Alkmaar.. It's about 20 minutes walking.. So it's not too far!!! We first walked through the forest.. I really enjoyed that! I sit on some trees.. 

The weather was nice, allthougt it was a bit cloudy and windy it was nice...  Also we saw some art in Heiloo.. Do you think they are nice??

Below you can see some pictures from today.. 

Bye!

Florentine

Today Cynthia's parents took me for a trip by bike.. The weather was very nice, maybe even a bit too hot.. but we enjoyed it.. We went by bike to the beach at Egmond aan Zee.. It wasn't busy yet cause it was pretty early!!

They took so many nice pictures of me.. you can see below!!!

Bye for now!

Florentine

I'm so happy!!! Yesterday late in the afternoon Peggy arrived at Cynthia's house.. How nice!! Finally i got a friend to join my adventures with! 

So i gave Peggy a warm welcome at Alkmaar!

Bye!!

Florentine