Travelog for: Fiorillo

Today I'm so happy,...I'm going to leave for Austria!
First of all I need to fresh up my German...
then I left my home and...
I enter the envelope!
My journey has started!!! My dear host, I'm coming!

Hi Mom!

I arrived here in Austria safe and sound! There are already two other toyvoyagers here: HappyLeopard and Sandi Rose.

We had a nice coffee first - with Nespresso, what else?  - and told us about our home countries. Then my host mom showed me a map so I could see where I am right now!

She promised that we will soon go off exploring!

Ciao, Fiorillo!

Hi Mom!

Today we went for a first short sightseeing tour! We planned to walk a little longer, but it was sooo stormy outside and really cold.

So I can just show you a few pictures from today!

The first shows me looking up at the Turk in Palais Saurau . There are different stories why there is a Turk up there, but they are all just made up. In fact, the Turks have never occupied Graz! You can read the stories when you follow the link above!

Then we went down the Sporgasse to the Glockenspielplatz (Carillon-square). Named after the Carillon, that plays there three times a day. But unfortunately we didn't hear the music!

We went home through the Stadtpark, a huge park in Graz. There we could see some spring flowers!

We really hope that spring comes soon so we  can explore some more of Graz!

Ciao!

Hi Mom!

What a nice surprise! We got a card today from my host mom's own tv, Snuttig, and his host Mom Rike! They are on Amrum, an island in Germany, right now!
I think it was really lovely that he thought of us and sent us this postcard!

I guess he has a great time there. Maybe I'll visit there one time too?

Hi Mom!

Today we went to explore the Schlossberg. That's a mountain in the city center of Graz! There are different ways up and down there: You can take one of the many walking paths up, or take the funicular railway! There is even an elevator inside of the mountain.

We chose to walk up. On the way up you can see many underground shelters - today just tunnels in the mountain.

When we reached the top (or almost the top) we could see the town's landmark, the clock tower. We walked around there and enjoyed the view over the city. You can see Graz and some of its surroundings.

In one of the pictures you can see a funny looking building which is blue with tubes on its roof: The Kunsthaus, a museum for art. It was built when Graz was Cultural Capital of Europe in 2003.

We also saw that theatre, the Kasematten, where you can enjoy concerts in the summer. Next to it is the Hackher Lion, named after a Major in the army who defended Graz against the French (and Napoleon) in 1809.

Then we took one of the many ways down to the city. We also crossed the track of the funicular railway. You can see one in the upper station.

That was a great day on the Schlossberg!

Hi Mom!

We did some more sightseeing today! But we had to cut it short - when you look at the clouds, you know why 

Today we went to the Kunsthaus. As you can see it is an unusual building. Look at the left part of the house: This part is quite old and it is the rest of the old house that was there before. This part is protected by law. But they were allowed to put the new part on top of it. The facade of the building is special, too. It has many lamps on it and so you can illuminate it and make different patterns on it. The building is a museum for contemporary art and photography ... and it is also called "the friendly alien".

We then crossed the bridge over the river Mur and had a look at the Franziskanerkirche (see the clouds there?). We went on a bit along the river and then to another bridge. We looked down in the river...and what did we find there? The Mur-island. It is an artificial island with a café on it. This island and the Kunsthaus have been built for the year 2003 when Graz was Cultural capital of Europe.
On the other side of the bridge we looked at yet another church: The Mariahilfer-Church.

And we also looked up at the Schlossberg! Last week we looked from the Schlossberg down to the city.

Then we quickly went home... the clouds predicted rain!

Hi Mom!

What a surprise! The postman brought a small parcel today. My hostmom looked at the parcel and told us that another toyvoyager was inside! We were all sooooo curious about our new friend.

So we sat around and watched as our hostmom opened the parcel. And look, here is our new friend: Corporal Flapjack, Jr. or Flappy for his friends. I like his uniform-hat! I always wanted to see a real Mounty, so I'm very excited!

HAPPY EASTER, mom!

We are celebrating easter here with our host mom! First we decorated the house with bunnies and eggs!
Then we had a Osterjause, which is kind of an easter lunch, but you just eat cold meat and sausages and of course eggs. Yummi!

We will visit all of my host mom's family, so more eating comes our way  And my host mom told me that we might also be visited by the Easter Bunny if we are lucky! That would be sooo great!

Hi Mom!

Our host mom told us that the Easter Bunny has visited and that he left some surprises for us. So we went on the easter egg hunt. We searched everywhere. Behind the sofa, under it, in the flowers...and I found a basket behind the flowerpot! Look, such a big Easter Bunny...and made from chocolate... Mhh...chocolate  And we are about the same size!

Today we were invited to another Easter meal with my host mom's family! As we didn't want to visit without any presents, we helped make some cute Easter Bunnies! They are made from bee's wax. We cut them with a cookie cutter and then decorated them with colorful wax. What do you think? Aren't they cute?

That was a nice Easter! But now I have to relax after all that eating 

Hi Mom!

Today is our host dad's birthday! So we got up early to wrap his presents! We helped cutting the paper, wrapping, using sticky tape... We also wrote a card for him!

When he woke up, we surprised him with a cake and happy birthday candles!

And then we all sang: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Now we are off to a family gathering! More pics to follow!

Hi Mom!

I promised you more pictures of my host dad's birthday! And here they come:

After he had opened his presents, we went to a cozy restaurant! They also sell pickled vegetables there and home-made jams and chutneys. There were their significant glass jars everywhere in the restaurant and in the shop! We really enjoyed our three courses. We also had a look at the shop and brought some specialities home with us!

In the afternoon, the rest of the family arrived for the birthday cake!
What a great day!

Hi Mom!

There were presidential elections yesterday! We went with Mom when she went to the polling place! But we weren't allowed to take photos inside - because of the election secrecy!

So we took one with the old and again new president.
Today we looked at the results in the newspaper!

Hi Mom!

A new toyvoyager arrived today: It's Dottie the mouse 
She told us about her adventures and we talked about our itineries.

Then Mom said we had to prepare for the Football World Championship (as in soccer  ) because it's just about 40 days until the Championship will start in South Africa. And there are special stickers that you can collect and put in an album. Our host-mom had bought such an album and some stickers and so we helped to put them in!

It was fun learning about the teams and the players!

Bye!

Hi Mom!

Here are the pictures from my short Vienna holiday!

We walked through Vienna's city center and visited the Stephansdom, the big cathedral! Mom told us that it is forever being renovated - when the first part is ready, they start the next, and so on...and when they are ready with the last part, they can re-start with the first! 

Next to the chirch we saw the famous Fiaker, the horse coaches! You can rent a coach and take a tour through the city with it!

Near the Cathedral is a very modern building, the Haas-Haus. We walked on through the small streets of the Inner City, which is a UNESO WHS by the way.
Vienna is very famous for its coffee-culture and the many traditional Kaffeehäuser (=coffee shops). We walked by the Café Hawelka, which is a very old and traditional café with many famous guests (actors, artists, authors...).

Then we walked through the Kärntnerstraße and stopped in front of the Hotel Sacher - that's where the original Sacher cake comes from!

We then had of course a coffee and relaxed a bit in a café!

Hi Mom!

We did some more sightseeing and started with the MQ today. That's short for MuseumsQuartier (museums quarter). That's a complex of museums, for example the Leopold Museum and the MUMOK. During the summer months you can sit on design couches in the MQ courtyard and relax, there are also concerts! We then left the MQ and went on to some older museums, the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Naturhistorisches Museum. The Kunsthistorisches is home of artistic treasures collected by the Habsburgs, whereas the Naturhistorisches collects for example stones, minerals, dinosaurs, fossils... Both museums are opposite of each other in a park.

From there it's just a short walk to the Hofburg, where the former Emperors had their quarters. You can take a tour through the bedrooms of Sissi and Emperor Franz if you like and the Vienna Spanish Riding School is also in the Hofburg. Today, the President of Austria has his office here.

Wow, what a walk! Our feet are hurting now, so we decide to go to a café and relax!