Travelog for: K-Bear

Hi there!

This is my first update to my own travelog and this is really exciting. I'm originally from Holland, but I've lived in Helsinki for a few years. My host's friend Astrid from Holland sent me to my host and my host Kirsi kindly adopted me. I've met many wonderful TV's and listened their stories. Now it's time for me to start my own adventures. I hope I'll get an invitation to travel somewhere soon.

Now it's already past my bedtime, but I'm so thrilled I can hardly go to sleep. My host promised we can write here more tomorrow and also put some of my photos here. Oh, I should think of my life missions too...

Good night and see you all later

K-Bear

Wow, I already got an invititation - I could travel to Germany and I think I like that idea a lot. I've talked about Germany with Michel and he has told me many nice things about it. He said that I should travel there if I have a chance. Hmmm, I think I'll stay this weekend still at home and travel to Germany in the beginning of next week. Now I want to add some of my photos here so everyone can see how cute I am

The first TV's I've met were Mercury and Shauns. I've also met Tapio (Tapsa) and now Michel and Blinchick are visiting us. Manu The Rubberduck is like a brother to me and I know I'll miss him when I'm travelling.

I've spent a lot of time with boys and I'd love to do things that girls do together. It would be great to meet some girl TVs too

I love cherries I like latte and chocolate very much. I think breakfast is the most important meal of the day and ice-cream is delicious. I like to read, watch movies and spend time with my friends chatting and playing.

Here in Finland we have four seasons and I kind of like them all. I've been in many Postcrossing meetings and wrote a lot of postcards - my mommy is addicted to postcrossing Here in Helsinki I've seen a few bear statues, but I'd love to see more of those. I like to see famous tourist places too and also places where tourists haven't been.

OK, I think that's enough about me and now I'll let the pictures tell you more about my life here.

Yey, I'll travel to Germany on Monday to visit Olgamaus I'm so happy, excited and thrilled. It will be my first trip as a ToyVoyager. I hope I'll get more invitations soon, because I want to see the world.

Yesterday my mom went to the city to meet her friend. She had surprise for us when she came back home. We all were sitting and waiting on a couch and then she introduced us to Kerttu. She is a tiny moose girl and she wants to become a TV too. Kerttu is very sweet and we all liked her right away. (Picture 1)

Today we all went to a Chinese restaurant to celebrate the Chinese New Year, better late than never. We had a delicious meal there and it was also a welcoming party for Kerttu. (Pictures 2 and 3)

Today it was also J.L. Runeberg's day. He was the national poet of Finland. We celebrated his day by eating small cakes named after him, in Finnish they are called Runebergin torttu. (Picture 4)

OK, now I'll go to bed. We have to wake up early tomorrow, because were are going to the movies with our host to watch a new animation movie by Disney. I'm looking forward to it already.

Today we all went to the main post office - it was time for me to start my trip to Germany. We had a big latte there for the last time together. We talked about the movie we watched yesterday. It was great and we ate lots of popcorn there too. Too soon it was time for a big group hug and then I wanted to spend a few minutes with my "brother" Manu. My host gave me a bar of my favorite chocolate and said that I should give a piece or two to my new host also. One last hug with Manu and then I jumped into an envelope and my trip to Germany started. I'm so excited to see the world, here I come

Hi Mummy,
I arrived in Remscheid today. My host Katja and some more ToyVoyagers gave me a warm welcome. They were sitting curiously around my envelope, waiting to see what will come out of it.



I met Fiona, Clifford, Squirt, Herlinde, Levi and Fimbo_Fimble



They all were delighted that I brought delicious chocolate with me.



Let's see what we will do at the weekend! Not too much, I'm afraid - the weather here is horrible.

Bye
K-Bear

Hi Mummy,
today we planned to take a walk with Katja's friend and her dog. She is living in another district of Remscheid, we had to get there by bus. On our way to the bus I saw a little bit more of the vicinity of my current home.

Katja told us that the city centre of Remscheid was nearly destroyed in WW II, but the part where we are living stayed nearly intact. So there are many nice old houses in our neighbourhood.



This is the city hall, it's tower is 48 m high, you can see it from the neighbour cities.



At the bus stop at the city hall we missed the bus only a few minutes, so it would take nearly half an hour before the next one will come, so we decided to walk a bit to another bus stop.



We waited here for our bus. The ADAC is the German equivalent to Autoliitto in Finland .

We went to Wuppertal, to Scharpenacken, a former army training area. This area was used for military purposes until 2004 A.D as a shooting range. Today there is a local recreation area with vast open areas.





A terrible storm in 2007 destroyed large parts of the forests in this region. Here you can see that young trees were planted here. They were packed into those plastic shields to protect them from damage caused by game animals .



On these signs you can find information about this area. It will be renatured in the coming years.



A lot of people come here with their dogs to let them run and play. Because it is very windy here there are also some people with their kites.





In the background you can see a housing area in Wuppertal, famous for its exquisite villas built by factory owners.



Bye
K-Bear

Hi Mummy,
we took a short walk in the city centre today, when Katja went out in her lunch break. Her workplace is close to the city hall, so this was our first stop.

Its tower is 48 m high, visible from far away.



On the large place in front of the city hall there is a farmers market twice a week. Here you can also find this pillar with the heraldic animal of Remscheid on top, a lion, in the background the shopping mall.



We only had time for a rather short walk.







Soon we reached the city hall again. Opposite of its back side there is the water tower. Katja told us that the water is pumped to the top of this hill from a dam in a nearby valley.

In the evening I met Katja's pets - funny, agile fuzzies which cannot sit still for more than a second.

This is ferret girl Zaehnchen.





There are two more ferrets, but they were playing somewhere else. I'm sure I will meet them soon.

Bye
K-Bear

Hi Mummy,
we went to a nearby forest today to take a walk in the afternoon.

I saw nesting boxes for several birds.





We saw an outlook point in the forest. Of course we were curious what we would see here.



You can see a small part of Muengsten bridge here, Germany's highest railway bridge. Katja told us that 15 years ago, when all the trees in the foreground were still smaller, you were able to see more of the bridge.





Some time later we arrived another outlook point. From here we had a better look to the bridge. It is refurbished at the moment, no trains will cross this bridge until at least April 2011. Muengsten bridge is overspanning the valley of the river Wupper, it is 107 m high, built in early 20th century. It is connecting Remscheid with the neighbour city Solingen.



On our way back we saw this relay station.



Bye
K-Bear

Hi Mummy,

one of Katja's friends invited us to take a walk in the neighbour city Solingen. Katja told us that we would see a medieval castle there. So Katja and the four of us went with Karin.

We started our trip in Solingen-Burg, one of the oldest districts of Solingen. We could already see the castle, it is called Schloss Burg.



Schloss Burg was originally built in early 12th century by one of the early reigns of this region. It is situated high above the valley of the river Wupper on a really steep hill.

In the following years it was destroyed some times and always rebuilt and enlarged. Nowadays there is a museum in the castle itself. You can visit the courtyard everytime you like. On the following photos you can see the outside facilities.



You can find several shops and restaurants here.



This statue is showing count Engelbert II, one of the earliest reigns.







We left the castle ground than to take a walk in the forest. We could still see the castle here.



We reached an outlook pavilion.



From here we had a fantastic overlook to the valley of the river Wupper. You can see it down there, running through the district Unterburg.



Later we reached a dam, there are many dams in this region. Nearly all of them are used for drinking water, so the surroundings are always a nature protection area.





On our way back to the car we reached a rural area.



This sawmill is also situated here.



Bye
K-Bear

Hi Mummy,
today we had the chance to see a bit more of the city centre. Katja showed us the public library.



This is the central bus station.





Katja told us that she often takes a walk with her brother-in-law and his dog in the district you can see in the background. There is a large woodland area.



Someone sprayed red hearts to this concrete wall.



Here is the beginning of the shopping street.





Bye
K-Bear

[font=tahoma]Hi Mummy,
a new guest arrived today!

It's Kirin, he came here from Russia. His homeland is Chile.



Kirin had to spend two days at the post office, so he could not wait to go out and enjoy the fresh air. So we went to take a walk.

We walked towards the municipal park. Nothing special at this time of the year, Katja told us. But she showed us the elementary school, her kids went to this school when they were younger.



In Hasten we saw lots of nice old houses.



Here in this old district you can often find historic factory buildings next to dwellings.



Katja told us that this street is leading towards a nice woodland area, but because she thought it would start to rain soon, we did not walk into the forest.



A pink graffiti!



Katja showed us this poster, "Evita" is her most favourite musical. She told us that she has already seen it live on stage and she would love to see it again.



From here we had only a few more minutes to walk home. It really started to drizzle in the meantime.



Bye
K-Bear

Hi Mummy,
today a new Toyvoyager arrived, it's Sampson!



Of course Sampson was eager to see where it brought him, so we went outside in the afternoon, meeting a friend of Katja to take a walk.

We went downhill through the municipal park.







We reached Hasten than.



We saw this garden center, already selling spring flowers.



Can you see the rangy landscape?



Katja's friend is living in a housing area with mostly one family homes.



More lovely landscape around ...







This was a lovely trip, but it is cold here! About 0°C.

Bye
K-Bear

Hi Mummy,
today we met Katja's friend and my doggy friend Pepe again to take a walk. Thankfully dogs have to take a walk in the forest every day Katja also has to take walks, she often talks about losing w.... I forgot what she was  talking about.

We went to the outskirts of Lennep, another district of Remscheid, also with woodland and rural areas around.





We reached a dam, not a drinking water dam like most of them here in this region. You can swim here, dive, canoe or sail.





We saw some farms on our way.



In my back you can see a large housing area, built in the late 1960's. From here we had to walk only a few more minutes to get back to the car.



Love
K-Bear